Regression Guidelines for the Supporting Character

Chapter 9

“So what’s the deal?”

“Huh?”

As I was feeling strange about the child suddenly acting familiar, I came to my senses at the sound of Hyun Do-woon’s voice from behind.

“You were spouting nonsense about being kidnapped by a laboratory, and now you’ve brought some kid I’ve never seen before. What are you up to?”

“Ah.”

Right, this isn’t the time for that. I need to accomplish my purpose for coming here.

I sat down in Hyun Do-woon’s chair while holding the child and said to him,

“Bring me any empty box.”

“…?”

Hyun Do-woon, who was glaring at me with narrowed eyes, glanced at the sisters who were watching with interest, then brought an empty box from the corner.

After putting the box Hyun Do-woon brought on the desk, I unfastened the hip pack I had been wearing and opened the bag’s mouth. Then I started taking out the items I had stolen—no, brought from the laboratory one by one.

“Whoa, what’s this?”

“It’s a magic stone, isn’t it? The quality is quite good.”

“There are artifacts too.”

“Seo-hu, where did you get all this?”

“Let’s say it’s the price for my life.”

I took out all the items except for the robe and sword I had brought for my own use and transferred them to the box.

“Sisters, could you sell these items for me? Keep an appropriate fee for your trouble from the proceeds, and send the rest to me.”

Originally, I was going to entrust the selling to Hyun Do-woon, but since the sisters who manage the black market were here anyway, it was better to ask them directly.

Even after giving them a fee for their trouble, the amount coming to me should be quite substantial given the good condition of the items.

“And Hyun Do-woon. I have a few favors to ask.”

“Why are you asking me for several favors and making a fuss?”

“Because only you can do it.”

When I answered seriously, Hyun Do-woon pouted his lips and scratched the back of his head as if he had no choice.

“What is it?”

“Hmm, first, create a suitable guild for me.”

“A guild? Suddenly?”

“Yeah. And with this money, find a place to live near Gangnam. I’ll be living there with this kid.”

“What?”

“Also, make a fake identity. For him.”

“…”

As he listened to my words, Hyun Do-woon’s expression soured more and more until he finally sighed deeply and shook his head.

“From start to finish, you’re just planning to break the law, aren’t you?”

“How is this breaking the law?”

“Then why don’t you go to the association and submit an application to create a guild fair and square? Instead of making a fuss here with me.”

“Why are you like this? You know I’m not in a position to do that.”

“Haa… let’s not even talk about it.”

Hyun Do-woon turned his head as if he had a headache and dragged a new chair to the computer.

“To do what you want, we need to create an identity for that child first. What’s his name?”

He asked as he started typing on the keyboard.

‘Hmm. Here it comes.’

I had anticipated that we would need an identity for the child to do various things together. As expected, the problem was that I had never heard the child’s name in this situation.

“Well… his name is…”

“His name?”

“Umm… his name… hmm, what was it? Haa, my memory is…”

“…You don’t actually know it, do you?”

“No, I heard it! It’s just that I’ve been so forgetful lately that even the child’s name…”

“Sahyun.”

“I seem to have forgot… Huh? What did you say?”

Surprised by the very low whisper in my ear, I grabbed the child’s shoulders and pushed him away, but he struggled to hug me again and repeated,

“Sahyun. My name.”

“Huh…”

He’s giving his name this easily? This guy who had been ignoring all my words and at best just nodding his head until now?

While I was dumbfounded and bewildered, Hyun Do-woon clicked his tongue.

“Tsk, you really forgot? As expected, this bastard’s insensitive personality is well-known. So the name is Sahyun… what surname should we use?”

Having suddenly become the worst trash who had heard the child’s name and forgotten it, I answered with an aggrieved feeling.

“…Use the same surname as me. Cha. So people will think he’s my brother.”

“Okay. Cha Sahyun.”

The sisters who had been listening to our conversation chimed in with curious eyes.

“Cha Sahyun. Nice name. But where did you really meet him? If you’re planning to live together, it seems you’re intending to take proper responsibility.”

“There are some circumstances.”

“It’s not your son, is it?”

“Come on, sis! The ages don’t match at all. Seo-hu is only 32 years old.”

“…I’m 26 years old.”

“Oh, were you that young?”

Isn’t there quite a difference between 32 and 26? Moreover, I’m 26 because I regressed 2 years, even before the regression I was only 28.

Do I look like I’m 32? Feeling a little hurt, I made one more request to Son Ga-young, who had the highest position among the sisters, besides selling the items.

“By any chance, is there a portable inventory item among the goods in the black market? Preferably an accessory type.”

