On the first day of the holiday season, Park Moondae came to the front door without warning at 9:00 p.m.
It was a situation that Ryu Chungwoo had never imagined.
'I posted it in a group room saying that it's okay to come over, but…'
It was just a joke saying that the food was delicious.
However, the sudden appearance of the person who had firmly rejected his proposal to spend the holiday together without any prior contact this late at night… It was very bizarre
'Is this really Park Moondae?'
Wasn't he cool-headed, a person with good situational judgment, and a bright dongsaeng?
But now, the Park Moondae, standing outside in the dark…
"Hyung."
"… … Oh sorry. Okay."
Ryu Chungwoo paused for a moment, then moved his feet and moved out of the way to allow Park Moondae to enter the house.
In any case, he couldn't let him stand outside tonight.
However, a feeling of unexplained tension made his body tense.
'What?'
A calm voice was heard.
"I want to wash my hands."
"… It's over there."
Ryu Chungwoo thought to himself while pointing out the bathroom. He thought that they should have a calmer conversation when Park Moondae came back from washing up.
'Let's tell my parents in advance.'
By now, they must have guessed from the voices that the visitor was his acquaintance.
And Ryu Chungwoo tried to close the door, but…
He faced the embarrassed face of Bae Sejin, who was following behind Park Moondae.
"… ??"
Why was he out there?
"Uh, hello."
"That, yes. Hi."
Bae Sejin quietly lifted up fruit.
"This… It's an apple."
"Ah, thank you."
Ryu Chungwoo hurriedly accepted the fruit. His strange tension was gone
'Hmm.'
He then asked a question.
"It's nice to come to play. But the two of you… what brings you guys here?"
"… I just followed Park Moondae."
Bae Seiin glanced toward the bathroom where Park Moondae entered.
"He wanted to go to your house, but it felt a little… I was curious."
'It felt strange, so he followed him.'
Ryu Chungwoo asked another question while reading Bae Sejin's worries.
"Do you know why he wanted to come here?"
"I don't know. Um, but…"
Bae Sejin whispered to Ryu Chungwoo.
"I think he remembered something."
"… !"
Ryu Chungwoo immediately remembered what had happened in the United States last summer.
-A person, in front of fear and pain… they can get a little angry and blame others, so that's okay.
That was what he said to Park Moondae, who finally confessed his true feelings after drinking.
Afterward, while noticing the symptoms of alcoholism in Park Moondae, deep down, Ryu Chungwoo regretted the approach at that time.
'Was there no other way?'
Anyway, it was a separate and traumatic experience.
Wouldn't anyone have felt the same if their dongsaeng, who had been calm and smart, suddenly couldn't control their resistance to them and experienced pain?
It was even more so If their previous memories were blurry, but the memory flashed back and they knew that it was so.
'It's a similar… feeling?'
Ryu Chungwoo felt a sense of déjà vu from the strange tension he felt from Park Moondae, whom he had seen earlier.
So he prepared his mind, but changed his mind when he saw Park Moondae coming out of the bathroom.
"Hyung, I have a question for you."
Park Moondae's face showed no reluctance towards Ryu Chungwoo.
Just… The look in his eyes had turned upside down.
'Oh my.'
Ryu Chungwoo quickly exchanged glances with Bae Sejin.
"Well, first… Should I say hello to your parents and talk to them?"
"Yes."
Bae Sejin hurriedly washed his hands and came out and joined Park Moondae. And Ryu Chungwoo introduced the two to his parents.
It felt like he was breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Here… These are my dongsaengs, and they came here to play with fruit for a while."
"Oh!"
"Welcome~"
His parents seemed a bit surprised, but they welcomed them both happily.
"Hello."
"… Hello!"
The two greeted them politely, but Ryu Chungwoo checked Park Moondae's eyes just in case.
And he found Park Moondae with sad eyes.
'Why… Is he like that?'
