Theatrical Regression Life

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A bitter feeling crept in, and Lee Jaehun averted his gaze from the protagonist’s smile. To read deceit behind that sincere face, they had already accumulated too many ominous connections.

Instead, he fondled the pipe, lost in thought.

“…Something’s off.”

Right now, it wasn’t just one or two strange things.

Firstly, even though a considerable amount of time had passed, the Algae monster had yet to appear. It was as if Jaehun’s return had only prompted him to summon the siblings and gather resources faster.

Of course, he dealt with the vines, presumably sent by the Algae monster, in the process, but it wasn’t like he killed a significant number to alter the future.

Sure, Jaehun’s existence itself was a variable in this world, and he might have caused some butterfly effect, but there should be limits to that.

Jaehun didn’t think his presence was so extraordinary as to surpass his expectations.

In other words, there must be another variable at play, not him.

‘Now, the most probable suspect is that guy…’

When Lee Jaehun’s eyes met with the protagonist, who stared back as if questioning what was going on, he immediately averted his gaze.

The protagonist had a face so sincere that it made one’s insides tingle.

“Director, are you okay?”

“…I’m fine.”

“If you have any pain, you should let me know right away.”

“Ugh.”

Normally, he would have spat out a string of curses, but for now, with his head in a whirlwind, he decided to endure it. The situation wasn’t ideal for unnecessary emotional outbursts.

He reluctantly turned his gaze back towards Deputy Manager Jung Inho.

Secondly, from the direction of the newly lit bonfire, he felt the gaze of Doctor Ha Sungyoon staring at him, seemingly incredulous, or maybe not. Meanwhile, the protagonist wore an unbelievably brazen expression.

Yeah, that one. That bizarrely composed and sincere face.

‘That’s the second strange thing.’

Lee Jaehun didn’t like the protagonist. Not a bit, with unfiltered sincerity.

It wasn’t so much hatred as a strong dislike. He genuinely felt a visceral repulsion from Deputy Manager Jung Inho.

The main cause of this repulsion was precisely that face.

“…Alright, just leave me alone.”

“Yes, I understand.”

It was the act of pretending, the perfectly crafted expression that was the complete opposite of its true nature, that made it repulsive.

“But… it’s gotten worse.”

While not completely different, there was a noticeable change.

Even before, Deputy Manager Jung Inho was a guy with a stark contrast between appearance and reality.

That aspect, similar to Lee Jaehun himself, fueled a kind of kinship aversion. Of course, until he recalled his past life, he quickly noticed and disliked the duplicity.

Naturally, at this point, it wasn’t about recoiling from those dualistic aspects.

What Lee Jaehun found odd at this moment was that, objectively speaking, the situation had worsened during the brief period when he went to gather resources.

Unless Deputy Manager Jung Inho went to pick up wood and attended a smoke academy in the meantime, it didn’t make any sense.

More than anything, what was weirder happened before that.

‘I have to keep living, facing that guy’s face…’

Him? With that guy?

‘Do I have to build trust with him now?’

Just imagining it made him nauseous.

It’s not that Lee Jaehun hated the protagonist. He just had a bit of aversion, not exactly hatred, but definitely a dislike.

Nevertheless, despite that, Lee Jaehun found himself in a situation where he had to build trust with him.

Well, that’s because Lee Jaehun realized he couldn’t die anymore.

Even if he somehow died, he would just reset, and if that’s the case, there was no reason to die while preserving his mental strength.

Certainly, if the situation demanded it, Lee Jaehun would willingly die. However, dying without reason beforehand was just a foolish act.

Now, Lee Jaehun needed to build sufficient trust and affection with the current group.

Until now, he had deliberately maintained a suitable distance to easily die if needed. But now, it had to be a relationship where if he said, ‘I’ll die instead!’ the response wouldn’t be, ‘Don’t talk nonsense!’

