K said, "You know I waited for years, and I can wait more."His grip tightened even further. His fingers began sinking into A's skin."You are really a failure," K continued. "A failure of a son, a failure of a brother, a failure of a student."A started struggling. He tried to pull K's hand away, but he lacked the strength due to lack of oxygen. His eyes could no longer focus on K.In a furious voice, K shouted, "YOU ARE A FAILURE OF HUMANITY! YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HUMAN! LET ME END YOUR MISERABLE LIFE!"As K was about to crush his neck, A grabbed K's arm with all his remaining strength and punched his elbow hard. K lost his grip. A took advantage of the moment, swung back, and landed a solid kick to K's side. K's grip fully released, and A fell to the ground, gasping for long, desperate breaths.K looked down at him, then stepped on A's hand and began crushing it.A screamed in pain. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"K applied more pressure. "What happened, A? Are you feeling pain already?"A barely managed to speak while trying to free his hand. "…It hurts… ahhh…"K finally released his foot. A clutched his hand and cried in pain.K crouched down, looked into his eyes, and placed a finger on the smile of his mask as a sign of silence. "How easily you said you wanted to end your life. But your survival instinct kicked in at the last moment—just as I thought."A was still trying to recover from the pain.K continued, "You know, every single human fears death. The person who says he is not afraid of death is lying to everyone. Look at yourself. You wanted me to end your life, yet now you are fighting for it. Only a few people in this world truly have the courage to say they are not afraid of death."A reached out and held K's hand as he helped him stand up. While getting to his feet, A noticed that K's hair looked whiter than before, but he ignored it."You know everything," A said. "Why did you still let me live? You have enough strength to break my neck. Even when I punched your elbow, you were holding back the whole time."K started walking toward the door. A watched him. K stopped and spoke without turning back, his voice calm but heavy."A, you have to make a decision. Either cry here thinking about the past, or come with me and find out who the Master is. Because I am tired of babysitting you all the time. People like you only cry over the past because that's easier than facing it."A looked at his own hands, still stained with blood. In a low, depressed voice, he asked, "Why do you act like you have no emotions? Why do you think like this?" A walked toward him, his hands and body still recovering. He took long breaths. "Why… do you act like this? Those kids… those people…" He tried to reach for K's hand but stopped midway, hesitating, and pulled it back. His eyes looked dull. "Why do you think their lives have no value in your eyes? How can you be so cruel?"K laughed. "Oh, you really think you can manipulate me with these so-called emotions, A? I have seen this world far more than you. All of your thoughts will be left in a corner when it comes to your own life."A just stared at him, unable to speak. K walked through the door, leaving it open. A stared at it for a moment, then looked back. A closed door had appeared behind him with the word END written on it.A looked at both doors. He seemed completely lost. From where he stood, both doors were the same distance away."What do I do…?"After a few moments, he started walking toward the closed door. Hesitation was clear in every step."It's… it's a good idea. I will accept the end and be free," he muttered.Whispers began to reach him. He tried to ignore them, but with each step they grew louder.The unknown voice laughed. "Haha… look at this pathetic person running again…"A's voice trembled. "I… I am… not running."The unknown voice mocked, "And who are you trying to lie to? We all know you fear death. That's why you are running again."A's hand stopped just before it reached the doorknob.The voice continued, "What happened? Did you just stop? Or did you realize that you could have saved many people that day?"A didn't speak. His body froze in place."That day we all died because of you. Open the door. Accept your end."A's hand moved on its own. He was about to open the door when he suddenly turned around and ran toward the door K had left open. He didn't look back.The unknown voice grew extremely loud. "COME BACK… YOU CAN'T HIDE FOREVER! HAHAHAHAHA!"As A entered the door, it closed and vanished into thin air. The END door opened slightly, and a red flower dripping with blood fell from the gap.A voice whispered, "I will be waiting for you."The sound of iron chains echoed as the door closed.Meanwhile, A kept running in pure panic. He didn't even notice where he was. He fell to the ground, got up, and fell again. He barely managed to walk when he finally realized where he was.He was standing in the middle of the ruins of the first city he had visited with K. He looked around, but there was no one. He was completely alone."Why here again?" he whispered.He started walking slowly, trying to calm his breathing. "These buildings… but why is there no blood now? Why does it feel strange?"He looked down and saw a letter. "This… letter…"He picked it up. There was no stamp on it, meaning it was never sent. He opened it. The paper was hard to read and stained with blood and tears. As A tried to read it, the letter suddenly burned down in his hands."Wh…at… ho—" He dropped the remains."K! PLEASE STOP PLAYING THESE GAMES! PLEASE… please…"K was suddenly standing right behind him. "This is just the beginning, A.".
-END OF CHAPTER 14-