Chapter 160 : Epilogue 1 [His Story] (1)

※This epilogue contains harem elements.

_

[Though the era of stars ended, there was no place for the souls of girls who lived through the time of destruction to rest.]

[So the goddess created a place for those girls in the place where the soul from another universe would return.]

[Another connection continued in a slightly different world.]

“…So on March 1st, hundreds of these biker gang members were caught. Geez. The country’s in turmoil and these thoughtless kids are just riding around on motorcycles.”

“I really can’t understand why they do that.”

“But our Hyun-woo wouldn’t do such things.”

A cold spring when cold snaps occasionally hit.

There was a vehicle driving on a narrow road in a provincial city in Gyeonggi Province. Because it was a road not often used by people who weren’t locals even normally, Manager Shim Do-yoon who ran a repair shop maintained a somewhat relaxed vigilance even when approaching intersections.

Because it was a road where the view was slightly blocked by illegally parked cars, everyone usually drove slowly. Unless one lost their mind and sped, it was a place where you could just apply the brakes after hearing the sound of cars.

“Our Hyun-woo falls asleep as soon as he gets in a car.”

“That’s good, he doesn’t even get carsick that way.”

“That’s true.”

Shim Do-yoon glanced at the boy sleeping in the back through the rearview mirror after returning from the elementary school entrance ceremony and chuckled.

His son who was attending kindergarten until recently has suddenly become an elementary school student.

“Time really flies, it feels like just yesterday that our Hyun-woo was born crying.”

With such cozy family conversation, they were approaching an intersection.

Flash

The boy sleeping in the back, Shim Hyun-woo, opened his eyes. And the boy who had never shouted once until now shouted with all his might.

“Dad, stop the car!!!”

“What?!”

“Stop!!! The car!!!”

“Uwah?! Hyun-woo!! It’s dangerous!!”

Hyun-woo’s rampage gripping his father’s shoulder tightly.

Manager Shim Do-yoon and his wife Gu Seon-young sitting in the front seats had expressions like their souls were about to leave their bodies at their son’s sudden rampage. Finally, Manager Shim Do-yoon applied the brakes, wondering if his son was sick somewhere.

Screech

“Hyun-woo! It’s dangerous! What are you…!”

Whoosh!!

At that moment, a vehicle making a roaring sound passed in front of Manager Shim Do-yoon’s car that had stopped right in front of the intersection. It was the vehicle of Taxi Driver Kim who often visited the repair shop and begged for free engine oil changes.

Vroooom―!!

The taxi that passed through the intersection at a seemingly insane speed narrowly brushed past Manager Shim’s car and made a chilling collision sound crashing into a residential wall in the distance.

Boom!

Screech!!

On a peaceful weekday afternoon, people startled by the sudden roar poked their heads out of residential windows, and Manager Shim Do-yoon broke out in a cold sweat at the thought that he could have had an accident with his regular customer.

Screech!

A military vehicle 1 coming from the opposite side of the intersection also stopped in surprise due to the taxi’s sudden reckless driving. The 40-something soldier and young driver sitting in the front seat were frozen with wide eyes.

‘Was there a soldier at this accident too?’

In Shim Hyun-woo’s memory, the accident at this intersection only involved Hyun-woo’s family’s car and the taxi colliding, and he was seeing the vehicle carrying soldiers for the first time.

“…”

“…”

“Phew.”

His heart was pounding hard.

If he had woken up just 10 seconds later.

He might not have been able to prevent the accident.

But he prevented it.

Hyun-woo’s new life began by preventing the accident that would have caused his mother’s disability.

‘I’ve… returned!!’

On a winter day at age 27.

Thinking that life never flows as one wishes, he closed his eyes in a cold alley that day.

He had regressed 20 years from that day.

Hyun-woo spoke in a low voice to his father looking ahead with a surprised face.

“Dad.”

“Y-Yes?”

“I’m glad to see you. I missed you.”

“What? Hyun-woo, are you like this because you’re shocked from the accident?”

“No, I just said it.”

Hyun-woo touched his father’s shoulder again, which he couldn’t touch anymore after cremation… and looked once at his mother sitting with surprised rabbit eyes. There were few wrinkles on his mother’s face, and both her legs were stretched out straight.

Parents much younger than 20-something Hyun-woo’s memories.

The atmosphere of the early 2000s where smartphones couldn’t be found.

‘I’ve… returned. Really.’

A life he suddenly returned to.

A second chance.

Whether it’s a miracle from God, or a delusion dreamed right before death.

Hyun-woo resolved to live a happy life no matter what.

