Minjae jogged up to Jaehyuk, eyes gleaming.
"Hey, are we going on a raid now?"
But before Jaehyuk could answer, Johee and Nayeon both sighed in unison.
Minjae blinked. "What? What's wrong?"
Johee folded her arms, frowning. "The old man earlier said we can't enter a dungeon raid for at least three days. I don't even know why."
Hyunjae scoffed, kicking a pebble on the ground. "Then what's the point of getting an official guild card if they're not even letting us raid?"
Kyun tugged on Hyunjae's shirt, giving him a smug grin.
"Well, duhh, because it's the regime's law. And besides, we're a newly registered guild."
Hyunjae narrowed his eyes, pushing a finger against Kyun's forehead. "That doesn't even make sense."
Kyun shot back, "You don't make sense."
Minjae burst out laughing. "What are you guys, seven-year-olds?"
Meanwhile, Jaehyuk stood a few steps away, lost in thought. His expression hardened slightly, eyes unfocused.
What… was that? Was that my memory?
It was so vivid…
Flashback
The chaotic scene from earlier replayed in his mind, the beast tearing through the dungeon portal, the air thick with panic.
And suddenly-
"J-Jaehyuk… I'm sorry."
A woman stood before him, blood covering her trembling hands.
Jaehyuk's own arm hung limply, crippled and shaking. "Why… would you do this?"
Then-blackness.
End of Flashback
"Are you okay?"
Nayeon's voice pulled him back to the present. She reached out, her hand brushing his forehead to check if he was feverish. Jaehyuk flinched slightly at the contact.
"I asked if you're okay," she said, frowning.
"You didn't answer me."
"Ah… sorry. I was thinking." His voice was low, distant.
After a pause, he stepped back. "I'll be right back."
As Jaehyuk walked off, the others were still arguing and teasing one another.
"Where's he going?" Johee asked.
Nayeon sighed. "Oh, you know. Probably nature's call."
Johee blinked, regretting the question. "Right…"
Washroom scene
Jaehyuk gripped the edges of the sink, cold water dripping from his face and onto the tiled floor. His reflection stared back at him, damp hair, trembling fingers, and eyes clouded with uncertainty.
Who… was that woman?
He shut his eyes, breathing unevenly.
The flash of her voice still echoed in his mind broken and desperate.
"Jaehyuk… I'm sorry."
His jaw clenched.
"If that was someone else's memory… then how did she know my name?" he muttered under his breath.
The hum of the fluorescent light above flickered, adding to the unease.
Was it truly just a leftover fragment from the previous owner of the prototype?...
He splashed more cold water on his face, trying to shake off the fragments that kept replaying in his head.
"Get a grip…" he whispered to himself. "It's just a memory surge. It has to be."
As Jaehyuk stared at his reflection, the faint echo of her voice crept back into his head
"...Jaehyuk."
His breathing hitched. The scene flashed again before his eyes-blood, the sound of rain hitting the ground, a woman standing before him, trembling, her hand reaching out.
"Jaehyuk... I'm sorry."
The image burned into his mind like a wound reopening. He didn't even realize his hands had curled into fists until
CRASH!
The mirror splintered under his punch, shards scattering across the sink. Blood trailed down his knuckles, but he didn't flinch.
Why... why did it hurt so much?
Why did he feel angry and grieving for someone he doesn't even know?
His voice came out low, barely audible.
"Who are you... and why do I feel like this..?"