FPL’s new researcher, Kang Hana, had a dream.
A dream where IF-017, the mysterious phenomenon she was researching, gazed at her with an adorable expression, just like when their eyes met yesterday.
But it was nothing more than a fleeting dream.
IF-017 was always asleep.
For the months Kang Hana had been observing it, it had done nothing but sleep.
She had even heard that it had been sleeping long before she arrived.
Other researchers would sigh and say, “If only the IF I was in charge of were like that, I’d have no complaints,” but Kang Hana couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.
After all, IF-017’s appearance was perfectly in line with her taste—small and cute.
“Wait. Then what was that ‘when our eyes met yesterday’ all about?”
A sudden question popped into her mind.
Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and looked ahead.
And then, something astonishing happened.
IF-017 was indeed looking at her, wearing the same cute expression as yesterday!
Kang Hana’s face brightened as if she had never been drowsy.
“The dream was real!”
That meant it must have been watching her for quite a while, given how long the dream had lasted.
Excited, she decided to respond in kind.
She was about to open her mouth, but then she recalled being scolded by a senior for trying to talk through the isolation chamber’s barrier yesterday—there was no way her voice would reach through.
So instead, she opted for a wink as a backup plan.
However, IF-017, as if unfazed by her effort, slowly closed its eyes.
“Ah…!”
Did it not see?
Disheartened, Kang Hana pouted.
There was nothing she could do about it, so she reluctantly checked the control console.
The console displayed IF-017’s real-time biometric readings, showing a steady waveform.
The moment she saw it, Kang Hana silently screamed.
She immediately recognized what the graph meant.
It was the same pattern she had seen the day before yesterday and the day before that—except for yesterday—so often that she had memorized it without meaning to.
This biometric pattern was the one IF-017 exhibited when it was deeply asleep.
There was only one possible conclusion.
IF-017 had fallen asleep just ten seconds after closing its eyes.
“No way!”
Kang Hana felt as if the world had gone dark.
The experimental guidelines provided by higher-ups only contained methods that could be executed while IF-017 was awake.
She had been planning to verify everything now that it had finally woken up, so this was a crushing realization.
Her pupils trembled as if in an earthquake.
There was no way the higher-ups were wrong.
“They said it wouldn’t fall asleep like before because of its stress levels!”
Yet here it was, stressed but still slipping back into unconsciousness the moment they tried to address that stress—an absolute disaster.
“I-Is it actually going to die at this rate?”
To be fair, the higher-ups’ assessment wasn’t entirely incorrect.
IF-017 wasn’t asleep.
It was simply lying still with its eyes closed.
So had Kang Hana been a fool, misreading the control console’s biometric data?
No, that wasn’t the case either.
Although she might come off as a bit dizzy at times, Kang Hana had a knack for this kind of work.
Her interpretation was not wrong.
The real problem was that what she had been taught was incorrect.
Lying down with its eyes closed, unmoving except for its steady breathing, and displaying brainwave activity that suggested no conscious thought.
Kang Hana, everyone at FPL, and anyone else in the world would have identified this as sleep.
That was only natural.
But if things were truly that simple, it wouldn’t be an “IF.”
IF-017 had never once fallen asleep since being captured by FPL.
The years of stillness?
They had been just that—years spent lying motionless with closed eyes.
The stable brainwaves? It wasn’t sleeping—it simply wasn’t thinking.
IF-017—no, the dragon—had never slept.
From the past to the present, it had been desperately struggling against discomfort, unable to find rest.
Even now, as it lay motionless on the floor of the isolation chamber with its eyes closed, no one knew the truth.
Not even Kang Hana.
“If I want to stabilize IF-017’s stress levels… I need to find a way to keep it awake somehow.”
Clenching her fists, Kang Hana made a determined vow.
If IF-017 could hear her, it would have groaned in frustration—because that would only stress it out even more.
[Experiment Log] 017-A-176
Author: Researcher H, FPL Fourth Research Laboratory
Experiment Overview:
To verify whether IF-017 remains a safe and non-threatening phenomenon under the classification of “friendly phase,” even while exhibiting clear signs of movement, a Gamma-class personnel member was deployed for a safety test.
Details:
The following is a transcript of the communication between Gamma-class personnel G, who entered IF-017’s isolation chamber, and Researcher H, who conducted the experiment.
Experiment Transcript
G-class personnel enters the containment chamber wearing protective gear.
IF-017 is lying still in the center of the chamber with its eyes closed.
Researcher H: “Mic test, mic test. Can you hear me clearly?”
G-class Personnel: “No issues.”
Researcher H: “Great. Look, this is just a mandatory procedure to get clearance for researchers to access the containment chamber. Just go through a few formalities, and then you can leave and rest. No need to stress over it.”
G-class Personnel: “Understood.”
Researcher H: “You probably know more about IF-017 than I do, so I’ll skip the explanations… But, by the way, did you see the apology message I sent last night? I think I might have been too harsh the other day. The read receipt didn’t disappear, so…”
G-class Personnel: “Is this relevant to the experiment?”
Researcher H: “Ugh, come on, senior. I heard that you were almost transferred to the IF-684 division due to the shortage of Gamma-class personnel in the Siegfried Unit. I rushed over and got you reassigned to IF-017’s test under this pretext, and now you’re acting like this…”
G-class Personnel: “Let’s just proceed. What do I need to do?”
Researcher H: “Alright. Beginning the standard unidentified phenomenon hostility test. Please move forward to the green line marked 15 meters from the entity. Move as slowly as possible, and if you notice anything unusual, report it immediately.”
G-class Personnel complies. The approach takes approximately 3 minutes and 47 seconds. IF-017 remains completely motionless.
