Terraforming: A Dream No Longer
"...One minute left."
I'd arrived deep in the forest. With the skill released, my face had returned to normal. I stripped off the top I'd stolen and tossed it on the ground, then pulled my own shirt from my inventory and put it on. Business here was done. Time was running out. Soon, I'd meet Chris as Park Chanyoung.
Part of me wanted to brush off the dust clinging to my clothes, fix my hair, and make myself as neat as possible... but it wouldn't matter anyway. I'd just end up covered in dirt again on the way back.
I stretched my limbs lightly. My mana had fully recovered. My condition was at its peak.
Vrrr...
Soon, light and mana began enveloping the area. I closed my eyes and accepted it.
*
'What a vivid dream... so real.'
When had it started being a dream? If she counted the dreams where her lover appeared, it would exceed a thousand. But Chris had never experienced one this lifelike.
Her mind was hazy. Her fractured leg throbbed, the death cry of the White Ape echoed in her ears, and the sensation of touching his face still lingered vividly on her hand. Yet her thoughts wouldn't connect properly. That's why she assumed it was a dream. It had to be—right?
A trainee with the same name as her lover had been engulfed in light and died, only to transform into her actual lover. And he'd single-handedly slain Victor, the White Ape that countless combatants had failed to kill over seven years, right before her eyes, waving at her?
'No way... it's a dream... has to be...'
Chris, who had longed for him. The trainee with his name. The White Ape, his killer. It was all jumbled into a fantasy she'd conjured. Hallucination, illusion, auditory hallucination, mirage—whatever you called it.
"Chris? Hmm... you hear me?"
'Wow...'
Chris's eyes widened in awe at the dream's quality unfolding before her. He looked exactly like the lover she remembered, unchanged even after seven years.
"...You're not thinking this is a dream, are you? It's not."
"Yeah... I hope so..."
Chris mumbled blankly. All she wanted was for this dream to last longer. Waking up in the morning would hurt—a pain beyond comparison to her usual ache, enough to finally let the tears she'd held back flow—but she wished it would continue just a little more.
Chris couldn't bring herself to touch his face like before. She feared the moment her hand made contact, she'd realize it wasn't real and wake up. Just looking was enough. No, nothing was enough... but she decided to settle for it. Getting greedy might mean she couldn't even do that.
"You still don't believe me. ...Well, yeah. Seven years is a long time."
"Yeah... so long..."
"Then... ...get ready for a slap."
Swish...
Her lover approached. Chris still hadn't grasped reality. She snapped out of it only when the man she'd thought dead kissed her.
*
As expected, the moment I returned to the present timeline, Victor the White Ape charged at me. Seven years past his prime, missing one eye, and with his legs mangled by Chris sealing his agility—it wasn't hard to take him down. I got a bit dusty in the process. Even if I'd cleaned up perfectly before returning, it would've been pointless.
After finishing him off, I turned to Chris. She stood there staring blankly. She probably couldn't tell dream from reality.
'...Can't blame her.'
So I kissed her. Partly to snap her out of it, but mostly because I wanted to.
Swish...
"Mm...?"
Maybe from all the hardship, her lips were slightly swollen unlike seven years ago. It stung my heart a little. The kiss was brief, like our first light one. I gently released her cheek, as if handling fragile whipped cream.
Chris didn't push me away. The sensation on her lips must've clued her in that this was real. I'd braced for a slap from the sudden kiss... but no, that was a relief.
"Wha...? Huh...?"
Chris started panicking in earnest. Glancing sideways, I saw Mahal staring at us in shock—but I wouldn't give him a chance to interrupt. This was our world, just the two of us. Thankfully, he had the sense not to make a sound.
I ignored him.
"A dream? Not a dream? It wasn't?"
"Not a dream."
"Ch... Chanyoung? Really you?"
Chris looked up at me desperately, her face like she'd crumble if I said it was a dream.
Bitter smile. I stroked her hair gently.
"Long time no see."
Swish... Swish...
I tidied her disheveled crimson locks—a gesture I'd often done seven years ago. She must've felt it; tears welled up as she gazed at me.
"Ah..."
"Doubting? Want proof?"
"Huh...?"
She was still half-skeptical. Time to drive it home. I removed the White Ape leather armor.
And then...
"...See? The embroidery on my shirt."
I showed her the flower modeled after Chris: crimson roots fading to yellow tips. A bloom unique in this world.
"Hic...?!"
"Remember? Last day of team training."
"Ahh...! Aaaah...!!"
Thud!
Her legs gave out; I caught her and pulled her softly into my arms. So she could feel my warmth vividly. Two years ago, disguised as Brack, I'd had to steal clothes from the camp because of this embroidery—Chris would've spotted the oddity instantly. Now, I could show her freely.
I'd hidden my future origins to prevent her death. But now, I could control what lay ahead. Even if danger approached, I could intervene. No reason to keep the time travel secret.
Of course, she'd chew me out for the seven years of heartbreak... '...But that's the price of becoming her lover.'
