Chapter: 7
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 2
Current Location: Floor 1, Room 101 (Cursed Room – A Strange Family)
Sage’s Advice: 2]
Today feels really bizarre. I’m definitely hungry, but I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast, yet I have no appetite whatsoever.
I actually managed to skip breakfast and even turned down duck meat at lunch? Considering that since I was a kid, my mom would scold me asking if I had a starving ghost inside me every time we visited a duck restaurant, it’s downright peculiar that all I did during lunch was have a staring contest with the duck instead of devouring it.
Now I have some free time until dinner. I can’t see the family around, probably because they’re all off doing their own thing. Walking away from them, there’s this strange feeling… it’s like my mind is getting clearer.
I feel like I’m forgetting something, but what could it be? Will I remember it if I think a bit longer?
It’s a bit fuzzy…
From the haze of half-remembered memories, odd faces started to surface. A hulking uncle, a career woman exuding wealth, a chipmunk-like girl who looks cute enough to pinch, and a shy, silent boy.
And then, a stunning lady whose beauty just knocked the wind out of me.
Who is she? Have I seen a movie with an actress like that? But it feels too vivid to be just a movie memory. Plus, it seems like we’ve actually had a conversation.
Did I really have a chat with this gorgeous blonde? Just as I was getting lost in a puzzling spiral of questions, I heard footsteps coming from nearby.
“Ah! Han Kain, what are you doing here?”
“Oh, you’re here. Where are Mom and Dad?”
“They went to see the aquarium. I heard they have a shark show!”
“A shark show?”
“They say it’s the highlight of the resort. Apparently, employees in swimsuits go in and play tag with a great white shark. Tourists can join in if they pay some money!”
“Doesn’t that sound a bit dangerous?”
“What’s it to you? That’s the thrill of it! Anyway, Mom and Dad can’t swim, so they won’t even get in. I wanted to go so bad but got turned down for being underage! It’s just so unfair.”
After chatting a bit with my sister, the confusing thoughts that had been swirling around in my head vanished instantly.
I’m really something else. Is the influence of that nightmare from this morning still lingering?
It’s a family trip, and here I am, trying to pose all alone instead of enjoying the sights.
Just then, something flickered somewhere in my vision.
I really must be starving since I haven’t eaten in ages.
*
[Get away from your sister immediately.]
*
Dinner was a lavish buffet. As I entered the restaurant on the ground floor of the hotel, beautifully crafted plates were flying around with food on them.
Oh, so this is the trendy ‘throw and eat’ thing I’ve seen celebrities do on TV!
Chefs in white uniforms appeared, beaming with smiles as they tossed plates like frisbees. Half the food dropped as the plates soared through the air, but people joyfully licked up the fallen morsels without hesitation. Every now and then, a nimble person would leap and catch a flying plate with their mouth.
The plates would shatter upon impact, and their faces would end up a bloody mess—but hey, it was still a blast!
I tried it a few times, but then I realized catching these flying plates with my mouth is no easy task. I just kept bumping into them, and before I knew it, I had resolved to skip dinner and focus on catching plates instead.
Toward the end of the meal, luck was on my side, and I managed to snag a piece of fruit. Sadly, the plate fell before I could catch it; I only managed to eat a slice of mango that was on it.
Ahhh… the whole point was to catch the plate, but here I was left with just the mango!
But hey, the mango was incredibly delicious, so I couldn’t complain.
With a satisfied look, I was munching away at a mango when my sister approached, munching on some seasoned live rabbit. How do you even eat that when the bunny’s still squirming, muscles tied up and all?
“Oppa, have you seriously eaten nothing fancy all day and only that mango? Is that even a meal? There’s no garnish either!”
“I don’t know why, but strangely, this is the best thing I’ve had all day.”
“Oh, really? Since you haven’t eaten anything all day, I guess I’ll give this to you!”
My sister offered me a plate. Had she noticed I’d only eaten mango? The plate was filled with several pieces of mango, but unfortunately, there were cow eyeballs skewered onto each piece. I had heard this was the way to enjoy it, but for some reason, it didn’t sit right with me, so I picked off the eyeballs and just ate the mango.
It did have a bit of a bloody odor, but the mangoes were still delicious.
After a rather surreal meal, I returned to the resort, casually watched an episode on Netflix, and laid down on my bed. Maybe because I hadn’t really eaten anything all day, I was extremely hungry, and sleep just wouldn’t come to me.
