The Recluse's Shattered Memories
Memories.
In the States, school days were great. No brothers tormenting me, and I could make the movies I loved myself.
"Then why not stay? Why come back?"
Father wanted me by his side. He couldn't marry her, but it seemed like he truly loved my mother. Maybe that's why he was extra attached to me.
The actress who committed suicide from depression was replaced by a son—in a way, it was pure love, but to me, it was just wrapping up the ruin of one person's life in the guise of love. That father of his was a real bastard too.
As a condition for coming back, I asked for JH Entertainment. I just wanted to make movies I liked and live that way. But my brothers must've thought I was gunning for the Olight Group.
So now the chairman had sent his brother-in-law, Park Hyungpil, as president. There must've been some deal between them. Inside the company, they kept him under surveillance so he couldn't wield any power, and outside, they choked off the money flow to stop Hong Seongi from getting any funny ideas.
I just wanted to make movies, but I couldn't even approve production budgets myself. They call that a puppet president, right? Anyway, after three years of breathing like a marionette, I was going insane.
So that's why he became the reclusive CEO. Even I'd lose all motivation in his shoes.
After Father collapsed from a brain hemorrhage last year, the meddling got worse. Park Hyungpil was playing president, his lackeys openly disrespected me—I even thought about ditching everything and going back to the States.
"What about your contract with As?"
Sex? You can do that anywhere. Speaking of which, did you hear I'm a sex addict?
"As said that's why she chose you as contractor."
She's a demon obsessed with sex, so yeah. Sex addict... what a joke.
"Did you always like sex that much?"
It's a mental illness. I was fine until that shit happened in Korea. My brothers tormented me so bad, I started jerking off every night just to forget. It got better after I fled to the States, but for a while, I had nightmares of being dragged back to Korea. To forget that, I started seeking out sex partners.
Your life was rough too, huh.
You'd understand. At school, girls went crazy over my face. Sex partners? I could get as many as I wanted. Sexing till I was exhausted and passing out meant fewer nightmares. Eventually, it turned into an addiction.
"That's pitiful, but how does that connect to you giving up on life?"
I got ahead of myself. When making movies in Korea hit a wall, I had nothing left to do. So I made the deal with As, and with bitches throwing themselves at me, fulfilling it wasn't hard. That's how I wasted away on sex until I found out Park Hyungpil was up to dirty shit.
"How'd you find out?"
You know Byun Ilsang, the executive director? My one ally. One day, Park Hyungpil started talking about slush funds.
He's the head of the management support office. I thought he stayed out of company politics, but he was helping Hong out.
I was shocked at the slush fund amount. His underlings were smart—they siphoned that much and covered their tracks brilliantly.
One of those smart underlings was top-class, apparently. Sigh.
Byun showed me evidence of the slush funds and embezzlement, saying we should bury Park Hyungpil this time. I thought about it for days, but it felt like an opportunity. My last shot at actually running the company as president.
"Park Hyungpil's smarter than he looks. He's got guys who think fast under him everywhere, and he can call in muscle if needed. Move rashly, and we'll be the ones bleeding. We're the evidence."
If I'd met you first, it wouldn't have come to this. Shame.
The 'someone' Park Hyungpil mentioned was Hong. Somehow he'd sniffed it out ahead of time and struck first, just like in my case. That means Hong's death was murder—but how'd he do it?
If Park Hyungpil knew about Hong and Byun's connection, Byun wouldn't have been safe either. The upper ranks at the company were in for a bloodbath.
After I died, As called me. Said she could revive me since my body wasn't damaged. But I said no need.
"Why not live? Then you could kill or spare Park Hyungpil yourself."
This time I knew for sure. If I was just up against a chaebol third-gen, I'd fight somehow, but that fucker Hyungpil is straight-up mafia. Kills without hesitation if things go south. Not someone I can handle.
"So you die instead? You're more scared of him than death?"
Of course death scares me. But if I come back to life, Park Hyungpil will just kill me again. I'm not running toward an obvious end.
Hong's expression showed no lingering regrets whatsoever.
People with deals from gods or demons get a 'next' even after death. In this world that just squeezes me dry, I don't want to live anymore. Wherever it is, it'll be better than here.
"Even if I use your body?"
I'm dead, so it's not mine anymore. You'll have it harder, actually. Think you can handle Park Hyungpil just 'cause I said I'm done?
Who knows. But if I'm on the same side as that bastard, at least I won't go out like a dog again last time.
Anything else you're curious about?
"Any women?"
Women?
"Not fuckbuddies. Anyone special?"
Hmm... there are some, but I don't know if they see me as special. Never asked.
Multiple, huh.
Why?
"If there's women, I need to know who. Gotta impersonate you properly."
Sorry, can't tell you. As says for women stuff, it has to go through her. Ask As if you're curious.
Fuck, what is this, slave trading with a middleman?
Maintaining this form is getting tough. Just poke around my memories scattered everywhere. You've got nothing else to do anyway.
"When do you head to that 'next'?"
When your soul fully merges with my body. Like a baton pass.
Hong's body started fading. Heading off somewhere, probably.
"Can we meet again?"
...I'll say goodbye when I go. No form left, so just my voice.
As Hong said, there wasn't much to do here. So he wandered around, picking up eye-catching memory fragments one by one.
—Memory of getting scolded for sneaking snacks at the orphanage,
—Memory of getting a perfect score but tearing up the test paper with no one to brag to,
—Memory of a girl handing over her phone in the first lecture, asking for his number,
—Memory of sloppy sex with a regular customer in the convenience store warehouse,
'My memories are pretty plentiful too.'
He'd mainly checked Hong's childhood memories, but they were mostly abuse scenes—too painful to watch. Pushed down stairs, ear stabbed with a pencil, water torture disguised as play in the bathroom. Those brothers were inhuman scum. How could anyone do that to family, no matter how much they hated them?
'Sex addict my ass—this alone could make hundreds of pornos.'
Hong had fucked women from East and West alike, a real variety pack. No wonder As called him fertile soil. Even as a demon, she'd pick him—his sex life was that diverse.
'Whew, like a sex Jedi or something. Meanwhile, I played it straight as a part-timer.'
He passed the time piecing together various memories, but had no way to check how long it'd been.
'No clock, no answer from As or Hong when I call. Getting boring.'
How much more time passed? Then Hong's voice echoed in his head.
As must've told me first. You're about to wake up as Hong Seongi soon. Ask As where the car keys and phone are. Change the officetel passcode just in case.
"I'll handle it, so don't worry about that shit. Just watch out in whatever 'next' you're going to. Who knows what's there."
Better than here, probably. Take care. Don't get killed by Park Hyungpil again.
Worrying about me till the end. Hope he doesn't get abused there—stay safe.
He turned to see As staring at him with an odd expression.
You two got close quick.
"Comrades in suffering. Digging through memories, turns out he had it worse than me as a kid. Thought chaebol life was all glitz."
Well, I watched him for years—not smooth sailing. Anyway, ready now?
"What's to prepare? I'll figure it out living it. Where do I wake up?"
Can send you anywhere. Where you wanna wake up?
"Hong's officetel. Got stuff to grab. He said ask you for car keys and phone."
Treating me like a secretary? Annoying even on the way out.
As grumbled and snapped her fingers at the air. The floating memory fragments around him started vanishing one by one.
Something happened to his body too. It felt like every cell standing on end, then light scattered outward like dispersing mist. For a second, he worried his body might vanish—but soon it surged toward one spot.
That destination was the officetel where he'd first met Hong.