Haebom combed through the lengthy email, searching for even the slightest clue about a way to go back.
The details about dream scenes, how beautiful Choi Yoonseo and Na Hyunjoon looked, the kind of love they shared—none of that mattered to him.
He also hadn’t forgotten how this author carelessly turned Wonho into a foolish character who would throw his life away for unrequited love.
The reality had been entirely different… but how could they have known, when all they had were fragmented images to base their writing on?
Still, Haebom didn’t resent them.
If not for this novel, he never would’ve known, never would’ve developed these feelings, never would’ve made the ‘choice’ the administrator spoke of.
If he hadn’t read it, he never would’ve met Wonho.
So, no—he didn’t resent them.
But still… just a little—just a little more happiness for Wonho would’ve been nice.
[Ah, come to think of it, that place where I had the dream wasn’t my house. I’m not the type to dream much, but I had one during a healing trip. I went on that trip because I was struggling to come up with an idea for my next work. But thanks to the dream I had there, I came up with the concept right away, and now I go back every year. Where is that place, you ask…?]
As the author rambled on about his story, he finally said the words Haebom wanted to hear the most.
The place where the author had his dream was one of the pensions located near the base of Mt. Jiri.
He apparently wanted to breathe in the fresh mountain air to get inspiration for his next project… Something like that.
Haebom quickly searched the name of the pension, relieved to find that it was still open for business.
He booked a room right away and began getting ready for work.
He still had a job in this world, so he had to show up to survive, not just for food and living expenses, but because traveling between dimensions would take money too.
After sending an email to the author, Haebom spent the next two weeks visiting the campsite he’d been to every weekend.
He walked the trails over and over again, but crossing over through a gate never happened.
During the weekdays, he juggled work with exercise.
If his efforts did manage to open a dimensional gate, there was no guarantee he’d land somewhere safe.
Honestly, if he ended up facing monsters inside a gate, there was no way he’d survive.
It wasn’t even a matter of winning or losing — encountering a monster meant certain death.
“Running away is my only chance… like a damn rat.”
Haebom didn’t know if it would work, but his only option was to run.
Whether he could even escape from those creatures was questionable, but it was all he could do.
He had no weapons, no abilities.
The only reason Haebom was even holding it together was the guiding energy he felt flowing inside his body.
He had panicked completely when he realized even his clothes had changed back to what he’d been wearing that day.
But one thing had changed.
Before crossing through the gate at the campsite, he had never felt this energy circulating within him.
It was like his body itself was telling him those days with Wonho weren’t just some dream.
That’s how he managed to snap out of his panic so quickly.
“Whew…”
Before leaving for work, Haebom moved the guiding energy around his body like a ritual, then left the house with a heavy sigh.
Life back in his original world was painfully simple.
Work, exercise, work, exercise… over and over.
Even his coworkers asked why he was working himself to death.
But Haebom only had one reason: to get back to where he belonged.
Where he truly belonged wasn’t something determined by some administrator — it was his choice to make.
Haebom lay on his back, staring blankly at an unfamiliar ceiling.
As soon as the weekend arrived after receiving the author’s email, he had come straight to the pension.
He planned to keep coming until he found some kind of clue.
But even after drinking to force himself to sleep, he hadn’t had a dream, much less felt anything unusual.
The disappointment left him hollow.
“I knew it… This probably won’t work… No, I can’t give up this easily.”
Shaking off his disappointment, Haebom sat up sharply.
There was no way he’d give up now.
Even if it took a lifetime, as long as he could return, he was prepared to risk everything — time, effort, whatever it took.
Just like when he crossed over the first time, it could happen without warning.
So Haebom scrubbed himself clean, dressed in the nicest clothes he owned, and headed out of the pension.
As expected of a pension near Jirisan National Park, the hiking trails were beautifully maintained.
Haebom walked and walked until the sun set and his empty stomach stopped him from going any farther.
But unlike his hopes, he didn’t return to where he was supposed to be.
Back at the pension, he collapsed onto the bed without even bothering to wash up.
He’d told himself this wouldn’t be easy, but every time hope rose up and crashed down, it left his heart sinking.
His face, so full of anticipation when he set out earlier, was now completely drained as he closed his eyes, as if trying not to think of anything at all…
[Do you regret your ‘choice’? Even though the choice made by the outsider ‘Yoon Haebom’ saved an entire world?]
At the voice ringing in his head, Haebom instantly spat out curses.
It wasn’t the ‘choice’ itself he regretted.
It was this whole shitty situation — being thrown back to his original world as the so-called price of that choice.
And it’s not like they gave him any compensation either!
[Would you not regret it if you were compensated?]
“No! It’s not about compensation, are you out of your mind? You’ve gotta be insane…! Ah…!”
Startled, Haebom’s eyes flew open and he blinked several times.
When he cursed earlier, his voice hadn’t come out, but now his thoughts were clearly escaping his mouth as spoken words.
On top of that, he could finally see his own body.
Only then did Haebom realize he was dreaming.
Coming all the way to Jirisan, the author’s so-called next project inspiration spot, hadn’t been completely pointless after all.
In fact, if things weren’t pointless, it’d be even better if this damn dream would just send him straight back to that other dimension.
This damn administrator bastard…
[I’ll grant outsider ‘Yoon Haebom’ a reward. Tell me your wish. If the outsider ‘Yoon Haebom’ regrets his ‘choice,’ the balance of the world you saved will collapse. So please, accept your reward and never regret it again….]
Ugh, was this thing even listening to me properly…?
Frustrated, Haebom pounded his chest.
Thankfully, maybe because it was a dream, it didn’t hurt.
The reason for this so-called reward was ridiculous too.
Whether they were administrators or gods, they were all selfish.
But even so, Haebom had no choice but to beg this selfish god for what he wanted.
Without this cursed god, Haebom had no way to return to that place.
“…Send me back to the world where Wonho is. That damned world I supposedly saved….”
[Is that the reward outsider ‘Yoon Haebom’ desires?]
“Yeah! And quit calling me outsider already. You dragged me into another dimension without permission and now you’re treating me like I don’t belong?”
Haebom couldn’t help but snap, his voice rising in frustration at the administrator’s words.
But arguing with some formless entity felt pointless, so he took a deep breath and sighed heavily.
The administrator went silent after that.
They’d acted like they’d grant any wish if he stated it, but now their silence made him nervous — what if they weren’t going to follow through?
