SPGM Ch 13

A gaze, glistening with ecstasy, swept over Weather. Over the fine-textured ashen hair, the cool skin and the richly saturated green eyes. And over the trajectory of the red scar carved like a brand.

🎥

“I’ve seen that somewhere before?”

A large, imposing physique and a helmet covered in scratches. At first, that was all that caught the eye. But the two years spent rolling around in the gutter had not been in vain. Even while hunched over, the reporter’s gaze secretly scanned the other man.

Rugged work boots covered in dirt. Faded old blue jeans and a black biker jacket that was out of place for the season. A scar or a red tattoo traversing the nape of his cool-skinned neck. And finally, the helmet that covered his face.

In the symphony of achromatic colors, the only noticeable hues were the blue jeans and the red scar. It was only natural that the red color on his neck caught the eye more than the faded blue jeans.

The red trajectory, resembling the shape of blood vessels, or perhaps like electricity spreading, seemed to climb up the collarbone and neck, continuing into the helmet. Even in that fleeting moment, Roth thought it was quite bizarre, and only after the man had left did he finally realize what it resembled.

A murder case that occurred in a town in C-District.

It was the same as the characteristic of ‘Zero’, a character from the murdered cartoonist’s comic.

“I know this is disrespectful to the deceased, but… the artist was a bit of a peculiar person. How should I put it, like he was born in the wrong era? If he had been born 100 years ago, he probably would have been much more famous.”

The expression of the editor who had once been in charge of ‘Jason Miller’ was complicated. It seemed he had suffered a great deal at his hands while he was alive, as just the thought of him brought a look of exhaustion.

“He wasn’t a malicious person, but in many ways, he was someone who lived with a wall up against the world. He was completely absorbed in the world he created rather than in reality. It’s natural for a cartoonist to have affection for his characters, but… well. I’d say his case was on the severe side. Especially with Zero, it was exceptionally so.”

“Zero?”

A reporter from a rival company asked back in a quizzical tone. Roth, who was crouched and eavesdropping across from their table, perked up his ears.

“Ah, Zero is the main character in the artist’s comic.”

“What’s the title?”

“『Pygmalion』.”

The editor, after taking a sip of tea, shrugged his shoulders.

“At first, I couldn’t understand why he chose that title. Honestly, it doesn’t really fit the story. I suggested changing the title several times, but he was adamant. But at some point, I began to understand.”

“Understand what?”

“That just like Pygmalion who obsessed over the statue he created, the artist was also obsessing over the character he created. And the title was an unconscious expression of that. I still remember it vividly. When he created the character of Zero, the artist’s expression was truly….”

Ugh, swallowing a groan, the editor shuddered.

“He looked like a madman.”

Then, startled, he began to make excuses.

“Ah, I don’t mean anything else by saying this. I’m innocent. On the day of the incident, I was stuck in the office, and, why did the conversation suddenly turn this way…. I’m sorry, Reporter.”

“Haha. Don’t worry. I know. That part has already been fully verified. In the first place, I came here to gather information, not to interrogate you. The more diverse the stories, the better. By the way, um, is this it? The comic you just mentioned?”

The reporter pointed to his laptop screen. The editor nodded.

“Yes. That’s right. This character is Zero.”

“I felt it when I looked it up after the incident, but the art style is truly outstanding. It’s as if he’s alive. With such a distinctive art style, why wasn’t it popular?”

“…Have you by any chance read his comics?”

The reporter shook his head.

“No. I haven’t gotten around to reading it.”

“Then you should try reading it. You’ll know once you do.”

The editor’s faint smile was bitter.

“The truth is, for a comic, an outstanding art style isn’t everything. There’s the story, of course, storytelling ability, writing skills, directing, and even the perseverance to endure a long race. Besides these, many other elements and qualities are required. Of course, having an outstanding art style is an advantage that can’t be ignored, but being good at drawing a static picture is different from drawing a picture that creates a story. It might attract attention at first, but that alone can’t sustain its popularity.”

“Is that so?”

Compared to the reporter who had no interest in comics, Roth, who usually enjoyed them, nodded in agreement with the editor’s words.

“I admit that the artist had a strength that others couldn’t easily possess. But his understanding of comics was lacking, and his pride in his own handiwork was immense. Even though he could have improved, he never listened to others’ advice. And so, he eventually got buried….”

“So he ended up hearing that only his art style was a waste.”

“…Yes. That’s exactly right.”

The reporter, who was looking at ‘Zero’ displayed on the screen, continued.

“But did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That this friend might actually exist in real life.”

“…What nonsense is that.”

What kind of ridiculous crap is that guy spouting all of a sudden? Roth, who had been listening to the reporter’s words, let out a scoff. The rumors about him being an unbearable lunatic must have been true after all. The editor facing the reporter had a similar reaction.

“Pardon? Haha, no way. Zero is a comic book character, Reporter.”

“Yes. I know. I know that Zero is a comic book character. But what if that comic book character, Zero, was based on a real person?”

