Chapter 211
Chapter 211
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 211
Chapter Title: 70. Breath-Touching Distance, Seeping In (2)
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6 memorable periods had vanished.
Hundreds of years of bonds and thousands of connections had left him.
Countless final moments, blurred in memory, had brushed past him.
More ordinary than anyone else.
Unable to endure it with a sound mind.
A man who had lost consciousness at some point belatedly realized the answer. Foolishly taking the long way back, he ended up standing before Bom's bed on legs stained with wounds.
After realizing that everything in the world would leave him behind, the man stopped forming any bonds.
The 6th regression came to an end.
Uncounted blurry regressions from memory passed by.
And once more, barely regaining a human form, he stood in this place.
He couldn't predict how this regression would unfold, but he could assume that some kind of bond would form.
Imprisonment.
So when that word—the one he had to hide most—slipped carelessly from Bom's mouth, it felt like blood was draining from his head.
His entire body grew ice-cold. His mood sank.
A dark liquid bubbled up in one corner of his emotions.
Of all things, it was the Green Dragon.
He had met her over a thousand times.
He had abused her. Tortured her.
With the most tenacious life force, she had been violated the most.
He had thrown her into the underground labyrinth and imprisoned her. She had awakened him with a curse at the very end.
Of all things... those blue eyes of this young Green Dragon were right there.
Imprisonment.
It was a word that must never pass the lips of Bom, who lived an everyday life.
Absolutely. Never. Allowed.
He needed to confirm it properly.
He didn't waver. He had known since entering the 7th regression that reality could be manipulated for some reason.
He always assumed the worst scenarios. So he hid his mood and calmly asked.
"...How were you imprisoned."
"Um, white floor. Like tiles laid on the ground. It was dark."
"Dark?"
"Yeah. Seemed bright around me. Don't know if my body was glowing or if there was lighting."
The underground labyrinth had no tiles on the floor. And it wasn't dark.
Because 「Fragment of Paradise」 always shone, that place was eternally bright.
As if driving a wedge into his suspicions, the Apocalyptic Clock's message appeared.
The Apocalyptic Clock's judgment might be early or late at times, but it had never been wrong.
There was no problem with Bom.
The arrow missed his throat. The black surge rising from within settled. The pendulum-like weight lightened.
The regressor nodded.
From now on, the questions were not the duty of a regressor confirming facts, but of a protector listening to a child's story.
"More?"
"There was a strange string around my neck."
"What kind of string."
"Like, a dog collar? Attached to an iron chain, really long."
"That's a bit odd."
"Right? So, not sure, but it felt like I was imprisoned there."
Bom absently touched her own neck.
"That's all?"
"And there was someone. Holding the leash."
"Who."
"Don't know. Woke up right as I saw them..."
"Yeah? More."
Bom shook her head. She seemed unwilling to say more.
He didn't know dream interpretation. He didn't dream. There was nothing more to say about dreams.
"But do dragons dream?"
"Hatchlings do, very rarely."
"Dream of wishes like humans?"
"Yeah."
"In that situation, wasn't there something you wished for?"
Bom looked at him as if it were a strange question, then shook her head side to side.
The conversation ended there.
Bom fell silent. She seemed deep in thought, wiggling her bare feet as she watched him. He was thinking of leaving when Bom spoke up.
"Me, I'll stay in my room for a bit."
"Why."
"Can't face Yeoreum right now."
Bom said that, let out a sigh, and stroked her own hair. Slowly, over and over. In the darkness, her blue hair scattered bits of light this way and that.
"Don't worry. Won't make the dorm weird. I'll rest here, calm my thoughts, and come out."
For the kids, their room was like a lair.
He nodded.
"No need to think too seriously. Fights happen."
"Yeah..."
"And even if it was Yeoreum, she wouldn't have died. Let go of the burden."
"Right. If we fought, I'd have gotten beaten bad."
"Probably."
"Won't say no? I'm a dragon too."
"Who'd she learn to fight from."
"...Right. Nearly died."
"Won't die."
"Then my eyes, nighttime eyes nearly gone."
The tone felt a bit playful. Yoo Ji-tae chuckled lightly.
"Why? Funny thinking I get hit?"
"Funny. Hard to imagine."
"No tough head..." She muttered, then chuckled. Really, it was hard to picture.
The mood loosened a bit.
When Bom looked out the window, he followed her gaze. Late at night, people were walking their dogs.
"Cute."
Then from the opposite side, another person and dog came running. The dogs, showing interest in each other, barked angrily for some reason and charged. But as leashed pets, the fight didn't escalate, and they were led away by their owners. Bom stared intently at the scene until the dogs were gone.
"Just like me..."
A blank mumble escaped her.
"What're you saying."
"Huh? Ah, meant I'm cute like them. I kinda look like a puppy."
"Nah. You don't."
"Ridiculous... Wanna see me wag my tail?"
He briefly imagined a green lizard wagging a tail, then dropped the thought.
Anyway, the mood had turned cheerful in that short time. Bom hummed happily, then tilted her head crookedly. Looking up at him with slightly droopy eyes, she mumbled.
"But ajusshi. Ever tried cigarettes?"
"Eh? Yeah."
"Not now though."
"Right. Quit."
"Why?"
"No reason to keep going."
"How'd you quit? Heard it's super addictive."
"Quit by holding onto the day. Why curious."
