“Everyone, have a Merry Christmas!!”
“Happy Christmas~!!”
After the project song Snowflake ended and only the melody flowed, the MCs gave their closing words to the camera.
Walking with the members onto the thrust stage, I waved to the Noeul stamping their feet in excitement. Jung Dajun clung to my shoulder like a koala.
“Hoyun hyung hyung! That singing just now was awesome!”
Since the mic was off, I ruffled the maknae’s head as he bounced around. But my thoughts were still drawn to the system window shoved to the corner of my vision.
Following the staff’s signal, we left the stage and returned to the waiting room. Though everyone was busy getting ready to leave, the air was warm. Even though these people saw each other more often than family due to packed end-of-year schedules, they were all soaking in the afterglow of the ending song and Christmas mood.
“Seo Hoyun-ssi, thank you for your hard work!!”
“Yes, thank you as well.”
“Great stage!”
After changing clothes and roughly wiping off the heavy makeup, I gathered my things and stepped outside with the members. Camera flashes burst from every side as white snow poured down.
“It’s snowing!”
I watched the scene for a moment, then climbed into the van.
Honestly, year-end snowstorms always felt like trash to me. And right now, I was more worried about how the fans who came to see us would get home safely.
Soon the van headed toward the dorm.
Through the window, I saw kids walking with slogans and lightsticks in hand. The car slowed and stopped as the crosswalk light flickered and switched green.
I quickly rolled the window down and shouted,
“Be careful going home in the snow!”
Screams rang out, but the van was already pulling away. Next to me, Dajun, who had been waving wildly, sat back down and fastened his seat belt again.
“Hyungs! Ichae hyung and I are gonna watch a Christmas movie. Wanna join?”
“No. I’m tired.”
“Hmph! Hoyun hyung, aren’t you sad? We’re gonna have the most amazing night~!”
“Wow, lucky you.”
The other members, also giddy with the mood, chattered more noisily than usual.
“Jiwon hyung, you’ll watch too, right?”
“Mm~, maybe I will?”
Sung Jiwon answered lightly, looking excited. The little mole on his slightly wrinkled nose stood out.
“...Hoyun-ah, what’s wrong?”
When I looked up and met his eyes, he scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“...Nothing.”
“‘Nothing?’”
He gave a sheepish smile and tilted his head. Just then, the van stopped at the dorm. Kang Ichae darted out first, yelling,
“Last one in the elevator does dishes tomorrow!!”
“Hey!!”
“It’s your turn anyway!!!”
Complaining but still chasing after him, the others rushed inside. Only I got out slowly.
Each step crunched on the snow. I boarded the elevator last, and as the others teased me that it meant it was my turn, I replied simply,
“Go to bed already.”
“Hyung, you stop picking on me and go to bed if you’re tired! ...But you can come out if you get bored!”
“Just stop bothering me, you brat.”
I pinched the maknae’s cheek before slipping into my room.
Still in my clothes, I sat on the bed, trying to gather my thoughts. From the living room, laughter spilled in—Jiwon’s voice among them.
Suddenly, his interview at the pop-up store came to mind.
“—By the way, do you know there’s more after ‘forgetfulness is God’s blessing’?”
Standing in front of the camera, he had smiled gently as always, but spoke with composure.
“‘To remember is human will.’”
The kids had teased, “Jiwon hyung spitting wisdom again,” “He’s not a practice machine, he’s a quote machine.” But Jiwon just chuckled unaffected.
“Of course, people want to forget bad memories. But isn’t it because you know them and keep them that when you face good things, you can accept them with more gratitude?”
The others went quiet then.
“So yes. I don’t want to lose any of my precious memories. Even if they’re really painful ones. Because that’s my will.”
“...Ha.”
I brushed my bangs back and stared at the ceiling.
Lately my head had been so full of reset that I couldn’t even sleep properly.
I still hadn’t decided.
Yes—still.
That was the exception.
My brother, Seo Hojin, always broke my rules.
If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t have cared. Even if they forgot me forever, I’d have let it be.
But the one in question was Seo Hojin.
A sigh escaped.
‘He didn’t choose to forget.’
He lost his memory from the overload of this world. And that ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) was entirely my fault.
I had a duty to return a complete life to my little brother.
‘And he has the right to have his memories.’
I scrubbed my face with both hands, then buried it in my palms and steadied my breathing.
Lifting only my eyes, staring into the air, I whispered,
“...Open reset window.”
Partial RESET
A chance to reset a portion.
Required points: 300,000
As if waiting, the window appeared again at the center of my vision.
Seeing it, my resolve threatened to crumble like a sandcastle before the tide.
I bit my lip, then spoke.
“...Designate Seo Hojin’s memories as the portion....”
[‘Seo Hojin’s memories’ designated.]
[You may reset the designated portion using 300,000 points.]
[Proceed with reset?]
The options “Yes” and “No” blinked.
Not even an essay, just two choices—and I couldn’t choose.
‘Don’t waver.’
This was his right.
There might be memories I didn’t even know about that had vanished. I was nothing but a relative—what right did I have to interfere?
[Proceed with reset?]
Or maybe... was it right to just silence him and let him live in ignorant happiness? I wasn’t a god. I had no right to take away someone’s free will.
[YES / NO]
And yet—what if he was glad to have his memories back?
[Proceed with reset?]
...Shit. Was I rationalizing?
My thoughts kept looping the same track, tilted toward my hope.
I realized I wasn’t being rational. At this point, maybe doing nothing was safer.
[YES / NO]
What if, after I restored them, he later said he preferred before?
[Proceed with reset?]
What if he poured out resentment?
Or, being the good kid he was, stayed silent.
Then I’d want to kill myself for making the decision.
Because it wouldn’t have been for him, but for me.
[YES / NO]
I lifted my head toward the glowing blue window.
But if—if he truly wanted to know the truth.
“Hyung, I really want to know what happened to you....”
The day he collapsed and was rushed to the ER after a failed quest, eyes swollen as he looked at me.
“Finding these photos was tough, hyung.”
Handing me patched-up family photos carefully taped back together.
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you~.”
The little boy buying a cream cake with his small hands and singing to me.
As I lived with those memories—
“...Re...”
—what if Seo Hojin needed his too?
“...Re...set....”
[YES.]
The system snatched up my muttered words.
[You have chosen RESET.]
[Resetting designated portion: ‘Seo Hojin’s memories’.]
[300,000 points consumed.]
[Current points: 4,000]
The reset began instantly, leaving no room to turn back.
I lowered the hand I had half-raised to stop it.
[Applying.......]
[Applying.......]
[Applying.......]
[Applying.......]
[Applying.......]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
[...]
.
.
.
[...]
[...]
[...]
[Adjusting.......]
[The designated portion has been reset.]