“…Excuse me? A real person?”

Whoa, what is this now. Roth, holding his mouth to stop a gasp from escaping, widened his eyes.

“Yes. Do you happen to know? That there was one more victim in this murder case besides Jason Miller.”

No, should I say he was the murderer who killed Jason Miller. The reporter added nonchalantly and shrugged.

“There were two victims in this case. One, as you well know, is the artist Jason Miller, and the other was a low-level employee of a cleaning company named Al. And he was also the murderer who killed Jason Miller.”

“…Ah, yes. I knew that from the news articles. I was honestly very surprised. I don’t know much about the artist’s personal life, but the artist I knew wasn’t the type to keep people around. The only people he associated with would have been me or other editors, so why would a janitor….”

Moreover, the man who killed Jason was also found as a cold corpse. Who on earth was the murderer who killed him?

“That, we don’t know. Perhaps there was a grudge. One thing is clear, this was undeniably a premeditated crime.”

“…Yes. But what does this have to do with Zero being a real person….”

“It is related. Because there is a testimony.”

“A testimony?”

The reporter leaned his upper body toward the editor, whose eyes were wide like a rabbit’s. Then, as if whispering a secret, he covered his mouth with the back of his hand and whispered.

“Actually, you see. There was a place I went to gather information before coming here.”

“Wh-where was that?”

Although he knew he shouldn’t get any more deeply involved, the editor couldn’t suppress his curiosity. As the reporter smiled at the face that, despite trembling with anxiety, flickered with the embers of a strange curiosity, he said.

“Al. I went to meet Al’s colleague, the one who killed Jason Miller. His closest work partner. And I heard a very bizarre story from him.”

“What kind of story?”

“Well, you see. According to that colleague, Al had started acting strange for some time before the incident.”

“Acting strange? In what way?”

Roth, pressed tightly against the high-backed sofa, listened intently.

“Actually, he was always a bit peculiar, they say. How should I put it, similar to the Jason Miller you described. He didn’t get along well with others but wasn’t the type to cause trouble either. Anyway, that aside. The colleague said that from a certain day, he started muttering to himself like someone possessed. He would suddenly blush and grin, and repeatedly whisper someone’s name.”

“Uh…. That sounds like someone in love.”

“That’s right. Exactly. When the colleague discreetly asked, the reply was that he had fallen in love.”

The reporter, chuckling as if he’d heard something funny, continued.

“Do you know what the answer was to the question of what kind of person it was?”

“Uh, well. I wouldn’t know, of course.”

“Listen carefully.”

Suddenly, the reporter took out a fountain pen from his pocket. Click, as the nib extended, a recorded voice was heard.

―That neighborhood was a place where all sorts of eccentric people lived, and that house was particularly famous for having a hysterical person living there. I had never met them in person, so I just assumed it was some stubborn old man, but later I found out it was a pretty young cartoonist. Yes. As you probably guessed, Reporter, it was the victim of this case, Jason Miller. Anyway, I stopped the truck at that house as usual to smoke a cigarette, but Al, who went out to collect the trash, just wasn’t coming back. I figured he must have gone to take care of some urgent business, so I took a short nap in the truck, and a little later, a very flushed Al came running, you know?

―Flushed, you say?

―Yes. A face all flushed as if he had just fallen in love. In the five years I worked face-to-face with him, that was the first time I’d ever seen him like that. When I asked what happened, he blurted out that he had fallen in love. As I said, that friend had never once talked about things like dating or love. Driving all day, even the radio gets boring, so for the first time in a while, I got a little excited. So I asked him. Who in the world was this charming person who had captivated you? What did this person look like?

―That’s interesting. What did he say the person was like?

―Hah, he muttered it so often that I remember it clearly. Al said….

The editor and Roth, who were focusing on the muffled voice buried under the cafe’s music, gulped at the same time.

―Ashen hair that scattered softly as if touched by the breath of a god, skin that felt like a cool chill would transfer if you touched it. On top of that, a blooming red shape, and contrasting with it, richly saturated green eyes.

“Hah!”

The editor, letting out an agitated gasp, covered his mouth.

―He said it was a being that made you hold your breath and stole your gaze just by looking. At first, I couldn’t picture it at all, but thinking about Al’s reaction, it felt like an incredibly beautiful being beyond words. It was so impressive that I even remember the person’s name.

―What was the name?

The voice continued from beyond the small recorder shaped like a fountain pen.

―Zero. He said it was Zero.

“……”

The editor was speechless. He could only stare at the reporter with wide eyes.

“Of course, it could be his delusion after seeing the comic. But in Jason Miller’s house, where he supposedly lived alone, there were traces of someone else staying, and Al, who killed Jason, was murdered in that house. By someone with no fingerprints. Doesn’t that remind you of Zero, who lived as a contract killer and whose fingerprints had worn away?”

“Ah….”

“You said the artist showed an obsession with the character, right? You also said he gave it the title Pygmalion, obsessing over the statue he created. What if he actually had a real Galatea? A Galatea to whom he gave the name Zero. And what if he expressed his fanatical obsession with him through the comic?”

