#108
If he’s not a person of this world, does that mean he came from another world?
Until just now, Shin Haejun thought he couldn’t dismiss it as completely absurd, but the claim that Lee Jaeha wasn’t a person of this world felt truly far-fetched.
First of all, Lee Jaeha definitely grew up in an orphanage with Kim Sehyun. He hadn’t suddenly appeared one day, but had a history from childhood to the present. There were also quite a few people around who knew Lee Jaeha.
Above all, even thinking of him as a character in a novel, Lee Jaeha wasn’t simply a hastily created figure. Before the novel’s setting and content completely changed, he had been the protagonist. Shin Haejun remembered Lee Jaeha from that time too.
“That’s nonsense. It’s not like he suddenly fell from the sky one day.”
Shin Haejun, who was speaking with a sneer, suddenly stopped. It was because of a thought that flashed through his mind.
Judging by your expression, it seems you’ve thought of the possibility too.
The emoticon was right.
He had the thought that the soul inside Lee Jaeha’s body might not be his own. If only the soul had been switched, it would be possible for him to suddenly appear in this world while still meeting all those conditions.
‘Since when?’
For Shin Haejun, the important question was when the switch happened. If the Lee Jaeha he had fallen for had disappeared and a new soul called “Yeonsoo” had taken his place, then that couldn’t be called the Lee Jaeha that Shin Haejun loved.
However, after thinking calmly for a moment, he was convinced that Lee Jaeha hadn’t changed. At least since he started thinking he liked Lee Jaeha, it didn’t seem like there had been any change. Lee Jaeha’s personality and behavior patterns had been consistently the same, making it hard to believe he had changed in the middle.
If the soul had changed, it couldn’t have given the same feeling. Even if what he liked wasn’t the real Lee Jaeha, but a Lee Jaeha with a different soul… if the change had happened before they met, it didn’t matter at all. Because he didn’t like just one aspect, like the face or personality.
“There’s no guarantee we should believe what you’re saying.”
Unlike Shin Haejun who had thought about various possibilities, Hyun Dowoon flatly dismissed the emoticon’s words. He seemed to have chosen not to believe the emoticon at all.
“There’s also no guarantee that you really appeared for Jaeha-ssi’s sake.”
What? Are you doubting my feelings for Yeonsoo-nim?
“How can we be sure you’re not on the author’s side when you used enough power to change the world? Moreover, you only appear when Jaeha-ssi is unconscious, and above all, what you’ve said undermines our trust in Jaeha-ssi. It could be a way to drive a wedge between Jaeha-ssi and us.”
He hadn’t thought about it that way, but what Hyun Dowoon pointed out certainly made sense.
Even Shin Haejun, who was blindly focused on Lee Jaeha, was shaken for a moment. It was an incomprehensible action to reveal such facts while claiming to be acting for Lee Jaeha’s benefit.
That’s because I can’t persuade you about future actions without explaining that! And the reason I can only appear when Yeonsoo-nim is unconscious is…
The emoticon, which had been grumbling angrily, sighed with a slightly deflated voice.
Because I can’t trust Yeonsoo-nim’s choice.
What could that mean? Shin Haejun and Hyun Dowoon briefly stopped their interrogative attitude at the voice that somehow sounded depressed, and waited for the next words.
I want Yeonsoo-nim to stay in this world. But Yeonsoo-nim might want to go back, right? I’m not sure what choice Yeonsoo-nim will make…
‘So that’s why you told us to secure his heart.’
Because he wouldn’t be able to leave behind the people he loves.
If they could secure Lee Jaeha’s heart, there couldn’t be anything better for Shin Haejun. The same would probably be true for Hyun Dowoon.
I worked hard to help Yeonsoo-nim adapt well. I also interfered with ???’s plot to send Yeonsoo-nim away. I absolutely can’t let him go!
“Is… um, Yeonsoo that other name for Jaeha-ssi?”
As far as I know, yes. It might be different from his real name since it’s his game name, but…
“Game?”
I can meet Yeonsoo-nim by borrowing the system of the game he used to play in the real world.
At those words, Shin Haejun and Hyun Dowoon recalled how Lee Jaeha would sometimes fiddle with his phone and never let it out of his sight.
Lee Jaeha had a strong attachment to his phone. He would look for his phone first thing in the morning and carefully place it next to his pillow when going to sleep. Even in the moment when the world was crumbling, even while fainting, he never let go of the hand holding his phone, showing how he never wanted to be separated from it.
The fact that he cherished it so much yet didn’t spend much time using internet communities or apps on his phone might be because he only saw it as a means to meet this emoticon.
