Chapter 100

#100 <Unexpected Situation (3)>

I thought it was an interesting lucid dream.

In the frozen time, Jin Hyuk became Hong Ki-jun and then disappeared into the shadows. Even though I knew it was a dream I wouldn’t remember upon waking, I still listened to the conversation between Hong Ki-jun and the shadow. Amidst it all, I saw myself lying uncomfortably, surrounded by kids, and yet I looked happy.

Hong Ki-jun let out a long breath, filling his lungs.

While Hong Ki-jun fumbled for words, the shadow rippled like a lake shaken by an earthquake.

【Old man, do not forget your taboo. You must never tell him.】

It seems like nothing will happen immediately.

Hong Ki-jun nodded at the shadow’s warning.

After all, he could only return after accepting that condition.

Hong Ki-jun, the sole returnee of reversed time.

The shadow only emphasized that no matter what, he must keep the secret and not interfere. There was no mention of why it had to be this way. Hong Ki-jun, who wasn’t in a position to complain, had no choice but to accept it without question.

Hong Ki-jun wiped Jin Hyuk’s forehead.

His touch was infinitely tender.

“He just fell asleep in a stuffy car, so he might’ve made some noises.”

【If there’s any pain, I’ll heal it.】

Hong Ki-jun’s brow furrowed.

It wasn’t a cry of pain. Or was it? Is it loneliness that makes the heart ache? Either way, he realized that Korean-style conversations only work with Koreans.

“How should I understand your presence here now?”

【A warning. I left it as a reminder in case you break the contract.】

“So it’s for my sake. You’re worried I might die if I violate the contract.”

【Your assumption is correct. Do not forget the contract.】

With a serious expression, one corner of Hong Ki-jun’s mouth subtly rose.

Even though the shadow seems blunt, it often answers questions well. After observing for a long time, it’s full of quirks and shortcomings that don’t match its mythical presence.

I was bursting with frustration, but you caught me well.

“Can you appear anywhere?”

【I can only hide in his shadow. After all, your taboo was also to not tell him.】

The answer makes me nod involuntarily.

But it’s strange. If only I returned, would Jin Hyuk even believe me if I told him? A year ago, I told Yoo Se-ra that I knew the future, and she looked at me like I was a bug.

Hong Ki-jun asked a question he hadn’t been able to ask before.

“Why can’t I tell this friend? You said only I returned.”

【The weight of souls is different for everyone. He is more special. The memories engraved in his soul transcend time and space. If the seal breaks and he regains his memories, would you or any human be able to handle it if he goes berserk?】

What are you talking about? If you sealed it, why would it break? Is this shadow just incompetent? Can’t even kill me? Hong Ki-jun’s brain briefly entertained a vain delusion. Whether I believe it or not, I feel like I’d be relieved just telling Jin Hyuk.

Lost in absurd thoughts, Hong Ki-jun licked his dry lips.

“I even suspected you might be interfering in this world. Seeing this friend’s abilities.”

【I did not interfere. All I did was reverse time in that world. His specialness is entirely due to his own efforts.】

Hong Ki-jun shot a suspicious glance at the hard-to-believe statement.

“Fast legs, super strength, physical growth. Are you saying all of that is his own ability?”

【Of course. If he wanted the world, I would have gifted it to him. But since he just wants to live an ordinary life, there’s no reason for me to intervene.】

The shadow was the only one who saw the deepest desires hidden in Jin Hyuk’s heart.

By the way, from Hong Ki-jun’s perspective, both Son Jin-hyeok and this shadow seem to misunderstand what “ordinary” means.

“He’s not ordinary. No one sees him as ordinary.”

【Are all humans in that world as stupid as you?】

“Huh?”

What kind of nonsense is this to someone who graduated from a prestigious university?

Fuming but unable to argue, Hong Ki-jun puffed out his cheeks.

【If you’re smart, use your brain. If you’re strong, use your strength. If you’re wealthy, use your wealth. Using what you have as it is, isn’t that ordinary? Being smart but living like a fool, being strong but hiding it, being wealthy but living like a beggar—that’s not normal, it’s deceit. The opposite is also true. That’s what they call vanity.】

Hong Ki-jun was speechless.

Apart from the shadow’s definition of “ordinary” sounding somewhat plausible, it was a reminder that having a normal human conversation with this shadow was impossible. It explains things kindly, but the focus is always off.

So, a person with the skills to be top of their class being top of their class isn’t extraordinary? That’s how Hong Ki-jun understood it.

As Hong Ki-jun pursed his lips and pondered, the shadow added.

【An eagle is born an eagle. Its prey and world are incomparable. To a chick, it might seem amazing-.】

“Yeah… well. Listening to you, that makes sense.”

I have to pretend to understand. Otherwise, this chatterbox shadow will lecture endlessly, even if time stops.

【Using the history you’ve recorded is also just an ordinary human action. The reason I allowed it was because I acknowledged that point.】

The shadow looked around the room like a curious child.

【If he were an extraordinary and noble human, he would’ve talked about fairness and never used it. What do you think he would’ve done if he had the same knowledge as you?】

The shadow pointed at the sleeping Jin Hyuk with its smoky arm.

Only then did Hong Ki-jun nod.

Son Jin-hyeok lived a life far from ordinary even in the past. From any human’s perspective, it was an unfortunate life, and according to the shadow’s definition, it was a life where he didn’t use his strengths. It wasn’t that he didn’t use them, but more that his personality prevented him from doing so.

‘If I looked like you, buddy, I wouldn’t have lived like a priest.’

