The Regressor Only Protects Me Chapter 221

Episode 221. I'm back

It was a long, boring tinnitus. And all I could see was white.

It was like living on a blank sheet of paper. Whether I rolled sideways, climbed up, or fell down, the background was the same.

I counted the time in this space for the first few days. After a month, I realized that counting was meaningless and just waited.

The overall feeling of the space was like my body was floating in water.

No, it's space rather than water. I've never been to space, so I don't know exactly what it feels like.

How much time has passed?

I felt my senses slowly returning.

At first, I felt my hands return.

Both hands were full of something.

Next is the sound.

The sound of people talking amongst themselves.

It seemed like I could hear the broadcast.

Then, a flash of light entered my eyes. It wasn't like a flashlight, but a wide-spread light.

Then a warm breeze blew. It wasn't the warm wind that blows in summer, but the warm wind coming from the indoor heater.

Now all my senses have returned.

I lowered my eyes and looked at the object in my hand.

Black fleece wrapped in plastic… … .

This was clearly a middle school entrance gift for Junho.

As I looked at it, I laughed in vain.

Then he grabbed the plastic-wrapped fleece tightly.

Pasrak-.

I felt a complex and indescribable emotion.

'I'm really back.'

Before the league started, I went to this outlet to buy a present for my younger brother.

“Would you like a receipt?”

The employee in front of me asked me.

I looked at her once, then at the wrapped furis again.

'The staff in front of me will never understand.'

The employee asked me again.

“Excuse me, sir?”

“Yes, please. The receipt.”

I nodded.

"all right."

Hot-.

The clerk tore off the receipt and handed it to me.

But I left the store without taking the receipt. I asked her for the receipt and while I was waiting, I saw two familiar faces. I followed them.

The clerk's voice sounded urgent behind me.

“That customer? The receipt? Customer?”

There were a lot of people walking around the mall. They were all dressed neatly and had a clean appearance. They were definitely different from the people I had seen in the past.

I quickly moved through the crowd.

And then, inside a luxury store, three familiar faces appeared.

“Should we do this, Sebeom?”

“Do whatever.”

“Hey! Look carefully! It’s a birthday present for Dad.”

“Okay, I understand. Well, you look pretty.”

Lee Joo-yeon and Lee Se-beom, who played together in the first round, and the person who guided them was Kim Dong-gil, the branch manager of the first round blue team.

Lee Joo-yeon looked at the expensive wallet and asked Kim Dong-gil.

“It’s a gift for my father, but is this design popular among people in their 50s these days?”

Branch manager Kim Dong-gil explained with a friendly smile.

“Yes, sir. The leather of this wallet is… .”

At that moment, Lee Se-beom, who had been standing bluntly next to Lee Joo-yeon, turned his head and met my eyes.

We looked at each other for a while, and then I left first.

I went down the stairs to the first floor, and I didn't see anyone coming out of the corner, so I just bumped into them.

A tall, muscular man offered me a hand as I collapsed, covered in coffee.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you hurt?”

I looked up at his face.

It was Kwon Kyung-soo, a former soldier who committed suicide in the first round. I stood up holding his hand.

Kwon Kyung-soo kept bowing his head to me and apologizing.

“I’m sorry. Are you really okay… … ?”

He said something, but I just ran past him.

“Ah. Oh. Over there… … .”

I headed straight outside.

My clothes were the same as they were back then.

I passed them and managed to open the door to the shopping mall on the first floor.

The hot sunlight poured down on my face along with the cold wind.

The road that should have collapsed was intact, there were no bodies on the streets, and everyone had a smile on their face.

My feelings as I looked up at this city were one of emptiness and pride at the same time.

I walked between them. I walked without any barriers. To the place I was supposed to go.

I crossed Bisan Bridge and headed to the villa where my younger sibling was.

The closer I got to home, the faster my heart beat.

… … .

And finally I was able to get there.

A shabby entrance. The entrance was filled with brown flower pots that the caretaker had placed here and there. And an old lady was sitting on a red plastic chair, looking at the sunset.

Grandma turned her head and looked at me. Her tired eyes slowly lowered.

“Are you here?”

"grandma."

“Isn’t it Zion~? Why are you so late~?”

It was the grandmother who lived upstairs. A grandmother who sometimes brought me side dishes. A grandmother who sometimes looked after Junho.

I remember it clearly, Grandma Jeong.

I approached my grandmother and bowed my head to say hello.

“It’s cold. Come inside.”

“Why are you so late? I’ve been waiting for a long time.”

“… … I have some work to do. There’s really a lot to do.”

Grandma Jeong's wrinkled hand wrapped around mine.

“Look at that young man’s face – you’ve had a hard time – you’ve really had a hard time. Today must have been a long day – right -?”

Grandma Jeong's words were probably about me, who had been working hard all day, but for some reason, they felt different.

I have been receiving comfort from my grandmother for the past 10 years of suffering in the league. Grandma Jeong was a very special person to me.

really.

“Really… … . It was a long day.”

It's been so long. It's been so long since I've been here. But it's finally here.

“Junho is waiting. Zion. Come in quickly. You need to eat.”

“Yes, I should have. It took too long.”

“Let me know if you need any side dishes.”

"thank you."

“Draw, draw.”

I left my grandmother behind and went down the stairs.

On the way down home.

My heart is light yet heavy.

I carefully inserted the key into the hole.

Crunch-.

The lock released and there was a loud noise.

I opened the door carefully.

Light streamed in through the crack in the door.

