n

n

nInside, a woman was sitting on a bed staring helplessly into the air.

nShe seemed unaware of the saliva dripping from her open mouth, and appeared mentally ill.

nSeol Jihu followed Jang Maldong’s gaze into the open room and frowned.

nThe patient looked oddly familiar.

nHe knew he’d seen her somewhere before.

n“Julian Clara.”

nJang Maldong read her name from the file.

n‘Ah.’ Seol Jihu groaned inwardly.

n“I believe she was Samuel’s teammate…. Do you recognize her?”

nSeol Jihu unwittingly nodded his head.

n“It says here she died when she was Level 2. She spent about seven months on the other side.”

n“Only seven months?”

n“She’s one of the lucky ones.”

nJang Maldong emphasized.

n“As you said, she didn’t resort to making any extreme decisions because her time in Paradise was relatively short. But she’s not exactly fine. The disease of the mind is a terrifying thing. It grows quickly and devours its host from within.”

n“…”

n“Although… it really depends on the person.”

nIt was then.

nA sudden sound caused Jang Maldong to stop.

nIt was quite a loud noise, but Clara didn’t react at all.

nSeol Jihu hurried to the bathroom down the hallway, the source of the noise.

nThere, he saw a black man lying down on the floor, moaning and shaking.

nA couple of nurses rushed to the fallen man and helped him up.

nThe man was tall but scrawny like a skeleton.

nHe had foam at his mouth, and his face was covered with age spots. He clearly didn’t look normal.

nWith a stiff face, Jang Maldong watched the patient leave and said.

n“…Let’s go.”

nHe began walking again.

nSeol Jihu looked back at Clara and hesitated for a moment before he hurriedly followed the old man.

nTogether they left the main building and headed for the hospital’s charnel house.

nHundreds of pots containing cremated remains were neatly placed in cabinets behind a glass window.

nJang Maldong, who was rummaging through the file, soon took off his fedora and stood in front of the window.

nSeol Jihu became speechless again.

nHe recognized a lot of faces.

n“Samuel, Grace, Alex… Even Miss Veronica!”

nA groan escaped Seol Jihu’s lips when he saw Veronica’s smiling face in a photo taped to the window.

nThey worked on the Ramman Village case together. She was Mikhail’s teammate. She must have died as well.

n“For Level 4 Earthlings, the mortality rises dramatically to 50%. For Level 5, it further increases to about 60-70%. This means that six to seven in every ten people die.”

nJang Maldong spoke calmly.

n“I’m not making this up. This is what the statistics say.”

nAt that point, a face flashed in Seol Jihu’s mind.

n“Master. About Dylan—”

n“…You’ve already met him.”

n“Huh? When?”

n“At the bathroom.”

nSeol Jihu’s eyes instantly widened.

nThe Dylan in his memory was nothing like the man he saw earlier in the bathroom.

nDylan was a big man with a strong build and large stature. He could even pass as an NBA player.

n“No— No way. How can Dylan….”

n“He’s hooked on drugs.”

n“Drugs?”

n“Yes. I suppose he turned to drugs to relieve his pain and emptiness. But he went too far.”

nSeol Jihu stepped back unconsciously before turning around.

n“What can you do even if you go?”

nHowever, Jang Maldong’s voice stopped him.

n“I went to see him a long time ago when I first heard of his death. So did Chohong and Hugo. But he wasn’t in any condition to talk. Dylan doesn’t remember us.”

n“I— I had no idea. No one told me.”

n“Of course not. What good would that do?”

nSeol Jihu’s face trembled slightly.

nJang Maldong sighed at the look on his face.

n“…Jihu.”

nHe called in a soft voice.

n“You know, sometimes I feel like you’re treating the other world like it’s a game.”

n“Me? You feel that I think of it as a game?”

n“I know you don’t. But your behavior makes me think you do.”

nJang Maldong said, turning around to face the pots.

n“That place is definitely not a game. It’s a different kind of reality. Your death on the other side will certainly affect your life on Earth.”

n“That’s….”

n“But you don’t care about yourself as much as you care about Paradise. ‘So what if I die? It’s only a game.’ Frankly, that’s how you act.”

nSeol Jihu shut his mouth tight.

n“There’s a good reason why a lot of people who spend time there travel back to Earth regularly. In that sense, they perceive Paradise as a reality much more than you do.”

nJang Maldong continued.

n“Many who undergo treatment still end up dead somewhere down the road. You saw it yourself. The mortality rate isn’t the only problem. Even if you survive, you’re likely to suffer from mental illness. It suffices to say that most former Earthlings develop some kind of problem post-death.”

n“…”

n“You can’t stay that way. If Paradise becomes safe again, then maybe things could change. But as of now, you shouldn’t be thinking of settling down in Paradise.”

