Disclaimer: Everything here belongs to SIU. Except for my OC and uh the other guy.

CHAPTER 3

As we stepped out, I couldn't help but feel incredibly anxious. I'm going to have to get used to fighting.

While I was getting over the uneasiness, Hwaryun rushed past me towards the other teams. As she came close, she smashed one end of her staff into one of the regular's faces, then expertly controlled her staff to have the other end meet the face of another person's. The other teams were completely helpless against her, as she continued to dismantle them without anyone else's help. Clean hits from her staff continued to echo throughout the arena and she stood triumphantly with blood sprayed all around her. Just like what happened during the first test.

"Fucks sake, she didn't give them a chance." The man with the needles said. "Let's go get that crown."

I nodded. "Take care of the blue haired guy, I got the crocodile."

As we moved our separate ways, Hwaryun utilized smooth aerobatics with her staff to get over Rak and onto the throne. I dashed to intercept him, throwing a punch towards his abdomen. He swiftly blocked my attack with his spear, and I backed away creating some needed distance between us. Okay, all I should do is get knocked out. I'm pretty sure I don't want to try to change anything here.

I could see Rak shifting his attention between me and Hwaryun who went to attack Bam. He then seemed to decide to take care of me first, as he prepared to charge at me. Meeting him halfway, I tried my best to block his spear with my fists, but he didn't let up at all. Soon it became clear that he had the advantage with each attack following another so that I had no room to breathe. Shit, each hit is so damn heavy. All my attempts at breaking the flow of the fight were instantly stopped by him as he continued to press into me. After his onslaught of blows, he moved in close to me before firing off a punch straight into my gut. I could feel my back crash against a wall and found that I couldn't breathe. Why did he go so damn hard? My chest is burning, I can hardly breathe, and everything hurts. This isn't exactly how I wanted this to go. My consciousness quickly slipped past as I gathered my last few thoughts.

Khun

Khun looked back at the crocodile to see him finish off his opponent. 'I don't know why the team from the other spot is helping us, but it's clear. This game is ours. Leotard's teammates were not that strong, but that guy…' His thoughts diminished as he saw the other cloaked test team with Bam. 'Could that be that be the Rachel girl that Bam was talking about? If she is, would I be able to give up the game?'

Distracted, Khun looked to see Leotard fly through the air once more to reach the throne. With unbelievable agility, Leotard's staff swung out to hit one of the cloaked teammates. In that instant Bam looked to jump in front of her as Leotard winded up for another hit.

"Bam, no!" Khun yelled out as Bam leapt off the throne. The hit connected directly with Bam's head as he slumped over the cloaked person. Khun rushed over with Rak to intervene but suddenly a sharp crack filled the air and silence rang throughout the arena. A wild string of shinsu struck Leotard, ripping off their mask and slashing one of her eyes. That shinsu looked as if it had been made from Bam.

Leotard split the silence with an intense cry of agony. Just as her blood hit the ground, a different feeling overwhelmed Khun. Something he had never experienced before filled the entire stage. There was a deep dread, and he knew that everyone in the arena, maybe even the administrators above, could feel what he was feeling. An extreme wave of power shook the ground over and over again, until it began to resemble something of a heartbeat. It was as if all the shinsu within the room bowed before this force. The source was evident to anyone looking; the boy that Rak had sent flying into a wall. 'What the hell is this!? Shouldn't he be unconscious?' Something flickered around him, a slight purple flare that lit up and went away with each beat. The force slowly started to escalate, changing the surroundings all around him as if they had turned to liquid. The light in the arena began to distort, and the tremors in his mind only quickened.

However, just as abruptly as it came, it shortly left. The floor and walls returned to their normal state of being, the shaking ceased, and the light regained its natural presence. The shinsu dispersed, but for a moment, every regular there couldn't move a single inch, paralyzed over the weight of the power they just experienced.

Khun, trying to regain himself, looked over at Bam and with shaky legs moved over to help him. Following him, every other regular seemed to be able to move again.

