Chapter 7: The Midnight That Shook the World

9:00:41 PM.

Han-jun acted like he was about to calculate the bill and run out immediately, but he finished dessert before leaving.

Even while we were bickering fiercely.

In the end, he paid.

If I had tried to pay, it felt like he would have half-killed me, so I had no choice.

“I’ll definitely treat next time.”

“Forget it.”

Han-jun turned his head sharply with a sulky expression, and regardless of what he did, I tilted my head up toward the darkened sky, soaking in the moment.

“Ha. Look at the stars, Jun.”

“You’re seriously annoying.”

Why is he so dissatisfied.

Our so-called savior really has a narrow heart.

He’s supposed to save the world, but with a heart that small, how is he going to do that.

The reason there’s only one salvation scenario must be because Han-jun’s heart is as tiny as a bean.

I shook my head and simply stared up at the quiet night sky.

It’s not like this is the first time he’s sulked.

He’ll get over it soon enough, I thought.

“It feels like nothing’s going to happen, right? Tomorrow will be just like today, won’t it?”

I spoke with a breeze mixed into my words.

But Han-jun, still crooked with irritation, glared at me and shot back.

“No.”

“Huh?”

“Why wouldn’t there be. Something could happen.”

I’m already anxious, so why is he like this.

Han-jun grabbed my shoulder.

My body spun around at his force.

Just as he stared at me in surprise and was about to open his mouth.

“Oh? That’s my bus.”

Right then, I saw a bus approaching the stop.

I shook off Han-jun’s hand and ran toward it.

It only came once every twenty minutes, so if I missed it, I’d have to wait forever, and I ran without looking back.

“See you tomorrow!”

Without anything happening.

I swallowed the rest of my words.

I saw Han-jun staring at me with a blank expression.

He stood there, looking utterly bewildered and hollow.

When I boarded the bus and waved, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and held his ground.

When I stubbornly kept waving, he finally waved back.

Seeing the sigh-laced smile on his face, I felt relieved that he didn’t seem too angry.

The bus departed, and Han-jun’s solitary figure gradually grew smaller.

He remained in place, watching the back of the bus.

I wondered why he wasn’t going inside already.

My heart felt heavy because I couldn’t say what I needed to today.

As the city lights streaked past the bus window, I let out a deep sigh.

My mouth felt dry.

10:30:12 PM.

Passing through the apartment complex that felt especially quiet tonight, I stepped into the elevator.

I pressed the button for the fifth floor and blankly watched the display as the numbers climbed.

When I entered the house, I immediately saw Mom lying on the sofa.

I couldn’t tell if she was watching TV while sprawled out or asleep.

Since she didn’t greet me, she must have been asleep.

I quietly went into my room and closed the door.

The click sounded unusually loud tonight.

“Haah.”

Maybe I drank the wine too quickly.

My pounding heartbeat echoed all the way in my head.

I felt dizzy and exhausted, but sleep wouldn’t come.

My eyes were bloodshot, yet my mind was wide awake like someone who’d overdosed on caffeine.

It felt like all my nerves and senses were sharpened.

I stood there with the door closed for over an hour.

When I turned on my phone, there was a message from Han-jun.

He asked if I got home safely.

I tried to reply, but my hands trembled so much I couldn’t type.

Like someone who’d taken drugs.

After rewriting the text several times to get the words right, I eventually dropped my phone.

“f*ck!”

I cursed to myself, my chest tightening as I rushed out of the room.

I stood in the middle of the living room like a madman, staring blankly at the clock.

I watched the second hand spin endlessly.

Exactly five minutes later.

It would be midnight.

Mom, who had come out to get water, glanced at me with a look that seemed to say, What kind of lunatic is this, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the clock.

My mouth was parched, and the tiny blood vessels in my eyes had burst.

I anxiously watched time pass.

3 minutes.

2 minutes.

1 minute.

30 seconds.

15 seconds.

10 seconds.

5 seconds.

3 seconds.

2 seconds.

1 second.

Ding.

The ticking of the second hand stopped.

The surroundings were eerily silent.

Only the loud pounding of my heart filled the space.

I breathed out, “Huff, huff—” then slowly closed and opened my eyes.

My vision flickered black, and when faint light seeped in and brightened my sight.

KRRRRAAAANG!!

Right after the deafening reverberation, the ground shook.

Items fell from the cupboard, and the refrigerator tilted as if about to topple.

I couldn’t stand either and collapsed to the floor.

“Damn it, so it was real….”

I swallowed hard, squeezed my eyes shut, and counted ten more seconds.

Because I remembered Chapter 1 of the world’s destruction scenario.

A rift in dimensions opens in the wrong place, disturbing Earth’s axis, twisting all tectonic plates—Destruction Scenario Chapter 1.

‘10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.’

Even after ten seconds passed, the great earthquake did not come.

One destruction scenario had been avoided.

The fact that I was still alive meant countless coincidences and strokes of luck were brushing past this very moment.

