Chapter Text
Outside the room, my sister was waiting for me.
“If I was you, I wouldn't bother leaving Seoul for Chuseok. It must be a lot of trouble to travel so far. Today's generation is more relaxed about tradition, right?”
I frowned at her. "...Why are you speaking like an old woman? You're not even thirty yet."
“Ah, it's like that. You know. I regained memories of my past life.”
"...”
What was she talking about? Had the ancestors accidentally possessed our youngest? I gave her a worried look.
"Maybe you should rest today. I'll let Mom know. Don't stay up reading those webnovels.”
"No, I'm not making things up… Hah… You're just like oppa."
My eye twitched. “Who? You never even call me oppa, who is this mysterious oppa???”
“I told you, I have memories from my past life.”
Oh no. This was serious. I walked quickly down the hall. “Mom, I think we need to take ■■■■■■ to the hospital!”
“Wait– Kim Soleum!”
***
This year, my father was unable to return home for Chuseok. He worked overseas, so it was only my mother, my sister, and I who remained at home to celebrate. After we helped our mom set the charye table, I lit the incense before joining my family in our bows.
With my face meeting the ground, I couldn’t see anything. However, it felt like someone’s eyes were on me.
I had never thought too deeply about the ancestral rites before. It was a tradition, a gesture of familial piety. But… this ritual. A ritual to share this year’s harvest with our ancestors. The spirits who came to harvest energy.
H e w a s b o r n i n o u r f a m i l y
A strange whisper entered my ears.
The smell of incense was heavy in the air.
It felt like I was inhaling and exhaling smoke, like breath.
The visage of a dragon was burned beneath my eyelids like an afterimage.
Even after the ritual was over, I could feel eyes on me. My sister seemed to notice my unease.
“Kim Soleum. Don’t pay too much attention to the greed of the dead.”
“You’re starting to sound more and more like grandma… Besides, isn't that disrespectful to the ancestors?”
She rolled her eyes at me before walking away. Except for the ominous feeling, the rest of the day was relatively peaceful. My mother seemed happy to spend time with us, and we quietly went through the day’s celebrations with a peaceful attitude.
While cleaning the family grave, I thought I felt a ghostly hand brush past me… It was probably just overgrown grass. Today, it was unusually misty. It was hard to see in front of me, and a few times I lost sight of my mother.
“Wow… today must be a day overflowing with spiritual power,” my mother remarked. “Come to think of it, Soleum, you were born on a day like this, too. Your grandma thought you would make a good shaman.”
I grimaced. That was like saying I would make a good scammer… “No, thank you… Office work seems more suited for me.”
From behind me, my sister decided to add a comment in a cheerful tone. “That must be why the ghosts are attracted to you.”
No… why did she have to say something like that??? She knew how scared I was of anything related to horror. A chill ran down my spine as the invisible gaze on me grew heavier.
“Stop bringing bad luck.”
A g o d w a s b o r n t o o u r f a m i l y t h e h e a v e n s h a v e b l e s s e d u s
The wind brought the sweet fragrance of incense.
…I didn’t remember burning any.
That night, while we watched the full moon in the sky, we made our wishes for the coming year.
Closing my eyes, I thought of my wish. The desperate longing in my heart. Something I’d fallen asleep every night reaching for.
I
W
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N
T
T
O
G
O
H
O
M
E
“...”
Where did that come from? Wasn’t I already home?
Beside me, my sister had opened her eyes at the same time as me. She gave me a heavy expression. For some reason, she wore a traditional veil over her face.
“Please save my BROTHER! Savior please I beg you savehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehimsavehim–”
But wasn’t I her brother? Who was she talking about–
“SAVE HIM IREUM-NIM!”
“...”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Huh…?.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................I……………………………………………………wasn’t…………………………………………….home…?.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................where…………………is………………………………….this…?....................................................................................................................................WHO………………………………..……..AM…………………………………………………………………………I…?.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................IREUM-NIM
HE WAS BORN TO OUR FAMILY
THE GREAT IREUM-NIM
OUR LORD
OUR SAVIOR
SAVE US
Ah. I see.
I didn’t go home.
My home was gone a long time ago.
Just like the apocalypse the world of the DER was heading towards.
The moment the past and the future combined as one.
I was born in the past.
And
I died in the future.
I
W
A
S
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R
E
U
M
|
N
I
M
“...”
[Ahem. I suppose I should start from where that mangy fox left off.]
[Contamination sync rate 100%]
[Congratulations Good Friend!]
[You have remembered your true nature.]
[I’m sure this will be the greatest show yet to play.]