Hypernova : A Sequel to Supernova

Episode 4.5 - The Other Mr. Kim

The soft light of dawn filtered through the windows of Jorah's condo. His eyes burned from lack of sleep, but he couldn't tear them away from the screen in front of him. His fingers hovered over a paragraph detailing Choi Kim's condition, and for the hundredth time that night, he felt an ache he couldn't place.

The file in front of him was thick, a collection of medical history, incident reports, and photos. Choi's face, strikingly similar to Nine's, stared up at him from the glossy images. Though there was a brightness to Choi's expression, the documents painted a different picture. Jorah exhaled slowly, leaning back in his sofa, shut his eyes. Why does this feel familiar?

He thumbed through the folder again, pausing on a picture of Choi in his younger years, back when the world was still bright for him. It was unsettling—how much of Nine he saw in Choi, in the shape of his jaw, in the way his eyes became crescents whenever he smiled.

A budding soccer star whose life and dreams had been cut short by that fateful accident.

After reading Choi's files, Jorah had more than a few questions and he figured he might find the best answers in one particular place.

Reaching for his phone, he texted his aide: Push my meetings for the day. I have somewhere I need to be.

The response was swift and with that settled, Jorah took up a page he'd set aside from Choi's file. In the financials, he'd noticed payments being made from one Jade's companies to Nine's brother.

It was yet another mysterious piece of the puzzle that he had to unravel. He would ask Jade about his involvement in time, but first, he had to meet him.

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Jorah's car rolled to a stop in front of the sprawling facility that was tucked away behind tall trees, a calm oasis that felt separate from the chaos of the city.

He stayed in the driver's seat longer than needed, hands clenching the steering wheel. The hum of the engine beneath his fingers mirrored the nervous energy thrumming through his veins. Today, he'd driven himself—no aides, no chauffeurs—hoping the solitude might clear his head. But now, on the brink of stepping inside, doubt clouded his mind. Was this visit truly for Nine's brother, Choi? Or was it really for him—to confront the disjointed fragments of his past?

With a deep breath, Jorah finally pushed open the car door. The cool breeze tugged at his jacket, but it did little to ease the knot in his chest. He hesitated just before the glass doors of the facility slid open, his pulse quickening as he stood on the threshold. He forced his legs to carry him inside, the cool, sterile air hitting him as his footsteps echoed in the stillness of the corridor.

At the front desk, the nurse's eyes lit up with recognition the moment she saw him. Her smile was warm, as though she were greeting a familiar face. "Good morning, Mr. Eren."

Jorah froze for the briefest second, his mind stuttering at the sound of his name in this place. The Eren name was widely known so he should not have been surprised. Yet the familiarity in her tone made him think her address went beyond just knowing of the Eren name, which unnerved him. He offered a hesitant nod, masking his unease. "Good Morning."

"Are you here to see Mr. Kim?" she asked, her tone casual but the words landing like a stone in his chest. The question was too direct, almost as if she already knew.

For a moment, Jorah didn't respond. His throat tightened, his mind racing. How does she know? His gaze shifted to her nametag—Nurse Long. Nothing about her triggered any memory. He swallowed hard and nodded, though he felt caught off guard. "Yes. I... I'm here to see him."