Chapter 107 – Rest

I longed for a childhood memory. My only birthday with everyone: Grandpa, Dad, oppa, and even Mom. I wanted to experience that day again. I wanted to engrave it into my mind for the rest of my life.

[03/13/2013]

Would it work? I wasn’t sure, but when I adjusted the time capsule next to Kim Hajin… Woong— A white light suddenly engulfed me.

“…?”

I became a child again in a familiar garden. I spotted balloons and a cake with cartoon characters. A big table had all sorts of delicious food.

“Nayun.”

A large hand touched my shoulder and I suddenly turned stiff. The kind voice called me once again.

“Nayun?”

A boy who had yet to pass puberty. I could barely hold back my tears at his familiar voice. Today was a good day. I didn't want to cry.

“Un, oppa. You’re here?”

My tongue wouldn’t work like I wanted. Oppa kneeled and snickered.

“Guess what I got for you.”

“A scooter.”

“Eh?”

Oppa looked flustered. I knew he saved up three months of his allowance to buy it.

“Uh… did someone tell you?”

He smiled wryly as I ran into his embrace.

“Thank you.”

He seemed disappointed that I found out, but smiled as he lifted me.

“I’m the one who should be thankful.”

The front entrance grew noisy as I looked past oppa’s shoulder. Dad had arrived with Grandpa.

“Aiya, my little babies.”

Grandpa approached us with a smile as oppa handed me to him. His chest felt harder than oppa’s.

“Happy birthday, Nayun.”

“Thank you, Grandpa.”

“Oho?”

Grandpa looked surprised because I used to be afraid of him as a child. He stroked my head and set me down. I stood on the grass and looked around with a restless heart and sweaty hands. That person finally appeared along with a slight breeze. Mom walked in with her jade-like skin and long, brown hair.

“Mom.”

I called her for the first time in a long, long time. I could feel my face contorting. My lips quivered and my vision turned blurry. Just calling her wasn’t enough. I ran with all my strength into her embrace. Her delicate fragrance seeped into me. The voice I had forgotten sounded in my ears. I cried and cried, so much that I couldn’t open my eyes. I sat at the head of the table in Mom’s embrace as Dad worriedly spoke.

“Nayun, why are you crying? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Leave her be. She’s still a child.”

I barely managed to stop crying after about 5 minutes. I remembered that this wasn’t real. I couldn’t waste this precious time crying. I wiped away my tears and looked at the cake in front of me. Grandpa waved his hand and lit the candles as Mom laughed.

“Nayun, make a wish.”

“Wish?”

“Yeah. Whatever you want will come true if you close your eyes to make a wish and blow out the candles.”

I closed my eyes. I didn’t wish for anything much. I just wanted to remember this moment for the rest of my life. I blew on the candles and opened my eyes.

Clap, clap, clap—

Everyone wished me a happy birthday. I held onto Mom’s hands and brightly smiled in her embrace.

“Here you go, a scooter!”

“Oh? When did my grandson earn so much?”

“It’s because you give him too much allowance, Father. You shouldn’t spoil him.”

“Ha, are you complaining because I didn’t give you as much at his age? What do you think, Daughter?”

“I… Here, Nayun! It’s the penguin with glasses!”

Mom changed the subject and handed me a Pororo plushie. I remembered reminding her that this penguin was called Pororo. I couldn’t speak from the lump in my throat. The surroundings began to turn white like ink peeling from a painting. Time was up. My heart felt like bursting and the tears I held back began to flow. I closed my eyes as I listened to the loving voices of Mom and oppa.

Soon, the world turned silent. Chwaa— Leaves suddenly rustled. I found myself on a mountain when I opened my eyes. I stretched, unable to think. Then I went to find Kim Hajin.

***

Chae Nayun reached out to me as I stared at her. Was she trying to help me up? I took her offer.

“Thanks.”

Chae Nayun looked renewed.

“Hey.”

“Yeah?”

Chae Nayun handed me the time capsule.

“The time capsule?”

“I used it once, but it looks like it’s still here.”

