Jinwoon looked at Tae Jinwoon's smile and started to regret his interest. There was just something that didn't seem right with the smile. He could feel a shiver move down his spine. 'I think I'm going to regret this.' Tae Jinwoon laughed. "Don't worry. You won't regret anything. Also it won't be pain... Uhm. I mean it all depends on yourself. If you can pull it of you're live a life full of riches and wealth."
Jinwoon shook his head. "One, could you stop reading my mind and second, I don't want to know. Just send me back. Just let me suffer in the other world." Tae Jinwoon laughed in his face. "I can't send you back. Like I said, that was just a test. Your new life is about to start soon, on another planet. I'll be given you two worlds you can choose from."
Jinwoon stopped Tae Jinwoon. "What if I fail?" Tae Jinwoon crooked his head again. It seemed like he had never thought of this. "If you fail... You'll die again but this time you'll be gone forever." Jinwoon frowned. "What about rebirth?"
Tae Jinwoon scoffed. "Do you humans still believe in that? I hate to break it to you but the end is the end. There is no such thing as rebirth." Jinwoon stared at Tae Jinwoon for a long time. "Are you God?"
Tae Jinwoon laughed out loud. "God? God has compassion. No, that is something you humans made to find meaning is your life. Just like your ancestors prayed to thunder and then Zeus or any deity. Me? I'm more like a farmer. I tend the flock." Jinwoon frowned.
"No compassion? What do you mean?" Tae Jinwoon gave him a sly look. "According to you, go look after you and take care of you. I don't look back. You have to fend for yourself."
"That is not a farmer? That's a bus or taxi driver." Tae Jinwoon glared at him. "Are there more people like me?" Tae Jinwoon shook his head before nodding. "There are humans like you and there are beings that you can't name." "What happens to them?"
Tae Jinwoon shrugged. "Like I said before. I just bring them to a new world. What happens to them is all up to themselves." Jinwoon didn't believe a word. To take people and other beings from one place to another. 'There is more going on.' Tae Jinwoon gave him a big smile. "I told you not to read my mind." Tae Jinwoon shrugged. "Can't help it. We're the only ones here."
"Why do the others agree to your plan?" Tae Jinwoon looked at him as if he was crazy. "Life! Of course. You don't want to live?" Jinwoon was quiet. "Why should I live? My life has been only pain and suffering." Tae Jinwoon let out a frustrated sigh. "But this time it's going to be different."
Jinwoon scoffed. "You said it yourself. It is going to be painful and also what's into you. I'm sure you are not doing this to help me." Tae Jinwoon looked impressed. "You're one of the few that ask." Jinwoon wasn't impressed. His mistrust for Tae Jinwoon had hit the roof. "So should I feel special now?" Tae Jinwoon scoffed. "Since when did you grow a pair?"
Jinwoon could feel his face heat up. He wanted to refute Tae Jinwoon's words but that would be a fat lie. He was brave because Tae Jinwoon looked just like the younger version of himself. If his boss or somebody else was sitting across from him, he would have just sat still and listened without saying a word.
"I really don't have all the time in the world here. Let's make something clear. I might have made it seem like you have a choice but you and I both know that is not true. But I've taken a liken to you." Jinwoon pulled a face but didn't say a word. "I'll let you in on a small secret. Do you know the Chinese saying 'to hug (someone's) big thighs'. Jinwoon shrugged.
"The meaning of the phrase is to signify someone trying to curry favor with someone else." Jinwoon looked blankly at Tae Jinwoon. "Really! If you want to survive, find the most powerful person and cling on to her or him. That is the only way." Jinwoon frowned. "You want me to go to a new place and suck up to someone?! What is the difference between my old life?"
Tae Jinwoon laughed. "Now that I think about it. None... or maybe. Don't worry. I'm sending you to a place that is perfect for you. Just try to be shameless and cunning. I promise you, you'll get everything you hoped for and more." Jinwoon shook his head. "I..." Tae Jinwoon waved his hand as the room began to dissolve. "Don't let me down. I'll give you some great gifts that will help you." Everything turned black.
Jinwoon didn't know how long he was out for but when he finally woke up, he found himself alone in a rundown cottage. He stood up and walked towards the door. He gently opened the door. He took a peek behind the door and was amazed by what he saw. He was in the middle of a forest full of trees. The trees were gigantic, compared with the trees of Earth, these trees had all the colors of the rainbows. When he looked at the sky his mouth nearly dropped. There were large birds flying in the air. They had to be huge because he could see them clearly.
While looking at the birds he nearly forgot why he was in this weird place. "I need to find the most powerful person in the world." Jinwoon had hoped that he would receive some information but there was nothing like before. He walked outside and sat down wondering how and what he should do. "Oeps, I forgot something." Jinwoon jumped in the air. Tae Jinwoon put his hand on his head. "You of course need the memories of the previous owner."
Like the first time, he saw the images of someone else together with his own. "This is really goodbye. Do your best." Tae Jinwoon disappeared again.
He was now in the body of Lee Jinwoon. 25 years old. Jinwoon was raised in a rich family. When he was 10 his father died after losing a duel over a married woman. His father was a notorious ladies man. His poor mother and his father's mistress were left to take care of him and his many half-siblings. When he was 12 his mother remarried a very young noble. Everybody knew he was after his mother's money but his mother was just happy to finally have someone who would only look at him.
Two weeks after he turned 18, his mother discovered that she was pregnant, something that caused a lot of gossip, because his mother wasn't young anymore but still she managed to give birth to twin boys and also survive. His stepfather kicked him and his half-siblings and mistress out of the house. His mother didn't even stop him. His mother had given him enough money to live well for years to come. But Lee Jinwoon was spoiled and spent money without thought.
Before he reached 21 he was broke and had creditors chasing him. He had managed to run from them but after a while it became too dangerous. Lee Jinwoon had begged his mother for money. Luckily she had paid. Instead of learning from his mistake Lee Jinwoon went back to his spending days. When he was in hot waters again he went back to his mother. This time his father told him that in return for money he had to leave town, never to return again.
Lee Jinwoon agreed, like the idiot he was. He left town and by luck found this cottage. While walking he had eaten all the food given by his mother and he was starving. He knew that there was edible food in the woods but of course he had no idea what they looked like. In the end he had eaten poisonous berries and had died. Jinwoon shook his head while watching Lee Jinwoon's story.
'So you can say I'm an orphan again and a stupid one to boot.' Jinwoon shook his head again. 'But I still don't know why I need to find the most powerful person..." After finishing those words he heard running nearby. The running was coming his way. Jinwoon thought back to all those creditors and decided to hide. He knew from Lee Jinwoon's memories that behind the cottages there was a hollow tree. There were shrubs covering the entry, making it a perfect hideout.
Jinwoon ran to the tree and crawled inside. Since it was at the back the men hadn't discovered him. "Are you sure that he's here?" "Yes. Little Hae had followed him since he left town." "Will we still get the money if we fail?" "Didn't you hear what Lord Seo said? We just have to make sure that he never comes back again. We can always cripple him. Just as long as he doesn't return."
'Thanks, Tae Jinwoon. Really appreciated it." Jinwoon was not impressed.