Beyond The Mask

Seeing that Jae Hyun did not deny it, he continued.

"My second clue was the chip. As you know, in this world, everyone has a chip in them. But you didn't have one."

"I could have come from outside or removed it."

"Why did you say that?" Jae Hyun thought.

It was not as So Won was wrong. Jae Hyun suddenly realized something and was shocked.

How did So Won know he didn't have a chip from the beginning?

Indeed, he had provided him with an identity as nothing and had not asked him any questions as to why he did not have a chip when, according to the research he had done, everyone had one.

"So Won, who exactly are you?" he thought. Jae Hyun watched So Won trying to probe him.

So Won, who had not noticed the change of reaction of Jae Hyun, naturally answered his question with a smile. So Won proceed.

"If it were so easy to survive outside the domes, many would have already left." So Won's eyes were sad.

"It's uninhabitable and too polluted. You should know that radioactivity outside of domes is unbearable for humans. In addition, surveillance for entry and transfer of cities is very strict. It's not that easy to get in there."

So Won stopped talking and seemed to be immersed in his thoughts.

He then started talking again.

"The chip cannot be removed. You probably don't know it, since it's not written in books or anywhere else, but it's in the heart. Even if it can be deactivated by means that are difficult to access, it cannot be removed."

Could not be disabled? And the government was not doing anything about it?

This surprised Jae Hyun. From what he had noticed, the government seemed to want to control the population. After all, they go so far as to censor the music for a stupid reason.

Jae Hyun continued to listen to So Won.

"We all receive one from birth. But when you were scanned when you arrived to find out who you were, there was no reaction. It was because you didn't have one."

Oh. So he had scanned it, Jae Hyun thought. Given his explanations, Jae Hyun had to admit that it made sense. He looked at So Won before he spoke.

"Not bad, but that doesn't necessarily prove that I come from another world. There could be a reason why I don't have a chip that you don't know about. It's still more plausible than the fact that I live in another world."

Honestly, it wasn't that Jae Hyun wanted to hide the fact that he came from elsewhere, but the thought of challenging So Won animated and excited him. He hadn't realized it until then, but his heart was beating so fast that you'd think he was going to come out of his c.h.e.s.t, and he could feel shivers of excitement running through his body. He felt like he was experiencing a police drama with him as the star.

"My fatal clue is this."

So Won took something out of his pocket. Jae Hyun immediately recognized his phone.

When he realized that he did not have his phone, he felt that he had not been transferred to this world. But it mean that all this time, So Won was the one who had it?

This bastard, he thought. He looked at So Won hard. So Won returned his phone at him immediately like a child who had been scolded by his mother and looked sorry.

"Sorry..." So Won felt really guilty. He was unable to look at Jae Hyun.

Jae Hyun was still angry. Even though he appreciated So Won very much, what he had done was unethical.

So Won still sorry proceed.

"In short. When I saw your phone, I was surprised and thought I was dreaming. After all, phones like this one have not existed in this world for more than 120 years. But you had one and it was good quality. Current technology has quickly replaced phones, so they have become useless. As well..."

So Won seemed uncomfortable. What had he done now? Why this expression? Jae Hyun suddenly felt uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, but I took the liberty of going a little deeper into... your... phone..." His last words were barely audible.

Jae Hyun got up immediately. "Am I dreaming?! This is an invasion of privacy!"

Jae Hyun reaction had been immediate. He was really angry. Not only So Won hide the fact that he had his phone from him, but he even searched through it?

So Won clapped his hands together to apologize again. He knew he had been rude and did not intend to deny it.

"Sorry! I admit I should have asked you, but I couldn't repress my curiosity, and I was afraid you would say no if I asked to borrow it to you."

"That I say no? Of course, it is! It has pictures of Julian on it." Jae Hyun had almost pulled out that sentence but had cut himself in his tracks. He was defeated. Now it was 100% sure. So Won knew. So Won didn't even need to continue his hypothesis. Just with this clue, Jae Hyun knew he couldn't fool him. He still let him finish talking.

"I'm born here, and we have access to pictures of other cities easily and I can assure you that no landscape on your phone matches one of our cities. Also, I found pictures and videos of outdoor concerts in your gallery. Wherever you go, there won't be one. At first, I thought you could come from the past even if it seemed totally crazy. So I went through the archives at the city's main library, but nothing. Hence, my conclusion that you had to come from another world even if I admit it to you, I still have trouble to believe it."

He stopped talking to observe Jae Hyun. He could always have told him he was crazy, but he didn't want to. Moreover, his arguments held up well. Then it's not as if he particularly wants to hide it. But neither did it mean that he wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

He was resigned.

