Unexpected Arrival in the Corridor

“Mmmph~” Colt’s brow furrowed faintly as she lazily stretched her arms above her head. It was time to wake up again.

Sitting up, she ignored her somewhat disheveled hair and rubbed her eyes. Through her blurry vision, she turned her head to the side, wondering if Leidi had already risen.

****

“Huh?”

She blinked repeatedly, trying to ascertain if what lay before her was merely an illusion, remaining frozen in her posture.

After a long moment, she slowly, jerkily, like a rusted bolt, turned her head to the other side.

****

“Gulp~” Colt swallowed nervously.

It was the same…

****

“Where… where am I…?”

Black and white… within her field of vision, there was nothing but a floor resembling a chessboard!

Her blanket was gone!

Her pillow was gone!

Ruka sister was gone!

Leidi was gone!

Her clothes were gone!

Everything was gone!!!

“What is going on?!”

She cried out in fear, spinning in circles as she frantically surveyed her surroundings. Yet, beyond the black and white checkered floor, there was still nothing!

What exactly had happened?! Where was this place?!

“Whoosh whoosh~~”

She heard a sound from above!

Quickly looking up, she saw—

“Paper?”

She reached out, catching a falling slip of paper, and saw words scrawled upon it. It was Leidi’s handwriting…

It read:

[Colt, um, please calm down first. You’re currently inside our ‘Corridor.’]

“Huh—?!” Colt gasped, rendered speechless.

What was happening?! This was the ‘Corridor’? Her and Leidi’s ‘Corridor’? Could Leidi actually do this now? He couldn’t yesterday, could he? How incredible!

No, wait! This was no time for admiration or marveling!

“Where are you all?! Where are you?!” she shouted at her surroundings.

“Whoosh whoosh~” Another note drifted down from above.

[Um… I’m sorry… actually, you’re the only one inside the ‘Corridor’ right now…]

****

‘What in the world is going on…?’

That “I’m sorry” filled her with an unsettling dread!

“Whoosh whoosh~” This time, a large sheet of paper descended from above.

[When I woke up this morning, you were still asleep, so I thought I’d test out yesterday’s theory. I gave you a hug… and I didn’t expect… only you to be sent in… Even your pajamas are still in my hands… Although I can’t see what’s happening inside the ‘Corridor,’ I can hear your voice! And it seems I can also send things in.]

“W-what the hell?! What were you thinking?! Why were you in such a hurry?! At least wait until I woke up! I almost died of fright just now! And quickly, send me some clothes! It’s freezing!”

Honestly, this was a complete disaster! The kind of major accident where you accidentally lock your keys inside a safe!

“Plop plop~”

One piece of clothing after another tumbled down from above, even her underwear.

“Hey, you don’t happen to have a way to send me out, do you?” Colt asked, picking up her underwear and pulling it on.

“Whoosh whoosh~” A paper note landed on her head; she was too busy to catch it.

[I’m working on a solution, trust me! I’ll definitely get you out!]

“Alright, alright. I’ll wait…”

Grabbing the note to read it, she continued dressing. This time, it was her bra. Come to think of it, this might actually be her first time… her first time putting on a bra by herself…

[Thanks!]

“Don’t just throw in a note that only says ‘Thanks’! It’s tiring to keep picking them up!”

Colt sighed helplessly to herself. ‘Seriously, my heart feels so exhausted…’

[Are you hungry? Should I send in something for you to eat?]

“I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet… And also, just wait a moment. I’ll talk to you after I put on my bra.”

‘The hooks in the back just won’t fasten, ugh—this is so annoying!’

A few minutes later, having finally accomplished the feat on her own, she quickly put on the rest of her clothes. She hadn’t expected Leidi to throw in her school uniform…

“Hey, I’m dressed now, you can continue,” she said, smoothing her skirt and looking up at the spot where the notes had fallen.

And so began their peculiar conversation, punctuated by Colt picking up notes.

[Don’t you want to eat? Aren’t you hungry?]

