Using his characteristic affability to win over a teacher, he uses the rooftop key he obtained in his first year to open the door, which creaks with every touch due to its age.

After a few clicking sounds, the door opens, and the cool breeze that always greeted him brushes past Choi Yowon's face. He thinks that even in summer, this place is always cool. As usual, he leans against the corner of the rooftop and pulls out a small pack of cigarettes hidden next to the fire extinguisher.

Click. The small sound of ignition becomes the only noise on the rooftop, flowing across the boring cement floor.

A strange emotion rises as he inhales the familiar acrid smoke. Looking up, he sees that today is unfortunately clear without a single cloud. As he gazes blankly at the sky, the sun in the center of the heavens shines down on him, making his eyes ache.

Nevertheless, Choi Yowon only squints and does not look away from the sky. Just as the heat seems to intensify and tears feel ready to well up in his eyes, a hand appears and tries to cast a shadow over his eyes.

...Huh?

There is a good reason why a small exclamation of bewilderment escaped the lips of Choi Yowon, a man who has been through all sorts of things and rarely bats an eye.

That reason lies in the source of that hand. First of all, there is no one else on the rooftop besides Choi Yowon. The one and only key to the rooftop is in his hand. Even if someone had somehow picked the lock and entered beforehand, this hand covering his eyes while he looked up should logically belong to someone standing behind him.

However, the biggest reason for his shock is that Choi Yowon was leaning against the very edge of the rooftop. What exists behind him, beyond the rooftop railing, is... nothing. It's literally a drop-off, isn't it?