TL/ED: Ha⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠msterminator

There were figures gathering around the burning transport ship, peeking curiously.

They were shabbily dressed. But they were armed.

Scavengers.

A horde of parasites dwelling on the outskirts of the city, known as the Outlands.

A massive clan that had established their own territory in the undeveloped zones, evolving a culture distinct from the civilized areas.

Their sense of unity was weak.

Though they shared a common name, these people rarely had reasons to band together or clash outside their own sectors.

In short, each sector had its own wildly different tendencies.

For example, the Scavengers near Downtown generally didn’t hesitate to enter the city, so it was common for them to pair up and commit crimes as comrades.

That incident where Jin was attacked while sleeping in a motel was exactly such a case.

But here.

The Scavengers of District 41 were a bit different.

These ones had a much stronger tendency toward isolation.

It would be more accurate to say they had cut themselves off.

Which meant they rarely ever showed up near the city.

Aside from some pathetic attempts at self-sufficiency,

the only way they made a living was through robbery.

Their daily routine was wandering aimlessly around places like the Highway, preying on vehicles or drivers that looked like easy targets.

Those bastards really hit the jackpot today.

No, seriously, think about it. A burning aircraft just happened to crash in our sector (which is public land, by the way).

Depending on the situation, a wreck like that could fetch a good price just by stripping the shell.

So they started swarming in, beginning with whoever was closest.

And that brings us to now.

The less experienced ones were busy putting out the fir⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠e,

while the ones with some mileage were licking their lips as they looked down at what were once their brothers, now chunks of meat.

“...Fucking morons. You all got wiped out just ‘cause you couldn’t handle one guy who dropped out of the sky?”

A mutter full of irritation.

Followed by voices of agreement. "Yeah, right! Yeah!"

In the midst of that, one of them tilted his head and crouched down.

“But why’s this bastard’s face like this? Totally mangled. Looks like he got hit with something different, all on his own.”

“No kidding. What the fuck happened to him?”

Just as more guys started crowding around to inspect the corpse torn apart by the Gravis,

someone pointed at a long trail of blood on the ground.

“What do we do? Should we chase him? Looks like there’s only one.”

“But what if it’s a guy? Not worth it, right? And look at all that blood. He’s probably already dead. Do we really need to?”

“Still, he’s the bastard who killed our guys and ran. We gotta confirm.”

“It’s a gray area. The fire’s already dying out.”

One guy, scratching his head, finally snapped his fingers.

“Let’s have the rookies do it.”

Again, "Yeah, right! Yeah!"

Not a single person said, “Aren’t they already working their asses off putting out the fire?”

Across all time and cultures, this is exactly why being the youngest always sucks.

As if this kind of scene was perfectly normal, the loudest Scavenger suddenly turned his head toward the transport ship.

“Anyone!! Come ov-”

And his words abruptly cut off.

“...Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

As that dumb sound left his mouth, the others also began to turn their heads one by one.

What they saw was.

A body torn to shreds, wet and slick with blood, intestines boiling hot and squirming.

A chaotic mess of once-human flesh and bone.

That red sight before them, was it the color of dusk, of flames, or of blood?

No one even noticed the other aircraft silently floating in midair.

Only the man walking over, stepping on the remains of his fallen brothers, burned himself into their vision.

He was looking this way.

In that moment, every Scavenger felt the same sensation.

Their organs churned.

As if they were yearning for freedom.

As if ready to burst out of their flesh at any second.

And then, that’s exactly what happened.

Pop!

With a grotesque rupture, blood sprayed everywhere.

A surreal silence settled in.

And from the center of it all, the man stared into the air and spoke.

“Looks like he already ran.”

It wasn’t just a monologue.

Because in the next instant, the light blinked on in his neural port, and someone’s voice came through.

[Oh, really?]

If Jin had heard it, he would have shouted, “Wait a second, this voice?! That bastard! The half-corpse robe guy!”-

But the man simply opened his mouth without any reaction.

“Should I chase him?”

[No, let it go.]

“Why?”

[Just pretending like we tried is enough. Honestly, it’s not even just pretending. We hit the fleeing transport ship, and it actually crashed. So let’s stop here. It’d be troublesome if we handed over what he wants too easily. We still need more research on the Black Flame.]

“I don’t think Kilgit will let it slide, though.”

[It’s fine. He’s too badly injured to even take care of himself right now.]

“Kilgit?”

The man furrowed his brow.

With that, the strange patterned tattoo covering his forehead crumpled as well.

“Can’t really imagine that.”

[Same here. To think I’d live to see that monster bedridden. And yet he looked happy, like he’d finally found it. It’s absurd.]

“Found it? That so-called complete flame or whatever? What bullshit.”

[Well, you gotta understand. His goal is to devour all flames in the world. That power was inherited for that very purpose. Anyway, you can head back now. Good work. Not that it was hard work or anything.]

