Chapter 85: The Empty Street
"I wish I had about 5 of me..."
This has been a recurring thought lately.
I've already time-slipped to 1983, but can I also learn the art of cloning?
It's just that, recently, I've been feeling overwhelmed handling everything on my own.
At Mintendo, the development of the Super Family is in full swing, and after work, I have to focus on the scenario work for "The Legend of Karin."
On Saturdays, I meet with Morita and Hayashi in Tokyo, or Chandra, to coordinate work. On Sundays, I've been repeating the routine for a few months, meeting Yuki for a while and returning to Kyoto.
But I can't just complain because all of this is the result of my choices.
In the end, I have to carry the burden...
As the original cogwheel, whether it's for Pentagon or Latex, I can turn all the other gears.
With just that thought in mind, I've been enduring these days.
Then, one Friday evening.
I was about to switch on my computer to work on the scenario for "The Empty Streets," having skipped dinner, when the phone rang.
I picked up the receiver and heard Yuki's voice.
"Junhyuk, are you okay? You sound really tired."
"Huh? Oh, these days, I've been busy, and I haven't been feeling well since the morning..."
"Did you take your medicine?"
"Yeah. I had it after dinner."
I skipped dinner, but I lied to her, not wanting to worry her.
"Junhyuk, I know you're busy, but how about just resting at home tomorrow?"
"I'd like to, but I've already made plans with Mr. Morita for tomorrow, and I need to hand over the scenario I wrote this week. Hayashi also has some things to discuss..."
"No matter how much you like your work, you should take care of your health. You don't look well even over the phone..."
Her worried, trembling voice came through the receiver.
"Don't worry. I'll endure just for this week, and next week, I'll take a break... Ugh..."
Huh? Why do I suddenly feel so dizzy? My head is pounding...
I placed my hand on my forehead to try and calm the dizziness, but my body wasn't responding properly.
I feel like I might have a fever. Cold sweat was dripping. Was I pushing myself too hard?
Then, in that moment, the room seemed to revolve around me, and with a thud, everything tilted.
"Junhyuk? Junhyuk! What's happening? Answer me, Junhyuk!"
Ah... darn it. My body hasn't been feeling well since this morning...
I reached out to grab the receiver, which was shaking uncontrollably in front of my eyes, but my body wasn't listening.
I have been pushing myself too hard lately...
As my vision blurred and darkness closed in, Yuki's voice calling my name through the receiver faintly echoed, like a distant memory. I should call 911, but this...
...
In all directions, I felt like I was floating in the darkness.
There seemed to be a distant, urgent voice, but I just wanted to rest comfortably for now.
How much time had passed? Along with the periodic mechanical sound, a warm sensation was felt in my right hand.
"What is it...?"
Struggling to lift my eyelids, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
This doesn't look like my room. When I turned my head slightly, Yuki was holding my hand and pressing my forehead. Why is she here when she should be in Tokyo?
I called her name, thinking this might be a dream.
"Yuki?"
Surprised by my voice, she looked up at me.
"Junhyuk, are you awake!?"
"Yeah... But where is this?"
"It's a hospital. I heard a loud noise while we were on the phone. I was so worried!"
"Wait, did you come here after hearing that sound?"
"So, what else should I have done?! You're the only person I know in Kyoto!"
"But how did you get to the hospital?"
"I called Morita-san and asked if there was anyone at Mintendo who could call 119 for us. I told him something seemed wrong with you."
She's surprisingly quick-witted. I thought she would just cry while calling my name.
When there was no response from me, Yuki quickly called Morita. Upon receiving Yuki's call, Morita immediately contacted a staff member at Mintendo's dormitory security office. After the security office staff found me unconscious, they promptly called 119, and I was rushed to the emergency room of a nearby hospital.
During this time, Yuki rushed to grab her belongings and headed to the train station to catch the Shinkansen. She arrived at Kyoto Station at midnight, found out the hospital I was in by calling Morita, and took a taxi straight here.
All of this happened in just six hours.
It's not even a long distance from Tokyo to Kyoto, but the fact that she rushed here in one go made me feel grateful.
A little while later, a doctor approached me with the news that I had woken up.
"Your body is exhausted due to excessive work. You have flu-like symptoms, but there is no other serious illness. Just rest well and continue to take care of your health. How many hours of sleep do you get in a day?"
"About 3 hours a day?"
