Chapter 2
A heavy silence fell. Lee Hwan stared at Taesung’s face in disbelief. Was he joking? Could he possibly be joking?
The return had definitely happened. It was supposed to work for up to two people, and Lee Hwan had designated Taesung as his companion for the return.
Lee Hwan groaned as he twisted his head further to look at Taesung. Judging by how he’d silently approached and wrenched Lee Hwan’s arm back, his limbs seemed fine. He clearly had none of the internal injuries from before the return. However…
‘He doesn’t remember?’
Wasn’t the whole point of returning supposed to be keeping your memories?
When Lee Hwan made a dumbfounded expression, Taesung briefly loosened his grip. Lee Hwan didn’t miss the opportunity—he reversed the hold on his arm and quickly backed away.
“Kang Taesung… don’t you know me?”
Whoosh.
Instead of answering, a couple of fireballs materialized around Taesung. They were threatening flames, not meant for direct attack. Lee Hwan could tell. If Taesung had wanted to, he could have lit a fire right above Lee Hwan’s head.
That made Lee Hwan even more anxious. The fact that Taesung thought such intimidation would work. On him. On a close friend who knew almost everything about him.
That bastard really doesn’t remember. Lee Hwan felt his mind going blank.
“Kang Taesung.”
When Lee Hwan called his name, Taesung’s eyebrows twitched as if annoyed. The moment Lee Hwan took a step forward, the fireballs grew larger.
“I know you won’t actually hit people with that. Try to calm down.”
“I asked how you got up here.”
The past Taesung was truly thorough and stubborn. How was he supposed to explain this? That I’m actually your friend from the future, we returned together, and soon Korea’s going to be fucked, so let’s join forces to save the world?
Lee Hwan felt like his head was about to split open. He was grateful for the return, but this was a result he couldn’t have possibly imagined. He’d prepared himself for the possibility that Taesung might be missing an arm, but not that his memories would be torn away.
Whoosh!
Another fire ignited. This time right next to him. Lee Hwan jumped back with an “Ouch!” The fireball irritatingly followed him at a leisurely pace.
“You gave me the password, you bastard.”
Lee Hwan blurted it out in frustration.
“I’ve never seen someone like you before.”
Taesung replied immediately, but then frowned slightly. His expression suggested something was coming to mind, and Lee Hwan felt momentarily grateful for that silence.
“Do you remember?”
“Did we meet at a bar or something?”
“Fuck.”
Lee Hwan cursed, feeling stupid for having any expectations.
Whoosh!
Immediately, a fireball flew at him, and Lee Hwan—despite wondering if Taesung would actually hurt him—instinctively used his ability.
The space in front of the approaching flame cooled in a cube shape of about 10 cubic centimeters. The flame that touched it shrank drastically and then went out.
‘…My ability works?’
It was a skill he shouldn’t have awakened until 4 years later. Having naturally adjusted the space, Lee Hwan realized what returning truly meant: coming back with memories and abilities intact from 7 years in the future, only swapping into a younger body.
“An awakened one?”
Just as Lee Hwan was feeling relieved, Taesung’s face hardened in a chilling way. Immediately, flames roared up around Lee Hwan. Lee Hwan began to feel hopeful, but then it hit him.
Oh shit. I should have pretended not to have abilities.
Using abilities on civilians was clearly illegal unless you were a criminal on the run. Moreover, most awakened individuals were physically stronger than civilians even without using their abilities. In short, they weren’t opponents worth being hostile toward.
Yet Taesung had immediately pulled out fireballs to threaten him. Now that Lee Hwan had revealed himself as awakened, Taesung wasn’t going to just let this go. Lee Hwan lamented his mistake but couldn’t help muttering to himself indignantly.
Go ahead, burn me then. Burn me. It’s your house, not mine.
Of course, the expensive-looking flooring and surrounding decorations didn’t have a single soot mark on them. Lee Hwan remembered that Kang Taesung was a star-class Hunter who’d manifested as S-class from the very beginning. With his godlike control, he could roast Lee Hwan to perfection without singeing his own house.
“…”
If he used his ability to the maximum, how long could he last inside those flames? No, could his body even handle using that much power?
Just as Lee Hwan thought he was screwed, he was saved by another voice.
“Kang Taesung, don’t attack civilians with abilities.”
A strangely dressed man wearing sunglasses indoors and sporting a buzz cut firmly grabbed Taesung’s shoulder. It was a decisive, familiar-looking action. At that moment, the flames flickered and grazed Lee Hwan’s arm.
“Ouch, ahh!”
Seizing the opportunity, Lee Hwan grabbed his arm and screamed pitifully, but Taesung immediately shot it down.
“That one’s not a civilian.”
“What?”
“And even if he were a civilian, wouldn’t it be fine to burn someone who breaks into my house and fondles my photos?”
