Chapter 29 – Magic Boy (7)
I didn’t want to get involved with Choi Kang-min’s issues anymore.
But money! And more money! And even more money…!
In a capitalist society, you need money to survive, and to make money, you have to do things you don’t like.
‘That’s how I’m becoming an adult, I guess…’
Letting go of my naïve hope of just getting free meals, I leaned forward slightly, adopting a serious attitude for the conversation.
“I’ll give you all the money.”
“Great!”
Choi Kang-min’s treatment fees were an amount I couldn’t earn in ten years of part-time jobs.
How could I refuse?
I’m a man who never lets go of an opportunity once I grab it.
“Hmm~”
Dr. Seo’s meaningful smile as she looked at me was intriguing.
It probably meant,
“I’m weak to money.”
No need to be ashamed. That’s normal in a capitalist society.
“If you want, Mr. Kang Moon-soo, I can draw up a contract.”
“No need. I trust you, Dr. Seo.”
The ‘Vice Director Seo’ from the dream was trustworthy.
‘She had plenty of chances to harm me.’
If Elmolance Hospital had bad intentions, they could’ve detained me during tests for horrific experiments.
Dissection, torture, drugging…
But she prioritized my human rights over satisfying her curiosity.
“Thank you for thinking well of me.”
“But there’s a condition.”
“What is it?”
“From now on, you must listen to my story seriously, without dismissing it as a joke or exaggeration.”
“That’s not a hard condition. One of a doctor’s virtues is listening to patients earnestly.”
“Oh!”
But listening seriously doesn’t measure trust.
‘In that case…’
I was currently invited to a room I assumed was Dr. Seo’s personal research office.
Certificates, medals, trophies…
It was similar to the ‘Vice Director Seo’s’ office in the dream, but with a key difference.
“You don’t keep jellyfish.”
Did I mention jellyfish specifically among countless animals and plants?
Dr. Seo’s expression stiffened.
“…Are you talking about Turritopsis nutricula?”
“I don’t know the scientific name. Something about a guardian jellyfish…”
“Small guardian tower jellyfish.”
“Oh! That’s it.”
“Remarkable. How did you know about the jellyfish I’m studying as a hobby?”
“I saw it in a dream.”
“You mean you saw me raising those jellyfish in a dream?”
“Yes.”
“That’s impossible! Dreams are constructed from a person’s memories and information. You’re not among the few who know I’m studying Turritopsis nutricula. So how…”
“Want to hear more?”
“Absolutely! You know how to steer a conversation to your advantage, Mr. Kang Moon-soo. You’d do well in business.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“More than a compliment.”
“Thank you.”
After laying the groundwork to build trust, I smoothly continued the conversation.
***
“A surreal ability. In other words, a world where superpowers exist, and patient Choi Kang-min is immersed in it.”
“Yes.”
“It’s very similar to the addiction to virtual reality games that’s trending these days. The difference being that no external shock can wake him.”
“That’s a huge difference.”
A game ends when you unplug the device.
“Even setting aside Choi Kang-min’s issue, this is fascinating. I’d love to experience that dream myself! Mr. Kang Moon-soo, was technology much advanced on Earth 13 years from now?”
“Well, even 13 years later, cars still moved on wheels.”
“Either a limitation of the dream or no visible progress.”
Dr. Seo gave a wry smile, clearly disappointed.
“Oh! You looked almost the same 13 years from now. You hadn’t aged at all.”
“That’s the most hopeful news I’ve heard so far!”
“Really?”
Choi Kang-min’s life had somehow been pushed to the back burner.
“All I needed was a way to treat the patient, but I’ve gained unexpected insights.”
“I don’t think I helped much…”
“For a woman, appearance is as important as life. Knowing my looks are guaranteed for at least 13 years is a huge gain money can’t buy.”
“Oh!”
In a light atmosphere, we continued with miscellaneous topics.
When we ran out of things to say,
“Shall we wrap up?”
“Sounds good.”
We returned to the sidelined issue of Choi Kang-min.
“Patient Choi Kang-min has been in a coma—correction, in a deep sleep—for about seven years. Meanwhile, 20 years have passed in his dream. Correct?”
“Yes. Time seems to flow about three times faster than reality.”
Song Sun-young’s dream, where dying sent her back to the past, was similar.
I spent a long time with her learning to swim, but in reality, only ten days had passed.
“It’s mind-boggling. The doctor has been struggling for seven years to wake the patient, but he’s so immersed in playing hero that he has no intention of waking up…”
“Wait a second!”
“What?”
“You said he has no intention of waking up?”
It felt like a slap to the back of my head.
‘That’s right!’
A blind spot I’d overlooked despite knowing it.
“That’s the situation, isn’t it? Like a kid refusing to let go of a toy on display, the patient is brainwashing himself that being Magic Boy is real, not a dream, right?”
“Exactly.”
That’s exactly how Choi Kang-min was.
He refused to accept reality and denied my very existence for claiming it was a dream.
By killing me to silence me.
‘That crazy bastard.’
He didn’t just take my life easily—he tormented me, demanding I acknowledge the dream as reality.
But I denied it until the very end.
“It’s just my theory, but if patient Choi Kang-min acknowledges it’s a dream, he’ll wake up. Before it’s too late.”
“I agree.”
Not because we share the same thought.
It’s certainty.
***
“Kang Moon-soo, your recovery is incredibly fast… Is it natural talent?”
“Effort.”
Dr. Seo wanted to test her treatment theory immediately, but I firmly refused.
Why?
