chapter 2: Suit Man

With that loud exclamation, that man continued to smile and walked down the hallway, turning right. He pursued him relentlessly, his heart pounding with a mix of confusion and determination. He chased him until they reached a park crowded with people.

He looked around the area for the mysterious man but found no trace of him. Exhausted, he noticed an empty long chair and decided to sit down. As he rested and calmed his mind, the air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers and the distant sound of laughter.

As he tried to calm his racing mind, an unfamiliar man approached,

"Can I sit beside you?" Asking if he could sit beside him.

"Ah, you can." the professor said absently, gesturing to the space next to him.

The man took a seat, offering a polite smile. "Thank you, professor."

"Ah, you're welcome," the professor replied, still caught in his own thoughts.

For a few moments, they sat in companionable silence, the professor enjoying the tranquility. Then a thought struck him, sending a chill down his spine.

Did I tell him that I'm a professor? Don't tell me...

He turned to look at the man more closely. Recognition dawned as he realized this was the very man he had been chasing. The man who seemed to know him so well.

"Why are you here?" the professor demanded, his voice tinged with suspicion.

The man responded with a clap and a grin. "It's quite late for you to recognize me, professor."

The professor's eyes widened in realization. This man was not ordinary; he had the power to change his appearance at will.

"Tell me, why are you doing this to me?" the professor asked, his voice now edged with desperation.

"Didn't I tell you? I'm here to bring you back," the man replied calmly.

"Back? Where?" the professor pressed.

The mysterious man's smile widened, but he did not answer directly.

.....

The woman who had helped the professor earlier was preparing a meal for him. She carried the tray to his room.

Shrr... Thud—! Entering her professor's room, only to find his bed empty.

"...What?" she whispered, bewildered.

Panic set in as she placed the food on the bedside table and searched the room. She checked the bathroom, under the bed, and every conceivable hiding spot. The realization dawned on her that the professor was missing.

Shrr—! Thud—! She burst through the door into the hallway, her heart pounding. She stopped the first person she saw.

"Excuse me, have you seen this person?" she asked, showing a picture of the professor.

"Uh... Sorry, I haven't seen him," came the reply.

"Okay, thank you," she muttered, moving on to the next person.

She asked everyone she encountered, but no one had seen him. Despair began to overwhelm her.

"Where are you, professor..." she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Then, an elderly woman approached her gently. "Hey, dear."

"Yes?" the woman replied, wiping her tears.

"Are you looking for someone?" the old woman asked.

"Yes, ma'am," she answered, showing the picture.

"...I saw him in the park, sitting with a man."

"Thank you very much!" the woman exclaimed, her heart lifting with hope.

She ran towards the park, her feet pounding the ground. The old woman watched her go, a look of sorrow in her eyes. "Even if you run, it's already too late." she murmured softly.

As she sprinted, the woman glanced back, but the old woman had vanished, leaving her to wonder if she had been real. Shaking off the thought, she pushed forward, her focus on the park.

Finally, she reached the park and spotted the professor sitting alone on the long chair, the mysterious man nowhere to be seen.

"Professor!" she cried, running to him.

She stood in front of him, noticing his closed eyes. She thought he must be asleep.

"Maybe he's just sleeping," she whispered, a smile touching her lips.

She sat down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I hope you're having sweet dreams, professor," she said softly, closing her eyes as well.

The professor's soul was no longer tethered to the world he had known. Instead, it drifted into an unknown place, leaving his body behind in the quiet park.

.....

Rewind to the moment before the girl found him, his conversation with that unknown man continued.

"To where you belong," the man finally answered, his voice calm yet cryptic.

The professor sighed, unsatisfied with the response. "Hah... Tell me, among of all people in this world, why must it be me?"

The man tilted his head, considering the question while a faint smirk playing on his lips, "Hmm... It just so happens that it is you."

"...What?" The professor's brow furrowed in confusion, his mind struggling to grasp the meaning behind the man's words. The man, noticing the bewilderment, chuckled softly.

