Ding dong
[The era of stars has ended, but the souls of the girls who lived in the time of destruction had nowhere to rest.]
[Thus, the goddess created a place for their souls to return in a different universe.]
[A new bond forged in a slightly altered world.]
“…So, on March 1st, some hundreds of bikers got caught, you see? Seriously, if I were them, I’d be all anxious and yet these silly kids are just riding around on motorcycles.”
“I really can’t understand why they do that.”
“Our Hyeonwoo wouldn’t do something like that, though.”
A sudden cold snap hit during early spring.
There was a vehicle driving down a narrow road in a small city in Gyeonggi-do. Since it wasn’t a road commonly used by neighborhood people, Sim Do-yoon, the owner of a repair shop, kept a loose grip on the wheel even when approaching an intersection.
The road was slightly obscured by illegally parked cars, causing everyone to cruise along rather slowly. Unless someone lost their mind and sped, you could just hear the sounds of cars and safely hit the brakes whenever you needed.
“Our Hyeonwoo always sleeps once he gets in the car.”
“That’s why he doesn’t get car sick, right?”
“True that.”
Sim Do-yoon chuckled as he caught a glimpse of the boy sleeping in the back through the rearview mirror. It was hard to believe his son, who had just been in kindergarten not too long ago, was now a full elementary school student.
“Time really flies; it feels like just yesterday our Hyeonwoo was born and crying.”
The moment was peaceful as the family’s cozy conversation continued, right before reaching the intersection.
Flash!
The boy sleeping in the back, Sim Hyeonwoo, opened his eyes. The quiet child, who had never raised his voice until now, yelled with all his might.
“Dad, stop the car!!!”
“What?!”
“STOP THE CAR!!!”
“Wha—?! Hyeonwoo!! That’s dangerous!!”
Hyeonwoo, gripping tightly onto his father’s shoulder, was causing quite the commotion. Sim Do-yoon and his wife, Gu Seon-young, sitting in the front, looked as if their souls had left their bodies from the sudden outburst of their son, making Sim Do-yoon wonder if something was wrong with the boy, so he slammed the brakes.
SCREECH!
“Hyeonwoo! That’s dangerous! What are you…!”
VROOOOM!!
In that moment, a vehicle roared past Sim Do-yoon’s car at the intersection, creating an incredible racket. It was Mr. Kim’s taxi, which often popped by the repair shop, begging for a free engine oil change.
BANG—!!
The taxi sped through the intersection as if it were out of its mind, narrowly skimming past Sim Do-yoon’s car, and collided with a house wall in the distance, producing a terrifying crash sound.
THUD!
SCREEEEECH!!
On that peaceful weekday afternoon, the sudden deafening noise startled people peering out of their windows, while Sim Do-yoon broke a cold sweat, realizing he could have had an accident with his regular customer.
SCREECH!
A military vehicle coming from the opposite direction halted abruptly due to the sudden chaos caused by the rogue taxi. The forty-something soldier in the front seat and the young driver were both wide-eyed and frozen in shock.
‘Were there soldiers involved in this accident?’
As per Hyeonwoo’s recollection, the only vehicles involved in this intersection accident were his family’s car and the taxi, and he had never seen a military vehicle approach this area before.
“……”
“……”
“Phew.”
His heart was racing.
If he had woken up just 10 seconds later,
he wouldn’t have been able to prevent the accident.
But he did.
Hyeonwoo’s new life began when he prevented an accident that would have caused a disability for his mother.
‘I’ve…come back!!’
On a winter day at the age of 27.
In a moment when he thought that life never flowed as one wished, he died in a cold alley, having closed his eyes that day.
He returned to twenty years ago.
Hyeonwoo looked up at his father with a surprised face and spoke softly.
“Dad.”
“Uh, huh?”
“I’m glad to see you. I missed you.”
“What? Hyeonwoo, are you shocked because of the accident?”
“No, I was just saying.”
Hyeonwoo reached out to touch his longing father’s shoulder, which he could no longer do after the funeral, and he glanced at his mother, who was sitting there with wide, surprised eyes. His mother had barely any wrinkles on her face, and her legs were stretched out straight.
His parents looked much younger than he remembered them in his late twenties.
The early 2000s atmosphere, where smartphones couldn’t be found anywhere.
‘I’m…back. For real.’
A sudden return to life.
A second chance.
Whether it was a miracle of God or just a delusion before dying,
Hyeonwoo vowed he would lead a happy life.
His father dashed toward the smoking taxi that had just crashed, and the middle-aged soldier who got out of the military vehicle exchanged glances with him. They managed to pry open the crumpled car door and pulled out the drunken Mr. Kim, who was still dazed.
