hesitation

Episode 2 – Hesitation

Rosaline stood frozen, caught in a painful dilemma.

What should I say to him?

What should I do?

More than anything, she wanted her husband back. But she knew that death was part of nature. It wasn't natural for someone to return after they had died. Life and death were separated by a line that should never be crossed.

She didn't want her husband's soul to suffer because of her selfish wishes. Even though her heart was filled with sorrow, she never wanted him to experience even the smallest amount of pain.

She forced a bitter smile.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" she asked. "Are you trying to make fun of me?"

She laughed bitterly.

"Well, congratulations. You succeeded."

"There are always people who enjoy making fun of those who are already suffering. I suppose you're one of them."

The man simply smiled.

"I'm truly sorry. Please accept my apologies. I have no intention of making fun of you."

He placed a hand over his chest.

"Allow me to introduce myself first. My name is Bral."

"Bral?" Rosaline frowned. "What kind of name is that? Mr. Bral, which country are you from? And why are you here?"

"I'm not from any country."

She blinked.

"What?"

"I'm from an organization."

"An organization?"

Rosaline narrowed her eyes.

"Mr. Bral, if you're part of some shady organization, then I'm sorry. My husband and I have always lived honest, peaceful lives. We don't have anything to do with secret organizations, and we certainly don't want to."

"No," Bral replied calmly. "You've misunderstood me. It's a scientific organization—one that operates in complete secrecy."

"If it's secret and mysterious," Rosaline replied immediately, "I'm even more convinced that it isn't a good organization."

Bral chuckled.

"We're not evil."

"Your smile isn't helping," she said. "It's only making me more suspicious."

He laughed.

"Even in your sadness, you're surprisingly funny."

Rosaline glared at him with tear-filled, angry eyes.

"Leave my house right now, or I'll call the police."

"I'm not in the mood to talk to someone who broke into my house."

She folded her arms.

"And another thing... how did you even get inside? I clearly remember locking both the front and back doors. Every window was closed."

She looked toward the second floor.

"So how exactly did you get in?"

Bral answered casually,

"I teleported."

"You... what?"

"I teleported."

Rosaline stared at him for a second before replying,

"That's complete bullshit."

"You teleported?"

She pointed toward the door.

"Then let me use my imaginary telekinesis to throw you out of my house."

Bral sighed.

"Ma'am, please try to understand what I'm trying to tell you."

"You're not making any sense."

"Fine," Rosaline replied. "You have exactly five minutes. Say whatever you want."

She held up her phone.

"I've already dialed the emergency number. Look."

"If you make even one suspicious move, I'll send my live location along with a message saying I'm in danger. So don't get any funny ideas."

Bral nodded politely.

"I'm not that kind of person."

"I'd like to sit down and explain everything."

"No."

She pointed toward the wall.

"You stay there."

"I'll stay here."

"I want at least ten meters between us."

"As you wish, ma'am."

He smiled again.

"Bral."

"I know that's your name."

"Yes," he replied. "I hope you'll remember it."

"And why should I?"

"Because... I'm your handler."

"...Excuse me?"

"My handler?"

"If you encounter any problems while using this coin, you'll need to contact me."

Rosaline fell silent.

She decided to listen.

At this point, she was convinced he had completely lost his mind.

Bral smiled to himself.

He wasn't surprised.

Before Rosaline, three other people had reacted exactly the same way.

Every time he introduced the coin, people thought he was insane. No matter how honestly he explained it, nobody believed him until they experienced its power for themselves.

One man had even grabbed him by the collar, called him a madman, and threatened to send him to a mental hospital.

Yet somehow...

Bral had always managed to convince them.

After all, he had a mission.

His target was to find ten people willing to use the coin.

Rosaline was his fourth.

Victim?

Yes.

Because only Bral knew what kind of journey awaited her... and what terrifying people she would meet after accepting the coin.

He held up the golden coin.

"This coin allows time travel."

He paused.

"Or, to be more accurate... dimensional travel."

"Dimensional travel?"

Rosaline tilted her head.

Now she was actually interested.

Not because she believed him...

But because she wanted to hear just how ridiculous his story would become before she called the police and threw him out.

Bral continued,

"You know about the multiverse, don't you?"

"Yes."

"There are countless worlds where different versions of the same people live different lives."

"Exactly."

He smiled.

"This coin was created using that very principle."

"With it, you can travel across the multiverse..."

"...find your husband..."

"...and marry him again."

Rosaline stared at him.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"You can go."

"So..."

"Do you want to?"

For the first time that night, Rosaline laughed.

"You really have an incredible imagination, Mister."

"Please," Bral sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"You're the fourth person to react like this."

He opened a briefcase and handed her several files.

"Look."

Rosaline flipped through them.

"So?"

"Did you steal these from a bank?"

She laughed.

Bral shook his head.

"These people came from different countries."

"They all had different lives."

"But each of them lost the person they loved."

"They traveled to another universe..."

"Found the person they loved alive..."

"And when they returned to their own world..."

"The tragedy that had taken their loved one never happened."

He looked directly into Rosaline's eyes.

"We only interfere with unnatural deaths."

"Accidents."

"Murders."

"Diseases that cut someone's life short."

"But people who live long, peaceful lives and die naturally..."

He slowly shook his head.

"We never disturb their fate."

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***