ch 273
Became a Swordsmanship Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 273
I had the same dream again.
No, to be precise, the situation is different every time I dream, but the same man always appears.
A man so handsome and charming that anyone walking down the street would turn around at least once to look at him.
In some dreams, he has a sad expression, and in others, he looks at me with serious and loving eyes filled with affection.
This is how many times now?
"Se-jin, aren't you going to eat?"
"Oh, I should."
I only took a few spoonfuls but had no appetite, so I got up from my seat with my friends.
What's even stranger is that even though he's clearly a man I don't know, whenever I see him, my heart aches.
Who on earth is he?
"I'll go first."
"Se-jin, you've been acting strange lately."
"Se-jin is giving a speech as the student representative at today's entrance ceremony. Maybe that's why?"
"Is that it? So Se-jin is human after all."
Well, I'm used to receiving attention, so it's not particularly because of that.
Well, there's no need to talk about dreams anyway.
"Or is it still because of the January WHCU competition? You had a bad opponent."
The WHCU competition...
Right. Because I won overwhelmingly in Korea, there were many people who had expectations for me.
But I was eliminated in the first round.
As my friends said, I had a bad opponent.
The very first opponent I faced was the winner, Bianca Rowell.
It would be a lie to say I wasn't frustrated, but the skill difference was so large.
I thought it couldn't be helped, but my father was very angry.
My friends must have been disappointed too, even if they speak like this.
I'm really tired.
"There's still one more chance left. If you work hard this year and win, that's all that matters."
I smiled appropriately at my encouraging friends and came to the auditorium where the entrance ceremony was being held.
There weren't many people because I came early.
I started setting up with the student council kids.
Of course, chairs and such were set up in advance the day before, so we only needed to check the microphones and beam projector screen.
"All the setup is finished. Se-jin, you should stop worrying about this and practice your speech."
"Alright. Please take care of guiding the new students..."
I couldn't finish my sentence.
The man who had appeared in my dreams every day had just entered the auditorium.
"Se-jin, what's wrong?"
"That... who is that person?"
"I've never seen him before. Isn't he a new teacher?"
"Oh, my aunt said there's a really handsome person among the new teachers who came in this time. That must be that teacher."
...A new teacher?
But somehow, unlike in my dreams, I don't feel any symptoms like chest pain.
Is it because it was a dream?
—No, the Shin-hyeok over there isn't the real Shin-hyeok.
What? Suddenly there's a strange voice in my head... Huh?
The world began to be dyed in gray, and then an angel appeared with a blue light.
"It's been a while."
"Do... do you know me?"
I asked the question, but no answer came back.
Instead of answering, the angel embraced me.
I tried to push away, but my body wouldn't move.
At the same time, countless memories began to surface, and I soon realized.
From the identity of this angel who appeared before me to why I suddenly started having those dreams.
Why I felt no emotions when I saw that man in reality, unlike in my dreams.
"Did you see everything? The choice is yours..."
"Can we never see our honey again?"
"You're already calling him honey? That's so like you, Se-jin. Of course not. This time, we'll go to him."
"I want to go. Sister, please take me with you too."
"You'll never be able to see your family and friends again..."
"I don't care!"
"...Really?"
I nodded toward Luciel, who asked again with a worried expression.
"Of course."
The memory that my sister showed me wasn't a fragmentary memory.
All the memories between us remained intact - why I came to love my teacher, what my teacher did for me, and how our relationship developed.
The teacher in my memories truly loved me with all his might.
He even gave up everything to bring me back to life at the end, so I can't even imagine how great that love was.
However, one thing is certain: I could see that the me in the memories that Luciel showed me also loved our honey... no, loved him as passionately as his love for me would never be inferior to it.
***
Looking out the window, it's pouring rain.
They say if you're going somewhere, it's market day - I came to Jeju Island for the first time in a while to catch my breath after living busily with volunteer work, but I encountered a typhoon.
Of course, it's not like I didn't check the weather forecast, but they said the typhoon suddenly changed course, so what can i do?
I was keenly feeling the power of Mother Nature while gulping down coffee.
Honestly, this isn't bad either.
A cup of americano while watching the rain pounding hard against the window.
Ah! What about dinner?
There's a restaurant inside the hotel, but I made a reservation at a good restaurant with difficulty. It's a bit far from the hotel, so it seems like it would be difficult to get there.
I thought I should cancel and made a call.
—There's never been pork cutlet like this. Is this pork cutlet or galbi? Hello, this is Jeju King Galbi Pork Cutlet.
"I'm someone who made a reservation for today. I came down to Jeju, but the weather is like this, so it seems like it would be difficult to get there. I'll pay for the cost."
—Oh, no. Natural disasters can't be helped. What's your name?
"It's Lee Min-chan. Still, it's a no-show, so I should pay..."
—Mr. Lee Min-chan, confirmed. It's okay. All the other customers canceled too.
Hearing the owner's deflated voice made me feel bad.
When I looked outside again, the rain seemed to have weakened a bit.
At this level, couldn't I go if I drive carefully?
"Excuse me, is takeout possible?"
—It is, but... would you be okay? It's still raining. The weather service said a typhoon is coming too.
"It's gotten weaker now, right? I'll leave right away, so please prepare the King Galbi Pork Cutlet and Fresh Spicy Noodles."
—Yes, understood. Drive safely.
I said I understood, hung up the phone, grabbed the rental car keys, and went down to the hotel parking lot.
The rain had gotten stronger again in the meantime.
The wind is blowing hard too, and really, since I already changed my mind once, I can't cancel again.
I felt a bit uneasy, but I thought I'd try to go carefully, so I got in the car, started the engine, and stepped on the accelerator.
Was it overconfidence?
"I’ll drive safely."
