7:22 PM
Lucas lay motionless on his bed, staring blankly at the cracked ceiling of his dimly lit bedroom.
The events of the day replayed endlessly inside his mind.
The frozen classroom.
The countless spirits.
The whispers.
The blood flowing from his ears.
“…Damn it.”
He covered his eyes with one arm and let out a long, exhausted sigh.
“There is no way I’m going back to school tomorrow feeling like this.”
His head still throbbed faintly.
Even now…
The memory of those lifeless faces refused to leave him.
Who were they?
Why could only he see them?
What did they mean when they whispered his name?
“…Am I really going crazy?”
The question echoed through the silent room.
He slowly reached for the orange medicine bottle resting on his bedside table.
Inside…
Only three tablets remained.
Lucas stared at them quietly.
“They don’t even work anymore…”
Still…
He swallowed one before taking a sip of water.
Maybe…
Just maybe…
Tonight would be different.
A knock came from outside his bedroom.
“Lucas?”
His mother’s gentle voice drifted through the door.
“Dinner’s ready.”
Lucas forced himself out of bed.
“I’m coming.”
The dining table was simple.
Steamed rice.
Grilled fish.
Miso soup.
Mrs. Helen smiled warmly as Lucas took his seat.
“You’ve barely eaten anything today.”
“I’m not really hungry.”
“You still have to eat.”
Lucas nodded obediently.
“…Okay.”
For several minutes…
Only the sound of chopsticks filled the room.
Mrs. Helen quietly studied her son.
He looked exhausted.
Far more exhausted than yesterday.
She wanted to ask what had happened at school.
But she didn’t.
Instead…
She smiled gently.
“Your favorite.”
Lucas looked at the grilled fish.
A faint smile appeared.
“…Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re welcome.”mm
It wasn’t much…
But for a brief moment…
The heavy atmosphere between them disappeared.
A few minutes later…
Lucas returned to his room.
He closed the door behind him before collapsing onto the bed.
The room felt unusually quiet.
Trying to distract himself, he picked up the tablet lying beside his pillow.
The screen illuminated instantly.
Before he could open anything—
Incoming Video Call
Derek Morgan
Lucas smiled faintly.
He accepted.
Derek’s face immediately filled the screen.
“There you are!”
“I was starting to think aliens abducted you.”
Lucas chuckled.
“If aliens exist…
“They probably wouldn’t choose me.”
Derek laughed loudly.
“Fair point.”
“So…”
“You feeling any better?” Find the original chapter at g.com.
Lucas hesitated.
“…A little.”
Derek could tell he was lying.
But instead of pressing him…
He grinned mischievously.
“I’ve got something that’ll cheer you up.”
“Oh?”
Without another word…
Aaaaa
Derek shared his screen.
A shaky cellphone video began playing.
The recording showed a busy shopping district in Los Angeles.
People were running.
Cars crashed into one another.
Police sirens echoed through the streets.
Then—
ROOOOOAAARRR!!
A gigantic horned monster burst through the side of a department store.
Its body was covered in black scales.
Two massive crimson horns curved backward from its skull.
Its claws tore through an armored police vehicle as though it were made of paper.
People screamed.
Someone shouted,
“Run!”
The creature seized a terrified man before throwing him through the front window of a nearby café.
The camera shook violently.
Then—
A pillar of blazing fire crashed down from the sky.
A Saint Hunter landed in front of the monster.
His flaming sword illuminated the street.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
But…
The monster didn’t retreat.
Instead…
It smiled.
The recording ended.
Silence.
Lucas slowly lowered the tablet.
“…How many people died?”
Derek’s cheerful expression disappeared.
“The government confirmed twenty-three.”
“…Eight Saint Hunters were injured.”
Lucas lowered his eyes.
“…Another monster raid.”
Derek nodded.
“They’re happening almost every day now.”
“…People stop talking about them after a few days.”
Lucas remained silent.
Five years ago…
A single monster attack would have shocked the world.
Now…
It had become ordinary.
Derek suddenly clapped his hands.
“But enough depressing stuff.”
“I’ve got better news.”
Lucas laughed.
“I doubt it.”
“Oh, trust me.”
He opened another page.
A promotional poster filled the screen.
At the center stood a beautiful young girl with shoulder-length purple hair.
She wore a stylish black leather jacket decorated with silver chains.
A guitar rested across her shoulder.
Her confident smile almost leapt from the screen.
Lucas tilted his head.
“…Who’s she?”
Derek looked as though he’d been waiting for that question his entire life.
“Her name is Yung Soo.”
Lucas blinked.
“The Korean rockstar?”
“The one and only.”
Derek nodded enthusiastically.
“She’s one of the fastest-rising singers in Asia.”
“I’ve followed her music for nearly three years.”
Lucas smirked.
“…You’ve memorized her biography, haven’t you?”
Derek coughed awkwardly.
“…Maybe.”
Lucas laughed.
“So…”
“You have a crush.”
“W-What?!”
“I don’t!”
“I admire her music!”
“Uh-huh.”
“And she’s beautiful.”
“…That has nothing to do with it.”
Lucas burst into laughter.
For the first time since leaving school…
It felt genuine.
Derek crossed his arms dramatically.
“You’re impossible.”
“I know.”
“But guess what?”
“What?”
“She’s coming to Westbridge University this Saturday.”
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
“For the Halloween Prom?”
Derek nodded so hard the camera shook.
“The Student Council announced it this afternoon.”
“I finally get to see her in person.”
Lucas smiled.
“I hope you don’t faint.”
“I won’t.”
“You probably will.”
“I definitely won’t.”
Both of them laughed.
For several precious minutes…
There were no ghosts.
No whispers.
No monsters.
Only two friends enjoying an ordinary conversation.
Eventually…
Derek glanced toward the clock.
“It’s getting late.”
Lucas nodded.
“…Yeah.”
“I should get some sleep.”
Derek smiled.
“And Lucas…”
“Hm?”
“Whatever happened today…”
“…Don’t deal with it alone.”
Lucas remained silent for a moment.
Then…
“…Thanks.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Derek raised his fist toward the camera.
“Good night, bro.”
Lucas gently bumped his own fist against the screen.
“Good night.”
The call disconnected.
Silence returned.
Lucas placed the tablet back on the bedside table before lying down.
His smile slowly faded.
The room felt strangely heavy again.
He stared toward the ceiling.
“…What are you?” he whispered into the darkness.
No answer came.
Only the quiet ticking of the wall clock.
Tick..
Tick…
Tick…
Outside…
The colossal crimson portal hanging above Sacramento bathed the city in an eerie red glow.
For a single heartbeat…
The portal pulsed.
At that exact same moment…
Lucas’s eyes snapped open.
He could have sworn…
Someone had whispered beside his ear.
“…Wake up…”
He immediately sat upright.
The room was empty.
No one was there.
Yet…
The whisper had sounded real.
Far too real.
Lucas slowly turned toward his bedroom window.
Beyond the glass…
The crimson portal stood silently beneath the night sky.
Watching.