Maru met the rabbit in the middle of darkness. The darkness crept up his body to swallow him as it always did. Humans were animals of adaptation, and he now felt cozy here like it was the attic in the house in his homeland. He didn’t do anything much and kept staring at the rabbit. There was no way she jumped into his dream just to say hello, so she would probably say what she was here for if he waited long enough. When the darkness crept up his waist and reached his chest, the rabbit spoke,

“Are you happy?”

He smiled and nodded. There were many things he wanted to ask her: whether she was talking with the current, living Gaeul or not, if she was planning to drive herself to death again, why it had to be a rabbit of all things, and above all, how long she had been enduring this terrifyingly long period of time by herself. She might be more liberal than the masked man, but she probably wouldn’t be able to say any crucial information either.

“How about you?”

“I’m as always.”

“Shall we talk?”

“You know there aren’t many things I can tell you.”

“Not that. I was wondering if you were getting enough sleep, whether you are hurt anywhere, and whether your appetite has changed or not. You know, things like that.”

The darkness crept up to his neck....