I Have a Fiancee in a Parallel World

2 – A Familiar yet Unfamiliar Reality

Coming out of the gate before his classmates, Jihoon trained his inner energy in the park and then moved towards the downtown area.

“Yeah, there’s that delicious pork restaurant. Oh, there’s the hamburger joint. Ah, the sauna is still here too. Wait… Yeah, that’s right, it can’t be helped. Am I a weirdo?”

Seeing the modern world again after ten years felt so familiar, surprising, and enjoyable that Jihoon clenches his fist and hits himself in the head.

While Jihoon had spent ten years in the martial arts world, reality had only passed in the blink of an eye.

“It was during that short time when I rushed at King Goblin with the high-speed movement skill. I visited that world…”

Regardless of how much time had passed in reality, Jihoon was welcoming modern civilization after ten years.

After a moment of contemplation, Jihoon remembered the way back home and quickly returned to wash up and change clothes.

Since he had returned as he was from the martial arts world, the robe he was wearing was very different from modern clothes.

“In such a short time, my clothes have changed, and they’ve changed to such a noticeable robe, but no one seems to notice… I really lived a life that received very little attention.”

As he had this thought, Jihoon’s mind once again filled with Yeonhwa, his fiancee from the parallel world he left behind.

-Gaga… I know that one day you will suddenly disappear, but please promise me marriage. Swear in this world that you will be my man.

Yeonhwa.

She was the best connection I encountered when I suddenly fell into the martial arts world.

The person I could solely rely on in this unfamiliar world.

Someone who gave me everything without asking for anything in return.

Just someone who loved me, someone who wanted to be loved by me.

I was much happier in the parallel world where I lived with Yeonhwa, whom I loved, than in the lonely reality.

Of course, I almost died countless times and learning martial arts was incredibly difficult.

It was also an uncomfortable life where I couldn’t enjoy the benefits of modern civilization.

But despite all that, she alone became the reason for me to stay there.

‘I shouldn’t have used the high-speed teleportation skill… I used it too frequently to deal with those wicked magicians… I had a vague premonition that it would turn out like this.’

Jihun, who was organizing his thoughts that came to his mind, got up and left his house.

It was the reality that returned unwanted, but he had to readjust to the Academy.

He had to increase his player level and also improve his understanding of skills.

The key to crossing over to the parallel world was undoubtedly his high-speed teleportation skill.

***

The pizza he ate after ten years was simply amazing.

The ham and cheese toppings were piled up with the sizzling grease dripping down.

He put two pieces of pizza in his mouth and it was so delightful that he didn’t even chew much before it disappeared.

The fizzy cola was also a happiness that surpassed and went beyond the pizza.

Even though he had drunk good alcohol in the Jianghu for ten years, yeah, he really missed this fizzy carbonation like crazy.

While watching Jihun finish the pizza as if he was hiding it from someone and refill the cola several times, the owner of the pizza place was trembling with fear, afraid that he might not get paid.

Fortunately, Jihun paid for the pizza properly and left. Thanks to the 2 million won support money he received from the Academy, his bank account had enough balance to cover the cost of meals.

‘But I still need more money. I don’t want to live in the modern world that I returned to after a long time, where I have to be chased by money.’

After boldly coming out of the gate and going home, and eating pizza to his heart’s content after ten years, Jihun realized that he should have returned to the Academy.

He left the pizza place and hurriedly made his way to the Academy.

***

“Where were you? Whether you successfully conquered the gate or not, do you not know that this mission was about discussing the parts where you made mistakes during the battle, the dangerous moments with your teammates?”

“Of course I don’t know… It was ten years ago… And there were no dangerous moments either.”

Jihun was being scolded by Professor Jin Seokhyeon, the supervisor, as soon as he returned to the Academy.

“I won’t forget next time.”

Jin Seokhyeon’s eyebrow twitched at Jihun’s indifferent response.

Kang Jihun was famous even among the professors. There was no one who didn’t know him.

He entered the Academy in last place, and his learning was incredibly slow, still only reaching Level 4 as a drop-out.