nJang Maldong emphasized twice.

n“…That’s what I wanted to tell you.”

nHe pressed his fedora down over his head, turned around, and left the charnel house.

nSeol Jihu didn’t follow him.

nHe stood dazed in the middle of the room, his eyes slowly scanning the hundreds of pots enshrined in the charnel house.

nHe still couldn’t believe that Samuel, who was always so cheerful, and Alex, who was so optimistic, committed suicide because they couldn’t stand the desolation of their lives.

nAnd Grace, too. Clara now had a mental health issue, and Dylan….

n“…”

nThe truth was, Jang Maldong’s words shocked him more than anything else.

nSometimes I feel like you’re treating the other world like it’s a game.

nHe would’ve refuted that claim right away had he not seen what he saw in the hospital.

nAfter coming face to face with reality, he could no longer be in denial.

nHe knew there was a penalty to death, but he never imagined it would be so horrible.

nSeol Jihu bit his lips, his eyes turning again to the pots containing the remains.

n*

nIt took Seol Jihu a while to pull himself together and leave the charnel house.

nJang Maldong was waiting for him outside.

nThe two men left the hospital without saying a word.

nBoth Seol Jihu and Jang Maldong’s hearts were heavy.

nInstead of heading back to the hotel, Jang Maldong led Seol Jihu to the streets.

n“…Well, not everyone dies.”

nThe old man finally broke the prolonged silence.

nSeol Jihu raised his eyes.

nThe street was dark, except for one streak of bright light.

n“There are people who managed to return to their normal lives, some through sheer effort, and some because they were born stronger than others.”

nJang Maldong slowed down and pointed his finger forward.

nWhen they got to the door, Seol Jihu could see a small space inside.

nIt looked like a secondhand bookstore, lined with bookshelves full of old books.

nA man who looked to be the shop owner sat behind the counter, his eyes fixed on the TV screen.

nThe screen showed a scene from a Japanese anime.

n“Uhehehe.”

nThe old man, dressed in an oversize robe, tilted his head back and laughed.

nSeol Jihu’s jaw slowly dropped as he watched the old man from the door.

nHe remembered that laugh very well.

n“M-Master Ian?”

nThe old man quickly turned his head towards the voice.

nThe face that was revealed was undoubtedly Ian’s face.

nIan got up from his seat and hurried to open the door.

nHe seemed surprised to find the two men standing on the other side.

n“Mister Jang? What are you doing here?”

n“I came here on a vacation, so I thought I’d pay you a visit.”

nJang Maldong answered in fluent French.

n“At this hour? You should’ve come earlier!”

nIan chuckled, stroking his long beard.

nBut then he looked at the young man next to Jang Maldong and tilted his head to the side.

n“I don’t think I’ve seen this young man before….”

n“You don’t think? So you’re not sure?”

n“Well, he feels oddly familiar. It’s strange. Why do I like him already? I’m not that kind of person.”

n“Huhu. You’re still as quick-witted as ever. He’s the one.”

nIan’s eyes widened.

n“No way!”

n“Yes, he’s the main character of the novel you’ve been writing. You said you wanted to meet him, so I brought him here.”

nIan quickly spun around, as if he had been stung by a bee.

n“Ah, come in, come in!” he said in a hurry.

nSeol Jihu carefully went inside and sat down in the seat designated by Ian.

n“Let’s see. I know I put it here….”

nRummaging through his desk drawer, Ian pulled out a notebook and smiled triumphantly.

nWell-thumbed and faded, the notebook appeared to have been used for a long time.

n“Huhu, so this day has finally come. Thank you, Mister Jang.”

n“I should be thanking you for staying alive.”

n“Damn you. Don’t jinx me.”

nWith an upbeat smile, Ian turned to the young man.

nSeol Jihu was looking at the old man with slightly wet eyes.

nHis heart felt heavy with indescribable emotion.

nHe was glad to see Ian and, like Jang Maldong, glad that Ian was alive, especially because he had just come back from the hospital.

n“Uh…. Could you tell him to stop looking at me with such passionate eyes? I’m not interested in men.”

nJang Maldong gave a light chuckle.

n“…You look well.”

nHe translated Seol Jihu’s words, and Ian smiled.

n“So you know who I am?”

n“Yes, of course. You’re Ian Denzel.”

n“Hmm? Did I tell you my name was Ian Denzel?”

n“Pardon?”

n“Sheesh! I can’t believe I was so immature.”

nIan slapped his forehead and groaned.

nHe then bowed his head politely.

n“‘I apologize. The name Ian Denzel is actually an alias. My real name is Muah-Muah Tsaerb.’ He says… but muah is a kissing sound and tsaerb is… well, try reading it backwards.”

