"Oh?" Shajin narrowed his eyes. "That 'chip'… I'm afraid even my entire net worth now isn't worth a ten-thousandth of it, is it?"
"Shajin" chuckled and cursed. "You damned short-lived ghost, stop trying to bait information out of me. I'll tell you what you need to know."
He laughed.
"Shajin" pointed at "Little Shajin." "Look at him. I bet you can't forget the shrill laughter of those treasure-hunting raiders when your village was slaughtered."
"In order to vanish from their sight, you didn't hesitate to roll in the mud, ruining the birthday gift your sister scrimped and saved to give you—those very clothes you were wearing."
"You destroyed the only memento she left behind."
Shajin clenched his jaw. "It wasn't destroyed! I've kept it safe all this time…"
"Shajin" smirked teasingly. "Yet now, you don't need to hide anymore. You even have the luxury to complain about your fancy clothes getting wet from the rain… I guess your status really has changed."
Shajin's voice was resolute.
"I've never changed!"
"Shajin" seemed satisfied, as if he'd achieved his goal.
He let out a loud, unrestrained laugh.
"Oh? You don't want to face the past? Can't admit that your life once cost just sixty Mora?"
"Yes, Shajin, you've never changed! You've never once truly looked at yourself!!"
Shajin's gaze trembled, as though something had stirred deep inside him.
"Shajin" stepped forward, grabbing Shajin by the collar.
With practiced ease, he reached into the inner pocket of Shajin's coat and pulled out the Mora coin Shajin had always seen as a symbol of freedom.
Word by word, he said,
"It's exactly because of this that you let the Calamity of Solitude seep in."
"That weakness in your bones—the slave's weakness—you've been using this coin to hide it from yourself."
He effortlessly snapped the Mora into three pieces.
Then placed the fragments back into Shajin's hand.
"This is all I can do to help you."
Shajin stared at the broken coin in his palm.
He shook his head and let out a quiet laugh.
"So in the end, I really was just lying to myself~"
"Shajin" slid the pink sunglasses back up his nose. "The best way to not get exposed in front of others… is to deceive yourself first, isn't it?"
"Classic bluffing from the gambling table~"
"Haha, of course, I just know my past self too damn well…"
He continued,
"But even I don't get it—why did I refuse that invitation?"
"You had the chance to embrace Joy. Isn't that what I always wanted? And yet, I still chose the corporate table…"
Shajin listened silently, committing the intel to memory.
"Was it for Preservation? Hah, I don't think so. Do we have any ties to Preservation?"
"Shajin" hinted at something deeper.
Shajin shook his head. "I thought you knew… Don't you understand me?"
"Little Shajin" suddenly jumped in.
"Geez, how can we possibly understand ourselves?"
Shajin and "Shajin" locked eyes for a moment.
Then both laughed together.
"You're right~"
…
The figures of "Shajin" and "Little Shajin" began to blur and fade, as though a breeze would whisk them away completely.
Even though he stood in darkness, Shajin no longer felt afraid.
Little Shajin looked at his glowing, translucent hands.
"Hmm… I'm going home now."
Shajin couldn't help but ask,
"Your home…"
"Where is it?"
Little Shajin placed his hands on his hips.
"That's a weird question. Home is where Dad, Mom, and Sis are…"
Behind him, the shadows of "Dad," "Mom," and "Sister" slowly emerged.
"Big Sis" pulled Little Shajin into her arms.
Little Shajin looked at Shajin.
"So, future me… looks like you're not a fan of this scene?"
"Why?"
Shajin took a deep breath.
"…Because they're not really here."
"Shajin" smiled faintly.
"Then where are they?"
Shajin's voice dropped.
"I don't know. But I will find them."
"Shajin" stretched.
"Admit it—you're tired."
"We both are. That's why we plan to stay here. Me… and him."
He pointed to himself and Little Shajin.
"Your past, and your future."
Shajin was silent for a long while.
"Staying here… for how long?"
Behind those pink sunglasses, "Shajin's" eyes sparkled with amusement.
"Forever. We'll stay with you, always."
"This is our greatest tribute to someone prepared to die."
"Walking the edge of the blade is a reckless act—but one you've done more than once. Because your own life has always been the first chip you throw on the table. Always."
"I was born from your very self, so I know—trying to reclaim that thrown chip is nearly impossible."
"I can't stop what you're going to do. And the place you're heading to… we can't change that either."
Shajin chuckled.
"Water once spilled cannot be gathered. All we can do is seize every opportunity… and try to win just one more second."
"Yeah. But no one can make the right choice every single time… even if luck always seems to side with you."
"Shajin" tapped his finger against Shajin's chest.
"You always win. You've never lost. But why you? Why does it have to be you?"
"If the miracle of a lucky soul is built entirely on the misfortune of everyone they love—and more…"
"If every rain you bring isn't the goddess's grace or forgiveness… but just another meaningless death…"
"Then how many mistakes did you and I make to be born into this world in the first place?"
Shajin lowered his eyes.
"Maybe… when I reach the end of this road, I'll finally have the answer."
"Shajin" grinned.
"Heh… alright then. We'll go on ahead, friend. I'll be waiting for you up there."
He glanced at Little Shajin.
"Dad," "Mom," and "Sister" were already gone, nowhere in sight.
"Spend these final moments saying goodbye to the child. Try to make it so… you die without regrets~"
Little Shajin looked up at him innocently.
"Will you come with us?"
Shajin smiled and shook his head.
"Not yet."
"Like my future self said, I still have one last performance left to finish—on this little forgotten planet~"
Little Shajin gave a slow, thoughtful nod.
"I see. Then I know you'll do it."
Shajin smiled.
"Of course. I'm the child blessed by the Mother Goddess, after all~"
He bent one knee to the ground.
And gently patted Little Shajin's head.
"One last time. Shall we do our palm pact?"
"Mhm!"
Shajin and Little Shajin pressed their left palms together.
"Shajin" stood a short distance away, watching silently.
All three of them closed their eyes as though in a dream, and spoke in unison:
"May the Mother Goddess thrice close her eyes for you…"
"Keeping your blood eternally pulsing…"
"May your journey be forever peaceful…"
"And your schemes… forever concealed. "
"We who have nothing left, will one day beneath that aurora…"
"Win back…"
"Everything…"
_
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