Work Text:
There was something messing with his memories. Their memories. Everyone's.
Baekho was acutely aware that something is off, but he had a feeling that whatever whichever higher being did, it was not ill-intentioned or dangerous so he let it be. If it was a higher being as powerful as he suspected that higher being that had committed some kind of mass information manipulation of the entire world, including the memories of many Jins, was, then there was nothing that he could do anyways.
So he continued to play chess with the kid, who seemed much happier and closer to him than before. (Was he far away before? Less happy? Even dark, gloomy, and sad?)
Baekho was relieved as he watched that bright kid talk about his younger siblings under the stars that represented his victories against Insomnium. Baekho watched him with Brilliant Gaze, wanting to pass on more things than just his protection to the brat who had made him promise to not disturb him.
Baekho enjoyed these moments where he could see Jo Euishin in his dreams and outside of the newspaper articles of a young chess prodigy winning the chess competitions throughout the world. It was a small, niche community in this world where players hogged almost all the spotlight, but Baekho still followed every piece of news that entered into his device after he had set the keywords.
Baekho continued his days like this, highly anticipating the day when Jo Euishin would take the entrance exam for Eungwang High School. He wasn't allowed to disturb him without permission, but he could see him from afar. Judging by how Jo Euishin hadn't said anything despite his plans, he could do it - secretly watch him as he walked to his practical exam, secretly watch him as he studied at Eungwang High.
But then it happened.
("Jo Euishin, let me help." Baekho demanded, immense fear - fear that he had never felt before even in the wars he had fought five thousand years ago with his friends - rising within. Baekho desperately held onto Jo Euishin who looked like he would disappear at any moment.
He felt like he had done this before.
He felt like somehow this time was more dangerous.
"Jo Euishin, let me help." Baekho said, not wanting to take away his protection but desperate enough to do anything to save him even if it meant to break his promise.
Dark thoughts, hollow emotions, immense grief and irrationally powerful, so very strangling guilt. Baekho saw the child think of the empty house he planned to live in the hillside slums with only an electric blanket as a heater in the end of chilling cold autumn. Baekho could already see him barely sleeping, barely moving around, barely drinking sugared tap water as if it were enough for a day's meal. He felt like he saw this happen before. Baekho saw the child remember the Han River-
"Jo Euishin, you will let me help." Baekho urged. "Please."
The boy, who felt like a fading star, finally nodded at the word that did not sound like it befit an arrogant tiger. Baekho held him closely, telling him of his plans.
The boy, who had just lost his family in a car accident, had no energy to react. Baekho loved hearing the boy's voice, but he did not force him.)
("Hwangho." Baekho approached his friend for the first time in many years, probably fifty. Hwangho stared at him in astonishment, but at the sight of Baekho's subdued expression, he suppressed all his surprise and joy at seeing his friend for the first time in many years. "Let's make a deal."
"Very well." Hwangho finally said after observing him carefully. "What is it that Baekho wants?")
Baekho watched with relief as Hwangho retrieved the boy and helped set up the funeral arrangements within Eungwang District so that Baekho could attend and watch over him. Had it not been for the arrangements that were better than anything he could do for his family on the paltry inheritance and Baekho's explanation of their relationship, Jo Euishin would have refused.
But the boy was quiet, thankfully letting Baekho and Hwangho handle everything.
"You are a chess prodigy." Hwangho spoke up once during dinner after observing the boy that his friend had apparently given his True Name as protection to. He had no idea that Baekho even knew how to play chess, much less had followed the game. "What about one game after dinner?" Hwangho asked in curiosity, having seen the rather excellent records, so curious about the boy after hearing everything.
Baekho wanted to intervene, but Jo Euishin nodded, still quiet after the recent death of his family but polite and guilty that he was staying at the house of a 'stranger' of 'far higher class' than him.