nJang Maldong explained, clicking his tongue.

nSeol Jihu read it backwards and burst out laughing.

nHe wiped the tears from his eyes and calmed his breath.

n“You haven’t changed at all, Master Ian.”

n“Jeez. It’s no fun if you tell him.”

n“Still, I’m glad. I really am.”

n“Huhu. That’s right, how’s the pink princess doing?”

nSeol Jihu’s eyes brightened.

n‘He remembers Teresa?’

n“She’s doing fine. But how do you remember her? Don’t tell me—”

n“If you’re going to ask me if my memories are intact, the answer is no.”

nIan snickered.

n“Honestly, I don’t recognize your face. Today is my first time seeing it. My, as in me, who’s here and now.”

n“Then….”

n“But I’ve got some sense of the situation.”

n‘Where should I start?’ Ian closed his eyes, stroking his long beard.

n“One day, when I opened my eyes, I realized something was wrong. I woke up with most of my memories of the last few years gone. It was literally driving me crazy.”

nRecalling those days, Ian smacked his lips.

n“It was incredibly painful. I suffered from a severe headache for no reason and felt so very empty that I almost lost my will to live. And then a note caught my eye.”

n“A note?”

n“If one day you wake up and feel a sense of alienation, find the diary at your desk and read it. Read it, and replace the memories you’ve lost with the contents of the diary. What’s written in it is not a lie, it has actually happened…. I saw these notes all over the house. So I went to look for the diary, and it really was there.”

nIan tapped lightly on the old notebook.

n“I opened it and found a novel inside. A full-length, blockbuster novel. I couldn’t help but admire it the whole time I read it. It was well-written, sure, but what caught my eye more than the author’s writing skill was the fact that this novel was so surprisingly realistic. I've never read such a realistic novel in my life.”

n“So the diary helped you overcome your sense of alienation?”

n“Perhaps. I can’t say I’ve fully overcome it yet, but… at least I know for sure that I was the one who wrote the diary. The entries described in detail the habits that only I know.”

nSeol Jihu smiled. He felt like he knew what those habits were.

nIan scratched his cheek.

n“Anyway, I read the diary from cover to cover. I read it whenever my sense of alienation began to creep in. And then, people I don’t remember began to visit me. This finally made me realize that the diary wasn’t just a novel, but a reality. Mister Jang is one of those people.”

nIan gave a warm smile, and Jang Maldong coughed awkwardly as he translated Ian’s words.

n“Thanks to my previous efforts and help from dedicated friends, I now have a goal.”

nSeol Jihu listened attentively. It still felt surreal to him that he could see Ian and hear Ian’s voice.

n“To complete a novel based on my diary.”

n“A novel?”

n“Yes. The story stopped in the middle, but I want to see it through. And, to do that, I had to switch the main character.”

nIan paused and winked at Seol Jihu.

n“You mean me?”

n“Correct. The diary says your name is Seol?”

n“Yes, that’s me.”

n“But Mister Jang said that’s not your first name.”

n“Yes. Seol is my last name and Jihu is my first name. Seol is the last name character, Ji means strong and Hu means jade.”

n“I wondered, why did you only reveal your last name?”

n“I was embarrassed.”

n“About what? It’s a great name!”

nSeol Jihu smiled broadly.

n“You said the same thing back then.”

n“Back when?”

n“Just before you passed away. You asked me the same question.”

n“Oho. So that means you were by my side when I died….”

nIan squealed in glee.

n“Good, that’s good. That part wasn’t in the diary. You’ve seen my death with your own eyes, which means you can tell me about it in detail.”

nHe opened the diary, giggling as if he was having all the fun in the world.

n“Let’s see, where did it end…. Ah, right, since you’re here, can I ask you a couple of questions?”

n“Of course. As you wish.”

n“Good, good. I know you can’t talk to me about the names of people and places because of penalties and stuff, but I still have plenty of questions for you besides all that. Also, there’s something I really want to tell you.”

n“Me…?”

n“Hold on. Where is it… Ah, this part.”

nIan put on his reading glasses and pointed at a passage in the diary.

nIt was written in French, so of course, Seol Jihu couldn’t read it.

n“The first thought that crossed my mind when I read this was… Why? Why did I say this? Was I drunk or something?”

n“?”

n“Of course, it’s only natural that what I used to think is different from what I think now. My past self had different knowledge and was in a completely different situation from mine.”

nSuddenly, Ian’s face became serious.

n“This part bothered me a lot as I read my diary. If you were to ask me the same question now, I’d give you a slightly different answer. And now I finally have a chance to do just that.”

nIan spoke.

n