The Returner Chapter 155

"You want to divide the group into two?" (Choi Jung-Hoon)
At Yi Ji-Hyuk’s suggestion, Choi Jung-Hoon tilted his head.
There were many different ways to have fun in an amusement park, but was there a need to divide the group? There weren’t that many in the group to begin with - only around ten people or so.
"Well, that makes having fun easier." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"I don’t quite understand why that makes having fun easier, though?" (Choi Jung-Hoon)
"Because, it just makes having fun easier." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"But, I think…." (Choi Jung-Hoon)
"That. Makes. Having. Fun. Easier." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"….Yes, dividing the group sounds like a good idea." (Choi Jung-Hoon)
Successfully making Choi Jung-Hoon admit defeat, Yi Ji-Hyuk raised his head triumphantly. Finding this scene not to her liking, Seo Ah-Young asked a question in a testy voice.
"Okay, so how will we divide the group, then?" (Seo Ah-Young)
"First of all, we separate the normal people from the ability users." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
When Yi Ji-Hyuk confidently declared so, Seo Ah-Young also confidently tried to trip him up.
"Why? Why should we split up like that??" (Seo Ah-Young)
"You’re asking me about a blindingly obvious thing. Ability users lack a sense of danger. You can extract yourselves out no matter where and when or the type of incident facing you. Which means, when riding the same type of attraction as others, you won’t feel any thrill at all. So, if both the normal people and ability users go around together, trying to choose what to ride will become too annoyingly complicated!" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Oh….." (Seo Ah-Young)
Now rendered speechless, Seo Ah-Young could only stare blankly at Yi Ji-Hyuk.
This man wasn’t supposed to be able to argue his point so logically!
Just as Seo Ah-Young was getting shocked from Yi Ji-Hyuk’s sensible reply, Kim Dah-Hyun was desperately voicing his dissent.
"B-but! The group will be unevenly divided if you do that! Look! There are only four normal people here! And as for us the ability users, we got Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk, Director Seo Ah-Young, Miss Jeong Hae-Min, Miss Doh Gah-Yun, and myself! Five people! It’s four against five!" (Kim Dah-Hyun)
"….That sounds about right to me, though?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?" (Seo Ah-Young)
….Uh? That’s weird. Shouldn’t there be one more person here?
Wait, where’s Miss Affeldrichae? (Kim Dah-Hyun’s inner monologue)
Kim Dah-Hyun fell into a momentary panic. But such a minor thing wouldn’t faze him at all.
"However! It might get dangerous if there are only normal people in the group! So, an ability user who can control the situation should accompany them! Yes, that’s right!" (Kim Dah-Hyun)
"What could possibly be dangerous inside an amusement park?!" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Like, for instance! What if those mascots go crazy and start attacking people? How can you be so sure that nothing dangerous will happen here? What if she gets injured??" (Kim Dah-Hyun)
Yi Ji-Hyuk spat out a long groan and spoke up.
"Hey, Dah-Hyun-ah." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"….Yes?" (Kim Dah-Hyun)
"Being a siscon is an illness. You should go see a doctor." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"W-who’s a siscon here?!" (Kim Dah-Hyun)
Yi Ji-Hyuk tutted audibly.
Yup, that’s an illness, alright.
After being subjected to all that mental abuse at her hands, you instinctively have a seizure whenever your little sister is mentioned, yet you still like her that much? What a weird personality you got there. (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)
"Oh, so. You want to go around with your little sister, is that it?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Yes!!" (Kim Dah-Hyun)
Yi Ji-Hyuk stared at Kim Dah-Hyun as if he was looking at a disgusting insect, prompting the latter to lower his head, depressed.
What the hell, this crazy buffoon.
You came this far, yet you wanna stick around your little sister? (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)
Something like that was unimaginable to a sane-minded person. If someone told Yi Ji-Hyuk to stick around Yi Ye-Won and enjoy his day, he would've just vomited blood and collapsed on the spot.
Yi Ji-Hyuk glanced at Ye-Won, standing in a corner with a prim expression on her face, and slowly shook his head.
Even the top celeb in Korea would be no better than just a regular schmuck in her eyes!
