[Chapter 2 – Verse 2]For the Peace of This World!
Back during Song Sun-young's incident, I suspected something as soon as I saw a phenomenon that couldn't be explained by science.
Was it a dream?
Seeing people flying without wings or thrusters, I had the same suspicion.
'Is this a dream too?'
There was circumstantial evidence.
Right before I was pulled into Song Sun-young's dream, I found her collapsed on the school rooftop and stayed by her side.
It was the same this time. The place was different, but I was visiting Choi Kang-min in the hospital.
Plus,
'It's too coincidental.'
Song Sun-young and Choi Kang-min had the same symptoms.
An unexplained, untreatable state of unconsciousness!
According to the doctor, he was in a deep sleep, one that couldn't be broken by external physical stimuli.
I looked around.
"Help…"
"Ahh! Doctor! Doctor!"
"There's blood on my head…!"
If this were a movie set, cameras and crew would be swarming the place.
But look.
"Ugh…"
"Ahhh…"
Some were scratched by glass shards from the broken window,
"My eye…!"
"My eye! I can't see!"
Others had severe injuries, like glass fragments lodged in their eyes.
'No way.'
They wouldn't involve unrelated civilians for a single shoot.
In other words, this was real!
And also a dream.
'Probably.'
The man chasing the intruder who crashed through the VIP ward's window at Elmolance Hospital was definitely Choi Kang-min.
But…
'Why is he perfectly fine?'
I couldn't understand why someone who looked like an Egyptian mummy was healthy enough to fly.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
Emergency responders began handling the situation.
The silver lining?
"Move the critical patients first! Hurry!"
"Doctor! Call a doctor…!"
"Minor injuries over here!"
This was the world's top Elmolance Hospital. No need to struggle transporting the injured elsewhere.
"Just to be safe, get a thorough checkup. The hospital is offering free care for everyone caught in this incident."
"Free?"
"Yes, free. Everyone knows the government fully supports victims of incidents involving Magic Boy."
"Oh! I see. I'll definitely get checked."
Free is always good!
By the way…
'Magic Boy?'
That unfamiliar proper noun people kept mentioning.
Magic Boy!
Grown adults casually used a term that sparked childish wonder.
"Did you see Magic Boy?"
"Mom, when I grow up, I'm gonna marry Magic Boy!"
"Oh! Magic Boy solved another impossible case."
"I love you, Magic Boy!"
Piecing together the chatter, Magic Boy seemed like a hero of justice who defeated villains.
"Kang-min Bro…"
But hearing this didn't make me think he was amazing or feel jealous.
Why?
'A dying brother obsessed with playing hero in a dream…'
Having concluded this was a dream world based on various clues, I felt deep pity for Choi Kang-min, unable to escape his delusion.
Anyway,
"Excuse me."
"Yes? What is it?"
Amid the chaos of injured people and bustling responders,
I approached a woman casually reading a webtoon on her smartphone.
"Who's Magic Boy?"
"Why are you asking me?"
Because you look free!
But I couldn't say that, so I sweetened my words.
"You seem knowledgeable. I noticed you're reading a fantasy genre similar to Magic Boy."
"Oh my! People still say that. Listen carefully. This isn't fantasy—it's a modern story based on reality."
"I… see."
A world where people throw dump trucks and shoot beams from their eyes is classified as a modern story, not fantasy.
"Whatever. What can I expect from someone who doesn't know Magic Boy?"
"…"
"Magic Boy is the true—no, the only hero of our time who doesn't abuse his immense power!"
"Could you tell me more?"
"Is that smartphone in your hand just for show? Look it up yourself."
"…It's not for show. I just wanted living knowledge, not the random info floating online."
"You talk well for someone who doesn't know what a modern story is."
"Haha!"
I laughed it off.
"Magic Boy has been protecting Earth for over a decade without reward. From giant meteors, mad scientists, mutants, aliens, magical girls, and vicious criminals… countless threats."
"I see."
It sounds like one person stepped up to solve problems that would require national or global efforts.
Truly magical!
I wanted to know more, but the lady's patience had run out.
"Any more questions?"
"No."
Saying "yes" here would be tactless.
"If you're still curious about Magic Boy, use your smartphone. Or ask someone else."
"Thank you for your time. Enjoy your reading."
I didn't feel the need to ask anyone else, so I took a number and sat in the waiting area for my turn.
'It's true.'
The claim that victims of Magic Boy-related incidents get free treatment and checkups was real.
"Man…"
I recalled the lady's sarcastic advice.
Is your smartphone just for show?
'Yes! My smartphone's a decoration!'
Since earlier, my phone had been flashing a warning.
「No signal detected. Please replace the USIM card.」
Because of that, the internet and most functions weren't working!
