***
One week later.
A small car that would not have been strange even if it were scrapped stopped in front of Hwasong Prison. Then, a familiar woman stepped out from the driver’s seat.
She had pale skin that had not seen the sunlight. She wore dark sunglasses and had her long, flowing straight hair tied back loosely. Her voluptuous chest was openly visible inside her baggy T-shirt.
That’s right. The nudist. It was Jo Sang-nim.
“Aren't you going to turn off the engine?”
When she got out while leaving the engine running, I also stepped out from the passenger seat and asked.
“It was hard enough to get the engine started, so how can I turn it off? Just
leave it. It’ll be a problem if the engine doesn't start again.”
Indeed, I thought it was practically a miracle that we had managed to ride it
all the way here. Since there were still about 30 minutes left until the
release, we sat in the shade on one side and waited leisurely.
That appearance was quite relaxed, but in truth, there was a separate reason for that leisure.
“By the way, we’ve made a lot of money, so should we change the car?”
She muttered while looking at the rattling car. I pulled my collar tight against
the early winter wind and tossed out a word.
“Just how much do you think we’ve earned?”
“It’s ten million won in just one week, ten million won. If you combine both of ours, it’s twenty million won!”
It was true. For a week, I had used the Taste of Regression ability once a day
and gathered a fairly decent amount of money.
While it wasn't as much as the first day, we had steadily earned about 2 million won every day, so it was natural for her to say such things.
“Well, I guess we could change it for at least one used car.”
At my words, she grinned.
“A Benz? An Audi?”
“Bullshit.”
I immediately administered punishment for her nonsensical gibberish.
“How about moving houses first? It wouldn't be strange at all if your apartment
collapsed tomorrow morning. Maybe it wouldn't even make the news. Because it’s
such an obvious thing to happen.”
I tested the waters slightly.
“Will you shut up? By the way, what wind blew in to make you wait for
Undonghwa’s release? You didn't even go for a single visitation.”
“Did I not go because I didn't want to… I didn't go because I was self-conscious of my wife.”
It was true. My wife would practically have a fit if even the first letter of the ‘Eagle Five’ was mentioned.
Meeting them was completely impossible, she had forbidden phone calls, and she
had even made me delete their contact information. Of course, they were still
stored inside my head.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk… Just how much of a pathetic bastard were you for your wife to act like that. You were properly gaslit.”
She spoke as if I were pitiful.
I didn't really have anything to say. Because it was the truth.
“Don't poke where it hurts. Still, I’ve escaped now, haven't I?”
“You should have done that sooner… By the way, are you really planning on taking revenge?”
She asked as if she couldn't believe it. It was a natural thing. Because until now, I hadn't even been able to speak properly to my wife.
“Yeah. I have to return as much as I’ve suffered. First, I intend to crush her
affair partners. To do that, I need a fair amount of money and I need to train
my body. There’s a lot to do.”
I continued speaking while spreading both sets of fingers.
“On top of that, the life insurance on my body alone is 1 billion won. I don't
know when or how I might be murdered. Of course, it’ll be fine for about the
next five years. Until then, I must become strong no matter what!”
“Kekeke, you pathetic bastard. What are you, some kind of wanted criminal? 1 billion on your neck. You were a real big shot. A real big shot.”
When I spoke while clenching one hand firmly, she clapped her hands as if I were pathetic but gave me encouragement. She was a truly thankful girl.
“By the way, looking at it like this, revenge is a good thing. It becomes the
vitality of life.”
“Do you really have to be so sarcastic? Looking at you, your mindset is just
wrong.”
I spoke while pointing my index finger exactly between her eyebrows.
“What’s wrong with my mindset?”
“It’s always negative.”
“Yeah. That’s right. You have to be like this so you don't get taken advantage of like a pathetic hogu like you.”
Goddammit, I can't even deny it.
“He’s coming out.”
At that moment, she stood up and perched her sunglasses on top of her head.
Following her gaze, I saw one sturdy man coming out of the prison.
His body seemed to have become even better than before. His face was tanned, and he had also grown his hair out considerably long.
I picked up the black bag I had prepared and stood up.
“Oh! Our Brother! You’re finally coming out into the world.”