I barely arrived and collected the takeout, but the rain got even worse.
RUMBLE! CRASH!
Now there's thunder and lightning too.
At this level, even if I put the wipers on maximum speed, I don't think I'd be able to see anything.
I thought about just eating here and leaving, but I remembered the owner saying earlier that he'd have to close.
When I looked back, the sign lights were already turned off.
At least there aren't many cars on the road because of the weather, so I got in the car.
I tried turning on the wipers once, but as expected, I couldn't see anything ahead, so I had no choice but to wait.
I reclined my seat while listening to the sound of rain hitting the car.
It doesn't seem like it will stop soon, so I should take a nap.
How much time passed? I woke up feeling slightly eerie and opened my eyes to see that the surroundings were all dim and dusky.
The rain was still pouring steadily.
When I checked the time, it was past 9 o'clock.
Still, it seemed to have decreased a bit from before.
Right. I can't sleep in the car when there's a perfectly good hotel.
I tried to start the engine, but... wait, why is the engine off?
I'm sure I had the heater on.
Do modern cars automatically turn off if you leave them on for too long?
I tried to start the engine again, but it wouldn't start.
Damn it... Is the battery dead?
I hastily called the rental car company, but they didn't answer.
I had no choice but to search through the car here and there, and fortunately found insurance documents in the dashboard.
I made a call, but they said it would be difficult to come because of the weather.
Haha... then what am I supposed to do?
I hastily searched on my phone to call even a taxi, but none of them answered the phone, which was like adding insult to injury.
My luck is terrible.
It's because I'm thinking negative thoughts, or maybe because I'm in the car with the heavy rain, depression and emptiness are trying to raise their heads again.
I'm really living as kindly as possible, doing my best.
Not long ago, I even met my parents, whom I hated so much, and forgave them in person.
It wasn't sincere forgiveness, but their hearts must have been much more at ease.
I hate it.
How far do I really need to try?
Will I be able to receive compensation for my efforts?
I wish someone, anyone, would give me an answer.
If I had even some certainty, I wouldn't fall into depression like this.
I opened the car door, took out the umbrella that was in the passenger seat, and came out of the car.
I'm not trying to walk to the hotel.
It's an hour by car, so if I walked, it would take until dawn.
I just want to walk a bit.
Because the depression and emptiness that were peeking out earlier are gradually growing bigger and bigger.
The psychiatrist I consulted with before said that when I feel like this, I should move my body even a little.
I opened the umbrella, but the wind was so strong that it was as if I wasn't using it.
I walked and walked while getting rained on like that.
I suddenly thought of Luciel.
Luciel who held onto me until the very end.
She even threatened that she would die if I left, but I ignored her pleas.
I thought I had no choice, but was that really the right answer?
The flow of time would be different, but by now, she would have met Master, right?
Or maybe she didn't do what I asked because she hated me...
Before that, did Master and Se-jin really come back to life?
All kinds of thoughts are coming to me, so the doctor I consulted with before must have been a quack.
The more I walk, the more I think of everyone, and the more my depression and emptiness seem to grow.
I have medicine to take when things get really difficult, but I left it at the hotel.
I don't know how much I've walked, but a beach appeared before me.
The pitch-black dark sea and the rain roughly beating it.
Huh?
Suddenly a gust of wind blew and my umbrella flew away.
Well, it doesn't matter.
I came down to the sandy beach while getting rained on.
The wet sand stuck to my shoes annoyingly, so I took off my shoes too.
I might cut my foot on something like a shell, but I don't want to worry about that right now.
Walking like that, I somehow arrived in front of the pitch-black dark sea.
I want to be at ease.
I want to stop.
Someone might think it's spoiled talk, but I really don't want to live.
Not in this world without Luciel, Eunseo, Se-jin, or Master... without everyone.
As I took a step forward, rough waves wet my feet.
The seawater is ice-cold.
If I keep walking like this, I'll be at ease.
Just as I was about to take another step forward, the rain stopped as if by magic.
No, looking closely, there's still thunder and lightning ahead and it's still raining, but only around me...
"Lee Min-chan?"
This voice is definitely...
I thought I was hallucinating and that my condition had worsened, but that wasn't it.
Just as I was about to ignore it and walk, I felt warm body heat embracing me from behind.
"Did you think I would give up so easily?"
That can't be.
I recognized it immediately because it was a voice I so desperately wanted to hear and a person I wanted to see, but this voice couldn't exist in this world.
"Don't tell me you were mute in this world?"
When I turned around, I saw the being I really wanted to see.
Luciel was looking at me with tears welling up in her eyes.
"Lu... Luciel? Is it really you?"
"What, you can speak after all. Sorry. I'm a bit late, aren't I?"
"How are you here... Is this a dream? Ahhh!"
Luciel suddenly pinched my cheek, making me scream.
With such vivid pain, it definitely can't be a dream.
"Didn't you hear from Lumiel? I told you I would never give up... And it's too early to be surprised."
Just as I was thinking 'no way,' Luciel flicked her finger once.
With a blue light, Eunseo and even Master and Se-jin...!
"Brother!"
I was worried whether I would recognize them because their appearance had changed, but it was needless worry.
Eunseo ran to me and hugged me, and so did Se-jin.
"I missed you."
"Me too."
How could something like this happen...
"This is Shin-hyeok? The soul seems right, but somehow the way he looks is a bit..."
He's pointing out my appearance as soon as he sees me, but Master is definitely our Master.
"Did you just criticize our brother's appearance?"
"What's wrong with our honey!"
"Then old man, just go back."
"What did I say wrong? I just said his appearance is a bit different..."
Not only Master, but Se-jin, Eunseo, and even Luciel - they're all exactly as I remember them.
"Really... I sincerely missed everyone."