Ch.77Sweet Dreams

What if everything in this world were a lie? How would you feel?

Of course, everything that has happened until now is completely true. But everything right in front of my eyes is completely false.

“Hey, why the gloomy face again today?”

Cheol-su… no, a fake imitating Cheol-su spoke to me. And then something pretending to be Ju-an and Young-min approached me.

“Do you have something troubling you?”

“I think he’s like this because he’s sexually frustrated.”

Normally, I would have punched Young-min in the face. If he were real, that is.

But everything is fake. These guys, this space, even all the relationships here are fake.

In other words, I’m the only one who actually exists here. Everyone else is nothing more than puppets.

So there’s absolutely no reason to stay here. I need to leave this place immediately and return to reality.

But should I really go back to reality?

If I return to reality, this body will become weak again.

If I return to reality, I’ll have to defeat an unbeatable enemy called the Demon King.

If I return to reality, the precious friends and family I knew will disappear without a trace.

But if I stay here, I can remain as myself with this strong body.

If I stay here, I can live a safe and peaceful life without any worries.

If I continue to stay here, I can live while eternally preserving all my memories. But reality is the complete opposite.

As time passes, memories will fade. And the only way to recall those memories is through remembering.

If I had even one photo, I could remember, but in reality, there’s no trace that I came from another world.

And as time passes, my memories gradually fade. The only ways to preserve memories are through records or drawings.

But this place is different. Even if everything is fake, the people I know remain as they are. So memories can be preserved forever.

But I can’t keep dwelling in the past like this. I need to return to reality and move forward.

…But is there a reason to return to reality?

My body is weak anyway. Even if I could sacrifice my life to harm the Demon King, could I really pull the trigger in front of him?

I guarantee that even if we’re quite far apart, the Demon King would be much faster at rushing over and cutting my throat than I would be at pulling the trigger.

I don’t want to return to such a powerless reality. I just want to continue living happily here forever.

But this place is completely fake. Even if I do something, it’s just playing with puppets. Yet reality is just so uncertain.

I don’t like either option. I don’t want to stay in this world. I don’t want to go to reality either.

It would have been much better if I hadn’t known that all of this was fake.

…Come to think of it, my supernatural power allows me to use various things as bullets. Things like memories, for example.

And I could summon a gun and shoot the fact that this world is false…

…Let me think about it a bit more. I have plenty of time anyway.

So I began performing a play with the puppets.

***

After finishing today’s activities, I returned home. My honest feelings about today… I was happy.

Even though I know everything is fake, I enjoyed it. So what would happen if I shot my memories?

I want to continue dreaming that sweet dream right now. I just want to forget everything and live here as a happy fool.

But reality keeps bothering me. There are still small genuine relationships left in reality.

Everyone must be worried. I should go back and reassure them…

Honestly, I just want to ignore everything. But knowing the pain of losing someone precious, I simply can’t ignore it.

What am I supposed to do…

“Honey? Do you have something on your mind?”

A puppet imitating my mother emerged from the kitchen and asked me.

“Just… I don’t know what to do…”

Suddenly, the puppet hugged me tightly. I felt human warmth. A truly warm and gentle human warmth.

I know this is fake. Yet the puppet’s embrace was so comforting. What if I had no memories?

Anyway, the puppet patted my back as if trying to comfort me and said,

“It’s okay, everything will be fine.”

“…Mom, how would you feel if I suddenly disappeared?”

“How would you feel if your mom suddenly disappeared?”

I know the pain of losing someone precious all too well. Thanks to that, I’ve made up my mind.

“Thank you. That helped me resolve things.”

And with a bright smile, I asked the puppet… no, my mother:

“So what’s for dinner tonight?”

“Your favorite, spicy braised chicken.”

My favorite dish is being served for dinner. Home-cooked meals really are the best.

“It’s almost done, so could you set the rice on the table?”

“Sure~”

So as my mother asked, I set all the side dishes on the table, and shortly after, the spicy braised chicken arrived, giving off a delicious aroma.

And I devoured it much more ravenously than usual.

“The food isn’t going to run away, you know? Eat a little slower.”

“But today I just want to eat to my heart’s content.”

Honestly, the taste was ordinary. But it felt so delicious that I could almost cry.

“Honey? Why are you crying now?”

“I’m just… so happy…”

This moment right now is truly happy. Even though I know it’s all fake, this moment feels so good.

Alright, tomorrow morning at 11 o’clock. I’ll stay here until then as a grace period. And then I’ll return to my ordinary life.

