ReLife Player

[A Hope Named Fairy (4)]

‘You will die there. A star that defies fate now sees its end.’

<Stargazing Witch> Song Yunseo’s prophecy is definitive.

So, the death of the <Undead> she predicted was a certain future.

Every time she predicted the future, she said it firmly.

The future she foretells cannot be changed under any circumstances.

To seek measures to prevent the worst endings from happening, and to use the prophesied future as a tool.

‘…If I have to die, so be it.’

‘Lies. You think a kid who wishes to die would enter the Black Dungeon to protect a girl?’

‘….’

Eunha couldn’t say anything then.

The strategy for <Abyss Dungeon> wasn’t even planned.

Just as she said, he planned to conquer the <Abyss Dungeon> to protect Baekryeon.

The spoils brought back by the Southern European Union from the <Deep Sea Dungeon> stirred the world.

Especially the stories from the deepest part of the <Deep Sea Dungeon> made a huge commotion.

The forces threatening Baekryeon suggested attacking the <Abyss Dungeon> using the pretext of conquering the Black Dungeon.

«They plan to use the Abyssal Dungeon as an excuse to deal with those who stand in their way.»

Song Yunseo was right.

Mana Management Agency had dropped into their hands; they forcibly added the people interfering into the conquest list of the <Abyss Dungeon>.

The Mist Flower Party was there.

«So, that’s why we’re attacking. Once we conquer it and come back, they won’t be able to act as they do now.»

The crisis was also an opportunity.

If he conquered the <Abyss Dungeon>, he could check the forces threatening Baekryeon.

He could also fake the deaths of those who entered the dungeon.

The other side was probably thinking the same thing.

«It’s reckless. What about Baekryeon while you are there?»

«I have <Divine Spear>.»

«That’s the only one. There’s no <Flame Demon> or <Brainwave>. Hyerim lost her mind, and Precis went missing.»

One by one, Baekryeon’s hands and feet were cut off.

The bodyguards who should protect her turned into traitors who watched over her.

The strongest of them all, <Flame Demon> and <Brainwave>, lost their lives in the process of slaying a third-rank Overranked monster, and <Holy Mother>, who barely survived, went mad.

At some point, Precis memory went missing.

The remaining forces were forced to attack the Abyssal Dungeon.

In the end, Ryu Yeon-hwa was the only one who could protect her.

»If I don’t go in…<Divine Spear>, should go in.

‘…Right, right.’

The forces harmful to Baek-ryeon insisted that, with the deaths of the <Flame Demon> and <Brainwave> , either <Divine Spear> or <Undead> must enter to ensure a smooth attack.

He replied that he would join in.

<Divine Spear> could be a spear to protect Baek-ryeon, but he was a double-edged sword for her.

‘I can’t change the future I see, and even if you don’t want to enter it, the flow will force you to.’

‘…….’

‘ As the <Stargazing Witch> , I advise you. You will enter the Black Dungeon, and you will be killed by the <Master of the Abyss> .

So, rampage freely within the Black Dungeon. Kill those who bear ill will towards you, and those who intend harm to Baekryeon, without hesitation.’

‘…….’

‘That’s all you can do before the star that defied its destiny dies.’

☆

The family played until evening.

During the play, Eunae wanted to ride the Gyro Swing, but there was a height limit.

She had to be held in dad’s arms to see the people riding the Gyro Swing.

«Dad, jump, jump, jump!»

«Eunae, where do you want to go?»

«To my oppa!»

Eunae shouted, shaking dad who was holding the bumper car’s steering wheel.

She didn’t seem to remember crying in the middle of the amusement park earlier.

«Euna, look out! Look out in front!»

«Mom, trust me. I’ll avoid quickly… Huh? Eunha, you!»

Eunha crashed her bumper car into Euna’s car, turning abruptly to the left.

Shocked and swaying back and forth, Euna and mom gave chase.

Still, Eunha skillfully avoided damages.

He even bumped into his dad who was tormenting him, from behind.

«Eunha, you’re a good rider.»

«Isn’t noona a good rider too?»

Im Gaeul was also quite skilled. She turned the wheel wildly, as if she were driving a race car, and never once allowed herself to crash.

Lee Jung-hyun, on the other hand, was barely out of the gate when he was hit by a bumper car driven by kids.

«Ugh! This is revenge!»

«…Huh? Oh, what!»

For a moment, Im Gaeul made eye contact with Euna.

Running side by side, she made a sharp turn and blocked Eunha’s path.

He was about to turn the steering wheel to change direction when he got stuck.

«Mom! Mom! I caught Eunha!»

«Yes, yes, yes. Good job, sweetie.»

Euna didn’t slow down the bumper car and slammed into the defenseless Eunha.

Euna and mom cheered, holding hands.

Both of them jumped for joy, forgetting that they were wearing seat belts.