Lying away from my family in bed, my head started to throb again, and stray thoughts crept back in like before.
That lady’s name was… Elena. Suddenly, it popped back into my head. Did I see her in a dream?
It’s truly an image I won’t forget. Her hair shone brighter than melted gold, and her eyes sparkled like precious gemstones. Plus, there was definitely a certain goodness radiating from her!
I wish I could see her again. A few more faces flickered across my mind, but to be honest, I couldn’t quite grab onto them.
Everything felt so distant. We were supposed to gather and do something, perhaps explore a dangerous room, uncover beautiful and magnificent treasures? Did I dream about some kind of adventure?
Hotel Pioneer, suddenly sprung to my mind, and it felt like I was about to wake from a stupor.
That was when a message from my sister pinged.
Ahah, looks like Mom and Dad fought over something silly again. They’ve been bickering over trifles even on this trip for decades. Is this just what married life is all about?
Chuckling as I replied to her message, all those complex thoughts vanished, and before I knew it, I was asleep again.
*
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 2
Current Location: Floor 1, Room 101 (Cursed Room – A Strange Family)
Sage’s Advice: 1]
Morning came, and I woke up. Strangely, it felt like I’d only dozed off for three seconds. Sometimes when you’ve been exhausted and you fall into a deep sleep, it feels like you’ve just blinked, but this time just feels excessive, doesn’t it?
I’m not joking—I genuinely feel like I didn’t sleep at all. Yesterday must have been incredibly tiring.
After getting dressed and washing my face, I geared up for skiing. It was quite cold when I briefly stepped outside yesterday, so I made sure not to forget my thick duck down parka. True to form, in just a second of thought, I found myself at the top of the ski resort.
My family was all gathered, but their outfits were quite different from mine, which I found intriguing.
“Huh? Mom? Heegang? Isn’t it too cold dressed like that?”
“Ugh… look at your brother! He drives me crazy sometimes!”
“Hey, Han Kain! Whatever. Seriously, who dresses like that in winter nowadays?”
“Uh… isn’t it cold without layers? That’s why I wore more.”
“Kain, winters are supposed to be cold. Spring is warm, summer is hot, autumn is refreshing, and winter is cold. That’s just nature’s law. Have you ever considered that shedding layers because it’s hot and piling them on when it’s cold goes against nature?”
Reflecting on my dad’s words, I thought about it and realized he was correct. Like, what are the laws of nature?!
In South Korea, we have four seasons, so it’s only natural to feel hot when it’s warm and cold when it’s cold. Trying to change something that’s natural, just with clothes, is pretty foolish.
Especially now, we’re in an era of protecting the environment. Isn’t protecting the environment all about living in harmony with nature?
Realizing that it was right to follow the natural order, I promptly stripped off my clothes. Only then did my family relax their expressions, and we all shared a bright smile together.
It felt incredibly cold, but that didn’t matter. Winter’s supposed to be cold, so why the surprise?
While laughing, I felt something flash at the corner of my vision.
[… . . .]
*
[Your temperature is falling. You must wear your clothes immediately.]
*
Skiing was a blast; I genuinely had a great time!
Sharing joy with my beloved family, playing in the botanical garden, devouring delicious duck meat, soaking in the extravagant atmosphere of the resort at dinner, and the next day, skiing together.
When will such happiness come around again?
Gradually, I felt my consciousness getting fuzzier. Nothing to be worried about. Winter’s just supposed to be cold.
While skiing, I fell over suddenly. My skin felt like it was sticking to the ice, and I couldn’t get back up.
Ahhh… was there even a need to stand up?
Looking around, I noticed people lounging down comfortably. Oh, so lying down naked on the snowy ground is the latest trend?
Gradually, my vision dimmed, and at some point, I just stopped feeling cold. I sensed that the cheerful trip was winding down…
You have failed!
A good son, a nice brother. Overflowing with love for your family, you failed to notice the odd changes surrounding them. Spending too much time together led you to madness, crossing an irretrievable line. You could neither escape nor resolve the curse. How unfortunate!
However, there’s still hope! Wait for your teammates.
…
…
…
…
One of your teammates has successfully escaped! Congratulations! The successful escape means everyone returns safely.
Han Kain felt his sedimented consciousness slowly start to float away…
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