Shin Jonghak strides into the hospital room, his presence filling the space with an air of authority. His once boyish features are now hardened by time and experience, accentuated by the neatly trimmed goatee adorning his jawline. Yeonha watches him quietly from her bed, her eyes widening at the sight of him.

And Shin Jonghak has become old, almost looking like your stereotype grandpa except for the bulging muscles that pack a lot of power.

"Uncle Jonghak!" a curious voice pipes up from the corner of the room. Hyun, a young boy with an eagerness mirrored in his bright blue eyes, looks up at Jonghak with a mixture of awe and curiosity.

Jonghak turns his attention to Hyun, offering him a faint smile. "Hey there, kiddo," he says, his voice deep and reassuring. "Why don't you go find something to do for a bit? The grown-ups need to have a little chat."

Hyun's face falls slightly, but he nods obediently nonetheless. "Okay, Uncle Jonghak," he replies before scampering out of the room, leaving Jonghak and Yeonha alone.

"Long time no see," Jonghak remarks, his eyes scanning Yeonha's form as he approaches the side of her bed.

"You too," Yeonha replies softly, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. In their youth, Yeonha had always harbored a deep admiration for Jonghak, thinking of him more highly than just a friend.

But now, as she observes the lines etched upon his face, the graying of his hair, and the commanding presence he exudes, she can't help but feel a pang of realization that time has created a chasm between them.

"You've become too old for my liking," Yeonha remarks with a playful tone, trying to mask the wistfulness in her voice. "I thought only twenty years had passed since I fell asleep, but it looks like you've aged over 50 years..."

Jonghak laughs, the sound rich and hearty, filling the room with warmth. "Well, can't say I haven't noticed the same about you," he retorts, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "But age hasn't dulled your sharp tongue, I see."

“You’ve become mellower, normally, you’d either scowl or just stare blankly,” Yeonha chuckles softly, her gaze dropping momentarily. "I suppose some things never change," she muses, a hint of nostalgia coloring her words.

“I couldn’t help with the age thing, has to do with time distortion shenanigans and me achieving transcendence eight years ago… I am old, very old… and I didn’t know that achieving transcendence, would forcibly reflect my physical image in my body. The good thing is, I have gotten rid of using Hajin’s face.”

“What?” Yeonha can hardly resist chuckling as the Jonghak in front of her is too energetic and has that vibe to boast with back-in-my-days quips.

“Seriously,” Jonghak grins ear to ear. “I was using the regression stone lots after you went into a coma. I time traveled, became old while at it for no reason, and before I knew it… I was possessing Hajin’s body already! And then... Damn, Hyon dragged me from my cozy and safe timeline… sigh… old times…”

Silence settles between them for a moment, thick with unspoken memories and emotions. Then, Jonghak clears his throat, breaking the reverie. "How are you feeling?" he asks, his tone gentle yet concerned.

Yeonha sighs softly, her gaze meeting his once more. "Better, now that you're here," she admits, a small smile gracing her features. "I've missed you, Jonghak."

A flicker of emotion passes across Jonghak's face before he nods, his expression softening. "I've missed you too, Yeonha," he says quietly, his voice carrying a weight of sincerity. "But don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

Jonghak takes a deep breath, his gaze turning serious as he settles into the chair beside Yeonha's bed. "There's a lot you've missed, Yeonha," he begins, his voice tinged with a solemn edge. "After you fell into a coma, things spiraled out of control. Hyon Hyung, he... he was murdered."

Yeonha's eyes widen in shock at the confirmation, her hand flying to her mouth in disbelief. "Yeah, I heard… Hyun told me." At the back of her mind, she is still hoping that it is not true.

Jonghak's jaw tightens as he recalls the events of that fateful day. " Kim Hajin," his tone is heavy with sorrow and anger. "It was a betrayal unlike anything we could have imagined. He... he just left after he killed him like he didn’t care, never looked back."

As Jonghak continues to unravel the events of the past fifteen years, Yeonha listens intently, her eyes widening with each revelation. She learns of the Lancaster Conspiracy, the merging of all 666 timelines into a single probability, and the existence of the Zeroth Iteration—a concept that defies comprehension.

"Wait, so you're saying that all those timelines merged into one?" Yeonha asks, her voice tinged with awe and disbelief. "And there's this... Zeroth Iteration that exists beyond it all?"

Jonghak nods solemnly, his gaze never wavering from hers. "Yes, it's... it's a lot to take in, I know," he admits, his voice tinged with regret. "But we're living in a world where anything is possible now, where the boundaries of reality have been shattered. We are currently in the First Iteration, the shadow of the Zeroth Iteration… You should be able to get up to speed with Hosup’s help on matters about the technicality of the time travel and parallel universe bullshit."

"I can't believe all that's happened," she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I'm glad I am alive… How is my mom? Dad?"