"Just... Bad stuff's fun, right? Even if bad for me and around. Wonder how others hold back from that habit."
For superhumans of this era, tobacco's addictiveness or harm wasn't a big deal. Yet once they touched cigarettes or drugs, they couldn't quit easily.
It was harder to break the habit than the substance.
"Wanna try one?"
Bom said it half-jokingly. He nodded.
"For real?"
"Yeah. Interested, go for it."
"Why not stop me?"
"Doing what you want isn't wrong."
Her eyes widened at his words.
"Heard cigarettes kill you quick?"
"You're a dragon."
"Still."
"If someone wants something, whatever it is, I think it's good not to delay or avoid it—just try."
Bom looked a bit shocked. He couldn't tell why. The next moment, her voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
"That's weird. Bad idea."
"What?"
"If time alive is precious, shouldn't do that?"
"What do you mean? Die and it's all over. Precious things meaningless once gone."
"That's the weird part. Why think about meaning after death now? We're living now?"
The dissatisfied voice continued.
"That weird?"
"Yeah. Life's once. Ten lives precious. Three even more than ten. Life's just one."
"......"
"Ajusshi doesn't see it as precious?"
He didn't answer.
He could say plenty, but didn't want to.
"Some people are like that."
"......"
Bom's brows furrowed, no reply.
She just stared at him like a rain-soaked puppy. Watching her face quietly, his eyes landed on her torn lip. A wound from biting it with her own teeth to hold back anger.
"Stopped treatment, huh."
"......"
"Doesn't hurt?"
"Hurts. Every time I talk."
"Then why leave it."
"Need to hurt."
"What're you saying."
"My mouth messed up. Messed up with words to Yeoreum. For a while, every talk reminds me—no mistakes."
He often felt it. This kid who grew flowers had a wasteland for a mind.
"Sometimes you feel unfamiliar."
"Huh?"
"Your thoughts seem kinda extreme."
"......?"
Bom peered into his eyes and asked.
"That. Yeoreum did too, right? Cursing me out."
"No. She didn't."
"I know. She had a towel in her mouth. Called me crazy bitch, psycho, all that..."
"......"
"Huh? Why not deny twice? She did..."
"Eh? No."
"She did. That bad Yeoreum..."
"No. Didn't."
"It's okay. Whether she did or not. Ajusshi knows. I'm not crazy."
"Yeah, I know."
"Boring's fine. Crazy's unfair."
"Got it. Treat the lip."
"Don't wanna."
"Fine. Whatever."
"Yeah...? Just thought Yoo Bom's weird again?"
He waved his hand.
"Dunno. More than that, Bom. Stop talking. Chit-chatting just reopens the wound."
"Gotta say it all. I'm not crazy. Normally way saner. If alone, much saner now."
"Got it. I said I know."
"But, but..."
"Shh."
Yoo Ji-tae pulled out a tissue and brought it to her mouth. He gently wiped the flowing blood.
As his hand touched her mouth corner and wiped the blood, Bom, staring straight into his eyes, mumbled blankly.
"Keep making me crazy..."
He pulled his hand away, and Bom slowly lay back on the bed.
Referring to Yeoreum, probably. Anyway, lying down meant it was time to go.
"Heading out. Rest plenty. Sort your mind, then come."
"Yeah..."
As he turned to leave the room, Bom mumbled.
"Tell Yeoreum not to come to my room for a while."
"Gotta reconcile. Said you'd apologize?"
"Still gonna dislike Yeoreum for a bit."
"Why."
"Hot. Annoying."
Perhaps this was the worst expression of dislike Bom could muster.
After that, Bom really didn't come out of her room for over a week.
"Went workout."
Yeoreum, recovering mentally first, headed to training as if nothing happened.
"......"
Winter felt uneasy for a day or two, then started living normally after a few days.
"Ajusshi ajusshi ajusshi. When's unni coming out? She okay? How long holed up?"
Gaeul was anxious like a chick desperate to poop until Bom emerged.
In 301, Yeoreum seemed a bit out of place. When Yoo Ji-tae, Gaeul, and Winter sat together playing, she'd awkwardly make herself scarce.
Winter ignored it, but Gaeul didn't.
After failing to strike up talks a few times, Gaeul, who had been biding her chance, one day lined up at the lair's most famous snack shop from morning and bought macarons.
Then, when Yeoreum returned casually after class, she approached and spoke.
"Hey, unni! Got super mega-delish macarons, wanna share...?"
"Nah. I'm good."
"Ah... These are, really tasty...! Haven't tried but kids say super tasty...!"
Bang. Door shut. Gaeul stared at it lost, then turned to Yoo Ji-tae.
He gestured for her to come sit.
"Hing. Me, don't wanna eat..."
Then Winter started munching the macarons deliciously. Gaeul, eyeing Winter, cautiously took one and popped it in. Her face brightened a bit—clearly not for nothing people lined up.
"Me, this, super duper uncomfortable."
"...Me too."
"Right, Winter? Times like this, ajusshi steps up, right? Go get unni...!"
"...Right away."
He just listened to the chick and bluebird whining.
Since she didn't want it, he'd wait. She wouldn't stay there forever.
Bom opened the door two days later.
Around lunchtime on some weekend. An urgent voice transmitted into Yoo Ji-tae's mind.
'L-Lord...! Big trouble!'
It was Clone 2.