"Yup, it’s an illness. A bloody illness." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Yi Ji-Hyuk spat out another groan while looking at Kim Dah-Hyun.
"However, I do think that an ability user accompanying us is a good idea. Well, there’s nothing wrong with being cautious, is there?" (Choi Jung-Hoon)
As soon as Choi Jung-Hoon sided with him, Kim Dah-Hyun stared at the former with deeply grateful eyes.
‘As expected of Mister Choi Jung-Hoon!’ (Kim Dah-Hyun)
As expected of the sole man of virtue in the NDF!!
"M-mm…."
Yi Ji-Hyuk deliberated on the matter for a short while, before nodding his head.
Indeed, that wasn’t bad idea at all.
"Well, in that case, sure. But….." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Yi Ji-Hyuk pointed at Kim Dah-Hyun.
"He’s definitely rejected." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Ah?! But, why not???" (Kim Dah-Hyun)
Yi Ji-Hyuk clicked his tongue and spoke.
"Because you’re the kind of guy who would only look after your sister and no one else if something happens." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Agreed." (Choi Jung-Hoon)
After Choi Jung-Hoon readily agreed, Kim Dah-Hyun crumbled on the spot. He was looked down on by the NDF’s only virtuous man.
Choi Jung-Hoon looked at Kim Dah-Hyun sprawled on the ground and decisively turned his head away, before throwing out a question.
"In that case, who will accompany us?" (Choi Jung-Hoon)
"Me." (Seo Ah-Young)
"Mm?"
Even before the choice could be made, someone raised her hand up. Since this was quite unexpected, Yi Ji-Hyuk tilted his head immediately.
"You?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Yes. Everything will be fine if I go." (Seo Ah-Young)
"H-mm…."
It was Seo Ah-Young who had raised her hand. Indeed, if she was to go, he’d be at ease.
Her abilities were excellent, her rank was high, and quite unexpectedly, her sense of duty was strong, to boot. And, in the event of an emergency, a tall pillar of flames would shoot up in the air. So, confirming the situation should be easy as well.
Arguably, she was the best candidate for the job, but…. Why was this woman volunteering here?
"What’s gotten into you?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Because, no one else would want to go in the first place." (Seo Ah-Young)
"Eh?"
Seo Ah-Young spat out a sigh.
Doh Gah-Yun, Jeong Hae-Min, Kim Dah-Hyun and Yi Ji-Hyuk. Finally, Seo Ah-Young. Five.
Among them, Kim Dah-Hyun already had been rejected. Both Doh Gah-Yun and Jeong Hae-Min would prefer to hang around Yi Ji-Hyuk, so that left Seo Ah-Young. She had no choice but to go.
Those two might infuriate her with their antics, but in the end, both of them were her ‘unni’ and ‘little sister’ that she both liked.
‘But wait. Am I doing the right thing here?’ (Seo Ah-Young)
Wouldn’t forcibly separating those two from Yi Ji-Hyuk actually be more helpful, instead?
While Seo Ah-Young was seriously contemplating the grim reality of the situation involving her ‘unni’ and ‘little sister’, there was another kid reaching out to grasp her hand.
"Ng?"
That gentle, yet strong hand surprised Seo Ah-Young somewhat, so she raised her head to take a look. And she found Kim Dah-Som tightly holding her hand.
"M-mm??"
You shouldn’t do this and tell me what you….. (Seo Ah-Young’s inner monologue)
"Ah……"
No, wait.
This unni can tell what’s on your mind.
Right. Since it turned out this way, let’s just swap them. (Seo Ah-Young’s inner monologue)
"Mister Kim Dah-Hyun." (Seo Ah-Young)
"Yes?"
"You said you wanted to join this side, yes?" (Seo Ah-Young)
"Yes, ma’am. Of course." (Kim Dah-Hyun)
"Well, then. Come join us. But, no regretting it later, okay?" (Seo Ah-Young)
"No need to mention that, ma’am!!" (Kim Dah-Hyun)
Seo Ah-Young nodded her head and continued on.
"Mister Kim Dah-Hyun will swap places with Dah-Som." (Seo Ah-Young)
"What?! What are you talking about?! Then, there’s no reason for me to…." (Kim Dah-Hyun)
GRAB!
