Infinite Regressor, Chapter 446 - I’m an Infinite Regressor, But I’ve Got Stories to Tell

**Chapter 8** Several days had passed since the surgery concluded. "How are you feeling? Is your left eye still itchy or painful in any way...?" "No, I'm fine." "That's a relief. You know, this was my first time extracting and replacing a human eye, I was so worried something might go wrong..." In those few days, the Undertaker lived with a black eye patch over his eyes. The patch covered not only his left eye but also his right, giving him the sensation of living like a primitive man in a cave. As for the material of the eye patch, it was, well, very much fitting for Noh Do-hwa. It was made by repurposing the leather gloves she usually wore. Even with her assurances that it was properly sanitized, the distinctive lemon scent peculiar to her wafted persistently from the lining of the patch. Absolute darkness, accompanied by fragrance. That was the entirety of the world for the Undertaker in those days. "Really? You conducted the surgery so confidently despite being a novice? The optic nerve is incredibly delicate. What if something went wrong?" "Well, would it have been such a big deal...?" Beyond the blindfold, Noh Do-hwa responded with an indifferent voice. "I confirm daily how your body's as robust as some beast, so I wasn't exactly worried about it..." "......" The Undertaker was at a loss for words. Seeing her chuckle made him even more incensed. "No, seriously, Ms. Noh Do-hwa. Please, I'd rather you just hurl some curses at me." "Why is that...?" A derisive laugh laced with mockery. "Isn't this demeanor unfamiliar to you...?" "Of course, it's unfamiliar. The Noh Do-hwa I've known so far hardly ever mentioned anything related to this." "Oh, in that case, you can probably guess what my response to your request would be..." As expected, her reaction would be something akin to 'Uncomfortable? I find it endearing,' and 'If this is the only version of myself I've shown, then I might as well keep it up.' The Undertaker sighed. He really had gotten involved with a most peculiar woman. "Alright, can I take off the eye patch now? Relying on you for everything from morning till night is inconvenient." "Hmm? But I'm enjoying this..." "I apologize, I really do. Besides, I want to make sure the new eye is working properly." "Just a little longer, please..." Noh Do-hwa chuckled softly. "I'm preparing something..." Preparing? What could she possibly be preparing? "It's a secret..." When she said it was a secret, a strange sense of dread filled the Undertaker. After having taken his eye, what bizarre scheme would she concoct next—while amidst this speculation, he suddenly pondered. 'Am I scared of her?' The Undertaker's eyes twitched beneath the obsidian darkness of the blindfold. 'Of course, it's not some monumental fear. It's just a mix of worry and anticipation about the unpredictable things she'll do. But...' When was the last time he felt like this? Such small, fleeting emotions. "......" Days flew by. During those days, the Undertaker had to endure things he had never experienced in his entire life. In truth, her claim of keeping secrets was a blatant lie, leading him to suspect it was merely an excuse to experiment all sorts of acts on a 'partner who can't see.' "Please, let me remove the eye patch now!" Finally, around the time two weeks had passed, although he considered himself long past shedding his humanity, the Undertaker had to shout, protecting his 'humanity'—or rather, his dignity—for the first time in ages. "We're running out of food, too, and holed up in the hotel all day—what on earth are we doing?" "Hmm? Didn't you enjoy it yourself too...?" "That's a different story! Even beasts probably lead a more virtuous life than we do!" "Hmm. A split personality, perhaps... It's quite curious how one can change so drastically from day to night." "The eye patch!" "Alright, alright. I’ll take it off tomorrow. But really, you have no patience at all..." Noh Do-hwa muttered, "Honestly, if I could, I'd keep you in darkness for about half a year." The Undertaker felt a chill run down his spine. 'If my aura were still intact, this would be a lot easier.’ Since sealing off Yu Ji-won in a convenience store a year ago, he had mysteriously lost the ability to use his aura. The Undertaker was baffled. What correlation could there be between sealing Yu Ji-won and losing his aura? Just then, something clasped his chin. "......" There was one advantage to the world's end. There was no need to fret over which exact words to place in the empty spaces demarcated by ‘something’ or 'someone.' In the remaining world, if someone held his chin, it could only be Noh Do-hwa's slender fingers. "What were you thinking just now...?" "......" Suddenly, a playful mood arose in the Undertaker. Could emotions and state of mind be contagious? Perhaps living with her had infected him with Noh Do-hwa's mischief. “Oh, I was just thinking of another woman.” He wanted to tease her a bit too. “Yu Ji-won. I think I mentioned her to you before. When you reigned as the Grand Road Manager, she was always in the second—“ His lips were halted. His tongue was bit. His breath was stolen. It flowed back again. The Undertaker thought. Even as they frequently indulged each other, already so used to it yet finding room to grow more accustomed, how could scent or state of mind not become infectious? In this world, there were only two streams of time left to flow. Coincidentally, those two streams seemed to relish knotting together. The following day. The long-awaited day of unshackling the eye patch. "Patient Undertaker. Be careful with your steps. We're entering the shower..." "I can wash myself just fine!" "I know. But so what...?" "This is a violation of my rights!" "Aha. If one’s not human but an animal, then there wouldn't be any rights to violate..." That day, Noh Do-hwa seemed more peculiar than usual. Usually, she would lazily get up only after the sun was high in the sky, but for some reason, today she was awake at dawn. Her time spent in the shower was unusually lengthy. Normally, she'd finish in less than an hour for fear of catching a cold, but today it felt like she took over two hours. "You seem clean now, Undertaker patient. Now, it's time for your socks..." "Be honest, Noh Do-hwa. You got certified as an orthopedic technician just to watch patients flounder without you, didn't you?" "Oh dear. You've uncovered the most secretive detail of my life..." "In all my travels meeting people across the world, you're the first person I've met who's purely driven by such a peculiar taste." "So I've heard. And yet, this peculiar taste seems to suit you..." "......" "Lift your chin a bit, please. It's hard to tie the necktie like this..." From head to toe. He spread his arms, stood up straight if instructed. Ready to humor her peculiar jest, the Undertaker allowed Noh Do-hwa to change his entire outfit. 