The hip pack was inconvenient after all, so I thought it would be better to get an accessory inventory even if it was a bit expensive.

“Hmm… there is one gem that came in. If we embed that, it should work. What kind of accessory do you want?”

“A ring or necklace would be convenient.”

Son Ga-young took out her phone and sent a message somewhere.

“I’ve told the kids, so they’ll make it and bring it right away. There’s no spare ring to embed the gem, so it’ll be a necklace.”

“A necklace is fine.”

Actually, a ring would be the most secure, but a necklace wasn’t bad either. I just had to be careful not to let anyone cut the necklace chain.

“I’ll deduct this cost from the money left after selling the items.”

“Can’t it be a gift?”

I asked with a grin, trying to be cute, and Son Ga-young also smiled slightly and took out a cigarette. Perhaps because of the child’s presence, she didn’t light it.

“Where are you cute? You disappear without contact and then show up when you need something.”

“Sister, you’re as sharp as ever…”

I had a lot to say in rebuttal, but in this situation, even if I told them I had been kidnapped and lived as a test subject before barely escaping, I would only be laughed at. It could also endanger Cha Sahyun’s identity if I wasn’t careful.

“Here.”

In that brief moment while I was chatting with the sisters, Hyun Do-woon had already processed everything and handed me several documents.

“I’ve submitted the guild creation application as you wanted and bought a usable office under your name. For the guild name, send a text to the number written on the document within a week, and it will be applied.”

Even though it involved some illegal methods, creating a guild was all new to me, so everything was fascinating. As I flipped through the documents, Hyun Do-woon continued explaining.

“The kid’s documents are on the last page. Cha Sahyun. He’s your brother and 12 years old. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I set it according to how he looks, so shut up even if you have complaints.”

“12 years old? Is this normal for a 12-year-old?”

I thought he was 10. Even as we were talking about his age, Cha Sahyun just clung to my neck like a koala, arms wrapped tightly around me.

As Hyun Do-woon showed an irresponsible attitude, saying “I don’t know” with a blank expression, the sisters chimed in to help.

“12 years old feels like a close save. Kids that age can vary a lot in height.”

“Right. Was Seo-hu this tall at 12? Thinking about it, he might have been similar to this child?”

“But when they’re hugging like that, they really look like brothers. There’s something similar about their vibe too.”

“I know, right? I’ve been thinking that too. I can’t pinpoint it exactly, but there’s a subtle resemblance.”

Son Ga-young, who had been watching us from the back, spoke while chewing on her unlit cigarette.

“Could he possibly be your half-brother?”

“That’s impossible.”

What’s the age difference between us? Besides, I was quite young when I was abandoned and drifted into Zone C-281.

It’s impossible for me to have a sibling with such an age difference, and even if I did, I would surely remember at least vaguely.

Even if someone related to my genes had a new child… for that child to be Cha Sahyun, destined to become the great calamity, and coincidentally captured and experimented on in the same laboratory, it’s too far-fetched.

“Since everything’s been taken care of, I’ll be going now.”

Just then, the necklace Son Ga-young had ordered arrived.

I received the necklace delivered by an employee and put it on, then pried off Cha Sahyun who was clinging tightly to me. He blinked up at me as if displeased, but settled down when I held his hand.

“You’re leaving already?”

“You’ll keep in touch this time, right?”

“If you disappear again, we’ll come find you.”

I responded to the sisters’ half-worried, half-joking scolding with vague smiles and soulless pleasantries like “Of course not,” “I’ll keep in touch.”

“Cha Seo-hu!”

Just as I was about to leave the room before getting hassled more by the sisters, Hyun Do-woon called out from behind me as I grabbed the doorknob.

“You’re just going to leave? He… will be waiting.”

Hyun Do-woon stammered and pointed upwards with his eyes. Understanding immediately who he meant, I unconsciously stopped in my tracks.

As I struggled to answer, Son Ga-young also spoke up.

“Won’t you see him before you go? He’s probably already been informed that you’re here.”

“…”

“How are you going to deal with the aftermath later?”

Barely swallowing the deep sigh rising from within, I said with a smile still on my face,

“Well, won’t my future self deal with that aftermath? I’m really not in the mood for it today. So, I’ll be going now!”

“Huh… that crazy bastard…”

Ignoring Hyun Do-woon’s shocked curses, I left the room without hesitation.

As soon as I exited the dark place, the dazzling neon lights stung my eyes. The place was full of illegal activities, dangerous criminals swarming about, and even though it was spacious, the air was stuffy inside the building.

‘As expected, this isn’t a place to stay for long.’

Thinking I should leave as soon as possible, I quickened my pace, leading the child along.