Gi-joo Kidnapping Incident 1
It felt like my first day back at school in ages, so I was leaning against the alley wall when Jong-hyuk pushed open his door. He broke into a wide grin at first, but then his face scrunched up, lost in thought.
I gave his shoulder a light tap without a word. "What's up? We're gonna be late. Time for school."
"What... Joo-in..."
"I'm fine, but it feels like forever since I've gone to school, so I don't wanna be late..."
"What? You just said you're fine, and you look the same as always."
"After two huge messes, I'm starting to feel it."
"Feel what?"
As Jong-hyuk stared at me, I grabbed his shoulder just before he could walk headfirst into a utility pole and yanked him toward me. He stammered in surprise, glanced at the pole ahead, then steadied himself and started walking forward.
"Goddamn it, you little shit... I was saying..."
The moment we got to the classroom and saw Kyung-soo, Jong-hyuk launched into a dramatic rant about what happened on the way to school. I set my bag down at my desk and wedged myself between him and Kyung-soo as they bickered like always.
"What?"
"He starts talking while we're walking, then just stops mid-sentence. Got me so curious I nearly had a close encounter with that utility pole."
"I saved you from it."
"That's what they call adding insult to injury."
"Kyung-soo and I were worried about you the whole time."
"But my parents wouldn't let me go to the funeral home..."
"Obviously."
"What's obvious about it? It's my friend's grandpa's funeral—the first time, I couldn't go either."
"It's better if you don't show up yet. Besides, your parents went."
"That's not the same."
"It is to me. And I'm just grateful Joo-shin was watching over things."
"Feels like you're treating me the same level as Joo-shin. Am I the only one?"
"Me too. Hey, you punk, what do you take us for?"
"I'll gladly accept the challenge from you innocent lambs."
They lunged at me, pissed off by my words. I dodged, weaving around desks into the hallway, and a strange tickle bubbled up from deep inside, making me burst out laughing.
My laughter only fueled their rage more. They split up, coming at me from both sides of the corridor, finally pinning me down. The weight of my emotions—too much even for my strengthened body—pressed me against the wall until I slid to the floor, still laughing.
"Stop laughing like a maniac and just tell us—are you okay?"
"That's all you've asked since morning."
"You look not okay, that's why."
"I don't know."
The fact that my father had passed was a wound dulled by time across both my original life and this regressed one. But my grandfather—someone I'd never even thought about until now—dying the day after we met? Even I couldn't gauge that weight.
"What?"
"I met my grandfather, someone I'd never known my whole life, and he died the very next day..."
"And?"
"Before I could even process that he was gone, we got swept up in an inheritance dispute..."
"What?"
I couldn't say my aunt was coveting the inheritance, so I phrased it vaguely.
"Must be a pretty big estate if there's a dispute over it."
"Not sure, but yeah. Mostly land, so they need an appraisal."
"So... you're moving?"
That seemed to be the question Jong-hyuk had been dying to ask most. His mix of anxiety and hope tugged an answer out of me before I could think.
"Moving... I dunno. Joo-shin doesn't wanna go."
"What about you?"
"Me?"
"Wouldn't it make sense for Mom and Joo-shin's health? The basement apartment's got mold and stuff—bad for the lungs. Not that I hate your place, Jong-hyuk."
"No, I want you to move."
"What?"
I stared at him in shock, and Jong-hyuk explained. "Dad said he rented it out not to make money..."
I shot Kyung-soo a glance without meaning to. He shrugged casually. "To help people with nowhere else to go."
Jong-hyuk and I exchanged bewildered looks, but Kyung-soo kept going. "That's why he was happy when I moved nearby. Got closer as friends, but then it bugged him. Even though we'd be farther if you moved, he still liked the idea."
"Dude... you talk too much..."
"I liked it too. Felt more comfortable around each other. No regrets living close to you guys—made good friends, got into studying, even gave me a goal: live like you."
"Don't wanna turn into hallway squid. Let's head out first. I'll buy from the canteen since you watched Joo-shin."
Score.
