Chereads / The reader's eternal wish / Chapter 3 - A sky studded with stars ‹³›

Chapter 3 - A sky studded with stars ‹³›

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It's over..

The wall stopped them.

[ 'Mural of Stories' refuses your entry ]

What they wanted didn't happen.

The reader they loved will not return.

‹ The story is over ›

The person who fought the kings.

The star who protected them for so long.

The one who loved stories more than anyone.

"It's over—!"

'Cho-woo-woot'

A scene appeared in sight.

At the end of the story's horizon.

A shadow behind the wall.

'A little child'

They felt the light of the star they had tried for.

...

They ran.

Some stumbled and others fell.

But they got up and kept running.

That was their story.

[ The Great Story 'The System Manipulator' Begins Narration ]

"I'll cover you, go on!"

"We will, Hyun-noona!"

The story of the player who decided to play for you only.

[ The Great Story 'The Star Plunderer' Begins Narration ]

"We're counting on you, Yerin-ssi"

The stars thief, their critic and tormentor.

But you were an exception.

"Ilhwan-ssi… protect Riyoung-ah and Jinhyuk-ah, I'll take the middle."

[ The Great Story 'The End Returner' Begins Narration ]

Your sword that wanted nothing but to protect you.

"Of course."

"Eunji-ssi, share the front line."

[ The Great Story 'The Star Seeker' Begins Narration ]

Your shield that searched for you in every world and place.

"I see."

"Yoo Jin-hyuk…"

"…"

The two who loved you more than anyone.

[ The semi-legendary story 'Infinite' begins the narration ]

The hero of your story.

[ The semi-legendary story 'The Writer of the Forgotten' begins the narration ]

And the writer of that story.

"Don't do anything stupid, Han Ri Young.."

"Do you think my name is 'Yoo Jin Hyuk' or something?"

Until the end, they still fought.

This time it wasn't for their lives.

It was for yours.

This time it wasn't against mere monsters.

It was against the whole world.

[ The legendary story 'Against Fate' begins the narration with force! ]

It was against fate itself.

The story you had together.

...

The transparent wall could be seen from afar.

And the star was standing behind it.

The star smiled from behind the wall.

[ Story ]

The reader found a new story.

As if it was fun.. The reader kept smiling.

The writer saw it.

So she smiled back.

「You have to watch.」

No matter how many times I write to you.

[ 'Star Echo' released your '■■' ]

The writer wanted to end the story here.

「A story is not complete without a reader.」

No matter how many readers there are, if there is a reader, the story will be complete.

Finally, the writer put down her pen.

[ Your '■■' is the 'World Between the Lines' ]

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a point.

The conclusion ended.

Yeo Jin stared at the text for a while.

"This..."

Is it that bad...?

"This is a complete success!"

That's something I didn't expect at all..

「Was Haneul's consultation the solution?」

I owe the reader now.

*

The conclusion achieved widespread popularity.

And that's a nice thing for me.

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Dokja□□: What does the world between the lines mean?

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Hmm... I expected that.

'A world between the lines'

A world that is not affected by the world's view.

A place where only facts prevail.

And the ideal world for the reader, as inside it is a vast space consisting of millions, even billions of lines; for creativity.

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Hyeon90: Dokja is no more..

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...

A reader discovered my obvious trick..

"「A story is not complete without a reader.」"

The 'reader' I meant doesn't have to be 'Haneul'

'Yirin' was also a reader, and the readers of the novel were here too.

It doesn't matter the number.. The Dokja we want is no more.

'Haneul' wanted immortality.. So I can't write lines from my imagination.

It could be 'body immortality', 'world immortality', 'story immortality' and so on.

Haneul didn't specify his ■■.

So I can only write what I planned.

"「I trust the author.」"

Whether you said it unconsciously or with your whole mind, I trusted your lines.

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「"Starry Night"」

I'm here again!

「"Haneul-ssi!"」

I called out at the top of my lungs.

[You're late..]

「"Your voice is strange.."」

He looked at the sky where there were fewer stars.

[Yes..]

「"Did you see the ending? Did you like it?"」

After everything he's done since our first meeting and this, there's no doubt that he's seen the ending.

[ It was great.]

Really... The motivation from the main character is different.

「"Then, should I start writing your new story?"」

He looked at me with deep regret.

[ You're sure about that..?]

「"Come on, so what?」

[ I'm not Haneul..]

?...

What do you mean...?

I wanted to say but couldn't.

「"You're the friend he talked about?"」

[ Maybe.]

「"Do you know what the ■■ he wanted?"」

'The World Between the Lines' is a great story but it has its flaws..

'The world is only big enough for one person'

A clear ending that indicates that he has disappeared.

[ An Endless Story..]

「"?"」

[ A Story Where No One Is Sacrifice.]

'A Peaceful World'

The reader didn't give up on his desire to stay with his comrades.

「"Where is Haneul?"」

[ Far.]

He looked up at the sky again.

「"Do you think he's still watching?"」

[ He has to. ]

「"You have the main character's strategy"」

[ He sometimes says I'm cunning. ]

The person laughed sincerely.

[ I didn't want to start that world again.]

「"I feel bad, man"」

[ You have to. ]

The terrain in the surrounding area changed to a snowy mountainous area, resembling the whiteness of the empty spaces on the pages of books.

'Story Horizon' Beginning.

[ New Record Writer ]

He turned his gaze towards me.

And said with a smile like Haneul's

[ 1999 ]

My vision darkened and a chill crept into my body.

...

‹Next Station: Chungmuro›

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Author note:

We have started~.