(Return pt.4)

Kim In-woo spent several days doing nothing but sleeping.

He would wake up, go to the kitchen to find some ramen to cook and eat, then go right back to sleep. The next time he woke up, he’d go to the bathroom and sleep again. The next time, he’d drink some water, sit for a moment, then sleep again.

He was aware he was wasting time like trash, but he had no motivation to do anything. Though he had wanted so desperately to return to Earth, now he was scared to go out. He had no idea what to do going forward. Right now, he was just alive because he couldn’t die.

When sleep wouldn’t come after constantly sleeping to escape reality, Kim In-woo would think about Lee Sun-ho.

Lee Sun-ho had explained that he was just an ordinary 23-year-old man who lived in Seoul, Korea, but it wasn’t convincing. There was something oddly off about Sun-ho’s knowledge. In-woo felt uncomfortable whenever he would say things that someone with common sense would never say.

In fact, Kim In-woo suspected that Lee Sun-ho might be like Rudy – a human who had been kept by aliens for a long time.

Rudy missed the owner who had raised him. He had been taken so young that he couldn’t even remember his original name. He spoke Korean haltingly and slowly, mostly communicating in English that had been implanted through language recognition surgery. Of course, Rudy’s mental state wasn’t good, so he wasn’t particularly good at English either…

The conversation that should have been pleasant with a fellow countryman was horrible. Rudy would slowly, endlessly chatter about memories with his former owner, missing them. At the same time, Rudy was constantly jealous and resentful of In-woo for not respecting his owner who was strong and protected him.

To Kim In-woo’s eyes, Lee Sun-ho also seemed like a human who was somehow deficient or twisted like Rudy. Well, his claim about having recently come from Earth might just be a small lie to get close to others.

Lee Sun-ho was incredibly affectionate in front of Kim In-woo. In fact, that affection was also abnormal. Despite being captured in the cage, Sun-ho didn’t think about his own safety and only worried about In-woo. Perhaps that affection was Sun-ho’s own way of adapting. If only his affection had stood out, In-woo wouldn’t have thought Sun-ho was strange.

But when not with In-woo, Sun-ho had less life in him than an android. As if caring for In-woo was his only purpose in life.

Actually, In-woo had pretended to be asleep and observed Lee Sun-ho several times. Sun-ho would sit in place without moving at all for the hours In-woo was asleep. Though he would occasionally bow his head or turn his gaze elsewhere, he remained in place like an inanimate object.

After seeing that, he was always afraid. Afraid that Lee Sun-ho would wither and die like an abandoned plant without him.

The humans Kim In-woo met at the training facility were all horrible in different ways. They were jealous of In-woo, tried to use him, or asked to be killed. Kim In-woo, who had been struggling alone, was broken and shattered after meeting his own kind.

Lee Sun-ho was the first normal human Kim In-woo met after being kidnapped there. Sun-ho carefully pieced the broken Kim In-woo back together and filled him with affection.

‘It’s okay. Nothing will happen. That won’t hurt you. Don’t be scared because I’ll take whatever happens first. Okay? I’ll protect you…’

He said such things despite being just as helpless as Kim In-woo. Kim In-woo, who had been standing on the edge of a cliff, was saved by the affection and comfort he hadn’t received even on Earth. The moment when Lee Sun-ho gained meaning as Lee Sun-ho, not just as someone who was there.

“Hyung.”

That person isn’t by his side now. He doesn’t even know where he is. He can’t even know if he’s alive… Because of that, In-woo squeezed his eyes shut.

***

He tried to endure with sleep until Raseti brought Lee Sun-ho back, but after a few days, he felt his limit. In-woo woke up clutching his throbbing head. After sitting blankly in the spacious bedroom that felt like someone else’s house, In-woo finally washed up after several days and barely made himself look human.

The smartphone Raseti had given him caught In-woo’s eye as he sat blankly. It had died after being left alone for days, so he found the charger and plugged it in. As he watched the smartphone turn back on and slowly charge, drowsiness overwhelmed him. He dozed off right there and when he woke up again, it had finished charging.

In-woo hesitated before opening the smartphone.

Of course, all his original possessions had been taken away. He could only guess that those damn aliens probably sold them at auction or something. Sometimes there were used Earth items mixed in with the things Radel gave him too.

The newly activated smartphone had just one contact saved – Raseti’s. He thought about deleting it but stopped.

Instead of wasting energy on that, In-woo opened the internet. He searched Lee Sun-ho’s name with a tiny hope, but since it was a fairly common name, he only found stories about people with the same name.

Next, he searched about aliens. Of course, he couldn’t find any useful information. It was full of completely ridiculous stories. Then he found a book that dealt with the love story between aliens and humans as SF material, and it just made him feel dirty.

