[ C H A P T E R . 24 // part I of IV: What Goes Up Must Come Down ]

I don't think anyone would really, truly understand me when I say: having Doc join our group again literally meant the world to me. The feeling was indescribable. If I could shut everyone and everything away in the moment he revealed himself, I would've dropped to my knees, cried and clawed at the muddy ground in joy.

Yesss! YES!

It's just like the movies except better. Not only I could have a second chance with forming a better friendship with him, but [/i]Doc[/i] was back. And Doc is not just anyone. He is the epitome of 'answer'. He's 'home free.' He always seem to have solutions hidden up his sleeves and knows what to do in tough situations. Of course things are going to get better after this. Man, I don't have to save the world and Rex anymore. Old gramps can make it all go away with a snap of his fingers!

Sucks that he's not really god though. .

He sighed, agitatedly scratching the spot behind his ears. "If you're asking me how you can fix Rex, who do I ask?"

With my head already hung low, I tried to better conceal the dry look on my face. It was approximately three o'clock in the morning and everyone was asleep. They had all passed out from exhaustion after throwing a booze and feast reunion that nearly woke up the whole bathhouse. But even after everyone headed off to bed, I still had a lot on my mind. Doc didn't seem annoyed when I knocked on his door. It seemed like he'd been expecting me.

"There's no use of looking for a cure. No one else on this Floor knows the effects of the symbols more than I do. There's nothing we can do to have him, all of a sudden, be how he used to be. Jae Hyuk can only change with time from his surroundings and the people around him. And because it depends on what he experiences, there's a possibility he may never change--or change, but not into the same Rex we're used to."

"You kind of lost me somewhere along the way." I admitted, momentarily distracted by the twelve-legged fly that crept around the candle.

"Let's say, hypothetically, Jae Hyuk came across an island full of little naked children and he really liked it there because--I don't know, deep inside he really liked the idea of hugging undeveloped humans. This exposure might mould him to be a pedophile in the future. On the other hand, the exposure of Elise and coming to Hell made Jae Hyuk into who he was."

Er . . . he didn't have to use the naked children example. But I guess that's a clear and simple way to put it.

The sagginess of Doc's skin seemed to droop against the table lamp's glow as a few breathless coughs projected from his chest. It'd been a short while but Doc aged greatly. His eyes were still a pool of wisdom yet slightly dimmer. "However, I honestly don't understand why you and everyone else want to change him."

"What?" I frowned in confusion, "Do you like him this way?"

"Jade, I think you're missing something. Jae Hyuk is Rex." he ...

Show full text: 44,872 characters