Click.

The comm wa⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠s cut off.

“......”

The man stood still for a moment, then reached into his coat.

From inside, he pulled out a long, rectangular silver foil wrapper, peeled it open, and put the contents into his mouth.

Chew chew.

P⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠uff-

He blew a balloon with a face far too calm for someone who had just massacred over a dozen people, then turned his head somewhere.

His gaze followed a straight trail of blood.

And the scrape marks, likely left by someone dragging their legs.

When the balloon finally popped with a pop!

The man leisurely began walking back toward the transport ship he had arrived on.

***

Controlling variables, personal ability, all that.

Jin didn’t care about any of it.

Was Khalifa a god?

Jin was in awe.

How did she even find him?

Is this what it takes to be a Linker?

There was a lot he was curious about, a lot he wanted to ask, but his mind had already begun to sink.

He collapsed on the spot, head dropping down, and the last thing he remembered was a pale hand supporting him?

So he only learned the full story three days later.

It turned out that the only reason Khalifa had been able to arrive in time was thanks to Eric.

When he realized there were no employees inside,

When he confirmed a mercenary had been infected with Berserk,

And when Kilgit appeared.

Eric had contacted Anecdote a total of three times.

And that contact hadn’t been some long-winded message,

But rather a type of navigation data pinpointing his visor's location. Khalifa, who interpreted that, was already on the move even before the second transmission arrived.

“Of course, if it weren’t for you, it would’ve all been meaningless.”

Khalifa said that as she looked at Jin, who was lying in a hospital bed.

“How’d you even manage to bring Eric along, in that condition?”

Normally, Jin would’ve gone on and on about how this is the dignity of the next Solo King, or whatever, but this time, he could only raise his thumb with a trembling hand.

He was in too much pain to even speak.

Wasn’t it cheating for it to hurt even just to breathe?

Maybe it was from the exhaustion and sorrow.

His eyes grew moist.

As Khalifa awkwardly looked at him,

A middle-aged woman approaching from nearby scoffed, “Ha!”

“See? Who told you to push your body that far?”

Then, checking the vital signs on the monitor, she muttered,

“HR normal, NIBP and ABP are a bit high but not an issue, SPO2 looks good, RR is fast but within range...”

As she silently focused, Khalifa spoke up.

“He’s going to be okay?”

“Yeah. I don’t get it, though.”

With the final muttered line of “What kind of messed-up body is this?” the woman turned briskly.

Jin followed her back with his eyes.

Is it really okay for a doctor to be like that? he wondered.

“She’s a little sharp, huh? Mama’s tone is just like that.”

Khalifa nodded as if she understood what he was feeling and naturally continued the conversation.

“Eric is recovering somewhere else. There’s a doctor who’s been in charge of him from before. Though I’m not even sure you can call that person a doctor... Oh, and Eanna returned to her family. Guess her time away was too long. She seemed in a hurry.”

As she said that, Khalifa met Jin’s eyes.

“She said she’ll come visit soon? Said you two made some kind of promise?”

At that, Jin quietly raised a thumb.

“I’m curious. What was it?”

It wasn’t something he c⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠ouldn’t tell her, but unfortunately, Jin was unable to speak.

As his thumb drooped limply from exhaustion, Khalifa, who had been silently watching, slowly opened her mouth at some point.

“Seems like now’s not the right time to talk. Once you’re better, come to Anecdote. We’ll talk about the rest then. For now, get plenty of rest.”

With those words, Khalifa rose to her feet, turned toward the middle-aged woman standing a bit away, and left a parting message asking her to take good care of “that friend” before leaving the building.

“She gave me a look before leaving. Seriously.”

Mama snorted toward the sound of Khalifa’s retreating footsteps, and only then did Jin close his eyes with a tired expression.

***

Ten days.

That’s how long it took Jin to sit up from his hospital bed.

To others, it was a near-miraculous recovery speed,

But to Jin himself, he was scratching the back of his head wondering why it took so long.

He was still in pain!

Though it meant he could at least move around if he pushed through it, his mana circuit was only just slightly above wrecked, even if his outer appearance looked decent.

Shouldn’t he be staying put for more treatment, then?

No! Absolutely not!

Jin had made up his mind.

“I’m getting discharged!”

“Since when do you decide that?!”

Jin bolted from the hospital on his own terms, and the middle-aged woman, Mama, chased after him.

“When did he take out the IV?!” she shouted.

Of course, Jin wasn’t the type to let himself get caught so easily. Even in pain, a superhuman is still a superhuman. He dashed down the stairs like the wind, turned his head mid-run, and shouted.

“I’m too hungry to stayyy!!!”

Then, turning his head again, he saw a familiar face.

“Ugh!”

Jin barely managed to stop himself and addressed Eanna.

“What are you doing here?”

“...I heard you were here.”