It was for the sake of the remaining life ahead. The closer the relationship, the easier it would be to manage the group’s mental state.

Naturally, he needed to build even greater trust with the protagonist, who would naturally become the center of the group. Madness.

What on earth was going on with those eyes?

‘Why did he become crazier in just a short time?’

Lee Jaehun was secretly alarmed. Having encountered quite a few mentally unstable people in his past life, he could tell that the protagonist wasn’t entirely in his right mind.

Breath catching in his throat, Lee Jaehun unconsciously asked in a bitter voice, “Are you okay?”

“…Yes?”

“No, no. Forget about it.”

I don’t know, he’ll figure it out on his own.

Lee Jaehun completely avoided the intense, black gaze that started staring at him again.

With plenty on his mind already, he knew worrying about that repulsive guy would only be a loss for him.

But Lee Jaehun’s concerns weren’t over.

“What could have possibly happened in the short time he went to gather wood?”

The fact that the Algae monster didn’t appear on time and the protagonist going insane in just a brief period were both physically impossible events unfolding before Lee Jaehun’s eyes. Naturally, the situation was confusing.

As if that weren’t enough, unfortunately, there were more problems.

“Mister, you’re bleeding a lot. Are you okay?”

“Should we call the doctor…?”

The relationship between the protagonist and the siblings didn’t seem too friendly.

Lee Jaehun frowned as he watched the students calling Doctor Ha Sungyoon ‘DoctorTeacher,’ wondering when they became so friendly.

The siblings hesitated for a moment, but for some reason, they made an effort to stick by his side, probably trying to gauge his thoughts.

Despite smoothing out his previously furrowed brow, Lee Jaehun sighed at the subtle tension between the siblings and the protagonist.

‘Well, I get it. It’s understandable for them to act this way…’

The siblings were perceptive. They had already sensed the strange hostility from the protagonist’s gaze, and given their already cautious nature, there was no way they could like an adult who disliked them.

Lee Jaehun could understand the siblings’ psychological state to some extent.

But you, you there. Protagonist, your case is a bit different, isn’t it?

“Why are you behaving like this?”

Lee Jaehun, with a somewhat awkward feeling, forced himself to speak.

“…He’s already received treatment. Leave him alone.”

“Oh, okay.”

From what he could see, the protagonist harbored a strange hostility towards the siblings.

But it made no sense at all.

For one, Deputy Manager Jung Inho was fundamentally a kind person, especially toward underage students. In the novel, he didn’t go out of his way to protect unfamiliar students he just met.

With effort, the siblings had gradually loosened up under his care and attention.

Yet, the current situation was perplexing. The protagonist pretended not to care about the students, and the students, although trying to hide their discomfort, actively avoided the protagonist.

Even the designated ‘safe space’ that Lee Jaehun had chosen was now irritatingly tiresome.

Given his position of needing to manage his image somewhat, he couldn’t just shoo away these youngsters.

‘No, seriously.’

Why on earth did he dislike these kids?

Lee Jaehun could clearly sense the protagonist’s guarded stance and even a subtle resentment in his gaze.

Thinking about Deputy Manager Jung Inho’s kind-hearted nature towards the elderly, it was baffling.

‘There wasn’t even any initial interaction…?’

As Lee Jaehun recalled this, he suddenly wiped his mouth as if feeling a strange sensation and then sighed.

Observing the steadily burning bonfire, he spoke up.

“Deputy Jung.”

“Yes,Director.”

“Do we have the snacks we brought?”

Regardless of the circumstances, the situation was quite stable now, and it was time to replenish their energy.

After being devoured by the alternate world, Lee Jaehun had advised the protagonist to prepare some essentials.

In response, Deputy Jung diligently brought a toolbox, a water bottle, and a few snacks. Some had been consumed during their escape from the company, but there were still some left.

Since no one had opened them yet, the water bottle should be completely fresh, and the snacks, like small chocolates, wouldn’t have gone bad.

