LIAR PARADOXCHAPTER 4
SYNOPSIS AND CHARACTER INFORead Here──────────
I almost got screwed.
Clutching a stack of pamphlets and documents given to him by the investigator, Baekgu fled the building as if his life depended on it.
Who would've thought a truth-detector would show up there?
At least it was just the investigator present. If there had been more people, he would have hesitated to use his ability.
Grumble.
His stomach chose that exact moment to rumble. The problem with using his ability was how quickly it made him hungry.
Baekgu ducked into a snack shop as far from the investigator's building as possible.
"Welcome!"
The shop owner glanced at Baekgu as he stared intently at the menu.
Why's he looking at me like that? Oh, is it because I look broke?
For the record, Baekgu's clothes were stolen from a the research institute employee's locker. They were clean but too big, making him look rather disheveled.
I need to buy clothes after this meal, Baekgu thought, carefully studying the menu before placing his order.
"Tuna kimbap, kimchi jjigae, and a pork cutlet, please."
"Are you here alone, student?"
"I'm not a student. But yes, I'm alone."
The shop owner, taken aback by Baekgu's response, asked again, "Our portions are quite large. Are you sure you can handle it?"
"Yes, I have money. Don't worry about it."
Baekgu added this, thinking the owner might be concerned about his ability to pay. But the owner only gave him an even more peculiar look.
Here we go again, Baekgu thought, clicking his tongue inwardly. He could carry on a normal conversation just fine, but sometimes, like now, things would suddenly go sideways. Even after returning to the past, he still didn't understand why.
He'd even watched a lot of dramas, hoping to fix this habit.
Did he think I was lying?
To reassure the owner, Baekgu ostentatiously pulled out his welfare support card—the one he received from the investigator—and placed it on the table.
The government promised to provide monthly housing and living expenses to Gate disaster victims until they found employment. Of course, this support wasn't indefinite; they had to secure a job within a year.
They offered aptitude tests and vocational training, but he doubt he would need the aptitude test.
He had already decided on what kind of work he wants to do.
As he mentally reviewed his plans, the food he ordered arrived.
"Side dishes are self-serve, so help yourself if you need more," the shop owner said.
"Yes, thank you."
The owner didn't even glance at the card Baekgu had placed on the table before returning to his seat.
"......"
Baekgu tucked the card back into his pocket and picked up his spoon. He took a first bite of the kimchi stew bubbling in the earthenware pot. The tangy, spicy kimchi and savoury pork flavours filled his mouth.
"Delicious."
Back when he lived as the Cult Leader's slave, he ate far more expensive meals, but he never thought they tasted good.
Before the savoury flavour faded from his mouth, he picked up a tuna kimbap. The combination of mayonnaise-dressed tuna, crunchy pickled radish, and fluffy white rice stimulated his tongue.
Finally, he bit into the crispy-battered pork cutlet, and his vanished energy surged back.
Living is good after all.
As he devoured the food, the shop owner, impressed by his appetite, gave him a complimentary Coke.
While he ate, the news played on the shop's TV. He listened intently, hoping to hear something about the Cult Leader or the Research Institute.
Most of the reports were ordinary incidents, but there were a few he needed to remember.
Breaking news: Barunmunje Pharmaceutical, a domestic pharmaceutical company, has announced the successful development of a new drug. This drug, designed to replace Guiding, has completed clinical trials and is currently awaiting final approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety...
It was around this time, Baekgu thought, his chopsticks moving faster.
As the news about the Guiding drug development ended, a report about Gu Jei followed. He had apparently entered a Gate again.
That guy never rests.
Take a break, man. If you work yourself to death early, how unfair would that be?
Clicking his tongue, Baekgu set down his chopsticks, gathered his belongings, and headed to the cashier.
"Oh my, you really finished it all! I thought someone who looks like an idol wouldn't be able to eat so much," the shop owner exclaimed, staring at Baekgu with wide-eyed surprise as she checked the spotless empty bowl.
Is it really that surprising?
Puzzled at first, he soon realized the reason.
Ah, right. This person doesn't know I'm an Esper.
Espers typically have larger appetites. The exact reason remains unclear, but it's likely due to their higher energy usage compared to ordinary people.
Before returning to the past, everyone around him knew he was an Esper, so they never reacted with surprise to his eating habits.
In any case, he would need to get used to these reactions.
From now on, I'll only eat enough to avoid raising suspicion.
In this life, he intended to keep his Esper identity a secret from everyone.
"I'll pay now."
The words felt awkward coming from his own mouth. Until now, he had never legitimately paid for a meal.
After paying with his card, Baekgu's heart raced with a strange sense of normalcy.
Leaving the store, he immediately followed his plan. He bought clothes at a nearby supermarket and picked up daily necessities.
His final stop was the pharmacy.
"Hello. Do you have any painkillers containing Neurophasol?"
"Neurophasol? Just a moment."