His father running towards the smoking taxi that caused the accident and the 40-something soldier who got out of the military vehicle exchanged glances. Then the two of them barely opened the crumpled car door and pulled out Mr. Kim who was so drunk he couldn’t come to his senses.

“Urgh…”

Perhaps because he had fastened his seatbelt with his last remaining reason in the driver’s seat, Mr. Kim was just unable to control his body due to drunkenness without a single injury.

Manager Shim Do-yoon and the 40-something soldier hardened their faces seeing that pathetic sight. Both of them were about to shout something, but thinking it would be a waste of energy to yell at a drunk person who couldn’t even come to his senses. They just called 119 or took care of the aftermath of the accident.

The scene where an ambulance transported Mr. Kim and a police car approached to investigate the incident.

The two middle-aged men who had worked well together in handling the accident seemed deeply impressed by each other’s actions, as they shook hands and laughed heartily.

“I’m Manager Shim Do-yoon who runs a vehicle repair shop in this neighborhood.”

“I’m Lieutenant Colonel Park Cheol-yeon who’s become the battalion commander at the base nearby.”

Manager Shim, a native and well-connected person in this neighborhood, and Lt. Col. Park who had just been promoted to battalion commander and moved in became drinking buddies through this absurd happening. After finding out that Lt. Col. Park’s house he moved into was next door, they even became close enough to call each other “brother”.

“What? Really? Your daughter Saebyeok is the same age as our Hyun-woo!”

“Wow, really. It seems Brother and I have some fate. Even our children’s ages are the same.”

“Hahaha! I was feeling lonely in an unfamiliar neighborhood with no one I knew, but I didn’t expect to gain such a good neighbor.”

Clink

With clinking glasses, the two men became brothers.

“Let’s become in-laws while we’re at it!!”

“Let’s do it!! Brother!! Let’s go all the way!!”

Two weeks after the accident, along with the sworn brotherhood ceremony of two men whose whole bodies had turned completely red from drinking, Hyun-woo gained a childhood friend he didn’t have in his memories.

The next day, pushed by his father who was in tatters from a hangover, he went to Lt. Col. Park’s house.

“He-Hello.”

“…”

A girl wearing a toy helmet sold somewhere, holding a plastic K2 rifle.

Park Saebyeok aimed her toy gun warily at the boy who had suddenly come to play from next door.

“Stop stop stop. Hands up. I’ll shoot if you move.”

No, this kid is quite FM.

Hyun-woo couldn’t help but laugh as military life suddenly came to mind.

“Barley!”

“Rice!”

Her eyes widened as if the guessed password was correct.

Hyun-woo somehow found the pedantic appearance of the girl dressed like a toy soldier cute.

‘She really looks like she wants to be teased.’

Remembering the promise his father and Lt. Col. Park had made while drunk, he felt like playing a prank.

“Wh-Who are you?!”

“Your future husband!”

“What…!?”

Saebyeok’s face turned red.

Clatter

Clatter

The plastic rifle made sounds as it shook from embarrassment.

Disarmament

The soldier protecting the house in place of the head of household who had passed out from drinking was defeated by an unexpected attack.

Perhaps feeling something ticklish from the bold boy’s prank, Saebyeok’s mother who was bringing snacks and juice watched the situation unfolding before her eyes with a big smile.

“Wh-Wh-What’s your business!!”

“I came to be friends before getting engaged!!”

“Eek?! F-F-For id-identification, move 2 steps to the side!!”

Hyun-woo took 2 steps towards Saebyeok.

Saebyeok moved 3 steps away from Hyun-woo.

Park Saebyeok slowly moving away and Shim Hyun-woo slowly approaching. The two kids soon reached the living room completely, and Saebyeok, cornered, covered her face with her helmet.

“Ah!! Don’t come!! By order of the sen-sentry…!”

“Saebyeok.”

“Y-Yes?”

Hyun-woo stopped teasing and reached out his hand to the unfamiliar girl in this new reality after he had played a cute prank.

Saebyeok felt something strange as she looked at that hand.

‘This kid is weird.’

The strange boy who skillfully played along with the soldier game that no other peers had accepted, leading the situation in an unexpected direction. But because of that boy, Saebyeok’s soldier game was completed for the first time.

“I’m Shim Hyun-woo. Nice to meet you. Let’s be close friends.”

“Okay, Hyun-woo.”

For the first time in Saebyeok’s life, someone other than her father accepted her soldier game.

The suspicious intruder who invaded her house.

That boy boldly entered not only Park Saebyeok’s house.

Thump thump

Though not running in double time, her heart was beating fiercely, invaded by the suspicious intruder.

Saebyeok didn’t realize what it was yet.

‘This kid is really weird.’

* * *

“Dad, from now on, absolutely don’t sell the stocks I tell you about, just keep them tightly in your pocket.”