“The artist created Zero based on a real person, and Al, who fell for Zero by a chance encounter, killed the artist. And….”

“Zero killed Al, who had killed Jason Miller, and ran away!”

The reporter, his chest heaving, said with a wide smile.

“How about that? Isn’t it an interesting story?”

“It is, but….”

The editor, who had been nodding in agreement, suddenly wore a suspicious expression.

“But Reporter. Didn’t you say earlier that you hadn’t read the comic? How did you know Zero’s character settings….”

“Ah, I actually skimmed through it. It was really damn boring.”

“But, why would you lie like that….”

“Well, that’s because it’s easier to draw out a story if I pretend to be ignorant.”

To say it was to draw out a story from the other person, hadn’t he been the only one rambling on and on. Roth swallowed a scoff.

“Reporter, but is it okay for you to tell me all this? I’m starting to get a little scared….”

“What’s there to be scared of? Honestly, you found it interesting too, Editor.”

“No, that was just, as someone whose job is to deal with stories, unintentionally….”

“It was fun, honestly, right?”

The reporter gazed at the editor with a gentle smile. The editor, avoiding his gaze and letting out a sigh, nodded his head.

“It’s full of absurdities, but it is interesting.”

“Then, would you like to draw this?”

“Excuse me? No, what do you mean….”

“Actually, you used to draw comics too, Editor.”

“H-how did you….”

“Actually, I was a fan of yours, Editor. While investigating this case, I found out you were connected to Jason Miller and did some research. It’s true that Jason Miller’s art is superior, but in my opinion, Editor, you’re the one who could develop this setup much better.”

The editor flinched. The reporter spoke to him in a confident tone.

“Of course, if you just copy Jason’s original work, it’s only a matter of time before you’re in handcuffs. But you know this too, Editor? The world we live in is C-District. Here, following the law is actually a disadvantage. You just have to cleverly avoid notice. There’s no need to bring it into the light. The underground is more than enough. In the first place, all of that guy’s comics were released in the underground, weren’t they.”

“Still, it’s scary….”

“Photos of the scene where they died are already spreading in the underground. They were even taken from multiple angles. Haha, the people in that town really have some character. Anyway, stories about Zero’s possible existence will soon spread too. The world doesn’t care if it’s true or false, as long as it’s interesting. And you know what? Some people are already imitating Zero’s look. They’re dyeing their hair ash-gray, wearing green lenses, and some are even getting tattoos that follow the scar. A third-rate comic that had zero popularity is now gaining fame through this murder case. You have to seize the opportunity, Editor. Or should I say, Artist? All you have to do is make a quick buck and then wash your hands of it, what’s there to be so afraid of?”

That, that crazy bastard is finally corrupting an innocent person. The rumors about him being an unbearable lunatic and a piece of trash. So this is why he laid all that groundwork. Roth, shaking his head with a disgusted look, carefully rose from his spot. From behind the stealthily departing Roth, the editor’s voice could be heard.

“W-will it be okay?”

Who knows. It seems like you’ll bear all the hardship while that bastard runs off with the profits. Roth, forcefully swallowing the words he wanted to spill, moved his lips.

And that day, Roth wrote an article based on the information he had obtained through eavesdropping. But, as always, the article was snatched by his superior, and Roth soothed his aching heart with alcohol.

And so, time passed.

“Huh? Is that….”

Having moved from C-District to D-District, Roth encountered several people who, just as the reporter had said, were imitating ‘Zero’s’ character settings. In the time he had forgotten about it, Jason Miller’s comic had gained considerable fame in the underground. Similar works or fan-created works poured out, and among them must have been the comic by that editor from back then.

A murdered cartoonist. A janitor who murdered that cartoonist and was then himself murdered. The culprit who killed him and the unfinished comic left by the dead cartoonist. It was certainly the kind of material that lunatics would go crazy for.

…Should I give it a look?

That day, Roth read the comic from beginning to end, something he had avoided even when writing the article. As expected, the content was not interesting. But perhaps because the anecdotes related to the comic were deeply ingrained in his mind, the thought that Zero, a mere character, might actually exist made his gaze keep returning to him. Moreover, the Zero in the comic had a quality that stirred up a somewhat sinister feeling. The way the late Jason Miller had viewed him was laid bare in the comic.

Hah, letting out a hot breath, Roth stroked his hardening erection. His gaze remained fixed on the Zero on the screen.

And again, time passed.

In a small town on the way to E-District, Roth encountered a man with ‘Zero’s’ character settings etched onto his body. Since it was common for some crazy fans of the comic to slit their necks or get tattoos following Zero’s scar, Roth assumed the man was one of them.

If this were D-District, he wouldn’t have given him a second glance, but in a quiet town like this, even this was a godsend. With the headline 「The Influence of a Crazed Underground Comic on Society」 in his mind, Roth followed the man. Soon, Roth found out which room he was staying in, and the secret observation began.

