Sam bit his lip, wincing as Angela treated his wounds. He was not the clumsy type. Everything had simply happened too fast.
Suddenly Angela burst out laughing.
"What?" he asked.
She threw her head back, cackling. Sam rolled his eyes.
"Stop. It’s embarrassing."
She finished bandaging his feet and gave the wrap a satisfied pat. Sam muttered a half-hearted "thank you" and slipped his shoes back on.
"Explain what happened again."
"Seriously?!" His voice came out louder than intended.
"No." Angela chuckled. "When ’he’ arrived, Participant 34..."
"Oh, him." Sam shrugged, crossing one leg over the other. "Well, like every other participant, y’know? They arrive scared or confused, but usually calm. But this guy... he was freaking unconscious."
He leaned forward. "I saw him from a distance, lying in the Drop Field. I called out to everyone because... well from look of things, he was in a terrible condition. Then I ran. Angela, when I say I ran, I fucking ran. And you know I don’t do that."
She giggled. "So what happened?"
Sam heaved a deep sigh.
"Guess."
Her eyes widened. Then she gasped.
He chuckled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. "I reached for the dude and started checking his condition, y’know... checking to see how bad things are."
Angela nodded, listening attentively.
"My hands are moving everywhere like this..." Sam demonstrated. "...and the bastard shot up from his sleeping beauty slumber and grabbed my throat... with both fucking hands."
Sam mimed the motion, fingers tightening in the air, as Angela stared with her mouth wide open in shock.
"I’m choking and begging for my life to be spared, the whole thing, and this dude does not fucking care. He doesn’t even blink. He looks at me straight in the eye like I’m his worst enemy, he twists me with one leg... Uh, it’s insane how strong he is. I land hard on the ground, he mounts me, and just doubles down. I couldn’t move, couldn’t fight back. Man, I was just... Hey, not fair!"
Angela was already rolling on the ground laughing. Sam barked at her, "Stop!" but she only reached out and yanked him back down when he tried to stand, still apologizing through her laughter.
He fixed her with a flat, annoyed look and sighed.
"Anyway," he continued, ignoring her, "...more people gathered. Maxwell showed up and somehow calmed the guy down. Dude looked at all of us like we were aliens, then just... fainted. They rushed him to the inn. And I’m still lying there on the ground like an idiot while no one gives a damn about me."
Angela howled, clutching his arm so he wouldn’t get up again. Sam stared at his friend, eyes stinging with betrayal.
He sighed. ’Guess my life couldn’t get any worse.’
A voice spoke from the shadows behind him. "I think it’s because Maxwell was the first one here in Paradise. That’s why he knows so much."
Sam flinched hard. Zhang Wu stepped out, grinning.
Angela folded over with fresh laughter.
"Dude, I told you to stop doing that!" Sam groaned.
Zhang Wu only giggled.
"How long have you been hiding there?" Sam asked.
"Pretty much since the beginning."
"So you heard..."
"Everything." Zhang Wu laughed lightly. "I’m sure you got a story notification for that. Free 1,000 coins, bro."
He slapped hands with Angela, who was finally calming down.
’Some friends I’ve got. All I got was an embarrassing memory and permanent laughing-stock status among the citizens of Paradise.’
Sam scoffed.
"That’s true, though." Angela said, rescuing Sam from spiraling. "Smart thinking Zhang Wu."
"Yeah," Zhang Wu smiled. "It’s because the same thing happened to me when I arrived."
"Me too." Sam said.
It was the same thing for all of them. Maxwell was welcoming to everyone.
Sam hummed. "Must’ve been lonely."
They all nodded quietly.
"Well," Sam said, "we won’t know what actually happened to the ’weird strong guy’ until his diary session tomorrow."
Angela giggled at the nickname.
"Since when do you know what happens in the diary sessions?" She mocked.
Zhang Wu shrugged, melted into a shadow, and reappeared a few feet away. "I always know."
Sam cheered and slapped hands with him. Angela just rolled her eyes. ’Show off." She turned to Sam. "What’s your ability again?"
