<Hello. I have come here, transcending the world. In this world, the protagonist and the supporting roles are thoroughly separated. Naturally, I am a supporting role.
In this world, supporting roles originally perform only the roles assigned to them, without any soul. But I am said to be someone who can give a soul to a puppet. In fact, both the creator of this world and I come from a place called South Korea. So perhaps that’s why. Since coming here, I have lost my family, whom I left behind in the original world, and my name. I want to go home again. Why did God shove me into this muck? I still find it hard to understand the author's intentions. It was a repetition of being pushed to the edge of a cliff to die, and then being pulled back up the moment I fell. Russell, I think if we had met in that world, we would have surely had feelings for each other, perhaps even mutual affection. You are the protagonist, and I am the supporting role. Did you know that? Every time you connect with me and I connect with you, the world crumbles a little more. Now I must go back. You said you wouldn’t forget me, but somehow I’m scared that you will. In fact, I hope Russell remembers me. Please remember me. Don’t forget me. My name is,> “……Summer Lindsey.” Russell’s low voice called her name. He was curious about Summer’s name. If it weren’t for the world’s interference, he wanted to hear about what her original world was like, staying up all night. In the end, did she not reveal her original name until the very end? Russell let out a sigh of disappointment. “Cough!” “……!” The water, which had been completely still, began to bubble, and soon a white, dry hand suddenly emerged. Russell quickly grabbed that hand and pulled it up, revealing the face of the woman he had longed to see, yet wished to return. Summer Lindsey. A woman with golden hair that seemed to be woven from sunlight and eyes bluer than the lake. A strange land’s, even stranger Summer. “Cough, cough!” “Summer Lindsey.” “Cough..! Huh, save me…” Russell tightly embraced Summer as she trembled as if she had completely lost her mind. All he could do was hold her until she calmed down and soothe her. “Save me, please save me…” Summer waved her arms, repeatedly asking to be saved. The more she pleaded, the tighter Russell held her, trying to comfort her. He couldn’t tell if he was comforting her or himself. The disappointment of not having revealed her original name until just now and the feeling of having expected it all had long since vanished. “Ahh, please save me, save me…” “I’m here. Summer. You are alive right now. Here. You are alive.” A sigh of relief mixed with self-loathing escaped. Why am I relieved by your failure? Russell’s expression twisted in pain, yet oddly, it was a face filled with joy. “Russell, Russell…?” “Yes. Summer.” “Ru, Russell, Russell… I, huh!” Summer finally recognized Russell and called his name. “Yes. Summer. I’m here. I’m right here.” “I’m so, huh, so scared…” Summer clung to Russell’s neck, burying her face. Summer was completely paralyzed with fear. Did she see something terrible when she disappeared underwater? Russell’s grip on her tightened. “It’s okay. Summer. You’re alive, and that’s enough. It’s okay.” Russell kissed Summer’s forehead with reverence. The soft lips that touched her forehead trembled strangely. Summer slowly lifted her head to meet Russell’s gaze. “……Ah.” Summer let out a soft, unintelligible sound and then closed her eyes tightly. Russell’s beautiful face was drenched in tears. The redness around his eyes and the trembling of his body revealed how much he had searched for Summer. The trembling that had been soaked in fear gradually calmed down. If it was a joy that he had searched for her, was that too selfish? “Summer, you are alive right now.” “……It seems so.” “I thought I had completely lost you…” Russell tightly embraced Summer, burying his face in her shoulder. He too must have been in pain from the separation. In this world or that world, there were only people who were in pain because of me. I had lived my life, seemingly always being mindful of others and the world, but now it seemed I had become nothing more than a bad person who left wounds everywhere. “Ru, Russell… what should I do?” “I will definitely find a way to return. If there isn’t one, I will make it happen even if I have to sacrifice myself. So it’s okay. For now, just the fact that you have returned is enough.” Russell spoke quickly and lifted Summer up. As they stepped out of the fountain, red water dripped onto the white marble floor. Summer, who had been staring at the falling droplets, opened her mouth. “Russell.” The corners of Summer’s eyes drooped with sadness. More accurately, it was an emotion emptier than sadness. It was resignation. A face that had given up everything. Summer looked at Russell with a face that had let go