Rachel bursts through the door, her eyes widening at the chaos that greets her. "What in the world happened here?" She mutters to herself, taking quick strides across the disarrayed room. Objects are strewn haphazardly, drawers pulled out, and cushions overturned.
Picking up a crumpled paper from the center of the chaos, she notices Hyon Hyung's wristwatch used as an impromptu paperweight. Frowning, she unfolds the paper, recognizing Hyon's handwriting immediately.
"Forgive me for not getting Evandel," Rachel reads aloud, her voice trembling slightly. "They're not treating me too harshly... they even let me stop at a convenience store." She pauses, eyes scanning the lines again, her mind racing to decipher the hidden message within Hyon's words.
"He's in trouble, but not life-threatening," she murmurs, piecing together the coded message. "Supervised writing... he's being watched." The gravity of the situation hits her. Rachel knows she needs to act fast.
With determination in her eyes, she pockets the wristwatch and bolts out of the house. Swiftly mounting her motorbike, she revs the engine and speeds off toward the lone convenience store nearby, thoughts of Hyon and Evandel propelling her forward.
Rachel arrives at the convenience store, her eyes scanning the area until they land on Hyon's figure being ushered toward a black sedan. Their eyes meet, a silent exchange passing between them. His gaze seems to caution her, a wordless plea not to follow.
Before she can react, a Korean man in a sleek black suit strides up to her, introducing himself as Oh Junhyuk. Rachel tenses, her instincts on high alert, and demands to know what he wants.
"Oh, Mrs. Hyon, please, don't be alarmed," Junhyuk says reassuringly. "Your husband's situation is under investigation… for espionage. But if he has nothing to hide, he should be fine. So please ma’am, don’t cause any commotion. Trust in the law, don't panic."
Rachel's frown deepens, her unease palpable. "What do you mean? Espionage?"
Junhyuk nods gravely. "Yes, it seems that way."
As Junhyuk departs, Rachel enters the store, her steps purposeful. She heads to a specific corner where Evandel's favorite snacks are housed. She counts seven aisles from the left, just as Evandel's birthday dictates. Rachel meticulously takes out each snack until she finds what she's searching for: a seemingly bulky smartphone and a tiny folded paper.
She pauses, bewildered. When did Hyon find the time to write an unsupervised letter? The mystery only adds to the turmoil swirling inside Rachel.
In a dimly lit room, Rachel carefully unfolds the crinkled letter. The paper crackles softly as she reads the concise instructions.
"Get rid of the wristwatch," Rachel murmurs to herself, committing the words to memory. “Hmmm… it is bugged, huh? Tracker, maybe.” She crumples the paper into a small ball, hesitates for a moment, then swallows it whole. The message and instructions now etched in her mind, Rachel glances around the room, ensuring no one has witnessed her secretive act.
Outside, the bustling city moves on, unaware of the covert operations taking place. Rachel spots a passerby, a stranger engrossed in their own world. Swiftly, she slips Hyon Hyung's familiar wristwatch into the unsuspecting person's pocket.
With a calculated glance, Rachel slips out of the shadows and hurries toward her waiting motorbike. The engine hums to life as she kicks the stand away. There's a sense of urgency in the air; whatever is unfolding, Rachel knows it's bigger than her.
As the cityscape blurs past, Rachel's mind races. She must get to Evandel before whatever is happening unfolds completely. The wind whips through her hair as she maneuvers through traffic, determination etched on her face.
Finally, Rachel arrives at Evandel's school. The little girl is amidst her classmates, oblivious to the impending chaos. Rachel approaches quietly, watching as Evandel bids farewell to her teacher and friends.
"Evandel," Rachel calls softly, interrupting the farewell. The little girl turns, with confusion in her eyes. It's too early for her usual pickup.
"No time to explain, sweetheart," Rachel says, sweeping Evandel into her arms. She speeds away on the motorbike, leaving behind puzzled classmates and a concerned teacher. Rachel's focus is singular—to protect Evandel at all costs. Whatever is unfolding, she knows it's a storm that could engulf them both.
Rachel strides confidently into the familiar high-rise building, a symbol of her and Hyon's joint success. Femia, the receptionist, notices her demeanor immediately, sensing an unusual tension in Rachel's usually composed posture.
"Boss, what's happening? You seem... different," Femia ventures, her voice tinged with concern.
