"What's that bullshit?"
Yoo In-ha's icy glare hits me like a truck.
"Why the fuck would I film OnlyFans with you?"
Uh…
Wait, what? Today's not a shoot day?
"But you said we're filming today—"
"What the fuck are you on about? So fucking annoying."
In-ha rakes her hand through her hair, pissed.
Wait, where the hell am I?
Fuck, it's school. Familiar classroom, ceiling, chalkboard greeting me.
"What?"
Juha, leaning on the wall, scrolling her phone, glances up.
What's Joonhyung blabbering about now?
"This idiot just said we're filming OnlyFans out of nowhere? Did he eat something weird?"
Fuck, what's going on?
This is a dream, right?
Juha, In-ha, Juri—all in school uniforms.
The familiar scene, the smell.
Where the fuck am I? Is this a dream? Tell me it's a dream, fuck!
*Glance.*
Juha smirks, eyes back on her phone.
That face, laughing off whatever I say with a "lol."
Just like back then. *Sob.*
"Sending him on too many errands fried his brain? Go easy on him."
"What bullshit? I barely send him anywhere.
Someone must've bashed his head in."
No one bashed my head!
Fuck, this feels too real for a dream.
I pinch my stomach hard.
…Ow?
"Let him screw you once.
He's so bad at it, he lost his mind."
"Fuck off, why would I do that?"
Juri, watching quietly, sighs.
Stop this nonsense.
"It's a dream, right?"
I laugh weakly.
Gotta be a dream. No way I escaped that hell, and *this* is the dream.
It's a dream. It *has* to be, fuck!
*Grab.*
It's a dream, so I can do whatever!
If it's not, I'll just jump off something!
Half-crazed, I grab In-ha's chest.
The room freezes, dead silence.
…Uh.
"What are you doing?"
The most murderous look I've ever seen.
In-ha's cat-like eyes narrow.
Juha, who was ignoring me, pauses, staring.
"Please tell me this is a dream."
I'm gonna cry if it's not.
Hand still on In-ha's chest, tears stream down.
No way those long years were a dream. No way…
"Yeah, it's a dream."
In-ha grabs scissors, smiling coldly.
Why scissors?
She grabs my crotch and yells,
"A dream where your dick gets cut off, fucker!"
Aaaagh!
…
.
.
.
…
*Whirr whirr whirr.*
The fan's noise hits my ears.
My back's soaked in sweat.
"Ughhh…"
It *was* a dream.
Fuck, scared the shit outta me.
I slap the fan off and look at the window.
'Gloomy.'
What a shitty dream. Weather's gloomy too.
But the sunlight's intense, piercing through dark clouds.
What weird weather.
"Ugh."
Monsoon coming?
I shake off my back, grab the doorknob.
*Click.*
No one's here.
House is quiet for once.
Living room, rooms—all silent.
Did they go out? Nice and quiet for a change.
"Yawn."
Scratching my stomach, I see something on the table.
…What's this?
[Eat and rate lol]
No way.
Next to the note, Juha's food.
What'd she make now? Croffles?
*Sniff sniff.*
Freshly made?
Kitchen smells like recent cooking.
But why's the sink a mess if it's just croffles?
"Hmm…"
Croffles should be fine, right?
Her food's been a shock so far, but…
Croffles are just baking, yeah?
I drag a chair, sit at the table.
'Ahem.'
Smell first.
…What the fuck is this smell?
Croffles can smell like this?
"Can't eat this…"
I swear I see Juha's ghost.
*Not eating? Wanna die?*
"…I'll eat."
Won't die from eating, right?
Last time I almost did, but this should be fine.
Just dough in a croffle maker, baked.
*Nibble.*
I cautiously bite the edge.
A bitter, rancid taste creeps up my tongue.
"… … …"
I slowly set the croffle down.
Good thing Juha's not here.
She'd choke me.
'Phew.'
Glad I only tried the edge.
Pushing the croffle aside, I see a bowl of jam or something.
What's this? Jam for the croffle?
*Sniff sniff.*
…This'll *really* kill me.
Looks like strawberry jam but smells like tomato.
I hesitate, then dip my pinky in, tasting it.
'What the fuck.'
Didn't even touch my tongue, but I know it'll kill me.
This is deadly.
I quickly dump half the jam in the sink.
