Chapter 74
Chapter 74
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Back to May 7th
(This IF scenario takes place after the main story EP3, when Jun-woo falls into a coma. Coma → Regression)
#??? "You fucking bastards...!"
Swinging my arm wide as I opened my eyes, the familiar sight of my room came into view.
What... what the hell?
I'd just been in the middle of a brawl with those trash punks.
Those damn cowards, ganging up 8 against 1 when I was just beating them down...
Was it a dream? It felt way too real.
Puzzled, I scratched my head vigorously and sat up, only to feel something off.
It was definitely my room, but... something was different.
Like the placement of my stuff or the blanket I was under right now.
Why the hell was I under a thin blanket in the middle of December winter? And it wasn't even cold. No, I was sweating from the muggy heat.
...Am I still half-asleep in the dream?
I turned on my phone, and May 7th stared back at me.
Damn right. What a bullshit dream.
Since it was just a dream anyway, I figured I'd sleep more and dove back into the comfy bed.
"......May 7th?"
May 7th. May 7th. May 7th... For some reason, the date stuck in my head like it meant something. There was definitely something that happened around then.
"...Ah."
May 8th.
Tomorrow. The day the fire broke out—the one that upended my life, no, Han Seo-ah's life, no, all our lives from the roots.
No, no fucking way, no no no no...
Sure, I couldn't stop it in reality.
But I'd thought about it endlessly in my head: if only I could go back to that time.
How many nights had I stayed up wide-eyed, waking up in tears?
Get it together, Lee Jun-woo.
As waves of regret threatened to swallow me whole, a spark of hope—this time—flared up in my chest.
Never again. Absolutely never again.
I didn't want to see Han Seo-ah's tears ever again.
Now that even a dream gave me the chance to make that wish come true, I couldn't just sit still.
[H.S.Y.] -I'm heading over now. (06:40)
It was early morning, the darkness just barely lifting, but I had no intention of waiting leisurely for a reply.
I shot up from my spot, changed clothes, and bolted out of my room.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I rushed straight next door and knocked.
"Hello!"
"Oh, Jun-woo...?"
Han Seo-ah's mom opened the door, looking puzzled at the early hour.
Right, she was this beautiful...
She still was, but before the accident, she was famous for looking so youthful it was hard to believe she had a high school daughter.
After greetings, as I moved to head straight to Han Seo-ah's room, a familiar yet long-gone sight made me freeze.
The layout was the same as our house.
But unlike our rough, guy-heavy vibe, this place felt warm and cozy.
......I miss it.
From her appearance to the house itself, before the fire.
This damn dream was too realistic, stirring up nostalgia for the past.
To the point where I didn't want to wake up.
...Snap out of it. I shook my head.
Seeing Han Seo-ah's door, my heart pounded like mad.
Would opening this door wake me from the dream?
I carefully pushed it open, and instead of the hospital's antiseptic smell...
A faint strawberry scent from deep in my memories tickled my nose, the one that used to fill her room.
Yeah, it smelled like this.
I'd whine why my room didn't smell like that, and she'd smile like she couldn't help it.
Recalling memory after memory in this room, I took slow steps forward until I saw Han Seo-ah sleeping soundly, breathing softly.
A lump rose in my throat.
That's why I'd planned to wake her right away.
But the moment I opened my mouth, these swirling emotions might make me sob.
I couldn't speak.
Thank goodness.
Thank goodness, really.
You're beautiful now as ever.
But seeing Han Seo-ah unscathed, not hurt because of my mistake—it was just relief.
I gently reached out and placed my hand on her right cheek, where the burn scar used to be.
Not rough, but soft and squishy like a baby's skin.
Afraid she'd wake, I stroked it lightly, but no dice.
Soon her smooth forehead furrowed, and her sparkling eyes fluttered open.
"Ugh... Hm...? Huh...? L-Lee Jun-woo...?"
"...Sleep well?"
"Hweh...?"
Han Seo-ah's eyes spun in confusion, not grasping the situation.
