Jinpok continued on his stories so calmly that it felt like he was talking about someone else’s story. Joonbum felt like it was awkward to hear him speaking in such a calm voice at first, but he soon realized that it was so far behind in his past that it distanced Jinpok from his actual memories.
There was not much. He almost crushed the first man’s head with his first swing but fell down with him as he lost balance. He barely managed to take down the second man, but the third man wasn’t so easy. Luckily, they all dropped their weapons since there was only the woman left before Jinpok came so they fought barehanded.
“So the last one was hard. I almost lost but I took up my secret weapon.”
Jinpok grinned as he spoke.
“Yeah, I bit him off. You know I have strong teeth, right? My father always used to tell me that I had such strong teeth.”
Jinpok, who had been bright throughout the story, suddenly sank as he mentioned his father.
“Will he still be alive?”
“Hmm. Well, it’s been only three years since I came here. Is he sick?”
“Huh?”
‘Well, I guess there’s no point of being bitter. He’s a changed man now.’
Jinpok looked confused. Joonbum smiled and thought to himself.
“Yeah, so that pretty much sums up my story. What about you? What happened?”
Jinpok changed the subject and asked Joonbum. Then Joonbum started his side of the story.
“The Gate… I called it the Gate. It was a coincidence that I came here the first time… but it changed my life entirely.”
Joonbum began to tell of his stories since his first day. Jinpok murmured and gasped as he listened to Joonbum’s tales. He began explaining the details of his encounter with giant wolves, different people, bringing items from Earth to prepare, and etcetera.
“Yeah, I remember. You were never bright, but you changed all of a sudden. I never knew back then.”
Jinpok commented as he listened.
“But to think the rumored name was really you.”
Jinpok spoke.
“So, you knew it was me when you heard the name.”
Jinpok nodded. Joonbum wanted to ask why he didn’t come to check it out himself, but noticed Jinpok looking down on his leg.
“Anyway, where are you going? I heard you just stopped by.”
“Oh, that…”
It was midnight when they finished sharing their old stories. It was time to speak about the new one. Joonbum hesitated for a moment, thinking if it was the right thing to disclose his motives, but he realized Jinpok will find out anyway.
“The emperor and pope are getting in the way. I’m going to kill both of them. My advisor is telling me that they will come for me once they settle down and I won’t be able to keep them at bay. I need to do something to buy more time.”
“Buying time, eh? So, you want them to fight over the spot internally?”
Joonbum nodded, looking surprised. Jinpok had discovered his intentions too quickly.
“What’s so surprising? I may be hot-headed, but I’m not dumb. But how can you talk about assassinating the emperor so casually? Hm? Oh, well if you have that, I guess it’s possible.”
Jinpok glanced at the leather bag to the side, realizing what it held.
“It’s a sniper rifle, right?”
Joonbum nodded.
‘This is simple.’
Jinpok already had all the knowledge Joonbum had from Earth. There was no need for small details.
“So, you’re going to shoot them down and back out?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a good idea. It might even cause a civil war. You crazy bastard.”
Jinpok looked astounded at Joonbum, who casually nodded. He then lowered his voice and spoke in more seriousness.
“All I have is my wife and my son. I ask you to help when you can.”
‘So he’s a father now,’ Joonbum thought.
*
They spoke of different things they experienced since they arrived at the other world. The alcohol influence gave them a pleasant mood, allowing them to forget about the past and speak like old friends.
‘I talked too much.’ Joonbum thought as he realized he was quite drunk.
‘I don’t have anyone to talk to like this…’
There was no one to share the real truth with other than his mother. Talking with Jinpok, who fell asleep on the table, brought back so many memories.
-Ugh, I’m sorry about the past. I was so foolish… and dumb… I know it doesn’t matter much now but I’m still sorry.-
Jinpok apologized for his past behavior toward Joonbum. But it did mean a lot to Joonbum. He came out of the house and took a deep breath of the cold night air.
“Are you done, sir? I’m sorry. My father has bad drinking habits…”
Hallis approached him, apologizing. He also seemed interested in what went on between his father and Joonbum.
“I see you have questions. Ask your father when he wakes up. I can’t say much.”
Joonbum answered but it made Hallis more anxious to hear what happened inside.
“I’ll tell you this. Your father and I are relatives, though it’s very distant.”
Hallis looked at him with a confused look which then soon changed in shock. He let out a gasp as he understood what Joonbum just said.
‘I didn’t lie. We are from the same race so we have a chance of having the same ancestry if we go far back enough… and even if we didn’t have any relations, he and I are still Koreans.”
Joonbum had already discussed this with Jinpok. This was also the best way to explain their relationship.
“Your father is like my big brother. You can consider it as such.”
“My- my father is… your brother? But…”
“Yes. Come, we should lay down your father first.”
“Oh, let- let me, sir.”
Hallis went into the house and picked up Jinpok easily. It seemed he was used to carrying his drunken, sleeping father.
“He lost weight again! I told him to get some exercise.”
Jinpok looked very skinny. It was so different from his past, fat self that Joonbum remembered.
“Doral.”
“So, he’s from your world.”
“Yeah.”
Joonbum nodded. Doral seemed to have heard the voices from outside the house.
“So, are you going to use it?”
“Yes.”
Doral threw a small glass bottle to Joonbum, which Joonbum quickly snatched in the air.
“It’s a top grade healing potion. That will do. He will go through change like you after he gets better, I think.”
“It’s an old injury. Will it work?”
“Yeah. I think it should be good enough. It might even let him find some of his youth back.”
Doral looked at Joonbum.
“Yeah. That’s good.”
“But are you sure?”
Joonbum nodded.
“He looks like he changed, so I will trust your judgment. But we Ainos don’t usually trust humans anyway.”
Joonbum bowed. Hallis came out after he moved his father to the room. Joonbum showed him the bottle.
“Huh?”
He looked at the bottle with a dumbfounded look.
“Go tell your mother to prepare plenty of hot water. You should help her too.”
“But my mother just- It’s already night…”
They were nobles, but they were so poor that they did not have any servants. Hallis seemed hesitant to wake up his mother who had worked all day long.
“We’ll use this top grade potion on your father to heal his leg. Go and wake your mother and we will do this right now.”
“Uh- that, that is… y-Yes, sir! I will go- go now! Mother will, I am going now! M-mother! MOM!”
Hallis became teary and burst into the house, shouting.
It was not long after that they made Jinpok, who was still sleeping, drink the potion.
‘It’s amazing.’
It was Joonbum’s first time seeing a top grade potion go to work with his very own eyes. It was a very old wound but it immediately began healing it right away.
“Ugh, smells! The wound smells so bad!”
Hallis scowled as he cleaned Jinpok’s body with a wet towel. Joonbum, however, did not mind his ranting and looked at Jinpok’s changing body. The wrinkly skin was tightened and his bent back was straightened up. It was as if he was getting taller.
