I sip my coffee, the bitter warmth cutting through the tension in the air. My eyes lock onto Shin Jonghak, a mix of curiosity and skepticism in my gaze. He's seated across from me, mirroring my actions with a steaming cup in his hands.
"So, you're really Shin Jonghak?" I ask, my voice steady but laced with doubt.
He looks up from his coffee, meeting my gaze with a hint of weariness in his eyes. "Yeah, it's me," he replies, a small, sad smile playing on his lips. "Same guy who used to be in Sinful, same guy who battled an infernal inferiority complex."
I narrow my eyes, searching for any sign of deception. "What happened to you, Jonghak? You lost your way," I say, my words like a challenge.
Jonghak chuckles, a self-deprecating sound that fills the air. "Lost my way? More like drowned in my own demons," he admits, a distant look in his eyes as he recalls the darker chapters of his life.
I lean back in my chair, studying him intently. "You had a life, and you let it all slip away. Why?"
He takes a deep breath before answering, his voice tinged with regret. "Inner demons, my friend. They got the best of me. Couldn't see the path through the shadows."
The café buzzes with activity around us, but our conversation exists in its own world. I take another sip of my coffee, the silence hanging heavy between us. It's a reunion with a person who was once a friend, now shrouded in the complexities of his own journey.
But the journey is not Jonghak’s alone.
I am in my own journey too.
Before me sits a man with the face of an older Kim Hajin, as if time itself has gently worn on his features. The resemblance is uncanny, each line on his face echoing the familiarity of a long-lost friend. But he insists he's not Kim Hajin; instead, he claims to be Shin Jonghak.
The air between us crackles with an unspoken tension, a mysterious aura hanging over this encounter. I've known Kim Hajin intimately, a companion through the tumultuous journey of the 666th timeline. Yet, the person across from me vehemently denies being him.
"But you look exactly like Kim Hajin," I insist, my words laced with confusion. "Are you sure you're not him?" I mean the friendly demeanor he has is very Hajin-like. I reckon if this is really Jonghak, he should at least punch me, right?
He meets my gaze, and there's a depth of weariness in his eyes that speaks of a journey far beyond the surface. "I may wear his face, but inside, I am Shin Jonghak."
The concept is baffling, akin to the fantastical nature of transmigration that brought Hajin, Suho, and me to our respective realities. It's as if the threads of fate have woven an intricate tapestry, intertwining the lives of individuals across different timelines and dimensions.
I lean forward, studying him carefully. "Transmigration? Are you caught in the same web that entangled us? You know the story. You know what I mean. What happened?"
He nods slowly, a hint of resignation in his expression. "It's a twisted tale, my friend. The essence of Hajin and I intertwined in a dance through the fabric of reality. Now, I wear his face, but my soul is that of Shin Jonghak."
The café around us fades into the background as the weight of his words sinks in. It's a surreal moment, a convergence of paths that defy the boundaries of what I thought I knew. As I grapple with the enigma before me, the echoes of transmigration reverberate through the air, connecting our fates in ways beyond comprehension.
It is funny.
Of all the faces that Jonghak gets to wear, why does it have to be Kim Hajin?
I lean in, my curiosity piqued, and press Shin Jonghak to unravel the enigma surrounding the Zeroth Iteration.
"Explain, Jonghak," I implore, my voice a low murmur cutting through the ambient noise of the café. "Help me understand this Zeroth Iteration we find ourselves in."
“Zeroth Iteration? This is what you call this place?” He rubs his chin, thinking.
Jonghak takes a moment, his gaze distant as if navigating the recesses of his own memories. "It all started with my first adventure in an alternate projected reality," he begins, his words measured. "I delved into realms beyond the ordinary, experiencing the ebb and flow of existence in ways beyond imagination."
He sips his coffee, a thoughtful expression etched across his face. "I've read the manuscripts, 'The Returnee Hero' and 'The Novel’s Extra.' They granted me a peculiar understanding of the future, a glimpse into the possibilities of Time Bubbles created from the echoes of the past."
I lean back, absorbing his words. "Time Bubbles?" I roughly recall the term, but it is only a mirrored reality and shouldn’t be a big deal. If Time Bubbles are the reason as to how Shin Jonghak gets sent to the past, then how? I find it a too unlikely development.