Because I only have time on weekends!
On weekdays, I have to go to the Sports University pool to make a good impression on the coach.
“Hm. I’ve trained many athletes, and effort alone doesn’t cut it. If effort were enough, people wouldn’t blindly trust P’s aptitude tests.”
“That’s true.”
The swim coach, who swore to keep his distance and not get informal with me for at least a year, broke that promise in just two weeks!
“My eyes were spot-on. Your records are improving daily!”
“Thanks to you believing in me and coaching me so well.”
“Haha! It’s true I believed in you, but calling my coaching great is obvious flattery. Not that I mind.”
Indeed.
My swimming times were getting shorter every day.
2:32, 2:29, 2:26…
In the coach’s slightly exaggerated words, it was a phenomenal growth rate, achievable only by the top 0.2% of geniuses with a swimmer’s aptitude!
It feels like he’s egging me on to get cocky, but…
“Is your aptitude really shaman?”
The sincerity in that question throws me off.
“It’s true. I even showed you my aptitude test results because you kept doubting.”
“Jeez! It’s just so bizarre. How does a shaman swim better than a swimmer?”
“Take it up with P.”
“Haha! Not the developers. I mean you’re doing exceptionally well.”
“Yes.”
I find it just as baffling as the coach.
‘Does this make sense?’
Before learning from Song Sun-young in the dream, I could only dog-paddle.
I lacked the will or opportunity to learn, but even considering that, my lung capacity has noticeably improved since meeting her.
And this is undeniable reality, not a dream!
I have no choice but to accept it.
“Oh, and Kang Moon-soo, there’s an important competition tomorrow, so conserve your energy.”
“A competition? All of a sudden?”
“I kinda provoked another coach. Haha!”
“Excuse me?”
What’s this guy saying?!
“Bear with me. The new semester’s starting soon, so I pushed a bit.”
“Why?”
“For you.”
“For me?”
“You know the dorm you’re in is a double room, right?”
“Yes.”
What’s the big deal?
“After the entrance ceremony, you’ll share it with a freshman.”
“That makes sense.”
“Don’t you want to have it to yourself?”
“…Is that related to tomorrow’s competition?”
“Oh! Sharp, aren’t you? Yes. If you win, the other athlete will share the room with the freshman instead. Good news, right?”
“Not at all!”
“Why not?”
“If I lose, my pride takes a hit. If I win, I’ll be resented.”
No matter how I thought about it, the future looked grim.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine!”
“If you win, I’ll treat you to meat.”
“Make it beef.”
“Ha! You’re bold! Fine. Three servings of grade-A marbled sirloin that melts in your mouth! How’s that?”
“Deal.”
There seems to be more at stake in tomorrow’s competition than I know, but for now, I’ll focus on improving my living situation!
***
A strikingly beautiful girl, out of place in the shabby commercial building, had been pacing the hallway for three hours.
“…”
“…”
Her rare beauty stopped passersby in their tracks.
Especially men, who couldn’t take their eyes off her jeans…
‘Wow! Who’s that?’
‘Her figure’s insane!’
‘She’s so pretty…’
They gawked, some practically drooling at her standout long legs.
But she didn’t care.
“When is he coming?! He even quit his part-time job…!”
She ignored the stares, only growing more irritated.
“Excuse me…”
“He’s got some nerve! Making me wait like this!”
“Miss?”
“Just wait till he shows up. I’ll nag him all night!”
“Excuse—”
“Do you know me? If you’re not Kang Moon-soo, don’t talk to me.”
“S-Sorry! I didn’t know you had a boyfriend!”
A bold young man, smitten by her beauty, fled as if running for his life.
She didn’t care.
“He’s not meeting another girl, is he?!”
Her anger grew as she suspected the boy who wasn’t home.
Then,
“Pretty young lady.”
A real estate agent, hearing about the situation, approached her.
“…”
But she didn’t even glance her way.
Completely ignored!
Still, the seasoned agent, with professional tenacity, tried again.
“Who’re you waiting for?”
“…”
“Here to see a house?”
“…What do you mean?”
The girl, who’d been ignoring her like air, finally responded.
“What do I mean? This is a vacant house.”
“Wait! Wait a sec! Vacant?”
“Yup.”
“Since when?!”
“About… two weeks, I’d say.”
“Do you know the guy who lived here?”
“Kang Moon-soo?”
“Yes! That’s him!”
“Of course I know that diligent student. I’m the one who got him this tiny place.”
“What happened to him?”
“He left like the wind!”
The agent’s blunt words made her blood boil.
‘He said he had no plans to move…!’
It was a lie.
“…Where did he go?”
“No idea. By the way, what’s your relationship with him?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Hoho! We real estate folks share info. Who knows? I might find out where he went…”
“Girlfriend.”
“Oh my!”
“He’s the only guy in the world for me.”
Song Sun-young left her name and contact info with the agent and walked away.
_____________________________________________
TL Note — Regular chapters will be updated 5 chapters per week on the site.
If you want to read ahead, join my Patreon for early access:
Plus Tier: 7 chapters/week per novel (21 total)
Premium Tier: Includes all Plus benefits + 9 chapters/week per novel (27 total)
You don’t need to pay extra for my other novels —
• Poseidon Doesn’t Like Greek and Roman Mythology
• The Genius Shut-In Writer — they’re included in the same tiers.
Link — https://www.patreon.com/cw/Vritratls?utm_source=search
If you want to read this novel, just check the collection under “Shaman: The Breaker of Dreams.”
_____________________________________________