Another World
Another World
I rested.
My achievement, accomplished by enduring nearly ten years of time.
Oh, the times of hardship, being tossed around under filthy coworkers and a selfish boss.
Fortunately, I was lucky enough to save the minimum amount to pull the trigger on quitting.
As of today, I lay down everything and finally became a body of freedom.
Even the pitch-black night sky I used to see when leaving work doesn't darken my mood today.
Those stars embedded in the night sky are confetti celebrating my quitting.
On this joyful day, how could I not raise a toast?
To celebrate my liberation, I bought an American chuck eye roll with a big heart and two cans of beer.
"F***ing well done! Kim Cheol-min!"
Anticipating arriving home, my steps quicken.
Was there ever a time when my steps were this light while I was working?
I can see the house up ahead.
Just cross this traffic light and I'm there.
The green light comes on, one step forward.
Ppang—!
An intense light approaches, and soon covers my entire vision.
...
...
"What is this? Am I okay?"
Surely that light must have been a massive truck.
But my body was fine.
I folded my arms, lifted my legs, and twisted my neck and waist.
Not a single injury, perfectly clean.
"Ha! That gave me a scare. Whew."
Wiping the cold sweat from my forehead, I came to my senses, and only then did other things catch my eye.
"Where... is this?"
An unknown, pure white space.
It wasn't simply white—my body was floating alone in a wide-open space where I couldn't tell where the walls were or where the ceiling was.
Once I recognized that, standing on two feet became difficult.
My body began to drift through the air, as if I had fallen into deep water.
And beneath my feet, far below, a man and a woman were having a conversation.
"Hey! Help me! I don't know how to get down—how are you standing straight? Hello?"
Even when I called for help, the two people below either couldn't hear me or ignored me and continued their conversation.
To get even a little closer, I swam toward them as if doing the breaststroke.
"Excuse me? Can't you hear me?"
But even waving my hands and making big gestures nearby, I wasn't reflected in their gaze.
"Oh? This person?"
The face of the man among the two talking looked familiar.
Meanwhile, the conversation ended, and the man suddenly disappeared.
"Where'd he go? What is this? Is this a dream? Hey! Can you not see me? Let me out too!"
The woman who had been talking with the man who disappeared—what would she know?
I gave a vigorous self-introduction in front of that woman, but it was useless.
And then I lost consciousness.
Jjaek...
Jjaek jjaek...
"Mmm..."
What time is it now?
I had a strange dream.
Still, quitting sure feels good.
Yesterday, I was forcing my body up at a time when the sun hadn't even risen to go to work.
But today, I can wake up listening to bird songs and greeting the sunlight gracefully streaming through the crack in the window.
No.
I can sleep even longer without getting up.
Turning my back to the direction of the sunlight, I curled up.
"Blanket, where's the blanket."
The chilly wind tickles my skin, as if I left the window open all night.
Sswareuk—.
"..."
Sswareuk, sswareuk—.
A sound that shouldn't come from the bed.
"What the f**k, scared me!"
I thought I was enjoying a peaceful deep sleep in the corner of my room, but when I opened my eyes, I'm in a forest.
Uh, oh?
"Did I drink alcohol yesterday and climb the mountain behind? Did I black out from just two cans of beer?"
Strange.
I usually change my clothes as soon as I get home, but I'm still in my suit.
Strange.
This forest doesn't feel like something you'd see in Korea.
"This is definitely not the mountain behind my house."
I kicked the spot and jumped up.
"Hello~! Is anyone there~! There's a person here!!!"
I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted loudly.
Is there...
Is there...
Is there...
Only the echo of my voice returns.
"Is this a dream too?"
Chalssak—.
I slapped my cheek hard.
It hurts.
It really hurts.
Tears welled up a little.
"It's not. A dream."
Where did it go wrong?
Was my heart impure for wanting to quit?
"Damn it! Can't I just enjoy a comfortable life too!!!"
Too...
Too...
Even when I shouted, only the echo returned.
"Ah, no way!"
Then suddenly, the dream I had today came to mind.
The intense light that enveloped me, the man and woman talking in a strange space.
The man who suddenly disappeared.
"Right after that, I lost consciousness. And if that wasn't a dream...?"
Goosebumps rose.
"Did I die or end up in a similar situation, and is this the afterlife?"
Or.
"Another world?"
A hollow laugh burst out.
"Hahaha. That's ridiculous... No way."
Just then, I saw a squirrel(?) in front of me.
"See? There's a squirrel like the ones on the mountain behind my house!"
"Kkieeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!"
"Hwaak!"
Suddenly, its mouth split diagonally and it shrieked—I saw something resembling a squirrel and fell backward.
"F**k..."
This must be another world.
How long have I been walking?
My mouth is getting dry, my stomach is hungry, and this damn forest shows no end.
"Ugh! Let's rest a bit!"
I can't walk anymore, so I plopped down.
I don't know what time I woke up, but I've been walking for a while, and the sun is starting to set.
As it gradually gets dark, the atmosphere begins to feel more eerie.
Strange insect sounds.
Odd animal cries.
I don't think I can go any further from this position.
If I move recklessly, 'Kim Cheol-min' will surely become 'Kim / Cheol / Min' (mincemeat).
"I need to start a fire."
While I was thinking about finding materials, the sun set completely.
"I'm screwed."
I can't even see an inch ahead.
There's no large rock or small cave to hide in.
If I had been smoking, I'd have a lighter.
Right now, I really hate my past self for not being a smoker.
