Episode 5 – I’m Not the Man You Knew

 

 

A guy I barely remembered walked up with a sneer and foul breath.

"Don't even think about touching Chaehyang. Just imagining it ruins my mood. If you ever end up rolling around with her, she’ll have to quit this place. Got that, you son of a bitch, Jaha?"

I tilted my head.

“What was your name again? I honestly can't recall—it’s like trying to remember a random face on the street.”

He was less memorable than a passing stranger.

"What?!"

Before he could say more, my hand met his face with a sharp smack.

Crack!

He fell flat on his back.

Oops. Maybe that was too hard?

I stared at my hand, oddly satisfied. I shouldn’t have any internal energy yet, but that punch landed harder than expected. Something felt strange in my lower abdomen too—my dantian was churning despite not having even started my first breathing cycle. I’d need to check on that later.

The guy leapt up, cursing.

“You bastard!”

Yelling like that before attacking just leaves you wide open.

I sidestepped his sloppy punch and smacked the back of his head.

Wham!

He hit the floor face-first this time.

“Our local cloth shop kid—what was your name again?”

I kicked his face as he tried to get up, sending him rolling across the ground.

‘Geez, I should stop. He might actually die.’

But I couldn’t resist a little taunting. The guy stayed silent, too humiliated to respond after getting beaten by a mere tavern errand boy.

“Feeling humiliated? Well, you should.”

Whatever. If he didn’t die from this, he should consider himself lucky.

I grabbed his hair and yanked his head up, meeting his eyes.

“Hey.”

Did my gaze carry the weight of a seasoned warrior, or was it still the innocent look of the errand boy I used to be?

Your eyes hold your emotion.

I stared at him, filled with the urge to crush his face. That finally made him flinch.

Again, I asked, “What’s your name?”

“Why do you—”

“Just answer me.”

I raised my hand again, and he quickly caved.

“Myeonggon! It’s Myeonggon!”

“Oh, right. Myeonggon. You piece of shit.”

“Jaha, I—”

“Again.”

“Jaha.”

I let go of his hair.

“Just say the name. Don’t add that crap at the front if you don’t want to die.”

He still had that defiant gleam in his eye as he stood, breathing hard.

“Phew...”

I offered him a chance.

“If you're that mad, come at me again.”

He nodded and charged. Good. That’s the spirit of our town.

This time, I swung back.

No real emotion behind it.

I was just another guy from this town too.

He’d probably be better off getting knocked out cold than taking another humiliating loss. If he woke up, he might see things differently. Maybe realize he’s lucky to be alive.

A simple sidestep. A clean hit.

Smack!

He dropped, unconscious.

I nudged him with my foot.

“Myeonggon?”

No response, but he was breathing. I watched his chest rise and fall, then walked off.

“Sleep tight.”

As I returned to the tavern, a thought occurred to me.

Just because I went back in time didn’t mean I reverted to who I was. Not in spirit.

“I’m not the man you knew,” I muttered, heading back.