Given the chilly weather, they likely didn’t melt.

Deputy Jung nodded in response, “Yes, probably… Kang Mina seemed to have them.”

“Ah, yes. Yeonhee and I were carrying them together.”

Team Leader Kang Mina looked at Analyst Kwon, and both of them took out small snacks that had been stashed somewhere in their consultation room.

They were common, recognizable snacks that were usually found in the break room.

Seeing that, Lee Jaehun spoke again.

“One, two, three… Since there are a total of 9 people now, it should be enough.”

Although the snacks were small in size, it seemed like they could be shared without feeling burdened.

Lee Jaehun decided to distribute about 11 small chocolates, roughly one for each person.

“As for the remaining snacks… let’s leave them for now. We should bring some more food from tomorrow onwards.”

“Huh? Bring food?”

“Why, for hunting or at least to ensure we have enough water.”

“… Is that okay?”

Lee Jaehun blinked at Deputy Jung’s question.

“Is there a reason it wouldn’t be?”

“…No, I’m sorry.”

“Apologizing for that…”

He further twisted his already frowning brow.

Naturally, it wasn’t a conscious effort; it was an involuntary distortion of facial muscles due to embarrassment.

Why is this guy acting like this?

“Why act like food is so scarce?”

Of course, if he were wise, it was a prudent judgment.

In this monochromatic world, there was no guarantee of proper food. Skipping a meal today and having a substantial meal the next day would be much more efficient.

However, the one he was dealing with was still Deputy Jung, who resembled a chick in many ways. Despite being particularly repulsive in the group, he was inexperienced, lacking knowledge about survival.

In the novel, the protagonist only developed a reasonable sense of survival after making numerous mistakes.

However, it’s still the early stages, isn’t it? Despite feeling like a long day due to many experiences, they haven’t even spent a full day in this alternate world.

Where on earth did Deputy Manager Jung Inho learn survival skills?

Ignoring the uneasy feeling creeping up on him, Lee Jaehun continued.

“…While exploring, I noticed some animals.”

“Ani, animals?”

“Insects and… well, that means there could be fish too.”

Not just the possibility but the actual presence.

In the novel, they stocked up with ready-made items at the beginning, but even that had its limits.

Eventually, with no other food, they replenished their strength by supplementing with passing insects. Later on, they visited a park lake and found fish.

The issue was encountering the Nocturnal Moss Monster during that process, but after that, they discovered various creatures, so there was no problem in resupplying food.

For Lee Jaehun, who had occasionally gone hunting even in his past life, immediate concerns about food were not significant.

Of course, in the novel, clues about hunting were only obtained when they were about to leave the park, but well…

As long as Lee Jaehun himself was here, he had no intention of going around in circles to think that far.

“Director, didn’t you mention there’s a lake here?”

“Ah, yes! That’s right.”

As if lost in thought, or perhaps a beat late, Yoon Garam nodded.

“There’s a large lake and a smaller one. They’re managed by the city hall… I think there were even creatures like silkfish living there.”

“Sikfish here? In such a big park?”

“Well… I don’t know much about it, but the park received a lot of attention, especially from the construction department. They took care of water quality due to the fish, regularly cleaned up the trash because of the small animals… The condition was really good.”

“Then we can fetch water from the lake.”

“Well, the water in the big lake is affected by Nocturnal Moss. So, it might be better to go to the smaller lake.”

Suddenly, Lee Jaehun looked at Deputy Manager Jung Inho with a peculiar expression when he heard the word ‘Nocturnal Moss.’

“…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing… If you’re tired, just say so.”

Even though the protagonist looked at him once again with a strange gaze, for Lee Jaehun, it was surprisingly sincere.

No matter how you thought about it, Lee Jaehun was genuinely concerned about Deputy Manager Jung Inho’s current state.

“If that guy breaks down, they won’t be able to handle it.”

