Chapter Text
━━━━EARTH RED IRISES CALMLY FLEET the area of his surrounding. A familiar yet unfamiliar room is where he finds himself right now. Exhaling a tired sigh, he sits up. He has no recollection of sleeping in his bedroom or decorating it the same way sixteen years ago.
The man rolled up his sleeves and stared at the scars littered on his pallid arms. However, most of the scars were lighter and fewer than he remembered.
Did he regress?
That's the only conclusion he came up with after piecing together these small details in a short amount of time.
Letting out another sigh, he stood up. Ignoring how painful his limbs felt as he trudged towards the bathroom, and he stared at the mirror that reflected his image.
It shows him─Kim Roksoo.
Younger.
Weaker.
Do people usually become calmer when they are surprised and shocked?
[Not really.]
A voice answered within his mind, and Roksoo warily glanced around; then, the voice sounded apologetic. [Sorry, I was only answering your question.]
Kim Roksoo didn't offer any answer, nor any questions, but the voice seemed to have picked up his vigilance internally, so it spared him the efforts of asking the obvious.
[I am system #K185-12, or just Kahel. I brought you back to the past to do certain tasks that will generously award you based on your performance and capabilities!]
The man narrows his eyes. What he hates the most is being used, and obviously, this so-called system wants to use him for some tasks that he probably wouldn't even like. However, he remained calm and let it continue.
The system coughed before a glitch appeared in the air, and a small round orange bird popped up. [We are a philanthropic organization. The host will be given a minimum of 10,000 won for completing their first task!]
Roksoo's lips twitched slightly. The orange bird took notice and puffed its chest more proudly. [Come, host! That's only the first task's award. For every successful task, your earnings increase! Not only that, you can also receive exclusive rewards in certain circumstances!]
The man would be lying if he weren't tempted. That's quite a bit of money for a single task. Still, Roksoo remains clearheaded; he needs to know what the tasks are.
Hearing his thoughts, Kahel answered jubilantly.
[Just need to make a zoo!]
"What?" Roksoo's entire body stiffened. Am I hearing things correctly? He even rubbed his ears, but the orange bird looked at him in confusion, seemingly not understanding his reaction or how absurd that task was.
And being a kindhearted system, Kahel explained more in detail. [Hosts just need to make a zoo! There are many suitable monsters available and roaming! Such a waste!]
The man blankly stared at the bird in disbelief. Those monsters? Those beasts? Displayed in a zoo?! That's the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard, and he rubbed his temples because of the impending headache.
The system gasped in offense to his internal questions and was ready to defend the monsters when suddenly, the bathroom door was opened with a flourish.
"Roksoo, you're awake!" a familiar face exclaimed as the man froze again. The figure walked forward to him, patting his body. "You punk, you need to stop running into danger, you hear me?" Choi Jungsoo scolded.
"Tell that to yourself," Roksoo unconsciously retorted, natural and snappy as ever, to which Choi Jungsoo laughed loudly. The guy he recognized as family started dragging him back to bed to rest while fussing over him.
Roksoo couldn't stop looking, and his record activated on its own, memorizing everything within his vision.
"Team Leader nim, look at this guy," Choi Jungsoo called out. Another individual came over, looking disgruntled as they started scolding Roksoo together.
"You little punk, why can't you stay still? You really need to stop throwing yourself into every dangerous or troublesome situation!" Lee Soohyuk shook his head as Jungsoo beside him nodded vigorously in agreement.
Listening to these, Roksoo pursed his lips. He didn’t stop them from scolding him because he missed these moments the most.
"Heh, should we tie him up─Holy! He's crying! Hyung, he's crying!" Choi Jungsoo panicked, shaking the also shocked Lee Soohyuk, before they started worrying, hovering around him with worried, stricken expressions.
"Huh? Why am I crying?" Roksoo whispered, wiping his face as tears dropped little by little. I'm not sad, so why am I crying? He didn't understand, and he forced a smile to calm down his two hyungs. "I'm fine."
"You're not! Where are you hurt?" Lee Soohyuk furrowed his brows, inspecting their youngest's body for any hidden injuries. "Call Grandma Kim, Jungsoo," he ordered.
Choi Jungsoo was ready to sprint, but Kim Roksoo managed to grab his sleeves before he did. "I'm really fine. You guys don't need to bother Grandma Kim for this."
It took some time before Roksoo was able to convince the two to stop worrying. He reasoned that he had a bad nightmare, which wasn't exactly wrong, and switched the topic to distract them. The two could see through his plan but went with the flow despite their worries and queries.
ㅤ
"So you're saying there's a thief in the shelter who is stealing... alcohol?" Kim Roksoo asked, raising an eyebrow while Choi Jungsoo sighed exaggeratedly.
Lee Soohyuk nodded, rubbing his chin in contemplation. "It was weird. We can't trace the thief no matter what we do. We don't know if we should be angry that it kept stealing or grateful that it only stole alcohol."
Kim Roksoo's expression became strange. He doesn't remember any of this from his previous life. Although considering that both Lee Soohyuk and Choi Jungsoo are alive, it is bound to be different than the last.
"Roksoo..." Suddenly, Choi Jungsoo grinned, presenting him a bag that Kim Roksoo warily eyed. "Since you're the most observant, help us catch the thief!" He didn't give the young man time to refuse and thrust the bag that rattled with glasses into Roksoo's arms.
It's a bag of alcohol!
Kim Roksoo glared at Choi Jungsoo, who only gave a peace sign playfully. Now, he has no choice but to accept.
They then started bantering for hours over stupid things, with Lee Soohyuk trying to calm them down but unwittingly getting dragged into their fun. He would never admit that he was smiling, that he missed this so much.
The sun descended so fast that Kim Roksoo didn't notice. Both Choi Jungsoo and Lee Soohyuk stood up, ready to go out. Choi Jungsoo went out first, yawning.
"Roksoo," Lee Soohyuk uttered softly, smiling down at Kim Roksoo. "Sleep well. I hope you don't have another nightmare," he said, patting his head gently. "Goodnight."
Roksoo didn't say anything, and Lee Soohyuk didn't wait as he walked to the door, oblivious to how the young man whispered softly under his breath, "Goodnight, Hyung..."
ㅤ
Night has taken its shift, the moon illuminating the earth in soft light. Many are resting, including Kim Roksoo. The records obtained are playing in his dreams, bringing nostalgia and comfort. To be with his hyung, to be with his family. A smile curves his sleep as he continued to slumber.
Until he heard a noise──
He snapped his eyes open and warily eyed everything.
Kim Roksoo saw the bag that Jungsoo had given to him was moving. He quietly stood up, walked closer, and took a bat lying on his desk with him. It's a monster. He can tell and maybe that's why no one has caught the thief.
Letting out a scoff, he opened the bag and raised his bat.
Ding─!
[Crimson Blood Fox | Lv. 1]
Name: <Empty>
Rank: Unranked
Abilities: [Let's get drunk! | Lv. 10],
[Blood Aim | Lv. 9], [Disguise | Lv. 1]
Status: Intoxicated, Dizzy, & Hyper
[OMG! OMG! HOST?!] The system started going wild. [An unranked fox! Host, host! Take it to the zoo!] The system didn't stop clamoring while Roksoo deadpanned.
"Yip! Yip! Yiiip~!" The fox, on the other hand, let out a burp, holding the alcohol like a baby bottle, chugging from the tip. It has an unusual color, too deep red─like blood, with glowing red markings that pulse with every breath.
Kim Roksoo massaged his temples again.
God, I just want a slacker life. Is it really that hard?