Every word was perfectly justified, leaving nothing to argue. However, Lee Hwan honestly felt wronged. His friend—who’d clearly said he would find him after returning—had either returned or not. His body had come back but his memories had been left behind, making him unrecognizable and ready to set fires.
If Lee Hwan had known Taesung had no memories, he wouldn’t have stupidly entered the house and wandered around. Or even if he had entered, he would’ve taken valuables instead of just looking at photos.
But he couldn’t explain this, and even if he did, they wouldn’t believe him in this situation. Lee Hwan was so dumbfounded that he sighed at least three times before finally speaking in a trembling voice.
“How could you… do this to me…”
Tears welled up slightly—not from sadness, but from indignation and anger.
Up until just moments ago, Lee Hwan had been supporting a blood-spitting Taesung on a battlefield where life and death hung in the balance, worried sick to the point his heart nearly broke. Worried enough to suddenly swallow an unidentified skill stone himself instead of giving it to his durable S-class friend.
Hadn’t it looked poisonous from the start with that flashy, garish color? If he’d been slightly unlucky, Lee Hwan might have crossed the River Jordan before the monsters even arrived.
Even when the return skill appeared, he’d been most thrilled by the words “2 people.” With both Taesung and himself facing certain death, he didn’t have time to examine the description in detail.
After all that suffering, coming back trembling and anxious, only to nearly get roasted for looking at a photo.
Even though he understood the memory loss, still…
‘How could you do this to me.’
“You fucking bastard…”
Lee Hwan’s voice trembled with betrayal, but Taesung showed no signs of extinguishing the fire. His expression remained utterly cold. Finally, the sunglasses man stopped Taesung.
“Put it out for now.”
“If you don’t know…”
“I said put it out for now.”
At that moment, Lee Hwan thought: Even after putting out the fire, that guy will still try to capture me. Maybe sunglasses will help him too.
No—he’s telling him to put out the fire because he’s confident they can catch me. Once the fire’s out, I’ll definitely be bound and dragged to the police station… no, to the ability surveillance agency.
The Lee Hwan of 2022 was an unawakened person not registered with the state.
Lee Hwan was quick-thinking. He was also perceptive. After living as a corporate supporter for several years, he’d inevitably learned to bow his head and read situations like a ghost. Lee Hwan had been promoted faster than others in his second year, earning jealousy. So he was certain: whatever else he might be, that man was also awakened.
Hiss.
In that case, running away blindly was the best strategy. As the dancing flames subsided and the heat disappeared completely, Lee Hwan immediately lunged toward the window.
This place was a top-floor penthouse accessible only by private elevator. If he took the elevator down, he’d be caught on the first floor. The stairway was blocked by a lock.
The only option left was the glass window.
‘Looks expensive… but that’s the price you pay.’
Lee Hwan’s eyes glowed. A hole just large enough for one person to pass through opened in the glass window. Blood dripped from under Lee Hwan’s nose.
Lee Hwan created a thin space behind him like a shield, then threw himself toward the hole. At the edge of his vision, he saw fire flare up, and soon the hissing sound of wind brushed his ears.
In that split second, he arbitrarily designated the entire straight distance in front of him and increased the air density. His falling speed decreased, and Lee Hwan landed on his feet, albeit a bit roughly.
“Ugh…”
A hot sensation welled up inside. Without even spitting it out, he knew the tingling substance was blood. Lee Hwan tried to suppress his churning stomach and looked up once.
As if the wind wasn’t reaching him, the sunglasses man was looking down through the hole in the window. Scary bastard… With his head spinning, Lee Hwan hurriedly moved.
‘First… just run.’
When their figures disappeared from the window as if to chase him, he quickly wiped his nose and hastily left the apartment complex.
Afterward, fearing he might be followed, Lee Hwan got on buses and got off repeatedly, frantically taking random transportation to get as far and as confusingly away from Taesung’s house as possible.
“Huff, hah…”
Having experienced chasing people but rarely being chased himself, he wasn’t sure if this was the right escape method. After all this effort, if he still got caught, it would feel unbearably unfair.
After wandering aimlessly for almost two hours, his strength completely drained, he entered an open space that came into view.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. With that thought, Lee Hwan sprawled out on the park’s grass.
‘Haah…’
He didn’t have the strength to return home. If he kept going like this, he felt like he might collapse on the street. Using his ability suddenly with a body that had never used it before resulted in a bigger backlash than expected.
Of course, even with his familiar past body, such reckless actions might have caused a nosebleed.
The March ground was cold and hard. Dried yellow grass pricked the back of his head through the fluffy new growth.
Lee Hwan felt so foolish and pitiful thinking of his earlier self, who’d been humming a tune while washing off sweat, thinking Taesung would come to pick him up. He was on the verge of tears—no, tears were already starting to fall.
