Chapter 5: Red woman # 4

The bus journeyed towards my hometown.

I stared blankly at the highway stretching outside the window.

Rain was falling, blurring the landscape.

The air felt damp and a chill permeated the bus.

Sitting there, it felt as though everything was a lie.

A lie that would be washed away with the rain.

“Amso sori beoral reobyu dageo jitmal.” (TL Note: A nonsensical phrase mimicking English words, often used in Korean to express something being a complete lie or absurdity.)

Yet, for a lie, it had been far too malicious, and what I had experienced was undeniably real.

In this world… vampires truly existed.

Not just in movies, but genuinely present.

Beneath the surface of our everyday lives, such unrealistic and supernatural beings were a reality.

Originally, I didn’t even believe in ghosts.

Sure, after watching a horror movie, I’d sometimes feel a shiver during showers, leading me to scrub at hyper-speed as if powered by a booster and belt out high-pitched songs like a siren.

But that wasn’t because I believed in ghosts; it was merely human instinct.

Now, however, I believed in ghosts.

This incident had been more than enough to shatter my entire worldview.

And above all else… regression.

Along with the Status Window.

Even now, whenever I thought about the Status Window, it materialized before my eyes.

What could this Status Window possibly mean?

——————————

[● Status Window]

Name: Kim Geun-hong

Age: 24

.

.

.

Iteration: 2

Deaths: 3

[● Collected Endings]

——————————

When I focused on ‘Collected Endings,’ the entry ‘Vampire’ appeared.

Beyond that, there was nothing else remarkable.

Everything was simply a question mark.

Why had such a Status Window and the ability to regress suddenly been granted to me?

Was there a reason, or was it merely random?

There must be countless things hidden beneath the surface of this world that I was unaware of.

Perhaps there were many other regressors like me.

“No way…!”

The crypto millionaires.

The wildly successful entrepreneurs…

Those bastards who manipulated stock prices to strip everyone clean…

The ‘asshole lists’ (TL Note: A Korean slang term, ‘hangmun mongnok,’ referring to people who are extremely annoying or infuriating, often due to their unfair success or behavior.)…

Were all those people who made me pound the ground in desperate envy actually regressors?

This is insane!

Cowardly bastards!

To use the power of regression like that!

“…!”

At that moment, a dark and ominous realization struck my mind like lightning.

That’s right.

I was a regressor!

Then I could become rich through crypto too!

If I just figured out the market prices and then regressed, all that money would be mine…!

“Ugh, ugh!”

The instant that thought crossed my mind, a terrible wave of nausea hit me, and stomach acid surged up my throat.

I barely managed to cover my mouth, preventing myself from vomiting.

“Haa, haa…!”

No.

I couldn’t.

I couldn’t die again.

Endure that intense pain and maddening nausea once more?

How could I possibly do such a thing?

Just thinking about death made my heart pound, bringing with it an immense sense of dread, overwhelming despair, and surging nausea.

If my soul had originally been fresh, beautiful, and a pure white worthy of universal admiration, now it felt as if it had been plunged into a drum of sticky tar and emerged utterly blackened.

Dying was too painful and terrifying.

It was even disgusting.

And what if I committed suicide to make money through crypto, only for the regression to end right there?

That would truly be terrifying.

Truly.

Indeed, I was just a good-hearted man with a faint heart (TL Note: A Korean idiom, ‘saegaseum,’ literally ‘bird’s chest,’ meaning easily frightened or timid.).

I couldn’t become a hero or a great man.

People die!

“Ha, haha.”

At this point, I’d rather meet a kind clown who valued human life than a vampire.

Blue text (TL Note: Referring to the text on a screen, often associated with financial data or online information.) was always more frightening than red blood.

After drinking the bottled water I’d purchased, I pulled out my phone and began to search.

I intended to find that website I’d seen when fighting the vampire.

But then.

“…?”

It didn’t appear.

As if the site had vanished.

What?

I searched for a while longer, but it still wouldn’t show up.

There was nothing I could do.

I’d just have to try searching again later.

I continued to search for crypto, stocks, and international news, checking market prices.

Honestly, I didn’t want to die, but you never knew.

I might die again and regress, so there was no harm in researching whenever I had the time.

“Oh… this went up 8,000%?”

Some things skyrocketed, while others plummeted.

Some grasped immense wealth with a single choice, while others were stripped clean, losing fortunes they had only dreamed of.

The delusion that institutional bastards were watching them, ready to short-sell the moment they bought something, was merely an added bonus.

Indeed, envy and schadenfreude were but two sides of the same coin.

As I scrolled through stock and crypto data, I arrived at the familiar neighborhood where my family home stood.

****

“Oh, Mom. I’m here.”

“Huh? What is it? Why are you here at this hour? What about school?”

Seeing me, Mom’s eyes widened, and she looked flustered.

It was understandable that she was surprised, given I’d arrived unexpectedly outside of the usual season.

However, I couldn’t stay in that neighborhood any longer.

Since I couldn’t tell her I’d fled because of a vampire, I’d have to vaguely say I was considering dropping out.

“I’ve been having some serious thoughts about my studies, so I just came home for now.”

“Oh dear, what are you talking about? Serious thoughts? You’re not thinking of dropping out, are you?!”

“I’m… considering it…”

“Honey!!!”

What?

Dad was home?

—Whoosh!

A man in boxer briefs burst out!

“This brat!”

“Ah, Dad!”