The man was not alone. From the faint, worried voice he could hear, he learned that the man had a sick companion.

“…ter, are you okay?”

“I’m fine….”

Just from their worried voices for each other, Roth could deduce that they were quite close.

The man’s outings were always short and concise. Unlike their first encounter, he didn’t wear a helmet, and the face he did see was obscured by a hat and beard, making it impossible to see his features. Still, since his neck wasn’t covered, Roth was certain that the scar on the man’s neck was ‘Zero’s’.

But other than that, there was nothing special. Unlike the lunatics who acted as if they themselves were ‘Zero’, he didn’t harm anyone and seemed to care only for his lover left in the room. Roth anxiously bit his nails.

Ah, this is too weak…. If you’re going to get a tattoo like Zero, you might as well dye your hair and eyes to match. Why so half-assed? Damn it, if I knew this would happen, I should have taken more pictures back in D-District.

“No, no. I can create the image.”

He had manipulated photos hundreds of times. If he waited patiently, an opportunity would surely come. Calming himself, Roth observed the man’s movements. And the next day. The man and his companion went out together for the first time.

“…What the hell is that.”

He treated his companion like a small, precious lover, so he had imagined a delicate beauty. But contrary to Roth’s expectations, the man’s companion had a large build comparable to the man’s own. Furthermore, his face, covered with a shaggy mess of hair and a beard, looked far from delicate. On top of that.

“He seems to be hiding his face excessively.”

He hadn’t paid it much mind when the man was alone, but seeing his companion with a similar appearance aroused suspicion. Isn’t that how people who want to hide their true selves disguise themselves? Come to think of it, both men had extraordinary physiques. They were significantly taller than the average adult male, with lean yet solid builds. Even in their shabby, loose-fitting clothes, the frame that was revealed with every movement could not be hidden.

He couldn’t be sure because their faces were covered, but with that height and balance, couldn’t they be models or celebrities? It was a plausible guess, as there were often celebrities who enjoyed traveling in the lower districts in disguise.

“…If this works out, I might be able to score a big one.”

The corners of Roth’s mouth curved into a grin. His eyes shining, Roth watched the two men walk away and quietly followed them.

Click, click―

The specially made portable communication device had better quality than most professional cameras. It had no shutter sound, and photos were instantly uploaded to his personal account as they were taken. Even if he was unlucky enough to get caught and the device broke, it wouldn’t be a problem.

“…Ah, I really hope they’re celebrities from an upper district like A or B.”

Whether his wish became reality or not, for now, he had to take as many pictures as possible. Thirsty for a scoop, Roth continuously captured the two men’s images on camera.

“What, why so early….”

But not long after they went out, the two men headed back to their lodging. Judging by the way the companion carefully supported him, it seemed the man imitating ‘Zero’ was not feeling well. Roth thought that perhaps he was exhausted from nursing his companion.

“Let’s go in, Weather.”

Click, standing in front of the door where the two men had disappeared, Roth listened quietly.

“……”

Lie down. Today I’ll do everything….

Along with the intermittently heard words, he could feel a flurry of movement. Since he seemed unwell, he probably wouldn’t leave the room for a while. It seemed best for him to also rest today. Roth, who had paid extra to move to the room next to theirs, turned to leave.

But he couldn’t rest as he had planned. For some reason, the room next door kept bothering him. It was a reporter’s intuition, honed from rolling around in the gutter. A premonition that something was about to happen, and if he ignored it, he would gain nothing.

“……”

Roth, tucking the portable device and a self-defense knife into his clothes, left the room. And standing in front of their room, he listened quietly.

How much time had passed like that?

Thump, thump—

From inside the silent room, the sound of soft footsteps was heard. The presence, without a hint of hesitation, reached the front of the door. A moment of silence flowed. In that instant, Roth realized. The meaning of the presence lingering without opening the door immediately was the act of observing the being beyond the door.

Ah, I’ve been caught.

“…Damn it!”

Roth, cursing silently in his mind, ran with all his might. Click, along with the sound of the door opening, a massive presence chased after him. It felt as if his entire body was being crushed by an indescribable pressure.

“Hah, heok—!”

How did it come to this? I was just watching quietly. I didn’t do anything, so why do I have to be chased now? What on earth did I do? And since when did that man know?

“Ugh, ughk, aack!”

Blinded by a terrible fear, Roth fell down the stairs. The pain, as if his whole body would shatter, felt like he would stop breathing at any moment. At the same time, the man’s footsteps that had been chasing him stopped just short, and Roth, whose frayed nerves finally snapped, felt a malice rising that rivaled his fear.

Shit, I’m not going to just take this lying down anymore. If you harm me, I’ll harm you right back. I’ll kill you before I die.

The moment he raised his head, engulfed in that determination.

“Ha…!”

What greeted Roth was not the fear of dying, but a thrill of ecstasy that ran through his entire body.

“But did you know?”

“Know what?”

Zero.

“That this friend might actually exist in real life.”

