# Chapter 111
Jiwoon was struggling to maintain his expression. The reason why his memories were significantly blurrier in this iteration compared to previous ones. He was now facing that reason right in front of him.
But he couldn’t let his expression crumble. Because right now, he was “Yoo Jiwoon.”
So Jiwoon managed to force a smile on his lips. He was about to say something in that state.
But Jaehee was quicker. Looking down somewhere, Jaehee spoke first.
“You’re going to bleed if you keep doing that.”
At Jaehee’s sudden remark, Jiwoon’s eyes creased slightly. Not understanding what he meant, Jiwoon looked down to where Jaehee was staring. Then he saw his own hand. There was a red scratch on the tip of his thumb. It was a wound he had made himself, unconsciously digging his nail into his own flesh.
“……”
That was a long-standing habit of someone who wasn’t Yoo Jiwoon. It was also an action that came out unconsciously when he was anxious. It was like an indelible mark that hadn’t changed even after entering Yoo Jiwoon’s body, a trace that would never be erased throughout his life.
Yoo Jiwoon looked at his wound and silently raised his head. Jaehee must have also lifted his lowered head, as their eyes met. Jiwoon’s expression became crooked. It was because of Jaehee’s annoying gaze that had met his.
“You still haven’t fixed that habit.”
Jaehee commented lightly. In contrast, the forced smile on Jiwoon’s lips disappeared completely at Jaehee’s words. His head tilted slightly to the side, and his gaze grew cold.
Jaehee’s confident look and his familiarity with a habit that no one in this life should know about. It clearly indicated that Jaehee had remembered things from before his possession.
‘It wasn’t just regression.’
Jiwoon’s expression turned fierce.
“So you know. That I’m inside Yoo Jiwoon’s body.”
Jiwoon said this while taking one more step toward Jaehee. With twisted lips, he spoke.
“You never remembered before, so how did you manage to remember this time?”
Yoo Jiwoon recalled past times. Through countless regressions, the Lee Jaehee in those memories had never recognized him. He seemed to vaguely remember only certain parts from before the possession and clearly remembered only the original story, treating him just as Yoo Jiwoon.
Yet now, that same Jaehee was pointing out his habit as if completely familiar with it.
“So? What, how much do you remember?”
Jiwoon asked with one eyebrow raised.
“Everything.”
Jaehee replied calmly. The vague pre-possession memories had become clear through dreams. While he couldn’t confidently say he remembered absolutely everything, the memories from before the possession had become distinct enough to know who was standing before him—who this person was, wearing Yoo Jiwoon’s mask and showing such familiar hostility.
“Lee Jeongwoon.”
It was a name he hadn’t called in a long time. The person who had hated him for reasons unknown. And the childhood friend who had once adored him so much—Lee Jeongwoon. He was standing right in front of Jaehee.
“Just as you killed Lee Hajin.”
Jaehee said, recalling the past.
“I remember everything, including how you wore Yoo Jiwoon’s mask to kill Lee Jaehee in previous iterations.”
At Jaehee’s words, Jiwoon tilted his head to one side, appearing askew.
“Ah, so you remember everything.”
Jiwoon muttered as if talking to himself, slightly lowering his gaze.
“Yes, you know it all.”
Then, rather, he smiled and laughed. Raising his gaze from the floor, he looked at Jaehee again and said.
“Then you understand well, right?”
The smile on Jiwoon’s lips was clearly directed at Jaehee.
“That it shouldn’t be repeated.”
And it was an obvious mockery.
“I told you back then. When you were dying.”
As if telling him to recall the past, Jiwoon lightly tapped his temple with his finger as he spoke.
“I said don’t repeat it if you don’t want to make Choi Geonwoo die again because of you.”
Jiwoon continued with a slightly lowered voice while maintaining eye contact with Jaehee.
“But you’re trying to repeat it again? Don’t you feel sorry for Choi Geonwoo?”
Jiwoon put on a somewhat serious expression and spoke as if whispering something important.
“He died because of you. He took your death upon himself to protect you. Poor thing.”
At those words, Jaehee’s expression finally changed. Jiwoon savored Jaehee’s expression and continued more leisurely.
“He’s died not just once, but countless times. Don’t you think you’re being too cruel?”
