As Jisung stepped through the registration doors, something felt different from the last time he had done this.
Or maybe it didn’t.
But the déjà vu feeling that had followed him all morning had completely evaporated. So he genuinely couldn’t tell anymore.
Or maybe it was just an ego boost. But in all honesty, it felt good. He thought about every revenge K-drama he’d watched after every bullying episode in highschool. He’d come home all bruised up and sit there in front of the screen desperately wishing that he could have that one redemption scene in his own story. The scene where everything turned around and he’d have the last laugh.
He wished he could go back in time and pat young Jisung on the head. Tell him it was alright.
"One day," he’d say. "You’ll have your revenge. Not just the kind you enjoy alone. But the kind every single person Daniel ever bullied gets to enjoy right alongside you."
The official led all four of them through a door. Then another. And then they were walking deeper and deeper into a dark tunnel with fire torches mounted along both walls lighting the way.
’First of all,’ Jisung thought. ’How big is this fucking building?’
From the outside it had looked like a completely ordinary office. But this was clearly something else entirely. Something much bigger than any of them could have expected.
’Wait.’ He looked at the floor beneath his feet. ’Are we going underground?’
Anyway, the paranoia was creeping back in. Two things specifically, sitting at the top of the list.
Firstly, he was going for the Trials a second time. Even if it was going to be different from last time, it was still a goddamn trial. He had every right to be scared. Walking through this tunnel again reestablished the fear and memories of his first Trial.
Shivers ran down his spine.
Secondly, he didn’t know what came next.
Since he had woken up that morning, he had been able to predict things because he had already lived them. But a lot was going to change since the tag exchange never happened. And from this point forward, he was walking into uncharted territory. Blind.
For some reason that felt more unsettling than the Trials themselves.
Soon four guards appeared ahead of them, walking in front of the participants and leading the way forward. These were not like the guards outside. They wore full masks and moved like trained soldiers.
Then the official suddenly stopped walking and turned to face them all.
"Don’t panic." He said calmly. And left.
’Whaaattt?!’ Jisung wanted to yell after him.
’Like what the hell do you mean sir?’ He bit back a laughter.
But as minutes passed, he thought deeply on it and honestly, what else could the man say.
"Kids, I’m leading you to your deaths?"
Truly, no level of advice was needed here. Don’t panic was probably the most anyone could offer and it was just enough.
’And I, for one, know this more than anyone else.’ He sighed as they kept walking.
A few minutes later Jisung noticed there were only two of them left. Himself and the participant tagged 33. He hadn’t even seen the other two disappear. One moment they were there and then they simply weren’t.
"Just another mystery of the Awakening Trials." He muttered quietly to himself.
A few more meters and he was all alone. Just himself and the masked guards walking ahead of him in silence.
When they finally stopped, a large door stood in front of him.
"I guess this is it."
He took a deep breath and let out a loud sigh. Did a small stretch that felt slightly ridiculous and nodded once to himself.
’Whatever is beyond this door,’ he thought. ’I’m coming back from it... Victorious.’
He stepped forward.
Just as he was about to reach for the door handle, a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.
Jisung turned in confusion. The guard was reaching up with his free hand and removing his mask.
’Huh?’
These guards never did that. Nobody had ever described this happening. Ever.
"Hey." Jisung started slowly. "Are you even allowed to..."
He gasped as the mask came away.
Holding it in one hand, smiling back at him was a face he recognized completely.
"Jisung-ah." The man called.
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
"...hyung?"
****
The registration gates were quieter now that most of the participants had already been led inside, leaving behind only the officials and the guards.
Seojun walked back through the gates with both hands in his pockets.
"Oh, Seojun. You’re back."
Commander Kim stood near the registration desk, clipboard in hand, watching the last of the medical team pack up near the entrance.
"Yeah." Seojun smiled briefly. But the commander could hear a bit of sadness in his voice.
He clapped him on the back softly. "Hey, cheer up. Don’t worry too much. We’re only doing our job. These kids... they can handle themselves. And from what I hear," he paused and lowered his voice. "...it’s way better for them out there once they pass their Trial."
Seojun raised his head and looked at him. "You think so?"
"Mm." The commander nodded.
Seojun just sighed and turned to stare at the blue sky.
"Especially that one kid." The commander suddenly said.
Seojun turned to face him slowly. "Sorry, who... are you referring to?"
"Yeah. That one kid was something else." He chuckled for a brief moment as if remembering a funny thought and waved a hand vaguely. "His name was uh... Yu something... I think."
Seojun blinked. "...Yu Jisung?!"
"Aha! That’s it. Yu Jisung. Participant 34. Everyone’s been talking about him. Apparently he beat up another participant and his entire group right there on the line." The commander chuckled, shaking his head. "Single handedly. Can you imagine?"
