Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Red Woman #4
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The bus heading back to my parents' house.
I stared blankly out the window at the highway unfolding before me. Rain was falling, blurring the scenery. It felt muggy, and a chill seeped in.
Just sitting here like this, it all felt like a lie.
A lie that could be washed away with these raindrops.
"Cow's Neck Blah blah whatever, all lies."
But for a lie, it had been far too vicious, and what I'd experienced was unmistakably real.
In this world... vampires actually existed.
Not just in movies, but for real. On the flip side of the world we live in, unreal, supernatural things like that truly existed.
I'd never believed in ghosts before. Sure, after watching a horror movie, I'd get spooked in the shower and scrub myself at booster speed while belting out siren-like high notes, but that wasn't because I believed in ghosts—it was just human instinct.
But now I believed in ghosts. This incident had been enough to shatter my entire worldview.
And above all... regression.
And the status window with it.
Even now, just thinking about the status window brought it up in front of my eyes. What the hell did this status window mean?
Name: Kim Geunhong
Age: 24
...
...
...
Loop: 2
Death Count: 3
[Collected Endings]
Thinking about the collected endings brought up a single entry: 'Vampire'. Nothing else.
Everything was just a mystery.
Why had this status window and regression ability suddenly been given to me? Was there some reason? Or was it just random?
On the flip side of this world, there were probably tons of things I didn't know about. So maybe there were others like me with regression abilities.
"No way...!"
Coin millionaires. Wildly successful businessmen... those stock market bastards who stripped everyone up and down... anus catalogs... Were all those guys who made me slap the ground in jealous rage actually regression users?
This was insane!
Cheating bastards!
Using regression like that!
"...!"
At that moment, some sinister, ominous knowledge struck my mind like lightning. Right—I was a regression user now! So I could get rich with coins too!
Just check the prices and regress, and all that money would be mine...!
"U, ugh!"
The instant that thought hit me, a wave of horrific nausea surged up with stomach acid. I barely clamped my throat shut to stop myself from vomiting.
"Hoo, hoo...!"
No.
I couldn't.
I couldn't die again. Feel that intense pain and maddening revulsion once more? How could I do something like that?
Just thinking about death made my heart race, flooding me with massive fear. Overwhelm. Nausea.
If my soul had originally been fresh, beautiful, and pure white—worthy of universal praise—now it felt like it'd been dunked in a drum full of sticky tar and pulled out pitch black.
Dying was too painful. Too scary. Even disgusting. And what if I killed myself trying to make coin money and the regression just ended there? That would be truly terrifying. Really.
Guess I'm just a kind-hearted softie after all.
No hero or hunk for me.
People die!
"Ha, haha."
I'd rather run into a kind-hearted Pierrot uncle who valued human life over vampires. Blue letters were scarier than red blood.
I chugged the bottled water I'd saved and pulled out my phone to start searching. I wanted to find that site I'd seen when dealing with the vampire.
But...
"...?"
It wouldn't come up.
Like the site had vanished.
What?
I searched a bit longer, but nothing. No choice— I'd have to look again next time.
For now, I searched coins, stocks, international news, checking prices and such. Honestly, I didn't want to die, but you never know. I might die and regress again, so it couldn't hurt to check whenever I had time.
"Oh... this one went up 8,000%?"
Some things skyrocketed, others plummeted. One guy grabs wealth with a single choice, another gets skinned alive up and down, losing the fortune someone else dreamed of. And as a bonus, you start suffering delusions that institutional bastards are watching you, shorting the second you buy.
Jealousy and satisfaction are just a paper-thin apart.
Lost in stocks and coins, I arrived in my cozy hometown neighborhood.
"Hey, Mom. I'm here."
"Huh? What's up? Why at this hour? School?"
Mom's eyes went wide when she saw me, clearly flustered.
Showing up out of season like this— no wonder she was shocked. But I couldn't stay in that neighborhood anymore. Couldn't say I fled because of a vampire, so I'd just say I was thinking about dropping out.
"I've been seriously rethinking school. Came home for now."
