“But do I really have to cover my face?”
Seo Eui-woo asked as he buttoned up a crisp, half-sleeved shirt next to Kwon Jae-jin. He eyed Jae-jin skeptically as he secured his hat and mask.
“Of course you do. It’s not like we’re here on official business.”
“Official business…? I don’t get it. There’s no need to sneak around. It’s not like we’re leaving without permission—we got formal clearance.”
“It’s not that. It’s for your safety. To the residents of the general settlement, you’re like a celebrity.”
“A celebrity? What? Do I come out on TV or something?”
Seo Eui-woo blinked at him blankly.
“But what does that have to do with anything? Is it dangerous if people think you’re a celebrity?”
“It’s not really about danger… More like, regular folks might freak out if they recognize us.”
Seo Eui-woo still didn’t quite understand why Jae-jin had to hide his face.
Then again, Seo Eui-woo barely grasped what a celebrity even was.
The special settlements only broadcasted TV news and documentary channels; there were no movies or dramas aired.
So, to Seo Eui-woo, the only ‘celebrities’ he knew were news anchors and journalists. The kind of celebrities he imagined were very different from the ones people in the general settlements would think of.
‘There are probably tons of people in the general settlements who would lose their minds over seeing him.’
There hadn’t been enough time to properly brief Seo Eui-woo on this. Jae-jin simply summarized.
“It’s too complicated to explain now… Just keep your face covered for now. And don’t take off your hat.”
“Okay, but this is weird. Back when Jae-jin was in the second timeline, he had to constantly stay hidden so he wouldn’t be murdered. And now he has to keep hiding here too.”
“Well… when you put it like that, yeah, it is kind of funny. Whatever. Let’s go.”
“Yeah, it’s time. Give me your hand.”
Jae-jin extended his hand, and Seo Eui-woo grasped it. The two made their way through the left-side corridors, arriving at the frozen white gate checkpoint before dawn. The previously half-destroyed checkpoint was now densely packed with people.
The gate security officers meticulously inspected them.
“Show your identification markers. Please present your swords for scanning.”
The screening process was tedious and meticulous, likely to prevent unauthorized departures. They even had dedicated machines to filter out mass-produced knockoff versions of healing-factor inhibitors.
“Follow the red line on the left.”
As the security officers began a body scan of Kwon Jae-jin, Seo Eui-woo widened his eyes and let out a dramatic sigh.
But Jae-jin remained still, standing firm, his broad frame unwavering under scrutiny.
‘No… Better this than being shot down. We got through and nothing went wrong.’
Kwon Jae-jin had anticipated the worst and hardened his heart in preparation.
But Seo Eui-woo… Seo Eui-woo, he trusted. He believed in him. He had grown, and that was enough.
‘Our boy has grown.’
The Seo Eui-woo from before wouldn’t have done this. Is he… really okay?
“The inspection process ends here. Your emergency travel permit is valid for 24 hours, so make sure to return within the regulated time. If you do not report back to the special settlement within 24 hours, it will be considered a criminal offense, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. Have you read and understood the precautions?”
At the end of the lengthy procedure, their permits were finally issued.
Seo Eui-woo snatched his permit up like an impatient civilian and immediately began moving leftward.
A brilliant light momentarily blinded them, forcing their vision to adjust.
Above them, the sky stretched vast and clear.
Standing beneath the blue expanse was a man.
The landscape unfolding below was at once familiar and foreign.
Kwon Jae-jin stood at the very foot of the sixth settlement, where towering fortress-like structures loomed. In the past, he had climbed to the center’s highest point and looked down upon this place. Now, he stood above the settlement, gazing down from a new vantage point.
“Wow…”
Seo Eui-woo couldn’t contain his amazement and let out a gasp.
His silver-gray eyes, reflecting the morning light, shimmered like a delicate illusion. The glow dancing around his ears made them gleam brightly.
“Look, do you see where we are?”
Below them, a massive river flowed, winding through the heart of the sixth settlement. It welcomed them with its vast and steady presence.
“Do you recognize it? This is where you lived, Jae-jin.”
“…Yeah. It is.”
Kwon Jae-jin answered slowly.
Truthfully, he never imagined that just looking at a cityscape could make him feel this way.
He had always braced himself for the worst, preparing for what was necessary. He thought that even if he returned to the sixth settlement, his emotions wouldn’t waver.
In that fleeting moment, he had chosen detachment over fear.
Ever since he had accepted a new life as a soldier in the first timeline, he had resolved not to cling to the past or overcomplicate things. He had learned to slash through monsters without hesitation, to sever and move forward.
The battlefield had been so relentless that looking back was simply not an option. Nostalgia had no place when survival was at stake.
But now, seeing his old home again, he realized he had completely underestimated how it would feel.
His eyes burned, his chest tightened, and his throat constricted.
The emotions surging through him were so overwhelming they made him speechless, embarrassed even.
This place—his home.
At this very moment, he fully grasped the weight of that word.
It wasn’t just nostalgia or fond memories.
The land, the structures, the roads, and the towering walls—everything he had once walked past and lived alongside—whispered back to him, reminding him of who he had been.
