"Um, may I use the phone?"
"Sure, go ahead."
"Thank you."
Cha Eui-jae headed straight to the counter inside the store as soon as he finished speaking. He grabbed the old receiver and dialed the direct line to the Awakened Management Bureau Director, a number only he knew. His hand trembled constantly as he dialed. However,
—The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and dial again...
He tried calling again just in case, but the result was the same. Cha Eui-jae slowly put down the receiver. His heart, which had been quiet as if doused in ice water, started to beat faster, and before he knew it, he was breaking out in a cold sweat.
Did I really fall eight years into the future? Or, more importantly... am I really dead?
However, he couldn't be sure of anything. Maybe the director just changed their number. Cha Eui-jae didn't want to see the situation in a purely negative light. As he hurriedly turned to leave the store, he remembered an important fact.
He had no money. Before entering the rift, he had only packed consumables like potions. He had even used up all the potions, leaving nothing. He was completely broke. He didn't even have money to pay for the meal.
Sneaking a glance at the old woman, Cha Eui-jae cautiously spoke up.
"Um, Grandma."
"Mm?"
"Well, I..."
As he rubbed his sleeves awkwardly, unable to continue, the old woman looked at him silently. She then slowly walked over to him and took his injured hand in her wrinkled one.
"It's okay, kid."
"Pardon?"
"Just come back to eat again sometime."
Two crumpled 10,000 won bills were placed in Cha Eui-jae's hand. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, unable to speak, and just bowed his head. The old woman went into the kitchen and soon returned with an old navy jacket and a black hat.
"Wear this."
"No, I'm fine. Really, I'm fine."
"If you wander around in that state in daylight, you'll get caught. Wear it."
The old woman's words were indisputable. Cha Eui-jae, while taking off his tattered jacket, noticed the silver watch on his left wrist. It was something he had since the moment he awakened. This is it! Cha Eui-jae hurriedly took off the watch and handed it to the old woman.
"Grandma, take this."
"What is it?"
"A watch. This is all I have right now."
"What for? I don't need it."
"No, please take it. Or think of it as a pawn. I'll come back for it later."
Cha Eui-jae forced the watch into the old woman's hand, pulled the hat over his head, and left the store, bowing repeatedly. The old woman called after him urgently as he ran away, but he ignored her and kept running.
Looking up at the sky after running for a while, he saw that it was already getting light. A long line at the bus stop, cars filling the road, people walking on the wet pavement with tired faces. Many were going about their own ways.
It was a peaceful scene, but to Cha Eui-jae, it felt unfamiliar. This South Korea, which he estimated to be eight years into the future, was vastly different from his memories. Cha Eui-jae watched the moments of everyday life with a sense of emptiness.