'This clothes feel a bit tight.' From the way she usually favored loose-fitting styles, as evident from her everyday lab coat, it was clear Noh Do-hwa prioritized tactile sensation over visual perception. The feel of the fabric overrode its appearance once worn. She never imposed her preferences on others. She hadn't demanded any particular fashion style from the Undertaker either. So, this was quite unlike her behavior. "Alright. All done..." "Is it okay to remove it now?" "No. Please follow me for a moment..." She firmly clasped his hand. Where could they be going? Curious, the Undertaker silently followed Noh Do-hwa's lead as her hand guided him forward. The sound of waves faded slowly. "......" In the past, he would have extended his aura, using it to sense his surroundings. But now, that was difficult. Every time he sealed people, every time he encased his precious companions in translucent graves, the Undertaker grew weaker. He was now just a little stronger than an ordinary person. It was absurd that the one who had opposed all anomalies and brought humanity to its end was now so frail. ―Thud. In that darkness. In the depths of an indistinguishable path, where he couldn’t even discern the alley’s name. ―Thud, thud. His only guide was the one securely holding his hand, moving along—the image of Noh Do-hwa’s steps was vividly etched in his mind’s eye as if drawn before him. ―Thud. Thud, thud. After spending so much time together, it made sense. One year. It might seem short, but if the universe forced them to share it alone, it was indeed substantial. The speed of their steps, the angle at which they stepped, the pressure from her fingers. Each tilt of her head as she checked his following steadiness, a breeze brushing past her fringe. In his darkness, she alone remained clear. "Ah, we've arrived..." Her footsteps ceased. "Please take off the eyepatch yourself." "......" Nodding, the Undertaker carefully removed the shadow that had obscured his vision for over half a month. Wincing slightly from the razor-sharp sunlight, he squinted momentarily. But only for a moment. "......" The scene before him. It was more of a mirage than a mirage could ever be, captivating his gaze so that thoughts of the sun were irrelevant. Noh Do-hwa's attire was pure white. The color was no different than the lab coat she frequently wore. However, he swore, he had never seen Noh Do-hwa in such attire as she wore now. Never once. Nor would he ever in the future. A wedding dress. "......" At that moment, the Undertaker felt he knew why sunlight was white, the reason white existed at all in the world. Looking at his face, Noh Do-hwa— "......" Silently smiled, tilted. This place was Babel Plaza. At least, it was once called so. All the ambitions to connect every road from here had long been forgotten, leaving the square as a barren patch. With no guests, no officiant, the two stood with hands held firmly. Lacking even words of oath. "......" "......" Words were unnecessary. When one ceased trying to decipher someone through words, she became her opposite for him, as he became opposite in turn for her. Coincidentally, he was dressed in black. A tuxedo. The shadow of black unveiled the sunlight of white. In the light’s vicinity, the shadow was not darkness but a place of rest. That was the reason black and white existed in the world. And a beat later, the Undertaker realized the mirages that had long plagued him were nowhere to be seen. Indeed, now he only had one mirage allowed to him. Without a word, he placed his lips on hers. Moments later, she too quietly met his lips in return. It was remarkable. Among all the kisses shared in seclusion, today was the gentlest. "I shouldn't return to the loop anymore." "Why?" "I can't face meeting you again with your current memories erased. I might end up killing you." "Oh dear..." She smiled. “Then, why don't we just go back together...?" "There's no way to do that." "Well, judging by how your new eye works fine, if we swap parts of our bodies slowly, perhaps rather fortuitously, I might inherit your time-rewinding ability..." "Are you really insane?" "Whatever. We fail, and we just die together. Live together, die together. It’s a simple choice..." That was true enough. "This outfit is painfully uncomfortable. I nearly suffocated trying to walk with you. I swear I won't wear it again, so remember it well..." "It doesn't matter." The Undertaker smiled. "For the first time, I'm grateful for my memory." Was he mistaken? Probably. Did he reach this point by making one wrong choice after another? Perhaps. But there was someone who had waited for him through innumerable iterations, anticipating his eventual failure. He was not unhappy. Even as he reached this final moment of apocalypse, misfortune could not fully claim him. Neither could she. Because the world had ended, 'that man' was always just one person. Because humanity went extinct, 'that woman' was always just one person. Thanks to him and her waiting at this final destination, it seems this world would never meet with an eternal bad ending. - That Woman N. The End. --- TL NOTE: See what I mean by 'alternate universes?' ---