Jonghak nods, a knowing gleam in his eyes. "They're ripples in the fabric of time, echoes of events that reverberate through reality. By reading those manuscripts, I gained insight into the unfolding of timelines, and somehow, I got entangled in the very essence of transmigration."
The intricacies of his tale weave through the air, and I find myself caught in the gravity of his narrative. "So, you carry the knowledge of the future," I muse, trying to piece together the puzzle. “But aren’t we all?”
Every member of Sinful has a piece of the future, something I, Nayun, and Hajin shared willingly.
"Yes," Jonghak affirms, a wry smile playing on his lips. "But understanding the future doesn't necessarily mean controlling it. I find myself navigating the currents of time, bound by the threads of a reality that seems to be both familiar and alien."
I still don’t understand.
Seeing my confused face, Jonghak kindly explains, “Let me use this analogy then… I am an explorer, and I traveled timelines… What I mean by ‘Understanding the Future’ is equivalent to me having acquired a map… Do you understand?”
I see… I nod in understanding.
Jonghak takes a deep breath, his eyes reflecting a mix of determination and vulnerability. "I wanted answers, you know? Desperately needed them," he admits, his voice carrying the weight of his emotions. "I desired nothing more than to confront my grandfather, Shin Myungchul about this time regression."
A heavy silence hangs between us as I absorb his confession. "Depressed, lost, and growing desperate every minute," Jonghak continues, his gaze fixed on some distant point in the cafe. "I couldn't bear the burden of not knowing, and that drove me to the edge. The choices that my grandfather made, the life he led, and everything… was it all a lie?"
He sips his coffee, the bitterness mirroring the turmoil within him. "So, I started hunting for alternate projected realities. It became an obsession, an unrelenting quest to find that elusive moment where I could face my grandfather and unravel the secrets of time."
The cafe's ambient noise fades away, leaving only the echo of Jonghak's words. "Months passed in this relentless pursuit," he recounts, his tone filled with a mix of exhaustion and determination. "I roamed through the tangled web of time, navigating the labyrinth of possibilities and uncertainties."
"And then, one day," Jonghak's eyes light up with a spark of revelation, "I stumbled upon a Time Bubble. A fragment of the past where I could finally meet Shin Myungchul, my grandfather. It was a moment of triumph amidst the chaos of my existence."
I lean forward, captivated by the unfolding tale. "What happened when you met him?" I ask, my curiosity burning.
A bittersweet smile graces Jonghak's lips. "Meeting him was both a blessing and a curse. The joy of finally confronting the man I longed to question clashed with the heartbreaking reality of witnessing his younger self, unaware of the future that awaited him."
He pauses, the weight of the encounter evident in his eyes. "I spoke to him, tried to understand the nature of time regression, but he was dismissal. Clearly, he doesn’t want me to get involved with this Time Regression."
The cafe remains a backdrop to the intricacies of Jonghak's narrative. "In that Time Bubble, I glimpsed the complexities of my grandfather's life, the choices he made, and the consequences that echoed through time," he says, his voice a mixture of nostalgia and regret.
In the midst of our conversation, Jonghak's eyes flicker with a haunted intensity. "I confronted my grandfather in that Time Bubble, but it wasn't a simple meeting. He was in the midst of a fierce battle, facing a shadow of Devil King Baal," he confesses, the weight of the memory evident in his voice.
The air around us crackles as Jonghak recounts the intense confrontation. "It turned into a three-way fight, my impulsive nature driving me to join the fray without hesitation. Always hot-headed, I charged into the battle, driven by a mix of determination and recklessness."
A sad glimmer appears in Jonghak's eyes as he admits, "I've always been that way, making impulsive decisions that often lead to unforeseen consequences."
I furrow my brows, sensing the gravity of his past actions. "What happened next?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.
Jonghak takes a moment to gather his thoughts, his gaze distant as he delves into the depths of his memories. "In the chaos of the battle, Devil King Baal's shadow proved to be a formidable foe. It was a struggle, each moment fraught with danger and uncertainty."
A hint of sorrow tinges Jonghak's voice as he continues, "That's when my grandfather, Shin Myungchul, pushed a Miracle Stone into my hands. It was a desperate attempt to save me from the impending doom, an act of sacrifice amidst the chaos."