“No, I’m already full from being so scared. What about you? Have you eaten?”

Since Leidi could only hear her voice and not see inside the ‘Corridor,’ he might have been worried sick before she even woke up.

[Uh, hehe, I actually haven’t eaten. In fact, I haven’t even brushed my teeth…]

‘He really was that worried about me…’

“Then go quickly, there’s nothing wrong with me here. Oh, by the way, where’s Ruka sister?” she asked, suddenly remembering.

[She’s trying to figure out a way to contact Brother Mingdao and Liliya. But there’s no response from texts or calls… She’s a bit overwhelmed right now…]

‘She must be really anxious… I feel a little sorry.’

“Tell her not to worry so much. I’m fine.”

[Understood, I’ll contact her later.]

“Okay.”

With that, no more notes fell. Colt sat down cross-legged, turning her head from side to side as she surveyed her surroundings, sinking into contemplation.

‘So this is it, Leidi’s and my ‘Corridor’?’ she mused. ‘The floor is made of large black and white squares, just like a chessboard, except for its sheer size and scope…’

‘And the sky? No, there’s no sky at all…’ She looked up; above her was a boundless white expanse. To her left, right, front, and back, everything was a boundless white… except for the floor, it was all pure white…

‘It’s a little disappointing… Ruka sister’s ‘Corridor’ was far more impressive in every sense…’

“Whoosh whoosh~” A note fell again.

[Colt, I’m done eating, and I’ve brought some bread. Get ready to catch it.]

‘That fast? He couldn’t have just swallowed it whole, could he?’

“You don’t have to eat so fast, it’s fine… Alright, go ahead and throw it in.”

She stepped back slightly, waiting for the bread to fall.

“Thump!”

“Ow!”

Suddenly, something rather hard struck her head. ‘So the landing spot is always my head? What was the point of stepping back then? Wait, is bread really that hard?!’

She quickly turned to look. ‘Huh? There’s a bottle of water too. Pick it up, pick it up.’

[Colt, what happened?!]

Leidi’s worried note fluttered down again; it seemed her exclamation had startled him.

“It’s nothing, just got hit on the head by the water bottle. Also, I’ve noticed that whatever you throw in only lands on my head,” she said, tearing open the bread’s wrapper.

[That’s good. So, it only lands on your head? It feels similar to when I was doing it.]

“It’s quite similar. By the way, how exactly are you sending things in?”

[I just touch it, and then I focus on the feeling of wanting to give these things to you…]

“That’s truly amazing…” Colt took a sip of water, a wry smile gracing her lips.

‘This ability is far too convenient, isn’t it? Or perhaps, this is Leidi’s simplified explanation?’

[It really is amazing. Oh, what does our ‘Corridor’ look like, by the way? I’m quite curious.]

“The floor is like a chessboard, with large black and white squares. And beyond that, everything is just a vast white expanse. It doesn’t feel very aesthetically pleasing…” She screwed the bottle cap back on and folded the wrapper, her breakfast finished.

[Hehe, it’s certainly not a grand or opulent feeling. But with the chessboard, don’t you think it has a bit of a jazzy or classical vibe?]

“That would only be the case if the chessboard had a lacquered wooden frame around it… Here, there are just black and white squares. And it’s far too vast.”

‘She couldn’t feel an ounce of jazz or classical elegance…’

[It feels hard to imagine without seeing it with my own eyes…]

“Well, then why don’t you just come in and see for yourself…?” Colt found herself chuckling as she spoke.

[I wish I could. But there’s no way right now; I can’t even get you out…]

“Hey… your gloominess is practically wafting off the page, alright? Don’t worry, you’re so smart; I’m sure you’ll find a way, right?”

As she spoke, an idea suddenly struck her.

“Oh, right, you just said you send things in by ‘focusing on the feeling of wanting to give them to me,’ didn’t you? So what if you tried to send yourself in?”

“Whoa!”

“Thud!”

The instant she finished speaking, a large, heavy mass plummeted onto her head. No, what fell—

It was Leidi!