Chapter 32 – Magic Boy (10)
Choi Kang-min’s past wasn’t some grand tale tied to the fate of the world or humanity.
If anything, it was mundane.
But a parent’s heart sees things differently.
“When he was in elementary school, Kang-hoon was often teased for being girly.”
“I know.”
I protected him every time!
“Don’t you find that strange?”
“What?”
Strange?
“There are individual differences, but at that age, secondary sexual characteristics haven’t fully developed yet. There are plenty of girly boys and tomboyish girls.”
“…Now that you mention it, yeah.”
“But Kang-hoon was the only one teased for being girly. Why? Was it because he had a bad personality? An ugly face? No parents?”
“…”
Choi Kang-hoon didn’t fit any of those.
The opposite!
The reason he was popular with girls in high school wasn’t because he became more masculine.
He hadn’t changed at all.
‘Why, really?’
I’d never thought deeply about it since it was in the past. But looking back, it was indeed strange.
“It was Kang-min’s doing. He told kids to bully his little brother.”
“…”
The revelation was so shocking that I was at a loss for words.
“He bribed the neighborhood kids with money to tease him.”
“…Does Kang-hoon know?”
“No. If he did, he’d probably wish his brother would just die.”
“True…”
But Choi Kang-hoon never gave up hope and asked me to help cure his brother.
“It was something that would’ve been exposed with a little investigation, but I paid off all those kids to keep quiet.”
“Why would you do that…?”
“A parent’s small greed. I wanted my kids to get along.”
“Oh…”
I understood with my head, but my heart resisted.
“Uncle—”
“Kang-min lost his mother early in a car accident.”
“…”
“And right after her funeral, I married my current wife, who was our housekeeper at the time.”
“…That was a mistake.”
“You’ll understand my heart when you fall in love someday! Anyway, because of that, I’ve always felt indebted to Kang-min.”
“So you turned a blind eye.”
“Exactly.”
A story of shielding his first son, who lacked a mother’s love, out of pity.
“Is that all?”
“What?”
“Everyone makes mistakes as a kid. It’s only a problem if they don’t grow out of it.”
I wasn’t defending or justifying Choi Kang-min’s actions, but this alone wasn’t convincing enough.
“What if, as a kid, he hired local thugs with money?”
“…”
“When bullying with kids didn’t work because you protected Kang-hoon, that’s what Kang-min came up with.”
“That’s… extreme.”
It far exceeded what could be forgiven for being young!
“He even mentioned company shares to ensure a thorough elimination.”
“Crazy!”
A kid saying something even adults would hesitate to?
Insane.
“You’ve probably guessed, but Kang-min’s plan never came to fruition.”
“You stopped it.”
“Yes.”
“Phew…”
I sighed in relief, calming my racing heart.
If he hadn’t stopped it?
Not only would Choi Kang-hoon, targeted by thugs, have been in danger, but I, who protected him, would’ve been too.
“Come to think of it…”
“What?”
“The timing of Kang-min’s collapse. It was the day he realized I’d found out everything.”
“Oh!”
Cause and effect aligned perfectly.
Was he thinking the same thing? The uncle gave a hollow laugh.
“Maybe Kang-min’s incurable disease is just escapism.”
Escapism.
Like a politician denying criminal allegations until evidence emerges, then fleeing abroad with all their wealth.
Choi Kang-min escaped into a dream.
“That’s why I need your help, Uncle.”
“How can I help?”
“Personal information that would force Kang-min to see it’s a dream.”
“Hm…”
“Nothing?”
“There’s so much it’ll take time to organize. Especially if he’s taken over my company. There are secrets only the CEO would know.”
“Oh!”
A pile of deadly daggers to bring down Magic Boy was steadily amassing.
***
The new semester began.
Countless freshmen with athletic aptitudes flooded into the Sports University, and those whose homes were far away or who couldn’t find a place to live headed to the dorms.
‘Living alone is nice!’
Thanks to the coach’s cunning(?) bet, I won the competition and got to keep the double dorm room to myself.
If I’d shared it with someone, I’d probably not feel satisfied, but having been alone all summer, the only downside was the strong sense of ‘protecting my home’.
The way people looked at me also changed.
“…”
“…”
If I was treated like a minnow before, now I was more like a mullet.
Thanks to the decent record I set in the last competition.
Swimming is a battle of times.
Unlike soccer or taekwondo, where the opponent can affect the outcome, swimming doesn’t make you faster or slower depending on who you’re up against.
Athletes with worse records than mine can’t help but feel nervous.
And so do their coaches.
To gain recognition, a coach needs their athlete to excel in official competitions. A new competitor is bound to make them uneasy.
‘Everyone, don’t worry!’
I plan to retire as soon as I find a decent job.
My aptitude isn’t ‘swimmer’. I might shine briefly in the lower ranks, but my lack of potential means I’ll eventually be overtaken.
“Coach.”
“Need more beef?”
That bluntly showed what he thought of me.
Isn’t he underestimating me too much? Let me say something.
“I wouldn’t mind if you treated me.”
Please underestimate me more if it means free food!
“Haha! I’ll set up another match soon!”
