Chapter 4: Family

At the moment, Kim Ji-woo tried to comply with reality. The fact that he just went missing for six years, not 30 years.

Ji-woo sighed, ‘Anyway, I have been gone for six years. I hope it is not a long wait for my family.’ Even though he knows it’s merely wishful thinking.

Six years might be a long time to wait for some people. And 30 years could be a short one for Ji-woo while fighting in the Great war.

The police officer stared at Ji-woo, who lost on his thought, ‘This one sure is a weird fella.’

“So, how come you were there despite being missing for six years and can’t get found anywhere else??”

Ji-woo was startled at the question, remembering he should have searched for an excuse instead of fallen deep inside the thought.

“You seem to have lost your memories yet can recall your own name?? Kim Ji-woo~si?”

Ji-woo felt the unfavorable circumstances, and instead of looking for excuses about where he had been. He decided to feign ignorance and said he only remembers his name and family. Other than that, he doesn’t remember anything at all.

“That’s right, that’s all I know. I have no memories of my disappearance. When I open my eyes, I-I… Just…, there.”

Ji-woo affirmed it with a nod.

In contrast, the police officer’s doubt grew after hearing the absurd trick. He was familiar with interrogating people, especially the ones who commit an offense or crime.

‘That’s weird. This man didn’t know anything about the six years that had passed? Something is fishy here. ‘

But, the police officer, not wanting to be affected by this matter, decided to let it go.

“Fine, you can go.”

Ji-woo got shocked by the police for easily letting him go.

‘You d*mn officer! Doubting me and now letting me go? Did you fu**ing think I am a kid? Okay, I follow your rule. I have nothing to lose here!’

“I will drive you home. I’m sure you forgot about your address too. Right?” The police officer smirked at Ji-woo.

The police officer wanted to inquire about the family about Ji-woo’s detailed information since he seemed suspicious.

Ji-woo nodded at the police officer and gave him a subtle smile, ‘Oho, still doubting me and want to visit the family directly to ask? Not that easy!’

Both of them then depart from the police station with the police officer’s car.

—- —-

Finally, they arrived at their destination. Ji-woo and the police officer both got out of the car at the same time.

“This is your home, remember it?”

Ji-woo nodded to inform the police that he still remembered it.

‘Tch, still wanna do it until the end? What an idiot.’

There was a sound of the door opening after pressing the bell on the wall for a while.

A woman in her 50s opened the gate with a confused look. She stared at the two of them in front of her.

Ji-woo recognized the woman. He couldn’t believe that his mother was still the same despite getting older. His mother aged like a fine wine, her beauty was timeless.

Many Korean women in their late 40s were still pretty like they were still in their 30s. It’s because some of them take care of their body well, or they might have an inborn gene. For Ji-woo’s mother, it was the latter.

Of course, even though Ji-woo’s mother was still the same. Ji-woo still can see there were some wrinkles around his mother’s face.

However, Ji-woo’s surprise was not lasting enough after hearing his mother speak first.

“Yes?”

“Ah, right. Sorry to disturb your rest. I’m a police officer from the Yongsan area. Are you Lee Elijah~nim?”

The police officer opened the conversation and asked Ji-woo’s mother while showing his Cop Badge.

“Yes, I am. And?”

“I brought this guy. It says he lives here, and his name is Kim Ji-woo.”

The police officer completed his sentence when looking at the printed paper with Ji-woo information on the hand.

“Kim Ji-woo?” Ji-woo’s mother looked at the man introduced by the police officer.

After a few moments,

Her eyes were slightly red from holding back tears. Ji-woo’s mother immediately recognized Ji-woo despite having a different appearance. Even with his long wavy hair somewhat covering his face. She was still sure this was her child.

Ji-woo’s mother held back every emotion she had now and only grabbed Ji-woo’s hands.

“Ji-woo~ya, you back. Let’s go inside.”

The police officers didn’t expect a beautiful reunion to happen. He thought the man would get doubted and asked a bunch of questions by the family member.

“E-err… I think…, we need questioning … ” Before the police officer finished his sentence, his smartphone was buzzing.

