Chapter 4: Bom / Spring (3) (1/2)

After returning, Bom started bustling inside the kitchen and soon, a salty smell spread across Yu Jitae’s officetel.

Seeing that, Yu Jitae was put into a strange mood, because her last facial expression he had seen in the previous regression was still remaining in his head.

“Hnn hnn~”

As if in a good mood, Bom was humming.

Can their first encounter be considered everyday-like? He asked himself. It seemed to have been okay. A person in a bad mood wouldn’t hum after all, but back when he was kidnapping her, Bom’s expression had been stiff.

Something good must have happened in between but he couldn’t grasp it.

Even then, cooking suited Bom quite well. Out of the previous six regressions, she had a profession four times. She had been a painter for two of those rounds, a sculptor once, and was a novelist once.

Whatever the case, she liked ‘creating things’. Suddenly, he was made curious. In this life where the environment had been changed tremendously, what would she become? It would be quite interesting to watch.

In any case, he thought it was around time.

Recovering his thoughts from the topic regarding Bom, he started searching through the news reports made in a distant foreign land – Africa. Within that continent on the other side of the ocean, incidents were being reported one after another.

– In South Africa, a large-scale armed clash has occurred

– An air raid from the terrorist group formed around demons (魔人), Barkata. 1400 civilian casualties.

– South African Nations United (SAN) says “Africa will not compromise to violence”.

– Barkata side kidnaps and kills 14 workers associated with the SAN and shares the videos. The World Hunter Association denunciates them as the Evils of Humans.

– Clouds of war cover South Africa, as worries on more terrorist attacks continue…

Currently Africa was in the turmoils of war. Unlike wars in the past that used swords and guns, it was a war of superhumans. This long war would continue until the Apocalypse was casted over the Earth, and created lots of victims.

To be honest, he wasn’t interested whether people died or not, but if one of those deaths included a ‘Red Dragon’, things were different.

The time of the regression was one year after the dragons started their Amusement, and the Red Dragon that loved fights played around in the battlefield day and night. Then, it unfortunately got attacked by a top-ranked superhuman and became greatly injured. That was an element that hastened the upcoming Apocalypse.

Therefore, it was better to start looking for it before it got wounded out of arrogance. He reflected on the time and date and realised that there were only a few days left.

He had to move soon.

“Ahjussi.”

That was when Bom waved her hand from the kitchen. It seemed like the food was almost ready.

Inside the plate, there was a food resembling fried rice and judging from how it had a hint of brown, it seemed that the likes of soy sauce had been used. Grabbing the spoon, he raised a spoonful of rice and carried it into his mouth.

“How is it?”

After chewing for a bit, he stopped. Then, he raised another spoonful without saying a word.

“You’re eating well.”

The meal continued in silence. After putting the last spoonful into his mouth, Yu Jitae finally let go of the spoon and seeing the empty plate, a flower bloomed on Bom’s face.

This dish, it was really…

“It was delicious right?”

Terrible.

Thinking that some part of it could be delicious, he ate it till the end but there was no such thing. However, when Yu Jitae didn’t give a response, Bom seemed to have accepted that as a yes.

“Wah, thanks ahjussi. This is in fact the dish I’m most confident with.”

“…What’s it called?”

“Mmm, I haven’t decided yet.”

He had a feeling that might be the case because there was no way a food that salty and bitter could exist in this world. Blankly, he stared at the empty plate before raising his head.

“I’ll make it again next time.”

*

Just like that, the strange joint life of the Regressor and the dragon began. Bom adapted to the house rather quickly. She cooked and washed the dishes, watched TV and read books, living like it was her house and one day, she brought a small flowerpot.

It was a pot without a single sign of life within.

“What’s this.”

“The house is all dark isn’t it? I thought it would need something like this.”

As Bom had said, Yu Jitae’s house was a split copy of himself and was filled with achromatic colours. The wallpaper and furniture were of dull colours, the bookshelves were strictly organised and there was not a single speck of dust on the floor. It was an environment that appeared unnatural to anyone.

“Do you want to have a look?”

Bom placed her hand on the dirt within the pot and slowly closed her eyes. And when she carefully raised her hand back up, there was a small cotyledon budding up. It befitted her characteristic as the dragon of nature.

In any case, the two kept their own distance and space while living together for a few days. Yu Jitae was originally a man of few words and since Bom also had a quiet personality, the two didn’t talk much despite being in the same area.

“I have returned, my lord.”

Meanwhile, the copy repeated going and coming back from work and shared the everyday life of that day with Yu Jitae. Yu Jitae and the copy could share their memories and after closing his eyes for a short while, Yu Jitae reopened his eyes and gave a nod.

“Everyone seems to be having trouble because of that Jo Hosik or whatever.”

Within those memories, there were everyday emotions being felt by ordinary humans. Anxiety that came from the fact that they might not be able to catch the criminal; happiness from finding small pieces of clues; the new recruit feeling tired and the emotions of the team leader comforting him.

Such emotions that he was still unfamiliar with slowly built up inside Yu Jitae’s head.

“Is it correct for me to go up and help the investigation?”

“It’s fine. Leave it until the deadline and if they still haven’t found him, then you can go help.”

“I understand.”

Yu Jitae went through the copy’s memories for a bit and thought of a similar situation. Those living their daily lives would say something like this.

“…Well done.”

This was a sentence spoken by the team leader when the newbie returned from a stake out. Complimenting someone was something he hadn’t done for a long time.

“My loyalty to my lord.”

But the copy with his lowered head cautiously raised a question.

“However, is it possible for me to ask one thing?”

Although he was Yu Jitae’s copy, he didn’t know everything about him.

“What is it.”

“What meaning is there to a daily life like this?”

“What do you mean.”

“Among the existences in charge of myself, there has never been anyone wishing for a daily life. They tried to use me in a field more meaningful, for example killing someone that must be killed and sending me to a place for stronger influence.”