Chapter 2: Family

I followed my younger sister somewhere.

“Where are we going? We should go home first.”

“Home? What do you mean? They say we have to go through a returnee immigration screening first.”

“Returnee immigration screening?”

I’ve never heard of such a thing.

It’s so different from the Earth I knew.

‘Is it important?’

“You don’t need to be so nervous. You just have to go to the association and listen to the explanation.”

“Really?”

I’m a little uneasy, but Haim says it’s fine, so there’s nothing to worry about.

We arrived at a place that seemed to be the association building before we knew it.

“Aren’t you going in?”

“I called someone, so let’s wait.”

Soon after, someone ran towards us hurriedly from afar.

“Huff, huff, Ms. Haim, where is the returnee?”

“Behind me.”

The woman scanned me up and down.

It was a little unpleasant, but I let it go.

Finished with her check, she pushed her hair back and greeted me courteously.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Deputy Lee Jiwoo from the Returnee Team.”

“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you.”

The woman smiled and handed me her business card, but behind that smile, I felt an uncomfortable aura.

“Shall we go inside and talk? The team leader is waiting.”

We followed Deputy Lee Jiwoo inside the association.

“Do you happen to know why there are so many monsters on Earth now?”

I shook my head.

‘How would I know?

I came to this world before Earth changed.’

“First, where should I start explaining? Eight years ago, a door appeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.”

That door appeared without any prior signs, they said.

Every country analyzed the door, but just as they were about to give up on even finding out its composition, let alone opening it…

“Kwaaaang!!!”

It opened.

Along with unidentified monsters.

After that, doors were created in the remaining five oceans simultaneously, and monsters invaded Earth.

The monsters’ strength was beyond imagination, and some countries collapsed.

But perhaps God didn’t abandon humanity; when everyone was in chaos, ‘Awakened Ones’ appeared.

They had strength that transcended common sense, thanks to which they were able to drive the monsters out of the continents.

“Well, it was already too late. The monsters had already started families.”

They succeeded in driving out the monsters living inland, but the monsters living in the sky and sea were different.

They had already succeeded in f*cking and starting families.

“Because of that, several countries are in a difficult situation.”

After that, several countries created something called an association to efficiently manage the Awakened Ones.

And the place we were in was the Korean Awakened Ones Association.

Just as the world was stabilizing, another door appeared, this time in a park in California, USA.

Just as the whole world was about to be gripped by the thought that monsters would swarm again,

“Where is this?”

The one who opened the door that appeared less than a second ago was not a monster, but an orc.

No, it couldn’t be considered ordinary.

He claimed that he used to be human.

The US government arrested him and began an investigation.

But just as he testified, he was an Earthling, and he was able to meet his family.

After that, returnees began to appear in various countries around the world.

Their races were all different, and their strength varied greatly.

Some were porters for a hero’s party, and some were Sword Saints who saved the world.

“And it is our job to reunite them with their original families and help them become independent.”

While we were talking, we arrived at the conference room.

When we opened the door, there was a middle-aged man inside, and he stood up as if happy to see us.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Kwonho, the team leader of the Returnee Team.”

The man who introduced himself as Kim Kwonho handed us business cards and had us sit down.

“You must have heard the explanation on your way here, so I’ll get straight to the point, Mr. Lee Seongwoo.”

“How did you know my name….”

“I told them in advance.”

She also said that we were siblings, apparently.

‘When did she say that?’

Team Leader Kim Kwonho handed me a document.

“This is Mr. Seongwoo’s basic profile. Please check if it’s correct.”

The document contained my old photo and even the personal information of my family.

‘So this is what I looked like….’

In the profile picture was my old self wearing a school uniform.

I guess I was a high school student when I came to the other world.

“Eight years have passed since Mr. Seongwoo went missing.”

“Eight years?”

My eyes widened.

Only 8 years have passed?

My age is definitely….

‘…Let’s stop thinking about it.’

What does age matter?

What matters is the heart!

“I’ll conduct a simple investigation.

What did you do when you were in the other world?”

“Just a simple fortune-teller?”

“A fortune-teller? Don’t you have combat abilities or anything like that?”

“No? How could a fortune-teller have combat abilities?”

At those words, the faces of Lee Jiwoo and Kim Kwonho darkened slightly.

‘Is there a problem?’

After that, they asked various questions, such as what kind of other world I lived in and my race.

Kim Kwonho, who finished the questions, presented me with a new document.

“Then you can sign this document. Then a new ID card will be issued immediately.”

“Really? It’s very well organized.”

I signed immediately.

Kim Kwonho continued his questions.

“Do you have any intention of becoming independent? As you heard, we also help returnees become independent.”

“Not particularly, I have a home, so I’m planning to live with my family.”