Until the door opened, my gaze remained solely on the shoe rack.

I was afraid to raise my head.

Junho's gift was tucked under his left armpit.

While I was taking deep breaths like that… … I heard Junho’s voice.

"brother……?"

Only then do I raise my head and look at Junho.

“… … .”

It was Junho.

Junho wearing tight underwear that matched his top and bottom. His younger brother was holding a pen in his hand, as if he was doing homework.

The Junho I really wanted to see, that Junho is right in front of me.

I promised to return, and now I can finally keep that promise. How hard it must have been for this young child to live in that harsh world.

I couldn't believe it.

Junho was looking up at me.

When we met, I tried to get into it naturally, but people's hearts are so fickle that things didn't go as I wanted.

All the things I've experienced so far flashed before my eyes.

And the moment I saw Junho like this, I realized.

Come back, you did a great job.

When I met Junho in the league, I was confused. But in the end, it was the right thing to do.

The reason is simple.

Because I am happy now.

My brother asked me.

“Brother… … . Why are you crying? I’m sorry… … .”

Iron Fist-!

I dropped the furis I had brought with me with great care on the floor and knelt down in front of the shoe rack, meeting Junho's gaze.

I touched Junho's face and fixed his hair.

“How have you been? Junho?”

“Yeah, hyung. But why are you crying, hyung?”

“I’m happy. Junho. What… … so… … was there anything difficult today?”

“Brother… … Don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry. I feel a little strange today. Please understand that I feel a little strange.”

"brother……."

Junho put his arms around my neck. I was surprised. I didn't expect my younger brother to hug me first.

Before I knew it, Junho was also sobbing. Junho said.

“Brother… … . I have a favor to ask.”

I hugged Junho.

And answered.

“Anything.”

“Don’t try to shoulder everything on your own anymore. I’m a middle school student now. I’m an adult now.”

“… … .”

“I want you to be happy, hyung. So don’t cry alone. Live your own life, hyung. You don’t have to sacrifice for me. Hyung, if things get hard, just stop. If you want to study, hyung. I’ll do what I can do. I don’t want you to have a hard time. Hyung, can’t you stop doing hard things? Can’t you just rest a little while doing them? Don’t have a hard time, hyung. Okay?”

“… … .”

When did I become so mature?

Maybe I was the only one who didn't know.

I held my little brother in my arms and patted his back.

Really… … . Really.

I couldn't help but smile.

I pushed Junho away from my arms and examined his face. It was truly amazing to see the little guy shedding tears and running his nose. It wasn't something I should be saying right now.

It must have taken a lot of courage for the younger brother to say that.

Well, I already knew that.

I am so grateful and thankful.

And I missed you so much.

I said with a smile.

“Junho, you’ve all grown up.”

“I’m a middle school student now, bro. I’m an adult.”

“You’re an adult. If you’re a middle school student, you’re an adult.”

"huh!"

“Then, to celebrate becoming an adult, should we order some chicken tonight?”

“Chicken? Okay… … . But are you okay, hyung?”

“Hyung, you got a bonus this time. They say you did a good job. You don’t have to worry about money anymore. Do whatever you want. You have a lot of money now. Do you want some chicken?”

"chicken……?"

“Okay. Let’s eat. Let’s go for two.”

“Market chicken?! Wow-!”

“No, no – Hodgi Chicken.”

“Hohohohodigi Chicken? Really? Is today really a party?”

“Okay, Junho. Clean the table too. I’ll go change my clothes and come back.”

“Yeah. Hyung! Hyung! But what is this?”

“Oh, that’s right. Junho, close your eyes for a moment. What did Hyung bring~ Now open your eyes. Ta-da-! Junho’s entrance gift!”

“Wow, woo, woo, woo! New clothes?! Hush, hush-! Did you win the lottery?”

“What are you talking about? Even though I’m a miser, can’t I prepare my younger sibling for college?”

“Hyung! I’m really happy! Wow-! Wow! New clothes! New clothes! I’ll really wear them carefully! Thank you so much, Hyung!”

“You don’t have to wear it sparingly. And Junho. Are you going to have some pocket money from now on?”

“Really?! I only need 100 won!”

“I can’t even buy gum. It’s my anniversary since I’m a middle school student. Ten thousand won a week! Should I spend it wisely?”

“Ma, mama, just one won?! Huh… … . Are we rich now?”

“What about the rich? Middle school students all get about ten thousand won. Don’t you think? Should we reduce it even more?”

“No! Hyung! I’ll really use it carefully. Thank you so much, Hyung!”

“I’m giving this to you so that you can study hard. Oh, and Junho. This is the real, real last presentation.”

“What is it? What is it!”

“Let’s move.”

"apartment?!"

“Ah… … . The apartment is kind of like that. Let’s move to an apartment when Junho becomes a college student. For now, let’s go to a newly built villa?”

“Wow! Stretch! Huh! I think I’m going to faint today. Today is truly the happiest day ever!”

“Junho too? Your brother is like that too.”

"really?!?"

“Yeah, Junho. You’re the happiest today. It’s like you’ve been living for today.”

“Me too, hyung. Today was really, really the best!”

“Okay, okay. Junho. Clear the table so we can eat chicken.”

“Okay! Huh!”

Junho ran into the bedroom. I held onto Junho. It was because I couldn't say what I really wanted to say.

“… … Oh right. Junho.”

“Huh? Hyung.”

“… … .”

"……brother?"

I told my younger brother what I had been dreaming about.

“I’m back.”

-Complete.