The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 221

221. I’m Home

It was a long, tedious ringing in my ears, and all I could see was white.

It was like living inside a blank white canvas. Whether I rolled to the side, went up, or fell down, the background was always the same.

In this space, I counted the days for the first few days. After a month, I realized there was no point in counting and just waited.

The overall feeling of the space was like being submerged in water, my body floating.

No, more like space. I haven’t been to space, so I don’t know the exact feeling.

How much time has passed?

I felt my senses slowly returning.

First, the sense in my hands returned.

My hands were full of something.

Next was sound.

The sound of people talking amongst themselves.

It seemed like I could hear broadcasting sounds, too.

Following that, the light of a lamp entered my eyes. Not like a flashlight, but a light that spread out widely.

Then, a warm breeze blew. Not like the warm breeze that blows in summer, but a warm breeze coming from an indoor heater.

Now all my senses have returned.

I lowered my eyes and looked at the object in my hands.

A black fleece jacket wrapped in plastic…

This was definitely a middle school entrance gift for Junho.

Looking at it, I laughed in vain.

Then I clenched the fleece jacket wrapped in plastic tightly.

Rustle-.

I felt an indescribable, complex emotion.

‘I really came back.’

To this outlet where I came to buy my brother’s gift, before the League started.

“Would you like a receipt?”

The employee in front of me asked.

I looked at her once, then looked back at the packaged fleece jacket.

‘The employee in front of me would never understand.’

The employee asked me again.

“Um, sir?”

“Yes. Give it to me. The receipt.”

I nodded.

“Yes. I understand.”

Tteudeuk-.

The employee tore off the receipt and handed it to me.

But I didn’t take the receipt and left the store. It was because I saw two familiar figures while asking her for the receipt and waiting. I followed them.

Behind me, I heard the urgent voice of the clerk.

“Sir? The receipt? Sir?”

Many people were walking around the mall. Everyone was neatly dressed and looked clean. It was definitely different from the people I had seen in the past.

I quickly passed through the crowd.

And inside a luxury store, I saw three familiar faces.

“Should we go with this? Sebeom?”

“Whatever.”

“Aish! Look carefully! It’s a gift for Dad’s birthday.”

“Okay, okay. Well, it looks pretty good.”

Lee Juyeon and Lee Sebeom, who I competed with in the first round, and Kim Donggil, the branch manager of the Blue Team in the first round, who was guiding them.

Lee Juyeon held up a luxury wallet, examined it, and asked Kim Donggil.

“It’s a gift for my father, but is this kind of design popular with people in their 50s these days?”

Branch Manager Kim Donggil smiled kindly and explained.

“Yes, ma’am. The leather of this wallet is…….”

At that time, Lee Sebeom, who was standing next to Lee Juyeon with a blunt expression, turned his head and made eye contact with me.

We stared at each other for a while. Then I left first.

I went down the stairs to go down to the first floor. And I didn’t see the person coming out of the corner and bumped into them.

A man with a sturdy height handed me a hand as I fell, spilling coffee on me.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Are you hurt anywhere?”

I looked up at his face.

It was Kwon Gyeongsu, a soldier who committed suicide in the first round. I took his hand and got up.

Kwon Gyeongsu kept bowing and apologizing to me.

“I’m sorry. Are you really okay……?”

He said something, but I passed him and walked away as if running away.

“Ah. Ah. Over there…….”

I headed straight outside.

My clothes were the same as they were back then.

I passed them and finally opened the door to the first-floor shopping mall.

Along with the cold wind, hot sunlight poured onto my face.

The road that should have collapsed was fine, there were no corpses on the street, and people’s faces were full of smiles.

Looking up at this city, I felt a sense of futility and pride at the same time.

I walked among them. I walked freely. To the place where I was originally supposed to be.

Crossing the Bisan Bridge, I headed to the villa where my brother was.

The closer I got to home, the faster my heart beat.

…

And finally, I was able to arrive in front of it.

A shabby entrance. The entrance was full of brown flower pots that the caretaker had brought in. And an old woman was sitting on a red plastic chair, looking at the sunset.

The old woman turned her head and looked at me. The old woman’s gentle eyes lowered slightly.

“You’re here?”

“Grandma.”

“Aren’t you Sionee~? Why are you so late~?”

It was the old woman who lived upstairs. A grateful old woman who sometimes brought side dishes. An old woman who sometimes looked after Junho.

I remember clearly. Grandma Jeong.

I approached the old woman and bowed my head and greeted her.

“It’s cold. Go inside.”

“Why are you so late? I’ve been waiting for a long time.”

“……I had some work to do. A lot of things.”

Grandma Jeong’s wrinkled hands wrapped around my hands.

“Young man, look at your face- you’ve been through a lot- you’ve really been through a lot. Today must have been a really long day- right-?”

Grandma Jeong’s words were about me working hard all day, but. For some reason, it felt different.

I was being comforted by the old woman for the pain of the past 10 years in the League. Grandma Jeong was a really grateful person to me.

Really.

“Really……. It was a long day.”

It was really too long. The time it took to come back here was too long. But I finally came.

“Junho is waiting. Sionee. Go in quickly-. You have to eat.”

“Yes. I should. It took too long.”

“Tell me if you need side dishes.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Okay, okay.”

I turned my back on the old woman and went down the stairs.

On the way down to the house.

My heart is light yet heavy.

I carefully put the key in the hole.

Click-.