Jo Sang-nim trotted over and hugged him.
“Jo Sang-nim. It’s been a long time.”
Woo Do-hwa also patted her back and hugged her lightly. Since they had been together every day since they were very young, it was an atmosphere like they were real siblings.
“Congratulations on your release. Undonghwa. Here. Eat. It’s handmade tofu. It’s
delicious.”
I awkwardly held out the tofu.
“What’s this? You. Personally coming all the way here.”
The tone was quite different from the one he used with Jo Sang-nim. It was as cold as the November weather.
Well, I had expected it to some extent. Originally, we were in a love-hate
relationship, and it was a fact that I hadn't gone for a single visitation.
“I’m sorry I couldn't come for a visit. There were unavoidable circumstances…”
“I know you couldn't come because you were busy walking on eggshells for your wife.”
Woo Do-hwa spoke bluntly.
I momentarily glared at Jo Sang-nim. She avoided my gaze.
I wondered when she had come and snitched again.
“Don't feel upset about it.”
“I didn't expect anything to begin with.”
This time too, he spoke bluntly.
This guy. He’s too honest. He has no affection, no affection.
“Then that’s a relief. Do you have a place to stay?”
“Would I? I just came out.”
“Let’s go. I’ve already found a house anyway.”
I bit into a piece of tofu and headed toward the car. Since it was handmade
tofu, it was as delicious as a meal even when eaten plain.
Then, Jo Sang-nim trotted over and put her arm around my shoulder. I could vividly feel her voluptuous chest.
“Hmm? Really? When? Without even consulting me? Where is it? Can I go too? Which
neighborhood is it? I said, "where is it!!”
In an instant, Jo Sang-nim bombarded me with questions like rapid-fire.
Give me some time to answer. You girl.
<><><>
Outskirts of Seoul.
A certain shabby detached house in Illim-dong.
“Oh! This looks plausible?”
Jo Sang-nim let out exclamations of admiration repeatedly while going back and
forth between the first and second floors. Although it was quite old, it was a
house that was quite livable if repaired appropriately.
“How much is this a month?”
“600,000.”
“For the whole first and second floors? Oh~ not bad?”
She whistled and marveled.
Even if it was the outskirts, Seoul was Seoul. And if you combined the first and second floors, it was nearly 30 pyeong. 600,000 won could be called a very reasonable price. Of course, it was only possible because I had sought out the landlord and used the Mental Control ability for a week.
Because it was the outskirts, it was less conspicuous, and it was exactly 30
minutes at a jogging pace from my house. It was a perfect location, neither too
far nor too close.
“I’ll take the first floor! It’s a pain to go back and forth to the second
floor. Undonghwa, you use the second floor. It looked perfect for exercising on
the rooftop. An Undonghwa who is doing undong.”
What kind of nonsense was that?
Jo Sang-nim was already contemplating where to put her things as if it were her
own home. Woo Do-hwa also merely wandered around and looked without saying anything in particular. It meant he liked it.
“What do you want? It won't be for free.”
After looking through every nook and cranny of the house, Woo Do-hwa asked me.
Right. I had been waiting for this.
“Teach me some martial arts. As much as possible for survival, no, for practical use. Special martial arts? You know. That kind of thing. Beating people to death. Strangling them to death.”
At my words, Woo Do-hwa snorted and opened his mouth.
“Did you eat something wrong? Was the tofu spoiled?”
“What!? I ate some on the way too!!”
Jo Sang-nim shouted out.
You, shut up for a bit. Please.
“I’m joking.”
“What!? You startled me. Hey, Undonghwa. You help me move the stuff from my apartment. It’s nothing much. You just need to bring the computer. Throw everything else away.”
That was a good idea.
“Why should I?”
“Why should you? Isn't it obvious? It’s not like we’re strangers.”
“We are strangers.”
“Hey! Undonghwa! Did you leave your humanity behind in the slammer? Why did a person change like this!”
“I’m the same as always?”
I watched the two of them bickering without a word.
In the time before the regression, Woo Do-hwa lost his life after being caught up in a fight with gangsters one year after his release. Jo Sang-nim, who lost the only person who looked after her, also went to meet her real ancestors a few years later.
This time, that will surely never happen.