Seojun stared at him for a long second. "What?!" He said. "Yu Jisung? Are you sure about this?"
The commander laughed at his reaction. "Why are you so surprised? I told you these kids can handle themselves. They are full of surprises."
Seojun could not believe what he heard. "You said he beat up a participant?"
"Mm."
The commander pointed at something. Seojun’s eyes followed gradually toward the gates.
Across the courtyard, two medical staff were carefully wheeling a stretcher out through the gates. The boy on it was all bruised up. He even had a neck collar on.
As the medical staff passed, something small fell from his jacket and landed on the pavement without a sound.
A tag, numbered 20.
The commander clicked his tongue.
"He got it pretty bad. He won’t be participating today." He paused. "Or anytime soon. Honestly, not until he heals."
Seojun just stared in disbelief.
’Jisung did that to Daniel? But how?’
The commander’s voice jolted him back to the present.
"Apparently his father owns half of this district. So... better not to get involved am I right?"
Seojun smiled and nodded. He looked at the stretcher in disbelief and let out a quiet laugh.
"What?" The commander asked, surprised.
"Nothing." Seojun shook his head, still smiling. "It’s nothing."
He turned away, hands back in his pockets, and let the smile stay as a memory surfaced on its own.
****
Twenty minutes earlier...
"Jisung-ah." Seojun called as soon as he took off the mask.
"Huh?" Jisung turned, completely confused. "...hyung?" He said rather loudly.
"Shh." Seojun grabbed his arm and pulled him quickly to the side of the tunnel wall, checking both directions before stepping back. He watched and waited. When nothing happened, he turned back to Jisung.
Jisung was already smiling. "Hyung, what are you doing here?"
Seojun didn’t answer. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a sizeable backpack, pressing it into Jisung’s hands.
"Take it."
Jisung looked down at it. "Huh. What’s all this? Hyung?"
"Just take it." Seojun said. "You never know what will happen behind those doors. There’s a small blanket in there. And a jacket."
Jisung opened it slightly and peered inside.
"I packed some snacks too, and some..."
"Hyung." Jisung looked up. "You didn’t have to. I’m not a kid."
Seojun ignored him completely and continued speaking. "...oh a water bottle is in there too. Make sure you refill it so you don’t get thirsty. I put in some notebooks and a pen. And I put in pictures of your mum and dad."
Jisung blinked. "...Hyung."
"Hm?" Seojun stared at him.
"Did I accidentally sign up for university?"
"Yah!" Seojun’s voice came out louder than he meant it to, bouncing off the tunnel walls.
They both froze, staring silently at each other. Then Seojun exhaled and lowered his voice.
"Just take the bag Jisung."
Jisung looked up at him for a moment. At the crease between his brows and the way he kept checking the corridor from time to time.
He was looking at a man who had snuck past two checkpoints in a restricted tunnel just to hand over a bag of almost all the basic necessities he may need for surviving his Trial.
Seojun had been there since his foster parents stopped being around because of work. A neighbour first, then somehow a kind of older brother figure that he never had.
Jisung felt something gather at the back of his throat. He dropped the bag, moved forward and hugged him.
"Thank you. Hyung." Jisung said.
Seojun went still for exactly one second. Then his arms came up and he hugged Jisung back.
"Don’t forget me." Seojun said almost in a whisper.
Jisung laughed into his shoulder. "You know that’s never going to happen."
They pulled apart. Seojun straightened Jisung’s collar without saying anything about it. Then he stepped back.
"Stay strong." He said. "No matter what happens in there. You’ll pull through. Believe in yourself."
Jisung nodded. He picked up the bag. Turned toward the door.
He stopped and looked back over his shoulder.
"Hyung."
"Hm?"
"Don’t miss me too much."
Seojun laughed and nodded. "Bet."
Jisung giggled. They stood there for a moment, just looking at each other in the firelight of an underground tunnel. Then Jisung nodded once. Seojun nodded back.
As Seojun turned and walked away, Jisung watched him go. Then he exhaled slowly, turned back to the door, and pushed it open.
****
"Seojun."
"Hm?" He blinked, coming back to the present.
Commander Kim was looking at him, confused. "Are you good? You completely zoned out. I was talking for like a minute."
"Huh? Sorry about that." He scratched the back of his neck. "I remembered something." Seojun said. "What was it you said?"
The commander shook his head, sulking. "Never mind. We should get back to work."
Seojun smiled. "Ah... Alright."
He fell into step beside the commander, hands back in his pockets, eyes drifting once more to the blue sky above the gates.
’Good luck. Yu Jisung.’
’’’
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!
’’’