"Haha... Time is gold to you. But to me, it's merely bronze—dull and expendable."

"What? I don't understand at all." The professor's voice carried a mix of frustration and bewilderment. The man simply chuckled again, as if amused by the professor's confusion.

"It's alright if you don't understand," the man said. "But now, time is running out. So, any last words?"

His eyes widened in surprise, "W-What? That sounds like you're planning to kill me."

The man's chuckle grew into a full laugh. "Haha, That's not what I meant."

"Then what?" The professor's eyes narrowed as he sought clarity.

"What I mean," the man said, leaning in slightly, "are your final words in this world."

A chill ran down the professor's spine as the weight of the man's statement settled in. "It really does sound like you're here to kill me."

The man replied with a knowing smile, "Whether you stay or go, the end I'd inevitable. Your illness would soon claim your life."

The professor fell silent, his thoughts a tumultuous storm. After a moment, he asked, "...How do you know about my illness?"

"You were chosen," the man said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world, "Of course, we've been watching you even before you born."

"But... how?" The professor's confusion deepened, each answer only raising more questions. Nothing made sense, yet something in the man's words resonated with a truth he couldn't deny.

"Even if I explained it, you wouldn't grasp the full scope."

"Why do you think that?" The professor's eyes were sharp, his sharp mind unwilling to accept such an answer.

"It's just..." The man hesitated, as if searching for the right words. Then, he sighed. "Hah... You ask too many questions. It's better for you to see the truth by yourself."

With that, the man stood from the bench, his movements graceful yet deliberate. He positioned himself directly in front of the professor, who looked up at him, questions still swirling in his mind.

"What will happen to my body here if I follow you?" the professor asked, his voice steady, though his heart races with anxiety.

The man smiled, his eyes glinting with a hidden truth. "You already know the answer, don't you?"

The professor hesitated, then admitted, "I don't wish for death. But if you leave me no choice, then I will follow you."

The man's smile widened, as if pleased by the professor's resolve. "This is exactly what I was hoping for. Now, close your eyes."

The professor stared at the man, his thoughts racing. Will he do something weird? he wondered.

The man, seemingly reading his thoughts, said gently, "Worry not. Just trust me."

After a moment's hesitation, the professor closed his eyes, placing his trust in the only one who seemed to know his well—if only because he had no other choice. He waited in silence, his mind swirling with uncertainty and fear.

Minutes passed, and then the silence was broken by a mechanical sound—a low, steady whirr followed by the clanking and clicking of gears in motion. The sound grew louder, reverberating around him, until it seemed to come from every direction. The sound was not singular but layered, as if countless gears were moving in unison, orchestrating some vast, incomprehensible mechanism. The professor remained still, waiting for the man's signal.

Finally, the man's voice came, clear and steady. "Okay, you can open your eyes now."

The professor opened his eyes, expecting to see the familiar world around him. But instead, he was greeted by an overwhelming darkness. No light, no shapes could be seen—just an all-encompassing darkness. Panic began to creep into his mind.

"Hey! Where are you?!" he called out, his voice echoing into the darkness.

"I'm right in front of you," the man's voice responded calmly, though his figure remained unseen.

"What? But I can't see anything," the professor replied wavered with uncertainty.

"Wait... You can't see anything?" the man's tone held a hint of surprise.

"What do you mean by that? All I see is darkness."

"Oh! My apologies. I forgot," the man said, as if remembering something important.

Suddenly, the professor heard the distinct sound of fingers snapping in front of him. A moment later, a small light flooded in front of him, illuminating the scene. The darkness receded, revealing the man standing before him. But as the professor looked down, his breath caught in his throat.

Beneath him, there was no ground—no solid earth to stand on. Instead, he was hovering above an intricate network of massive, interlocking gears and cogs, all turning with a rhythmic precision. Each gear was crafted from a strange, luminous metal and so massive.

"What in the world..." the professor whispered, awe and surprised within him.