Kim In-woo threw the smartphone onto the sofa. When he had nothing to do, his hands started trembling finely again. The surroundings were too quiet.

Kim In-woo was afraid of the silence. It reminded him of when he trembled in the cage, not knowing when that huge man would come…

Every time Radel’s fingers brushed against his body, he trembled, wondering if he would crush him to death. The overwhelming size difference was terrifying in itself. Being crushed to death was actually among the more hopeful assumptions. Sometimes when Radel kissed him, In-woo wondered if he was going to be eaten. In-woo wasn’t too big to fit in Radel’s mouth.

The cage where Kim In-woo lived was made of transparent material so you could see everything outside. Its form was similar to the fish tanks you’d see in front of sushi restaurants. In-woo thought he was no different from those fish waiting for death though still alive, or live octopus that would be cut up alive and served on plates.

When staying alone in the cage, Kim In-woo’s wishes were modest. If that alien was going to kill him, he hoped he would end his life in one go. When he treated him like a pet, In-woo was pathetically relieved. It wasn’t really a past he wanted to remember.

Kim In-woo staggered out to the living room. Though he was hungry, his stomach didn’t feel good, perhaps from the frightening thoughts.

Looking out at the open view, In-woo turned on the huge TV that sat there as if it were natural. He hated the silence, and it was just an act to create noise.

As he was flipping through channels without much thought, In-woo stopped at a news channel.

The news was strongly criticizing corruption and s*xual bribery among high-ranking members of society. A familiar name was involved.

It was the entertainment agency Kim In-woo had belonged to until a year ago.

The manager who had scouted and threatened In-woo before suddenly turned himself in to the police, revealing his criminal activities. The man said he felt deep remorse for his actions until now and expressed his intention to fully cooperate with the investigation by revealing his illegal activities. They said since there were many videos taken for blackmail, they were serving as evidence for the investigation to proceed step by step.

The manager turned himself in two days ago – while Kim In-woo was sleeping in a daze.

Kim In-woo knew what kind of person the manager was. He was definitely not the type to turn himself in feeling remorse for his crimes.

“What is this…”

Could he still be dreaming instead of being on Earth?

Kim In-woo, who had been sitting blankly, called Raseti. They answered in a very tired voice, then laughed as if it was ridiculous when In-woo asked ‘Did you do this?’

─ Why would I do something that crazy? As I said before, the Space Federation law strongly regulates invasion of planets below certain technological development levels. Even for criminals, it would be a serious crime for me as military personnel to mess with civilians’ minds.

“But he’s not the type of person who would turn himself in like that! If you didn’t do something…”

─ I really didn’t, Mr. Kim In-woo. Though of course some completely insane and crazy person might have done it, but I’m not that kind of crazy woman.

Raseti seemed quite agitated. Their irritable response made his anger surge up.

“Then who else would I suspect but you? You aliens can manipulate people’s minds as you please.”

─ I can’t use mental abilities that skillfully. It wasn’t me.

“Then who did it?”

─ Well. I suppose Lord Radel did it.

“Don’t say such nonsense.”

Why would that crazy bastard come here just to manipulate some human’s mind? In-woo gave up getting answers from Raseti who didn’t seem willing to be honest.

“More importantly, what about Sun-ho hyung?”

─ …I’ll bring Lee Sun-ho soon. But if you keep obsessing like this, I won’t let you meet Lee Sun-ho.

“What nonsense is this. Why, what right do you have?”

In-woo burst out shouting, startled by Raseti’s sudden change in attitude. But his voice trembled terribly from anxiety. He could clearly hear Raseti sighing over the phone.

─ Mr. Kim In-woo. Why are you trying so hard to find Lee Sun-ho?

“Isn’t it obvious? I spent months together with Sun-ho hyung. I can’t just be happy escaping alone.”

─ Well, I suppose you should at least say goodbye.

Raseti spoke as if just saying goodbye and parting was natural. From In-woo’s perspective, it was ridiculous.

“What right do you have to tell me what to do? Should I keep my mouth shut because you gave me this house? If that’s the case, I’ll leave right now.”

─ That’s not it. I just want to say that I don’t think your obsession with Lee Sun-ho is healthy.

“So that’s why I’m asking, why are you saying this bullshit about me being obsessed with hyung or whatever. Hyung is someone who spent months with me, and he’s that precious to me.”

He could hear Raseti sighing again over the phone. Who’s the frustrated one here? Before he could get angry, Raseti’s voice came through.

─ I don’t think it’s good for you to meet Lee Sun-ho right now.

“Don’t talk like you know everything.”