Living Like That (1)
Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
A sharp sting pricked the back of my neck. It felt like a sudden jolt of electricity, or perhaps the searing heat of a branding iron pressed against my skin.
I placed my hand on the back of my head.
“No, so...”
Right in front of me, someone was babbling away. The surrounding space was filled with a chaotic din. It was a cafeteria. Dozens of people dressed in identical uniforms were eating the exact same meals from identical trays.
“Ha-woon. I'm telling you, let's take our next leave together.”
He smiled as he spoke. Looking at that foolish grin, I—
Bzzzzzt!
The pain intensified.
“Ugh.”
I cupped the back of my neck with both hands.
“Whoa, you startled me. What's wrong? Did you get stung by a bee or something?”
“...No.”
I shook my head. Wiping away the cold sweat, I raised my middle finger.
“Fuck off. Why would I ever go on leave with you?”
“Come on. There you go again. It's not like you have anything to do at home anyway...”
His voice began to stretch out bizarrely. The pitch fluctuated wildly, and the focus of my vision shattered. It felt as though the entire world was drifting away from me.
Zzzzt!
The blinding pain forced me to close my eyes. Or perhaps I had simply blacked out.
“...Ha!”
I snapped my eyes open. Gasping for breath, I clutched my chest. My heart was pounding wildly, like someone was violently kicking from the inside.
“What the? Are you really sick? The Seol Ha-woon is actually sick?”
I stared at him.
“If you're actually sick, it must be cancer.”
Spouting nonsense as usual.
But looking at this face, I knew for certain—this was indeed a dangerous labyrinth.
“Why aren't you answering?”
Thanks to the electrode implant, I had barely managed to break free from the illusion.
If the implant had been even slightly misaligned or lacking, I might have been trapped here forever.
Suddenly, a question crossed my mind.
How many years had my subconscious experienced in this place?
I couldn't remember now. Just as memories fade upon waking from a dream, the time spent in the subconscious was like powder dissolving in the rain.
“What are you doing? Daydreaming?”
He asked again. I let out a hollow chuckle despite myself.
“...Yeah.”
A dream.
It was indeed a dream.
“I am dreaming.”
“What are you talking about? Man, that sucks. I heard the duty medical officer this week is Lee Eul-yong. Of all days to get sick.”
Lee Eul-yong. An absolute piece of shit. He was infamous for being both incredibly incompetent and stubborn.
Didn't he get sued for refusing to refer a cancer patient to an outside hospital? He was the number one target to 'accidentally' shoot if war ever broke out.
“Are you really okay?”
“...I'm fine. I'm good.”
It had been so long since I last saw him. Blue hair. Blue eyes. Looking at him now, he really did look exactly like his younger sister, Seo Ji-woo.
“It's good to see you.”
“...Huh?”
Seo Ji-hyuk tilted his head with a blank expression. Even his slightest habits and gestures were exactly as they used to be.
Or rather, exactly as I remembered them.
“Out of nowhere?”
“It's been a while.”
The bastard who had never once visited me in my dreams, despite how cruel that was.
Of course, this was just a projection created by my own subconscious, but even so, I was glad to see him.
“What are you talking about? Did you hit your head?”
They say the first memory humans lose is auditory. Unfortunately, I had no recordings of Seo Ji-hyuk's voice, so I didn't even know if this voice was real.
“Maybe.”
I stood up. Because it was a dream, both of my legs were perfectly fine. Savoring the sensation, I hopped up and down a bit.
“...What on earth are you doing?”
Seo Ji-hyuk narrowed his eyes.
“Hey.”
“What.”
“You dumbass.”
I extended my hand to Seo Ji-hyuk.
“Thanks for everything.”
“...?”
Seo Ji-hyuk looked utterly bewildered, but I wanted to convey my feelings. There was something I had always wanted to say if we ever met again.
“I won't forget you.”
Seo Ji-hyuk blinked. Suddenly, he let out an amused chuckle and stuck out two fingers. It was scissors.
“What are you talking about? Only a dumbass would forget—”
BZZZZZT!
Another shock. This time, a pain searing enough to burn the back of my skull woke me up completely.
The darkness cleared, and the space slowly revealed itself.
“...Ugh. My head.”
It was a lavishly decorated space, like a hotel lobby. This must be the interior of the Unconsciousness Labyrinth. The exit was behind me, and I was alone in the lobby.