«I’m jealous. Eunha’s so popular, huh?»

«What? What are you ta…lk…ing…!»

«Oh, oppa!»

«How was it, Eunae? Dad finally caught Eunha!»

Eunha was about to reply to Im Gaeul, who was smiling accusingly, but he bit his tongue.

From the side, his dad charged Eunae’s bumper car.

«Oh, my tongue….»

Covering his mouth with his hand, Eunha glared at the people who hit him.

He was blocked from three directions.

Still, there was a way out. If he could somehow turn the steering wheel, he could get out at three o’clock.

«Everyone’s having fun, let me join in!»

If only Lee Jung-hyun wasn’t in the way.

Surrounded by bumper cars, Eunha had no way out.

«Why aren’t you all going! Move quickly!»

Time was running out.

Eunha waved for them to move out of the way, eager for revenge.

«No Eunha, catch me!»

Euna stuck out her tongue and the way opened up.

Quickly turning counterclockwise, Eunha chased after Im Gaeul who likewise slipped between people.

I don’t know how much time we have left, but…Gaeul, you’re next…!……!

Just as he was about to turn around, his body was jerked back into his seat by the seatbelt, with his chest and throat making a thud sound.

«Zoom! Bang! Go! Go!»

«Go, go, go!!»

Eunae and dad were there too.

It seemed like they were planning to target him for the remaining time.

No, it wasn’t just them.

«Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize you were there.»

Im Gaeul, who he thought had run to the end of the track, had come back and blocked his way in a matter of moments.

That’s Gaeul….

Even after that incident, Im Gaeul continued to target him persistently, seeking revenge for what happened today.

In the end, Eunha had no choice but to run back and forth until the clock ran out.

What he sought vengeance for that day was nothing more than spinning the turntable to the point where his eyes rolled back.

It was a self-inflicted wound.

☆

«…How was your vacation?»

It was when they were returning from dinner, moving from the outdoor area to the indoor section.

A man was waiting for Im Gaeul on the bridge, amid the bustling crowd.

As she chatted happily with the family, she sighed heavily as a gentle-looking man approached.

It was Park Sang-jin.

Eunha looked up at the man in the suit.

It was Park Sang-jin, the bodyguard of the fairy Im Gaeul.

He was looking at her calmly, with an unreadable expression on his face.

«How did you know I was here? Did Lee Jung-hyun give you a tip?»

«No, I haven’t used my smartphone once today!»

«Why wouldn’t I know that? You were the one who said you wanted to come here….»

Park Sang-jin replied to Im Gaeul, who turned her head sharply.

He looked past her and bowed to Eunha’s parents.

«Gaeul caused trouble. If you have any problems, I would appreciate it if you could contact me here.»

«…Uh, yeah?»

Park Sang-jin held out a business card.

My dad stared at the card.

He lifted his glasses and rubbed the corners of his eyes.

Still, the information on the card didn’t change.

«What is it, Dad? What’s wrong?»

«What’s going on?»

«…Oh, nothing.»

Euna and mom shook their heads at dad’s reaction.

Trying to hide his embarrassment, he slipped the business card into his wallet.

It seemed like he had received a direct line to the bodyguard.….

He glanced at Im Gaeul with a cautious gaze.

When he realized that the person who had been playing with Euna and Eunae like a sister was the fairy, he was at a loss for words.

«Little one, I’ve been keeping it a secret until now, but this oppa and noona are actually very high ranking people.»

«Oh, yeah.»

«Huh? What’s your reaction, you don’t know what a high person is?»

«I know.»

«Then why is your reaction….»

«Lee Jung-hyun. Did you enjoy your vacation?»

«No! I was working. I was on duty!»

Lee Jung-hyun, who was muttering to Eunha, suddenly straightened up.

He straightened his back and saluted Park Sang-jin, who spoke in a scolding tone.

«Working? Young man, do you think it’s appropriate to call yourself ‘on duty’ when you kicked out the security personnel? And yet you claim to be ‘on duty’?»

«What? Hyung, what are you talking about? I’ve never seen any security personnel….»

«Stop lying. Why would they complain about mental stability if you hadn’t done something shady?»

Hearing those words, Eunha slowly stepped back.

There was a hidden agenda.

He didn’t know those people were security personnel.

They weren’t players.

They didn’t look like they were in good shape….

Eunha awkwardly pretended not to understand. Even Euna, who had been in the corner, forced a strange smile.

«Unnie, are you leaving now?»

«Yeah, I have to go to work now. It’s been so much fun today.»

Gaeul hugged Eunae, who was clinging to her leg.

When she stood up, she thanked them for the day.

«Euna will be a great player. If anyone at the academy treats you badly, report them to the Blue House.»

«What? To the Blue House?»

«When you do, make sure to put your name on it.»

«…Huh…?»

Euna didn’t seem to understand what Gaeul was saying as she held her hand and shook it.