"Oh no, what do we do! What serious thoughts? You thinking of dropping out?!"
"I'm... considering it."
"Honey!!!"
What? Dad was home?
Whoosh!
Out popped a guy in square briefs!
"You little...!"
"D-Dad!"
"Dropping out? Droooopping oooout?! You're dropping what?! You're getting the boot, punk! Where's the flyswatter! Flyswatter! You trying to get a whooping from your dad?!"
"Discipline him quick!"
"No no!"
"Where's the stick, the stick!"
Dad snatched a flyswatter in a flash and started whacking me with it.
Whack! Whack!
"Ow! Why! Dad! Calm down!"
"Calm down? Your son's talking dropout and you think I can calm down?!"
Well, yeah...
"Get exorcised! Whack! Whack! How's that? Retreat and advance dilemma! You're getting booted, punk!"
"Why're you so hung up on 'retreat' words! Ow!"
"'Cause you're talking dropout! Hey! You've gotta graduate, right!"
"Graduate this, graduate that—my real issue right now is...!"
"Graduate your leg! Graduate your leg! Stick it out quick!"
No beating Magic Letter Punishment from Dad—I bolted out the front door, letting his commotion echo through the whole villa.
"Honey! Quiet down! The neighbors can hear!"
"You... opening the door like that..."
His excitement fizzled; he set down the flyswatter.
"Ah, Mom. Quick. Do something about Dad. Hitting people with a flyswatter."
"Sigh... You needed it. Talking dropout like that."
"Tell me about it."
Only then could I finally step inside.
I'd taken a full combo the second I entered, leaving me dazed, but their warm welcome started purifying the anxiety filling my heart.
"Anyway. No more dropout talk. Got it?"
"Aigoo, Dad. I'll think it over. Give me a bit to rest and reflect."
"Sigh."
Dad heads back into his bag.
"Mom. Order me some chicken quick. I'm starving."
"Chicken right when you get here?"
"Seriously. Hurry. I feel like I'm gonna die of hunger."
"Which place."
"Anywhere. Ah, fried and garlic. No—two garlics today."
"You like garlic that much?"
"Garlic's good for you."
Chicken's good anywhere. I unpacked, showered.
"Ha."
Home really relaxes me. Even a vampire couldn't come this far. What was she, a cop?
My worry was Dad.
If it were me, I'd flip even harder if my college kid son suddenly ranted about dropping out. Gotta forgive Dad with my big heart.
"Hongie. Chicken's here."
"Yeah. Be right out."
Showered and out—chicken was ready. And so was Dad, sitting sternly.
"So. Why the sudden dropout talk?"
"Dunno, me either. Just rethinking my career path."
"If you're rethinking, do it without dropping out first."
Was Dad always this sharp?
I tore into a drumstick.
"It's like... disillusionment with studying itself. Anyway."
"Sigh... Think it through good. You might regret it later. And if you go 'Why didn't you stop me!!'—you're done for in this life. Got it?"
Ouch.
"Anyway. Honey. Can I have a leg? Beautiful people give beautiful answers, right?"
Dad laid on his signature charm, begging Mom for a drumstick.
"Eat it."
"Kuhuhu, you're so cute in everything you do. Beautiful, just."
"Whatever."
Their chemistry was unreal.
We ate chicken, chatting away. Truly a warm, joyful time.
Being with Mom and Dad like this really put me at ease.
Yeah... School's whatever. Living well as a family—that's peak happiness, right?
All worldly bonds pass by, but family bonds are this happy. Love you, Mom and Dad.
"Ugh...! Mom! Dad! Being here makes me so happy! I love you both! Quick! Let's take a photo!"
"W-What? Why the sudden...?"
"Geunhong, you really going through it...?"
"Don't care! Just take the photo!"
Unable to hold back the tears, I bawled and snapped pics with Mom and Dad.
Chicken was tasty, and the family photo after so long was meaningful. My sobbing convinced them I had real troubles, so no more dropout talk.
Yeah.
Time to heal for a bit.
My heart needs it.