“Ugh…”
Maybe it was because Mr. Kim fastened his seatbelt with the last bit of rationality left, but he was unharmed and simply unable to hold himself up due to his intoxication.
Sim Do-yoon and the soldier looked at him with stern faces. Both men considered scolding him but figured it would just be a waste of energy to yell at someone who wasn’t even conscious. They each picked up their phones to call for emergency services or to clean up after the accident.
As the emergency vehicle transported Mr. Kim and the police arrived to investigate the scene, the two middle-aged men who had worked well together during the recovery process seemed deeply impressed by one another’s performance, shaking hands and laughing heartily.
“I’m Sim Do-yoon, the owner of a repair shop in this neighborhood.”
“I’m Colonel Park Cheol-yeon, and I just moved here as the commander of the nearby unit.”
The local repairman, who was the life of the party, and Colonel Park, who had just been promoted to his position and moved in next door, became drinking buddies through this ridiculous incident. When they found out that Colonel Park’s new house was right next to Sim Do-yoon’s, they even developed a brotherly relationship.
“What? Really? Our daughter Saebyeok is the same age as Hyeonwoo!”
“Wow, that’s crazy. It seems like you and I have some connection. Our kids are the same age.”
“Hahaha! I had no idea I’d find good neighbors in this unfamiliar place, especially since I didn’t know anyone.”
Clink!
With cheers resonating from clinking glasses, the two men became brothers.
“Let’s even consider becoming in-laws!”
“Sure thing!! Brother!! Let’s keep this going till the end!!”
Two weeks after the accident, the oath of brotherhood made under drunkenness led Hyeonwoo to gain a childhood friend he’d never remembered before.
The next day, feeling utterly hungover, his father pushed him toward Colonel Park’s house.
“Uh, hello.”
“…….”
A girl wearing a toy helmet and holding a plastic K2 rifle was staring at the boy who had suddenly come to visit next door with suspicion.
Park Saebyeok aimed her toy gun at him. “Stop! Hands up! Move and I’ll shoot!”
Whoa, this kid is pretty serious.
Hyeonwoo couldn’t help but smirk at the memories of military life that flashed back to him.
“Barley!”
“Rice!”
Maybe the secret password was a match, as Saebyeok’s eyes widened in realization.
Hyeonwoo found the strict appearance of the girl dressed like a toy soldier oddly adorable.
‘She looks like she’s just asking to be teased.’
Recalling the promise made in the drunken haze between his father and Colonel Park, he felt a wave of mischief wash over him.
“Who, who are you?!”
“Your future husband!”
“Wha—?!”
Saebyeok’s face flushed bright red.
Clack!
Clack!
The plastic rifle trembled in embarrassment and made noises.
Disarmed!
The little soldier protecting the household in place of her drunken father fell victim to a sudden strike.
Feeling ticklish from the daring boy’s antics, Saebyeok’s mother, who was bringing over snacks and juice, watched the unexpected situation unfold with a beaming smile.
“Wh-wh-what’s your business?!”
“I came to be friends before we get engaged!!”
“Hii?! I-I-I need to check your ID! Move two steps to the side!!”
Hyeonwoo took two steps closer to Saebyeok.
Saebyeok stepped three steps away from Hyeonwoo.
The two kids, one drifting further away and the other creeping closer, soon found themselves entirely in the living room, with Saebyeok covering her face with her helmet.
“Ah?! Don’t come closer!! I’m issuing…!”
“Saebyeok.”
“Uh, yeah?”
Hyeonwoo stopped teasing and reached out his hand toward the girl in this unfamiliar reality who granted him such cute play.
Saebyeok felt something strange as she watched that hand.
‘This kid is weird.’
This strange boy accepted her toy soldier game, something no other kids had ever done, and unexpectedly led the situation in a surprising direction. But it was because of him that Saebyeok’s soldier game finally came to life.
“I’m Sim Hyeonwoo. Nice to meet you. Let’s be friends.”
“Okay, Hyeonwoo.”
This was the first time someone other than her father accepted Saebyeok’s toy soldier game.
The suspicious stranger that invaded her home.
That boy boldly entered not just Park Saebyeok’s house.
Thump, thump.
Though he wasn’t running a marathon, Hyeonwoo’s heart was racing uncontrollably, invaded by that suspicious individual.
Saebyeok couldn’t quite understand what it was yet.
‘This kid is really strange.’
—
“Dad, from now on, don’t EVER sell the stocks I recommend, just keep them tucked away in your pockets.”
“…Uh, okay.”
“Just trust me, Dad.”
“The world… Oh boy.”
“Did you go for your health check-up?”
