By Zephyria “Status Window.”
Before I could even put on my slippers, the words came out in my haste.
“Status Window, please come out.”
I became more and more anxious and started walking around the large hospital room. And I kept looking around, thinking about the space where the Status Window would appear.
“Status Window, please! You said… there was an emergency, right? Please tell me what suddenly happened!”
When I stopped and didn’t move, the hospital room quickly became silent.
“Status Window… please help me. I’m really having a hard time these days…?”
My fingertips were cold, so I put my hands together, but I still spoke desperately with a praying heart.
“You know without me saying it… Se-han keeps having dreams about the day he had the accident. He’s been having strange dreams ever since that day because he’s been so stressed… and he’s having a hard time, and I don’t know what to do.”
I was about to reveal the truth to Sung Se-han when I heard the Status Window’s emergency warning. I want to quickly hear the details of what’s going on, but the Status Window doesn’t seem to have any intention of appearing.
“It’s my fault. I should have waited until my inferiority complex was 0 points… but I couldn’t stand it and tried to tell Se-han everything….”
[It’s not your fault.]
My heart dropped at the Status Window’s voice ringing in my ear.
“S, Status Window!”
[‘Tae-kyung, everything is my fault. It’s become like this because of my greed.]
“What, what are you saying?”
I couldn’t tell where the voice was coming from, so I hurriedly looked around.
[I’ve intervened too much, even though Status Window has warned me several times. It’s my fault for ignoring all the rules without a system, like you said, Tae-kyung.]
Cold sweat soaked my tightly clenched hands. I wiped my trembling hands on the hospital gown.
“No, don’t say that! Status Window, you didn’t do anything wrong! It’s all my fault for bothering you unnecessarily….”
[No, it all happened because of my greed.]
My heart was beating faster and faster, and I was getting short of breath. I unconsciously wiped my forehead with the back of my hand, and it came away damp with cold sweat.
“Why, why are you saying that….”
[It was also my greed that made you realize who I am, Tae-kyung. It’s because I wanted you to share my emotions too. I wanted you… I wanted you, Tae-kyung, to make Se-han happy for my sake too. My excessive greed has broken Status Window.]
“Status Window is broken…! Don’t say such scary things!”
I gritted my teeth, but I couldn’t calm down. An agitated voice burst out. With a resentful heart, I clenched my fists and glared at the air.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
[I have no choice but to tell you the truth. The order of Status Window has already been torn and broken. All the times have been mixed up, and it’s irreversible. That’s why Se-han is also in confusion.]
“No! It’s my fault, so I’ll take responsibility!”
I ran to the center of the hospital room and hurriedly knelt down. I didn’t know what to do to appease Status Window, so I bowed my head deeply and clasped my hands.
“I’ll accept any penalty! Whether it’s my mind or my body, no matter how much or where I get hurt, I don’t care! I can take responsibility for it all! So please, don’t say things like that….”
[Tae-kyung, there are no more penalties.]
Snap. The sound of something breaking was clear. I slowly raised my head and looked at the air. Everything was dark, and I couldn’t see anything.
[Status Window has already stopped working.]
I slowly opened my clenched hands and touched the floor.
“No, wait a minute…!”
I put strength into my arms and tried to stand up on my knees. But I couldn’t stand up properly and staggered, kneeling down again on one knee.
“Status Window has stopped, stopped working… What do you mean?”
This is not the time for this. My lips were trembling so much that I couldn’t even pronounce the words properly. Get a grip! I felt so pathetic that I punched my knee with my fist.
“I, I still have 1 point of inferiority left, right? But how can Status Window stop? Does that make sense…? Are you telling me… that I can’t stop Se-han’s accident?”
[I’m really sorry, Tae-kyung.]
The cold voice in my ear made my bloodshot eyes widen even more.
[Unfortunately, the 1 point of inferiority will just have to be left as it is.]
I didn’t understand what I had heard, so I stared at the air for a long time.
“Status Window… I don’t really understand what you’re saying…?”
My head was creaking and not working properly. I couldn’t think of anything, and I just felt dazed.
[Tae-kyung, I know it’s hard for you to accept. You’ve worked so hard, so you must feel empty. But as time passes….]
“Are you kidding me?”
I shouted and jumped to my feet, but my legs were shaking, and my body staggered. I couldn’t stand properly.
“There are things you can joke about and things you can’t! Se-han’s life is at stake…! How can you say such things, even as a joke?”
[Tae-kyung, calm down and listen to me.]
“Calm down? Are you telling me to calm down right now?”
Even though I desperately screamed and shouted, it felt like I was talking to a wall, and no emotion was being conveyed at all. Status Window would never say such cold and dry things. Se-han’s life is at stake, how can you do this….
[Tae-kyung, you can’t stop what’s happening naturally by being stubborn. Let’s accept that now.]
“What? What are you accepting? Huh?”
I wanted to cover my ears. I just wanted to block out all the nonsense.
[We are like dust caught in the gears of time. We are swept away by a huge force and can’t move at all.]
Hahaha. Laughter burst out. It was rude, but I just wanted to laugh openly.
[We have to admit now that we don’t have the power to protect Se-han’s wishes.]
“That’s really great.”
Clap. Clap. Clap. I raised my hand high and applauded in the air.
“I understand that you’re saying I shouldn’t be stubborn about things I can’t do and just let them go coolly.”
My voice wasn’t trembling anymore, but my legs were shaking, and I couldn’t stand. I was already being rude, so I just sat comfortably on the bed. I crossed my arms arrogantly and glared at the air.
“But I have no intention of doing that.”
I had promised Sung Se-han so many times. That I would protect him. So I have to keep my wits about me. Let’s think coldly and calmly. I can solve everything.
“The gears of time? I don’t know how huge they are, but I’ll move them.”
[…….]
“I learned something from Status Window, you know?”
I was glad that I couldn’t see my fingers trembling because I was crossing my arms.
“That you can pay any price with your heart or will.”
[…….]
“If I pay with that, no one will be able to stop me, you know? Watch from there. I’ll break all the gears or whatever.”
I was unbearably annoyed that my lips were trembling, so I bit my lower lip nervously.
“But Status Window doesn’t seem to have any will to do anything for Se-han. How can you do this? I respected Status Window, but I really want to tell you that I’m disappointed.”
I raised my voice as much as I could, but it felt like I was submerged in water, and I was suffocating.
“I didn’t want to say this, but do you even love Se-han, Status Window….”
The moment I felt the silence in the air, my heart dropped. I felt like my blood was running cold, and I jumped up from the bed.
“Status Window? Status Window!”
I called out to Status Window in the air here and there, but I didn’t feel any response.
My legs gave way, and I grabbed the bed to hold on.
“Wait a minute! How can you just disappear like this?”
Ah, please…! Eventually, I had no choice but to slump to the floor, still clutching the sheets.
“Don’t do this! Please…! Please help me! How can I save Se-han alone without Status Window? Huh?”
Please save me! I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle the scream coming from my throat. Even so, I couldn’t stop the tears from pouring out.
I curled up as much as I could to avoid making any noise. Splatter, drip. Drip. The fallen tears stained the floor a dark color.
“No, wait.”
I forced my upper body up and looked at the ceiling.
“I, there’s no reason for me to cry…?”
Even in the midst of all this, tears were streaming down my face.
“Fuck, I can solve this! But why am I crying…?”
Can I solve everything? Really? Status Window is broken… How can I…?
My vision went dark, so I covered my face with both hands.
“Ah, Se-han…! What am I going to do…?”
The moment I called Sung Se-han’s name, the sobs I had been holding back burst out.