(Echoless)
The click of the door closing behind him was muffled.
Not a solid, metallic clang, nor a futuristic hiss. It was a dull thud, like the lid of an old wooden box. A sound of finality.
It was over. Truly, everything was over.
This was the exit for the 'Unclassified.'
Kang Ji-Won stood there for a moment, in the dimly lit side corridor. The hallway reeked of cheap disinfectant and old dust. There was no red carpet here, no screens flashing the names of the successful. Just drab grey walls and an emergency exit at the end.
"Echoless."
The word throbbed in his head. Echoless. It wasn't just a classification. It was a death sentence for his future.
[Classification: Echoless.]
He felt a sudden, bitter taste in his throat, like ash. Damn it. Even the air here tastes like failure. He tried to swallow, but his throat was desert-dry.
This isn't happening. It can't be. Maybe it's a System error? I should go back, demand a...
But his body told him otherwise. His knees felt weak, as if the strings holding them up had been suddenly cut. He braced his hand against the cold, grey wall. The rough, peeling paint momentarily brought him back to reality.
From a distance, through several layers of soundproofing, he heard a roar.
A collective cheer of triumph.
They were celebrating. Of course they were. The world kept spinning even if his had just stopped.
Then came a pop, maybe magical fireworks. Then the sound of an excited announcer screaming over the main hall's speakers: "...Imperial Dragon Echo! My God! It's Park Seon-Jin! A new miracle for Seoul!"
Seon-Jin.
Ji-Won's stomach tightened. Lucky bastard... No, no. It wasn't his fault. This wasn't envy. No, it was something deeper. Something... colder. More hollow. It was injustice. Why him and not me? What did I do to deserve this void?
Seon-Jin would go to the top academies. Seon-Jin would get sponsorship deals. Seon-Jin would never have to worry about...
...Hyun-Soo.
His heart clenched.
[2,000,000 Won]
The cold red number he'd seen on his phone that morning stabbed at him again. How? How am I going to pay that now? Will I have to pull her out of the hospital? Will she... die... No. Don't think about it. Don't think about it now.
The 'Harmony' was his only ticket.
I knew I wouldn't get an S-Rank like Seon-Jin. I wasn't dreaming that big. But at least an F-Rank... a goddamn 'Shoe-Repair Echo'... anything...
The 'Echoless' don't get jobs. The 'Echoless' are trash. You are nothing. You are less than nothing.
"Kid."
Ji-Won slowly raised his head. What now? Were they going to kick him out forcibly?
An old security guard was standing at the end of the hall, next to the emergency exit. The man was chewing something slowly, his expression a mix of boredom and pity. That damned look.
Don't look at me like that, old man. I don't want your pity.
"You can't just stand here. This exit is for... well, you know. For leaving."
Ji-Won didn't answer. What was there to say? Sorry, my future just shattered against this wall?
He pushed himself off the concrete. A leaden weight spread from his shoulders down to his feet. Every step required a colossal effort. The air in the hallway seemed thicker, heavier, like he was walking underwater.
He passed the old guard, who looked away and sighed, "Better luck next time, kid."
You old fool. There is no next time.