### Chapter 141 – Room 107, The Gate Room – ‘Perfect Life’ (32)
—
Han Kain
Four days have passed since I’ve been mindlessly sipping coffee at the café near the Gangneung coast where Ahri sent me a picture.
Will the method that Songi concocted really tug at Elena’s heartstrings?
I was uncertain, but since I couldn’t think of any other approach, I followed along.
For the first couple of days, it felt like Songi and Ahri were up to something.
But by the third day, they started playing at the beach as if they had come for a regular vacation.
I felt ridiculous yet understood at the same time.
Is lounging around amid this hazardous trial really a good idea? Since entering this hotel, it’s been nothing but a rollercoaster of crises, with daily struggles piling up.
Even during a war, people need to sleep and eat. Of course, they also need to relieve stress.
The notion that we shouldn’t take breaks because it’s a crisis doesn’t hold any meaning here.
Tomorrow will be a crisis too, as will the day after.
Deep in thought while sipping my coffee, I finally spotted the person we’d been waiting for.
— Ding dong!
As soon as I heard someone enter, I turned my head toward the café entrance.
In the sweltering heat, there stood someone bundled up in layers and wearing a mask, completely covered.
Yet, with that body shape and flowing blonde hair, recognizing her was a walk in the park.
How to call her over? No need to think about it.
The moment Elena stepped through the entrance, our eyes met, and her eyes widened.
“Elena, is there something you want to say to me?”
She looked dazed and ordered a café latte while taking a seat in front of me.
“I think it’s better if you express your thoughts, Elena.”
“Ah, I see you figured it out right away, even with my clothes and mask hiding me.”
“…”
“I’ve been having strange dreams lately. Dreams where I meet unknown people and wander through bizarre places filled with monsters. All I knew was that it was some kind of hotel. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Looks like she’s starting to wake up gently. Our plan to create conditions for her own memories to surface seems to be working.
“I understand. Please continue.”
“I used to think those were just vague dreams. I’ve been into the occult since I was little, so I assumed it was just reflective of that. But then I had an unbelievable experience. I saw a bird that seemed to have descended from the sky and a girl who felt like a magician. Since I saw them, the dreams have become clearer. The bird and the girl began appearing in my dreams, and….”
“And?”
“And you were there too. You looked a bit different from now, though…”
“Seems like your memories are nearly back.”
“So, it wasn’t just a simple dream? What is it? Please explain.”
Wow~! The last trial seems to be almost over. I felt ready to explain in detail to Elena, who seemed prepared to accept the truth.
We were climbing up while facing indescribable beings in the peculiar space of this hotel.
This place is a trial set by the hotel, and I told her it’s a fantasy world reflecting Elena’s wishes.
Elena’s expression shifted as she listened, filling with disbelief.
…
Did she just realize that all the glamour she thought she had achieved as a star was an illusion?
Thankfully, she didn’t seem to dismiss my words entirely.
We quietly sipped our coffee while gazing out at the beach.
Outside, in a scene I couldn’t ignore, the Ahri, whom Elena called a ‘witch,’ was pouring sand into Songi’s mouth, leading to Songi tumbling backward.
The bird that supposedly descended from the sky, Perro, was caught stealing chicken skewers from a beach stall, fleeing from the angry vendor.
… What are they even doing? Why am I the only one working?
“They seem to be having quite a lively time.”
“Right? Watching what they’re up to truly makes them seem like middle schoolers—such pigeon-like behavior.”
Elena’s reaction was different from mine though. She looked out wistfully, seemingly lost in her thoughts.
“May I have a moment of your time?”
“I’ve been listening since earlier. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a guy out there who wouldn’t want to hear what you have to say, Elena.”
After a chuckle, Elena began recounting a pretty long tale.
“Actually, my parents were very successful when I was young. I still vividly remember going to our summer villa with them every year.”
As she spoke, I recognized the stories that had often surfaced over time—a tale I’d heard that sketched the backdrop of her early life.
Back when Elena’s father was thriving in government positions, their family life was harmonious and wealthy. Back then, Elena’s world was free from any hint of unhappiness.
Then, it all took a turn for the strange.
One day, her father lost his job, and their villa and home vanished overnight. The loss of their livelihood was only the beginning.
Suspicious people began lingering around Elena’s father. The more he met with reporters, the stranger things got.
When friends of her father started ending up in prison or the hospital, a long exile commenced.
I didn’t have much to add and let her continue. Honestly, this felt like the kind of story you usually see on the news.
There were daily headlines about dictators purging their opposition and similar stories, but witnessing the reality firsthand left me unsure of how to react.