“Really?” I checked my smartwatch to find out why.

“You keep it. I told you I don’t need it.”

“Huh? Why? You should use it this time.”

The time capsule now required immense magic power. Perhaps because it came to the present from the past or because it had been used. It needed 15,000 units of magic power to fully charge. One’s magic power stat needed to be at least 15 to use it again. The required amount would only continue to double, making it practically impossible to reuse. It could only be charged by a single person in one go.

“No, you should use it when you want to see them again.”

“No, I can’t. It’s your turn to—"

“I told you.” I interrupted her.

“I’ve never met them before.”

Chae Nayun immediately shut her mouth.

“So you use it, okay?”

“Okay,” Chae Nayun replied half-reluctantly and half-glad. I turned around with a grin and started down the mountain.

“Ah, hey, where are you going?”

“I’m tired, so I’m going home.”

“What?”

Chae Nayun ran up to me and grabbed my sleeve. She pulled her hand back when I turned around.

“W-Why? Why are you going back now?”

“Because I’m tired. Aren’t you? I sure am.”

“But still…”

“I’m not coming. I’m going home.”

“Fine.”

Chae Nayun left with a pout. Then my smartwatch suddenly rang.

[Here’s my account number. I’ll pay you back as soon as possible.]

It came from Tomer. I had written a promissory note for her before we went on the trip. I even added a magic power contract to it. I transferred the money to her account through my smartwatch.

“Hey.”

Then I called Chae Nayun. She turned back with a mischievous grin on her face.

“Yeah? You’re coming, right?”

“No, tell the others that I’m going back.”

“…”

Her face crumpled like an ugly newspaper.

“See you later.”

I received an alert from Violet Banquet. Tomer immediately paid, which would be converted into points and transferred to me when I gave her the information. I sent Tomer what I found out.

[Fernin Jesus changed his name to Agus Benjamin…]

I wrote the reply as I descended the mountain. Then I received another message when I arrived at the foot of the mountain and took out my bike.

[Thank you so much for today.] [It feels like I received something precious.] [I’ll treat you to something good later ^-^]

It came from Chae Nayun.

“She sure sounds happy.”

I wondered what she saw and replied with a smile.

[Sure.]

***

I returned to Cube at 7 P.M. Only 7 hours had passed even though I spent 90 days in the past.

“Uuk.”

I stretched and took in the ocean breeze at Cube’s central park. I felt relaxed for some reason. This place felt like home now. I turned on my smartwatch as I walked to the dorm.

[Blessing in Disguise has increased your stats by 0.005 points!] [Blessing in Disguise has increased your stats by 0.005 points!] [Blessing in Disguise has increased your stats by 0.005 points!] [Your luck has activated! All stats have increased by 0.01 points from eating food rich in mana!]

I went through the backlog of alerts from the past 90 days. Then I checked my stats.

[Strength 2.970 (+2.970)] [Stamina 2.980 (+2.980)] [Speed 4.685 (+4.685)] [Perception 5.620 (+5.620)] [Vitality 3.070 (+3.070)] [Magic power 2.005]

“Oh, I’m at full power.”

The numbers in parenthesis represented the temporary stat boosts from energy conversion. It filled up to 100% thanks to living in a rich mana area for such a long time. Looking at the numbers made me happy.

“Hm?”

Someone ran towards me from the distance. A blonde girl wearing headphones, a sweatshirt, and sweatpants. I doubted my eyes when I spotted Rachel.

“What’s up with the color of those sweats?”

She wore spinach-green sweatpants with a bright blue sweatshirt. She dressed well for the karaoke, so did she just put on whatever for running? I never made such a setting, so I didn’t know. I had written that she grew up in a sheltered environment, but that was obvious for a princess. Rachel slowed as she saw me.

“Hello.”

I lightly bowed when she arrived. She took off her headphones and smiled.

“It’s been a while, Rachel.”

“Yes.”

“Did you come back from England?”

“Yes.”

“Ah.”