With this, the crown game finally ended, with no winning team. The mysterious team didn't take the crown at the end, and all the regulars were given three days off after a grueling first few tests.

Khun looked to the shinsu made sky on a balcony a few days later, still trying to figure out what really happened in those moments that should not have been possible, at least not on this floor.

Lero Ro

Lero Ro walked through the complex of the resting area for the regulars. He had just come out of a discussion with the test director with plenty on his mind. 'Being irregulars might be too much… but I've never seen the rules of the tower be violated to that extent.' Thinking back to the arena, the way the shinsu acted out was so incredibly unnatural for anyone who could be considered a regular. He recounted the events. 'The waves of shinsu from the unconscious Shun, it almost seemed like it was reacting to the sudden strike of shinsu that Bam created.'

He began entering the commons area and after a day had passed after the crown game, all of the regulars seemed to be looking better. But there was still a tension that held within the air. The pressure that Shun gave off in the arena was so heavy, it got a ranker such as himself to rise on edge. It's no wonder they were shaken up. 'That was too much for people who had just entered the tower. Dangerous individuals that would enter the tower…'

Making a left, he entered the medical bay with many people still recovering from the game. Some would never take another test. He made his way over to a door with a certain regular inside.

"Oh, you're here as well?" Lero Ro entered the room, as a person with red hair spoke. Lero Ro recognized this person as the one recovering from the loss of her eye, the one struck by Bam. Out of her bodysuit, she opted to wear a pink sweater with black lines running down the sides and a pink skirt matched with dark red leggings. "Also curious about this boy?"

He looked at her suspiciously. "I came to see if Shun was awake. There are some things I wanted to know. Though, I suppose I could ask you. You are a guide, are you not?"

Hwaryun glanced up, before looking back towards Shun. "I am, yes, but I doubt I could give you any answers. This one… doesn't have a path that I can decipher."

A regular who's path can't be seen by a guide? Lero Ro raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly as it sounds." She shrugged. "I have no clue why I can't see his path."

Lero Ro decided not to press her. Besides, he came for a different reason. "Well then, do you know anything regarding the last round of the crown game?"

"I'm not sure why or how Shun started to exert that power, but I did receive a message from the tower administrator before the first test. He was given some sort of gift. Something to help him in the tower."

"The tower administrator?" Lero Ro stood in thought for a moment. 'If it's something given to him by the tower administrator, it's not necessarily something I can intervene with. How troublesome.' "Alright then. Well, hopefully he'll have a nice recovery. Good luck on yours as well." Lero Ro gave his farewell as he moved to leave the room.

Walking back to his office, it looked like he had just got more questions than answers. Having been given something from the tower administrator wasn't completely unheard of but still very rare. People who received gifts were those who made changes, sort of champions for the white rabbit. Most things that people did within the tower are within the regulations made by the floor administrator's, the oldest beings in the tower. Even though the white rabbit follows this trend, it is also known to be a little more cryptic in its actions. 'With all the candidates this year, something big will be rising in the tower.' He narrowed his eyes. 'Could it be? I certainly doubt it…but I suppose it doesn't hurt to wonder.'

Mmph…tired…where am I… I'm cold…

I could feel a small presence. Heat… warmth…safe… stop running… come back… I tried moving towards it, but I could never reach it.

A deep, musky voice filled the void. "So, you are the one that survived. I wonder if something about you was different than the others, but I don't expect there to be." The voice vibrated, and I could point out a presence that followed it. "Hopefully, you are able to hold out. There's something I desire, and you are supposed to be the one to help me achieve it. As for now, I hope you don't mind if I make some changes in here. There's quite a bit of baggage I would like to go through." The voice drifted off until I was left with nothing once more.

First thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a bright shining light. As my eyes took some time to adjust, the next thing I noticed was the weight on my body. It felt slow and heavy, similar to the first time I woke up in this tower.

"What the hell?" I groaned. I tried to sit up, but my entire body ached with pain, causing me to stay down.

"You're awake." I looked to the voice to see Hwaryun on the bedside.

