(which was a multitude of girls and drinking, not vast emptiness and colorless skies). but then it hits him. color – it's as if someone's painting the sky in his eyes and he's filled with a strong sound of water rushing up towards him and he groans – audibly this time, as he's overcome with an ache to his head and eyes and ears and his body suddenly feels as if a boulder's on top of it. what happened? he asks himself once more, the question echoing in his head before memories slowly push themselves into his mind as well – memories of dating, wealth, a girlfriend as well as virtual naked girls filling his head, followed by darkness – not black, it's not empty, but it's the only word that myungjae is able to come up with as he watches the memories in his head like a hauntingly familiar movie: the snap of brittle bones breaking, fear, blood – it's a horror movie in his head and he blocks it out, eyebrows clenched. first, it was some alternate reality. ever since he had become a mutant, he learned what other mutants could do – he could live with that. but the second thing – the second thing was real. it wasn't an alternate reality, and myungjae wonders if he's alright to walk into the public again. what if he's some savage killer? what if someone's looking for him – someone crazy, wanting revenge for something he did? a million scenarios pop into his mind and he sorts through them all, laying lifeless in the sand. – – – welcome home. he mentally greets himself when he steps into the institution. it had felt like months – maybe it had been, myungjae thinks, but he knew it had been weeks since he woke up, or came back to life – he wasn't sure what to call it. he's welcomed by unfamiliar faces and his heart sinks. there's no one he recognizes – did everyone leave? what if he lost his memory? myungjae fumbles with his thoughts as his footsteps echo up the staircase and encases himself in his worries as he reaches his door, haphazardly leaving it open as he dashes inside, plopping down, face–first, onto his bed. welcome back.