And depending on whether Planet Resa had collided with Earth, or some other planet had.

Humanity’s survival would ultimately be decided.

Rather than despair, I felt resentment.

f*ck, is the world really ending.

Now we’re screwed.

Maybe because I had lived the past two months worrying and agonizing over this very day.

I quickly pulled myself together and moved according to the simulation I had drawn in my mind.

Strangely, my pounding heart calmed, and my chaotic thoughts turned cold and clear.

As if I had been waiting for this moment.

No stray thoughts interfered; my body moved instinctively.

I first took out the bag I had packed with items I would need.

A knife, water, rope, long-lasting food, medicine—essential survival supplies filled the backpack.

From outside the apartment balcony came the shrill beeping of alarms.

The shaking ground must have triggered the security systems of cars.

My phone also rang repeatedly with alerts.

Emergency disaster messages were pouring in.

From a quick glance, it said earthquakes were occurring nationwide.

“What on earth is going on? Huh? Do-hoon, turn on the news.”

I steadied Mom, who had rushed into the living room in panic, and handed her the bag.

“No need to watch. Just take this.”

“What is this for?”

“Mom, I put in tickets for an early flight to Jeju tomorrow morning. Drive to the airport.”

“What do you mean Jeju all of a sudden?!”

“Ah, surprise gift. There’s a ticket for Grandma too, so pick her up on the way. I’ve booked accommodations.”

Since Mom was currently off work, sending her to Jeju wasn’t difficult.

“You’ve worked hard all this time. Go rest properly.”

There wasn’t much time to explain in detail.

For now, I would pass this off as just an earthquake and send her to Jeju.

“With what money did you—?”

“Do you think I’m that broke?”

I am broke.

Everything was paid in card installments.

When the world-flipping incident occurs, they say the safe zone in our country was Jeju Island.

The government moved its main bases to Jeju and evacuated citizens there.

Of course, only those with power.

Those left in the danger zones would face chaos.

An era without government, surviving invasions of alien monsters.

The emergence of superpowered individuals becomes the only hope.

But even that hope doesn’t last long.

In a world without government, power equals authority.

The superpowered seize control like a coup and begin exploiting the masses with absolute power.

Before long, the mainland would become a disaster.

But Jeju, designated as a safe zone where the government relocated, would remain relatively secure.

I planned to send Mom there.

“And you?”

“I have to study.”

I smiled awkwardly, and Mom smacked my back in disbelief.

“You should at least tell me in advance. Good grief. What is all this chaos?”

“Hey, I send you on a trip and you complain.”

There was no way I could tell this unbelievable story to Mom, who probably just thought there’d been a big earthquake and her son was suddenly urging her to go on a Jeju trip.

And even if she believed me, she would never leave me behind.

Parting while she knows nothing is the best way.

I have to stay on the mainland.

I plan to help Han-jun so the only salvation scenario can succeed.

If I stay by his side, I’ll know how the world unfolds.

Whether it collapses or narrowly survives.

Rather than hiding in a safe zone, trembling through each day.

It’s better to face what’s coming.

And even if it’s just a few lines of future knowledge, I need to remain beside Han-jun.

Perhaps I can contribute, even slightly, to saving the world.

It’s not some grand sacrifice for humanity.

I just can’t abandon all hope for myself and my family.

Mom flustered around, unable to understand what was happening.

“You’re going on a trip. Why pack all this useless stuff? Take it out.”

“Don’t take anything out. Just bring it all.”

I carried the luggage down to the underground parking lot and placed it in the trunk.

Society would function normally for at least a few days, so she should reach Jeju safely.

“It’s the first flight, so leave early. You have to pick up Grandma too, so go now before traffic builds up. You know you’re going to Gimpo Airport, right? Don’t absentmindedly go to Incheon.”

“This kid, you think your mom’s never been to Jeju?”

I pushed her into the driver’s seat and repeatedly warned her.

She held the steering wheel but couldn’t depart for a while, clearly overwhelmed.

Then suddenly, anger flared.

“You crazy brat, try this again next time. Huh?!”

“Have fun. Don’t come back right away. Stay at least a week, okay? They say there won’t be any more earthquakes, so don’t worry.”

“Ugh, you’re driving me insane. Just wait till I get back.”

Leaving curses behind for the absurd surprise I pulled, Mom finally drove off.

I neither smiled nor cried as I engraved what might be the last sight of her face into my mind.

My chest churned.

Tears threatened to spill, but I had no time for sentiment.

I held my breath and turned away.

This wasn’t the time to stand here.

After seeing Mom off, I returned home and picked up my own backpack.

Like hers, it was filled with emergency rations and essential survival items.

With the backpack slung over my shoulders, I stepped out the door and glanced once at the empty living room.

The darkened space looked lonely.

“By the way, will I even be able to get a taxi.”

Like someone setting off on a very long journey, I moved forward with heavy steps.