Chapter 7 - Terraforming
"…You seem to know a lot about life here."
"I just pieced it together from what the instructors said. If we get kicked out of the training camp, won't we end up like this too?"
"Some might even hope for that."
"Of course, even those people would be useful. Even if it's not important work, you need hands to make clothes or move supplies, right?"
I stared calmly into Lee Kangin's eyes. He seemed to want the conversation to continue. But his gaze wasn't friendly at all. If anything, he was eyeing me with suspicion… trying to figure out who I really was.
He's quick to act! I figured he'd at least wait until we got to the training camp before approaching me…
From reading the original story, I knew he was resilient not just in body, but in action too. Lee Kangin didn't hesitate. Not even a day after regressing, he'd already made his bold move by charging at the instructor—and now he was talking to me, a person of interest.
"I'm Park Chanyoung."
"Oh… are you Korean by any chance?"
"Yeah. You too?"
"Yes. I'm Lee Kangin. I wasn't sure, so I took a shot, but I'm glad I did."
"Same here. I wasn't expecting to run into someone from home in a place like this…"
I had no intention of antagonizing the protagonist. Not that it was absolute, but there was no gain in making an enemy of him. On the contrary, I needed to get close to him. I had knowledge from the novel, but it was limited to the early and mid-parts—barely enough. He, on the other hand, had pre-regression knowledge. And the protagonist was usually at the center of events. For someone like me who had to exploit that, the closer I got to him, the better.
Of course, to build that friendship, I first needed to ease his wariness.
"Truth is, I wanted to get to know you, Kangin. And now you're the one starting the conversation—and you're Korean too. What are the odds?"
"…You knew me before?"
Lee Kangin's eyes sharpened a bit more. He was definitely suspicious now. But there was no need to panic. A bright smile, as if I had nothing to hide, was key. Luckily, I was pretty good at controlling my expressions.
"Of course. I owe you a debt, Kangin."
"Pardon? A debt? But we've never met…"
"Haha. Do you remember when we first arrived in this world? You stood out a lot back then. Everyone else was panicking and screaming, but you alone seemed calm, sorting through your thoughts. …And you're pretty tall, aren't you? You look popular too."
Who would've thought I'd ever compliment another guy's looks? And by choice… It felt gross, but I had no option. I just had to endure it for now.
"Haha… thanks."
"We were probably a bit far apart then, so maybe you didn't notice me. As you can see, I'm on the short side."
"Ah… anyway, what do you mean by owing me?"
"You can tell from my body— I could've ended up as a bug catcher. But thanks to you, the examiner tipped me off about Combatant duty, and I went for it."
"Thanks to me?"
He looked genuinely clueless. He still didn't fully buy my words. I took a small breath to steady myself.
Then I began the real performance. To erase his doubts, I had to deceive him.
"You're the total opposite of me, Kangin. Short, ugly, fat—I'm the perfect counter to you."
"…Well…"
"No need to deny it. It's the truth. Anyway… I've always prided myself on my brains and mental strength, even if my looks sucked. I haven't achieved much yet, but I figured if I really tried, I'd stand out."
This was a backstory I'd prepared back on Earth. To make it more convincing, I'd woven in some of that bastard's pre-swap tales, and it came together into a pretty believable sob story.
I can't let him sense the lie.
How do you make your sincerity hit home? My answer was this.
—Hoo… I paused to catch my breath, gearing up for the long spiel. Soon, my voice alone echoed between us.
"Back on Earth, I… prided myself on handling sudden crises. I thought that when everyone else panicked, I'd stay rational."
I broke eye contact with Lee Kangin. Turning my body, I stared into empty space. Focus was essential. Even though it was nothing, I glared at it like an invisible balloon was floating there.
"But what was I like when we actually arrived here?"
Some say to convey true feelings, look the other person in the eye. But that only works with people you already know.
"Just like everyone else. Panicking, freaking out, irrational. Then I spotted you looking calm, and it hit me."
We were about a meter apart. For strangers, that was close enough to feel uncomfortable. Why? Because when an undefined ally-or-enemy is within striking distance, your instincts scream crisis, sending those biological discomfort signals.
"Ah. I'm just an ordinary person. The intellect I thought set me apart… it was no different from anyone else's. All baseless arrogance."
What if I locked eyes and spoke firmly in this state? His subconscious would register it as an attack.
"You, Kangin—you're exactly the version of myself I always imagined. Thinking rationally in any crisis, analyzing better than anyone. But I couldn't."
Think about it. Doesn't it feel off when a stranger gets in your face with a resolute tone? Rejection is natural. You can't accept the words at face value.
"The 'me' I imagined was an illusion. My reality was a nerd with average mental fortitude and a body worse than most."
Right now, it was better to stare elsewhere and declare it like a vow. We weren't close, after all.
"Pathetic as it sounds… I felt defeated. By you, with your superior looks and mental strength."
