DΟD (CH 220-418)

408

Chapter 408

Shin Jaehyun's memories had very deep layers.

On the ocean floor of thousands of layers that had accumulated at the end of a long repetition of his many lives, Shin Jaehyun had never bothered to touch the parts that weren't necessary.

That was why there was no end in sight.

He couldn't move.

His body was submerged in water that was much too deep to be shaken from an expedient interpretation of 'awakening'.

But there was one layer, a place that was reached.

The topmost part.

His most recent memory.

Reality.

Tuk.

The waves rose.

And as it happened, his most recent life took on a very unique style, different from what he was used to.

A life that he believed could not be started again.

-You decided to live in reality even if something like this happens...

It may be a bit profane, but the expression he heard just before was probably correct.

Cheongryeo continued to live on, even after failure.

Tuk.

Memories of that time wavered like ripples.

It all started with an opportunity created by the same person.

-You can't restart now.

These were the words spoken by Park Moondae, who had subdued him as he left the villa in disrepair.

And perhaps, more importantly, the words that followed.

-You still have everything you need, and that won't disappear.

Those words floated like a buoy in his head during VTIC's self-reflection period, which had been an unfamiliarly long time.

He wasn't overjoyed with what it meant specifically.

However, it became an ambiguous indicator.

If restarting wasn't possible, what were his options?

What could he have?

First, he brought home a dog. There was no longer a reason to be confused about what dogs he would be raising.

Then, he wrote a new song. This was because it was no longer possible to predict songs that would be successful in the future.

He worked solo. A group performance was no longer the standard for all success indicators.

Still, VTIC did not sink.

Failure did not go away. However, a life where even the things built on top of failure did not disappear.

But even in that process, there were questions.

'Why am I doing this?'

It was a pure question rather than one built upon empty thoughts.

It felt as if all his actions had no driving force, like a goal.

A life without a mission.

An unfamiliar landscape that must be created with an ignorant mind and without any answers.