Jae Hyun sighed, but deep down he was relieved to see that someone now knew it. Besides, it was a good thing that it happened to be someone like So Won. He spoke to him.

"I confess. I'm not from here."

"Oh, my God! I can't believe I was right!"

Seeing that he had interrupted Jae Hyun, So Won stopped saying more to let him speak.

Jae Hyun continued after realizing that So Won had nothing more to add.

"To tell you the truth, I wasn't really trying to hide it, but it's not as if I could shout from the rooftops that I come from another world and hope people would believe me. In all honesty, I am reassured to know that I am no longer the only one carrying this secret."

Jae Hyun dropped himself on his bed happy in his heart.

"Will you tell me what happened?" asked So Won.

Jae Hyun closed his eyes and lay down on his bed before taking a breath.

"You're right. I come from Earth, another planet. I don't know how, but after being pushed off a roof and fall down, I found myself here."

So Won listened to him seriously. Jae Hyun opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

"In fact, earlier, I saw a girl looking like my little sister, panicked and run after her."

He thought about her again. In fact, now that Jae Hyun's head was cold, he realized that she was quite different of his sister. Only her hair was a little bit like those of Julian.

"I feel so stupid." He let out an ironic sneer while talking more softly to himself.

"I know I died, and I could never see her again, but when I saw someone like her, my body acted alone. I've read a lot of novels and usually, people in my situation are happy to have a second chance and forget their past lives so quickly, but me..." He sighed.

"That's not stupid!" So Won's voice had resounded in the room and surprised Jae Hyun.

"You've only been here two weeks. You wouldn't be human if you had no attachment to your other life, especially if you left someone precious behind. You're not the character of a book; you are you. You shouldn't compare yourself to them." So Won said it seriously and with a compassion look.

Huh, really? Was he allowed to? A huge weight rose from his shoulders.

Ah. It was so easy, actually. Yes, he has the right to feel something. To be different from the others.

He was not the character of a novel, but a human being. It was normal for him to feel that way.

Maybe it was because he had been lifted from a weight, but Jae Hyun felt he wanted to cry. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't cried or taken the time to really understand what had happened to him.

Was it because he had been swept away by the current flow?

He let himself go and unpacked everything he had on his mind to So Won.

"My life wasn't the best, but I had a lovely little sister I loved. I could never do anything for her. I would have liked to tell her more and thank her for always being there for me." Tears began to form, and he tried to hold them back. He didn't want to cry in front of So Won.

"It's a shame I had to see someone like her to realize how much I missed Julian and what she meant to me. I would love to see her again." He was feeling guilty.

A wave of emotion came up in him. So Won was watching at him and didn't know what to do. He was feeling bad for Jae Hyun.

Then Jae Hyun remembered the last time he saw his sister and the rage went to his head. If MG Entertainment had done something to her after his death, he could never forgive himself.

He clenched his fists. He had even forgotten So Won and spoke to himself in a low angry voice.

"Shit! I would so much like to go back to Earth and bring her back here or something. I feel so helpless."

His voice was full of animosity. In fact, even though he practiced martial arts, he hated violence. But if someone he cared about was concerned or an injustice occurred before his eyes, he would not hesitate to use force. So Won, feeling that he needed time alone, got up to get out of the room. Before he left, he turned one last time.

"You know if you have something to say to him, no one can stop you. I think your voice will be able to reach it even if you're here. So why don't you write her a song? To your sister I mean. After all, it's your specialty, isn't it?" He smiled at him. He had surprised him again. How?!

Jae Hyun didn't have to ask him his question that So Won had already answered it. So Won could really read on him as in an open book.

"Do you think I'm an idiot? Who would buy a keyboard, ask if they could take our microphone and install it in a soundproof room if they didn't want to use it? So don't worry, your secrets are safe with me. I wouldn't want my guest to end up in a laboratory."

In a laboratory? You idiot. Jae Hyun rolled his eyes before showing a smile.

So Won closed the door, but in less than a second he had opened it again on the fly. "I almost forgot! It was bothering me, but how old are you? I saw your pictures on your phone, and you looked older!"

Wasn't he supposed to go out and give him some privacy? He was so contradictory.

"19. I'm 19 years old." He didn't know why he asked it but still answered.

So Won tight his fist in the form of a victory. "Yeah! I'm still the oldest. I'm 22 years old. Hehe."

He then closed the door, happy. Jae Hyun prevented a laugh. What the hell is that? How old was he to be happy for so little? So he realized. Had So Won just tried to get him to think to something else by making him laugh?

The deceitful one!

If it hadn't been for the fact that So Won had told him he knew, Jae Hyun would never have known that So Won knew about him.

"Thank you, So Won," he thought with a smile before sleeping while holding his phone watching pictures of his sister.