Minori smiled, pointing at the gray-haired girl. "Her name is Toho. She's been staying in this place for far too long. It's time she got to explore a little—or go on an adventure."
Adam watched the scene, unsure why he would even want a companion. Would she even want to come with me? he wondered.
Minori, now sitting on the ground, sighed. His hands slowly extended, becoming unnaturally long. The surrounding space glitched for a brief moment, flickering like a broken screen.
"Ugh… I really didn't want you to see me like this," he muttered.
Resting his stretched arms on the counter laying on the ground like a mutt, he reached into his clothes and pulled out a jar of mayonnaise. "Want some?"
Adam considered the offer. It was free. No reason to haggle."Sure."
Toho smiled faintly. "You're just like Minori. A weird one… who accepts mayonnaise from someone who just pulls it out of their clothes."
Minori sighed again. "I really can't focus on cleaning this red… mosh of something, and maintaining my plane at the same time. Sorry if things are a little glitchy."
From his sleeve, he pulled out a letter and handed it to Adam—his hand stretching like a cartoon character's.
"This is fine," Adam muttered to himself, taking the letter without opening it. "Totally normal."
He looked toward Toho. "So, Toho, right? I'm Adam. Do you… actually want to come with me?"
She gave a soft smile, her slit eyes narrowing in amusement, and gave a small nod.
"Great," he muttered. "I've got another companion."
Cautiously, he stepped toward the portal, aware that the plane was unstable and glitching. As he crossed through, Toho followed quietly by his side.
She looked up, scanning the new space with a hint of wonder. "Wow… It's been a long time since I've been out of the timeout room."
Adam frowned. Why didn't she leave earlier? But it wasn't his problem.
Still, a wave of anxiety washed over him. He realized he hadn't asked Minori what to do next—and he was supposed to reach the end of the world. The only map he had looked like something scribbled by a kid.
Turning to Toho, he asked nervously, "Hey… do you know where we're supposed to go?"
She smiled brightly. "Definitely not."
"...Great. Sigh. Let me check something."
Adam opened his system inventory, recalling he had an item linked to the timeout room. He selected it, and in a flash, the world warped again.
He found himself in a long hallway of bricks, lit by yellow ceiling lights. It felt… off. A liminal space—familiar yet unnerving.
"I'm not gonna get lost here, right?" he whispered, then raised his voice. "Minori! You can hear everything here, right?! Hey! How do I get to Manori again?! Can you give me a map?!"
His voice echoed through the hallway. He banged his fist against the wall, shaking it. The rumble of the plane responding to his call vibrated through him. He coughed. His mouth was a little… larger than usual.
Something struck him in the head—paper.
Annoyed, he nearly tossed it aside. But then he noticed the writing.
[ Why do you keep entering, leaving, then re-entering my plane?!And worse, I'm very fricking busy. Sigh.Can you stop going through my house for a bit?You must have a great intellectual mind. Just like a true Player.You Must want Another Event? A game, you think…?Well, fine. You can have it.Follow the compass to leave this place.You're lucky I even heard you.Be careful. I can no longer contain the timous.There are characters… aggressive creatures...
Before Adam could fully process the message, something hurled him upward into the air. A compass with a glowing red arrow landed in his hands, followed by a map.
A black dot marked his current location in the timeout room. From above, he saw the full dreamscape—labyrinthine and surreal.
With the compass in hand, he descended into the maze.
And so, he walked...
[You dont have to read this]
[Toho]
Type: Humanoid CreatureRole: Guardian of the Timeout RoomDescription:A being shaped like a human, with slender arms and the cognitive level of an average person. Toho are capable of mimicking typical human behavior and personalities. Their origin allows them to transform into various human types as there original. They exist to oversee and maintain the Timeout Room.
Character: TimousHabitat: Timeout RoomDescription:Balloon-like creatures that float aimlessly but become highly aggressive when provoked. They invade a host's body through the digestive tract and consume them alive from the inside. Considered a threat.