Jonghak's eyes meet mine, a mixture of gratitude and sorrow in his gaze. "The Miracle Stone has the power to induce Time Regression. In that crucial moment, it saved me from Devil King Baal's clutches, but at the cost of my grandfather's life."
The weight of the revelation settles over us, the cafe's ambiance a distant hum as the echoes of Jonghak's past resonate in the air. "I regressed," Jonghak concludes, his voice carrying the weight of the sacrifice. "And as I returned to the past, I carried with me the burden of knowing I might not be able to return to my own reality anymore."
Jonghak's gaze turns distant, lost in the labyrinth of his own memories. "After that moment, I found myself in the 665th iteration," he admits, his voice a low murmur. "In an attempt to return to my original reality, I challenged the Miracle Tower to acquire a Miracle Stone… again, and again, and again…"
The pieces start falling into place in my mind. "And what happened?" I prod gently, already anticipating the twist in his tale.
A rueful smile plays on Jonghak's lips. "Every time I used the Miracle Stone, instead of returning to my own time, I got thrown back further into an alternate past. It was a cruel irony, a never-ending loop of time that refused to align with my intentions."
And stupid too.
But Jonghak had to do something, so he did. Now, he is here, meeting me of all people.
The confusion in Jonghak's eyes mirrors my own understanding of the situation. "I didn't know about the concept of the 666 alternately independent timelines," he confesses, a hint of frustration in his voice. "I was entirely clueless about how I got here in this… place…"
“How did you learn of the 666 timelines?” I ask.
He answers, “Because I counted.”
Hmmm… The reason I know of the 666 timelines is because of a shallow theory born from the traces Hajin left, and maybe due to some of my deductions, but I have not physically confirmed it yet. Rachel should also confirm with me that there are a total of 666 timelines, well, minus the Zeroth Iteration. For now, I can take Jonghak’s words as the truth.
The cafe's ambient noise fades into the background as the weight of Jonghak's journey unfolds. "Each attempt to return only led to more convoluted timelines, each iteration a step further away from the reality I once knew," he says, his words a solemn acknowledgment of the tangled web of existence he found himself trapped in.
I sip my coffee, the bitter warmth cutting through the tension in the air. My eyes lock onto Shin Jonghak, a mix of curiosity and skepticism in my gaze. He's seated across from me, mirroring my actions with a steaming cup in his hands.
"So, you're really Shin Jonghak?" I ask, my voice steady but laced with doubt.
He looks up from his coffee, meeting my gaze with a hint of weariness in his eyes. "Yeah, it's me," he replies, a small, sad smile playing on his lips. "Same guy who used to be in Sinful, same guy who battled an infernal inferiority complex."
I narrow my eyes, searching for any sign of deception. "What happened to you, Jonghak? You lost your way," I say, my words like a challenge.
Jonghak chuckles, a self-deprecating sound that fills the air. "Lost my way? More like drowned in my own demons," he admits, a distant look in his eyes as he recalls the darker chapters of his life.
I lean back in my chair, studying him intently. "You had a life, and you let it all slip away. Why?"
He takes a deep breath before answering, his voice tinged with regret. "Inner demons, my friend. They got the best of me. Couldn't see the path through the shadows."
The café buzzes with activity around us, but our conversation exists in its own world. I take another sip of my coffee, the silence hanging heavy between us. It's a reunion with a person who was once a friend, now shrouded in the complexities of his own journey.
But the journey is not Jonghak’s alone.
I am in my own journey too.
Before me sits a man with the face of an older Kim Hajin, as if time itself has gently worn on his features. The resemblance is uncanny, each line on his face echoing the familiarity of a long-lost friend. But he insists he's not Kim Hajin; instead, he claims to be Shin Jonghak.
The air between us crackles with an unspoken tension, a mysterious aura hanging over this encounter. I've known Kim Hajin intimately, a companion through the tumultuous journey of the 666th timeline. Yet, the person across from me vehemently denies being him.
"But you look exactly like Kim Hajin," I insist, my words laced with confusion. "Are you sure you're not him?" I mean the friendly demeanor he has is very Hajin-like. I reckon if this is really Jonghak, he should at least punch me, right?
He meets my gaze, and there's a depth of weariness in his eyes that speaks of a journey far beyond the surface. "I may wear his face, but inside, I am Shin Jonghak."