Jo Euishin's hands grew cold with each move, his expression grew more emotionless, his supernatural energy unconsciously choked him as the time went on-
"That's enough." Hwangho said gently, soothing the chess piece out of Jo Euishin's stiff fingers and placing it back to where it was before he had frozen. "We can continue the game at a later time." Hwangho said in an apologetic voice, looking sorry that he had asked this much too soon.
Hwangho asked the automatic maid for warm tea and then praised Jo Euishin when Jo Euishin had demonstrated good manners that ordinary people ordinarily wouldn't know of in a setting like this.
From then on, instead of chess, Hwangho decided to introduce Jo Euishin to other things in hopes of taking care of the child that his friend was protecting and interested in. At first, it was to help his friend and make Baekho more happy, Hwangho not liking the look on Baekho, especially after having not seen him for so long and reuniting like this. But later, it was because of Jo Euishin's manners, quick ability to learn, and the rare delightful moments when Jo Euishin's true personality would pop out from his quiet reservation, sullenness, and grief.
"You don't have to worry about going to school." Hwangho dismissed as he brought Baekho and Jo Euishin out to buy clothes, and delighted in the realization that Baekho was going to let him dress them both up. "You're applying to Eungwang High School, right? I'm the chairman. Consider it done. Now that your high school is decided, the value of your attendance rate in middle school attendance is moot."
Baekho nodded in agreement while Jo Euishin looked like he was debating on whether to say anything to that. He felt like he had once been very angry at how middle school faculty members had once treated Jo Euishin, especially after his entire family had died.
Hwangho looked the happiest among them as Baekho and him took Jo Euishin shopping around Eungwang District. Jo Euishin was reluctant, but he had no energy to stop either of them. And Baekho refused to let Jo Euishin think of the Han River or going without a meal among other thoughts that would appear when he stayed in a room by himself for too long. Grieving was healthy, but Baekho feared when the thoughts became much worse. It felt worse this time. This time? Isn't this the first and only time his family had died?
"What are your skills?" Hwangho asked, satisfied after buying so many things that he had to call his secretary to pick it up for him. His smile had only grown after he had bought ice cream for Baekho and Jo Euishin at the ice cream parlor. "Just tell me the combat skill you'll share with the school. I'll buy you an SR item that suits it."
Jo Euishin looked even more resistant to saying anything.
"It's 'Use of Everything'." Baekho answered despite Jo Euishin's glare - which honestly made Baekho happy because it was a better expression than most everything that had passed through Jo Euishin's face these past days. "Just give up, Jo Euishin. Hwangho will not stop even if you don't answer."
"Yes." Hwangho's eyes twinkled in delight that his friend was playing along with him. "Give up. The ward of the Tiger Clan and Hwang Myeong Foundation cannot be seen as having less than the children of the other four conglomerates and Jin clans."
Jo Euishin weakly glared at them, wanting to say something but still so very quiet as if he couldn't speak after his family had died.
"But 'Use of Everything', is it? Impressive. As expected of the ward of the Tiger Clan! I suppose this means that I should buy 300 - no, 500 SR items!"
"Don't." Jo Euishin finally said, his voice hoarse from both disuse and still feeling like he was being suffocated by everything.
Hwangho only smiled brighter as if he wanted to provoke Jo Euishin to be able to hear his voice more. "Are you worried about the cost? Hahaha, don't be. 500 SR items is plenty cheap. This one has accumulated wealth since the founding of this nation! And this one has always wanted to use it all for his friends!"
That last sentence was the most genuine. Baekho felt sorry that he hadn't spoken to Hwangho more, especially with how happy this simple day had made him. His friend had probably already considered Jo Euishin as something close to a benefactor for having made a day where he could have his friend stay in his mansion, a day where he could go shopping and eating out with one of his friends possible.
In the end, they did buy Jo Euishin 500 weapons. When it had increased his skill level and Jo Euishin quietly wondered in his not-private mind if using them all would increase his skill level again, Baekho and Hwangho personally brought Jo Euishin to a private training grounds to train him themselves. The exercise did a lot to distract and clear Jo Euishin's mind. The level 3 'Use of Everything' skill and increased overall stats also eased Baekho's worry as he felt like something bad would happen soon. There was something that Baekho was forgetting.