Researcher H: “The camera feed shows no anomalies. Do you notice anything unusual on your end?”
G-class Personnel: “A slight headache, but no other issues.”
Researcher H: (Muttering) “You get headaches all the time and even claw at your head when you’re bored, don’t you…? Anyway, noted. Now, stand at the green line and clap three times at five-second intervals. Not too loud, not too soft—just at a normal volume.”
G-class Personnel complies. Three claps echo through the containment chamber. IF-017 remains motionless.
Researcher H: “Any changes?”
G-class Personnel: “My headache worsened, but otherwise, no response.”
Researcher H: “Understood. Now, proceed to the blue line 10 meters from the entity. Move slowly.”
G-class Personnel complies, taking approximately 50 seconds to reach the designated spot. IF-017 remains motionless.
G-class Personnel: “I’ve arrived.”
Researcher H: “Clap three times again, like before.”
G-class Personnel complies. Three claps sound. IF-017 remains motionless.
Researcher H: “Still no reaction. If all is well, proceed to the red line 5 meters away and repeat the process.”
G-class Personnel complies. It takes approximately 57 seconds. Three claps are heard. IF-017 remains motionless.
Researcher H: “At this rate, it’s definitely not classified as hostile… Good. Moving on. Open the box you’re carrying. Inside, you’ll find various experiment tools. Take out the white ball and roll it toward IF-017.”
G-class Personnel: “Understood.”
G-class Personnel complies. A white ball, approximately 10 cm in diameter, rolls along a groove in the containment floor and stops against IF-017’s side. IF-017 remains motionless.
Researcher H: “Any changes?”
G-class Personnel: “None at all.”
Researcher H: “Alright. Now, take out the device with a white border and two buttons. Press the smaller button first.”
G-class Personnel: “Got it.”
G-class Personnel complies. A pre-recorded TTS voice plays from the white ball. IF-017 remains motionless.
Researcher H: “Now press the larger button.”
G-class Personnel complies. The white ball vibrates slightly. IF-017 remains motionless. G-class Personnel exhales softly.
Researcher H: “Next, take out the cylindrical object inside the box. Press the button on the back, and it will extend into a 5-meter-long rod. Use the rod to lightly tap IF-017’s lower body twice.”
G-class Personnel: “…Understood.”
G-class Personnel complies. The tip of the rod taps IF-017’s ankle. IF-017 remains motionless.
Researcher H: “Well done. Now, do the same for its upper body. If there’s still no response, tap its head once, then retract the rod and place it back in the box.”
G-class Personnel complies. The rod touches various parts of IF-017’s body. IF-017 remains motionless.
G-class Personnel: “Sighs deeply.”
Researcher H: “Deep breaths, senior. You know better than me that IF-017 is safe… We’ve confirmed it up to the neutral classification. Now for the final test—approach IF-017 until you’re within arm’s reach.”
G-class Personnel hesitates briefly before complying. The approach takes approximately 4 minutes and 7 seconds. Heavy breathing is heard. IF-017 remains motionless.
Researcher H: “How do you feel? Take a deep breath and speak slowly.”
G-class Personnel: “The entity… looks no different than usual. It just appears to be sleeping. Its posture has changed slightly, though…”
Researcher H: “Are you sure you’re okay? Your heart rate seems too fast. If you’re struggling, you can return now.”
G-class Personnel: (Swallows hard) “I’m fine. Let’s continue.”
Researcher H: “Alright, alright. We’re almost done. If you ever want to stop, just say so. Now, touch IF-017’s body with your fingertip.”
G-class Personnel complies, lightly touching IF-017’s shoulder.
IF-017’s breathing becomes irregular.
G-class Personnel: (Labored breathing) “I think it’s awake. Oh, shit… Fuck…” (Unintelligible)
Researcher H: “Calm down, senior! Your heart rate spiked a little, but IF-017’s vitals are still stable. Just one last thing—touch its face once, wait 30 seconds, then return.”
G-class Personnel: “Muttering, I didn’t sign up for this desk job just to…” (Unintelligible)
G-class Personnel complies, lightly poking IF-017’s cheek.
Suddenly, IF-017’s entire body flinches. It slowly opens its eyes but does not look at G-class Personnel, instead staring at the ceiling.
G-class Personnel freezes.
Their heart rate surpasses 180 bpm, and they begin hyperventilating.
G-class Personnel: (Heavy breathing)
Researcher H: “Senior! Giselle, calm down and take your hand off! You need to let go so you can retreat! We’ve done enough—just leave the rest to me—”
G-class Personnel: “The experiment… must follow protocol. Protocol… must… must let go…”
(Takes deep breaths)
But as they murmur, their posture collapses slightly, pressing IF-017’s cheek down by about 5 degrees.
After about 7 seconds, IF-017 slowly shifts its gaze toward G-class Personnel.
G-class Personnel’s pupils dilate in shock.
They convulse violently and collapse backward, struggling due to the weight of the protective suit.
Four seconds later, IF-017 quietly closes its eyes again. Its vitals return to their “asleep” state.
G-class Personnel: (Screams, unintelligible)
Researcher H: “Senior! IF-017’s eyes are closed again—just come back! Senior?!”
At this point, G-class Personnel appears to be in full panic and is unresponsive to commands.
After 40 seconds, they shakily get up, teary-eyed, and stumble backward.
G-class Personnel: “I counted 30 seconds, but it didn’t kill me… Why didn’t anything happen…?” (Collapses again)
Experiment Result:
The most movement IF-017 exhibited was “looking at the subject.”
Despite G-class Personnel’s seemingly hostile reaction, no further response was observed.
This confirms IF-017 remains classified as a non-hostile, safe phenomenon.
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