“Dad, are you feeling a little more clear-headed now?”

  After fighting off wave after wave of drowsiness—and then being completely drained by Dahye’s filming on top of it all—Gyeongsu finally sent out an SOS. He said that if he stayed inside the philosophy office any longer, he might collapse right there, and suggested stepping outside to catch some air.

  Before they realized it, the three of them were standing in the dim front yard. As the cool night air brushed his face, Gyeongsu took a deep breath. In the darkness, they stood side by side, inhaling slowly—as if they weren’t just breathing, but gathering their scattered senses back into themselves.

  “Dahye… at this rate, I might actually die.There’s something I need to tell you…one last thing…”

  The moment his head cleared even a little, Gyeongsu’s playful side began to resurface.

  “Stop talking nonsense and keep doing what you were doing.Do you think I don’t know all your tricks?”

  Dahye saw right through him and shut him down immediately.

  Still, Gyeongsu looked at his daughter with mischievous eyes.

  “I like talking with you like this.And… afterward, I can feel myself getting stronger.”

  “Dad, I’m being serious right now.”Dahye’s expression tightened.

  “If it weren’t for Hyeonpil oppa, I would’ve left ages ago.So stop it.Can’t you try living your life a little more seriously?”

  At those words, Gyeongsu visibly sagged.

  “When you say it like that…it really makes your dad sad.Alright. I’ll stop.”

  He bowed his head deeply.

  “Dad!”

  Dahye narrowed her eyes, then spoke as if she’d caught him red-handed.

  “You think I don’t know your tricks?You’re trying to fall asleep again, aren’t you?No way. Get up—now!”

  She began mercilessly pinching his side.

  “Aaagh! That hurts! Okay, okay!What did I even do in a past life to end up living with women like this…sheesh…”

  Watching their affectionate squabbling quietly from the side, Hyeonpil went back inside and returned with two chairs. He set them down in the yard and spoke calmly.

  “Teacher, please sit here for a moment.It’s 9:30 now.If we just get through a little more, today will end safely.Sit down and take your time catching your breath.”

  At Hyeonpil’s gentle words, Gyeongsu’s face brightened instantly.

  “See… you’re the only one who really understands me.”

  He tapped his legs a few times and grumbled.

  “Oof, my legs…Maybe it’s because it’s early summer, but the night air feels nice.”

  Gyeongsu dropped into the chair with a thud and stretched deeply.

  “Dahye, you should sit too,”Hyeonpil said carefully.“You’ve been standing for hours, and you haven’t eaten anything.You don’t have to push yourself.You can head home first if you want.”

  Feeling the warmth in his concern, Dahye smiled.

  “No, oppa.You went a whole week without eating and haven’t slept since the day before yesterday.I can’t complain just because I skipped two meals.”She chuckled softly.

  Just then, Hyeonpil went back inside, brought out the camera and tripod again, and set them up at one side of the yard.

  “Hyeonpil, you’re setting that up again?Let’s stop.Every time I see a camera, I remember Dahye’s death glare…I swear, I’m about to have a breakdown…”

  Even as Gyeongsu whined on the verge of tears, Hyeonpil had already shifted into filming mode.

  “Alright then.In that case…let’s just talk among ourselves,”

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  he said lightly, brushing it off and naturally guiding Gyeongsu back into conversation.

  At that moment, Dahye narrowed her eyes.

  “Oh?Why don’t you talk to me like that too,the way you do with oppa?”

  It wasn’t quite jealousy—but something close to it.

  Startled, Hyeonpil waved his hands.

  “No, Dahye.It’s just that the teacher still keeps a bit of distance with me.Honestly…I kind of wish he’d treat meas comfortably as he treats you.”

  Dahye grinned and turned to her father.

  “Dad, about that ‘points and flow of time’ thing you said earlier.Where did you get that from?Did you read it somewhere?Or did AI tell you?It was honestly pretty mind-blowing.”

  Gyeongsu glanced at his daughter,then slowly lifted his headand looked up at the sky, heavy with darkness.

  “…Do you really think AI would say something like that?”

  His voice was drained—almost hollow.

  “Stuff like that is exactly what AI would say,”Dahye shot back with a grin.“You’re always too busy thinking about how to tease me—how would you ever come up with something like that?”

  Gyeongsu’s shoulders sagged, slowly but visibly.

