Today was the day Meret's favorite fantasy book would be completed. The author usually uploaded two webtoon episodes every Friday, and she had already read the first. The second would be uploaded in one hour. But one hour was starting to feel like ten to Meret.
She tried to keep herself busy. She did her chores and her roommate's chores slowly, stretching each task out. Even so, the clock refused to move any faster.
Meret wanted to know how the story would end for the Fallen Warrior who had been accused of treason. Would he find a way to clear his name at the last moment? Would he awaken a hidden power even though his spiritual veins had been severed?
Questions ran through her mind, though she already knew none of her expectations would match what the author had planned. He always delivered plot twists no one saw coming.
He was brilliant like that. Which was why she could not wait.
The door began to open. Meret sat up straight, realizing her roommate, Sena, was back.
"Behold," Meret announced as if delivering a royal proclamation, "the most gorgeous young lady in the entire dormitory."
Sena stepped inside, closed the door with her hip, and dropped her backpack onto her desk without looking up. "I did your homework."
Meret opened her mouth to ask a question but Sena was quicker.
"And I submitted it."
"Oh Sena," Meret gushed before she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Sena from behind, squeezing her like a plush toy.
"You are the bestest. If I were to give you a planet, Earth would be too small."
She pulled away, already heading back to her bed when Sena spoke again.
"Also…"
Meret paused mid-step.
Sena reached into her bag and held out a small paperback. "I found a fantasy comic I thought you'd like."
Meret collected it and held it to herself. "If you keep this up, I'm adding Jupiter to the list."
Sena blushed crimson before looking away.
But Meret noticed. It wasn't news that Sena had a crush on her. No one does all this for "just a roommate." And even if they did, they wouldn't blush and avoid eye contact every single time.
And Meret… let it be.
Partly because she liked the things Sena did for her.
Sena was everything Meret wasn't.
Meret could break down cultivation systems and fictional magic paths like she invented them, but hand her algebra and her brain shut down. Meanwhile, Sena could solve any schoolwork thrown at them but didn't care about fantasy at all.
Which made her perfect for all the things Meret couldn't—or wouldn't—do.
Meret liked to think she wasn't using her. Not when Sena did her homework, handled chores, even covered a few of Meret's bills. Okay… fine. That did sound like she was using her. But it wasn't like Sena minded. At all. She did it happily, without asking for anything in return.
And to top it off, she never confessed her feelings or made things awkward. Meret appreciated that more than she'd ever admit.
"Actually, Meret… I've been meaning to tell you something," Sena suddenly said as she turned to Meret again.
When Meret saw the look in her eyes and how fidgety she was, her gaze shifted to the fantasy book in her hands that Sana had given her. She quickly connected the dots in her mind, and she felt her heart skip a beat at the realization of what was about to happen.
Oh no.
"I actually have something to tell you too," Meret said, deciding to use one of her mundane powers… reverse psychology.
"I want to go first before I lose my nerve. I've been meaning to say this for a long time…"
"What I'm about to tell you will probably boost your morale to tell me yours," Meret added, taking Sena's hands and helping her sit on the bed.
Sena looked at their hands and she smiled hopefully and nodded for her to go first. Meret instantly felt guilty, knowing she was about to kill Sana's hopes.
"Gina Meyers asked me out." Meret blurted out. It was true, just not something recent. She let the words hang, giving Sena a moment to react.
"Really? Gina? Our head of department's daughter?" Sena asked a moment later. She tried to look shocked and amused but her expression flickered.
Meret nodded. "Yes. For some reason, she thinks that because I'm not actively dating guys, I must be into girls. Funny, right? Who could possibly assume that when I'm obsessed with fictional men?"
Sena's lips twitched.
"Anyway," Meret continued, warming to her story, "she came with flowers and… well, I told her I'm not interested. I mean, I expect people to… think about what I want. If she were serious, she'd have asked you first. Then maybe she'd know I'm not into girls. But no. She just asked me out, out of nowhere. Made me… very uncomfortable."
Meret noticed Sena staring at the floor. She looked disappointed. Meret felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't meant to sound so harsh.
"So… I didn't want this to weird you out, given how… straight you are, but… I might have told her I have feelings for you. That we're dating. Just to keep her off."
Sena blinked, then turned to look at her fully. Meret offered an apologetic smile. Sana returned a small, reassuring one.
"That's fine. What are best friends for?"
"I knew you would understand, you are the bestest for real. Anyways, what did you want to tell me? Did my story boost your morale?"
Sana gave a nervous chuckle. "Actually, I wanted to tell you I got invited to Fredrick's party."
Frederick is the hottest boy in college. Getting an invite from his party was a big deal to some people.
Sena suddenly up. "You know what? A good way to sell your story is to go to Frederick's party with me tonight. Gina's going to be there."
Meret felt herself stiffen. This is why I don't let other people's emotions influence my actions, she thought.
"Nah. You know me. I don't do parties. Besides… I have a novel to finish." She headed toward her bed, trying to sound casual.
"The episodes aren't out yet?" Sena asked, stepping in front of her.
"Just one. Waiting for the last one," Meret replied.