“Mm?”

Even in his confusion, Jin figured she probably heard from Khalifa and added a follow-up.

“Did you eat?”

“No.”

“Perfect. Come with me.”

Without delay, Jin brought Eanna to Rumpumpumpum.

The second floor was still under heavy repair, so the two of them took a seat in a corner on the first floor.

Maybe it was because the place had recently gone through a rough time.

The store was quiet.

So Jin ordered food without hesitation.

A mountain of it.

“...You’re really going to eat all this?”

“Feels like it won’t be enough.”

Saying that, Jin split open a hot dog.

He firmly stuffed it with French fries, then took a huge bite.

Wow! Salty, sweet, sour(?), a chaotic flavor explosion in his mouth!

Rumpumpumpum, just as it always was!

Overcome with emotion over something so dumb, Jin devoured the hot dog in no time. Eanna, hesitating, reached for something herself.

After trying a slice of pizza, she quietly asked for water.

“...It’s spicy.”

“Spicy? It’s usually just salty, what’s going on today?”

“......”

The next moment.

Eanna’s eyes fixed on Jin as he stacked five slices of pizza.

In her slightly widened pupils was a kind of... anticipation? Or maybe disbelief?

Whatever it was, Jin lived up to it.

Taking a completely insane bite.

Then scrunching his brow slightly.

Ah. Yeah, this is really spicy. What the hell?

Still, instead of spitting it out, he just sat there chewing with both cheeks stuffed full of pizza. Eanna silently watched him for a while before slowly opening her mouth.

“Is this your favorite place?”

At that, Jin tilted his head.

“...My favorite?”

Ah. Um. Uh. So like...

His answer dragged on.

For some reason, he couldn’t give a straight reply.

He scratched his cheek awkwardly for no reason.

The truth is, Jin knew.

Rumpumpumpum was a terribly bad restaurant.

He just remembered it, that’s all.

He tightly held the unfamiliar-looking bill he had picked up off the ground and hesitantly opened that door, glancing around nervously.

The diligent mechanical arm didn’t scold him for smelling bad, didn’t kick him out.

Before he knew it, a warm waffle was in his hand.

Jin’s gaze naturally shifted to the stairs.

As if afraid someone might take it away, he had dashed up to the second floor, and there, sitting by the window where an old speaker played music, he chomped down on the waffle.

To be honest, he didn’t remember the taste.

He had just kept chewing hard while crying miserably, and that had been the first meal in his life he had eaten with his guard down.

Could he ever forget that moment in his life?

He wasn’t sure. Jin had no confidence he could.

“...Yeah, I think so.”

Jin slowly nodded as he looked at Eanna, having finally taken his eyes off the stairs.

“It really is my favorite place.”

“Got it.”

Eanna gave a short reply and reached out her hand.

Then she began picking at various foods and eating.

Without a single complaint, without showing any reaction.

They ate.

There wasn’t any meaningful conversation.

Only the occasional clinking of plates filled the space between them on the table.

Time passed.

And when the seemingly endless pile of food finally ran out,

The two of them left the restaurant.

It was around then, as Eanna quietly looked up at the deep night sky, that she spoke.

“Walter was like you too.”

“......”

“He’d be laughing like everything was fine, and then suddenly disappear. When I went looking for him, I’d find him curled up in a corner. When I asked what was wrong, he always said the same thing. ‘Don’t ask me why. Just tell me everything’s going to be okay.’”

Jin suddenly remembered what had happened on the transport ship.

What Eanna had said to him when a wave of panic hit, she had said something just like that.

He sniffled awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“That’s my cue to go. Oh, and here.”

Eanna suddenly pressed something into his hand.

When he looked down at his palm, he found an elegantly decorated glass bottle.

Inside, a radiant liquid shimmered.

Jin asked,

“What is it?”

“A gift.”

“What, I just drink it?”

“Yeah.”

With that short answer, Eanna turned to leave.

Facing him, she stepped back, one step, two steps, three steps.

Then she naturally turned her body around, and in the faint space between her fading footsteps, a voice reached him, barely audible.

“Everything’s going to be okay. For both of us.”

Just like that.

Jin quietly watched her disappearing into the dark, and only after she was completely out of sight did he slowly begin to walk.

He dropped by the nearest unmanned motel and threw his aching body onto the bed. For some reason, he couldn’t fall asleep tonight.

He stared blankly at the ceiling for a long while.

Then, all of a sudden, he remembered the glass bottle and popped the cap open, pop!, and downed the liquid.

Before long, his eyelids gently began to close over his world.

*

With his body feeling strangely refreshed.

Jin suddenly gasped and opened his eyes in bed.

It was because of a strange feeling.

Something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

A sensation both familiar and foreign.

What the hell is this?!

Slowly, he looked down.

Wait a second, why do I have three legs?

~~~
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