Baekho and Hwangho dragged Jo Euishin to the Eungwang High School Festival as kids of the same age as Jo Euishin in disguise. Hwangho proudly showed off the buildings that he had designed and happily watched Jo Euishin show awe at certain teachers and students his playable characters as if Hwangho had a part in their impressiveness.
When they visited the dormitory that Hwangho said that Jo Euishin could look at but was not allowed to live in during his school years because he was a ward of the Tiger Clan that should continue to live in the mansion, they came across an injured puppy.
"Our divine beast!" Hwangho said in astonishment as Jo Euishin spotted and then carefully, hurriedly picked up the small dog with an injured leg. "What happened?"
"Can you heal him?" Jo Euishin asked, his concern for the dog overriding all his other still grief-tainted thoughts.
"Of course. Let's go home. I'll make some calls." Hwangho said, beginning to call his secretary among other people.
Baekho was happy when Jo Euishin thought nothing about Hwangho calling the mansion their home. Although the divine beast being injured was a concern, Baekho was also glad that Jo Euishin's thoughts became more focused on it than his family. It was necessary to live to take care of something. And Jo Euishin wanted to live, if only it was to take care of the 'adorable', 'poor' cotton-ball like dog.
Hwangho had complicated feelings about the divine beast being treated like an ordinary dog and even being given a cute name unfitting for what kind of animal it actually was, but he happily allowed Jo Euishin to use some money to buy Cotton Ball dog supplies. It was the first time that Jo Euishin had asked either of them for anything. Hwangho gave Jo Euishin a black card. Jo Euishin returned it with a deadpan and instead used some money from his inheritance. Since he didn't have to spend it on housing and necessities anymore, he still had it. He couldn't look at it since the funeral, but both Hwangho and Baekho thought that the fact that he now could, even if it were with shaking hands, was a good thing.
And so, 'Cotton Ball', the independent divine beast that had refused to live with them for numerous years, began to live with them. Hwangho considered letting Eungwang High School allow emotional support animals to campus again, but there were too many incidents in that one day that it was allowed for it to be considered a good idea. Somehow, a disguised divine beast wasn't the most outrageous 'emotional support animal' a person could think of bringing to school.
And then, the practical entrance exam came.
Hwangho happily said that Jo Euishin didn't have to take it - as chairman, Hwangho was happy to abuse his authority - but Jo Euishin gave him a dark look and insisted on doing things the normal way.
Baekho found himself having mixed feelings. That feeling that he had been having over the past year was returning persistently. He was forgetting something. Something important.
Although Jo Euishin had been distracted by his family and then almost irrecoverably by the car accident, Baekho could feel that Jo Euishin could sense it too.
But Jo Euishin left the mansion alone to take the practical entrance exam and Baekho watched him go to school.
And then-
Just before the practical entrance exam began.
Both Jo Euishin and Baekho remembered.
"Baekho?" Hwangho asked as Baekho shot out of his seat with wide eyes. Hwangho stopped whisking batter for a cake that he was going to serve after dinner to celebrate Jo Euishin passing the practical entrance exam. Hwangho quietly set the bowl down at the now-familiar look of worry that flashed through Baekho's eyes.
"Prepare the hospital. If you can figure out who betrayed us and opened the barrier, the better."
"Betrayed-" Hwangho began, but Baekho had already rushed out of the mansion and used Leap to find the gym where Jo Euishin was in. Golden particles glowed in the air. Baekho was glad that as surprised as Hwangho was, Hwangho was trusting and quick to understand and follow his instructions. Perhaps, they could figure out the 12 Zodiac Alliance traitor from the beginning.
Even if they didn't, Baekho was more concerned with Jo Euishin.
Jo Euishin!
Although Jo Euishin had better stats than the nameless character and was in a better position to defend himself, Baekho now remembered how many times the 'characters' in Entrance Exam Group 13 would be crushed into polygons, how many times the dialog box would mention how the bloodied chunks of corpses were unrecognizable by the time the doors of the gym were opened.