“Drop out? Drop out, you say?! You’re going to drop out?! What do you mean drop out! You’re getting ‘expelled’ (TL Note: A pun on the Korean word for ‘drop out’ (자퇴, jatwoe) and ‘expel’ or ‘defeat’ (격퇴, gyeoktoe), both ending with the character ‘퇴’ (toe).)! Where’s my flail! My flail! This kid needs a good scolding from his dad!”

“Honey, scold him, quickly!”

“No, no!”

“Where’s the stick, the stick!”

Dad swiftly grabbed a fly swatter and began to strike me with it repeatedly.

—Thwack! Thwack!

“Aargh! What are you doing! No, Dad! I told you to calm down!”

“Calm down, my foot! Do you think I can be calm when my son says he’s dropping out?!”

‘Ah, he had a point!’

“You’re getting ‘exorcised’! (TL Note: Another pun on the character ‘퇴’ (toe), this time referring to ‘exorcism’ (퇴마, toema).) Thwack! Thwack! How about that! You’re in a dilemma! You’re getting ‘expelled’, you brat!”

“Why are you so obsessed with that ‘toe’ character! Aargh!”

“Because you’re talking about dropping out! Hey! You have to graduate college!”

“Come here for your ‘college graduation’! (TL Note: A pun on the Korean word for ‘college graduation’ (대졸, daejol) and the verb ‘대다’ (daeda) meaning ‘to put something against,’ implying ‘put your calf here for a beating’.) Come here for your ‘college graduation’! Quickly, give me your calf!”

There was no way to win against Dad, who was now spouting puns like he was casting spells from Magic Cheonjamun (TL Note: A popular Korean educational comic book series that teaches Chinese characters through martial arts and adventure stories.), so I immediately opened the front door, letting his ruckus spread throughout the entire villa.

“Honey! Be quiet! Everyone outside can hear!”

“Th-this kid suddenly opened the door…”

Perhaps his enthusiasm had waned, for he lowered the fly swatter.

“Ah, Mom. Quickly. Do something about Dad. Hitting people with a fly swatter…”

“Haa… you deserved a little beating.”

‘What kind of talk is ‘dropping out’?’

“Indeed.”

Only then was I able to enter the house.

Though utterly bewildered from the immediate onslaught upon entering, receiving my parents’ warm welcome made my heart, previously filled with anxiety, feel somewhat purified.

“Anyway. Don’t even talk about dropping out. Understand?”

“Oh, Father. I said I’d just think about it for now. I’ll take a little break and consider it.”

“Hmph.”

Dad went into his bag (TL Note: A Korean idiom, ‘appa gabange deureogasinda,’ literally ‘Dad goes into his bag,’ meaning he is going to his room or private space, often to cool down or do something quietly.).

“Mom. Quickly, order me some chicken. I’m hungry.”

“Chicken as soon as you arrive?”

“Ah, seriously. Hurry. I feel like I’m starving to death.”

“From where?”

“Anywhere. Ah, order fried and garlic chicken. No, let’s just get two garlic chickens today.”

“Did you always like garlic so much?”

“Garlic is good for you.”

Chicken was good no matter where I ate it.

Having said that, I went inside the house, unpacked my things, and washed myself.

“Ha.”

Coming home truly eased my mind.

No matter how much of a vampire he was, he wouldn’t be able to come all the way here.

He wasn’t a police officer; why would he track me down here?

My only worry was Dad.

Honestly, if I were him, and my college-aged son suddenly threw a fit about dropping out, I’d probably react even more strongly, not less.

I decided to understand Dad with an open heart.

“Hong-ah. The chicken’s here.”

“Oh. I’ll be right out.”

When I emerged from my shower, the chicken was already prepared.

And Dad was prepared too.

He sat there, looking utterly stern.

“So. Why are you suddenly talking about dropping out?”

“I don’t know either. I’m just… conflicted about my career path.”

“If you’re going to be conflicted, why not just be conflicted without dropping out first?”

‘Was my dad always this sharp?’

Tearing into a chicken leg, I replied,

“No, it’s just a general sense of skepticism about studying itself, I guess. Anyway, that’s how it is.”

“Hmph… just think carefully, anyway.

‘You might regret it later.’

‘If you say ‘Why didn’t you stop me?!’ later, then you’re just going to die (TL Note: A Korean idiom, ‘iseung hajikhaneun geoya,’ literally ‘to bid farewell to this world,’ meaning to die.). Understand?’”

‘That’s a bit much.’

“Anyway, Honey. Can I have a leg? A beautiful person will give a beautiful answer, won’t they?”

Dad, displaying his characteristic charm, pleaded with Mom for a chicken leg.

“Eat it.”

“Kukuku, you truly are so lovely in everything you do. Simply beautiful.”

“Oh, stop it.”

‘Why were they so affectionate?’

And so, we ate chicken and talked about this and that.

It truly was a harmonious and joyful time.

Being with Mom and Dad like this made me feel truly at ease.

Yes.

‘What was all this talk about academics?’

‘Isn’t living well with family the greatest happiness?’

All other relationships in the world might be fleeting, but the bond of family was this blissful.

‘Mom, Dad, I love you.’

“Ugh…! Mom! Dad! I’m so happy like this! I love you both! Quickly! Let’s take a picture!”

“Wh-what is it? Why is he suddenly saying things he never does…?”

“Kim Geun-hong, were you really having such a hard time…?”

“I don’t know! Just take the picture!”

Unable to hold back the tears welling up, I sobbed openly as I took a picture with Mom and Dad.

The chicken was delicious, and the family photo, taken after so long, was truly meaningful.

Perhaps seeing my heartfelt sobbing convinced them that I was truly troubled, for Mom and Dad no longer spoke about me dropping out.

Yes.

For now, I needed to heal.

My heart required mending.