No trace of worry or distress in her expression—it made me uncontrollably happy.
"Why are you stroking my cheek like that with such sad eyes...? You hurt somewhere?"
"It hurts, so why would I stroke your cheek, dummy."
Even though I'd barged into her room while she slept and touched her cheek, she didn't suspect a thing—just giggled and teased, making me chuckle.
As payback, I pinched her soft cheek lightly, and her cute "Ow!" made my lips curl higher.
"So, why are you in my room this early in the morning, Mr. Lee Jun-woo?"
"To guard the lady lying there."
"Guarding someone who's sleeping soundly, so you stare with pervert eyes, and since you're here, you fondle her cheek too?"
"............Wasn't pervert eyes."
"Not denying the fondling...?"
As she added that I seemed the most dangerous, I started to protest the injustice.
But seeing her half-awake, stretching with little moans, I had to look away fast.
...Why does her stretch have to be so sexy?
"So, seriously, why are you here this early? Are we on cleaning duty today...?"
"Told you, to protect you. I'm staying by your side all day."
"...? All day?"
"Yeah, all day. Even when sleeping. I'll sleep in your room tonight."
"Huh?"
She looked at me like it was a joke.
But maybe sensing my dead seriousness.
Hic!
Her face turned beet red like steam would pour out, and she started hiccuping.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Fridge area checked..."
"Lee Jun-woo, you're joking, right?"
"Anywhere else okay...?"
"Lee Jun-woo...?"
I remembered the fire at Han Seo-ah's house started from an electrical short in the fridge area.
After waking her, I'd inspected the fridge and nearby cords, told Auntie, and arranged for a safety check today—but still uneasy.
Guess I'll have to sleep here tonight after all.
"Auntie."
"Y-yeah...? More to check, Jun-woo...?"
Ignoring Han Seo-ah's confused voice behind me, Auntie stared as I checked cords everywhere early morning—her eyes like...
If we weren't long-time neighbors, she'd have kicked out the crazy guy already.
...I'd felt wronged since earlier, but explaining honestly would just confirm her suspicions, so I held back.
"I'll crash here tonight."
I didn't say in Han Seo-ah's room.
Not a lie, right?
"O-oh, sure...?"
Auntie seemed to sense something off from usual but couldn't pinpoint it.
Hic!
Hiccups echoed from behind me again.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...Jun-woo. Auntie and Uncle are heading to bed...?"
"Yes, good night."
Watching me from the side, didn't I look like some legendary general guarding the village gate?
Arms crossed, sitting in the living room for 2 hours.
As night deepened, Han Seo-ah's parents went to their room with final crazy-guy stares.
The fire time passed safely, so maybe I could relax now.
-That's when danger strikes.
Just one more hour, then head in.
As I thought that and crossed my arms again.
"Lee Jun-woo, not sleeping...?"
Thought she was asleep.
Han Seo-ah peeked out from her room.
"...Planning to sleep soon. You first."
"When will you...?"
"I'll go soon too."
I probably won't sleep tonight.
The anxiety hitting the moment I lie down would keep me up all night—that was my conviction.
"Hmm..."
She hummed like pondering, then slipped back inside.
Finally sleeping?
Even if a dream, I wanted her to sleep soundly here without worry.
That's why I was here.
As I passed time, the door opened again.
Insomnia? I turned, and there was Han Seo-ah struggling with armfuls of blankets.
"...What're you doing?"
"H-help... Jun-woo..."
Head full of question marks, I took the blankets, and she looked relieved.
"Phew... Spread two blankets in the living room."
"Living room? Why?"
"Why? So I can stay with you."
"No, go to your room and sleep comfy."
"Jun-woo."
I blocked her path like go on in, but her sad voice reached my ear.
Oh, shit.
"Don't you trust me?"
"...Of course not."
"Then whyyy... Aren't you acting like this 'cause you had a nightmare about something bad at our house?"
Nightmare. Nightmare, huh.
Yeah. A brutal one. One I could never wake from.