Business block, Zithen family complex, State Zhyphrese, Draconian continent Voldage, and the Year 2041, Planet Grimoire.
Despite collapsing on the bed, Tae-Jun didn't know if he was doing the right thing. However, as much as he wanted to contemplate everything that had happened, he was too exhausted and slept deeply. He soon went from a deep, exhausted slumber into a dream state. There, nightmares of his past, multiple beyond his consciousness could comprehend currently, rolled out before him. He hadn't always lived in such rough circumstances.
Tae-Jun realized there must be a reason for his going into the dream state. It would be nice to know why this was happening. He observed different lifestyles and noticed a pattern in those more excellent times. He rolled his eyes in disgust at all the wrong choices his past selves had made and shook his head in disgruntlement. What a waste. No wonder this happened to him. He'd been a complete wastrel and hadn't bothered to do anything worth remaining in those better times.
Tae-Jun turned restlessly in his sleep.
However, karma simply took its course and put him through harsher life circumstances to toughen him up. While he appreciated it at one point, Tae-Jun no longer wanted to be stuck in a cyclical system that would keep him in the wrong place. Now that he'd understood what happened, he tried to rectify his mistakes.
A sigh escaped Tae-Jun. So, is this why I was put into a succeed-or-die scenario? He still didn't think his past mistakes warranted such a harsh reprisal. Sure, memories of those past lives where I succeeded as a musician and actor were great and wonderful. What confused him the most was that he'd never stomped on people just to get what he wanted in the past. I'm not in the mood to turn into a selfish ingrate. Could it be that he'd just been too nice in the past? No, that didn't make sense to Tae-Jun either. Wasn't that one of the reasons I wound up in this situation in the first place?
Whatever the reasons, he finally sorted through all the memories strictly related to showbiz. Tae-Jun kept all the other memories shelved for perusal later. Now, he had to formulate a plan of action that would get him into a better place. Once he settled on something rough but doable, he was able to drift back into sleep and regain his strength for the coming day.
*
In another room, Cilin was beset by nightmares. He tossed and turned, trying to figure out what had gone so wrong that he couldn't focus. At last, he awoke in frustration and realized that he'd actually slept a good deal. The bad part was that he couldn't remember anything worthwhile from those nightmares. "Great, I dreamed but got nothing useful this time around." He shook off the unsettling feeling that he'd missed something crucial from those dreams.
Instead, after glancing at the time, Cilin deemed it was better that he just begin his day. After all, there was much to prepare. He caught up on all the messages and other communications sent to him. Puzzled, he looked over the newest schedule and looked at one part.
There would be new managers for the trainees. Cilin did recall that someone had been introduced as a proto-manager for Tae-Jun. Still, no one bothered to cement that particular appointment in all the hubbub that occurred.
He scanned through more documents and grunted. "Yeah, I don't see this happening." Would all current support staff be released to return to their ordinary lives? "I don't think so." Cilin frowned when he saw the information. What is this all about?" He didn't care for the idea of Tae-Jun becoming more isolated than he'd already done to himself through such crazy actions. That fool might really kill himself one of these days just from being too naive."
Cilin was frazzled because he'd willingly chosen to become Tae-Jun's supporter from the start. It wasn't that he felt a sense of obligation. It was more like he'd admired Tae-Jun's free-spirited nature and his upbringing in a different lifestyle. Then he recalled that he'd stated that they could only remain friends because he had a fiancee. Cilin frowned. "Is that where he'd gotten a twisted view in his brain?"
What a confusing situation he had to sort out now. Hmm, well, since they would have time to eat, it was better to avoid further confusion. Cilin nodded in satisfaction. Yeah, he would take the morning meal as a way to clear the air with Tae-Jun.
"Something happened to him in his previous life that made him very cautious." Cilin shook his head with a sigh. "I really need to have a serious conversation with him." He grimaced because he had started to realize that he'd probably given Tae-Jun the wrong idea with some of his actions and words. "Preferably before he gets any more mixed-up notions in his head about what our friendship is like."
That's when he remembered something Tae-Jun said: "You should ignore me if I ever come up with any further hare-brained schemes that entangle you in my time as a trainee..." Cilin frowned, or something of that nature was what he'd implied.
"I guess I did overreact and turned away from him at a bad time." At the time, there had been so much going on that Cilin hadn't bothered to go over the conversation. "That's right. I chose to simply occupy the moment with Shellu." A sigh escaped him. She wasn't even his fiancee, though he knew she'd been a candidate at one point.
Oh dear, I forgot that she could be stubborn and take innocent actions as a sign to pursue a course of action that won't always end well. Cilin frowned. "I hope she didn't get the wrong idea. Maybe that was a mistake?" Indeed, he'd been sulking earlier. That left a bad taste in his mouth. "Hmm, I guess I'll definitely have to make this up to him somehow."
Instead, he'd acted in a manner that was beneath him. Cilin still was trying to make sense of Tae-Jun's sudden about-face in not wanting him to be troubled with his soon-to-be very packed schedule. "Why did that fool think he was the reason that I'd become a manager for him unwillingly?" That still confused Cilin, and he sighed. I'd better go check on him so he doesn't oversleep."
He really needed to make better use of those scarce hours rapidly dwindling away. "This would be the best time to clear up any misunderstandings." Good, he'd figured out a worthwhile course of action to clear up any potential misunderstandings with Tae-Jun.