“…”
Looks like he has no intention of treating me to beef for free.
“So, what’s up? You look like you’re about to ask for something.”
“You’re right.”
Is it because his aptitude is ‘coach’? We haven’t even been together for months, but he knows me too well.
“Spit it out.”
“I want a few days off.”
“A few days? Not summer break—oh, you mean a vacation?”
“Yes.”
“Depends on where, how, and how long you’ll be gone. This isn’t a school that guarantees student autonomy.”
“Oh!”
I’d forgotten because there weren’t teachers meddling with students’ breaks or weekends.
‘Right! I’m an athlete!’
Not a student, but a proper employee!
And the man in front of me isn’t a schoolteacher but a sports coach.
Someone with the authority to monitor and discipline athletes to prevent laziness.
This includes behaviors like drinking, smoking, drugs, or gambling that harm performance.
“It’s not for leisure. I’m going to the hospital.”
“Hospital? What’s wrong?”
The coach’s relaxed expression turned serious instantly.
‘I need to choose my words carefully.’
This was the critical part.
To wake Choi Kang-min, I had to enter his dream.
Here’s the problem.
As a proper employee, I have to come here on weekdays, so I can’t stay in the dream for long.
“I have a special condition.”
“A rare disease?”
“No, not that.”
“Then is it because of the ghost from Yoo Il-am’s broadcast?”
“…Something along those lines.”
I was shocked.
‘I never mentioned it.’
Reading my expression, the coach replied as if it were obvious.
“Kang Moon-soo, did you think I knew nothing? Listen up. It’s not just me. A coach has to know everything about their athlete.”
“Oh…”
“You’d better learn this now. Submit the contact info of your doctor and a medical certificate. Then I’ll grant your vacation.”
“Yes.”
It came with conditions, but I sighed in relief at the approval.
What if he’d said no?
The thought alone gave me a headache.
“Hey! You forgot the most important part. When and for how many days?”
“Probably… about three days. Any time that includes a weekend is fine. The sooner, the better.”
Three days.
In a dream where time flows about three times faster, that’s equivalent to nine days.
I secured a generous vacation to avoid rushing and messing things up.
“Then take your break now.”
“What? But…”
“It’s fine. If we give up the pool, there are plenty of others who’ll use it.”
“…”
“What?”
“Thank you.”
“Come back healthy. Keep running every morning so your body doesn’t stiffen.”
“That… I’ll try.”
I’ll probably be lying in bed the whole time, so keeping that promise might be tough.
‘Alright.’
With this, all preparations are complete.
***
“Don’t worry. I’ve sent a medical certificate to your phone, decked out with convincing jargon.”
Upon hearing my plan, Dr. Seo Hye-joo set aside her entire schedule to move things along quickly.
“Thank you. If the coach calls, please handle it well.”
“As I said before, persuading patients and their guardians is a basic skill for a doctor.”
“I know. Still, please take care of it. It’s my livelihood.”
“A swimmer? No offense, but it doesn’t suit you at all.”
“That’s really offensive!”
We bantered as we headed to where Choi Kang-min was.
Room 1906?
No.
This was the vice director’s office at Elmolance Hospital, temporarily borrowed for today!
It was chosen considering that when I enter the dream, I’d appear in the same location as in reality.
By Vice Director Seo’s side.
In other words, a safe zone.
“Mr. Kang Moon-soo, please say hi to the dream version of me.”
“Sure.”
“But just saying that would be boring, right? Deliver this letter to me 20 years in the future.”
“…You’ve prepared a lot.”
“Of course! It’s a rare experience!”
A rare experience.
I completely agree with that.
I approached Choi Kang-min, surrounded by countless medical devices keeping him alive.
“Hey.”
“…”
Lost in his delusion as Magic Boy, he didn’t respond.
‘Choi Kang-min, stay right there.’
I’m coming for you!
“Mr. Kang Moon-soo, most importantly, can you do it?”
“Of course.”
I’ve never intentionally entered someone else’s dream.
Is it possible?
I had no doubts or worries. An instinctive, vague certainty told me I could do it.
“Phew…”
Still, being my first time, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.
“Lie down on the bed next to him.”
“Yes.”
To avoid mishaps like hitting my head on the floor if I lose consciousness.
After changing into comfortable patient clothes, I lay down properly next to Choi Kang-min.
“…Dr. Seo, what are you doing?”
With deft movements, she began attaching various medical devices to my body.
“To measure the physical changes in you as you enter someone else’s dream.”
“Oh, okay.”
It wasn’t agreed upon beforehand, but it was minor, so I didn’t object.
What’s important now?
Choi Kang-min.
If things continue, he’ll die happily, immersed in his Magic Boy fantasy.
‘Not on my watch!’
I want to see him realize Magic Boy is a delusion and despair.
“Here I go!”
I tightly gripped the bony, withered hand of Choi Kang-min, dry as a rotten log.
Clasp.
No matter how much I struggle, I can’t match Magic Boy’s physical strength.
So,
‘Choi Kang-min, prepare to have your eyes opened.’
I’ll hit you fair and square with facts!