It was because they weren't a target.
Ryu Chungwoo was more confused, but anyway, he sat Park Moondae and Bae Sejin down in the living room.
Kkami ran up and sat on Park Moondae's lap, and Park Moondae skillfully scratched the black dog's ears and spoke.
"Hyung."
"Yeah, yes."
Park Moondae's eyes shone brightly again.
"You said you would repay me for my hard work."
"… I did."
That… It seemed that it was not a good choice of words, but anyway, Ryu Chungwoo answered honestly. Beside him, Bae Sejin's pupils were shaking.
"I have a request for you to listen to."
Park Moondae spoke quickly without much expression.
"Hyung, I want to see some pictures of you when you were young."
"… ??"
Words came out that he hadn't thought of.
"No, preferably with a video. Are there any records that contain the time of your happy extended family?"
Ryu Chungwoo asked a question with an obvious question.
"Why?"
"Just because."
It was an invincible answer.
Bae Sejin quietly shouted from behind.
'Memories from when he was young!'
"… !"
Okay. It may be that he caught clues related to his memories when he was young and wanted to be encouraged by watching similar scenes.
'Am I the closest to Sejin's house?'
Ryu Chungwoo thought vaguely and smiled for a moment. He smiled in relief that he had guessed the situation.
"Okay then, shall I bring something out?"
"Yes. Please."
Ryu Chungwoo quickly went to the living room and took out a photo album and a video.
And what he saw on the way back was Park Moondae, who was mechanically stroking Kkami, and Bae Sejin, who was nervous.
"… …"
Ryu Chungwoo pondered for a while, but decided to take into account that although Park Moondae may have lost his senses, he was not as shocked as he was last time.
"Here, would you like to see the album first?"
"I want to watch the video together while looking at the album. And if possible, I would like to see hyung in the lower grades of elementary school, would that be okay?"
Seeing that the request was specific and the age range was accurate, Ryu Chungwoo also thought that Bae Sejin's guess might be correct.
"Haha, yes."
Ryu Chungwoo relaxed a little and played the video. A picture of himself as a child flowed from his TV.
[Chungwoo~ Wave your hand here!]
His younger self with an embarrassed face filled the screen. At the same time, Ryu Chungwoo himself was a little embarrassed.
It was probably Chuseok at that time too, and he remembered that all his relatives rented a car and went out together.
"… What grade were you in? You were tall."
"Probably in the second grade."
A weak sense of defeat appeared on Bae Sejin's expression, but Ryu Chungwoo did not notice it.
It was because Park Moondae was scratching the dog's chin next to him.
"As expected."
"… ?"
Anyway, the three of them sat there talking about various things while watching the album and video.
His parents looked up and down the hallway and threw happy glances, but they also seemed a little burdened, looking like they were wondering 'Why are you showing them?'
Perhaps it was because after he retired due to an injury, they suffered from all sorts of media and became defensive against others.
Ryu Chungwoo smiled bitterly at the faint feeling of guilt.
'Still, I have to say that Moondae saved my life.'
If Park Moondae came over to his house during the holidays, he was originally going to tell them.
Ryu Chungwoo thought so and continued to watch the video. The atmosphere wasn't bad.
[Wow!]
The video was replaced again.
Bae Sejin saw the puppy on his lap and was at a loss for what to do.
'It wasn't a big deal.'
Would they like to sit down like this and talk for a while before going back?
Late-night snacks were not good for the body, but since it was a holiday, Ryu Chungwoo thought that they should eat something healthy.
It was then.
Park Moondae stood up from the seat next to him.
"Wait a minute."
Park Moondae picked up the remote control and stopped the video.
And walked towards the TV screen.
Somehow, with a confident face.
• * *
'It's me.'
I knew it as soon as I saw it.
On the screen, the guy with a sad face sitting on the corner of the lodging sofa holding a book… It was Ryu Gunwoo.