The concept is baffling, akin to the fantastical nature of transmigration that brought Hajin, Suho, and me to our respective realities. It's as if the threads of fate have woven an intricate tapestry, intertwining the lives of individuals across different timelines and dimensions.
I lean forward, studying him carefully. "Transmigration? Are you caught in the same web that entangled us? You know the story. You know what I mean. What happened?"
He nods slowly, a hint of resignation in his expression. "It's a twisted tale, my friend. The essence of Hajin and I intertwined in a dance through the fabric of reality. Now, I wear his face, but my soul is that of Shin Jonghak."
The café around us fades into the background as the weight of his words sinks in. It's a surreal moment, a convergence of paths that defy the boundaries of what I thought I knew. As I grapple with the enigma before me, the echoes of transmigration reverberate through the air, connecting our fates in ways beyond comprehension.
It is funny.
Of all the faces that Jonghak gets to wear, why does it have to be Kim Hajin?
I lean in, my curiosity piqued, and press Shin Jonghak to unravel the enigma surrounding the Zeroth Iteration.
"Explain, Jonghak," I implore, my voice a low murmur cutting through the ambient noise of the café. "Help me understand this Zeroth Iteration we find ourselves in."
“Zeroth Iteration? This is what you call this place?” He rubs his chin, thinking.
Jonghak takes a moment, his gaze distant as if navigating the recesses of his own memories. "It all started with my first adventure in an alternate projected reality," he begins, his words measured. "I delved into realms beyond the ordinary, experiencing the ebb and flow of existence in ways beyond imagination."
He sips his coffee, a thoughtful expression etched across his face. "I've read the manuscripts, 'The Returnee Hero' and 'The Novel’s Extra.' They granted me a peculiar understanding of the future, a glimpse into the possibilities of Time Bubbles created from the echoes of the past."
I lean back, absorbing his words. "Time Bubbles?" I roughly recall the term, but it is only a mirrored reality and shouldn’t be a big deal. If Time Bubbles are the reason as to how Shin Jonghak gets sent to the past, then how? I find it a too unlikely development.
Jonghak nods, a knowing gleam in his eyes. "They're ripples in the fabric of time, echoes of events that reverberate through reality. By reading those manuscripts, I gained insight into the unfolding of timelines, and somehow, I got entangled in the very essence of transmigration."
The intricacies of his tale weave through the air, and I find myself caught in the gravity of his narrative. "So, you carry the knowledge of the future," I muse, trying to piece together the puzzle. “But aren’t we all?”
Every member of Sinful has a piece of the future, something I, Nayun, and Hajin shared willingly.
"Yes," Jonghak affirms, a wry smile playing on his lips. "But understanding the future doesn't necessarily mean controlling it. I find myself navigating the currents of time, bound by the threads of a reality that seems to be both familiar and alien."
I still don’t understand.
Seeing my confused face, Jonghak kindly explains, “Let me use this analogy then… I am an explorer, and I traveled timelines… What I mean by ‘Understanding the Future’ is equivalent to me having acquired a map… Do you understand?”
I see… I nod in understanding.
Jonghak takes a deep breath, his eyes reflecting a mix of determination and vulnerability. "I wanted answers, you know? Desperately needed them," he admits, his voice carrying the weight of his emotions. "I desired nothing more than to confront my grandfather, Shin Myungchul about this time regression."
A heavy silence hangs between us as I absorb his confession. "Depressed, lost, and growing desperate every minute," Jonghak continues, his gaze fixed on some distant point in the cafe. "I couldn't bear the burden of not knowing, and that drove me to the edge. The choices that my grandfather made, the life he led, and everything… was it all a lie?"
He sips his coffee, the bitterness mirroring the turmoil within him. "So, I started hunting for alternate projected realities. It became an obsession, an unrelenting quest to find that elusive moment where I could face my grandfather and unravel the secrets of time."
The cafe's ambient noise fades away, leaving only the echo of Jonghak's words. "Months passed in this relentless pursuit," he recounts, his tone filled with a mix of exhaustion and determination. "I roamed through the tangled web of time, navigating the labyrinth of possibilities and uncertainties."