This was the place where Kwon Jae-jin had spent his first life.
It was his home, in every sense of the word.
It was a place he had always carried within him, even without realizing it.
A place that was small, unassuming, and yet, utterly comforting.
It was home.
“Jae-jin, where to next? Which district are we headed to?”
Seo Eui-woo turned his head, scanning the settlement. Kwon Jae-jin didn’t need to wander—he already knew exactly where to go.
All he had to do was find the distinct bridge over the Han River, and the familiar neighborhood immediately came into view.
“…Over there.”
Peace District 3. That was where Jae-jin’s family lived.
“Got it. We’ll head there now.”
“Wait a sec.”
Jae-jin suddenly grabbed Seo Eui-woo’s hand tightly.
“Let me get ready first.”
He needed a moment to collect himself before seeing his family again. He closed his eyes, letting the gusts of wind wash over him like a grounding force.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.
Then, Seo Eui-woo suddenly pulled him in, arms wrapping around his waist. Their bodies spun half a turn in midair before stabilizing.
By now, this was second nature—an unspoken promise between them.
The wind wrapped around them like a silken ribbon, lifting them effortlessly.
Seo Eui-woo’s black hair fluttered wildly, catching the light, his pupils shining like the snow-lit moon. The sharp lines of his lips curled into an irresistible smirk.
“How is it? You okay?”
“Yeah… I think I am.”
“Shall we go?”
“…Let’s go.”
“Good.”
A brilliant flash of light engulfed them.
The sky turned a soft, glowing dawn as the two vanished into the brightness.
Moments later, as the lingering afterimage faded, the summer sky stretched clear, without a single cloud.
***
Jae-jin’s home was a simple two-story red-brick house with a modest yard.
The tin roof rattled whenever the wind blew, and a small stone garden sat at the inner courtyard.
To one side, there was a wooden water tank with large ceramic jars filled with fermented vegetables, while on the opposite side, an old, well-worn toolbox was propped against the wall.
“…”
Standing in front of the familiar wooden gate, Jae-jin reached out and pressed the doorbell with his fingertip.
He wasn’t even sure what kind of expression he was making right now.
Only the faint cry of a hawk echoed in the distance.
Before anyone inside could respond, a commotion erupted in the yard.
“Woof!”
A pale yellow mutt, clearly having caught the unfamiliar scent of visitors, bolted out, tail wagging furiously.
The dog, Sun-woo, barked at Seo Eui-woo with wary hesitation. Then, after a few cautious sniffs, he bounded up the tin roof with a playful energy, as if gathering the courage to confront them.
“Jae-jin, what is that?”
“Oh, that’s our dog. Sun-woo. He’s five years old.”
“What’s his name? Sun-woo? Who named him?”
“…I did. Sun-woo, it’s me. Your big brother.”
Jae-jin crouched down and called out to Sun-woo. The dog stared at him blankly.
Feeling flustered, Jae-jin quickly pulled down his mask, revealing his face. But Sun-woo merely froze in place, sniffing the air around him hesitantly before his nose twitched furiously.
Being apart for a year was one thing, but Jae-jin had also been through countless battles recently, leaving him covered in the scent of blood and gunpowder. The mix of foreign smells must have confused Sun-woo.
Then, all at once, Sun-woo’s tail began wagging in rapid circles like a helicopter blade. His paws flailed as he started hopping in place excitedly.
“Arf! Woof! Arf!”
He suddenly pounced toward Jae-jin’s leg, pawing at his shin and whining with urgency. It was as if he was scolding Jae-jin for leaving.
“Wait, Sun-woo! Hold on! Stay put!”
“Yip! Yip-yip…! Woof, woof!”
With no other choice, Jae-jin pressed his fingerprint against the door’s biometric lock. 05839*. The passcode, still ingrained in his memory, unlocked the heavy door.
As soon as it swung open, Sun-woo dashed inside, tail wagging like a spinning top as he sprinted around Jae-jin’s legs in excited circles.
Laughing, Jae-jin scooped Sun-woo up into his arms, rubbing his cheek against the dog’s soft fur. Sun-woo let out a series of happy grunts and snuggled closer, pushing against Jae-jin’s chest.
“Yeah, yeah. You missed me too, huh, Sun-woo?”
“Jae-jin, I…”
“Hm? Hey, Eui-woo, Sun-woo doesn’t bite. He’s friendly.”
“No, that’s not what I meant—”
Sun-woo, in his overwhelming excitement, was attempting to lick Jae-jin’s lips.
Before that could happen, Seo Eui-woo swiftly reached over and plucked Sun-woo out of Jae-jin’s arms.
“You said you have to cover your face. Put your mask back on. We’re still outside.”
“Ah, right.”
Jae-jin adjusted his mask back into place. Then, Seo Eui-woo casually handed Sun-woo back to him.
Sun-woo sniffed at the mask.
“Nope. I want to greet him properly too.”
Without hesitation, Seo Eui-woo took Sun-woo again.
“How am I supposed to pet him? Do I just… reach out?”
“Try letting him sniff your hand under his chin first.”
“Like this?”