With all the necessary medication in hand, Baekgu returned to his motel room, his shopping bags overflowing.
"Ugh, shopping is exhausting."
After neatly organizing his purchases, he collapsed onto the bed.
"Hmm?"
Something felt odd in his pocket. It was the card.
Baekgu stared at the name printed on the back:
Ye Hanseo
The name he would now use.
┈┈┈
"Who knew my past blunders would actually come in handy..."
Baekgu's extensive knowledge of the Heukyeong-dong Gate incident stemmed from his years of relentless investigation.
In the past, before becoming an experimental subject at the Research Institute, he had desperately wanted to learn about prior life. More specifically, he longed to know where his family might be.
Everyone has parents, so I must too, right? Maybe somewhere out there, my family is waiting for me.
Then one day, he stumbled upon a special broadcast about the Heukyeong-dong Gate incident.
At first, he paid little attention.
That is, until a photo of a missing child flashed across the screen.
Isn't that you, Baekgu?
Even the Cult Leader had remarked on the striking resemblance between the child in the photo and Baekgu himself.
From that day on, Baekgu became obsessed with investigating the Heukyeong-dong Gate incident.
Using any means necessary, he uncovered not only classified incident logs inaccessible to the public but also every detail about Ye Hanseo and his family.
In the same year Gu Jei died, the Heukyeong-dong Gate reappeared in the world.
The Espers who cleared the Gate dragged out three bodies. Clinging tightly to each other, the corpses showed no signs of decomposition, allowing for immediate identification.
As expected, they were Ye Hanseo and his parents.
Baekgu was so shocked by this revelation that he wandered around in a daze for a while. It wasn't until the Cult Leader nearly beat him to death that he finally snapped out of it.
What was so special about a family anyway? Looking back, he realized how naive he had been.
Baekgu shook his head, banishing the memories of the past.
About two years remained until the Heukyeong-dong Gate reappeared.
Two years was neither a short nor a long time. He wasn't inclined to relax, but he knew he needed to move faster.
Baekgu—or rather, the man who would now live as Ye Hanseo—slipped the card bearing his new name into his pocket.
How resentful must the real Ye Hanseo be, having his name stolen by a thief? he wondered. Perhaps he's cursing me as a ghost right now.
But since he was saving the world, he brazenly hoped the deceased Ye Hanseo would forgive him just this once.
A month later, Ye Hanseo successfully secured employment at his desired company.
❖ ❖ ❖
"Shoot!"
A man in a suit hurled his takeout cup.
Thump!
The plastic cup arced through the air, struck the rim of the trash can, and fell to the floor.
The man sighed dramatically.
"Ah, so close!"
The woman beside him, who had been watching the scene in disbelief, couldn't hold back her exasperation.
"Hyeongwoo, what are you doing? It fell on the floor. Clean it up now."
"Huh? The elevator's coming soon. If we miss it, we'll have to wait again. Can't you just let it go?"
"This isn't about me letting it go. Just clean it up already."
"No, seriously... Ah! There's a janitor over there. Hey, you!"
The man shouted loudly.
"Hey, you?"
"......"
"What's wrong with your ears? Hey! Finally noticed me. Clean this up, please."
"Yes, sir."
A young man in a janitor's uniform approached, pushing a cart filled with cleaning supplies.
Brown liquid had splattered across the walls and floor, suggesting a small amount of drink remained in the cup.
The janitor picked up the plastic cup rolling on the floor, tossed it into the trash, and began mopping.
The woman found herself staring at the janitor's face without realizing it. His unusually handsome features were part of the reason, but not the only one.
I feel like I've seen him somewhere before.
As she glanced at his strangely familiar features, the man beside her began to sneer.
"Ms. Yejin, do you tend to fall for men based on their looks?"
"Huh?"
"No, I'm just saying, there are plenty of good-looking guys who can't pull their weight. You should be careful."
As he spoke, the man glanced at the janitor, and the woman stared back with a look of disbelief. Oblivious to her reaction, he continued his absurd lecture.
"I'm giving you this advice for your own good. If you only focus on looks, you'll regret it later. The truly genuine people don't show off on the outside. They don't brag about what they have; they just quietly work hard at what they do..."
But the man's words were cut short.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened.
"Hah..."
Someone gasped sharply upon seeing the man step out of the elevator, startled by the sudden, unprepared encounter with a celebrity.
"Ah, hello! Esper Gu Jei!"
"Wow! Hello! You're visiting the center today!"
"Esper Gu Jei, I always follow your work!"
Once one person greeted him, everyone began calling out to the figure who had emerged from the elevator.
"......"
Only the man who had been chattering loudly earlier pressed his lips into a tight line and stepped into the empty elevator.
He wouldn't dare claim he wasn't starstruck in front of Gu Jei himself.
The woman secretly suppressed a smug laugh, completely forgetting about the janitor's true identity.
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