Zero exists right before his eyes.

“What the. What I saw was real…!”

He no longer felt any pain. Roth’s face, stained with tears, twisted bizarrely. The corners of his mouth turned up so high they seemed to rip, and his eyes were flushed. The realization that he had caught a scoop for the first time in his life paralyzed all his senses.

The real person, who he thought was just a fictional character obsessed over by the cartoonist who was murdered with his head brutally smashed, the culprit of the C-District murder case, was existing right before his eyes.

“It’s you, right? You’re Zero, right?”

The man couldn’t say a word. He held his breath as if engulfed in shock, and the pupils of his vividly shining green eyes were widely dilated. He looked as if he had just encountered an indescribable horror. To see the being that had made him tremble with fear just moments ago in such a weak state, Roth felt a vile thrill.

And above all, isn’t he ‘Zero’?

“Ha, haha! It’s real, he really exists. That bastard was right! He really existed!”

Fine-textured ashen hair, cool skin and richly saturated green eyes. And even the trajectory of the red scar carved like a brand. All the characteristics that defined ‘Zero’ were present in the man before him.

Scrape, the tips of Roth’s fingers, which had grabbed the man’s pants, dug into his skin. The startled man, Weather, tried to step back, but Roth was faster. Having lost his reason, he lunged at Weather recklessly.

Thump—!

“Haha, ha!”

Roth, straddling the fallen Weather’s body, took out his portable device. He shoved the image of the comic’s ‘Zero’, which he had kept saved ever since confirming the ‘Zero’s’ scar, in his face. The light and the image reflected on the smooth screen settled onto the trembling retina.

“Look at this. Look at it closely.”

“……”

“It’s you! Anyone can see that this is your face, can’t they?”

Jason, who had left home to see his terminally ill mother. The source of his own being that he encountered because of it. The comic’s ‘Zero’, who committed murder like a tin robot with its emotions completely gouged out.

A two-dimensional being with his own face.

“…No.”

A voice was forced out of the throat, where veins stood out, as it writhed. The widely dilated pupils reflected the madman’s face. Weather, his body trembling as if in a seizure, shook his head.

“It’s not. That’s, that’s not me….”

“No, it’s useless to deny it. You are Zero!”

“No, no, I, I am not some….”

I am not a being trapped in a piece of paper, going around committing murder. I am not a murderer who brushes off the blood on his hands as if it were nothing, a murderer without a shred of sympathy or pity. I am not Zero. I am….

“But you know. There was something I was really curious about.”

But really.

“Why did you kill Al…?”

Can I say that I am not a murderer?

“The man who loved you, the man who even went so far as to kill Jason Miller who was imprisoning you. Why on earth did you kill him?”

“I told you, didn’t I? That I would save you. Zero, that piece of trash will never harm you again. Because he’s dead.”

“……”

Weather’s dry lips parted and closed at the suffocating pain tightening his throat. Artificial capillaries burst. Red blood spread over the clear green that had been pooled there.

“…I love you. I fell in love with you from the moment I first saw you.”

“What was your relationship with Jason Miller in the first place? Were you really lovers? Or did he obsess over you one-sidedly? So is it true that Jason Miller locked you in the house and drew a comic that projected you? You, holding a grudge against him, deliberately lured Al in, right? You killed Jason with Al’s hands and then killed Al too, right? Right?”

Roth, his face flushed from excessive excitement, ran his mouth nonstop. Every sound Roth uttered dragged on like listening to a broken cassette tape. His movements were the same. It was as if even time itself was holding Weather captive and toying with him. Roth’s bizarrely dragging movements flickered over the red-tinged green eyes.

“How have you lived all this time after running away like that?”

“You can never escape from this house, Zero. Don’t forget that everyone in the world mocks and hates you. I don’t want you to get hurt. No matter what anyone says, I created you. You are like a child to me.”

Roth’s face transformed into Jason’s.

“How did you end up here?”

“Ah, Al. My name is Al. Wh-what’s your name? …Zero, that’s a cool name.”

And then again, when it transformed into Al’s face.

“—Weather, Weather! Where are you?”

Jester’s voice was heard. Weather’s clouded eyes flinched greatly.

Ah…, no, if Jester hears—,

“Ah, come to think of it, you.”

Jester must not hear.

“You had a companion, didn’t you?”

But Roth didn’t stop. He kept rambling on. Weather wanted to clamp his hand over Roth’s deeply tearing mouth. He wanted to press down hard on the writhing Adam’s apple and choke the life out of him. But his body, betraying his will, only trembled minutely, and only stifled groans escaped in gasps.

Shut up, please just shut up. If Jester hears this, if Jester finds out about me…. If he finds out about ‘Zero’….

It was the moment when the unexpressed sentence was rotting at the tip of his stiffened tongue.

“…Weather?”

Jester’s voice, which had been faintly audible, echoed clearly from the bottom of the stairs.

“Could he be the one who helped you, …Weather?”