"Your hair... fully crimson now."
Squeeze!
"Hnnngh...! Hic...! Hwaaaah!!"
Chris didn't ask why I was alive or where I'd been. She just clung to me, buried her face in my chest, and sobbed fiercely. My shirt grew damp. I stroked the back of her head soothingly.
"Hnnngh!! Hwaaaah! Cha... Chan...! Hnnngh!!"
Grip!!
Her embrace tightened. Without extra mana, her full strength wrapped around me. I'd anticipated it and reinforced my body beforehand.
"Yeah."
"Cha... hnnngh!! Chanyoung!... Chanyoung!! Hwaaaah!!"
"Yeah..."
"I... hic...! Missed...!! Hnnngh!! Hwaaaah!! you so much!!"
"Yeah... sorry."
Swish. Swish.
I wouldn't let go until she calmed. I'd let her hold on as long as she wanted. Compared to her seven years of pain, it was the least I could do.
"So much, so much, I missed... hnnnghaa!! Hic...!! you, hnnnghaah...!!"
She cried for a long time. She inhaled deeply, savoring my scent like she was memorizing it. Pressed her ear to my chest to confirm my heartbeat, disbelief in her eyes. Touched my face—lips, ears, nose, eyes. Even teeth and eyebrows, fingertips verifying every detail. All while her swollen, tear-streaked eyes poured more.
I accepted her touches with a soft smile, occasionally wiping her tears with my sleeve.
"Chanyoung?... Chanyoung...?"
"Yeah."
"...How...?"
"...We'll talk when it's just us. Not alone now."
I glanced at Mahal, hands over his mouth, eyes wide. Whether to reveal my past trip to others needed thought. I had no idea how my instructor-killing past self was viewed. If treated like a traitor like Wang Ja-gun—Gerard—it could complicate things. Better to play it safe.
Sniff!... Sniff!...
Chris seemed somewhat calmed. Still dazed, nose sniffling, but tears had stopped. Temple business done, time to head back to the 11th Sector Combat Lodge. I tried loosening our hug.
Swish...
Grip!
But Chris blocked it. Terrified of letting go, she clung with a fearful face.
Shake shake!...
Even shaking her head wildly, on the verge of tears again. Clear plea to stay like this. But we couldn't walk. Her expression said she'd stick all day—and we couldn't spend it here.
"...Hold hands instead?"
"Hands...?"
"Yeah. Here."
I extended my hand; she took it. Interlaced our fingers tightly. Her palm had calluses now, unlike the softness seven years ago. ...But I didn't mind at all.
"..."
"I'll keep holding like this. Promise. But loosen the hug?"
...Nod.
Chris nodded faintly. I carefully separated us, hands still clasped.
"Mahal?"
"The crimson slaughterer tearing up... Yes? Did you call me, sir?"
"Yes. Situation's wrapped up—let's head back. Victor's dead too."
"...Haha... Yes. Right. Back. Yes... we should."
Mahal chuckled awkwardly, dazed. He'd probably caught on to our closeness. The three of us prepared to leave for the lodge. If not for Chris's pained groan on the first step.
"Ahh..."
"Chris? What's wrong! Your leg? Hurts?"
"Ah... y-yeah... a bit..."
Her calf above the ankle was massively swollen. Fractured or close. A normal person couldn't walk.
'...She walked here like this? Must've been agony.'
No more strain on her leg.
"...No need for hands then. Lean on me more."
"Wha...? Wh-whoa? I-I'm f-fine..."
"One. Two..."
Whoosh!
"Kyaa?!..."
I scooped her up—princess carry. Piggyback would've jostled her calf painfully. My strength was superhuman; she was light. No reason not to.
"This doesn't hurt?"
"N... n-no...!"
"Testing a few steps. Say if it hurts."
Step step.
A trial walk holding her. Her face showed no pain—good.
"Hurts?"
Shake shake.
Her head shook slightly. Funny how her eyes stayed glued to my face even while shaking.
"Mahal? Seems good now. Let's go."
"Ah... yes... alright."
Mahal had switched to polite speech since the kill. This world ranked by raw power for combatants—maybe that? Good instincts anyway.
We headed to the lodge. Chris's face brimmed with questions but she asked none. My presence alone overflowed her with joy. Naturally... she stared piercingly at my face the whole way, nestled in my arms. Neck cramp incoming, yet.
"Don't strain—rest your head on my collarbone. You're injured; take it easy. Exhausted from crying—sleep if you want, even if bumpy."
"...Won't vanish when I wake?"
"Heh. No. I'll be here."
"Really?"
"Promise."
"You... broke one once."
"...Won't this time."
"Can I believe...?"
"Yeah."
......Nod.
"...Okay. I believe you."
Thud.
Trauma from broken trust, yet she believed me easily. Must've been exhausted—minutes after leaning on my collarbone, eyes closed, deep sleep.
Snooze... snooze...
I walked carefully to the lodge, avoiding waking her. Regretted not having a free hand to fix her messy hair.