Trash of the Count's Family

Choi Han felt no emotions about returning to the day he fell into this world and the Forest of Darkness.

“It is an illusion, but it feels real.”

The feeling of the leaves rustling and crunching under his feet, the breeze brushing past his cheek, and the scent of the forest mixed inside the breeze. Everything felt real.

The scent of the forest.

Although it sounds beautiful, a fishy and rotten scent was mixed inside that scent of the forest.

It was the scent of the Forest of Darkness that was a mix of the fresh scent of a forest and the cruel and vicious creatures inside it.

The breeze blowing through this place where weak creatures and monsters could die at any moment had the fishy scent of blood within it.

Choi Han had not known what these scents were when he first arrived, but the now older Choi Han knew the identity of these scents too well.

He had seen a countless number of deaths.

That was why he was feeling nothing right now.

Choi Han lowered his head and continued to look at the family picture inside his wallet.

“…This.”

However, the blurry faces of his family members stabbed at him as it reminded him of his forgotten past.

“This is a bit painful.”

He was sad about all the time that had passed rather than the illusion itself. He could calmly talk about it, but he could not hide the feelings.

‘I did get much older.’

Choi Han realized that he had aged quite a bit as he became nostalgic about the past.

‘But I'm relieved.’

Choi Han was thinking that ‘relieved’ was the best word to describe his feelings right now.

He was relieved because he had seen the older versions of his family through Choi Jung Soo's memories. There were none of his direct family members and he had only seen older versions of some of his cousins, but he was thankful for that.

Choi Han’s hand holding the wallet grew weak.

“…I told you to carry a wallet.”

He didn't remember her face, but he remembered his mom’s voice.

His dad had given him some allowance as he quickly grabbed the wallet after hearing her comment.

‘I remember that.’

Choi Han carefully put the family picture back in the wallet and safely put the wallet in his pocket. He then started to walk.

‘I need to quickly get out of this illusion.’

It was obvious how bad it would be for Cale who was left alone while he was in this illusion. Of course, the situation could be different if Raon quickly made it over.

‘Still.’

Choi Han now had Kim Rok Soo, no, Cale, as his family.

He had considered Cale to be like family for a while, but Cale became his true family after seeing through Choi Jung Soo’s memories.

‘Oh, come on! Kim Rok Soo, why do we share the same birthday too?!’

‘I'm quite annoyed that we were born on the same day so shut up.’

‘…Wow, I'm hurt. Kim Rok Soo, you're so cold.’

‘Shut up.’

Choi Jung Soo and Kim Rok Soo had the same birthday.

‘Hey, hey, Rok Soooooooo.’

‘Don't call me in such a disgusting way.’

‘Ah, it’s such a pity the more I think about it. I could have taken you as a dongsaeng if you were born later than me.’

‘Talk to the wall if you're going to continue with this nonsense.’

‘Wow, team leader-nim! Listen to the way Kim Rok Soo is talking to his one fellow employee! He’s so cold!’

‘Cold my ass.’

Choi Jung Soo had considered Kim Rok Soo to be his brother. He considered Kim Rok Soo both as his dongsaeng and his hyung.

Choi Jung Soo that Kim

different than Choi Jung

had even experienced them first hand, but Choi Han did not mistake

took the things he should

was

Rustle.

turned his head after hearing

forest. Choi Han noticed the gaze of the

old me couldn’t do

in such panic walking around the forest in confusion that he had not

and

running to escape that wild animal. He didn't care that his uniform pants ripped after being snagged by a tree branch as he ran

how hard it was to breathe or

He just kept running.

He had then fallen.

on the ground, got back up, and continued running without realizing that the wallet he had carelessly shoved back in his pocket had fallen

of the

moment those memories

“Ah.”

Choi Han’s sight changed.

had instantly

“Grrrrrrr-”

had just recalled started

could see the wild

had slowly approached him as if it

stared at that

Han of the past had

‘Soooooooooob. Ugh.’

didn’t have the courage to get

‘…Dad, mom……’

fall had been painful and he was too scared

in ancient martial arts and developed his strength since he was young, this moment had been too scary

wanted to drop

of the past could not drop

to get back

moment he needed to get back up replayed itself in front of the current

Crack.

been stomped by the wild animal's large paw. The past Choi Han had recalled his family picture and

had riled him

need to survive! I need to survive no matter

rock and throw it at the wild animal

Han was able to keep

a few days but the wallet

the wallet under

“…No.”

it was an illusion, no, maybe because he knew it was an illusion, Choi Han picked up the rock and threw

rock hit the wild

“Roooooooooooooooar!”

head and could not open one eye

seeing the animal's reaction. He then quickly

the wild

Choi Han did not want to go through his memories, as he

“Ah.”

out a

He stepped forward.

his foot would not move. He was just walking in place. He tried to move his foot forward

guess I can't change the past

Boom. Boom.

animal no matter how

However, his feet did not follow his will. The wallet was crushed

crumple and rip

‘…Dad, mom……’

Han’s ears. His gaze was focused

at that

Chhhhhhh-

that were continuing to try to approach the wild animal were caught in red chains.

“Ah.”

then pulled Choi

animal as the young Choi Han of his memories had run

“Damn it!”

the chains. However, it was useless. He used his hands to pull on the chains

Chhhhhhh-

out of the darkness. Choi Han saw red chains cover his legs, hands,

moved away from the wild animal as he had done in the past and watched as the world slowly became

was the night he barely survived as he shivered in fear that something else might appear and kill him. It was the night he cried while thinking about his family picture. It was the night he continued to say the names of his family members as he

waiting for Choi Han after moving

“…Ha, haha-”

started