At the sudden presence, Roth’s movements finally stopped. The intermittent, noise-filled breaths also ceased. Roth’s head, stiff from excitement, turned, and he saw the large silhouette standing under the faint afterglow of the light that illuminated the stairs.

Weather wanted to deny the fact that the silhouette, with its back to the light obscuring its face, was Jester. But Jester’s golden eyes, looking down, were fixed solely on Weather.

And then Jester’s gaze slowly moved. Towards the man occupying the sprawled body.

“……”

A moment of silence flowed. Just as Roth, narrowing his eyes, was observing the man with his back to the light.

“Keoheok!”

Paak—! A heavy object flew and struck Roth’s head. Roth, collapsing with a sharp scream, convulsed. As the portable device he dropped from his hand clattered to the floor, thump, thump, thump, the black helmet that had passed over Roth tumbled down the deeper stairs.

“Ha, haeuuu, kkeuk…”

Roth, draped over the body, let out intermittent groans. He couldn’t tell if the trembling he felt throughout his body was his own or Roth’s. Weather, who had stopped breathing with his weakened body, could only stare at Jester who was rushing towards him.

“Weather, are you oka….”

Jester, who had strode down the stairs, was heading straight for Weather. Thump, Jester’s gaze inadvertently turned towards the portable device that his foot had bumped into. Weather had to watch in despair as the golden eyes that had always been on him looked away.

“……”

Jester, who had been staring at the screen without a word, bent down. Holding the portable device in his hand, he took in the image that filled the cracked screen. Towards the figure continuing its gruesome acts in the black and white manuscript, his coldly frozen fingertips slowly moved.

Swipe, the screen turned one by one. Finally, the black and white world ended, and a being that had gained color captured Jester’s gaze.

“…Weather.”

Ashen hair and cool-toned skin. Sharp eyes and green eyes as vivid as if they had condensed all the light in the world. Even the red scar that started from the tip of his left chin. Anyone could see that this was,

“What is this?”

Weather.

“Why are you….”

It was the moment he was about to ask why he was drawn in a comic.

“Shiiit, kill, I’m gonna kill you….”

Roth, having regained his senses, pushed himself up. Drip, the sensation of the streak of blood running across his face was chillingly vivid. Ha, haha. He let out a laugh while panting for breath, and crawled on all fours to grab Jester’s leg. Just as Jester, who had been looking down at Roth coolly, turned back towards Weather.

Plunge—!

The blade hidden in his clothes dug into Jester’s abdomen.

Kwaduk, the sensation and sound of the blade digging into flesh shattered the momentary silence.

“…Je-ster.”

The voice that had been blocked as if held back by a great force burst out. He slowly saw Jester’s face rapidly losing its color, and Roth, who had pulled out the knife without hesitation, about to swing his arm again.

No, Jester. No.

Weather, who had barely managed to lift his powerless body, grabbed Roth’s swollen ankle. As he barely managed to pull him with force, Jester snatched Roth’s wrist and twisted it in one motion. Kwadeudeuk, as the bone dislocated, Roth screamed.

“Kkeuhaaaaak!”

Clang—! Jester, kicking away the knife that had been dropped, grabbed Roth by the collar. The small body was lifted into the air, revealing the man’s face stained with pain and malice. Roth, a mess of blood, tears, and cold sweat, opened his eyes. The bare face of the person looking down at him captured his gaze. His mind, which had been hazy and submerged in searing pain, began to clear.

And it was no wonder, for the person before him was none other than.

“…Lo-uis?”

It was Louis, who had been abducted by a ruffian and was missing.

“Why, why is Louis…, ah.”

…Because my eyes were covered, I could only hear the voice, and that voice was chillingly sinister. It was low and viscous as if it would stick to the eardrums, and a gloomy, metallic rasp was mixed in, causing fear. Also, Louis or the ruffian was likely wearing a helmet, and an old truck… (omitted)

“…Helmet.”

Roth’s brown eyes turned to Weather.

“And a low voice with a metallic rasp.”

Roth’s dead eyes were once again colored with ecstasy. Haha, ha. A laugh burst out with a trembling breath.

“The ruffian who kidnapped Louis was ‘Zero’, it was you!”

The third-rate cartoonist Jason, brutally murdered. The perpetrator and victim, Al, who claimed to have fallen in love with the protagonist of his comic. The real Zero. And Louis, who was kidnapped by that Zero. But the two men who looked rather affectionate for a kidnapping victim.

That means.

“The story about losing your memory was true too…!”

Roth, his eyes flashing, grabbed the hand that was holding his collar.

“Louis, do you really have no memory of yourself? You don’t remember who you are at all?”

“Shit, shut up!”

Weather, staggering to his feet, screamed desperately. With his terribly trembling hands, he grabbed the back of Roth’s neck. Thump, getting on top of the tumbling body, Weather covered the gasping mouth with both hands and pushed down, his upper body heaving.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up!”

“Kkeup, kkeueuk—!”