It's a model from 13—no, 16 years ago, so it probably doesn't match modern telecom standards.
'Oh! Maybe… damn…'
Even Elmolance Hospital's public Wi-Fi wouldn't connect.
Ding-dong!
"Huh? My turn already?"
I headed to the reception with my number.
"What brings you here?"
"The 19th-floor incident…"
"Please write your name and ID number here."
"Okay."
"And any specific areas of pain, please detail them."
"Okay."
Scribble-
I quickly filled it out and submitted it.
"We'll process it right—huh?"
The nurse, busily typing, paused.
"What's wrong?"
"…Please double-check if you filled it out correctly."
"Yes, it's correct."
"Then there must be an error in the system."
"What kind of error…"
"It happens sometimes, don't worry. Your registration is complete. Follow that hallway, submit this receipt, and wait."
"Thank you."
Maybe because my smartphone was practically broken?
I felt a bit uneasy, but as the nurse said, it wasn't a big deal, so I let it go.
After that?
"Mr. Kang Moon-soo."
"Yes."
"Please change in the men's changing room and wait in front of Exam Room 4."
"Okay."
I followed the hospital's instructions.
***
I thought it'd be a simple X-ray to check for cracked or broken bones.
Even when they took my urine and blood, I thought, 'Sure, fine…'
That was three hours ago.
'This is a bit much…!'
At first, it took long because of the wait, but now, as soon as one test finished, I was rushed to the next, bypassing lines. Even so, the sheer variety of tests was taking forever.
"Mr. Kang Moon-soo."
"Yes."
"Have you ever had a colonoscopy?"
"No. Do I really need one?"
I wasn't keen on showing my butt to a stranger.
"It's mandatory. Ever since parasitic worms that control the human body appeared, colonoscopies became a matter of national security."
"…"
'What is this world?! Parasites like that exist?!'
Chills ran down my spine.
"Don't worry. We'll use sedation. You'll wake up, and it'll be over."
"Um, Doctor."
"When will the tests end? It's been over three hours."
"…That's not my department, so I don't know."
"Then who should I ask…"
"Now, we're administering the sedative. Count to ten in your head."
"What? Okay."
'One, two, three, four—'
I didn't make it to ten.
***
I must have been asleep for quite a while after that.
"Ugh… Where am I?"
Was the sedative used for the anesthesia too strong? My eyelids felt heavy.
But I forced my eyes open and looked around.
A completely different place.
I was lying on a soft bed in a clean hospital room, covered with a blanket.
The green curtains blocked the view outside, but the clock on the wall told me it was midnight.
Slide-
"You're awake."
A nurse entered as the automatic door opened.
"How long was I out?"
"About four hours since the sedation."
"Oh…"
"How's your body feeling?"
"Heavy."
"That's probably because the anesthesia hasn't fully worn off. The doctor is on her way, so please wait a moment."
"She's coming herself?"
"Yes. She should be here any moment… Oh! There she is."
Slide-
The doctor appeared at the silently opened automatic door.
"Mr. Kang Moon-soo, how are you feeling?"
"I think I'm okay."
It was my first colonoscopy.
It felt like it was over in an instant, so it wasn't painful or embarrassing, but maybe it's just my imagination?
I didn't want to go through it again.
More precisely, I didn't want to be sedated again.
"The test results are in."
"Finally…"
It took so long I was worried something was wrong with me.
"To put it simply, you're very healthy."
"Very?"
"Yes, very."
A very anticlimactic response.
So,
"Doctor, you're saying this body is healthy?"
I weakly waved my bony wrist, challenging the results.
However,
"Yes."
The doctor presented the relevant data and affirmed it.
For a moment, I was speechless, but I couldn't just accept it after all the time and effort I'd spent on these tests.
"Doctor, look at this. I can barely walk properly."
"I fully understand what you're saying, Mr. Kang Moon-soo. But nutritional issues aren't related to Magic Boy, so we can't address them here."
"Oh! You should've said that from the start. That would've cleared up the misunderstanding."
"No, there's no misunderstanding. There's nothing wrong with your health. As a health medicine doctor, my only advice would be to ease up on the dieting."
"…"
'Dieting? Me?'
That was absurd.
But with the doctor explaining while showing me the data, I had no choice but to raise the white flag.
"And I have a question."
"For me?"
"Yes. It's very important."
"…Go ahead."
What could be more important to a doctor than a patient's health?
I was curious.
"Are you really Kang Moon-soo?"
"What?"
"The name and ID number you provided belong to a Kang Moon-soo who died 15 years ago."
"…"
"You, claiming to be Kang Moon-soo, who are you?"
"…"
I died 15 years ago?
That was more absurd than the dieting comment.