of everything. Russell felt a chill run down his spine. He had seen that expression before. That face was the expression of someone who had already prepared for the end. I must admit it. Russell was most afraid of Summer. She was so precious. It terrified him. “Russell, I always wanted to live.” “…….” “But could I have not wanted to live?” It was an incomprehensible question. Instead of answering, Russell tightly embraced Summer and slowly walked toward the prayer room door. “Summer Lindsey. Is that your name?” Russell’s voice was painfully low. He opened the prayer room door and took one step at a time down the long corridor. Everywhere his feet touched, red droplets bloomed like flowers. “……I lost my name.” “Didn’t you regain your original name last night?” “……I thought I had found it. No, I did find it.” I lost the name Kim Dan. It was a name I had endured for over twenty years. Now, even if I were to wake from the dead, I could no longer live as Kim Dan. Before returning, when I first discovered the box, Summer had already read the name and the year of death. I just turned a blind eye. So when Russell asked me to write down my original name, I inscribed the name Summer Lindsey. Kim Dan no longer existed. I would never live under that name again. I had done my best to live under the name Kim Dan in that world. In this world too, I risked death to find that name I had temporarily lost. But that name no longer existed. If I didn’t try, there was nothing to be disappointed about. But Summer had poured too much effort into that name to accept it calmly. “I have nowhere to go now.” Having lost my name, I also had nowhere to return. Then what could Summer possibly do? The smile that Summer had been forcing turned into a grimace, soon transforming into a strange expression. “I’ve lost my name and existence. I’ve lived only looking at that. What on earth should I aim for now?” “Summer. For now, for now….” Russell corrected his hold on Summer and descended the stairs. All that filled Russell’s mind was the thought that they had to return. First, he needed to take Summer to his mansion and calm her down. He needed to calm himself too. But Russell’s mind went blank at Summer’s one remark. “I want to end it all. I want to stop now.” “What….” Russell’s wide eyes were filled with shock. But Summer was not in a state to consider others’ feelings. Summer truly wanted to give up now. “Please let me end it.” Her wish to return had now transformed into a plea to end it all. Summer crumbled. Completely. A chilling wind swept between them. “Black hair! You’ve returned!” The silence between them was broken by Fay’s voice, which somehow sounded joyful. “……Fay.” “I was surprised when I got sucked in with you. Are you okay? No side effects or anything?” Fay quickly approached and examined Summer’s complexion. Fortunately, it seemed that no poison remained in her body. At first, Fay had disliked the idea of her god, who had abandoned her, showing interest in some stranger. The most faithful servant had been left to perish like that. But now, Fay wanted to interfere with Summer. Why was she being so hard on that stranger? Falling into this world, that stranger had not been able to do anything as she wished. “I’m not dead.” “Right. You can return today if you want. For now, rest, black hair. I’m here for you.” Fay gently patted Summer’s head, comforting her. At Fay’s warm reassurance, tears quickly welled up in Summer’s eyes. “……I can’t go back.” “You can’t go back? What do you mean?” Fay’s reaction caused Summer to finally burst into tears, sobbing and stammering her words. “Huh, my body, I have no body…” “…….” Fay’s expression darkened as she immediately understood something was wrong. “What do you mean you have no body?” Startled by Russell’s voice, Summer inhaled sharply. Without realizing Russell was there, she blurted it out as soon as she saw Fay. She thought Fay would surely know a way. “Summer. I’m sorry. Don’t be surprised.” “……It’s literally what I said. I tried to go back, but the body I was supposed to enter had already been buried.” “……No way.” “They said she died two years ago. Haha, isn’t it silly? I came here after dying, yet I begged to go back, like… like that…” “…….” Tears dripped from Summer’s eyes as she laughed hollowly. “Huh, I had no place to return to from the start, yet what was I making such a fuss about wanting to go back?” Summer’s voice grew louder. Gradually, as reality returned, emotions surged over her like a tidal wave. Seeing Summer in such an unstable state, Russell quickly descended the remaining stairs and exited the temple. Perhaps because the rain had just stopped, the day was exceptionally clear, and the sunlight was warm. Broken statues, fallen worshippers, and the light shimmering in the puddles of mud reflected a beautiful yet strangely apocalyptic final brilliance of the world.