The Midnight Star

The Weight of the Moon

The streetlight above flickered, casting an eerie glow on Jiwoong as he stepped forward, his face partially shadowed. His words hung in the cold night air, leaving Matthew and Taerae frozen in place.

"What do you mean we're not the only ones who remember?" Matthew asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jiwoong's gaze flickered between them before he let out a sigh, his usual calm exterior wavering just slightly. "This world... it's not as it seems. You're not the only ones trapped in this strange reality."

Taerae stepped forward, his fists clenched at his sides. "So you know? You've known this whole time?"

"Yes," Jiwoong admitted, his eyes softening with a kind of empathy that unsettled them. "I've been waiting for the right time to tell you. Yujin, Gunwook, and I... we're aware. And like you, we don't know how or why we were brought here." He took another step forward, his tone low but steady. "But I do know that your connection to the book is different from ours. You and Matthew... you're closer to figuring this out than we are."

Matthew's mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. "So you're saying you're trapped here, too?" He glanced at Taerae, as if trying to gauge if this could be some kind of trick, but the weight of Jiwoong's words felt undeniable. "But why? And why haven't you said anything until now?"

Jiwoong looked up at the sky, where the silver edge of the moon was just starting to rise, barely visible through the clouds. "Because it wasn't time yet. And because, like you, we were afraid." He paused, locking eyes with both of them. "I've watched you two grow closer, searching for answers. And now, the full moon is almost here. That's when everything will change. The truth... about this world, about why we're here, and what happens next. You need to be ready."

Taerae's heart pounded in his chest. The weight of everything suddenly felt heavier. "Ready for what?" he asked, his voice steady, though his insides churned with anxiety.

"For the choice," Jiwoong said simply, his gaze piercing. "Tomorrow night, when the moon is at its peak, you'll have to choose. Whether to stay... or to go back."

Matthew felt the ground beneath him shift, as if the choice had been lingering all along, but now it was standing in front of them, unavoidable. "And if we choose to stay?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Jiwoong's expression darkened slightly. "If you stay, you'll never be able to return to your real lives. This world will become your new reality, and everything you knew before—your careers, your friendships—will be lost to you."

A cold shiver ran down Taerae's spine. His life as an idol, all the memories, the hard work, the passion that had driven him—it would all be gone. And yet... there was a part of him that longed for this quiet, simple life, where he had Matthew by his side without the weight of fame. His eyes flicked to Matthew, wondering if he felt the same uncertainty.

"But if we go back..." Taerae began hesitantly.

"Then you return to your original lives, just as you left them," Jiwoong finished. "But things won't be the same. Your bond... the things you've discovered here... those will stay with you. You'll carry this experience back, whether you like it or not."

The words hung in the air like a thick fog, too dense to navigate. Matthew's heart pounded in his chest as he realized the magnitude of what was happening. Everything they had been through, all the moments between them, the closeness they had built—were they ready to face a decision that could either lock them in this world forever or force them back into a life of uncertainty?

"What happens to you, Jiwoong?" Matthew asked suddenly. "What happens to Yujin, Gunwook, and the others if we choose to go back?"

Jiwoong's lips curled into a sad smile. "We don't know yet. This world... it could collapse, or it could carry on without you. But that's the risk you'll have to take. The truth is, this world is shaped by your choices. What you decide will affect everything."