“Uh, yeah. They said there was nothing wrong.”
Sim Do-yoon was completely buying into what his middle school son was saying now.
Stocks that seemed to rise every time they were invested.
A keen eye predicting economic issues compared to natural disasters.
A boy foreseeing international policies and real estate trends.
‘My son has a talent for investing!’
The sight of a boy holding hands with a girl of the same age while running around the neighborhood and then returning home like a possessed shaman, spilling economic information, sent chills down Sim Do-yoon’s spine.
Especially since that information was always eerily accurate.
While Hyeonwoo’s childhood friend Saebyeok and other kids were studying diligently, he would always spread out foreign and economic newspapers, sketching out the future with a red pen.
‘Who knew things would turn out like this?’
Starting from first grade, Hyeonwoo occasionally contributed bone-chilling predictions to children’s newspapers, catching media attention, and the genius boy’s future forecasts briefly became a hot topic in South Korea. Through the advertising money earned at that time, he aggressively invested.
Initially skeptical, Sim Do-yoon followed that red line drawn by his son.
“Dad doesn’t really know much about investing.”
“Just trust me, okay?”
“Ugh, I’m not sure if this is right.”
He was right.
Now, they had moved from a shabby neighborhood to an apartment in the city center.
The remaining money invested in land was surging in value at a frightening pace, and small buildings in the little-known Seoul commercial district had transformed into shopping centers.
Sim Do-yoon had already amassed enough wealth that he could live without running the repair shop anymore, yet he still wanted to remain engaged with his neighbors as a local.
Ding dong!
With newspapers spread out in the living room, the sound of the doorbell rang in the ears of the father and son who were hatching a plan.
“Your wife is here.”
“Come on, that was just something I said when we were kids.”
“What’s a middle school kid gonna do about that…”
Beep beep beep beep!
Click!
As Saebyeok burst in without hesitation, Hyeonwoo shrugged, clearly at a loss.
“Why ring the bell if you’re just going to type in the code?”
“Well, I thought it’d be polite to let the people inside know.”
“Good grief.”
“…Is it bad that I came?”
“Not at all.”
“……”
Sim Do-yoon patted his son’s back before whispering in his ear.
“Anyone can tell that you wanted her to come in. Treat her well while you’re dating; otherwise, she will throw it back in your face later.”
“Why are you overreacting, Dad?”
“You little punk.”
Tap!
Sim Do-yoon playfully patted his son’s head and headed towards the repair shop while clutching investment information tightly.
“Take your time.”
“Yes, sir.”
Peeking back at Park Saebyeok, who he could now see as his daughter-in-law, Sim Do-yoon left the house with a happy smile.
Hyeonwoo, even though he was still distracted by the newspapers and economic journals, noticed Saebyeok sitting right next to him without a problem. Saebyeok felt a bit forlorn by Hyeonwoo’s indifference but couldn’t help her heart racing at this dependable boy who seemed so much more grown-up than the loud, reckless boys in her neighborhood.
“…Should I peel an apple for you?”
“Uh? Yeah.”
“Okay.”
Completely at ease, Saebyeok fetched a plate, an apple, and a peeler, then began peeling it next to Hyeonwoo.
Scrape, scrape.
Scooping quick glances of what Hyeonwoo was reading, she noticed he was looking at foreign news.
Hyeonwoo often traveled abroad with his father for investment purposes.
“Where are you going this time?”
“Yeah.”
“Where?”
“UK, China, and Japan.”
Stiff!
The sound of the apple peeler stopped suddenly.
“When are you coming back?”
“About six months.”
“……”
Flutter.
Another page of the newspaper flipped over.
“Hyeonwoo.”
“Yeah?”
“Why do you keep going out?”
“Uhm?”
Hyeonwoo lifted his head, sensing the unusual atmosphere.
By now, Saebyeok had finished peeling all the apples.
Thud!
The sound of the knife slamming down felt unnervingly sharp.
“U-uh… It’s the global era now, and there’s not much I can do in Korea…”
“Three months.”
“Uh?”
“Three months is all I’ll give you.”
“…Okay.”
“Don’t be late.”
“Yes.”
Hyeonwoo couldn’t resist when the girl he met in this changed timeline spoke with a soldier-like authority.
So a few months later, Hyeonwoo and his father packed their travel bags and headed to Incheon Airport.
On a cold winter day, as they approached the departure gate, Saebyeok quietly whispered to Hyeonwoo,
“Always report major situations more than twice, and don’t return late.”
“Uh, yes, sir.”
“If by any chance you end up at the wrong unit—”
“Wrong unit?”
“You’ll be shot dead.”
“…Yes.”
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