Silver Lining

Team Leader

Kim Rok Soo.

He lost his parents in a car accident at a young age. Then he lived with his abusive uncle for a few years. After that, he lived in an orphanage to get away from his uncle that always drinking day and night.

During his time in the orphanage, was just a boring and not memorable time for him as there's no one close to him. It's all thanks to the White Star, Cale Barrow's curse that affects his soul.

At the age of 20, where he was just an ordinary part-timer working at a restaurant, the cataclysm began. It's a hellish moment for him to survive from the monsters who playing around with humans' lives. 

Then, he met his savior and his mentor as well as his Hyung, Lee Soo Hyuk. After that, he met another Hyung of his, Choi Jung Soo who is the same age as him and even more has the same birthdate.

At the moment he realized he's not alone anymore, he lost his second family.

It's been a few years but he could remember that day clearly. He is someone who can't forget. The voice of his dying Hyung still could be heard in his head.

'What is it, you punk.'

Choi Jung Soo who had no blood left to cough up was jokingly responding as he died. 

'I leave it to you.'

He could also see team leader Lee Soo Hyuk close his eyes while leaving the rest to him.

All of them. All of his teammates had died just like that.

Except him.

He's alone again.

As the only survivor and the one having been chosen personally by Team Leader Lee Soo Hyuk himself to be the next Team Leader, he unified the Vanguard first team and the Rear support first team.

As he grew older, and likewise, more into the role of team leader for an era of ability users different from Lee Soo Hyuk's time, though his subordinates show obvious care and respect for him, Kim Rok Soo makes a point to draw a clear line between them following what happened to his former team.

By the time he reached 36 years of age, Kim Rok Soo ended up borrowing the "The Birth of a Hero" series by Nelan Barrow from the library. He read up to the fifth volume before he fell asleep, only to find himself waking up in the body of Cale Henituse, a minor character that got beaten up by the protagonist of the original novel.

That's the new beginning for him.

He met a lot of people and make precious connections with them.

He found his 3rd family and he made sure it was the last family. Once again, he's not alone anymore.

After he met the original owner of the body he currently using, he made up his mind to become Cale Henituse while the real Cale Henituse will continue his life as Kim Rok Soo together with his mother who is calling him 'Uncle' now.

The only one who knows his real identity is his guardian knight, Choi Han who is Choi Jung Soo's uncle once removed, the averaging 10 years old children, and finally his reliable sworn brother, Alberu Crossman.

He thought he's gonna continue his life without revealing his identity and his past.

However, now, what kind of situation did he just put himself in?

"See you again...Team Leader Kim."

'No way...Maybe my ears are going bad. There's no way someone realizes that I...'

Cale lets go of the doorknob and slowly turns his body towards the petite lady with flowy ash brown hair and a pair of silver eyes.

He stared at her for a few seconds and he could see the silver eyes turns into a crescent moon.

Cale's openly frowning and the lady covered her mouth. Despite covering it, Cale could hear that the lady chuckled at him.

"The only thing that has changed is your appearance. That personality of yours hasn't changed at all, Team Leader Kim."

Again, Team Leader Kim. Cale confirmed this lady is Korean and knows him. The lady baker smiled at Cale. The warm smile that always makes him feel comfortable now ticked him off.

"Who ar-"

Even before he finished his words, Cale heard the door behind him open alongside the sound of the bell. That's not the problem. The problem is afterward.

"Young master-nim, this is where you are."

He could hear his butler, Ron's voice behind him. He also could even imagine the benign smile on his assassin butler's face. Cale shivered.

He doesn't turn his head and just asked Ron while his reddish-brown eyes are on the lady in front of him without moving an inch.

"Why are you here, Ron?"

'Shouldn't you be in Eastern Continent?'

Ron understands what he's trying to ask and just answers his now 21 years old little puppy young master respectfully as the loyal butler.

"It's the New Year, On and Hong wish to spend the new year with young master-nim. As we arrived at Henituse Estate, I heard you were going out. As it's getting dark, this old butler has come to pick you up, young master-nim."

Cale's deepened his frown.

'What am I? A child?'

"No need to do something useless. I can go back by myself."

"It's not useless, young master-nim. By the time right now, I am pretty sure Raon-nim and Eruhaben-nim also have arrived."

"..."

On, Hong and the youngest, Raon Miru. Cale doesn't want to know what will those three do if he's not home this late without anyone accompanying him.

"...I will go now."

As he's saying that, the lady bows her head.

"Have a nice day, Young Master Cale-nim."

He looks at her for a moment and turns his body to leave the bakery. No one points out his rude behaviour like it's something normal. Ron followed behind him like he always did.

Cale halted his steps and leave a single sentence behind for the lady.

"See you tomorrow."