I planned to head off since I didn’t have much to say, but her sweats kept bugging me. I coughed and carefully asked, “Do you usually wear sweats when you run?”

“Yes? Ah.” Rachel seemed embarrassed and shyly asked, “Are they okay?”

“Huh?”

“Well, um, this is a bit embarrassing, but I’ve never chosen my own clothes before. My attendant usually picks them out.”

Rachel spun as if to show off her clothes, but they looked too unfashionable.

“I’m putting more effort into choosing my clothes since I’ll be an adult soon.”

She sounded unconfident, and rightly so. I scratched my neck and muttered, “Um, I think you should just wear what your attendant picks out.”

“Does it stand out?”

“Yes, a lot.”

“Ah…”

She scanned her clothes before nodding. What did she plan on doing? I curiously watched.

“Ah.”

She suddenly bent down and pulled up one leg of the sweatpants. Then she looked at me for confirmation.

“How about now?”

“…”

She might’ve misunderstood what I meant by standing out. Perhaps it was her Korean.

“Just wear what your attendant suggests.”

“Mm.”

Rachel seemed disappointed and pulled up the other side of her sweatpants.

“How about…”

“Pull them both down.”

“Oh.”

Rachel pulled her sweatpants back down. I sighed and asked, “Are you out on a run?”

“Yes. You must’ve… come back from a barbershop. You have a beard now.”

“Yes? Ah, well, yeah. I’m going to buy some fried chicken.”

“Fried chicken?”

“Yes, some fried chicken, pig trotters, braised pork, and pizza.”

Rachel tilted her head as I briefly explained, “I eat a lot.”

“I see.”

Me too… Rachel murmured to herself and smiled.

“Then I’m going to keep running.”

“Yes, good night.”

Rachel went off as I headed to the cafeteria.

***

I returned home with both hands full of food, but Evandel didn’t run up to me like usual when I opened the door.

“Evandel?”

I walked into the living room feeling somewhat odd. Then the scene I saw slightly shocked me.

“The heck.”

Hayang stared at me from the top of her cat tower as Evandel slept while hugging the bottom. It looked like she tried to get Hayang to come down and fell asleep from exhaustion. Quite a chase seemed to have occurred from the mess.

"They're still fighting, huh.”

I approached Evandel with a laugh and brought a fried chicken leg to her nose. Sniff, sniff. Evandel’s nose wriggled before she opened her mouth wide. Haap— And bit down on empty air. Nyam, nyam. She frowned when she couldn’t taste anything even after chewing.

Hayang jumped from the cat tower and struck Evandel’s head. Pabat! Evandel suddenly woke up.

“Ah, aaang…”

She held her head and groaned.

“Ah!”

Then she discovered me and scurried away.

“W-What!”

“What do you mean.”

“Who, who is it?”

“It’s me. Hajin.”

“Eh?”

Evandel took a closer look with her sleepy eyes.

“Hajin?”

“Yeah, I got a haircut. Come here. I brought some fried chicken.”

“Fried chicken?”

“Some pig trotters and braised pork too.”

“Pig trotters… braised pork…”

Evandel muttered in a daze as she approached me. I knelt and held my hands out as she waddled into my embrace. I smiled and did something I always wanted to do. I rubbed my beard against her cheek.

“Ah, aak! What is it? No!”

Evandel tried to run away, but it was too late. I missed her a lot after 3 months. I continued rubbing my prickly beard against her soft skin. Evandel resisted and even tried to shove her hand into my mouth and nose, but I didn’t stop until Hayang approached us with a weird look.

“…?”

Hayang stared at the back of Evandel’s head and raised her paw. I wondered what she would do when… Thwack! Hayang smacked Evandel’s head again and ran away.

“Ahhk! Uuu… Kim Hayang! You get back here!”

Evandel furiously chased Hayang. However, Hayang instantly climbed to the peak of the cat tower.

“Uuu! Y-You…!”

Evandel shook the tower with all her strength.

“Get down, get down, get dooown here—!”

“…”

I finally understood the messy scene from before.