I let out a deep sigh. Shaking my head slightly, like I was berating myself.
"So I lashed out desperately. I made a choice I wouldn't normally. …Applying for the combat team."
I gave a wry smile and lifted my head. My gaze stayed on empty air. I was acting like I was too embarrassed to meet his eyes.
"Some might call it an irrational rebellion, or the stubbornness of a loser toward you. But for me…"
A brief hesitation. Basic rhetoric to heighten attention for what followed. Obvious, but effective—so I used it sparingly.
"…I didn't want to stay a loser. I didn't want to turn away from hardship. Instead of just fantasizing like always, I wanted to grab it with my own hands and feet. Even if I failed."
I gradually infused more strength into my voice. I didn't need to look to know—Lee Kangin was listening, entranced, as I poured it all out.
"This is just my take, but to me, you're a rival. Someone I have to beat someday."
My long monologue neared its end. Thankfully, he'd gotten swept up in the mood, listening without interrupting. Grateful for that.
"That's why I wanted to get close to you. Jealously sulking alone would just be pathetic, right?"
I finished, turning to face Lee Kangin. I furrowed my brow slightly, widened my eyes deliberately, and curved my lips into a confident smile. Tilting my head up to let the sunlight wash out the shadows on my face. It was the "confident expression, outdoor version" I'd practiced in the mirror.
One. Two. Three.
"Ah!..."
Counting three seconds inwardly, I relaxed my face. Then, feigning sudden realization, I put on a startled look.
"…Ah… you don't know me at all, and I just dumped my whole story out of nowhere!… That must've been boring. No relatability at all. If you're annoyed, I get it…"
"No! Not at all!"
"S-sorry. I got carried away and all this built-up stuff just spilled out…"
I babbled excuses, forcing an awkward expression and flailing my hands like I was flustered.
"I'm not usually the type to say stuff like this, but my emotions just…"
"It was a great story. Hearing it actually fires me up too."
"Haa… now that I'm calm, it's mortifying."
"Hahaha! Nothing to be embarrassed about! Looked good to me. Haha!"
I fanned my face like I was flushed with shame. Meanwhile, I coolly read his expression. He kept laughing, his face much clearer than at our first encounter. Like a layer of invisible doubt had peeled away. It reminded me of walking alone in a dark forest at dusk, tensing at a rustle behind you, parting the bushes braced for a ghost or beast… only to find a cute baby rabbit, and laughing at your own jumpiness.
Success?
"…Because I didn't panic this time, unlike before… so that's what happened… butterfly effect…"
"Pardon? What was that?"
"Ah! Nothing."
Success. This body had good hearing. I had to pretend I didn't catch it.
All that acting paid off.
His suspicions should be gone now.
Lee Kangin had been a Combatant pre-regression too. There was no way I'd been at his training camp back then. I'm an intruder into the novel. And this body stands out in the worst way—extreme obesity on a tiny frame. No one forgets a freak like that at first glance. Not even the protagonist.
Pre-regression, a new face among his trainees? An eyesore like me? Of course he'd suspect something. And I'd just explained it away.
With all the brainpower I'd poured into crafting that tale. Lee Kangin had been in total chaos on his first day here too. Amid that mess, no way he'd memorized every face of the one-day other-job assignees. Maybe the prelim Combatants he'd bunk and train with for three months, but not them.
So now he probably thought I'd been a bug catcher in the previous loop. Exactly as I'd led him to believe.
"You're my benefactor, Kangin. You woke me from delusion to reality. Even if it wasn't intentional, I'm grateful."
"Come on, I didn't do anything…"
"No. Without you, I'd have stuck to the comfy bug-catching gig like always. No shot at climbing ranks."
Good. I was sure now—he no longer suspected me. He'd chalk it up to his own actions causing a butterfly effect. In his eyes, I was just some guy overcoming inner inferiority with a bold challenge—too vague to doubt.
What would he do next?
Keep me close!
I was the first anomaly differing from his pre-regression memories. To prevent more butterflies, he'd stick me by his side. If I acted independently and threw a wrench in his known future? A smart guy like him would want to avoid that.
"Thanks for seeing me in a good light. You feel pretty approachable yourself, Chanyoung. Haha! Let's keep getting along."
"Really? Haha! What a relief. At least I don't look pathetic to myself."
"Guess I gotta step it up so you don't catch me. Won't be easy."
"Never thought it would be. I'll give it my all too."
Sneer. Nailed it!
First major goal achieved!
Outwardly, we looked friendly… but he'd monitor my wild moves, while I monitored the 'protagonist's' wild moves. An imperfect mutual surveillance complete.
First step: success.
"On your feet! Time to move!"
Chris Bennett's voice—Gwangnyeon-i—signaled the end of break. Trainees dusted off and stood. I stretched my ankles, prepping to go.
"Chanyoung, you seem to have energy left… wanna chat on the way?"
"Sounds good to me."