Is This... an Isekai?
I scribbled words into the notebook.
Yoo Min-ho. 31 years old.
Why I've ended up here—To retrace my own story, I write this.
I was jotting this down to grasp my current situation. Only by putting it into words and reading them back would I truly get a handle on things. Otherwise, it all felt like a dream. Just like writing down the details of a dream I'd had...
I laid out the rough outline of my life. My parents' deaths. My marriage promise with my girlfriend. And... the events leading up to her abandoning me. Seeing it all written out made it hit home even harder that I hadn't died. Strangely, though, putting it on paper didn't bring tears. It was like reading about some pathetic third party's life—nothing personal. But this was reality. Not some isekai reincarnation or body warp... This was my story.
Abandoned by the girlfriend I trusted, I threw myself into the Han River to end it all.
But my suicide attempt failed.
I lost consciousness but didn't die. Revival... I guess that's what you'd call it.
I closed the notebook after writing that much. For the past few days, I'd been in the hospital, doing little things the medical staff asked as time passed. Soon enough, I could move my arms again, walk on my legs—no big deal. I'd just drowned in the river current; no limbs blown off or anything. Maybe it was natural to recover so smoothly. I had zero medical knowledge, of course—just a vague hunch.
Days like that went by, and before long, the day came for a proper sit-down with my attending physician.
"Nice to meet you, Min-ho. I've been counting down the moments to talk with you like this. Haha."
He sat before me with a warm, genuine smile. Well... after seeing me lie there dependent on an oxygen mask for so long, spotting me upright and healthy now would shock anyone. I got why his face was flushed with excitement. He knew my name? In a country that mandates fingerprinting every citizen, no big surprise.
Anyway, to fully accept what I still couldn't wrap my head around, I asked him again.
"Um... I've asked a few times already, but I have another question."
"No worries at all. Ask away."
Since he'd said that, I didn't hesitate to voice that question once more.
"Today... it's March 15, 20XX, right?"
"Yes, it is."
What I couldn't believe was that the year was already 20XX. A full year after my suicide attempt. From plunging into the Han River to regaining consciousness—over a year had slipped by. Accepting the calendar when I first spotted it had been brutal.
Not only did I fail to die, but I'd lost a whole year of my life in the process.
Some might say, "Hey, you woke up after a year—that's a win." But honestly? Not my problem. Yeah, I'd spent that year-plus in a coma. Up until now, I hadn't accepted it. Dream? Post-death hallucination? I'd been dodging reality like that. But it was time to face facts. Now it made sense why moving my arm to press a button had been such a chore at first. A body idle for a year would struggle with basics, right?
"And one more thing I've asked before... about the medical bills. I don't have that kind of money."
Having accepted I'd woken after a year, next up: the bills. Keeping someone alive with treatments for a year? That had to cost a fortune—way beyond my imagination. I'd blown every penny on stupid crap before trying to end it, so this worried me even more than the lost time.
My doctor flashed the same refreshing smile as last time.
"No charge. We only wanted to save a life. Just having this chat with you safe and sound is thanks enough."
"...This is really, truly the last time I'll ask. The bills—"
"Don't worry about it."
"........."
I'd even skimmed the question during rounds before. Same vague dodges: "We'll handle it later," or "No need to think about it." Looked like he had zero intention of charging me. This massive hospital was his anyway, as the director. Private room? He could swing that. But the costs... How could he so casually say no payment needed? I had to wonder.
Then he eyed my expression, nodded, and asked,
"Feeling weird about the free treatment? Like, we saved your life and want nothing in return... Suspicious, right?"
"...Spot on."
I didn't beat around the bush. I was too old to blindly trust selfless kindness. Couldn't just chalk it up to him being some hero.
"Well... this is kinda forcing my story on you."
He paused, wistful, then spoke. Guess he was sharing his backstory. I wasn't dying of curiosity about his life, but if it explained the freebie, I'd listen.
"I lost my little brother in the Han River. He jumped in too. We fished him out somehow, but... I was too slow once, mishandled it."
Turns out, after his brother, he patrolled the Han regularly, rescuing jumpers. He'd spotted me mid-dive, no hesitation, and rushed in. As a hospital-owning doctor, he had EMT connections for quick response—my guess. He didn't drone on about the rescue details. He'd saved plenty this way, but I was the one who'd taken the longest to wake up.
"I see."
"So really, no need to fret over costs. Not planning to sell my sob story or anything. Just you knowing is enough."
"........."
Was now the time for "Thank you"? It didn't come easy. Sure, I was glad to be alive—somewhat. I'd jumped to die, but that final moment? Regret hit. Still... everything precious was long gone. What joy was left in this life? Girlfriend who'd ditched me, every saved cent squandered—what now?
"...Min-ho."
Noticing my mood, he broke the heavy silence.
"I don't know what led you there, and I'm not here to pry or judge. But..."
He took my hand in both of his.
"Since you're here, think of it as a second chance. I know, life's what you fled—might sound hollow. But please, stick around a bit longer. This world could surprise you, flow better than you think."
This world. Back when I first woke, I'd been disappointed it wasn't isekai. Silly fantasy, sure, but dying, comatizing a year, then walking and talking fine? Equally absurd. Maybe... this was like isekai. A fresh start. Blank slate, new page.
"...Got it. Thank you."
I finally voiced the words I'd never said aloud. He nodded vigorously, like that sealed it.
A few days later, I fast-tracked discharge. No bill or not, lingering when healthy felt off. Docs and nurses wanted observation since I'd just woken, but I pushed to leave—they relented. Discharge day arrived. Time for final goodbyes with the doctor who'd cared for me.
"Take care, Min-ho. Live this new life your way—I'll always root for you."
I bowed deeply, no big reply. Yeah. Not isekai, but I'd died and come back. At first, I cursed failing death. Now? Maybe it wasn't my time. If so, why not keep going? Future's murky, sure—but breathing means options.
I bid farewell to the doctor and nurses I'd grown a bit close to, then hurried back to my old nest.