Baekho focused on Jo Euishin. Jo Euishin was distracted. He was distraught at remembering his family had died again without him being able to do anything about it and now feeling like he could, even should have. Jo Euishin was feeling distraught, guilty about the supervisor even if there had been no way Jo Euishin could have known and helped the supervisor (Jeho) just as neither Baekho and Jo Euishin could have known and done anything about the car accident.
Jo Euishin! Baekho wanted to urge Jo Euishin to pay attention to the Rinoseron.
Baekho reached the doors in an instant, having rushed as fast as he could.
The Cow Clan Head was still there, cleaning up his traces. He startled at the sight of Baekho and Baekho growled because he couldn't leave this bastard alone, but Jo Euishin-
If only Jo Euishin had gained the Exclusive Menu skill before today so that he could have at least had the 500 SR weapons in his inventory menu! Even if Jo Euishin had felt bothered by Hwangho's overspending on him, Baekho would have forced it and even more weapons - even UR weapons on him had he known!
Baekho activated his Gwangrim, not wanting to waste time. The damn Cow did the same, shouting in anger and frustration, asking why he was here, how he found out, many things that Baekho could not bring himself to even care for a second about.
Baekho was glad that Jo Euishin cared immensely about the others, enough to temporarily shove down his emotions. His Random Item Box only produced an N- Apprentice Assassin's Folding Knife, but Baekho was glad to hear Jo Euishin quickly think of a plan even with a crappy weapon like that.
When his Power of Fate skill activated, Baekho heard Jo Euishin tell him not to intervene. Baekho glared at the thought of one of the exam brats possibly betraying and wanted to ignore Jo Euishin to just kill the possible traitor himself, but he remembered the promise he had made a long time ago and the brilliant plans that he had admired from the chess prodigy and then-Plamago player.
He decided to trust Jo Euishin and just do his part with this traitor who had hurt their descendant. It would no doubt change Jo Euishin's future plans to get rid of this traitor right now, but it couldn't be helped. Baekho was itching to kill someone - send at least one person to the basement of Gwangrim Research Hall 4 to be tortured and interrogated.
Hwangho appeared after having the Tiger tribe members disguised as faculty members block off the area so that no one could witness them. He set up a maze array and barrier enforced with the Power of Earth so that no one could approach or get hurt by the Cow Clan Head's increasingly desperate but powerful moves. Baekho regretted that he was still under the Wrath of Heavenly God debuff, but he was glad to fight alongside his friend again.
When they had subdued him together and had an alter-ego with several Tiger tribe members take the traitor to the basement to be interrogated, Hwangho asked,
"Does he not want our help?"
Baekho spared a moment away from the doors to look at Hwangho, who too was staring at the doors in worry and apprehension.
It was almost their second month together. Although Hwangho had been negligent and dispirited in the game, here, Hwangho had come to like Jo Euishin and truly treat him as their ward and friend.
Jeho was inside, but Jo Euishin was also.
Baekho shook his head. "He has a plan." Then with a more frosty expression, Baekho said, "One of the middle schoolers betrayed the boy who had injured himself saving him and tried to use them all as bait."
"Hoooo." Hwangho breathed out in disbelief. "Incredible. In a situation like this? And to the ward of the Tiger Clan?"
Though Hwangho said that, it sounded more like: Does this kid have a death wish?
Baekho tilted his head as if listening to something. "He has instructions." Baekho smiled, a small happy curve of his lips. "He expected that both of us would be waiting out here."
Hwangho smiled, having been with Jo Euishin long enough to know that it was amazing that Jo Euishin knew that they would care for him and do this for him. "Of course, we would." Hwangho nodded his head happily, glad that Jo Euishin knew it. "Now, tell me. What does the ward of the Tiger Clan want?"
Baekho relayed Jo Euishin's plan. Hwangho left and took down the maze illusion and barrier. Other faculty members - the human ones - finally made their ways to the gym, which Baekho broke the doors of.