We got up in high spirits and headed to the canteen. Watching Jong-hyuk and Kyung-soo playfully shove each other, I thought: For all my regression experience, I'm learning more from them.
At the canteen, we grabbed our snacks and sat across from each other at a table. Jong-hyuk spoke up, looking concerned. "I only said move because of the neighborhood aunties gossiping—it was getting to me."
"What'd they say?"
Kyung-soo asked around a huge bite of bread.
"That your family's cursed—two big incidents in such a short time."
"What?"
Kyung-soo jumped up more shocked than me, caught stares from other kids, and sat back down awkwardly. "What kinda rumor is that?"
"They're nice, but gossip spreads fast, good or bad. Lately, entering the alley feels like no one greets me anymore, right?"
"I thought they were being careful 'cause I seemed upset..."
"Even if that's you, it bugs me when they do it to Joo-shin too."
"What? To Joo-shin?"
"Not bullying or anything, but kids pick up on adults' glances more than we think."
"Yeah..."
"That explains it."
"Guess I need to seriously think about moving."
Classless classrooms flew by faster than lectures as everyone did their own thing. "School's out already?"
"Yeah, not many days left coming here."
"Quit talking like an old man. Isn't it warmer today?"
"News said three days of mild weather—colder starting tomorrow."
"You watch the news?"
"You guys don't?"
Kyung-soo and I eyed Jong-hyuk like it was news to us.
"Dad only watches news, so that's all I see."
I'd never bothered with news even before regressing—too boring.
"Cops are around more lately, huh?"
"Huh? You know something?"
"Fake taxis everywhere, so they're patrolling to crack down. That's why we see 'em more."
"Mom says sit in the back if we take one. But when do we take taxis?"
We chatted about fake taxis until Baek-sin Elementary's front gate came into view, then picked up the pace. No Joo-shin in sight, so we cut across the playground toward the school building—we'd told him to wait in class now that it was getting cold.
Spotting us, he came running out with his bag, thud-thud-thud.
I scooped him up mid-stride like snatching a football. "No running in the halls—dangerous in winter."
"Joo-in's gotten even stronger, huh?"
"You've grown a ton too, but I just scooped you right up."
I ignored Jong-hyuk and Kyung-soo behind us and set him down safely. As he straightened up, sensing I had more to say, Kyung-soo pulled him away protectively. "Not going with your friends today?"
"Parents picked everyone up. But Gi-joo..."
"Gi-joo?"
"She's in my class—super smart."
"Pretty? Cute?"
Kyung-soo pounced like he'd found an opening. As his teasing ramped up, Joo-shin's cheeks flushed red.
I cut in. "What's up with Gi-joo?"
"She was heading to academy with some stranger."
"Stranger?"
"Yeah... not her mom from far away. Young lady?"
"Young lady what?"
"Well..."
"Spit it out. What?"
"Young and pretty, but huge belly..."
Pregnant woman?
"So, her mom?"
"I've seen Gi-joo's mom, and..."
Not wanting to leave Joo-shin uneasy, I suggested hamburgers downtown. "What? Suddenly?"
"Day's warmed up, but it's a hike."
"Hamburger bet? Kid gets kimchi..."
Jong-hyuk grinned mischievously. I saw Kyung-soo check his wallet but played it cool. "My idea, so I'm buying. Too far to walk with Joo-shin—bus? Should be here soon, let's hurry."
I had a wad of ten-thousand-won bills stashed before storing the rest in my inventory—plenty of cash on hand.
"Cool, then I'll get dessert."
"Get Joo-shin cocoa. Only thing he drinks in winter. Mom hates burgers, but once in a while's fine, right?"
We caught a lucky bus right away and headed downtown, chatting. "So Gi-joo goes to English academy every day?"
"Sending kids since elementary?"
"Back in my day..."
The winter afternoon bus was quiet; three middle-school boys and a little brother filled the back, rowdy as hell.
What the...?
A prickly gaze crawled over me. Then—screech.
"Get off," Jong-hyuk said flatly. Kyung-soo grabbed Joo-shin and hopped off first. The weird stare had me on edge, but we bailed before I could check.