"What are you doing here?" I asked sleepily. I noticed some bandages wrapped over one side of her face, as well as her new outfit. She's very bright compared to before. "Your eye doesn't look too good. Should you be resting somewhere?"

Hwaryun peeled open a banana. "You're one to speak. It's not like I can do anything else about it right now. Besides, now that there aren't any open ears, I've been waiting for you to wake up so I might be able to get some answers."

I sighed, staring at the ceiling. "Really? We have to do it right now? How about later when I'm not bedridden after being smashed into a wall by a crocodile." In the corner of my eye, I saw her shake her head as she bit into the banana. "Fine then, jerk."

"…"

As a few moments passed, I impatiently spoke out. "Do you want me to start or something?" I felt a strain on my forehead as she slightly nodded, her mouth still full. I swear, she's doing this on purpose. Was she always like this?

"So how much do you know about me?" I asked in a begrudging tone.

She took a few moments to swallow her bite. "Mr. Headon only told me that you have knowledge you shouldn't, he didn't say how much you actually know. Mind sharing? It's not too comforting being in the dark."

"I'd rather not. It's not just because I find some enjoyment in your annoyance, it's also that I can't trust you. You're working with FUG, right? Hell knows what they would do with what I know." I reflected for a moment, to recall everything that would be happening. However, as I quickly went through my thoughts, something felt missing.

A few minutes passed for her to finish her second bite. I took great pleasure in seeing her glare at me. "While it's true that I am working with FUG, if I wanted you in their holding, you wouldn't be free right now."

I stopped to think about it to see she was right. If she wanted to, she could have just told Hansung Yu and I wouldn't be here right now. It's possible that I would be rotting in a cave, having my mind pulled out for information. "Wait, so if you aren't going to use me to help FUG, what are you doing?"

As she paused again to eat more of her banana, I raised my eyebrow towards her. "You know, we could've just started the conversation after you were done." I spoke.

"I know that." She said as I scrunched my face in frustration. After another session of slow and small bites, she finally finished the banana. "I wanted to figure out what you are, and what you're doing for myself. It's not often someone gets to pave their own path in this tower."

I give her a puzzled look. "What do you mean by that? Can't you see my path for yourself?"

"Normally yes, I can see the paths that I can lead. But with you, I don't see any paths, just a blank empty space." She dropped her banana peel into the silver bucket beside her. "I've never seen or heard of anything like this. It's almost as if the tower doesn't know you exist."

That's probably because I don't belong in this world. I averted my gaze to the side."Well, I guess you could say I came from a very faraway place. Wait, so how can you be sure that I won't mess up your plan?"

She shrugged. "I don't see any paths that lead to it being messed up. If anything, you won't interfere because you know why FUG has to have the boy."

A silence hit, and I found myself agreeing with her. Damn it, she's right. I can't stop Bam from being used by FUG. He has to get the thorn and train under Jinsung Ha. "Could you pass me some water? My throat's dying."

As she handed me a water bottle, I moved past the soreness and sat up on the bed, resting my head against the backboard. I felt the tension in my body release as the coldness of the water refreshed my mind. Looking down at the empty bottle in my hands I automatically began reading the label. Led Core, founder of the cleanest water in the tower. Enhanced with shinsu to further nourish your body, I read.

"Do you know what Mr. Headon gave you?" Hwaryun asked.

I looked back up at her. "Not really. He just pushed a ball into my chest, then sent me to the next floor."

"Well, you should be careful with it." Her eyes met mine, and her tone dropped. "During the last round of the game, you sent out massive waves of shinsu, comparable to some rankers. Whatever he gave you, your body obviously can't handle it, and it's very possible that you could tear yourself to pieces if you aren't in control."

"…What?" I said, perplexed. "Ok, alright, I'll try my best not to die I guess." I did what?

"Are you able to stand?" Hwaryun stood up, not giving me any time to process what she just said. "Let's go get some food."