Jo Euishin was still alive.
Baekho had known, but he was still relieved.
And Baekho helped Jeho to the hospital even a moment faster, knowing that Jo Euishin would be at the mansion after this.
-
After the hospital check up and a conversation with Hwangho.
Baekho once again refused to leave Jo Euishin alone in his room in the mansion.
Knowing that Baekho could read his mind, Jo Euishin didn't bother to hide it.
"Do you think that-"
"It must have been an illusion." Baekho cut in before Jo Euishin could even go there. "Even Hwangho wasn't certain about your background. Without the mass information and memory manipulation, it would seem as if you had just appeared a year ago. Your family as well."
Jo Euishin stared into nothing before curling up on his bed. He covered his face, burying it in his knees, as he laughed.
"It was like a dream." Jo Euishin confessed brokenly. "They were there and then-"
Baekho didn't care about what Jo Euishin thought of whether he deserved something or not. Baekho quickly climbed onto the bed to hug him. Jo Euishin crumbled in his arms. Baekho was certain that Jo Euishin didn't even know that he was crying.
"Do you think I could have-"
"No." Baekho said firmly. It was almost cruel, but Baekho knew that they both (he himself) needed to hear it. "Even if you had somehow known - remembered or knew the future - neither of us could have done something."
The Transcendent Universe may not have ill intentions, but the fake family that they had made - illusions made from memories of the past - and the happy life they had together was not intended to last. It was only a replica of an irreversible past. A replica could only copy what had already happened.
And so the car accident happened.
And his family died 'again' without neither Jo Euishin or Baekho there to do anything about it.
Baekho held Jo Euishin as he cried. It had been both a long time and a short time since his family had died. The barely scabbing over wounds were exposed and cut deeper. Baekho hoped that these past weeks had at least made things better.
"Jo Euishin." Baekho said after a long while. "You don't have do anything. Since I know everything, you too can live an ordinary high school life."
Jo Euishin hadn't had one in his previous world. He was hounded by reporters, living alone and unwanted by his distant relatives, facing misfortune after misfortune. But just as Jo Euishin wanted a happy ending for his 'playable characters' and for them to live the ordinary high school life that they dreamed of but never could have, Baekho thought that Jo Euishin should have that opportunity too.
It was enough that Baekho knew all of Jo Euishin's information and plans. It was enough that he had to go through losing his family again. Jo Euishin did and suffered enough. Baekho, too, could be a general like he had in times of war and protect the ordinary lives of those who deserve it.
He had always wanted to give Jo Euishin more than his protection. In that game where Jo Euishin didn't exist, his game self must have thought the same as him. Hwangho was alone, but how could Baekho live in a mansion while the kid he wanted to protect and spoil was living alone in a gosiwon and eating cup ramen?
Jo Euishin planned to work hard while letting his playable characters live as much of an ordinary high school life as possible. Baekho thought someone should plan such a thing for Jo Euishin too.
But Jo Euishin shook his head.
"I'll help." His voice cracked from crying and disuse from the weeks since the funeral. "I want to help."
Countless plans filled Jo Euishin's head again. Baekho couldn't help but feel impressed again.
But still, Baekho resolved to do one thing despite Jo Euishin's impressive resolve and brilliant thoughts.
"Okay, but first go to sleep."
It had been a long day. Jo Euishin may have now remembered ten years of not taking care of himself, but he was now and still the ward of the Tiger Clan. And Hwangho would agree with him that Jo Euishin very much needed rest. Baekho made Jo Euishin sleep. Seeing his middle schooler self now resting in the luxurious bed of the mansion made Baekho think that he had inadvertently gotten one of his wishes from back then when he had first saw Jo Euishin grieving.
Back then, he had wanted to do this too. Spoil him and be there for him in person. Just as it was Jo Euishin's 'second chance' for his playable characters, Baekho felt like it was his second chance for Jo Euishin. He resolved that he wouldn't fail it.