Jiwoon brought his face closer to Jaehee and said.
“Aren’t you sorry?”
Seeing Jaehee’s twisted expression as if suppressing his emotions, Jiwoon put on an even more serious face.
“At this rate, Choi Geonwoo will die again. Because of you.”
Jiwoon met Jaehee’s eyes and this time showed a regretful expression.
“That shouldn’t happen. That’s why you’ve been pushing Choi Geonwoo away all this time, right?”
Jiwoon, who had been speaking slowly while feigning concern, suddenly spoke as if he had realized something.
“Ah, but maybe you don’t know this?”
Jiwoon suddenly stopped speaking and sank into thought for a moment, then abruptly nodded slightly and looked at Jaehee. Jiwoon continued as if he was going to tell Jaehee something he didn’t know.
“Do you perhaps also remember how Choi Geonwoo was desperately struggling, repeatedly regressing to somehow change a future that wouldn’t change?”
“……”
“Choi Geonwoo kept dying in place of Lee Jaehee, you know.”
Jiwoon spoke with a serious expression. But as if unable to contain his rising laughter, the corner of his mouth curled up to one side. His mockery intensified. Finally, as if it was hard to hold back, Jiwoon burst into laughter like a madman. Like someone feeling superior while looking at a worthless opponent who could never defeat him.
“Yet he never managed to change the ending even once. It was so pitiful to watch that I was almost moved to tears.”
Jiwoon displayed a bright smile as if he found the situation enjoyable. Then, briefly pausing his laughter, he spoke with an intensified eye-smile.
“Do you know why? Do you know why he could never change the ending even once?”
That eye-smile didn’t suit Yoo Jiwoon at all. From any perspective, it was nothing but a cruel smile.
“Why else? Because Lee Jaehee’s end is already predetermined.”
As you already know.
Jiwoon moved a little closer to Jaehee and whispered.
“So don’t repeat it.”
Jiwoon strengthened his tone as if to make sure Jaehee heard clearly.
“You need to save Choi Geonwoo, who died because of you, this time.”
Each word with emphasis pierced Jaehee’s ears.
“You can’t change the future anyway, so don’t make Choi Geonwoo die so miserably. Don’t selfishly steal Choi Geonwoo’s predetermined happiness.”
Jiwoon spoke at leisure.
But then.
“You’re right.”
Jaehee, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke.
“That’s why I pushed him away. Because I didn’t want to repeat it.”
Jaehee slowly continued while looking at Jiwoon.
“I already know that despite repeating countless regressions, he couldn’t change the future, that he only repeated failures.”
That was the ending of all the stories he had heard from Geonwoo.
“Yes, you understand well.”
Jiwoon heard Jaehee’s words and gave a satisfied smile.
“Then why don’t you start distancing yourself from Choi Geonwoo? There’s not much time left before your death.”
If he had memories from previous iterations, Lee Jaehee would also know that S-class Gates had started to form.
But a completely unexpected answer flowed from Jaehee’s lips.
“No, I’ll stay by his side. I don’t plan to give up.”
Jaehee had only thought that being with Geonwoo meant taking away his happiness. But Geonwoo said that having Jaehee by his side was what made him happy. He said that even if their end ultimately led to misfortune, being by Lee Jaehee’s side was his true happiness. So he asked Jaehee not to take away his happiness. Geonwoo’s words had changed Jaehee’s mind.
So Jaehee had no intention of giving up.
“I’m going to try with Geonwoo by my side.”
That’s why he planned to cling to even the smallest rope of hope.
“What kind of effort? The effort to make Choi Geonwoo die again?”
Jiwoon sneered. Jaehee stared directly at Jiwoon and said.
“Things could be different this time.”
“Different? A future that has never changed even once until now?”
Jiwoon spoke as if it was ridiculous.
“You think you can change the future where Choi Geonwoo dies instead of you? Even though you know it has never succeeded before?”
When Jiwoon had said that far.
“There’s something different this time.”
Jaehee answered calmly.
“Something different? What?”
“In accidents where only Lee Jaehee should get hurt, Yoo Jiwoon gets hurt too.”
At Jaehee’s words, Jiwoon’s expression hardened. His smile gradually distorted.