"Alright I guess." I slowly move my legs to the side of the bed, with every second a sharp pain throbbing throughout my muscles. I attempted to push off using my hands, but no strength met me. Hwaryun pitifully raised an eyebrow towards me. "Ah, a little help please."

Hwaryun sighed as she took one of my arms and placed it over her neck as she effortlessly lifted me up. Slowly, I took a few steps with her help, unable to stable myself. As we made it over to the door, I softened my gaze, getting a lot of comfort from the contact. She's really warm.

"I think I'll be fine now, thanks." I winced, shifting my weight to one of my legs. The ache had dulled as I opened the door, and Hwaryun and I began walking down the bright hallway towards the dining hall.

"How long have I been out?" I asked Hwaryun.

"About two days. The next test starts tomorrow, so you're quite lucky." Hwaryun replied. "I'm sure you know what the next test is, but you should know that you were placed as a fisherman."

Fisherman… I'll be in the same class as the two Jahad princesses. We entered the dining hall to see a few regulars scattered across the tables. Conversations dropped to a low whisper, and I felt multiple pairs of eyes directed towards us. The serving booth had a variety of items, some that looked remarkably familiar. I guess I'll just try a beef bibimbap. Hwaryun settled for a bowl of Japchae.

We sat down at a far table, and I noticed a significant decrease of regulars in the dining hall. Habitually, I closed my eyes and stayed still in prayer, before taking a taste of the bibimbap. The first bite was delicious, the flavors blowing up in my mouth, and a warmth that went down to my stomach. But before I could take the next bite, I felt a shimmer of heartache asregret washed over me. I've had something like this before, haven't I? A place… where I lived… before all this…

"You don't look so happy with your food." Hwaryun remarked. "Doesn't suit your taste?"

I looked up, stiffening my gaze. "No, it's nothing. Just that back where I'm from, I think I used to eat something similar." My head began to ache when I tried to think about what I was doing before I was brought into the tower. I reached for the place I called home, but it felt like I was reaching for the stars. All that came to mind was the story that I was presently living in.

We stayed silent for the rest of the meal. There was a skylight all around the dining hall that provided the light. I saw the outside blue filled with clouds and remembered something.

"Is the sky really just made of shinsu? And if you went to the top somehow you would just meet the ceiling?" I asked Hwaryun who was also gazing at the outside.

She gave me a puzzled look. "Of course. Shinsu is what fills us with energy and surrounds us like air, and the sky you see will always just be part of another floor. At least for every floor that's discovered right now."

"That's pretty weird." I looked back at the tables to see no one left except Shibisu, who was eating with Anaak. "Hm, there were so many regulars here before us."

"They probably left because of you. Like I said before, you gave off an immense amount of shinsu pressure that no normal regular would be able to handle. If you didn't stop releasing it, people, including you, probably would have died." Hwaryun explained. "You probably didn't notice because you recovered quickly, but your body was literally pulling itself apart before."

"That's pretty horrific." Still in thought, I offered to take up Hwaryuns tray as we both finished. She obliged. I picked up both of our trays and moved towards the pile of dirty dishes. I didn't notice someone coming up to me until they spoke.

"So, you are the one who sent out that shinsu during the crown game." I turned my head to see Anaak Jahad with Shibisu not far behind her. She made no attempt to hide her contempt.

"Yeah, I'm told that I was." I placed the trays on the pile.

"You certainly don't look like you did. I bet it was just a fluke." She began to walk away. "Just because everyone else is scared of you, don't think you'll be able to take me on. I'll crush you." I raised my mouth in an awkward grin. She's not wrong, I'll give her that.

"Wow, kind of scary, isn't she?" Shibisu came up behind me. "Hi there, I'm Shibisu." He smiled.

"Shun. I guess in some ways she is scary." I replied to him. "It's good to meet you though, I remember you back from the wall of shinsu test. I respect what you said back there."

He let out a nervous laugh. "Thanks. Now that I think back, it was pretty embarrassing." He went to put down his tray on the pile. "You know, I thought you'd be scarier to talk to. With all that shinsu you let out, you seemed to be a monster like some of the other people in our test group."