"And then, one day," Jonghak's eyes light up with a spark of revelation, "I stumbled upon a Time Bubble. A fragment of the past where I could finally meet Shin Myungchul, my grandfather. It was a moment of triumph amidst the chaos of my existence."
I lean forward, captivated by the unfolding tale. "What happened when you met him?" I ask, my curiosity burning.
A bittersweet smile graces Jonghak's lips. "Meeting him was both a blessing and a curse. The joy of finally confronting the man I longed to question clashed with the heartbreaking reality of witnessing his younger self, unaware of the future that awaited him."
He pauses, the weight of the encounter evident in his eyes. "I spoke to him, tried to understand the nature of time regression, but he was dismissal. Clearly, he doesn’t want me to get involved with this Time Regression."
The cafe remains a backdrop to the intricacies of Jonghak's narrative. "In that Time Bubble, I glimpsed the complexities of my grandfather's life, the choices he made, and the consequences that echoed through time," he says, his voice a mixture of nostalgia and regret.
In the midst of our conversation, Jonghak's eyes flicker with a haunted intensity. "I confronted my grandfather in that Time Bubble, but it wasn't a simple meeting. He was in the midst of a fierce battle, facing a shadow of Devil King Baal," he confesses, the weight of the memory evident in his voice.
The air around us crackles as Jonghak recounts the intense confrontation. "It turned into a three-way fight, my impulsive nature driving me to join the fray without hesitation. Always hot-headed, I charged into the battle, driven by a mix of determination and recklessness."
A sad glimmer appears in Jonghak's eyes as he admits, "I've always been that way, making impulsive decisions that often lead to unforeseen consequences."
I furrow my brows, sensing the gravity of his past actions. "What happened next?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.
Jonghak takes a moment to gather his thoughts, his gaze distant as he delves into the depths of his memories. "In the chaos of the battle, Devil King Baal's shadow proved to be a formidable foe. It was a struggle, each moment fraught with danger and uncertainty."
A hint of sorrow tinges Jonghak's voice as he continues, "That's when my grandfather, Shin Myungchul, pushed a Miracle Stone into my hands. It was a desperate attempt to save me from the impending doom, an act of sacrifice amidst the chaos."
Jonghak's eyes meet mine, a mixture of gratitude and sorrow in his gaze. "The Miracle Stone has the power to induce Time Regression. In that crucial moment, it saved me from Devil King Baal's clutches, but at the cost of my grandfather's life."
The weight of the revelation settles over us, the cafe's ambiance a distant hum as the echoes of Jonghak's past resonate in the air. "I regressed," Jonghak concludes, his voice carrying the weight of the sacrifice. "And as I returned to the past, I carried with me the burden of knowing I might not be able to return to my own reality anymore."
Jonghak's gaze turns distant, lost in the labyrinth of his own memories. "After that moment, I found myself in the 665th iteration," he admits, his voice a low murmur. "In an attempt to return to my original reality, I challenged the Miracle Tower to acquire a Miracle Stone… again, and again, and again…"
The pieces start falling into place in my mind. "And what happened?" I prod gently, already anticipating the twist in his tale.
A rueful smile plays on Jonghak's lips. "Every time I used the Miracle Stone, instead of returning to my own time, I got thrown back further into an alternate past. It was a cruel irony, a never-ending loop of time that refused to align with my intentions."
And stupid too.
But Jonghak had to do something, so he did. Now, he is here, meeting me of all people.
The confusion in Jonghak's eyes mirrors my own understanding of the situation. "I didn't know about the concept of the 666 alternately independent timelines," he confesses, a hint of frustration in his voice. "I was entirely clueless about how I got here in this… place…"
“How did you learn of the 666 timelines?” I ask.
He answers, “Because I counted.”
Hmmm… The reason I know of the 666 timelines is because of a shallow theory born from the traces Hajin left, and maybe due to some of my deductions, but I have not physically confirmed it yet. Rachel should also confirm with me that there are a total of 666 timelines, well, minus the Zeroth Iteration. For now, I can take Jonghak’s words as the truth.
The cafe's ambient noise fades into the background as the weight of Jonghak's journey unfolds. "Each attempt to return only led to more convoluted timelines, each iteration a step further away from the reality I once knew," he says, his words a solemn acknowledgment of the tangled web of existence he found himself trapped in.