  Seeing this, Hyeonpil shot Dahye a sharp look that clearly said, Please stop.

  After a brief pause, Hyeonpil spoke with care.

  “Teacher…about what you were saying earlier—how time becomes the standard for humanity…could you continue?”

  At the question, Gyeongsu slowly raised his head.

  “As expected,” he murmured.“That’s a question worthy of my disciple.Yes… now I remember what I was about to say.”

  A spark returned to his eyes.A faint warmth crept back into his once-slumped expression.

  “I said that time is the standard of humanity, didn’t I?We are all born within time—each of us at a different moment, within a different flow.”

  He traced invisible patterns in the air with his finger as he spoke.

  “Each birth date creates a distinct vibration.And that vibration is—”

  His voice dropped.

  “Qi (氣).”

  The instant the word left his lips,Hyeonpil felt as if lightning had torn through his mind.

  “But… Teacher,”he asked after steadying his breath,“people today often describe qi as ‘energy.’Is that… the same thing you’re talking about?”

  Gyeongsu paused, considering.Then he looked directly at Hyeonpil.

  “Energy, quite literally,is the capacity to perform work.”

  He let the words settle before continuing.

  “But qi…is the phenomenon that emergeswhen movement becomes perceptible through our senses.

  So no—qi and energy are not the same.”

  Just then—

  From the dark corner of the alley, a voice rang out.

  “What on earth are you doing out here?You’ve been fasting for a week,and you still look perfectly fine?”

  Gyeongsu’s wife, Yoonjeong,and Hyeonpil’s mother, Hyojeong,emerged from the shadows and approached.

  “Mom—Boss! I mean… what are you doing here?”Dahye froze, staring at them in disbelief.

  Yoonjeong narrowed her eyes, scanning Dahye from head to toe.

  “What have you been doing to look like this?Your dad too—both of you.Walking around like that, people will think you got kicked out of the house.”

  Gyeongsu snapped back immediately.

  “Hey! Why are you and Dahye always judging people by their looks?I didn’t choose to look like this!This is a side effect of passing the first Gyeongshin!”

  Trying to soften the tension,Hyojeong stepped forward gently.

  “Well… to me, he actually looks better.There’s something about him—like someone deep in thought.”

  As her words faded,each of the five standing in the dim alleywas briefly caught by a private image of their own,and faint smiles surfaced without anyone quite realizing why.

  “Hyojeong, don’t praise him like that,”Yoonjeong said flatly, folding her arms.“This man gets one compliment and immediately thinks he’s special.He’s not the type you lift up—he’s the type you have to knock some sense into.”

  Hyojeong laughed awkwardly.

  “Seriously, what are you saying?”Dahye snapped, waving Yoonjeong away.“The mood was finally getting better, and Mom ruins it again.Why did you even come here? We’re filming—move!”

  Having skipped both lunch and dinner,Dahye’s nerves were already frayed to the limit.

  “Unnie, there’s a camera over there…”Hyojeong said gently, tugging at Yoonjeong’s arm.“Let’s step aside for a moment, okay?”

  And then—

  Gyeongsu suddenly clutched his throat.

  “Kh—kh—”

  He gasped violently before collapsing onto the ground, rolling helplessly.

  “Honey! What’s happening?!”Yoonjeong screamed, her face draining of color at the sound of his ragged breathing.

  But it didn’t end there.

  At the same moment, Hyeonpil’s face twisted in pain.As if something immense were crushing down on his mind,he dropped to his knees, palms slamming against the pavement.

  “Hyeonpil! What’s wrong?!”Hyojeong cried, her voice trembling as she rushed toward him.

  The front yard of the philosophy office exploded into chaos.

  Gyeongsu lay convulsing, clutching his nose and throat,while Hyeonpil knelt beside him, his entire body shaking uncontrollably.

  “Dahye! Call 119—now! Hurry!”

  Understanding the severity,Dahye bolted into the philosophy office, frantically searching for her phone—

  Just then—

  Gyeongsu’s hand went slackand fell heavily to the ground.

  “Honey!!”Yoonjeong sobbed, clutching his chest and shaking him.“You insane man! Who told you to do something like this?!Why would you mess with things like that—are you trying to leave me behind?!Aaaah!!”

  Her scream tore through the night like a blade.

  And at the very center of that chaos—

  Hyeonpil, who had been folded over in agony,lowered his head…

  Then slowly,very quietly,

  he stood up.