Chapter 4
‘Insight’ was an amazing ability, and I could clearly see why it was called ‘Insight’. Befitting its name, my comprehension of everything within my sight increased significantly. It was not just an increased understanding of objects but phenomena and situations as well. Currently, a flowerpot was falling on Yeon-Hoon’s head. Normally, I would have been at a loss, not knowing what to do, and watched the pot fall and hit his head. But...
Slide.
I could now clearly see the precise trajectory of what angle I needed to push Yeon-Hoon to get him safely out of the fall range. I pushed his left chest first, grabbed his left side again, and pushed him aside with force.
Baaaam!
The pot that was falling on top of Yeon-Hoon’s head crashed to the floor.
“Ugh, uahh, uahhh, ackkkkk!” My member was a hair’s breadth length away from death this time as well. If I had reacted even a second later, he would have died. As soon as the pot fell on the floor, the Insight was over. I felt dizzy for a moment when the world returned to its original speed. However, I pushed back my headache and took care of Yeon-Hoon first.
“Yeon-Hoon, are you okay?”
“T-the flower pot...a huge pot...oh my god!” Yeon-Hoon seemed extremely shocked, so I calmed him down first. Then I looked up. The fact that such a big flower pot fell indicated that there was some significant problem. The convenience store that we were currently at was a convenience store on the first floor of the apartment complex. Thus, this meant that there were only private residents on the top floors, and the main culprit of this case must be living in this apartment complex right now.
“What kind of crazy guy...” When I was about to scream and wake up all the residents of the apartment, a middle-aged man came running out of the entrance.
“Oh my goodness! Are you okay!? I’m so sorry!” There was a trowel in his hand, and he had dirt on his pants.
I had found the culprit. I called out, “Mister.”
Yeon-Hoon tried to stop me. “T-Tae-Yoon, don’t.”
“Yeon-Hoon, wait a minute.”
The middle-aged man said, “I-I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Are you hurt? I’ll pay you any amount of hospital bills or consolation fees so...”
“Do you think it’s money we want? A person almost died!”
“I...have no words...”
While anger burned up in my heart, Yeon-Hoon said in a frightened voice, “Stop, let’s stop...Tae-Yoon.”
It was only then did I came to my senses. The person who was probably the most frightened right now was Yeon-Hoon since he almost died.
“I’m really, so very sorry.” The middle-aged man bowed. He really did seem sorry as he looked pale-stricken. On second thought, in a situation where the culprit hadn’t been found yet, he could have pretended ignorance and moved on. However, he immediately came out and told the truth, so he seemed like a moral person.
Then the middle-aged man suddenly said, “I know this may sound like an excuse, but this flower pot was not in the position to fall at all...I took it out on the veranda to repot the flower...but there was the railing and I put it inside the veranda...I can’t believe this situation happened either.”
“The pot wasn’t in a position to fall?” I asked to make sure again.
“Yes, I know it’s hard to believe, and I can’t believe it either. But it’s true...I’m sorry.”
I looked up at the sky blankly and realized that the voice I heard, ‘Probability of Woo Yeon-Hoon’s death increases’ was not just a joke. I had realized it too late. It should have been obvious that a transcendent incident like this would be possible for a being that could ring mysterious orders directly to my ear.
“...No, it’s all right.” After assessing the situation, I realized that it wasn’t this man’s fault. If I were to place the blame on someone for this incident, it would be—
‘It’s me.’ It was because I announced my intention to leave the group.
“The consolation money...” The middle-aged man seemed to want to make amends somehow.
However, Yeon-Hoon came forward and said, “No, it’s all right. I’m not hurt, so you don’t have to give me any consolation fee.” Yeon-Hoon seemed as if he was just going to let this whole incident slide under the rug as he wasn’t injured.
But that wasn’t the case for me. “No, you should give us a consolation fee.”
“T-Tae-Yoon!”
We needed to get this money.
Yeon-Hoon might wonder why I was doing this, but it was better for both parties to take this money. This composition is securely entrenched in n0v*lbin★
I said, “He’ll give you his bank account.”
The middle-aged man said, “Thank you!”
I personally didn’t want to take this money either as I was the culprit of this accident. However, it couldn’t be helped as a person almost died in this accident. There needed to be a record that we met a mutual agreement on this accident, and there was no agreement as clear as money printed in a bank account transfer details. This was also the reason why the middle-aged man’s expression looked brighter than when we said we wouldn’t take the money.
“That’s a relief.”
“Seriously, you basta...” Do-Seung glanced at me for a second and then said, “...You made the right decision. Thanks. For not leaving.”
He said some warm words out of character for him, and even while talking, he twisted his lips strangely as if to reveal his disgruntled feelings.
‘Woon must have made him do it.’ Seeing Woon smiling softly next to me, it seemed as if Woon forced him to be nice to me.
Dong-Jun looked at me and said with a mischievous smile, “Tae-Yoon, we made some plans while you two were out~.”
He spoke with his usual mischievous voice. “You want to quit because you’re not confident in your skills, right?”
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
“We’re going to take turns to help you practice.”
“What?” Did I hear him right—they’re going to take turns to help me practice?
I asked, “Aren’t you guys already doing that?” I was already getting help from the other members. If I recall memories of my past life, every move and every line from a song—I haven’t done anything on my own. I only remember my members helping me with every single part of the nano-scale.
“No, no, not just that level~ But we’re really going to stick to your side and push you until you can do it.”
“Ah, what?”
“Don’t be scared. You won’t die at least.” It seemed as if the members had suggested special training as a form of punishment; I’m sure they must have been furious that I suddenly expressed my intention to leave at dawn.
“No, I’m grateful.” I had to improve my skills anyway. I’m glad that they were stepping forward to take on tasks that I should have asked as a favor instead. But above all—
‘As expected, they are great people.’ I looked around at my members. It wasn’t a very long life, but I have never met people as good as them in my 24 years of life. How should I put it? It finally felt like I was really back home.
“Uh, what the?”
“Is he crying?”
My members were asking if he was crying, but it wasn’t directed towards me.
“Hahaha! Yeon-Hoon is crying again!”
Yeon-Hoon’s eyes were watering behind me. He said, “Tae-Yoon...thanks for not leaving the group...”
I said, “Geez, Yeon-Hoon...” I wondered how this soft-hearted person got a driver’s license; I thought he would have burst into tears while holding the steering wheel.
“Hummph.” Yeon-Hoon forced himself to hold back his tears and organized his emotions.
“Pwehh. Let’s go to bed now guys. Today was seriously a long day...,” Yeon-Hoon said and went under the blanket first. The other members also lay down side by side.
“Tae-Yoon, here.” Yeon-Hoon tapped the seat next to him once again. I went over there and lay down.
“Good night, everyone~”
“Good night.”
“See you tomorrow.”
“Everyone, let's keep this up.”
And like this, everyone began to say their greetings one by one on a cool night like this.
“Good night, everyone.” It was the same for me. For the first time in 5 years, I’ve said good night to them. While I felt a surge of joy in my heart—
[Record 100,000 album sales for your debut album in the first week.]
‘What?’ The next mission came at the worst timing.
[Countdown D-365]
[Upon success, you will progress to the next mission.]
[Upon failure, member Kang Do-Seung will die.]
The contents of the mission were even worse.