Roth stared at Weather like a madman, his limbs flailing. Even while feeling a pressure that seemed to crush his face, he couldn’t suppress the feeling of ecstasy that surged through his entire body. This was the scoop of the century, discovered by him who had been wandering the gutters and treated like trash.

Ah, finally…, finally I can go up too…! Roth, swallowing a laugh while his body trembled, reached out his left hand. Scrape, the nails, filled with force, scratched down hard on the neck where the red scar was engraved.

At that, Weather flinched for a moment, and in that instant, kwaduk, Roth bit his hand and snatched the portable device that was within reach. His touch on the device, which was no different from his alter ego, was swift. Instantly turning on the camera, Roth shoved the device towards the charging Weather.

Click—!

A blinding flash went off. Roth thrilled at the sight of the screen, which captured the frozen face of Zero and the staggering Louis behind him.

“Haha, hahaha!”

Click, click! The flash went off repeatedly. Weather, his vision turning completely white, swallowed his breath. It felt as if an invisible hand was holding his entire body and choking him. Every time he heard the clicking sound, he felt as if he were being trapped inside that small machine.

No. Move. Don’t just stand there frozen like an idiot, move.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t muster any strength in his body. Only his fingertips twitched, and only disjointed breaths escaped from between his parted lips. It was when a sudden despair was about to consume Weather’s body.

“Weather.”

Soft fingertips covered his vision. Cold, chilled hands covered Weather’s two eyes. Jester, embracing the stiffened upper body, carefully helped him up. That entire process was captured through Roth’s fingertips.

Click, click! At the successive shutter sounds, the flinching Weather was held tightly by Jester. He trapped the sensation of the convulsing eyelids and eyelashes in his hand and turned around.

One step, two steps, three steps.

Weather, with his eyes covered, took steps led by Jester’s movements. When his steps suddenly stopped, Jester whispered softly.

“Don’t open your eyes.”

“……”

“Everything is okay.”

Slide, Jester, feeling the movement of the closing eyelids, lowered his hand. And he turned his upper body towards Roth. Roth panted towards Louis who was approaching him.

“Ha, haha! Louis, it’s really Louis! Louis, please say anything. Do you really not remember anything?”

Jester’s toes reached Roth’s face. Jester, who had been staring at Roth with an emotionless face, turned his gaze to the portable device in his hand.

“You’re not someone who should be in a place like this. Louis, you are from A-District, keok…!”

Jester, crushing Roth’s neck with his foot, bent his upper body. Roth’s limbs trembled at the gradually increasing force. Thump, Jester, checking the dropped portable device, whispered.

“I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”

“Keok, kkeuheuk, kkeuk!”

“Because I am not Louis.”

Jester put strength into his toes. The body that had been struggling with veins popping out slowly lost its strength. Just before Roth’s breath gave out, Jester withdrew his foot, turned around, and crushed the portable device. The debris of the brutally broken device scattered on the floor.

“My name is.”

Jester took Weather’s flinching hand in his.

“Jester.”

And he ran with all his might.

🎥

Light cream-colored hair fluttered before his eyes. It was as soft and light as a child’s downy hair, and every time he kicked off the ground with force, it fluttered temptingly, stealing his gaze. Was that why? That he had failed to notice the bloodstain dyeing the fabric.

Only after feeling the tightly clasped fingertips turning cold and at the same time the fishy smell of blood growing stronger at the tip of his nose did Weather realize. The blade that had dug into Jester’s abdomen. That terrifying sound.

“Jester, Jester wait, your blood…!”

Weather shouted, putting strength into his toes. But Jester didn’t stop. He only led Weather with a firm but somewhat rough force. By the time Weather, his face turning pale, finally stopped him with force, they had already reached the front of their truck.

“Jester…!”

The wound he saw after turning him around was serious. Blood gushed out from between the forcibly torn skin. Weather, letting out a strange groan, hastily reached for the wound. But Jester refused his touch. He held his hand, preventing it from ever touching the wound, and gazed at Weather.

Is this what it feels like to be so anxious you could die? Weather, looking at Jester with dark, dead eyes, shouted.

“What are you doing! If you don’t stop the bleeding right now…!”

“I’ll die. I suppose.”

“How can you say that now…!”

Weather, who had been letting out a scream that was like a cry of despair, squeezed his eyes shut. He could shake off Jester’s hand at any time. But he was afraid that if he used force carelessly, his wound would open up even more. If he struggled to get out of his arms and more blood poured out, and if he then finally grew cold.

“…Jester.”

Weather, swallowing a trembling breath with difficulty, opened his eyes. He held the hand that was growing cold and pleaded.

“…Jester, please, let’s go to the hospital first. You’re bleeding, bleeding too much right now. We need to stop the bleeding right away.”

Otherwise, you’ll die soon. Weather, unable to say the words himself, swallowed a sob. Jester’s face, which always had a rosy complexion, was dying, devoid of any color. His lower lip, bitten to endure the pain, was covered in wounds. His face, shadowed by death, painfully gripped Weather’s heart.

But Jester was adamant.