So I spent tonight’s dinner normally and happily, just like always. As time passed, morning came.

Time really flies. It goes by so fast. Anyway, before leaving the house, I hugged my mother once more.

“I love you.”

“Why are you saying such embarrassing things?”

“I really… really love you so much. And I’ll love you forever.”

“I love you too~”

After saying goodbye, I headed to school. On my way, I met that muscular high school student I saw yesterday… no, myself.

“Hello.”

“…”

“You already know what I’m going to do anyway, right? So don’t worry about it.”

When I closed my eyes and opened them again, that annoying guy had disappeared without a trace. Anyway, as I walked, I eventually arrived at school.

“Hey. You’re here?”

“Ah, I want to have sex.”

“Are you here?”

Then I met my three precious friends. And I shouted to them with a truly energetic smile.

“I’m here!”

***

Having so much fun, it was already 11 o’clock before I knew it. Time really does fly.

“I’ll be right back. I need to go somewhere.”

And I headed to the science lab on the third floor. By the way, didn’t I say this was my ideal world?

In my ideal world’s science lab, there should be gasoline and a lighter.

When I entered the science lab, there really were gasoline and a lighter sitting there. And I poured the gasoline all over the floor.

Alright, now just the final mental preparation…

“Hey! What are you doing!”

Suddenly, Ju-an shouted urgently from behind me. This way I can’t even prepare mentally. But I guess it doesn’t matter?

“It’s time for me to wake up.”

Anyway, I lit the lighter and threw it onto the gasoline-soaked floor.

Thanks to the gasoline, the science lab burst into magnificent flames. The fire alarm began to ring loudly.

And I slowly walked to that place for the last time.

After arriving there, I stood blankly, waiting for it to come.

“Hey! What on earth are you doing!”

“It’s fun to spend time with puppets, but I prefer real people over puppets.”

“Why are you suddenly talking nonsense…”

“Do you know how painful it is to lose someone precious?”

Losing a puppet imitating someone versus losing a real precious relationship. I already know which is more painful.

“Who’s going to make breakfast for the office people if I’m gone? And without me, that damn orange-haired guy would obviously do weird things to you. So I’m going back.”

I died in a fire. And now I’ve forcibly recreated that moment.

Now I’ll die here once more. And gain a new life again.

It feels strange. Last time I struggled because I didn’t want to go to that world, but this time I’m willingly trying to go there.

Well, that world is still much better than other worlds.

“Stop talking nonsense and get out of there…”

“Oh right, in my ideal world, you survived until the end.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Ju-an ran quickly to a safe place as if possessed by something. At least I won’t have to see him die again, which is fortunate.

Anyway, I was caught in the debris of the collapsed building and died. When I opened my eyes, I saw an empty space and someone who looked exactly like me.

“I really can’t understand why you want to leave this place.”

“Because real people are better than puppets.”

“Here, you can create followers who worship you, create your ideal world, and exist as an omnipotent god. Yet you still want to leave?”

I walked toward the entity that resembled me and spoke softly.

“I didn’t come all this way just to play with mere puppets. I came here to live life with other people.”

And I summoned a gun, put it to its head, and snapped:

“So get lost right now.”

“…Ha.”

It let out a small laugh and looked at me with displeasure before speaking.

“You. You’re annoyingly similar to him.”

“Who?”

“That damn red-haired hero.”

Is it talking about Leo? Anyway, it continued with dissatisfaction:

“He also pointed his sword at me and said the same thing, that he had something he needed to do, so I should get lost.”

“Cut the crap and let me out.”

“Fine, congratulations on passing the trial. Now just get out!”

***

When I opened my eyes, my body felt suddenly heavier. My body has become pathetically weak, so this must be reality.

It was short but happy…

“…Lite?”

Ju-an spoke to me with an excessively worried voice.

“By the way, how much time has passed?”

“…57 minutes.”

“Not as much time has passed as I thought.”

I definitely spent two days and a bit more there. But in reality, only about an hour had passed.

“I’m so… so glad… you’re safe…”

Suddenly, Ju-an hugged me tightly and sobbed. This is the warmth of a real person. It’s so much better than any puppet, incomparably so.

Then suddenly Ha-eun also burst into tears and spoke.

“Senior… why did you come back so late…”

While I was confused, not understanding the situation, Tae-yang spoke with relief:

“I was really worried. I’m glad you’re okay.”

Something about the atmosphere feels strange. It’s like the atmosphere when a patient on the verge of death dramatically survives.

There’s definitely something I don’t know. Let me ask what it is.