“Sigh.”
A long hallway lined with doors stretched out before me. Each door likely led to an explorer's subconscious.
I had to wake them all up.
Which meant I had a lot of work to do.
“This is going to be exhausting.”
Creak.
I flung the nearest door open.
“...What is this now?”
It was a restaurant.
The world's richest man, Mr. Lim, stepped out for the first time in a while to indulge in his hobby. His destination was a restaurant renowned for having the most beautiful pastries in the world.
Dressed in the world's most expensive and luxurious suit, Mr. Lim walked in, leaning on the world's most elegant cane.
As if everyone in the restaurant was fully prepared to receive him, a long red carpet rolled out the moment he opened the door. Staff lined up on both sides, welcoming him with smiles.
With an air of supreme elegance, Mr. Lim took his seat in the VVIP lounge. The chef bowed and presented the menu.
“Thank you.”
Mr. Lim opened the menu. After scanning it for a moment, he finally spoke in a smooth, authoritative voice.
“Astro, I shall not bother ordering from the menu. Serve me your dream.”
The chef bowed politely.
“It is an honor.”
“However.”
He briefly stopped the chef as he was about to leave.
“I would like an explanation of this Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate.”
The Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate. Mr. Lim had caught sight of it on the menu.
The chef smiled and began his explanation.
“The Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate is crafted from specially aged cocoa beans and rare spices. Every bite offers a flavor profile that feels like embarking on a journey. It finishes with a subtle hint of fruit that awakens the senses.”
Mr. Lim nodded with interest.
“Excellent. I shall have that for dessert.”
“Understood, Mr. Lim. Will there be anything else?”
Mr. Lim thought for a moment, then spoke.
“What is the wine pairing?”
“The wine that pairs best with the Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate is a 1990 vintage Port from Chateau de Anselm. Its deep, rich sweetness perfectly complements the subtle flavors of the chocolate.”
The chef was flawlessly prepared.
“Splendid. Prepare them together.”
“I will have it ready shortly, Mr. Lim.”
Mr. Lim smiled faintly and prepared for his meal.
Before long, the Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate was served.
Normally, pastries are served at the end of a course, but the chef knew Mr. Lim had a sweet tooth.
Then again, how could anyone not know the tastes of the world's richest man? His net worth was ten quadrillion dollars, after all.
“Is this the Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate?”
“How should I know, you dumbass.”
“Actually, I know... Wait, what?”
A sudden, incredibly insolent, and aggressive remark. Mr. Lim whipped his head around, his eyes wide with shock.
“Who do you think you are?!”
“Who do you think? Chevrolet? What, like the car? There's no such thing as that kind of chocolate in this world.”
“...How insolent! Owner! Get out here, owner! How on earth do you train your staff?!”
“Owner? Okay. Hold on a second.”
He reached for his waist and drew a handgun. Click. The barrel was pressed right against Mr. Lim's temple.
“...Calm down. Are you after my money? Young man, you are being incredibly reckless. The perimeter is crawling with bodyguards who are former high-rankers. With a single snap of my fingers, they will come and subdue you.”
Mr. Lim tried to reason with him. To think someone would attempt such a clumsy robbery on the world's richest man, the ruler of the world. A dog's death was the only possible outcome. For the sake of this promising young man's life, Mr. Lim...
Press!
He shoved the gun barrel harder against his head. Mr. Lim hissed in pain.
“Ah, fuck, that hurts!”
“Hae-jun. Wake the hell up.”
“...What? Hae-jun?”
Hae-jun. The name triggered a spark in Mr. Lim's hazy memory, and fragments of a familiar past began to scatter across his mind.
“How do you know my old name...”
“You idiot. Why are you holding a cane anyway?”
He toyed with the handle of the cane.
“...A cane?”
A cane. Mr. Lim's pupils slowly dilated.
“Did you think it looked cool? Once you actually have to use one, it's a massive pain in the ass.”
Mr. Lim stared closely at him.
A familiar... yet unfamiliar face.
Someone he felt he had met in his youth, but so much time had passed—someone who undoubtedly belonged to a distant memory.
No matter how much time passed, his intense presence could never be forgotten.
“Could it be... Seol Ha-woon?”
“Yeah. Good to see you.”
He raised his hand. Im Hae-jun raised his hand instinctively. A high-five.
