I hurriedly went outside to check if this was my house.
It is.
This is our house.
‘Who is that? An illegal intruder?’
[Is that really your home?]
Just as I was about to question it.
Time, frozen until now, started flowing again.
A woman suddenly began screaming.
“KYAAAHHHH!!!!!! We’ve been robbed!!!!”
“Wait! Wait! Wait!”
“Honey!!! Save me!!!!!!”
“Get lost!!!! What do you think this place is!!!”
I was just as stunned by the reaction, frozen in place.
Before I knew it, the dishes and sharp objects picked up by a man started flying at me.
‘No way, FCK. Are we using Ten Thousand Flowers of Fire* here?’
[Is that also counted as an attack?]
Hyeji was standing behind me, her face filled with startled surprise at the sudden ambush.
I quickly grabbed Hyeji’s hand and pulled her away from the house.
“W-What? Shinwoo, isn’t that your house?”
“It is my house. But why are assassins over there?”
“Where should we go?”
“Somewhere no one can enter, with soundproofing, and where no one can watch!”
“……Shinwoo, asking for that all of a sudden in this situation might be a bit much?”
Hyeji muttered with her head down.
Even though her face was hidden, her ears were already flushed red, hardly distinguishable from her hair color.
Suddenly, as if she had made a firm resolve, Hyeji tried to say something.
“But if you’re okay with it, then I’m fine—”
“The police will be coming after us!!!!”
“Huh?”
At my words, Hyeji’s face instantly turned icy.
Her expression shifted from coldness to one infused with disdain,
Then she dragged me into a secluded alley and started beating me up.
“Did I teach you to be like this!!!!”
“Ow!!! Listen! Just don’t hit me!!”
“Hyeji is disappointed in you!!!!”
“I’ll explain everything!!!”
“Make your excuses in hell!!”
Her small frame held unbelievable strength.
I was helplessly beaten by Hyeji.
After some struggle, I finally managed to explain the current situation in great detail to Hyeji.
“So, that is definitely your house, but there are other people in there? Why didn’t you say that earlier?”
“……You kept cancelling my patterns of speaking.”
“Anyway, where is your house now?”
“Just a minute. Let me try to contact someone.”
I took out my phone and tried to contact my dad.
After several rings, I finally heard his voice.
“Dad, where is our house right now?”
– “……Save me.”
With that, the call ended.
I tried to call several times, but he didn’t pick up anymore.
So this time, I switched targets and dialed my mom.
After several rejected calls, I finally got through to my mom.
However.
“Mom, our house—”
– “Hang up.”
Before I could finish my sentence, the call was disconnected.
I tried again, but all I heard was the ‘power off’ notification.
‘…….Am I even her child?’
[You weren’t definitely picked up off the streets.]
Hyeji looked at me with worried eyes as I continued failing to make contact.
“Shinwoo, you do have a house, right? Is there someone you can contact?”
“Ah! Wait! There’s one more place!”
I recalled Ryu Kang-hyuk and quickly attempted the call.
This time the phone rang once, and it connected immediately.
“Uncle! Do you know where our house is?”
– “That’s next to my place, just wait! Some crazy lady has come to find me!”
“Must be Professor Kim Ji-sun.”
[Finally, it’s time to face the consequences.]
‘Why did I invest in Elf Coin instead of Esily Coin in the first place?’
“Just open the door already. And quickly send me the address.”
– “No, F*CK! The door’s split in half! Just wait! I’ll send it soon!”
I faintly heard, ‘Give me my money back, you son of a b*tch!’ through the phone.
Then came the sound of glass shattering.
That ended our call.
“……I’m going crazy.”
“……Shinwoo, if you have nowhere to go, do you want to come to my house?”
“Should I? I feel a bit sorry about it.”
“It’s fine! We have plenty of empty rooms, so come over without any burden!”
Hyeji flashed a bright smile as if offering a favor.
For some reason, that look seemed to radiate some sticky desire.
Then, at that moment.
“Uh? I got the address of our house.”
“F*CK, the timing for this is unbelievable!!!!”
I received the address from Ryu Kang-hyuk.
Hyeji, who had started getting angry.
Ignoring Hyeji’s rising rage, I checked the address.
“It’s a bit far, but we can walk there?”
[Is this truly the right location now that you’ve walked there?]
‘This time it’s real for sure.’
Then Hyeji reached out her hand, asking for the address as if she hoped I’d provide the wrong one.
“Shinwoo, let me see it once.”
I handed my phone over to show her the address.
Then Hyeji took out her phone and started comparing something.
With a sigh filled with disappointment from Hyeji.
“Hah. This is near our house.”
“Really? Then let’s go.”
“Sigh. Fine. It’s not too far, so let’s quickly head over.”
At that moment, we heard sirens nearby.
“……”
“……”
“Should we run?”
“……Yeah.”
It was a short conversation, but it was enough.
Without any further dialogue, we took off towards the address we had just received.
Avoiding the sirens just in case.
That day, a wanted notice was issued in the neighborhood where I used to live.
It was for a suspicious person who was going around unlocking doors while carrying a boy dressed as a girl.
*
“This time it’s for real, right?”
“I hope it really is.”
[This body is also getting tired.]
‘It better be for real, F*CK.’
We finally arrived home, avoiding the police car.
Of course, the road here wasn’t easy.
Especially at the park.
“You crazy bastard! We don’t have time, why are you fighting?”
“I’m not! That guy started it!”
[You know, I also think you’re being a bit extreme.]
‘If you get confronted, you’re supposed to fight back, not avoid it.’