“No, Weather. We are not going to the hospital. Not until you answer my question.”

“Later, I’ll tell you everything later. Right now, we have to go to the hospital first. You’re really going to die if we don’t!”

“What was that back there.”

“Shit, Jester, please…!”

“Why were you drawn in it. What on earth is that drawing.”

He finally brought up what Weather had tried to hide. Devastated, Weather shook his head.

“That’s not me. I’ll tell you everything about what happened later, so for now, let’s go to the hospital….”

“No. That was definitely you.”

Weather, avoiding his direct gaze, said blankly.

“It-it’s a composite sketch, something like a composite sketch. I told you, Jester. I’m a criminal. So let’s stop this now. Let’s go to the hospital first, please!”

Pfft, Jester, letting out a deflating laugh, continued.

“What kind of madman draws a comic with a composite sketch?”

“That is….”

“Weather.”

Jester, stopping Weather from continuing his absurd lies, smiled. He looked so faint, as if he would crumble away at any moment, that Weather couldn’t say a word.

“I need to know now.”

What Weather’s true form is. What the identity of the name ‘Zero’ that the man called out is, and why such a comic exists. The reason why he protects himself with a face-covering helmet and a foul stench. And why he endures violence all by himself so nonchalantly.

Why he doesn’t say he loves me while showing it with his entire being. What he wants from me and what he is hiding.

Jester had to know now. And so, he too spat out the truth. He finally cast off the mask of a hypocrite.

Weather, I.

“I know we are not lovers.”

For a moment, Weather’s breath stopped. Only his frozen green eyes took in Jester.

“My memories had already all returned the moment I woke up in D-District.”

“……”

“That the name Jester and the story given to me were just settings from a movie. That the name ‘Weather’ is also a lie. That you deceived me with the absurd lie that we were lovers. I actually knew everything. I knew everything, but I didn’t tell you. I was curious. How this play would unfold. How far you would try to deceive me.”

He felt a pain as if a small ember that had dug into his abdomen was gradually growing in size. Jester, catching his breath for a moment, opened his mouth with difficulty.

“…I thought it would be fun. Because even while I had lost my memories, living with you in the mansion was enjoyable. There was no reason to kick away an adventure that came at a time when I needed a change in my life, and I thought I could end this play whenever I got tired of it.”

But that day. When the disheveled Weather found the hypocrite who had deceived him. When he listened to the soundless parting of his lips. When he faced the face hidden behind the shield. When he sincerely faced an emotion that could not be described with words. Jester realized.

That he could never end this play. That he had just failed to notice it, but he had been accepting every moment with Weather with sincerity. That perhaps this emotion had started from the mansion where he first met him.

“But Weather, I told you. That I decided to be with you. That I decided to become your accomplice.”

“……”

“Because, because you see, Weather. I thought that as long as I was with you, it didn’t matter who I was. I thought it wouldn’t matter if I abandoned the ‘Louis’ I had lived as my whole life and became ‘Jester’. So I thought that if I could be with you, everything would be okay, that’s what I thought. But Weather, that wasn’t the right answer.”

A relationship built on lies cannot become real. Only a hollow deception continues.

“The more we hide, the less we can be honest with each other. I don’t want to hide anything from you anymore. And I am curious about you. I’m curious about everything you’re trying to hide. I want the whole you.”

Like a flickering flame, Weather’s green eyes trembled. Jester, letting out a ragged breath, asked softly.

Weather.

“Why were you in that house?”

“……”

“What was your relationship with the owner of that house?”

“……”

“Are you.”

“……”

“Even human?”

A healthy body and stamina without eating. A drink of unknown origin and gloves covering the back of his hands. The way he was conscious of something hidden underneath. The bizarre behavior of drawing violence from people and enduring it, and the fact that he was living in the house of Mana, who never let anyone get close to him. And even his existence in the comic.

Countless clues told him that Weather was not an ordinary being. Jester could no longer pretend not to know and let all these things slide. He now wanted to face Weather with sincerity, and he had found the courage to do so. So he brought out what he had deeply suppressed. And seeing Weather, who couldn’t answer his question, he became certain.

Of the fact that he really was not human.

“Weather.”

He was still frozen, unable to utter a single word. Jester wanted to tell him, who looked so frightened. That it was okay. That he didn’t care even if he was a humanoid and not a human. That he was just him.

He wanted to gently stroke his stiffly hardened cheek and offer him an embrace. But before his hand could reach Weather, his vision began to blur. His body, unable to handle the excessive bleeding, was finally heading towards death.

Ah, no. I have to tell Weather it’s okay.

Contrary to his thoughts, his rapidly stiffening tongue and lips could not utter a single word. Jester, turning deathly pale and breaking out in a cold sweat, staggered.

“Jester!”

In the arms that caught his powerlessly collapsing body, Jester desperately moved his lips.

It’s okay, Weather. It’s okay.

Just like that day when he had heard his silent shout, he hoped that this time too, Weather would hear his words. Jester, earnestly wishing, closed his eyes.