Smack!
Instead of a high-five, his large palm delivered a brutal smack to the back of Hae-jun's head.
Hae-jun's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.
“Aaaaargh!”
He bounced up like a coiled spring.
Thud!
“Ow!”
He bumped his head on something else. It was a glass pane. Startled, Im Hae-jun took in his surroundings. He was inside a strange capsule.
“What is this, what is this?! Open the door! Open the door! Aaaaargh!!!”
Psssssh. Struggling wildly, Im Hae-jun accidentally triggered the capsule's release mechanism.
“W-What... Where am I?”
He tried to stand up quickly, but all the strength drained from his body.
His mind was foggy and his limbs trembled, as if he had just woken from a long dream. He couldn't even remember what the dream was about.
“Im Hae-jun.”
Someone called his name.
“Hyun-hyung?”
It was Kang Hyun. He gestured toward the door with his chin.
“Come and help.”
He was currently facing off against a group of menacing gunmen.
“...The esteemed heir of the Ryu clan, Young Master Ryu Yeon-hwa, I presume.”
Ryu Yeon-hwa's subconscious. I looked at him sitting in front of a folding screen. Peculiarly, the setting was the Joseon Dynasty.
“Yes. I heard you are a highly gifted fortune-teller.”
With his snow-white hair, he sat in a posture that perfectly suited the long tobacco pipe he held.
“Indeed. I am very gifted.”
To wake someone from a dream, you first have to make them sense something is off. Some people, like Im Hae-jun, are easy to wake, while others are difficult.
Ryu Yeon-hwa was somewhere in the middle.
“Go ahead, then. I am curious about my future. I am scheduled to audience His Majesty soon.”
He smiled, toying with his folding fan.
“Very well.”
I grabbed a handful of rice grains from a fortune-telling pouch and scattered them across the table with a soft rattle. Pretending to read the future from their arrangement, I spoke.
“...How interesting. The position of falsehood.”
“The position of falsehood?”
Ryu Yeon-hwa asked.
“Yes. It means this world is not real.”
“Oh? This world is not real?”
“Precisely. You understand quickly.”
“What... What kind of fortune-teller are you?”
Naturally, Ryu Yeon-hwa was skeptical.
But if you turn that skepticism into an undeniable truth, they wake up.
“You should believe me. My words are entirely true. I can even show you proof.”
“Proof?”
I grabbed another handful of rice.
“Yes. Let us speak logically. If the number of rice grains in my hand matches the exact number you desire, Young Master Ryu, would you believe me?”
“The exact number I desire?”
“Of course. Tell me how many grains there should be. I grabbed this handful before you even spoke a number, did I not?”
“Ha!”
Letting out a scoff, Ryu Yeon-hwa unfurled his fan.
“Go on. You have nothing to lose.”
He glared at me with displeasure, but eventually uttered a number.
“...Five.”
I opened my fist. Exactly five grains of rice settled onto the table. Ryu Yeon-hwa's eyes widened.
“Well, Young Master Ryu? What do you think?”
“This... This is absurd. You expect me to believe this world is fake based on a mere trick like this?”
“Would you like to try again, then?”
I offered casually, grabbing another handful of rice.
“...Very well. Let us see.”
Ryu Yeon-hwa wore a knowing smile. His expression suggested he had just come up with a brilliant idea.
“Three hundred thirty-three thousand and three.”
333,003. A number absolutely impossible to hold in a single hand.
I opened my hand. Plop, plop, plop. Exactly three grains fell. Ryu Yeon-hwa lifted his chin triumphantly.
“Ha! And you call yourself gifted? Guards! What are you doing out there?! Drag this fraud—”
“Look behind you.”
“...Behind me?”
“Yes. Go on.”
I pointed behind him. Frowning, Ryu Yeon-hwa tilted his head back to look. In an instant, his neck went completely rigid.
The folding screen standing behind his back.
“Exactly three hundred thirty-three thousand grains should be carved there.”
The entire surface of the screen was meticulously painted with countless grains of rice, leaving no empty space.
“H-How is this possible...”
“I told you.”
Snap.
With a snap of my fingers, three hundred thirty-three thousand grains of rice poured out from the folding screen. “Aaaaargh!” Ryu Yeon-hwa screamed as he was completely buried under a tidal wave of rice.
“It's all fake.”