“Kim Taehyung, you were here?”
Taehyung stopped walking at that voice.
Sky reflexively hid Taehyung behind her and looked at the man.
A black coat, a strangely eerie composure. His eyes... were vividly red.
“Pretending not to remember, you’re pretty good at acting?”
“…Who, who are you…?”
Taehyung swallowed. He felt a tingling sensation somewhere in his head.
It was familiar, but I couldn't remember it. That was even more creepy.
"Ugh....ugh....my head hurts..."
“Do you really not know? Or are you just pretending not to know?”
He approached me, smiling quietly.
The sky took a step back.
“Excuse me, who are you? Do you know me?”
“Ah~~ We know each other so well. You really don’t remember? Why are you like that?”
“...You say you have amnesia, do you know what happened?!”
“There are a lot. But even if I tell you now, you won’t be able to handle it, right?”
"yes?"
Taehyung's eyes wavered as he looked at Seokjin.
The man's gaze slowly dug into Taehyung's pupils.
"Now, Kim Taehyung. Think about it. Why did you end up here?"
“That... that’s because of the successor exam, right...?”
"That's right, that competitor is me."
"...?"
"You don't remember?"
"Just... because of the test... I failed... that's all..."
The sky spoke with surprised eyes.
“…What does that mean?”
"You stay still, you. Don't you remember me either?"
"... I don't..."
“....? Why is there no persona at all?”
"Do you remember everything?"
"Of course. You should have a persona that you were originally given. Is there a problem?"
Only then did Taehyung realize.
The memories and persona that I believed Kasen had set up—they never existed in the first place.
Someone interfered. On purpose.
“...So you’re my competitor?”
"Right? Seriously... You don't know me? You're such an idiot, Kim Taehyung?"
"So it was your doing?"
"If I were you, I'd just kill you. Why bother erasing your memories?"
"...."
“I’m just letting you know, it’s no fun when your competitors act like… idiots.”
The sky looked at Taehyung with wary eyes.
“…Taehyung, this guy… can I trust him?”
“…I don’t know yet. But…”
Taehyung touched his forehead.
“I don’t think what that person said was wrong...”
The man slowly walked away.
“I’ll see you again soon… Maybe your memories will come back then? Good luck, Babtinga.”
He turned the corner of the alley and disappeared into the shadows.
Taehyung and Haneul stood there in silence for a while.
Even in that gap, Taeyang was licking the sky's feet peacefully.
“…That person… Who do you think he is?”
“…At least for now…it doesn’t seem like they’re on our side.”
“Well then, it’s clear that something is involved.”
"But, Taehyung... Looking at what you're saying, successor...? Chaebol?? Something like that?"
"?? Uh.............what should I say? Haha...."
"Ah!!!! I thought that person knew Taehyung, I should have asked for his house!!!!"
"Huh!! What should I do..? You seem to be the only person who knows me..."
".... It's okay!! Haha.. Since it's a room in my house that we don't use anyway, you can stay longer... ^^;;"
As he said that, the sky thought to itself.
"A conglomerate... You're not going to provide this and that care service and then get 100 million won later, right..? Hehe..."
".... ㅜㅜ Thank you"
"First of all!! Let's go get some ice cream, let's change our mood~!!"
The two continued walking. As they passed through the alley, Taehyung felt something faintly.
Somewhere deep in my mind—a certain memory was faintly welling up.
.
.
.
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Sonting ⭐