They didn’t want to believe the emoticon’s words, but it felt like they had no choice but to believe, which was frustrating.
The various items Yeonsoo-nim uses in dungeons are also items taken out from that game.
“That can’t be. Jaeha-ssi said he receives the items he needs at that moment through the power of the constellation.”
Ah, yes, he does receive them through the power of the constellation. ??? is Yeonsoo-nim’s constellation. But he can take them out and use them without receiving revelations from the constellation every time.
“So that was the honest truth…”
Shin Haejun muttered inadvertently.
He already knew that Lee Jaeha was hiding many things. It was obvious from his overtly defensive attitude and how he would firmly close his mouth at crucial moments.
The reason he didn’t press Lee Jaeha with questions was because he didn’t want to pressure him. It didn’t matter who Lee Jaeha was. When he sent pleading looks with eyes full of fear, trembling and begging not to be questioned, Shin Haejun couldn’t bring himself to interrogate him.
??? wants to send Yeonsoo-nim back to his original world. It would be terrible if Yeonsoo-nim leaves after listening to ???’s words.
While they couldn’t completely trust the emoticon, Shin Haejun and Hyun Dowoon agreed with that statement. Whether he was from another world or not didn’t matter. They couldn’t accept him disappearing from their side. They weren’t confident they could be okay after losing Lee Jaeha.
??? can’t appear when the author is actively writing. Only when the writing starts to fall apart can it start to act. It’s set to appear at the moment when Yeonsoo-nim is most shaken.
Shin Haejun felt that the emoticon wanted to completely exclude Lee Jaeha’s constellation. It sounded like it was afraid that the constellation would contact Lee Jaeha and send him to another world.
“Then what exactly do you want us to do? You must have appeared like this because you have something to say.”
You need to make sure ??? and Yeonsoo-nim can’t contact each other in any way. And you need to firmly secure his heart so that Yeonsoo-nim gives up any thoughts of leaving.
Shin Haejun smirked at the words that sounded like they were being told to seduce Lee Jaeha, receive his love, and use that feeling to keep him here. That was what he wanted most. He had always wanted to be loved by Lee Jaeha.
“…If the constellation’s appearance depends on when Jaeha-ssi’s heart wavers, what if we make him believe the author is still around?”
Hyun Dowoon, who had been listening quietly, suggested a new direction.
If ??? appears when the author disappears from the story and this world shakes, the idea was to make Lee Jaeha believe the author hadn’t disappeared at all.
“Just like how you reversed the world, if we make the world seem normal… and make him think the story is still continuing, wouldn’t that prevent ??? from appearing by Jaeha-ssi’s side?”
The criteria for ??? to appear depends on Yeonsoo-nim’s heart, so that’s not wrong!
“Then it’s decided.”
The three resolved to deceive Lee Jaeha. To completely remove his opportunity to leave.
Soon, the ‘End of the Path’ skill will be used. At that time, make a wish according to your plan. Being an L-grade skill, it can’t change people’s hearts or create life, but with a few restrictions aside, you can wish for almost anything.
That meant it was possible to create a massive greenhouse for Lee Jaeha.
The two decided to create a very comfortable world so that Lee Jaeha would never want to leave this place.
***
‘The woman screamed…!’
With that thought, I opened my eyes wide. I saw the feeling of a comfortable bed and a familiar ceiling.
I looked around in confusion. Then Shin Haejun’s hand patted me from the side.
“Why are you awake already?”
“Huh…?”
What in the world is going on?
The world had definitely shattered… I also remember hearing a strange woman’s voice. Suddenly, after fainting and waking up, not only was everything fine, but an ordinary world greeted me again.
‘What’s this?’
Somehow, I felt a chill down my spine. It was because I felt that something was off and going wrong.
“Did I… die?”
I hesitated and then poked Shin Haejun’s arm. I felt the warmth of his skin.
“What are you talking about? Did you have a dream while sleeping?”
As I awkwardly doubted everything around me, Shin Haejun laughed softly. When I turned my head and looked at his face, I saw him smiling as if looking at something cute.
“A dream…? A dream, you say?”
All of that was just a dream? But the moment of shattering, falling downwards, and feeling despair was so clear…
I wondered if we might be dead, if this might be a hallucination experienced while dying, but Shin Haejun’s body temperature and touch felt too vivid.
“What kind of dream did you have to be like this?”
“It was a dream where we all died…”
And I heard a strange woman’s voice.
As I spoke haltingly, Shin Haejun chuckled and stroked my head.
“You must have been very anxious lately. Why would I die? And I won’t let you leave my side, hyung.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