Rachel simply nods to the receptionist and goes on her way further to the building.
“Mom, what is happening?” Evandel tugs at Rachel’s clothes.
Smiling tightly, Rachel reassures her, "Oh, Del, sweetheart, nothing to worry about. We're just going on a little vacation with Daddy. Mommy has a few things to take care of first."
Evandel's face lights up at the mention of a vacation, momentarily forgetting the unease she felt.
"Really? That's awesome! I could use a break," she responds eagerly.
With a pat on Evandel's shoulder, Rachel steels herself, hiding the turmoil within as she heads toward her personal office. Beth, her faithful secretary, stands waiting, anticipation etched on her face.
"Beth, we need to talk," Rachel declares, cutting straight to the point.
Beth is taken aback, her surprise evident as she responds, "What is it? Ma’am Rachel, this is out of the blue. What's going on?"
In a cool and resolute tone, Rachel drops the bombshell without hesitation, "Beth, you're fired. I've decided to liquidate everything—assets, the company, the whole shebang. Time for a fresh start."
Beth protests, trying to reason with Rachel, "Rachel, you can't be so impulsive! Think about what you're doing."
Leaning against her desk, Rachel maintains her composure, her gaze fixed on Beth. "The world is about to change, Beth. I suggest you prepare for it. This is non-negotiable."
With that, Rachel strides away finding herself a seat as she fiddles with the bulky smartphone she places on her desk, leaving Beth stunned and uncertain about the abrupt turn of events, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her shoulders.
Beth watches in disbelief as Rachel confidently remains on her desk with a determined look on her face. Beth can't help but think that her boss has finally gone off the deep end.
"This has to be some kind of elaborate joke. I mean, what is this? Seriously?" Beth mutters to herself as she follows Rachel's movements with incredulous eyes.
Meanwhile, Rachel's authoritative voice resonates in the room, and even her daughter, Evandel, feels the weight of it. With a stern tone, Rachel instructs her daughter to stay in a corner and play.
"Evandel, darling, stay in that corner and play. Mommy's got some work to do," Rachel commands, her words carrying an air of high-handedness that makes even Evandel uncomfortable. The young girl hesitates, casting a wary glance at the holographic display forming above Rachel's desk.
"Mom, I don't like this," Evandel mumbles to herself, clearly unsettled by the familiar yet mysterious concept of whatever her mom is doing.
Seated at her desk, Rachel begins to operate the minicomputer that Hyon left behind. A hologram rises from the device, revealing a model of the 666 Timelines—the intricate web of realities connected through time.
Beth, still grappling with her disbelief, sarcastically remarks, "Oh, just another day at the office, right? Anyways, ma’am, this technology is superb! To think we have such things, this hologram looks fancy." But Rachel, deeply engrossed in her work, pays no attention to the comment.
Rachel, animated and focused, starts to monologue the theory of leaping from one reality to another, using the holographic Time Curve as her visual aid. Rachel is mostly conversing with herself, and the words coming out of her mouth tend to sound ineligible.
"I've been talking to Hyon a lot lately. It turns out, that leaping from one reality to another isn't as crazy as it sounds. Look at this – the Time Curve. Layers upon layers of intertwined realities," Rachel explains, her enthusiasm apparent. “Hmmm… Hyon told me it is possible as a stopgap measure for an emergency when we suddenly need to escape this reality… Yes, I understand now."
Beth raises an eyebrow, still struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what she's witnessing. "You can't be serious," she remarks, skeptical of whatever her boss is up to.
"Deadly serious,” Rachel shakes her head in apprehension, “I just fired you Beth, I’d rather you leave now. Time is ticking for me…”
The First Iteration, where they are now, is at the center. This is the working model. They are surrounded by countless other hypothetical timelines, all interconnected through this outward spiral. Rachel traces the curve and zooms in, her fingers deftly manipulating the holographic display.
Although the device Rachel is using is meant as a magic power detector, Hyon Hyung has a habit of creating compact technology, and he will always go beyond what is requested of him. The bulky smartphone in Rachel’s hands has comprehensive uses in that it can be used more than a magic power detector.
As Rachel continues her internal discourse on the complexities of the Time Curve increasing, Beth whispers to herself, "I must be dreaming. This is so unreal… Have I really just been fired?”