Are you just going to lower your head and walk away if someone starts trouble?
That’s a perfect sweet potato moment.
But Hyeji seemed oblivious to my thoughts, shouting loudly.
“No! Why are you barking just because that dog is barking!!!”
“He called me a dog-headed idiot!!!”
[……Why can you understand that?]
‘If I listen with my heart, I can hear it.’
Hyeji grasped her head, letting out a deep sigh as if my actions were pitiful.
But.
“Please don’t get angry over that kind of thing.”
“And why are your arms in your chest?!”
“Where’s that f*cking dog!!!!!!!!”
Suddenly, our attitudes flipped in an instant.
Hyeji turned to chase after the dog.
Her strong will made it hard to persuade her to stop.
Anyway, we looked up at the building where we finally arrived.
“So this is the place?”
“Yeah, that’s right? It’s my first time in an apartment.”
The place Ryu Kang-hyuk sent was a five-year-old apartment.
It wasn’t brand new, but it was well-maintained, with not a single dirty spot in sight.
Not even one rusted playground in the area where kids were playing.
After wandering a bit around the apartment complex, we finally arrived at the door.
“Shinwoo, to be honest, I’m really not sure about this.”
“This time it is right.”
Hyeji was anxious about whether this house was really the correct one upon arrival.
However, I was certain.
For one, the door next door was split in half.
‘This is on the 12th floor; I think it was from when I jumped down earlier, right?’
[If you hadn’t died, they wouldn’t have sent the address, would they? Let’s go in.]
A house I’d never seen before.
Of course, I had no idea about the password.
The only option left was mindlessly ringing the doorbell.
After ringing several times, the iron door still showed no signs of opening.
I didn’t want to use my fists, but the situation left me no choice.
In the end, I knocked on the door and used my signature move.
“Delivery!”
“Yes! Coming out!”
The door swung open.
A woman appeared.
She looked younger than her age, with long, black hair tied lightly at the end.
It had been six months since I last saw her, but she hadn’t changed at all.
Yeah.
It was my mom.
Considering she was at home, she wore very light clothing.
The moment I saw her familiar face, I tried to greet her.
“Mom, I’m back—”
But she immediately tried to close the door.
However, that was not happening.
I was raised by such a mom.
In an instant, I wedged my foot in to prevent the door from shutting.
Then, I desperately tried to initiate a conversation as mom attempted to shut it.
“No! F*CK! Open up! Your son is back, why are you acting like this!”
“He should still be at the academy! What nonsense are you babbling, you impostor!!”
“I’m on break! F*CK, I said it’s break time!!!”
“…..Huh? Really?”
After many back-and-forth exchanges, the door finally opened.
“Looking closely, it seems our dog-like son is indeed back.”
“……How great it would have been if you had confirmed that just earlier.”
“Quickly come in, bugs will get in.”
Then mom’s gaze shifted to Hyeji.
“Oh? Who’s behind you?”
“Uh, um, hello! I’m Hyeji Kim, a friend from Shinwoo’s class!”
Hyeji stammered nervously as she introduced herself, looking like an unfinished robot equipped with developing AI.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Shinwoo’s mom. Just call me ‘mother’ comfortably.”
“Yes, Mother!”
“Shinwoo really brought a pretty girl home, huh?”
At that comment, Hyeji’s eyes went wide.
“Am I… Really seen as a girl?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Are you a boy or something?”
“No! No! I’m just so moved by this… sniff sniff.”
Tears welled up in Hyeji’s eyes.
It seemed she was deeply touched to finally meet someone who recognized her as a woman.
‘Who on earth would mistake such a delicate girl for a boy?’
[……Are you truly a human?]
Mom gently comforted Hyeji, bringing her into the house.
Then, she quickly shut the door as if to prevent any bugs from getting in.
Perfect.
If only I hadn’t been left outside.
“Let me in, F*CK!!!!!!!!!!!”
*
Thirty minutes later, the door opened cautiously.
And it wasn’t even opened by Mom.
It was Hyeji, who regained her senses, opening it for me.
‘Um… I’m really your son, right?’
[….Even I’m getting confused now.]
As soon as I entered the house, the smell of cooked food stimulated my senses.
It must have been meal time.
And I spotted my dad sitting at the table.
However.
“Shinwoo… You’re back.”
He didn’t look too well.
In the past, he had a sturdy, muscular build with a bit of fluff.
But now it was quite different.
He looked very slim, his face gaunt to the point where I could see his cheekbones.
The only part that resembled his old self was his slightly graying hair.
Fortunately, there was no sign of balding.
‘What a relief. Really, what a relief.’
[This really gets a thumbs up. Congrats, indeed.]
The entire house felt different now.
But the biggest change was this.
“….Why is there a dog here?”
“I got it from a friend this time.”
A chihuahua.
With 50% hatred and 50% trembling.
That chihuahua was running around in our house.
Seeing that, Hyeji slightly showed her fear.
“Shinwoo? Aren’t chihuahuas usually aggressive? I’m not saying anything bad about your dog.”
“I get it! But it’s not always like that.”
I slowly reached out my hand towards the trembling chihuahua.
I didn’t know if the tremors came from anger or fear, but.
“The aggression of a dog has nothing to do with its breed.”
“What then?”
“It depends on the trainer—”
– CRUNCH!!!!
The chihuahua bit my hand and attempted a death roll.
The tremors were definitely fueled by rage.
“Chihuahuas are the most annoying type of dogs.”
[There’s a hole in my palm.]
‘Ah, F*CK.’