Ring, Ring–

“Ah, I’m sorry. I need to pick up this first. Please wait for a moment.”

The police officer went closer to his car and took the call. It was a call from the Hunters Association.

“Yes, sir. Pardon? But…, okay, I understand, sir.” After getting the call, the police officer became irritated and grumbled.

‘Geez! What a troublesome, why put him into the police station before. It’s better just let him go in the first place. Scatterbrained people!’

At the same time, the phone call transpired. Ji-woo dragged his mother to the house and closed the gate, leaving the police officer outside.

After the door house closed, his mother started pouring her worry.

“It’s okay to leave the police outside? Isn’t he helping you to come here? We should thank him first, Ji-woo~ya!?”

Ji-woo looked back at his mother and tried to calm her, “It’s fine mom, It’s their job. Don’t worry. They can’t barge into the house without a warrant on their hands.”

And before Ji-woo could ask about his father and sister, his mother cut him off first.

“Fuu… I’m glad you’re back. Where have you been in this whole time? Your father was searching for you desperately.., he died in a car crash back in 2017 when you first went missing…”

Sob, Sob–

His mother cried and walked closer to Ji-woo, then hugged him tightly. She missed her son so much that she kept thinking about him for the whole six years of his absence.

Looking at this moment, Ji-woo’s warm and happy feeling when his mother still remembered him at the first meeting was totally gone without a trace.

Ji-woo felt this day was the worst day he had ever had in his entire life. Even experiencing 30 years of the Great War couldn’t be compared to this kind of pain in his heart.

Ji-woo’s heart aches so much that it might burst out from all of the misery after losing his brother-in-arm, his father’s news, and looking at his current family in such a state.

Ji-woo tears flowed out of his eyes. But not wanting his mother to see it, he wiped his own tears silently.

Then Ji-woo patted his mother’s back and comforted her a little bit. He felt responsible for everything that happened. On the other hand, he didn’t want his mother to know that he was blaming himself.

“I’m sorry, I’ve been missing for a long time. Now that I’m back, Mom can relax a little.”

Ji-woo’s mother wiped her tears and took her hug off. “Ah, right. Let’s eat. You might be hungry now. Did you still like Kimchi-jjigae?”

Ji-woo smiled subtly and nodded at his mother’s query. Both of them then sat at the table for dinner.

The night felt short for family reunions. At the table, Ji-woo’s mother only looked at her son without eating.

“Mom, you’re not eating?” Ji-woo asked after he slurped the soup.

“Eomma has already eaten before. You can finish this one,” replied Ji-woo’s mother.

Ji-woo was silent for a second while his mother kept smiling at him. Then asked, “Mom, you… didn’t want to ask me anything?”

Ji-woo’s mother shook her head and shrugged.

“There are many things that need to get asked. Even the way you call me is different now. But, it doesn’t matter. As long as you are here, everything is good.”

“I-I… try to be like my old self later.”

“No need, Ji-woo~ya. Just be comfortable with yourself. Eomma is fine with it.”

In the time following the dinner. Ji-woo cleaned up himself in the bathroom, looking at his reflected face in the mirror.

‘I’m not bulky anymore, and the rest is almost the same as before, except my long hair color now is black rather than light blue.’

Ji-woo then touched his chest and closed his eyes at the same time.

‘Didn’t expect the Soul will follow me here.’

The soul that’s been with him in the Magical world was still inside Ji-woo’s body now. It might be grace or might be a bad omen for him.

Coming out of the bathroom, Ji-woo heard his mother softly cry in the other room.

Ji-woo leaned on the wall and listened to it.

In the room, that was dark without a light. Ji-woo’s mother was shedding tears while staring at her husband’s picture on the bed.

“Dear, our Ji-woo is back. You can rest and not worry about him anymore. I will take care of him and Ji-won as best as I can.”

While crying, Ji-woo’s mother hugged the picture. Meanwhile, Ji-woo brought his head up a little bit and closed it with the back of his hand.

The endless night passed just like that. The day could be a happy and sad occasion for Ji-woo’s family. But surely the future would be better with Ji-woo back now.