The sound of the lock being released was loud.

I carefully opened the door.

Light from the lamp flowed out through the crack in the door.

Until the door opened, my gaze remained only on the shoe rack.

I was too scared to lift my head.

Junho’s gift was in my left armpit.

While I was taking a deep breath like that……. I heard Junho’s voice.

“Hyung [older brother or affectionate term for an older male]……?”

Only then did I lift my head and look at Junho.

“…….”

It was Junho.

Junho, who was wearing matching top and bottom thermal underwear. My brother, who was holding a pen in his hand as if he was doing his homework.

Junho, who I really wanted to see, is in front of my eyes.

I promised to return, and I can finally keep that promise now. How hard must it have been for this young one to live in that harsh world.

I couldn’t believe it.

Junho was looking up at me.

I tried to go in naturally when we met, but. The human heart is fickle and it didn’t work out the way I wanted.

Various things I had experienced so far flashed through my mind like a panorama.

And the moment I faced Junho like this, I realized.

I’m really glad I came back.

I was confused when I met Junho in the League. But in the end, this was the right thing to do.

The reason is simple.

Because I am happy now.

My brother asked me.

“Hyung……. Why are you crying? I’m sorry…….”

Thump-!

I dropped the fleece jacket that I had cherished on the floor and knelt down at the shoe rack and met Junho’s eyes.

I stroked Junho’s face and straightened his hair.

“Have you been well? Junho?”

“Yes. Hyung. But why are you crying?”

“I’m happy. Junho. Today what…… I mean…… didn’t you have a hard time?”

“Hyung…… don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry. Hyung is feeling a little strange today. Please understand because I’m a little strange.”

“Hyung…….”

Junho put his arms around my neck. I was surprised. It was because I didn’t expect my brother to hug me first.

Before I knew it, Junho was also sobbing. Junho said.

“Hyung……. I have a favor to ask.”

I hugged Junho.

And answered.

“Anything.”

“Don’t try to carry everything alone anymore. I’m a middle school student now. I’m an adult now.”

“…….”

“I want Hyung to be happy. So don’t cry alone. Hyung, live your life too. You don’t have to sacrifice for me. Hyung. If work is hard, quit. Hyung, study if you want to. I’ll do what I can too. I don’t want Hyung to have a hard time. Hyung. Can’t you not do hard work? Can’t you rest a little while doing it? Don’t have a hard time, Hyung. 응 [ung – a soft affirmative interjection, like ‘okay’ or ‘right’]?”

“…….”

When did he become so mature?

Maybe I was the only one who didn’t know.

I hugged my brother and patted his back.

Really……. Really.

I couldn’t help but smile.

I pushed Junho slightly out of my arms and looked at his face. It was admirable to see the little guy crying and sniffling. It wasn’t something I could say now, but.

My young brother must have taken a lot of courage to say these words.

Well, I already knew.

I’m proud and grateful.

And I missed him so much.

I smiled and said.

“Junho has grown up so much.”

“I’m a middle school student now, Hyung. I’m an adult.”

“You’re an adult. If you’re a middle school student, you’re an adult.”

“Yes!”

“Then, to celebrate becoming an adult, should we order chicken tonight?”

“Chicken? I like it……. But are you okay, Hyung?”

“Hyung got a bonus this time. Because I’m good at my job. You don’t have to worry about money anymore. Do what you want to do. Hyung has a lot of money now. Do you want to eat chicken?”

“Chicken……?”

“Yeah. Let’s eat. Let’s go with two chickens.”

“Market chicken [referring to a cheaper, more common type of fried chicken]?! Wow-!”

“No, no- Hodigi chicken [likely a specific brand or style of chicken].”

“Hohohohodigi chicken? Re, really? Is it really a party today?”

“Yeah~ Junho. Wipe the table too. Hyung will go change.”

“Okay. Hyung! Hyung! But what is this?”

“Ah, that’s right. Junho, close your eyes for a second. Okay- what did Hyung bring~ now open your eyes. Ta-da-! Junho’s entrance gift!”

“Wo, wo, wo, wow! New clothes?! Hyeong-! Did you win the lottery?”

“What are you talking about. Even if I’m a miser, can’t I prepare for my brother’s entrance?”

“Hyung! I’m really happy! Wow-! Wow! New clothes! I’ll really cherish them! Thank you so much, Hyung!”

“You don’t have to cherish them. And Junho. You’ll get an allowance from now on?”

“Really?! 100 won [very small amount of Korean currency] is enough for me!”

“You can’t even buy gum with that. Since it’s a celebration of becoming a middle school student. 10,000 won [a reasonable allowance] a week! You have to use it carefully?”

“Te, te, ten thousand won?! Hyeong……. Are we rich now?”

“Rich, my foot. Middle school students all get about 10,000 won. Or not? Should I reduce it more?”

“No! Hyung! I’ll really use it carefully. Thank you so much, Hyung!”

“I’m giving it to you so you can study hard. Ah, and Junho. The real, real last announcement.”

“What is it? What is it!”

“Let’s move.”

“An apartment?!

“Ah……. An apartment is a little bit like that. Let’s go to an apartment when Junho becomes a college student. For now, um, a new villa?”

“Wow-! New construction! Hyeong! I feel like I’m going to faint today. Today is the happiest day ever!”

“Junho too? Hyung too.”

“Really?!?!?”

“Yeah. Junho. Hyung is the happiest today. It’s like I’ve lived until now for today.”