I wanted to eat the doenjang jjigae my mom made after a long time.

“Understood. If anything happens in the future, I’ll contact you through Ms. Jiwoo.”

After finishing the conversation, we left the association building.

“Ughhh, it’s finally over.”

I stretched, my body exhausted.

Shall we go home now?

“Hey, quickly guide me home, what are you doing?”

“I’m texting Mom that I found Older Brother.”

“What did she say?”

“She was surprised, she said to bring you quickly.”

“She’ll be even more surprised when she sees what I look like now.”

“Anyway, what should I call you now? Older Brother? Older Sister?”

“What Older Sister? Call me Older Brother.”

Even though I had turned into a woman, I hadn’t abandoned my masculinity.

But this bi*ch, Lee Haim, was not a bi*ch who would listen to me even if I told her.

“No. I’m just going to call you Older Sister.”

“Do you really want to die?”

“So what? And I’ve always wanted a pretty Older Sister instead of a clumsy Older Brother.”

“Clumsy Older Brother? This bi*ch, really!”

“Over there, a taxi is coming. Taxi, over here!”

‘Ugh, endure until we get home.’

I got into the taxi, suppressing my rising fist.

Questions continued for a long time while I was in the taxi.

“Older Brother, what kind of life did you live over there?”

“It was ordinary. I lived as a gypsy and told fortunes.”

“That’s it? Just that? Didn’t you have some kind of mission to save the world?”

“Mission? What are you talking about? Earning money well is the best.”

There’s no way I would have something like that.

Defeating the Demon Lord was more of the only means to return to Earth rather than a mission.

“Tsk, boring.”

Smack!

Ack!

She was so annoying, I hit her on the back.

Then her expression turned fierce.

“I’m going to tell Mom!”

“Oh really, how old are you that you’re still looking for Mom?”

How dare you say such things when you don’t know how hard I lived?

You deserved to be hit.

While we were chattering, the taxi arrived home, and we got out of the car.

“It really hasn’t changed at all.”

“Both of them dislike change, so let’s go in quickly.”

“Okay.”

The door opened, and the same scenery as the exterior unfolded.

The TV and sofa in the living room, everything was the same.

“I’m home.”

Rush!

At that greeting, Mom and Dad both rushed to the entrance in a hurry, and seeing me, they clearly looked disappointed.

‘What is it?’

“Where’s Older Brother?”

“I came with you.”

“Where?”

Both of them looked around, turning their heads this way and that, but unfortunately, they couldn’t find me.

“You mean you didn’t tell them?”

“Ah, I forgot.”

“This bi*ch, really…”

Ugh, my neck!

How could you not tell them that?!

First, it would be best to greet them politely.

I bowed 90 degrees and greeted them.

“Uh, hello.”

“Oh, yes. Welcome. You must be Haim’s friend. What’s your name?”

Both of them welcomed me awkwardly.

‘How should I say this?’

“Uh, I’m your son, Lee Seongwoo.”

***

We sat at the dining table and talked for a bit.

“You’re really our son?”

“I told you it’s really me! Can’t you tell by looking?!”

It’s too much that they can’t even recognize their own child after becoming parents.

“Of course not. Your gender changed.”

“Sigh, fine, I get it.”

Haim explained everything that had happened so far.

But the doubt still hadn’t disappeared.

“Then let me ask you just one thing. Name our son’s ex-girlfriend.”

“…There was no such thing.”

“You’re really our son…”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

It’s really annoying.

Did I really have to say that myself?

“Okay, let’s just sleep.

My room is still the same, right?”

“…….”

Both of them were silent.

I became anxious.

“Surely, no? You didn’t clean up my room just because I was gone for a few years, did you?”

“Well, we didn’t clean it up, but Haim is using your room.”

“What?”

When I turned my head, Haim avoided my eyes.

‘This bi*ch?’

“Uh, I couldn’t help it! Older Brother’s room is big!”

“What, do you think I went to the military?!”

It’s too much to get rid of the room itself just because I was gone for only 8 years.

Wait a minute, if the room is gone, that means….

“Then what about my things?! My comic books?! My figures?!”

“…Sorry. Haim sold all of them used.”

I once again suppressed my rising fist.

I finally met my family, so I couldn’t just swing my fist.

I held my head and sighed.

‘Is this bi*ch’s head empty?’

“You, restore it to its original state. Unless you want to die.”

“Ah, okay….”

“Then you can sleep in the room she used for now─.”

“Oh, Haim’s room is already being used as a storage room, so you sleep in the living room.”

“What?”

Things proceeded smoothly.

A blanket was quickly spread out in the living room, and the lights were turned off.

“Good night.”

All my family members went into their rooms, and I lay alone in the empty living room.

I thought.

‘…F*ck, I should have lived alone.’