Hong Ki-jun slapped Jin Hyuk’s forehead with a loud smack.

Since time was stopped, it was something he could do.

Even though it was a light slap, his hand stung, and Hong Ki-jun winced.

“Anyway, this friend isn’t the same as the past one, but if the seal breaks and memories flood in, he might go berserk, is that what you’re saying?”

【Smarter than a monkey. He received my protection as a reward for his noble soul, but his case is different from yours.】

“Noble, huh…”

Do you have to live an ascetic life like a monk to be called noble by a shadow?

Hong Ki-jun grabbed his chin and fell into thought.

【That’s just my interpretation. You and I think differently, so I won’t seek your agreement.】

Hong Ki-jun chuckled at the shadow’s elaboration.

Back in the day, we argued so much over such expressions. Yet, the shadow never bullied or harmed Hong Ki-jun. It just treated him like a curious animal. In many ways, it was a being with a mindset and tolerance that was hard to understand with human intellect and emotions.

【He is different from me. A nobility I never had. A spirit that values all life, not destruction and slaughter. Even gods treat life as trivial, and all things in the universe kill their own kind for their own reasons, but he was different.】

“Does this friend know of your existence?”

【No. I have no reason to manifest. I only watched and offered minor help when he desperately needed it.】

“If you’re not here, how do you know when to help-.”

【It’s a suggestion I placed in his heart as a reward. I can sense when he’s in a situation he desperately desires. Like a dangerous situation.】

Hong Ki-jun’s eyes narrowed again.

If you helped, doesn’t that mean you interfered in this world?

As if sensing Hong Ki-jun’s gaze, the shadow added.

【Let’s just say it was a small help for daily life.】

At first, I was curious about this world and came to take a look myself. Hiding in Son Jin-hyeok’s shadow.

Then I was spotted by Jang Gun, a sanniel. In this world, they call sanniels dogs, right? Anyway.

One day, I felt a strong connection and checked to find Son Jin-hyeok doing meditation breathing.

When I felt deep sadness, he was talking to the soul of an ascending woman. I quickly chased her away, isolating Jin Hyuk from the sadness.

One day, my back of the head felt hot, and an old man who seemed like a priest was glaring at me. I wasn’t caught, but it seemed like a world not to be taken lightly, so I decided not to come often. It might disturb Jin Hyuk’s daily life.

Still, I quietly converse whenever Jin Hyuk’s younger brother calls.

We’ve been talking every night since he was a baby. The baby babbling was so cute. The baby didn’t seem to dislike the shadow, coming every night.

As the shadow seemed about to say something but fell silent, Hong Ki-jun raised an eyebrow.

This guy’s thinking about something else again.

“Um, about the help…”

【You don’t need to know.】

The shadow’s intervention was very minor.

To avoid interfering in this world, I borrowed the energy Jin Hyuk filled through meditation. I created a moon that brightly lit the dark mudflats above his head, and with that energy, I saved his mother and brother who were crossing the threshold of death. Some abilities, like language, might have transferred during the process of saving the fetus and wishing for health, but as his brother gained humanity, he would lose those abilities, so there was no need to worry.

Even the will to save evil people was admirable, so I placed taboos on them too. Jin Hyuk might think he recruited evil people through his own efforts and wit, but whatever.

Anyway, the shadow only looked into this world when Jin Hyuk desperately desired something.

【It was a very trivial help that happens everywhere in the world. But I don’t help everyone. I can’t help what I don’t know.】

“There are things you don’t know?”

【It’s not that I don’t know, but my understanding of this primitive world is lacking.】

What’s a status window?

The shadow almost asked Hong Ki-jun what it was but held back due to pride. That old man, barely surpassing a monkey’s intelligence, probably wouldn’t know. I don’t know what it is that he’s muttering about so desperately, but I’ve been summoned a couple of times because of this “status window.”

“Well… I see.”

I don’t know what happened, but if you say so, then it must be so. Hong Ki-jun just scratched his sideburns. He’s well aware that it’s hard to gauge the scale of the shadow’s “trivial” matters. It’s the kind of being that could casually blow up a planet and call it a minor thing.

“Um, can the contract be changed?”

【What are you talking about?】

“This friend needs help.”

Asking a middle schooler for business advice is no different from nonsense.

But given his abnormal growth rate and talent, it didn’t seem impossible. Even Son Kwang-yeon couldn’t win a single game of Go against him and only received help outside of farming.

【Changing the contract is unthinkable. You must never reveal to him that you’re a returnee. Your heart will stop. I’m telling you this out of our old friendship.】

Hong Ki-jun held his forehead.

The world looked like a Go board dozens of times more complicated.

With every move, the history he had recorded kept changing.

Every time he placed a Go stone, the history changed, making it impossible to decide where to place the next one. He had aggressively absorbed not one or two business items but several companies. In a way, it was natural that predicting changes was difficult. Just the American companies acquired under the name of his investment firm in the U.S. alone numbered over ten.

If it weren’t for the advice of Son Kwang-yeon, the only genius Hong Ki-jun acknowledged, he wouldn’t have risen to vice president so quickly.

Son Kwang-yeon had also reached his limits, so another helper was needed. A helper one step above Son Kwang-yeon.

“My head is about to explode.”

【Don’t worry. As long as your lifespan isn’t up, you can’t die without my permission. If it hurts, I’ll heal you.】

Oh, for f***’s sake.

This guy really doesn’t get it.

Hong Ki-jun suddenly felt a surge of irritation.