Kim Dah-Hyun felt a slender hand shooting out from behind him to cover his mouth, so he stopped yapping right there and then. He instantly pictured the scene in his head what would happen to him if he uttered out the rest of his sentence.
"….Okay, I’ll go." (Kim Dah-Hyun)
"Very good." (Seo Ah-Young)
And so, the two groups had been decided.
Yi Ji-Hyuk approached Choi Jung-Hoon and spoke in a meaningful, friendly manner.
"Please take good care of my little sister and my mom." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"…..I think you personally looking after them sounds a billion times more reassuring, though?" (Choi Jung-Hoon)
"I’m counting on you." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"….I’ll do my best." (Choi Jung-Hoon)
Yi Ji-Hyuk nodded his head and lightly tapped Choi Jung-Hoon on the shoulder.
The journey of thousand miles started with the first step.
As they went about the day like this, ‘ahjussi’ would soon become ‘oppa’, and ‘oppa’ would change to ‘dear’, and then…. ‘dear’ would transform into ‘my child’s father’.
By the way, why does it feel like something’s busy pricking the corner of my conscience? (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)
"….Ah, so I still had some left. Huh." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Excuse me?" (Choi Jung-Hoon)
"Nope. It’s nothing." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Yi Ji-Hyuk barely managed to step on and suppress his conscience that was busy crying out "I’m still alive down here!!" and shook his head.
"Well, then. See you later." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Yi Ji-Hyuk turned around to leave first, which prompted Jeong Hae-Min, Doh Gah-Yun, and Kim Dah-Som to follow him.
"Will they be alright?" (Choi Jung-Hoon)
"I wonder." (mom)
Something didn’t quite feel right about that combination, but well, nothing much would happen anyway. Park Seon-Duk thought to herself and slowly opened her mouth.
"Well, in that case. Should we get going as well?" (mom)
"Ah, yes. Where should we go first?" (Choi Jung-Hoon)
"For the time being, why don’t we take a look around first?" (mom)
"Well, then." (Choi Jung-Hoon)
When Choi Jung-Hoon walked forward as if he was taking the lead, Park Seon-Duk sneakily pushed Yi Ye-Won right next to his side. Now that the duo found themselves ‘walking together’, Park Seon-Duk’s eyes began gleaming quite dangerously.
Seo Ah-Young immediately picked up on an ominous aura, and quickly looked to her side. It was here that she discovered Park Seon-Duk with a motherly smile on her face.
‘What could this be?’ (Seo Ah-Young)
….The meaning behind her anxiety?
*
"So, what should we do for fun?" (Jeong Hae-Min)
Jeong Hae-Min jumped up and down like a middle schooler who had never come to an amusement park before.
Yi Ji-Hyuk lightly clicked his tongue.
"Aren’t you surprisingly full of energy, especially for your age." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"D-do not talk about people’s ages!!" (Jeong Hae-Min)
"Doesn't your joints hurt? I heard they ache when there’s some rain about, but is that true?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"NO!! I've never felt anything like that before!" (Jeong Hae-Min)
"Hmm…."
Yi Ji-Hyuk swept his suspicious gaze all over Jeong Hae-Min, before nodding his head.
"Yeah, that’s a definite possibility. I mean, you’re still growing up and all." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"….I’m fully grown up!!" (Jeong Hae-Min)
"Liar!" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Euh, euh…."
While Jeong Hae-Min was reeling from the pain inflicted by his straight hook digging deep into her lower tummy, Kim Dah-Som lightly grasped Yi Ji-Hyuk’s arm and pointed towards something.
"How about that one?" (Kim Dah-Som)
Yi Ji-Hyuk spotted a giant roller-coaster.
"What? Hey, you enjoy stuff like those?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Nod.
That’s a surprise.
She’s normally a quiet child so I expected her to enjoy something like a carousel or some such. (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)
"Sure thing. Well…." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Yi Ji-Hyuk had no preference towards any of these amusement park attractions. Well, he had no reason to. From Yi Ji-Hyuk’s point of view, there was not much difference to riding a dodgem or an aeroplane.