As much as the protagonist was competent and mentally strong, second only to Dr. Ha Sungyoon among the gathered group, even if his mental state collapsed, he would still efficiently handle his tasks.

If the protagonist were to fall apart now, how would Lee Jaehun manage the numerous young ones?

Lee Jaehun placed the small chocolate he received into his mouth.

Despite the bitterness triggered by the trauma from the influence of the parallel world, he needed to replenish his strength even if it didn’t go down smoothly.

Having roughly swallowed the chocolate and suppressing the urge to vomit, Lee Jaehun turned his gaze at the faint scraping sound suddenly reaching his ears.

“Ah.”

Crunch!

He had stepped on a creeping vine that approached him.

“Damn, startled me.”

A moment later, accompanied by a belated exclamation, Lee Jaehun exerted force on the hand holding the pipe.

The creeping vine wriggled like a snake under his foot, and before it could ignite like in a florist’s shop, Lee Jaehun brought the pipe down on it.

Squelch!

With the sound of something juicy bursting, a moment of silence passed among the group.

“…”

“Director, are you okay?!”

“Not dead.”

Lee Jaehun swallowed a sigh as the group stared at him pale-faced, clearly worried.

Especially the protagonist, who had the monkey wrench in one hand, was now gripping it again, and when their black eyes met, Lee Jaehun involuntarily felt his breath catch.

“Why is that guy acting like that again?”

Now completely ignoring the sensation of itching in his brain, Lee Jaehun moved.

“I was… really trying not to mention this weird thought I had.”

“What?”

“Why do the vines seem to be approaching intentionally?”

“…”

“They seem somewhat intelligent.”

Of course, it wasn’t just a ‘weird thought’; it was a fact.

With the information about the seaweed monster from the novel, Lee Jaehun already knew what the current situation was. The monster that had not approached until just now was now closing in on them deliberately.

Upon hearing Lee Jaehun’s words, Dr. Ha Sungyoon’s face stiffened, and the protagonist tightened the grip on the monkey wrench.

The other members of the group seemed to gradually grasp the situation by observing the expressions of the two.

“…Sir? Where are you going?”

“Nowhere far.”

Lee Jaehun sighed as he spoke.

“Just trying to look around.”

He didn’t have any plans to go far.

However, no matter how he thought about it, the appearance of the seaweed monster at this moment felt strangely off.

If there were variables at play, it was better for Lee Jaehun, who could revive even if he died, to investigate.

If anything happened, the protagonist would take care of the others.

Of course, it didn’t mean he was going to die willingly. Knowing he couldn’t die, he had simply found a more efficient way.

Until just before the reset, he had thrown himself into danger with the thought that if he could die, he would gladly do so.

However, if that wasn’t an option, he had no choice but to face the unknown risks.

He needed to know, as the one who could rewind the situation.

Only then could he lead these chicks and earn their trust. He wanted to live a better life than the current one, no matter how.

However, if there was a problem,

“Sir.”

“…”

“You’re just standing still here.”

The protagonist found something off about Lee Jaehun.

“What?”

“I have a bad feeling. I’ll go and check.”

At those words, like a dam bursting, Lee Jaehun recalled the strange facts he had deliberately avoided until now. And he couldn’t avoid it anymore.

The seaweed monster arrived much later than expected. The protagonist’s eyes were halfway turned compared to what Lee Jaehun had seen before the reset. Originally, the protagonist would have been kind to the weak, but now, he was hiding an unknown hostility towards the underage siblings.

And as far as Lee Jaehun knew, there was no encounter between the protagonist and these siblings after the reset.

Naturally, the protagonist’s mind that he had been managing so far didn’t go away like this.

In other words, for Inho, there was a time that Lee Jaehun didn’t know about.

“…?”

There weren’t many answers to this contradiction.

“Hey.”

“…Yes?”

“No, never mind.”

Damn, this is messed up.

“Then, let’s go together.”

Why does this guy seem like he also experienced a reset?

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