Chapter 110: Confinement-5
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 110: Confinement-5
While living as the Young Sect Leader of the Black Sky Cult, I used to complain that life without a computer or a smartphone was a bit boring.
But why didn't I realize back then that even that was a luxury?
When Ms. Garam goes to the Center, I can do nothing but sit or lie on the living room sofa.
Until she returns, the only places I can move within this spacious house are the sofa in the living room and the table in the kitchen.
It’s ironic, considering the apartment is over 2,000 square feet.
Mostly, I just lie down or sit and space out.
Like a new recruit just assigned to a unit, I am enjoying an uncomfortable kind of freedom.
When even that gets boring, I occasionally look at the scenery outside through the window.
The chain, with its peculiar length, prevents me from reaching the window to open it, so I can't even scream for help.
Is that why? The more I look outside, the more my desire to leave grows, so now I just stay lying down.
I could resign myself to deprivation in a destitute environment, but deprivation in a land of plenty is unbearable.
How long will this life continue?
I had cautiously broached the subject of letting me go to Ms. Garam, but her response was firm.
At such an unrealistic compromise, I never asked her about my release again.
With this forced increase in free time, I’ve spent more of it thinking deeply about everything that has happened until now.
How did my life end up like this?
I try to recall the memory of the day I died—a memory that is now fading.
Right, the memory of the day I died in my original world.
The season... I can't remember if it was spring or summer.
We were talking about the weather getting hotter and the air conditioning, so it might have been early summer.
I remember it being a day when nothing went right.
I was annoyed at the slow pace of work and had an argument with a colleague.
In that heated atmosphere, I wanted to calm my nerves for a moment, so I remember heading outside.
Holding a cold coffee and stepping on the well-laid pavement, I tried my best to cool my rising anger and irritation.
And then what happened?
As I passed a building under construction, my vision went dark along with a crashing sound.
I suspect something attached to a crane must have fallen on me.
Having died like that, I met that pigeon bitch who called herself a god. I couldn't control my temper and insulted her parents, and as a result, I ended up in this state.
I should have just started a new life in a different dimension as she suggested.
It’s not that I haven't thought this. In fact, I think it quite often.
But the milk is already spilled.
Even if time were turned back and I were faced with the same choice, my stubborn personality would probably lead me to make the same decision.
Probably, right?
Yeah, most likely.
I’ve always been that way.
*
Already, it was evening.
Ms. Garam came home earlier than usual.
The sound of her punching in the door lock code was urgent.
At the rapid-fire beeping of the electronic lock, my eyes instinctively drifted toward the entrance.
"Dad!!"
Appearing at the entrance with a face like she was being chased, Ms. Garam kicked off her shoes and ran straight to me.
As soon as she sat beside the sofa, she pulled my phone out of her pocket and shoved it in my face.
On the screen she suddenly thrust forward was a message from Ho-cheol.
>> Ho-cheol: I called to talk about some tax stuff, but you didn't pick up.
>> Ho-cheol: Hyung-nim, I haven't been able to reach you at all lately. Nothing's wrong, right?
>> Ho-cheol: I'll send the documents for now. Please check them and get back to me.
>> [Ho-cheol] sent an attachment.
It was already time for Ho-cheol to get in touch.
After all, no matter how much I delegated the work, there would be things that couldn't be handled without me, the actual owner.
"This... please reply to this."
Looking at the logs, it seemed she had been replying as if she were me until now.
This time, the matter was likely too significant for her to fake it, making her feel pressured.
"I'll type it. You just dictate it, Dad."
When I reached out to take the phone, Ms. Garam turned her body away and spoke.
"......"
An opportunity to communicate with the outside world had arrived after a very long time.