In the dimly lit room, Beth gazes in wonderment at the magical hologram swirling in the air before her. "Rachel, what's happening? This is... incredible," she exclaims, eyes wide with curiosity.
Rachel, absorbed in studying the holographic model, offers no immediate explanation. Her focus is intense, fingers dancing over the super mini-computer in her hands. The soft hum of futuristic technology fills the room. Before Outcall truly occurs here in the First Iteration, Hyon Hyung approaches Rachel with a sense of urgency.
"Hyon Hyung has asked me to prepare for an escape route to a different timeline," Rachel finally reveals, her eyes never leaving the hologram. She continues to play with the super mini-computer, a device meticulously designed with Rachel's Lionheart Sword in mind. With the tech in hand, Rachel traces the escape routes she has discussed with Hyon in the likely situation they get compromised.
Beth, now more insistent, presses Rachel for answers. "Rachel, you have to tell me what's going on. You are scaring me."
With a sigh, Rachel glances at Beth. "It doesn't concern you, Beth. You should go now," she replies, a hint of frustration in her voice.
Beth, undeterred, pushes further. "Rachel, we've been through a lot together. I deserve to know."
A tense silence hangs in the air before Rachel relents, albeit reluctantly. "Fine. We're about to make a jump across timelines. Hyon Hyung wants to ensure we have an escape route ready."
Beth processes this information, her eyes narrowing in concern. "But why? What's happening?"
Rachel grits her teeth, a sense of foreboding in her expression. "There are challenges ahead. I need to focus. Go, Beth. And tell everyone down the ladder they've been fired. The Accounting Department will handle the rest. I have more pressing matters to attend to."
It is cruel. The smart choice will be Rachel not telling Beth about escaping the timeline or something, but Rachel cannot bring herself to lie to poor Beth since the two of them have been comrades in some sense.
As Beth hesitates, Rachel's attention returns to the super mini-computer, now functioning as a map for the elusive Time Curve. The room pulses with otherworldly energy, and the impending task at hand becomes all too clear for Rachel, a far more challenging ordeal waiting on her face.
“I guess this is it for an ideal life, huh?” Rachel comments, her eyes darting around the hologram.
Rachel bursts through the door, her eyes widening at the chaos that greets her. "What in the world happened here?" She mutters to herself, taking quick strides across the disarrayed room. Objects are strewn haphazardly, drawers pulled out, and cushions overturned.
Picking up a crumpled paper from the center of the chaos, she notices Hyon Hyung's wristwatch used as an impromptu paperweight. Frowning, she unfolds the paper, recognizing Hyon's handwriting immediately.
"Forgive me for not getting Evandel," Rachel reads aloud, her voice trembling slightly. "They're not treating me too harshly... they even let me stop at a convenience store." She pauses, eyes scanning the lines again, her mind racing to decipher the hidden message within Hyon's words.
"He's in trouble, but not life-threatening," she murmurs, piecing together the coded message. "Supervised writing... he's being watched." The gravity of the situation hits her. Rachel knows she needs to act fast.
With determination in her eyes, she pockets the wristwatch and bolts out of the house. Swiftly mounting her motorbike, she revs the engine and speeds off toward the lone convenience store nearby, thoughts of Hyon and Evandel propelling her forward.
Rachel arrives at the convenience store, her eyes scanning the area until they land on Hyon's figure being ushered toward a black sedan. Their eyes meet, a silent exchange passing between them. His gaze seems to caution her, a wordless plea not to follow.
Before she can react, a Korean man in a sleek black suit strides up to her, introducing himself as Oh Junhyuk. Rachel tenses, her instincts on high alert, and demands to know what he wants.
"Oh, Mrs. Hyon, please, don't be alarmed," Junhyuk says reassuringly. "Your husband's situation is under investigation… for espionage. But if he has nothing to hide, he should be fine. So please ma’am, don’t cause any commotion. Trust in the law, don't panic."
Rachel's frown deepens, her unease palpable. "What do you mean? Espionage?"
Junhyuk nods gravely. "Yes, it seems that way."
As Junhyuk departs, Rachel enters the store, her steps purposeful. She heads to a specific corner where Evandel's favorite snacks are housed. She counts seven aisles from the left, just as Evandel's birthday dictates. Rachel meticulously takes out each snack until she finds what she's searching for: a seemingly bulky smartphone and a tiny folded paper.