People would derive ‘thrill’ from the accompanying danger of certain activities, but from the get-go, he didn’t feel endangered in any shape or form anyway, so he wouldn’t find them that much fun.
"Okay, let’s go." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Before he could take another step, though, Doh Gah-Yun grabbed his arm.
"Mm?"
Shake, shake.
"You don’t want to ride it?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Nod.
"Why? You scared?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Nod.
Yi Ji-Hyuk stared at Doh Gah-Yun with a confused expression on his face.
She’s scared?
What the hell? How can an ability user be scared of riding on something like that and expect to do her job??
You fight against monsters everyday, yet you are scared of a measly roller-coaster?! (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)
"You’re not making things up, right?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Shake, shake.
Yi Ji-Hyuk stared at Doh Gah-Yun with a face full of barely-checked anguish.
Was this girl the same person who toyed around with many, many Drakes back when they were fighting against the Zombie Dragon? Like, waaaay up in the sky while jumping around on small footholds created by Affeldrichae?
A girl who managed to deal with a situation where a single misstep would’ve resulted in her looking like a pancake, is scared of a roller coaster ride?
"How come? Why are you scared?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Doh Gah-Yun raised her hands and began pointing from her shoulders and down to her chest.
"Eh?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Safety restraint. Can’t escape. Impossible to respond in case of derailment." (Doh Gah-Yun)
"Oh….."
So, like, the safety restraints would hold her down too tightly and she wouldn't be able to get out from that. And when an accident happens while she’s like that, she can’t use her strength to break free, and that’s what scares her? (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)
Yi Ji-Hyuk nodded his head.
Well, her fear makes sense, then.
I mean, her physical strength hasn’t been enhanced at all, so it makes sense for her to feel not safe. (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)
"And so…."
One wanted to ride. The other one didn’t. What was he supposed to do here?
"What are you going to do now?" (Jeong Hae-Min)
When Jeong Hae-Min questioned him, Yi Ji-Hyuk answered in what he thought was the best compromise anyone could come up with.
"Forget it. Let’s go eat food instead." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"….Hey, that doesn’t sound so bad," (Jeong Hae-Min)
"Agreed." (Doh Gah-Yun)
"Me too." (Kim Dah-Som)
Snorting in excitement, Jeong Hae-Min pointed in a certain direction.
"Let’s go over there! I heard that they sell pizzas shaped like their mascots!" (Jeong Hae-Min)
"Is it fun to rip apart and chew on the face of a mouse? Just how far will humanity fall?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"….Please stop." (Jeong Hae-Min)
Because, this tale’s supposed to be an adorable one, you know!
So, stop interpreting it that way! (Jeong Hae-Min’s inner monologue)
While Jeong Hae-Min was dragging the continuously-complaining Yi Ji-Hyuk towards the food cart in question, there was a pair of eyes watching them from a distance.
*
"Groan…."
Christopher McLaren’s face was full of anxiety as he stared into the pair of binoculars.
"Don’t come here for your day off!!" (Christopher McLaren)
As if he wanted to literally shoot flames out of his mouth, he roared at the top of his lungs.
If they wanted to have some fun, why didn’t they stay in their own dang country? Why did they have to come to other people’s backyard like this??
That man, Yi Ji-Hyuk, was someone they had to designate as the special surveillance target. Not only that, he was a walking, talking nuclear bomb, so they simply had to keep their eyes on him at all times.
"God d*mn it!!" (Christopher McLaren)
Through the binoculars, Christopher McLaren could see Yi Ji-Hyuk biting into a slice of pizza shaped like the face of a certain famous mouse, which was supposedly the definite proof of humanity’s continued decline.
"Director!!"
"What now!" (Christopher McLaren)
"A report just came in! You need to hear this, sir!!"
"Tell them I’m busy!" (Christopher McLaren)
"Sir. You really need to confirm this for yourself."
"….What was that?" (Christopher McLaren)
The complexion of the subordinate making that report was as pale as a sheet of white paper. Sensing that something bad had happened, Christopher McLaren stood up from his spot.
"What happened?" (Christopher McLaren)
Fin.