# Chapter 160
“……”
Jeongyeon opened his eyes again. The people who had filled the hospital room just a moment ago were nowhere to be found. The once brightly sunlit private room was now enveloped in darkness. Only the sounds of insects broke the profound silence that filled the room.
“……Mom, Dad.”
Even as he quietly called out, the miracle of hearing those cherished voices answer him did not occur.
The lawyer had explained various things to Jeongyeon. Thanks to his kindness in breaking down difficult terminology so a child could understand, Jeongyeon learned that most of his parents’ assets had been inherited by him, and until he became an adult, the money—except for living expenses—was locked in the bank to prevent misuse.
The lawyer said he could also find someone to help Jeongyeon with daily life if he wanted. When Jeongyeon shook his head, the lawyer added that it didn’t have to be now; he could contact him whenever needed.
At the time, it had seemed so pointless, but now, seeing through Iyeon’s eyes, he could feel how much his parents had arranged in advance. Thank you. Iyeon mumbled the small greeting that had no one to receive it.
The lawyer was also kind enough to tell Jeongyeon what had happened while he was unconscious.
Just before the research facility collapsed, his parents had successfully taken Jeongyeon through a portal. There had been just enough capacity left for three people, he was told. It was probably Taejin’s final consideration for his brother. Or perhaps indifference.
The two of them immediately took Jeongyeon to the hospital. Jeongyeon was diagnosed with gi-ryeok depletion and admitted.
And then a year passed.
Now, ten years later, there have been many studies on gi-ryeok depletion, but back then there was almost no information. By the standards of that time, gi-ryeok depletion was closer to an illness beyond the reach of medicine, and especially for someone like Jeongyeon who wouldn’t wake up, it was the first such case in the country.
But his parents didn’t give up. They brought in all kinds of renowned doctors and healing-type superhumans. Though it didn’t help much… seeing their son lying like a corpse, they couldn’t bear to do nothing.
Another half year passed like that.
His father was the first to collapse. One day on his way home from work, he clutched his chest and fell. He was immediately transported to the hospital. The diagnosis was stress cardiomyopathy. Though he regained consciousness the next day, it didn’t mean he was fully recovered. His father was also hospitalized for stabilization.
With their son still unconscious and now her husband in a life-or-death situation, his mother’s mental state gradually reached its limit. She diligently nursed them both, but her excessive diligence became poison. Her body, weakened by extreme stress, couldn’t withstand the grueling schedule. It didn’t take long for all three family members to be bedridden.
His parents seemed to have instinctively sensed something. The first thing they did after being hospitalized was to write their wills. They hired a lawyer even before a caregiver. The quickly notarized wills were placed in a safe.
On the day the lawyer finished his work and left, the couple wept quietly as they looked at their son lying too far away to caress. “Jeongyeon, my son.” Only fragmentary words flowed between their sobbing voices.
It was ironic how they died in the reverse order of their hospitalizations.
His father heard his wife’s death diagnosis right beside her. With eyes full of pain, he closed his eyes and the next day, he never opened them again.
And a few months later. Their son woke up.
After waking up and hearing everything, honestly, all he could think was that it was his fault.
If it weren’t for Jeongyeon, his parents wouldn’t have been in the dangerous scene of the collapsing research facility, wouldn’t have had to worry, wouldn’t have collapsed from stress, wouldn’t have become weak. The cause of death was clear. Taking care of Jeongyeon, because Jeongyeon had collapsed.
That’s why the two of them had passed away.
They had been good people who found happiness in small things. They would have lived joyfully their whole lives.
If only he hadn’t existed.
‘If you were going to send me to the past anyway, you should have sent me back earlier.’
Amidst the suffocating guilt, Iyeon quietly grumbled. Since he was in an unconscious state, he couldn’t open his eyes, but surely his ears were open. ……Even if it was a hallucination, it would have been nice to hear their voices after so long. Though he knew such thoughts were shameless, he was sick of the cruelly faithful reality.
The past that Iyeon knew continued to flow afterward.
It didn’t take long for rehabilitation training and discharge. Despite having been asleep for two years, Jeongyeon was surprisingly robust. It seemed that being a superhuman, and a Tier 5 at that, was a significant factor. Just two months after waking up, Jeongyeon was able to return home.
The house he hadn’t seen in a long time was empty.
It was only natural. When all family members had been lying in the hospital, it would have been stranger if someone had been there. Feeling somewhat awkward taking off his shoes and entering the living room, Jeongyeon made a few clearing sounds as he walked.
The house, neglected for months, had dust piled up everywhere. This was only apparent to Iyeon’s perspective; Jeongyeon didn’t even notice the dust as he slumped down on the sofa.
Mom, Dad. Jeongyeon silently moved his lips. There was no response to come back with “Jeongyeon.” They had always called his name affectionately. “Jeongyeon,” “Lee Jeongyeon.” “I love you.” They used to say such things.
No, he was being presumptuous to expect so much. Jeongyeon shook his head vigorously.
Jeongyeon had a plan he’d been thinking about throughout rehabilitation. Now that he was discharged, it was time to put it into action. He contacted the lawyer. To the man who was visibly pleased to hear from him, he abruptly stated his main point.
“Is it possible to change my name?”
After all, the people who had given him his name, who he had most wanted to call it, were all gone. A murderer who killed his parents. Jeongyeon was his parents’ stain. No matter how much he regretted it, reality didn’t change. He didn’t deserve to use the name.
A pure lotus flower? Who was? Jeongyeon let out a hollow laugh.
After dragging the once brilliantly shining people into the mud and burying them.
The lawyer came running immediately at the extraordinary request to suddenly change his name. Jeongyeon firmly conveyed his intentions. Jeongyeon’s goal was to completely erase his traces from his parents. If he could, he wanted to hire a superhuman capable of memory manipulation and use their ability on everyone who knew Jeongyeon. His parents were more perfect when he wasn’t around.
The lawyer was a bit perplexed by the request to change not just the name but life itself, but somehow found a way. He was a cooperative and kind person. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t heard the fundamental reason.
Soon Jeongyeon was asked one question.
“Do you have a name in mind?”
Jeongyeon pondered. He didn’t have the decency to use the name his parents had given him, but the letters were still too precious. He simply couldn’t think of anything that could replace the three-character combination of Lee Jeongyeon. The lawyer patiently watched the hesitating boy and carefully offered advice.
“If you don’t want different characters involved, how about Jung Iyeon?”
“……Jung Iyeon?”
“Yes, just changing the order creates a different name.”
That was the best option. Jeongyeon nodded very slightly.
Soon after, he also expressed his desire to live in a new house. Surprisingly, his parents seemed to have anticipated even such exceptional situations. Transactions involving large sums, such as buying and selling houses, were possible in the presence of the lawyer. When asked if he wanted a house in another area, Jeongyeon thought for a moment and answered.
“Chohosi.”
Originally, he was supposed to move to Chohosi with his parents. It was a simple-hearted answer.
But at those words, the lawyer said with a surprised face.
“Then you probably don’t need to buy a new house.”
“What?”
“Actually, Mr. Lee Taemin already purchased a house in Chohosi. Let me see… about two years ago. It’s an empty house not being rented out, so you can move in right away.”
Lee Taemin was his father’s name. Jeongyeon’s eyes widened. An empty new house in Chohosi. It wasn’t difficult to grasp the meaning.
The image of his father saying they should go to a high school in Chohosi popped up without warning.