She pauses, bewildered. When did Hyon find the time to write an unsupervised letter? The mystery only adds to the turmoil swirling inside Rachel.
In a dimly lit room, Rachel carefully unfolds the crinkled letter. The paper crackles softly as she reads the concise instructions.
"Get rid of the wristwatch," Rachel murmurs to herself, committing the words to memory. “Hmmm… it is bugged, huh? Tracker, maybe.” She crumples the paper into a small ball, hesitates for a moment, then swallows it whole. The message and instructions now etched in her mind, Rachel glances around the room, ensuring no one has witnessed her secretive act.
Outside, the bustling city moves on, unaware of the covert operations taking place. Rachel spots a passerby, a stranger engrossed in their own world. Swiftly, she slips Hyon Hyung's familiar wristwatch into the unsuspecting person's pocket.
With a calculated glance, Rachel slips out of the shadows and hurries toward her waiting motorbike. The engine hums to life as she kicks the stand away. There's a sense of urgency in the air; whatever is unfolding, Rachel knows it's bigger than her.
As the cityscape blurs past, Rachel's mind races. She must get to Evandel before whatever is happening unfolds completely. The wind whips through her hair as she maneuvers through traffic, determination etched on her face.
Finally, Rachel arrives at Evandel's school. The little girl is amidst her classmates, oblivious to the impending chaos. Rachel approaches quietly, watching as Evandel bids farewell to her teacher and friends.
"Evandel," Rachel calls softly, interrupting the farewell. The little girl turns, with confusion in her eyes. It's too early for her usual pickup.
"No time to explain, sweetheart," Rachel says, sweeping Evandel into her arms. She speeds away on the motorbike, leaving behind puzzled classmates and a concerned teacher. Rachel's focus is singular—to protect Evandel at all costs. Whatever is unfolding, she knows it's a storm that could engulf them both.
Rachel strides confidently into the familiar high-rise building, a symbol of her and Hyon's joint success. Femia, the receptionist, notices her demeanor immediately, sensing an unusual tension in Rachel's usually composed posture.
"Boss, what's happening? You seem... different," Femia ventures, her voice tinged with concern.
Rachel simply nods to the receptionist and goes on her way further to the building.
“Mom, what is happening?” Evandel tugs at Rachel’s clothes.
Smiling tightly, Rachel reassures her, "Oh, Del, sweetheart, nothing to worry about. We're just going on a little vacation with Daddy. Mommy has a few things to take care of first."
Evandel's face lights up at the mention of a vacation, momentarily forgetting the unease she felt.
"Really? That's awesome! I could use a break," she responds eagerly.
With a pat on Evandel's shoulder, Rachel steels herself, hiding the turmoil within as she heads toward her personal office. Beth, her faithful secretary, stands waiting, anticipation etched on her face.
"Beth, we need to talk," Rachel declares, cutting straight to the point.
Beth is taken aback, her surprise evident as she responds, "What is it? Ma’am Rachel, this is out of the blue. What's going on?"
In a cool and resolute tone, Rachel drops the bombshell without hesitation, "Beth, you're fired. I've decided to liquidate everything—assets, the company, the whole shebang. Time for a fresh start."
Beth protests, trying to reason with Rachel, "Rachel, you can't be so impulsive! Think about what you're doing."
Leaning against her desk, Rachel maintains her composure, her gaze fixed on Beth. "The world is about to change, Beth. I suggest you prepare for it. This is non-negotiable."
With that, Rachel strides away finding herself a seat as she fiddles with the bulky smartphone she places on her desk, leaving Beth stunned and uncertain about the abrupt turn of events, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her shoulders.
Beth watches in disbelief as Rachel confidently remains on her desk with a determined look on her face. Beth can't help but think that her boss has finally gone off the deep end.
"This has to be some kind of elaborate joke. I mean, what is this? Seriously?" Beth mutters to herself as she follows Rachel's movements with incredulous eyes.
Meanwhile, Rachel's authoritative voice resonates in the room, and even her daughter, Evandel, feels the weight of it. With a stern tone, Rachel instructs her daughter to stay in a corner and play.
"Evandel, darling, stay in that corner and play. Mommy's got some work to do," Rachel commands, her words carrying an air of high-handedness that makes even Evandel uncomfortable. The young girl hesitates, casting a wary glance at the holographic display forming above Rachel's desk.