I shrugged. "I don't exactly see the point in being unfriendly with the people here. Connections are always something good to have." That should satisfy him.

"I guess you're right. Well, I'll catch you later. Got to get back to some training." We waved each other off, and I headed back to the table Hwaryun was still sitting at.

"Making acquaintances?" Hwaryun asked.

"Something like that." I replied. Shibisu mentioned training… if I wanted to at least survive within the tower, I probably need to figure out how to actually fight. "Hey, Hwaryun?"

"Yes?" She brushed some of her hair back.

"Can I ask you for a favor?"

"For the next few days and upcoming weeks, we're going to be working you into shape. Your body is naturally resistant to shinsu, but that seems to be your only strength." Hwaryun said after we had picked up some supplies from the rooms we were given, including her gold staff. She led me to a vacant room with wooden flooring and beige walls. It reminded me of some kind of dojo, but the size of it was comparable to a football field. Glass ceilings allowed for light to luminate the room. "From what I've seen, you have zero fighting experience, no instincts, and a very weak reaction time. You basically only won your first fight because of one lucky shot."

"Wow you have no mercy." I winced.

She waved me off. "We'll be working on the basics by going through drills nonstop. First, you will attempt to dodge me as much as you can. This will go on until either you successfully dodge 200 hits, or I land 3 hits. The next drill will be for you to avoid getting caught. If I catch you within an hour, you'll have to pay for my meal that day, with the points you will be getting during the positional test.

I raised an eyebrow. "What? I won't lie, that seems a little excessive. I still need to make it to the next test you know."

"Think of it as a friendly punishment. If you wanted, I could threaten to give you over to FUG instead. You need some incentive if you want to get stronger. You aren't exactly starting from a solid foundation." She deadpanned. "The drill after will be the first one but with opposite roles. I'll be the one to dodge while you try to hit me. The last drill will be a spar."

She swung her staff around menacingly. "Get ready, we'll be starting the first drill."

I held up my hands in protest. "Whoa right now? Can't you let me get mentally prepared or some-." She didn't let me finish before shoving her staff towards my face.

"Ok that's just rude." I shouted out. She paid no attention to my words, instead striking at me with enough force for me to feel the air moving around her staff. I moved around her staff, ducking my head, sidestepping, shifting my torso, but it became increasingly harder to dodge her attacks. Is she moving faster? Hitting my right shoulder, she then moved on to quickly strike my left thigh then my chest. I found myself on my back, staring at the ceiling as pain rattled throughout the places she had hit.

"Alright that was 20 dodges." She spoke. "If you want any chance in beating me in the next drill, I suggest you get up. I'll give you five seconds."

I rolled to my side, placing my hands and feet to the floor. Painfully I stood up before quickly noticing Hwaryun darting towards me. I ran, air hitting my face as I did my best to reach the other side of the room. This reminded me of something I couldn't quite place. Running for… I couldn't remember. I could see the wall coming closer to me and made a sharp turn left. I shook my head. This was something different. Running to gain strength, to make sure I didn't die in this world. I felt a shimmer of warmth, but it was quickly replaced by the coldness of this reality.

I briefly turned my head back to find Hwaryun quick on my tail before she overtook me and slammed her staff on my back.

"Caught you. About 5 minutes, so not bad." Hwaryun said. She helped me up.

"Was it really necessary to hit me that hard." I coughed out. It had felt like a sledgehammer had stuck me.

"Yeah. Building up your pain tolerance and body fortitude."

"That's totally just an excuse."

"Could be." She smirked. "Anyway, let's move on to the next drill. Do your best to hit me."

"Gladly." I stood straight before rushing towards her. I jabbed towards her with my right hand before she smoothly moved to the side. But I was prepared to not hit her with my first attack, and quickly twisted my body to hit her with my left elbow. She backed up one step, smoothly dodging my elbow. I twisted once more to take another shot with my right arm hoping to hit something. It didn't. I glanced towards her, knowing she wasn't even challenged. Grinding my teeth, I began moving without thinking, following up each punch and step with another. At some point, it was hopeless for me to actually hit her.