There were many discussions among the professors as to whether he should continue to be a student at the Academy or if he should be expelled at this point to prevent him from becoming a dangerous hunter and find a different future.

However, Jin Seok-hyun witnessed his skill in handling King Goblins in one shot at the gate today.

He still couldn’t believe it. Did a person really change so drastically in an instant?

In fact, even though he was speaking with a firm and intimidating tone, he felt a great sense of unease from his indifferent reaction.

“He wasn’t even able to snap at his fellow classmates, let alone the professors. What was that attack earlier, and what is this atmosphere he’s emitting now?”

An intense atmosphere unintentionally flowed out. It felt as if it only belonged to an S-rank hunter who had survived thousands and millions of battles.

“Ahem… well, I guess there was something urgent. Where did you go? If there’s anything unusual, it could result in penalties due to desertion–“

“I had pizza.”

“…what?”

“I was craving pizza, so I bought and ate it.”

“Is this bastard crazy or what?”

“I’ll give you a 10-point penalty. It will be reflected in your end-of-month and quarterly evaluations. You may leave now.”

As Jin Seok-hyun finished speaking, Ji-hoon turned around without hesitation after a casual bow.

Jin Seok-hyun threw a question at Ji-hoon’s back.

“But what was that attack earlier? It seemed like you broke the King Goblin’s neck. Did you obtain a new skill or something?”

Ji-hoon briefly faced Jin Seok-hyun before turning to leave.

“It was just a horizontal slash. You couldn’t see it because it was too fast.”

“Hm, it’s not that I didn’t see it. I just wanted to confirm.”

“…yes, I understand. I’ll go out.”

“Arrogant brat… confidently speaking as if I didn’t see it. It’s like a master evaluating a beggar… He has definitely changed.”

***

Ji-hoon, who came out of the professor’s dormitory and went to the library, was amazed by the vast amount of books.

Previously, he was struggling to keep up with classes and didn’t even have time for training, so he hadn’t even considered going to the library.

“If there are this many books, could I find information about the skills I want?”

Ji-hoon was filled with expectations.

It has already been 20 years since the first awakener appeared in this world. During that time, numerous awakeners had been conquering gates and protecting the world from monsters with their own skills and abilities.

Out of all those awakeners, was there not a single person who had the ability to teleport?

Was I really the only one who experienced the side effect of teleporting to a different dimension or parallel world among those who had the ability to teleport?

Ji-hoon searched diligently for books related to teleportation skills, holding onto hope.

“Ah, what bad luck.”

A sharp voice entered Ji-hoon’s ears as he skimmed through the books.

“When did I come to the library to read books?”

Ignoring Jihoon, who was scanning through books while thinking that it couldn’t possibly be about him, there was someone who repeated her words as if insisting he should listen.

She was a short-haired female student. However, Jihoon had no recollection of her face. With confidence that her words weren’t directed at him, he turned his gaze away.

“Hey, are you pretending not to hear me? Get lost. You’re seriously annoying, and it’s so obvious that Yujung is chasing you.”

“Is that directed at me? Who are you…?”

Jihoon asked, surprised. Even at this moment, he tried hard to remember, but she was truly an unfamiliar face.

“For real! You’re saying such nonsense, always hanging out with me and Yujung, and you don’t even recognize my face!”

“No, I’m really asking because I don’t know… Why is this girl so rude? And who is Yujung again? I don’t know, and it’s the first time I’ve heard…”

Oh, no.

It wasn’t the first time he heard that name.

Seol Yujung.

She was the girl he had a crush on since high school.

Without ever confessing in his life, he just gazed at her from a distance and occasionally exchanged shy greetings. When he first got admitted to the academy, one of his great joys was being able to enter with her.

“Yeah, yeah. I promised myself to work hard and climb to Class 4 like Yujung.”

Recalling his naive self from ten years ago, Jihoon’s eyes drifted into a brief reverie. Seol Yujung, who sat a short distance away, stood out with her bright, vibrant beauty.

When she made eye contact with Jihoon, she had a dreadful expression, as if she had seen a cockroach or something.