6 – 1st Generation Interdimensional Refugee, Soo In Kang Sooyoung (1)
* * *
Yeoul spent the night contemplating the unknown pain he felt in his chest. Although there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with his body, the soreness in his chest was a phenomenon that he couldn’t understand at all.
Even though Yeoul was highly skilled in swordsmanship, his body was no different from an ordinary person who exercised a lot, so it was natural for him to feel tired if he didn’t sleep.
However, Yeoul had reached a level where he could even “cut” fatigue.
He cut through fatigue and poured his thoughts on the cause of the pain throughout the night.
In the end, with tired eyes, he greeted the morning sun in his hometown after 10 years.
The surroundings were quiet in the early hours. The chirping of birds could be heard beyond the closed window, as they greeted the incoming sunlight.
Yeoul got up from his bedding and approached the window.
The blackout curtains blocking the light, with the outline emanating a bright white light.
Yeoul opened the curtains and looked outside through the open window.
A landscape that was unimaginable in this world. A forest of buildings lined up densely, people filling the streets even at such an early hour, car horns resounding from all over.
Originally, the place where he lived was particularly underdeveloped even in the surroundings, but so much had changed in the span of 10 years.
Upon closer look, the appearance of the people walking around was diverse. The majority were ordinary humans, but there were people with unusually long ears, people with unusually short stature, and even people with blue skin.
While Yeoul was observing it closely, suddenly an unannounced scream echoed from inside the house.
“Y-you-!”
Then it sounded like something fell with a thud, followed by the sound of heavy breathing.
If it were someone else, they would have been startled. But Yeoul didn’t pay much attention to it.
Just last night, she had been muttering to herself until late hours. He wasn’t interested in the content, so he didn’t bother to listen, but for some reason, she was awake until that time.
Since she went to bed late, there was a possibility that she had nightmares due to exhaustion. Yeoul himself had experienced this several times in the past.
Not long after, she would realize that what she had dreamt was just a dream. It would have been fine for Yeoul to go out of his room and comfort her, as someone had done for him when he had nightmares.
Just a little longer and the rough sound of breathing gradually faded. Yeoul came out of his room and approached her door.
A light knock on the door.
“Are you okay?”
At the light question from Yeoul, there was a slight gasping sound coming from inside.
“Oh, right…. Yeoul was at home….”
Perhaps in a daze, there seemed to be a moment of confusion.
A sound of catching breaths faintly escaped, a little later.
“Yes, I’m okay…. It’s nothing, I just had a nightmare….”
“I see. It’s a relief that it’s nothing.”
“Yes….”
And then, cautiously, the door opened.
Before the owner’s body, a pair of bright yellow ears popped out, and after observing for a moment, Soyoung stuck her head out with her hair very disheveled.
“hehehe… Good morning.”
Soyoung greeted with a light wagging of her tail.
“Yes. Good morning.”
Yeoul responded with a consistently emotionless expression.
Soyoung admired Yeoul’s appearance a little while looking at her.
Despite it being early in the morning, her eyes didn’t look hazy, her face didn’t have a speck of dust, and even her hair was neatly styled. She couldn’t possibly think that this was the appearance of a person who had just gotten up.
Maybe she had woken up early and dressed herself. Soyoung thought that Yeoul was quite diligent and didn’t have any gaps.
Indeed, she must be a returnee. It was clear that such diligence was required to save one world and return across dimensions.
Although Yeoul had only been lying still and got up, since Soyoung didn’t know the circumstances, she ended up looking at Yeoul with slightly admiring eyes.
Meanwhile, Yeoul was observing Soyoung’s appearance….
She seemed to become quite disheveled when she woke up.
With hair more disheveled than yesterday, slightly puffy cheeks, clothes slightly wrinkled and a tail hanging weakly.
She seemed to have a hard time waking up in the morning.
“Did you have a comfortable night…?”
Soyoung asked.
“Yes. Thank you for letting me sleep.”
Yeoul lightly bowed her head to show her gratitude, and Soyoung, who had been worried, finally felt a sense of relief.