Could things eventually improve? That’s a lie.
That dictator is still going strong, and apparently, he has immense support at home.
While Elena was lost in her longs story, Songi and Ahri sneaked in wearing swimsuits with light clothes over them. Seeing us engaged in conversation, they quietly settled in on the opposite bench, trying to hide.
… What are they doing? Do they believe they can hide like that? The moment they walked in, Elena had already flinched.
Thanks to those two, Elena’s mouth momentarily sealed.
“They’re quite interesting, aren’t they?”
“Right? I almost wish I had that kind of phase in my life.”
“That phase of yours?”
“I just thought… once I step out of this ‘hotel,’ if I make it back to the real world, I’d definitely chase my dream of acting. If I give it my all and get lucky, I might succeed enough to not envy anyone in the world.”
“You’ll definitely succeed.”
I genuinely believed that. While I’ve only had a glimpse of Elena’s acting, it wasn’t bad at all.
Most importantly, her astounding looks! Is there any better weapon in the acting world than that?
If she fails, it feels more absurd than anything else. Honestly, I think she knows it too; if she didn’t, that’d be a total lie.
Yet, Elena’s expression did not brighten.
“No matter how successful I become in the future, there are moments that cannot be reclaimed.”
“Pardon?”
“The time wasted while running away and hiding. What about you, Kain? You mentioned earlier that you are a high school student?”
“Well, I ended up snatched before the entrance exam, but I passed, so I’m half a college student, I guess…”
“I bet you had quite an enjoyable teenage period. Made many friends and created plenty of memories.”
“Honestly, being a middle and high school student in Korea isn’t that fun. All I can remember is cramming for exams.”
“Isn’t that time an investment in your self-growth? Unlike me, who had to dodge around hiding in closets, wondering if my parents would come home late, fearing they might be gone forever?”
Something felt off.
Something was really off. This is not how it should be!
I could feel her emotions bubbling to the surface.
Even from a distance, Songi and Ahri sensed the unusual atmosphere and exchanged worried glances in our direction.
Ahri was frantically gesturing ‘do something!’
What am I supposed to do? Elena was the one who went down this rabbit hole solo!
“I’m aware, you know? Not that I’m elderly or anything, and older folks would possibly scoff at my complaints about being in my twenties. But what does it matter? I carry the despair of wasting more than half of my life running away!”
“Elena? Maybe you should calm down and—”
Elena didn’t seem to hear me.
“Why does my life have to be like this? I wanted to live happily. Like Ahri! Like Songi! I wanted to visit beaches in the summer and ski in the winter. Spend weekends watching movies with my family and raise a puppy or a kitten. I wanted to build close friendships since childhood. I wanted to hear tales from my parents’ friends about their sons and daughters!
Have you ever crossed a border five times in a single month? Have you ever felt terrified every time you had a coffee? Have you ever run into a man wearing a cap only to find out two months later he was someone you’d seen on the street before, sending chills down your spine? What’s it like to see the person who destroyed your father’s life now portrayed as a savior leader on the news?”
Ahri, startled, jumped in at that moment.
“Uh! I think there’s been a misunderstanding. It’s not like I had that kind of happy teen life either—”
“No, you fool! Say something convincing!”
“Elena? Cool it! You can swim or ski while still in this hotel, you know?”
“Is that supposed to comfort me?”
“Then, why don’t you try saying something too, bro?”
“Uh, I mean, that dictator will probably get shot someday, right?”
“Wow! That’s super comforting! And you lectured us earlier!”
Elena briefly watched us bicker with a somewhat nostalgic expression.
???
A moment ago, I felt something inexplicable.
Elena felt like she was drifting away from us.
The Elena before me began to blur, like a mirage, slipping away into an unreachable place.
I noticed a similar look on Ahri’s face as she turned pale.
Elena made her wish once more in the world.
The world responded to Elena’s wish.
—
Han Kain
In a tremendous upheaval that literally shook the world, I felt like a person swept away by a tsunami, unable to comprehend what was going on.
Only after I managed to get a grip did I realize.
It truly felt like a ‘creation’ was happening all over again!
Mindlessly glancing around, everything from the signs hanging around to the scenery felt foreign.
Children with exotic appearances hurriedly rushed by, entering gleaming white buildings.
… My suspicions regarding their appearance were confirmed when I caught my reflection in the side mirror of a parked car.
Thanks to Elena’s wish, another new world was born.
I found myself back in early teenage years.
Before me stood a golden-haired girl radiating sunshine with a smile as bright as the sun.
—
I’ll keep the chapters coming fresh.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.