I mustered what strength I could into my trembling body and walked toward Mr. Kwak.

‘Mr. Kwak, Mr. Kwak, it’s me. Stay with me, Mr. Kwak!’

“Grr… Gaa…”

Mr. Kwak was making strange and bizarre cries. It was a noise that combined despair, screaming, and wailing all into one. It sounded like a soul burning in hell.

Mr. Kwak was slowly tearing off the flesh on his face. He stared blankly into the horizon while he tore off his flesh, wailing horrifically. It seemed like he could no longer hear me. My mouth dried up as I saw Mr. Kwak’s flesh dropping like melted candle wax.

This was all my fault.

This had happened to him because I’d been too suspicious of him, naive. I wasn’t worthy of being called a person. It was my fault for plunging this man’s life—no two people’s lives—into despair.

I couldn’t get near Mr. Kwak. I couldn’t give him any consolation. A sense of guilt crashed over me like a raging wave and constantly lashed my soul. Mr. Kwak’s wail was tearing apart the last bit of humanity within me.

- ‘It’s all your fault. It’s all because of you. This is what you made me into!’

This was what his wailing meant. This was the message he was trying to tell me.

I hung my head guiltily. Anything I said now would only be an excuse. I closed...