A long silence hung in the air.

Lee Sayoung stared blankly at the outstretched hand before him. It was a strong hand, calloused from wear, yet clean, without the lingering scars from the poison that had once melted his skin. His dry lips moved slightly as he asked:

“Do you think you can do it?”

A direct response followed.

“I’ll make it happen.”

“...”

“I’ve failed twice already, but... I believe there’s something to be learned from failure.”

“...”

“You wouldn’t want your efforts to go to waste, would you? Am I wrong?”

“...”

“So help me.”

Sayoung didn’t answer, …