"Hey! I didn’t do anything!" he barked as both friends laughed.
Sam knew he wasn’t the strongest among them. It didn’t usually bother him because life in Paradise had been peaceful so far. But around Angela and Zhang Wu, he couldn’t help feeling... smaller.
They never made him feel that way though. But still, the thought lingered that if real danger ever appeared, he wouldn’t be much help to anyone unlike the other participants.
He pushed the dark thoughts aside, waved goodbye as his friends headed off to their duties, and turned toward the infirmary.
Everyone in Paradise had a role. The Equin Rulers said it was the only reason the land had survived this long.
Sam eyed the golden fields and smiling youths going about their tasks. Far from home, with no idea how to return... and yet this place already felt like one.
He sighed. "Let’s check on the weird strong guy."
He pushed open the infirmary door. It squeaked softly. To his surprise, Jisung was already awake.
Sam jogged over with a genuine smile. It had been four hours since the drop and two since the man had fainted. He was quietly relieved the guy was okay.
"Hey, you’re finally up."
Jisung stared at him wide-eyed, then quickly looked away like a child caught stealing.
Sam blinked. "Uhm... A-Are you... okay?"
He checked the IV drip and sat beside the bed gently. Jisung stayed silent. Now that his mind was clear, the memory of assaulting the man in front of him played on loop.
’Damnit, Jisung. Damn you! I assaulted a doctor. Wait... no. I assaulted my doctor!’
He wanted to bolt out the window and start screaming apologies to the universe.
’I messed up again.’ Jisung shut his eyes tightly. ’Fuck, Jisung. Fuck!’
Sam watched fresh sweat bead slowly on Jisung’s forehead. He was confused.
’...Like, isn’t this the same dude from earlier?"
He sighed. ’Stay professional, Sam.’
Sam picked up the clipboard. He cleared his throat. "It says here you have a dislocated shoulder, two broken ribs, wrecked knees, and bruises from head to toe." He looked up. "Do you... feel anything?"
Jisung didn’t answer or open his eyes.
’Well... that does it.’ Sam set the clipboard down gently, adjusted the drip, and urged Jisung to rest.
"I’ll be back." He said as he stood and headed for the door.
’You wish. What a psycho. Jeez!’ Sam thought as the door clicked shut.
Alone now, Jisung clapped a hand to his forehead. He had never been more embarrassed in his life. He tried to sit up, but he remembered the doctor’s warning, and sighed. ’No need to get on his bad side... twice.’
He had woken up barely ten minutes earlier. All his memories had come rushing back at once, head ringing like it would explode at any moment. Then the pain eased, and the messages appeared.
The first message he’d seen made him tear up.
[Your Awakening Trial Has Ended]
He’d let the tears fall freely as he remembered everything that had happened.
’Fucking Harrier.’ he thought.
He wiped them quickly when he heard approaching footsteps, which happened to be the doctor’s.
Now, with the doctor gone, he checked the remaining messages.
[Congratulations, Participant 34]
[You have completed your Awakening Trial. In every generation, only 1 in 10 participants successfully complete the tutorial. You have proven yourself worthy to enter The Seasons.
Your real journey is about to begin]
’Real journey? Tutorial? What the fuck is going on?’
He whispered, "So all of that was just... a tutorial?"
He filed the thought away for later. He couldn’t afford to spiral right now.
[Coins Awarded: 20,000]
Relief washed over him. He had burned through most of his coins in the final fight and only had 3,800 left afterward. Being broke here would be far worse than back home.
[The Seasons Await You, Participant Yu Jisung]
[Transportation to Paradise Will Commence Shortly...]
’Paradise...’
Jisung looked around the quiet, well-furnished room. Through the window he could see the sun setting over lush fields and groups of young people laughing, walking, living without any trace of fear or panic.
"Paradise, huh?"
He smiled and lay back down, nothing but the sound of beeping around him.
He let himself rest for a bit.
Paradise or not, he still needed it.
’’’
Author’s Note: If you’re enjoying the novel, don’t forget to add it to your library and show some support. It really helps!
’’’