Looks like I ate some, right? Heh.
"Hah…"
Drained right after waking up.
Clutching my stomach, I shuffle to the couch.
*Rumble.*
Faint thunder echoes from outside.
Rain coming?
---
*Ding.*
Juha's back.
Deep in gaming, the door flies open.
"Where you been?"
"Seeing a friend."
Got it.
Juha shakes off her shoes, heading to the living room.
…
My eyes flick to her without thinking.
"You try it?"
"Huh? Y-Yeah."
Totally ate it.
I turn back to my game, pretending to focus.
Juha stands like a grim reaper by the table.
"You ate it?"
"Y-Yeah, I ate it."
Just the edge, but still.
Her stare burns into me.
Please stop looking…
*Step step.*
Don't bring it over…
A plate of Juha's cold croffles slams onto my desk.
The dreaded Juha-special croffles…
"You ate it?"
N-No.
I'll say I didn't.
Tearing up, I shake my head.
Why's she doing this to me? In-ha's here too…
"Open up."
"Ugh…"
"Open your mouth, fucker."
Arghhh…
Juha forces my mouth open, shoving in a pile of croffles.
Tch, too big to fit…
"Ugh… urp…"
Juha's special croffle sauce… so good…
My mouth fills with a burnt, acrid taste.
Fuck, did she burn the bottom too?
"How is it?"
"G-Good…"
I try not to chew, just swallow.
Juha grabs my jaw. *Chew.*
*Crunch crunch.*
So good… it's good, stop giving me more… share with In-ha…
"Mmphhh…"
Fuck, it's just dough in a machine, flipped.
Not even pan-fried.
Why's it taste like this? Why's it taste like coal?!
"I'll put jam on it."
"N-No, that's really not—"
I wave my hands, resisting.
Juha's cold gaze pins me down.
Wait, never mind, it's fine. I want it so bad.
*Slurp.*
Colorful jam slides down my throat with the croffle.
Ugh… ughhh… ughhhhh…
"How's it?"
"Painful…"
I blurt the truth.
Juha laughs, shoving the plate aside.
"Sellable, right?"
"… …"
Sell this?
You'd get sued.
Cops would show up.
Sell it on the street, and the shop's getting trashed.
"Might need a bit more work…"
"Yeah?"
Not a bit, a complete overhaul.
Your hands—no, your brain—needs fixing, fuck.
"Then I'll practice more."
What?
No, wait, it's sellable now, actually.
"I'll make another."
For real?
Juha grins, heading to the kitchen.
You're joking, right?
---
"What the fuck?"
In-ha's here…
I'm sprawled on the floor as she walks in.
"What you doing?"
What?
Just escaped torture.
I roll weakly, fleeing.
No more…
"What's that smell?"
In-ha covers her nose, catching the vibe.
The smell of me eating that crap for you…
"You're back."
Juha, washing her hands, greets In-ha.
In-ha glances at the kitchen, uneasy.
What'd you do?
"Bought tteokbokki. Let's eat with makgeolli."
"Makgeolli? You got some?"
"Yeah."
Tteokbokki and makgeolli? What's that combo?
Bought it 'cause it might rain?
"What'd you do in the kitchen?"
"Made croffles."
"Croffles?"
Doesn't smell like croffles.
In-ha tilts her head as she drags the living room table over.
Tteokbokki smell. Maybe 'cause I just ate that cursed croffle, but it smells amazing.
"Looks good."
Juha yawns, sitting next to In-ha.
'This week's weather: mostly clear, but expect occasional showers.
Showers expected to move up from the south…'
Not monsoon yet.
I sneak to the table, glancing at the TV.
"Yo, Joonhyung, three cups."
"Got it."
Gonna wash my mouth with makgeolli.
Never craved booze, but now I do.
I grab cups and wash some grapes.
"Cheers."
Cups clink in the air.
In-ha, now in comfy pants, shivers with a "phew."
"So good."
It is. Weirdly, makgeolli's the tastiest booze.
I sip, staring at the TV.
"When we going on that trip?"
Right, we planned a trip.
Before Juha starts her business.
Talked about a waterpark, maybe a pension.
Kinda nervous either way…
"Dunno. Anywhere good?"
"I'm dying to go on a drive."
…You're not driving, right?
You drive, we all die!