"They're alive," Jonghak replies with a hint of relief in his voice. "They're doing well, considering everything that's happened. You know your parents, always resilient."

Yeonha's shoulders visibly relax at the news, a small smile playing on her lips. "That's a relief," she murmurs, her gaze drifting to the window as if searching for a glimpse of her family in the chaotic world beyond.

"We've managed to evacuate them when Lancaster bombed the 665 timelines," Jonghak continues, his voice tinged with somberness. "They were among the lucky few who made it out."

A mixture of gratitude and guilt washes over Yeonha as she processes Jonghak's words. "I'm grateful they're safe," she says softly, her voice filled with emotion. "But I can't help but feel guilty for being here while they went through all of that."

Jonghak reaches out, gently taking her hand in his. "You couldn't have known what would happen," he reassures her, his voice firm yet comforting. "And now that you're awake, we can work together to make things right, to rebuild what we've lost. It has been 20 years for you Yeonha, and it is fine for you to take it slow."

Yeonha nods, her gaze meeting his with determination shining in her eyes. "I'm ready," she declares, her voice steady. "I won't let what happened go unanswered. We'll find a way to set things right, no matter what it takes."

Jonghak smiles, a sense of pride evident in his expression. "That's the spirit," he says, his voice filled with conviction. "Unfortunately, it won’t be easy… Things had been complicated since Hyon died."

"The Sinful has a new governing body called the Council," Jonghak reveals, his tone grave. "The original members— you, me, Rachel, Nayun, and Suho— have been relegated to positions equivalent to the Nine Stars. We don't have any sway in the decision-making process anymore."

Yeonha's brows furrow in disbelief. "What? But we were the ones who started it all," she protests, a hint of indignation creeping into her voice. "How can they just push us aside like that?"

"It's politics, Yeonha," Jonghak replies, his expression pained. "The landscape has changed, alliances have shifted. Sinful has become bigger… Moreover, we can no longer be the key players we once were. Lots of things had changed…"

"But we can't just stand by and let them dictate everything," Yeonha insists, her voice rising with frustration. "We have to do something."

Jonghak's gaze softens as he reaches out to grasp her hand once more. "I know how you feel, believe me," he says, his voice tinged with regret. "But rushing into things without a solid plan will only make matters worse. We need to bide our time, gather allies, and strategize our next move carefully."

Yeonha exhales heavily, her shoulders slumping with resignation. "You're right," she concedes, her tone subdued. "I just... I feel so powerless, Jonghak. After everything we've been through, it's hard to accept that we're no longer in control. We’ve been underpowered and under-numbered for a long time, and now that I see this place around me, I can’t help but feel annoyed we don’t get to use them."

Yeonha frowns, her brows knitting together in consternation. "Who decided that for us? Who decided to separate the Original Members from the governing body?" she demands, her voice edged with frustration.

Jonghak sighs heavily, his gaze dropping momentarily before meeting hers once more. "Suho pushed for it," he admits, his tone tinged with regret. "Rachel seconded the motion, and Nayun resisted. As for me... I chose to abstain."

Learning this, Yeonha feels a bitter taste rise in her mouth. A fracture must have formed between her friends, a divergence of ideals and priorities that she hadn't anticipated. "So that's how it is," she murmurs, her voice laced with disappointment.

Jonghak nods solemnly, his expression mirroring her own turmoil. "I wish things had turned out differently," he confesses, his voice heavy with regret. "But for now, we have to focus on finding our place in this new order, whatever that may be."

Yeonha's jaw tightens as she processes Jonghak's words, her mind racing with thoughts of what could have been. "I won't forget this," she declares, her voice firm with determination. "We may have been sidelined, but we're not powerless. We'll find a way to reclaim what's rightfully ours."

As Yeonha exits the hospital with Jonghak as her escort, she takes a moment to breathe in the fresh air, the weight of their conversation still heavy on her mind. She turns to Jonghak, her expression contemplative. "Where is Suho now?"

Jonghak's features harden at the mention of Suho, his gaze distant as if lost in memories he'd rather forget. "Suho has been exiled to Earth," he replies numbly, his voice carrying a hint of bitterness. "He's been stripped of his memories and banished to Earth."

“Memories?” Yeonha's brows furrow in surprise at the revelation, her mind reeling with implications. "Exiled to Earth?" she echoes, disbelief coloring her tone. "But what will he do there? And why was he exiled in the first place?"

“Stripped of memories about Cube and everything but not his position… They could return his memories anytime if the need ever arose we’d need his sword…” Jonghak’s jaw tightens as even now, he was displeased with the verdict at that time, and he is still holding resentment over it. “Listen to me, Yeonha. There had been a power struggle for some time, and we might be pulled to it now that you had literally risen from the dead… Prepare your mind to what is to come, because I am certain you wouldn’t like it.”