In the vast void…
Kim stood still.
He stared forward without moving.
He didn't know what to do.
If his life had once been a single road…
he no longer knew where that road led.
The path had become difficult.
The level… complicated.
And the goal…
had been distorted.
He breathed slowly.
Then he spoke.
But he wasn't speaking to anyone outside.
He was speaking to the awareness within him.
To his soul…
or more precisely…
to his other self.
His reflection appeared before him.
A version that looked exactly like him.
But something about it was different.
Kim looked at it and said:
"So… you."
He paused.
"Are you really me?"
He stepped closer.
"Or just a hallucination I created?"
Then he said slowly:
"Or are you… the part of me that was deleted?"
The other version looked at him calmly.
Then it said:
"You're right."
It paused for a moment.
"I am not you."
It smiled faintly.
"Even though our bodies look the same…"
"The difference between us is huge."
Then it said:
"I am… your anger."
Kim's eyes widened slightly.
But the other continued:
"I am the actions you never took… because of your principles."
"I am the decision you stepped back from."
"I am the scream you swallowed."
Then it stepped closer.
"I am the true reflection… of what you believe deep inside."
Kim looked at it in shock.
He said:
"My anger?"
He shook his head.
"I don't need you."
The other version suddenly laughed.
A long laugh.
"Hahaha…"
Then it laughed even harder.
"Hahahahaha…"
Then it said mockingly:
"You don't need me?"
It stepped closer.
"How could you not need me…"
"When I'm the one who freed you from their hypocrisy?"
Its eye flared slightly.
"I'm the one who shows you the truth… in the moment of your anger."
Then it said sharply:
"And now you abandon me?"
It paused.
"After I showed you the truth?"
Then it whispered:
"You abandon me now… during your happy time?"
It laughed sarcastically.
"How can you abandon me…"
"When I was your only ally…"
"When everyone else abandoned you?"
It stopped in front of him.
"When your life collapsed."
Then it said coldly:
"Because I am your shadow…"
"You act like I no longer exist now."
It paused.
Then it turned away.
"Fine."
"Go."
It waved its hand.
"If you want to leave me here… then go."
Then it said calmly and coldly:
"I am just a shadow."
"I don't exist here."
But it stopped.
And said without turning back:
"But if you come back to me in your time of hardship…"
"You won't find me anymore."
Then it added:
"I will no longer be your closest companion."
Suddenly Kim shouted:
"Wait!"
The other version stopped.
Kim said quickly:
"I know we are similar…"
"But something is wrong."
He looked at it with narrowed eyes.
"The colors are the same…"
"But something is hiding the truth."
Then he said:
"Why—"
The other version interrupted him suddenly.
It turned toward him with cold eyes.
"Stay away from me."
It said slowly:
"Even though there is great anger inside me…"
"And hatred for everyone…"
"I still deal with reality… as it is."
Then it fell silent.
But Kim shouted:
"Is there a way?!"
He looked at it with tired eyes.
"Any way…"
"To return to the past?"
He lowered his voice.
"Please."
The other version looked at him.
But this time…
its face looked sad.
Like a fruit that had dried without water.
It spoke in a calm heavy voice:
"If there were a way…"
"To return to the past…"
"I would have done it without telling you."
It paused.
"You are not the only one who wants to return to the past, Kim."
It sighed.
"If it were as simple as you think…"
"Everyone would be living in the past."
It raised its eyes toward him.
"No one loves the future, Kim."
Then it said calmly:
"Isn't your childhood…"
"The only good thing in your life?"
Kim remained silent.
But it continued:
"Do you even know how old you are now?"
He looked at it.
It said:
"You have exceeded…"
It paused.
"Eight hundred million years."
Kim's eyes widened suddenly.
Fear…
and sadness…
mixed in his gaze.
But the other version continued coldly:
"How many of those years…"
"Were you happy?"
It smiled sarcastically.
"You don't even know."
Then it said:
"Only seven years."
"Complete happiness."
It raised a finger.
"Five years… moderate happiness."
Then it said slowly:
"And after eight years…"
"Your happy life was executed forever."
It stepped closer.
"Someone like you…"
"Would definitely choose the past."
It looked into the void.
"And that is why…"
"All beings wish to live in the past."
Then it said:
"Because no one knows…"
"What they will lose in the future."
It raised its eyes.
"If it's not things…"
"It might be people."
It sighed.
"But this…"
"Is the cycle of life."
Then it said:
"You must keep spinning."
"Once…"
"Then again…"
"Then again…"
Until you understand everything in the end.
Then it smiled sadly.
"And at the end of your life…"
"You write…"
"A happy ending."
But it laughed sarcastically.
"And what happiness is there in that?"
Then it said:
"When everyone stands around your body… crying."
It paused.
"Are they crying because of happiness?"
Then it said quietly:
"Or because of the bonds they lost?"
It looked at Kim.
"Listen, Kim."
"If there is someone you love…"
"After you die…"
"They will forget you."
Then it said:
"If they don't forget you today…"
"They will forget you tomorrow."
"And if not tomorrow…"
"Then after a short while."
Then it smiled faintly.
"Do you know something?"
"I can control your body."
Kim's eyes widened.
But it continued:
"I can take it over."
Then it said:
"But I didn't."
Kim asked slowly:
"Why?"
It smiled.
"For a very trivial reason."
It paused.
"I admire you."
Kim's eyes widened again.
But it continued calmly:
"Because you never forgot the ones you love… all this time."
Then it added:
"Despite everything you went through."
"And even though part of your memories were distorted."
"You are still fighting life."
Then it said:
"Even if you forgot their faces…"
"You didn't forget their voices."
"And if you forgot their voices…"
"You didn't forget their warmth."
Kim looked at it slowly.
Then he said:
"What do you mean?"
It suddenly shouted at him:
"Don't pretend to be stupid!"
Its eye flared.
"You could have forgotten them a long time ago."
"And lived peacefully."
But then it said slowly:
"And yet…"
"You still endure the pain."
"Even now."
It stepped closer to him.
Then it said:
"But tell me…"
It paused.
"If the story were reversed now…"
It looked directly into his eyes.
"Do you really think…"
"They didn't forget you?"
And silence fell.