"Auuuuuuuuuuuuu~!"
A wild howl like a wolf echoed.
"What do I do? What do I do? Work! Brain!"
I scratch my head just enough so it doesn't fall off.
What do I need to do to safely spend the night?
I can't make a fire.
In fact, the only way I know to make fire is by rubbing wood very, very hard.
It's too late to get materials, and I don't have time to start a fire through trial and error.
It's not like flicking a lighter—it's not that simple.
So, I need to find a place to hide.
"But there are no rocks or caves nearby? I should climb high and look... High place? Trees!"
Fortunately, this place is full of tall trees.
First, let's climb a tree and spend the night up there.
I quickly took off my suit jacket.
I rolled it up so it wouldn't tear.
I wrapped the jacket around a suitable tree trunk and grabbed both ends with each hand.
"Ootcha!"
Using the jacket as a support, I climbed the tree.
I should have exercised more.
It's exhausting enough to make my intestines fall out.
"Huff... haa... this should be safe."
Sweat poured like rain.
If I fell, there would be no point in coming up here for safety, so I used the jacket to tie my legs firmly to a tree branch.
The next morning.
I used too much energy coming down from the tree.
Somehow, I managed to endure one day without eating, but now I've hit my limit.
What happened to my beef and beer?
A deep sigh escapes.
My head is full of the savory smell of Maillard reaction.
But reality is pure crap.
"Ahh... beef... hot oil in a sizzling pan, put the meat on it... chiik..."
I can almost hear the sound of the meat cooking.
"Sliced green onions seasoned the day before. And the canned beer I put in the freezer while preparing."
Saliva pools.
"Flip the beef only once. That's a creed I wouldn't trade for anything. Open the canned beer with a 'chiik', cut the meat into bite-sized pieces on a plate... together with the seasoned green onions, yum!"
Is it an optical illusion?
I can taste it.
"Yes! This is it. And then take a gulp of the cold beer!"
My body trembled.
"Kyaa~!!!"
"Kaak, kaak..."
The wild sounds snapped me out of my delusion, like the matchstick of 'The Little Match Girl' going out.
"Shiiit..."
A heavy rain warning was issued in my eyes.
"Chik, chchik?"
"Oh, meat."
Who said humans are animals of adaptation?
I, Kim Cheol-min, once a civilized man, am reborn today as a natural man.
"Aaaah! Stop right there!!!"
Some rabbit-like creature is incredibly fast on its feet.
If it were a normal rabbit like I knew, could I have caught it?
I push that useless assumption to the back of my mind and throw myself after it.
"Khhak. Stop!"
"Chik chik chik!"
That little rat feels like it's saying, 'What a frail civilized man with melted muscles.'
"Laughing?"
Angry, I pick up a nearby stone and throw it hard.
Ttak—.
But the rabbit cousin uses its sturdy hind legs to leap away cleanly.
"Hah... f**k."
I only wasted more stamina. What am I even doing?
"Ah, screw this."
I kick a nearby tree in frustration, the one near where I threw the stone.
Ppeok!
Tuk!
"Huh?"
Then a fruit falls from the sky.
A red fruit that looks like a peach.
Looking up at the tree the fruit fell from, it's laden with fruit.
"Wow... With this, I won't starve!"
But can I eat it recklessly?
What if it's poisonous?
"..."
First, I took a big bite of the fruit.
Then, without swallowing, I rubbed it on the soft skin of my inner arm.
If it's poisonous, there should be an abnormal reaction.
"Should it be about 30 minutes?"
30 minutes later.
I'm fine.
Still, to be safe, I chewed thoroughly and ate it.
"Sweet..."
It was an incredibly fantastic taste.
Maybe because I was hungry.
After that, I beat the tree vigorously and filled my stomach with this fruit.
It's not a satisfying fullness, but it's somewhat manageable.
Since my stomach is full, I should slowly prepare a sleeping spot.
If I wait until after sunset like yesterday, I'll be too late.
It's a good idea to climb a tree while the sun is still up and look around the whole forest.
Having done it yesterday, I climbed the tree relatively easily this time.
"It's dense..."
It was just a forest.
From one end to the other.
Nothing but lush jungle.
No large rocks or anything, and no landmarks to note.
"I won't get anything different by moving around here."
It seems right to just make a fire where I'm standing and sleep with my back against the tree.
I tear out weeds to make a spot for the fire.
With the prepared branches.
I rub like crazy.
Time passes.
"Aaaaah!"
I still haven't lit the fire.
The sun is almost gone.
It's too hard.
"Aaaaaaah!"
I keep rubbing.
"Oh? Oh! Smoke! Smoke!"
I understand the feeling of the first humans to discover fire.
"Wooaaah! I did it!!!! Ah! Firewood! Don't go out!!!"
"Auuuuuuuu!"
Even the wolves are celebrating my success!
"Hmm? Carter-ssi, look over there."
"What is it, Walter? Did a spirit appear?"
"No. That smoke over there."
"Ha... Smoke in the middle of this 'Deep Forest'. To think there's another crazy person entering this forest besides us..."
"We can't help it, can we? If we want to meet the delivery schedule, we need to hurry."
"Well, that's true. I hope the master of the forest doesn't notice us."
"But Carter-ssi, that way isn't a path, is it? What kind of person would stray from the path and go into the forest?"
"Who knows. Not an ordinary person, that's for sure. This road is dangerous enough that no one travels it, but to go somewhere even more dangerous."
"Surely not a lost person?"
"Surely not."
"Right?"
""Hahahaha!""