Sena seated herself next to Meret on the bed. "Which is precisely why you should go out with me. To while away time, give you suspense, and finally let you read your story. Wouldn't you hate to just finish it immediately when it comes? Why not savor it?"
Meret hated to admit it, but she was right. "I don't think I want to go out because of Gina, though."
"Then let's just go together for the fun of it."
"I don't consider that fun," Meret muttered.
Sena groaned. "Let's just go, Meret. Please… I really want to go, and I don't want to feel miserable and alone there."
"I don't know…" Meret drawled.
"I'll do all of your homework and even cook for you," Sena offered.
Meret frowned. The offer made her feel like a terrible person. Not that she minded… so she added, "…and buy me comics?"
Sena rolled her eyes. "And buy you comics."
"Then we have a deal."
***
The party was surprisingly fun. Frederick really knew how to get everyone moving and involved. But nothing was more exciting than the notification that the final episode of her favorite fantasy book had been updated.
Meret tried to focus on the party, tried to laugh and chat, but her mind wouldn't cooperate. Orlo Archer consumed her thoughts. What would happen to him? Would he survive? Or… would the Fallen Warrior finally find redemption?
"Fuck it…" she muttered, realizing she couldn't stall any longer.
She made sure Sena was busy before sneaking toward one of the rooms but it was occupied. The bathrooms were all full, too.
Going outside was out of the question; she couldn't risk Sena spotting her.
So she decided to visit the rooftop.
Meret found a comfortable spot near the railing, not bothering to look around. She opened the Webtoon app and immediately clicked the final chapter.
The previous episode had ended with the emperor granting "mercy" and stripping Orlo Archer of his rank, his sword, his spiritual veins, and he was to be escorted beyond the city's walls by the three heirs who had trained under the master he was accused of killing.
They were supposed to walk him out and leave him.
But Meret remembered how the chapter had ended: the moment the gates were far behind them, the three heirs had turned on him.
She scrolled, expecting—hoping—for a reversal.
The first panel showed Orlo on his knees in the dirt. His robes were in tatters. His hair was loose. His face was bruised.
The heirs stood around him, shaken and furious. They asked questions he didn't answer. And when it became clear he wasn't going to explain himself, they stopped talking altogether.
The next panel showed one of them raising the blade that once belonged to their master.
The panel after that was only the sky. No character. No narration.
And the final page read: THE END.
Meret stared at her screen, confused.
"…That's it?" she asked no one in particular.
She refreshed the page. Same result.
She switched to the comments. None of them mirrored her disappointment. Just people accepting it, calling it "poetic" or "bold" or whatever that meant.
Meret blinked, offended on the Fallen Warrior's behalf.
"Rough ending?" a voice asked.
Meret looked up.
A man was standing near the edge of the roof, leaning on a wooden cane. Too close to the drop.
She stood at once. "You're not planning to jump, are you?" she asked, ignoring his earlier question. "Because if you are… at least let me go back downstairs and then jump five minutes after. Cause I do not need this on my conscience."
The man laughed.
"It's the day," he said.
Meret squinted. "The day for what? Free rooftop stupidity?"
He didn't answer her. He kept his eyes on the sky.
"It's rare," he continued. "When the moon, the year, and the hour align. When the blood moon rises over the silver crescent. The old writings say the constellations open on nights like this."
Meret blinked at him slowly. "Okay. And how exactly does that relate to you hovering over a six-story drop?"
He chuckled again, softer this time. He turned only enough for her to see one side of his face
"They say that when the heavens open like this… you get one wish," he murmured. "One wish that actually comes true."
Then he looked up again.
And the sky actually was changing.
Different patterns of light and stars began to come to view. Meret forgot to breathe.
"…okay," she whispered, stepping closer to the railing—but not to him. Just enough to see clearly. "That's… actually kind of beautiful."
"It's almost time," he said.
He hadn't looked at a watch, or a phone, or even blinked. But somehow he knew.
"Make a wish," he said.
Meret frowned. She didn't need anything. Her life wasn't tragic. Her parents were fine. School was fine. She didn't wish to be smarter, richer, prettier. That felt pointless.
But there was one thing her heart still ached over, even now:
Orlo Archer didn't deserve that ending.
She wanted him to live. To have a second chance. To have something more.
She closed her eyes and wished inside herself:
I wish the story didn't end like that.
A breeze lifted her hair.
Then something shoved her.
Her eyes flew open just in time to see her phone slip from her hand and plunge into the darkness below.
She reached forward instinctively and her foot left the edge.
She was falling.
Wind tore her breath away. The rooftop rushed upward—or down—she couldn't tell. She twisted midair, looking back at the man.
He was smiling.
"… you bastard." She just breathed out
She closed her eyes again bracing for final impact to the ground, but it never came.
She could still feel herself falling, weightless and spinning, but the ground never approached. Fear kept her eyes shut; she didn't want to see the moment she would finally crash.
Then she began to hear whispers echoing around her. Slowly, cautiously, she opened her eyes.
She wasn't falling anymore. She was lying down.
And above her, a woman knelt, tears streaming down her face, dressed in attire that felt… strangely familiar, almost like the robes in the comic she had been reading.
"Aries… Aries, you're awake!" the woman cried.