“…O-Okay.”

“Just trust me, Dad.”

“G-Good heavens.”

“Did you get your health checkup?”

“Oh, yes. They said there was nothing wrong.”

Manager Shim completely trusted the words of his son who had just entered middle school.

Stocks that went up every time he picked them.

Insight predicting economic issues likened to natural disasters.

A boy prophesying international policies and real estate situations.

‘Our son had a talent for investing.’

It was chilling how the young child who ran around the neighborhood holding hands with a girl his age outside came home and spilled economic information like a possessed shaman. Moreover, that information always came true with chilling accuracy.

While other kids his age, including Hyun-woo’s childhood friend Saebyeok, opened workbooks and studied. Hyun-woo always opened foreign newspapers and economic newspapers and drew the future with one red pen.

‘I didn’t expect it would turn out like this.’

Hyun-woo had attracted media attention by occasionally submitting chilling prophecies to children’s newspapers since 1st grade elementary school, and the prodigy boy’s predictions of future trends briefly became a topic in Korea. And he aggressively invested using the various advertising fees he received then.

Manager Shim who initially followed his son’s red lines was half in doubt.

“Dad doesn’t know much about investing.”

“Just trust me, Dad.”

“Haah, I don’t know if this is right.”

It was right.

He has now moved from a shabby residential area to an apartment in the central area.

The lands he occasionally invested in with leftover money were increasing in price at a frightening rate, and small buildings in Seoul commercial districts that hadn’t received attention were transformed into shopping centers.

Though he already had enough wealth to not have to live running a repair shop in a small provincial city, Manager Shim still wanted to stay as a native interacting with neighbors.

Ding dong

The sound of the doorbell reached the ears of the Shim father and son conspiring with newspapers spread out in the living room.

“Your wife is here.”

“Come on, that was just something said when we were young.”

“A guy who’s just a middle schooler at best…”

Beep beep beep beep

Click!

Seeing Saebyeok enter without hesitation, Hyun-woo shrugged his shoulders as if dumbfounded.

“If you’re just going to enter the code, why ring the bell?”

“Well, I thought it was polite to notify the people inside.”

“Geez.”

“…Is it not okay to come?”

“That’s not it.”

“…”

Manager Shim lightly patted his indifferent son’s back and quietly whispered in his ear.

“You obviously wanted her to open it for you. Treat her well when dating, you’ll be held accountable for it later.”

“No, Dad, why are you overreacting too?”

“You brat.”

Thwack

Manager Shim lightly hit his indifferent son’s head and tried to go to the repair shop with the investment information in his arms.

“Take your time.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

Manager Shim left the house after fondly looking once at Park Saebyeok’s energetic appearance, who was already confirmed as a daughter-in-law in his heart.

Hyun-woo just rummaged through newspapers and economic journals without paying attention even as Saebyeok naturally sat down beside him. Saebyeok felt a bit disappointed by that Hyun-woo, but her heart fluttered at his reliable appearance compared to other boys her age who ran around shouting like beasts.

“…Should I peel an apple for you?”

“Huh? Oh okay.”

“Alright.”

Saebyeok, who brought a plate, apple, and fruit knife as naturally as if it were her own home, was peeling an apple beside Hyun-woo.

Scratch

Scratch

Looking at what Hyun-woo was reading out of the corner of her eye while peeling the apple, it seemed he was looking at foreign news.

Hyun-woo occasionally went abroad with his father to invest.

“Where are you going this time?”

“Yeah.”

“Where?”

“England, China, and Japan.”

Stop

The sound of peeling apples stopped.

“Until when?”

“About half a year.”

“…”

Flutter

Another page of the newspaper turns.

“Hyun-woo.”

“Yeah?”

“Why do you keep going out?”

“Huh?”

Hyun-woo raised his head at the strange atmosphere.

Saebyeok had finished peeling all the apples she brought.

Thud!

Why does the sound of the knife being put down strongly feel somehow chilling?

“Uh, well… it’s the global era now, and there’s nothing more I can do in Korea…”

“Three months.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll give you three months.”

“…Okay.”

“Don’t be late.”

“Yes.”

Hyun-woo couldn’t resist when this girl he met in the changed time spoke like a soldier.

So a few months later, Hyun-woo and his father packed their travel bags and headed to Incheon Airport.

On a cold winter day, Saebyeok quietly whispered to Hyun-woo heading to the departure lounge.

“Always report unusual situations at least twice, and don’t be late for the return time.”

“Ah, uh, yes ma’am.”

“If you go to another unit by any chance.”

“An-Another unit?”

“You will be shot dead.”

“…Yes.”