"See? If you sleep only that much, you'll wear out your body. It's not good to overwork yourself just because you're young. I've given you a nutrient injection, so rest deeply here and leave tomorrow morning."
"Alright, I'll be careful. Thank you."
As the doctor walked away, Yuki, who had been watching me with a concerned look, spoke.
"Jun... hyuk. I told you to take it easy. What did I say? Rest a bit from work, right?!"
"Uh... I'm the patient here."
"Really, I can't punch a sick person, but I'm so annoyed!!"
"I'm sorry."
"Never mind. At least it's not a serious illness."
"Thank you."
"Go back to sleep for a while. The doctor is probably tired because of you."
"What about you?"
"I'll sleep on a caregiver's bed down here. It's too late to go back now..."
I turned my head slightly and looked at the clock on the wall. It was pointing to 2 a.m.
She waited for me to wake up until 2 a.m...
Using her coat as a blanket, she lay on the makeshift bed on the floor. A little while later, I felt relieved hearing the sound of her breathing, and I fell into a deep sleep again.
The next day.
After completing the discharge procedure in the morning, we had a simple meal and headed to our lodging.
In the taxi, when I glanced at the clock mounted on the meter, Yuki spoke with a slightly teasing tone.
"Junhyuk, you're not thinking about the Shinkansen schedule right now, are you? Is there a chance we can still meet Mr. Morita if we leave right now?"
Did she read my mind? Yuki firmly held my hand and asked the driver to hurry to our lodging.
Finally, led by her, I couldn't take a single step away from home. I had to continue working on the scenario that I couldn't do yesterday, so I pressed the power switch on my computer.
"Stop! Just stop right there!"
"Huh? But, I'm feeling better now. I slept a lot at the hospital, and I had a nutrient shot..."
However, it was clear that I was wasting my breath.
Yuki pointed to the bed with her fingertip.
"Get in there right now."
"What? Are you telling me to sleep again now?"
"The doctor said it's better to rest at home for a while. Quickly!"
"Alright, I understand."
"Really, considering the situation, I was planning to return to Tokyo tonight, but it won't work out."
"Are you planning to sleep and go back?"
"If I'm not here, you'll turn on the computer and start working again."
It's such a matter-of-course thing to say... It hurts.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Alright. I got it. I've learned my lesson."
With her determined expression, I finally crawled into bed.
This weekend, I'm going to sleep like a log. But even though I slept so much at the hospital, can I really fall asleep now?
Contrary to my expectations, as soon as I pulled the blanket over me, drowsiness washed over me.
I guess I'm really tired...
...
Caw, caw...
I woke up to the sound of crows cawing outside and the first thing I looked for was the clock.
"How long did I sleep for?"
As I gazed at the alarm clock on the table, it was already 6:00 PM.
"I slept for how long in the hospital, and now I've slept for another 6 hours?"
But thanks to that, I felt incredibly refreshed. Indeed, being in your twenties is great; even if you're in excruciating pain, a good night's sleep can fix it all.
I sat up slightly and turned my head. Yuki was sitting in front of the computer.
With one hand tapping the keyboard, she was staring at the monitor, completely unaware that I had woken up.
"What are you doing?"
"Eek!"
In the midst of silence, Yuki was startled by my voice and jumped out of her chair.
"You scared me by suddenly talking like that!"
"Well, teach me how to announce my presence beforehand."
"Jeez, you're joking, so you must be feeling better."
"Yeah... I feel great. But what were you doing on my computer?"
"I was reading what Junhyuk wrote."
"What? Seriously?"
"I saw a text file named 'The Empty Streets' in the working directory, and I got curious..."
I turned my head away for a moment, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Is this the game Morita-san mentioned, the 'Maiden's Love Simulation'?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"I glanced at it for a moment, and the story is really good. I read until the part where the protagonist receives a terminal diagnosis. What happens in the next part?"
"Um... Well, about that..."
How do you tell someone who's expecting a happy ending that both characters die? I pondered for a moment and eventually decided to tell her the entire story.
In truth, besides Morita and Hayashi, I had never shown the scenario for "The Empty Streets" to anyone, so I was curious about a female user's perspective. Furthermore, as a broadcast writer, she might be able to point out any issues or suggest revisions for my scenario.
Yuki initially listened with anticipation, but she began shedding tears as the story reached the part where both characters die.
"Junhyuk, that's so heartbreaking."
Well, this is just the beginning.
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