Jinah: *She leans forward, tapping a finger on the table.* Try starting with the truth.
Christopher hesitates, the weight of his predicament pressing down on him. He glances at the window, the neon light of Seoul blurring into streaks of color. He thinks of Monja and his son. He thinks about his love for them. Guilt gnaws at him.
Christopher: *He lowers his head, his voice barely above a whisper.* I were at work, closed my eyes for a second, when my eyes opened… I wasn't me.
Jinah: *She raises an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips.* Go on.
Meanwhile, in Germany, the scent of burnt caramel hangs heavy in the air. Jin-Woo paces the living room, the baby monitor crackles with static. He feels a growing unease. This domesticity, this… normalcy, is unsettling. He stops to pick up a framed photo of Christopher and Christine, a forced smile plastered on their faces. He shudders.
Jin-Woo: *He sets the photo down abruptly, turning away.* This… this is all wrong.
Christine: *She enters the room, holding a half-empty mug.* What's wrong now, Christopher? *She takes a sip of her tea, her eyes narrowed.* You've been acting strange all day.
Jin-Woo waves his hand dismissively. He needs a distraction, something to take his mind off the suffocating feeling of being trapped. His gaze falls on a bookshelf overflowing with manga and graphic novels. He pulls out a worn out copy of 'Solo Leveling', it's cover depicting a familiar, stoic hunter. A chill runs down his spine.
Jin-Woo: *He flips through the pages, stopping at a dog-eared page featuring himself, mid-battle.* This is…
Every other page showcased a drawing of Jin-Woo in various battles. He realizes this wasn't a fan art, but a documentation, a story being told. His story. He flips through the pages until the drawing of a three-headed elemental bird catches his eye. It's the creature he fought, the one that… He shakes his head, the memory hazy and disjointed.
Christine: *She snatches the book from his hands, glancing at the cover.* Seriously? Still obsessed with this childish nonsense? *She throws the book onto the coffee table.* You need to grow up, Christopher! We have a baby now.
Back in Seoul, Christopher recounts the surreal events, the battle with the elemental bird, the shimmering feathers that dissolved into dust. Jinah listens intently, her initial skepticism giving way to… fascination?
Jinah: *She leans back, a thoughtful expression on her face.* So, you're telling me… you're living inside my brother's body?
Christopher: *He nods miserably, rubbing his temples.* I know… it sounds crazy… absolutely mad.