"Mom, I don't like this," Evandel mumbles to herself, clearly unsettled by the familiar yet mysterious concept of whatever her mom is doing.
Seated at her desk, Rachel begins to operate the minicomputer that Hyon left behind. A hologram rises from the device, revealing a model of the 666 Timelines—the intricate web of realities connected through time.
Beth, still grappling with her disbelief, sarcastically remarks, "Oh, just another day at the office, right? Anyways, ma’am, this technology is superb! To think we have such things, this hologram looks fancy." But Rachel, deeply engrossed in her work, pays no attention to the comment.
Rachel, animated and focused, starts to monologue the theory of leaping from one reality to another, using the holographic Time Curve as her visual aid. Rachel is mostly conversing with herself, and the words coming out of her mouth tend to sound ineligible.
"I've been talking to Hyon a lot lately. It turns out, that leaping from one reality to another isn't as crazy as it sounds. Look at this – the Time Curve. Layers upon layers of intertwined realities," Rachel explains, her enthusiasm apparent. “Hmmm… Hyon told me it is possible as a stopgap measure for an emergency when we suddenly need to escape this reality… Yes, I understand now."
Beth raises an eyebrow, still struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what she's witnessing. "You can't be serious," she remarks, skeptical of whatever her boss is up to.
"Deadly serious,” Rachel shakes her head in apprehension, “I just fired you Beth, I’d rather you leave now. Time is ticking for me…”
The First Iteration, where they are now, is at the center. This is the working model. They are surrounded by countless other hypothetical timelines, all interconnected through this outward spiral. Rachel traces the curve and zooms in, her fingers deftly manipulating the holographic display.
Although the device Rachel is using is meant as a magic power detector, Hyon Hyung has a habit of creating compact technology, and he will always go beyond what is requested of him. The bulky smartphone in Rachel’s hands has comprehensive uses in that it can be used more than a magic power detector.
As Rachel continues her internal discourse on the complexities of the Time Curve increasing, Beth whispers to herself, "I must be dreaming. This is so unreal… Have I really just been fired?”
In the dimly lit room, Beth gazes in wonderment at the magical hologram swirling in the air before her. "Rachel, what's happening? This is... incredible," she exclaims, eyes wide with curiosity.
Rachel, absorbed in studying the holographic model, offers no immediate explanation. Her focus is intense, fingers dancing over the super mini-computer in her hands. The soft hum of futuristic technology fills the room. Before Outcall truly occurs here in the First Iteration, Hyon Hyung approaches Rachel with a sense of urgency.
"Hyon Hyung has asked me to prepare for an escape route to a different timeline," Rachel finally reveals, her eyes never leaving the hologram. She continues to play with the super mini-computer, a device meticulously designed with Rachel's Lionheart Sword in mind. With the tech in hand, Rachel traces the escape routes she has discussed with Hyon in the likely situation they get compromised.
Beth, now more insistent, presses Rachel for answers. "Rachel, you have to tell me what's going on. You are scaring me."
With a sigh, Rachel glances at Beth. "It doesn't concern you, Beth. You should go now," she replies, a hint of frustration in her voice.
Beth, undeterred, pushes further. "Rachel, we've been through a lot together. I deserve to know."
A tense silence hangs in the air before Rachel relents, albeit reluctantly. "Fine. We're about to make a jump across timelines. Hyon Hyung wants to ensure we have an escape route ready."
Beth processes this information, her eyes narrowing in concern. "But why? What's happening?"
Rachel grits her teeth, a sense of foreboding in her expression. "There are challenges ahead. I need to focus. Go, Beth. And tell everyone down the ladder they've been fired. The Accounting Department will handle the rest. I have more pressing matters to attend to."
It is cruel. The smart choice will be Rachel not telling Beth about escaping the timeline or something, but Rachel cannot bring herself to lie to poor Beth since the two of them have been comrades in some sense.
As Beth hesitates, Rachel's attention returns to the super mini-computer, now functioning as a map for the elusive Time Curve. The room pulses with otherworldly energy, and the impending task at hand becomes all too clear for Rachel, a far more challenging ordeal waiting on her face.
“I guess this is it for an ideal life, huh?” Rachel comments, her eyes darting around the hologram.