Regardless, she extended her hand to Eunha as well.

«You’ll be a great player too.»

«I’m not going to be player»

«Lies.»

«…….»

Gaeul giggled.

Eunha replied with a stern face.

«This is a world that doesn’t leave heroes alone.»

«…….»

«Don’t get sick. If you’re sick, this noona’s heart hurts.»

Eunha stared at Gaeul with a calm gaze.

She wasn’t just playing the innocent young woman.

Just as he was looking at her, she was looking at him and his family.

«And….»

«…Huh?»

She pulled him into a quick hug.

«I’ve had a really good day.»

It had happened so suddenly.

Placing a hand on his lipstick-smudged cheek, Eunha watched her walk away, a frozen expression on his face.

She had an entourage of escorts with her, and she was merrily tapping her feet.

What have I gotten myself into?

«…Mom, I need some wipes.»

I couldn’t wait to wipe off the lipstick.

I needed to wipe it off.

I couldn’t wait to wipe this memory away.

So I called out to mom for a tissue, but she didn’t respond.

«…Huh?»

Eunha kept rubbing his cheek until the lipstick smeared. Then, he turned around.

His dad was backing away slightly, smiling awkwardly.

«My dear Eunha, you’re popular. You get kisses from pretty girls.»

His mom’s voice and smile didn’t match, filled with dissatisfaction.

«Do you like Gaeul unnie more than me?»

Euna puts her hands on her waist and pouts her lips.

«Oppa is my oppa…»

Eunae clings to Eunha with tears in her eyes.

«…Excuse me?»

Eunha could only escape the situation after giving the three of them kisses.

☆

«Wherever you go, please tell me where you’re going. If anything happens to you, I’ll be in trouble.»

«Is that as the manager of actress Im Gaeul or as her escort?»

Gaeul asked as she poked her head over the driver’s seat.

There was no answer.

Park Sang-jin shut his mouth.

«Ugh, he’s like this again.»

Lee Jung-hyun, who was sitting in the passenger seat, grumbled.

«Shut up,» Park Sang-jin said, and drove the limo.

«I knew it.»

Smirking, Im Gaeul sank into the seat.

She turned her head out the window.

Light sparsely seeping through the passing tunnel.

Even then, she felt like she was inside a tunnel where the end couldn’t be seen.

‘─So, you’re asking me to be some sort of president?’

Ever since that day when she realized the gift of <White Silver> against the monsters that attacked the theater.

She had no choice but to stop all her schedules.

Everywhere she went, people called her the hope of Korea and begged her to be their hope.

That’s when her great-grandfather, Moon Joon, came to visit.

He wasn’t the only one.

Nam gung Seong-woon and Baek Seo-jin also came.

The three of them asked her to become their hope.

‘Not the President, but a fairy.’

Moon Joon answered like a sigh.

Nam gung Seong-woon, who had been silent, spoke up.

‘Your strength can give hope to the hopeless. I think in this confusing world, there’s no one else who can establish order except you, Gaeul.’

Gaeul couldn’t meet the eyes of Moon Joon and Namgung Seongwoon, who looked so determined.

So she grabbed the hand of Park Sang-jin, who was sitting next to her.

‘Oppa, Grandfathers are crazy! Oppa, say something. I want to act, not do politics!’

‘…Gaeul, you know too.’

‘Know what?’

‘That you can’t… be an actor anymore.’

‘…….’

She glared at Park Sang-jin with her lips tightly sealed.

He remained silent just like that.

What he said was true.

People no longer wanted her to be an actress.

Now, no matter where she went, no one looked for actress Im Gaeul.

‘You can do the acting you like…,’ he said.

It was Baek Seo-jin who spoke up in the unbearable silence.

He had been observing the atmosphere and said in a nonchalant tone.

‘You can become a fairy, which is the hope of this country.We’re the directors, the audience is the people.’

‘But how is that hope? It’s false hope.’

‘Whether it’s real or fake doesn’t matter. What’s important is that people can be saved because of you.’

What did she say back then?

She couldn’t remember.

In the end, persuaded by the three, she decided to become the fairy of hope in acting.

Of course, she didn’t plan to act the role of the fairy lightly.

She tried to learn whatever skills were necessary.

But the more she tried, the heavier it became.

Presenting her acting to the world by dedicating her life blurred her sense of self.

Sometimes, she missed the past.

She cursed her own power.

No, she still curses it.

Even now.

She is not the hope of this nation, she was just the shackles binding her, the scapegoat for people’s despair.

So sometimes–

«─I say this because I’m worried about someone named Gaeul.»

Gaeul shifted her gaze over the driver’s seat.

The eyes in the rearview mirror averted their gaze in surprise.

She smiled quietly.

─Sometimes, it’s okay to take a break.

She closed her eyes.

When she opened them, she would arrive at the Blue House.