Right. She’s such an innocent person, so if I bring her into my house and scared myself instead, what am I going to do. Even having dreams….Talking about having such dreams.
Even the thought of it made Yeoul feel embarrassed about her dream from last night, and she lightly brushed her chest.
In the midst of that…. One thought flickered in her mind as she felt a sense of unease.
“By any chance, what time is it now…?”
“Well, it’s 7:30.”
Yeo-ul looked at the clock hanging in the living room and answered, causing So-young to panic.
“What? Already…? That can’t be…”
So-young also looked at the clock and finally, after looking carefully with both eyes, she was able to understand the situation.
“I…I have to go to work…!”
In a state of panic, So-young hurriedly went into her room. Not long after, the sound of water pouring could be heard.
Yeo-ul determined that she was in an urgent situation.
“So-young, is there anything I can do to help?”
“Oh, um, then could you at least toast the bread with a toaster…? Both the bread and the toaster are on the table…!”
With the sound of brushing her teeth, So-young spoke.
“I understand.”
Upon hearing her words, Yeo-ul walked to the table and took out the bread that was placed as she had said, and put it in the toaster.
Even though she had lived a life completely disconnected from electricity for a whopping ten years, she was still a modern person in name. Yeo-ul easily plugged in the toaster to the outlet and successfully operated it.
By the time the savory smell filled the living room, So-young opened her door and came out.
She was now dressed in a blouse, pants, and even stockings. Her disheveled appearance had been neatly put together.
Yeo-ul thought that her movements were quite fast.
Then, with the sound of the alarm, the bread popped out of the toaster, and she quickly caught it and checked the time with the watch on her wrist. Finally, she had a somewhat relieved expression.
She quickly stuffed the bread into her mouth and grabbed the coat hanging on the clothes rack before heading towards the entrance.
“Are you going to work?”
Yeo-ul asked her.
“Yes, that’s right. I’m not late, but I think I should hurry a bit….”
While she was busy munching on the bread, wearing her shoes with her hands, she said.
“I’ll be back!”
With that said, she swiftly opened the door and left.
As the door closed, leaving only silence in the house, Yeo-ul pondered.
What should I do, exactly?
In a house left behind with someone she just met yesterday, Yeo-ul was the one left alone to figure it out.
* * *
With So-young gone, the house fell into silence. Yeo-ul stood quietly by the entrance, thinking about what to do next.
First, it seemed like going outside of the house was not a good idea. The place he is currently in is Soyeong’s house. If he blindly goes outside, he will be blocked by the door lock.
He didn’t even have a means to pass through the apartment building’s main entrance. If he goes outside the house and the apartment, he won’t be able to come back through the normal way.
For now, since Lyeowoon lives right next door, it was decided to not go out for no reason and wait until Soyeong returned and decided on his next move.
She didn’t even tell him to go out. In fact, judging by her leaving a message saying she’ll be back, it can be inferred that she implicitly approved of his staying there.
So, what should he do now?
When he thought about the typical day of an office worker, the time when Soyeong would return home is still far away.
It would be okay to sit quietly and meditate during that time…
Yeouleon is someone who, once he deems himself indebted to, makes it a principle to repay it twofold.
Even after cutting off his emotions, he still clearly remembered this.
Soyeong showed him her gratitude by offering him her own home when he had nowhere else to go.
What ability does he have other than swordsmanship to repay her gratitude in a house without Soyeong?
He fell into deep contemplation.
* * *
Soyeong was able to arrive at work just in time.
It was worth running like crazy…
She tapped her time card, sat down at her desk, and took a deep breath while recalling today’s tasks.
In her mind, one thought came up naturally.
Just like before, Yeouleon, who was left alone at home.
And he even left a message saying he’ll be back.
Uh, what should I do…?
Although she impulsively let him into her home, since it was impulsive, she didn’t think about what to do next.
When she remembered her room that was left in a mess, she even felt a bit dizzy…
But even that was pushed to the back by the shout of her boss calling her.
For now, let’s think about it later…
The company she worked for was not an easygoing place that would allow her to have other thoughts during work.
In the end, she left the responsibility to her future self, a few hours later, and hurried to her boss who called her.