I was drenched in sweat by the time Hwaryun said, "Done. 200 dodges, no hits. Alright, it's time for the spar. Only rule is that the spar will end when the other person can't stand up.

I was in no way ready for this. I was exhausted, and Hwayun looked as if she were talking a brisk walk. My legs felt like jelly, and I could barely lift up my arms.

"Can't we take a break?" I panted. "There's no way I'm going to be able to do anything in the spar."

"There's no one in this tower that will stop just because you're tired. Think of it as a life lesson." She replied. I was out before I could throw another punch.

*4 days later*

"Hey Shun." I looked to see Shibisu sit down beside me and Hwaryun with his meal tray. Hatz joined us soon after.

"Yeah?" I replied. My entire body felt bruised after an unreasonable number of hours training with Hwaryun. Honestly, I was glad to see a face other than the one that was tormenting me with joy. Meals were the only thing I looked forward to during the day, since all the lessons in class were mostly just boring lectures and fundamental details about this world. Learning about shinsu and the history of this tower was less than exciting.

"I was wondering if you two would like to be friends with Hatz and I." He smiled.

"Friends?"

"It's kind of a weird request, but we need to put 10 people we've made as friends for our scout class." He pulled up a sheet of paper with a table filled with various names.

"I guess I could sign it, what about you Hwaryun?" I looked towards her.

"I'll pass." She replied.

Shibisu gave me his sheet of paper with a pen. As I signed the sheet with my name, I saw Hatz hesitating a bit before also handing me his sheet.

I leaned in to whisper to Shibisu. "Isn't he being a little cautious?"

He chuckled nervously. "Yeah, well after that spectacle in the arena, I think anyone would be foolish not to be. It took a bit to convince him that you were an alright guy."

"What makes you so sure about me?" I narrowed my eyes.

"My gut." He said in the most ridiculously confident tone.

I gave him an incredulous look before giving him back both their sheets of paper. "Only a fool would have that level of trust." I laughed.

"You seem surprisingly normal." Hatz said.

"Funny. That's what Shibisu said the first time he met me as well." I shrugged.

A few more people showed up at the table including Khun and Bam. As they came up, Hwaryun got up silently and gathered her tray without finishing her food. I glanced at her, but she only idly stared back before moving to the front to drop off her tray.

"So, this is Mr. unconscious." Khun addressed me. "Glad to see you on your feet." A hint of cockiness came out of his voice.

"Thanks. You guys are Khun and Bam, right? Nice to meet you." I responded.

"Nice to meet you too!" Bam cheerfully said. "I saw Ms. Hwaryun sitting with you earlier, are you guys friends too?"

"Not really sure if you could say that. She just kind of beats me up whenever she feels like it." I rolled my eyes. Honestly, that's a good question though. I still don't know what we are, and I doubt we're friends. I don't really know what her intentions are with me, and it doesn't really make sense why she's been willing to train me. I get that I could be a potential asset, but there's still something I don't understand.

"I'm sorry about her eye, I didn't mean to attack her like that." Bam apologized.

"It's alright, I think. She doesn't seem too bothered by it. Besides this floor is made for people to take down others around them."

Bam looked down into his bowl of food. "I guess that's true, but wouldn't it be nice if we could all work together to go up the tower together?"

I stayed quiet for a moment. "Yeah, it would be nice." That conversation was quickly swallowed up by the noise of other conversations going on. It felt normal for once, to be talking with people around me during a meal.

I laid on the cold wood floor, exhausted after another training session. Hwaryun was sitting, leaning her back against the wall. After every position lesson, Hwaryun and I would meet up in the training room. Each day the lessons would go until midafternoon, then we would train late into the evening, only stopping for dinner. As Hwaryun and I both knew would happen, each meal began to cost points. These points were gained from the lessons, and as promised, I had to pay for Hwaryuns food basically every day since I couldn't even touch her during our spars. This was the fifth day since we've started the training.