"… …"
Somehow, the tension melted away.
It felt like blood was rushing to my head. It was cool.
'They were here too.'
This video was still early. I didn't know if I'd be able to see my parents if I fast forwarded it a little more… Let's be patient.
I picked up my smartphone and took a picture.
Click.
At that point, Bae Sejin asked with a puzzled face.
"That… Is that someone you know?"
"… …"
Right.
I was in a hurry right now, so I forgot to come up with an excuse.
'Is my brain rotting?'
I clicked my tongue and replied.
"I know him, and I've been indebted to him."
"Ah…"
Excuses became more like excuses the longer they were dragged on. As I answered quickly, I remembered the scene where I bought food for 'Park Moondae,' so these words came out naturally.
Bae Sejin was pleased.
"Then, did you remember this person?"
"What? … Yes."
He was creating a story all on his own. Thanks.
As a clue, I attached more information.
"His name is Ryu Gunwoo, so I was wondering if he was related to Chungwoo. There aren't many people with Ryu as their surname."
"I see… Hmm. Looking at it this way, it seems that they look a little alike."
Is that so?
Anyway, Ryu Chungwoo nodded his head sternly, as if the flimsy excuse of having similar names worked well thanks to his appearance.
And he spoke kindly.
"Should I ask my parents? About if these are relatives that they remember?"
"… Thank you."
To be honest, since I was such a distant relative, I had only seen them once every few years, so I don't think they'd know, but it wouldn't hurt to try.
'But if they told him that my parents were already in the afterlife due to an accident in middle school…'
I was a little dizzy at what misunderstanding I might be creating, but I decided to push on. There was nothing special about this.
And the expected answer came from the parents.
It meant that they said 'I don't remember'.
It was embarrassing for me, but these two guys were worried.
It was because my 'amnesia had an outstanding impact.
Even such a proposal came out.
"I can ask them at the door. I think I can find him because I know his age and name."
"…! Then… Thank you."
"Thank you for this."
Ryu Chungwoo smiled and made a call, and soon after a few words of conversation, he gave me quite positive news.
"They said they'd find out quickly and tell me."
"It's a holiday, so thank you."
"Haha, I'll tell them that too."
Thus, 'tracing Ryu Gunwoo' ended quite successfully.
And the only conversation topic left was the puppy.
Bae Sejin asked quietly.
"… Is that the end?"
Bae Seiin must be worried that his mother was at home alone.
I didn't even ask for it, but it was just amazing that he followed me. Of course, I didn't even pay attention to whether he came or not.
"Don't worry, I'll call you back."
Ryu Chungwoo also euphemistically expressed his intention, saying, 'You can go back.'
After saying goodbye to Ryu Chungwoo's parents once more, I went back to Bae Sejin's house.
Of course, I didn't forget to say thank you.
"Thank you for the fruit."
"That, I brought it after buying it, so…!"
It sounded like he was pretty proud to say that.
Anyway, since I got help so that I wouldn't get taken as a person who was out of his mind, I was thinking of making some holiday food tomorrow.
"Hoo."
So, I changed back into my pajamas and laid down on the bed.
However, I couldn't sleep well because of the sight I saw in 'Truth Check'.
"… …"
Fuck it, let's knock it off. Anyway, I didn't remember anything like that, so what was the point of thinking about it now? There was no answer.
I brushed off my thoughts and called something to replace them.
"Status window."
Well, it seemed that it was still in the middle of its 'settlement in progress'…
Papapapang!
"… !!"
Suddenly, confetti burst in front of my eyes.
The holographic confetti popped out of the pop-up and scattered beautifully onto the bed.
And the status window ecstatically flashed with a rainbow of light.
[Great success!]
User: Park Moondae (Ryu Gunwoo) succeeded in removing all status abnormalities!
Reward: permanent status window, title
[Creating a title!]
: Successful person (Idol)
I wish you a sweet life.
"… …"
What?