"You alright?" Hwaryun asked. My body had eventually begun to handle the amount of stress put on it during the training, so I wasn't always extremely exhausted afterwards. But today I wasn't on the floor because I was tired. Clouds filled my head as I stared at space.

"I don't want to even answer you," I replied, still trying to gather my breath. "Does it look like I'm alright?" A silence filled the air, only being broken by my breathing.

"I mean you're improving at least; you didn't do nearly as bad as the first time we did this training. You actually landed a shot on me this time." Hwaryun noted while examining her staff.

I placed my hands on the ground to lift myself up to look at her. "What in the hell am I supposed to do with that? I mean, what am I actually supposed to do with some half assed encouragement?" I snapped. "Seriously, there's literally no point in doing that since you're obviously expecting so much more out of me!" My voice echoed throughout the room. Some relief washing over me as I let out some frustration. Hwaryun looked just a bit startled, creating some guilt inside me. I didn't mean to do that.

I sighed, trying to calm myself as I laid myself back on the floor. "Sorry, I'm just a little tired. I didn't mean to lash out at you. I actually appreciate the training, it's just… a little hard."

"That's not all you're thinking about though, is it?" Hwaryun asked.

I let a few moments pass by, as I stared into the skylight above. The sky looked so much different than I remembered, I wondered why that was. "I guess not. I've been thinking a lot lately, about my old home. Whenever I try to remember it, nothing comes up, just a lot of jumbled thoughts. I think I had a family, and friends, with a life I really liked. I can't be sure." I paused. "You know, I don't belong here at all. I don't know what I'm doing, or what I'm supposed to be doing. When you told me that you couldn't see my path, that kind of sucked for me because I thought at least you would be able to tell me what I'm supposed to be doing or where I'm supposed to go."

I sighed. "Damn it. I don't know why I'm feeling this way. Sorry, I just need some space."

Hwaryun nodded and got up. She left the room, leaving me to my own, not fun, thoughts. I mean it would've been a little nice if she stayed. Any company would be nice right now. I brooded, staying on the floor, doing my best not to move a muscle. After a while, I heard the door open, then a bottle appeared in front of my face with some sort of drink I've seen in the dining hall. I sat up to hold the warm drink as Hwayun sat back with her own drink against the wall.

"Thanks." I took a sip from the bottle. It had a leafy tea taste to it, and as it went down it felt as though my body was putting itself back together.

Hwaryun also opened her drink and took a sip. "I don't really know what to say that will help, after all I've known my place in this tower for as long as I could remember. But knowing things don't actually make them easier when they come to be. Sometimes… I think not knowing things would be really nice. But I wouldn't know that for sure. I mean look at you, I can't imagine how much it must hurt to know so much yet be unable to know the things you really wish to know."

Hwaryuns words resonated within me. I did really want to know what my old life was all about… and how much I should miss it. I took time to fully digest what she had said and grew to appreciate it. Someone who understands that they can't fully understand. I found myself oddly fond of that idea. I looked at the drink in my hands. "Didn't this cost you points?"

"Forget it." Hwaryun shrugged. "We both know I don't need the points. I had you buy me meals to try and motivate you to work harder but that might've just put unnecessary pressure on you. I'm sorry for that, you must be going through a lot right now."

That hit harder than any blow she had struck me with. I could feel it, the water that came up into my eyes. Although I only knew her as a character on a screen up to this point, she helped me more than I had ever thought she could have. I couldn't stop the gratefulness I was feeling towards her, as she helped lift some of the burden I was carrying. Something I was forcing myself to ignore, became acknowledged.

A/N

Thanks for the few follows from Aran004, TJTV, happonen. , namedarknss, and tsukiyomi83. It's pretty nice encouragement to see on the first few chapters :D.

Of course, I'll try to update this story as much as I can. These few chapters are just coming out now because I had already written them.

Any comments or suggestions are really appreciated!

Edit 15/07/2021

Thanks for reading!