I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 206

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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That night when shooting stars fell from the sky.
That night when I spent a moment with Arun beneath clouds as our blanket, gazing at the stars.
There was one promise Arun and I had made to each other.
“Isabel. I have a wonderful idea for you.”
Kindly, Arun made me a proposal.
“Let’s take a train journey.”
“Huh? A train journey, all of a sudden?”
“It seems you’re more romantic than I thought, Isabel.”
Stars sparkled brilliantly in Arun’s eyes.
According to Arun’s own words, the most thrilling thing in the world for him was “watching Isabel find happiness.”
Just as I depended on Arun considerably, he relied on me tremendously.
Arun had entrusted the realm of life’s joy and pleasure entirely to me.
When I was happy, he was happy; when I was sad, he was sad.
The way he acted as if the only reason for his existence was me made me think he might benefit from some psychological counseling.
(In fact, later on he did consult with a psychological counselor, but ultimately the specialist ended up holding the back of his neck and complaining of a headache.)
In any case, Arun was immensely delighted at this moment.
In other words, I—and we—were happy.
“I like romantic things?”
“Yes. Look.”
Arun shaped the clouds into a rectangular form. Then he sang, calling starlight to fill it.
The cloud brimming with starlight soon transformed into a shimmering mirror.
“You’re absolutely delighted right now, Isabel.”
It was true.
My face in the mirror had flushed a peachy hue.
Now that I noticed it, my heart seemed to be beating faster than usual.
It was as if I’d been dyed by starlight, yet somehow this didn’t feel like my usual self.
“Even though most of my mind is made up of numbers as a science-oriented person by nature, it seems universal to get excited seeing such a sight with one’s lover. Besides, at this altitude, my heart reflexively beats a little faster….”
“That’s enough for me.”
“Huh?”
“As long as you’re happy, that’s all I need. Really, that’s all it takes for me.”
Arun extended his pinky finger to me.
“After exploring the digital world, I’ve discovered that the romance of youth is indeed a train journey.”

* * *
After Arun took ‘certain measures that couldn’t be explained in detail,’ my life became remarkably peaceful.
The masked assassins from the National Intelligence Service never appeared, and reporters stopped hounding me.
I, who had been famous as the miracle child, became an ordinary child, and in doing so, I could finally enjoy a happier existence.
[This is. A bus card!]
Kim Beolggwol held the bus card above his head.
A bus card larger than his own face.
Kim Beolggwol seemed quite fascinated by Earth’s civilization.
[I will do it myself.]
He declared that he would tap the bus card himself.
I boarded the bus while acting as though I was lifting the bus card, with the invisible Kim Beolggwol in my arms.
The bus arrived at Seoul Station in no time.
‘Come to think of it, this is my first time on a train.’
It was certainly enjoyable to be with my beloved Kim Beolggwol, but the thrill of riding a train for the very first time was excitement enough on its own.
“Our seats are….”
Though it was my first time on a train, it wasn’t particularly difficult.
I just had to check the seat numbers and find the right ones.
Since it was a first-class car, the seats were quite spacious and comfortable.
“There’s no one else here?”
[Hehe. Sweet deal.]
Kim Beolggwol, who had become addicted to digital spaces while wandering through the digital world, couldn’t easily shake off the speech patterns of the internet.
“Oh! The train is departing!”
The train began to move.
It felt completely different from flying through the sky with magic.
To think I could move using a force other than magical power.
This massive metal machine, powered by electricity—a force of Earth’s civilization—advancing forward felt utterly surreal.
Against my will, the world rushed backward in a continuous stream.
Outside the window, trees were just beginning to sprout fresh buds.
“Wow.”
I gazed out the window.
Fresh, verdant leaves filled my vision.
It felt as though I could sense the fragrance of spring.
Between the spring sky that was just beginning to stretch, unnamed little birds fluttered about.
And under the pouring warm sunlight, I couldn’t help but squint my eyes.
“It’s so bright.”
Soon, the sea came into view.
Followed by the cries of seagulls—caw, caw.
Though they were much larger than the small birds I’d just seen, their size didn’t make them any less endearing.
The sunlight, now far more intense than the spring rays, struck the sea and scattered like glass beads.
“Wow, the sea.”
That vast expanse of H₂O, spread out like blue paint splashed across a canvas, greeted me with white waves rising toward the sky.
The white waves drew near, whispering hello as they approached.
Before I could return the greeting, the waves receded swiftly.
Clack-clack.
The train continued its journey.
Some of you might have noticed something odd by this point.
Because I’ve been spouting rather nonsensical descriptions.
Setting aside the peculiar notion that a train departing Seoul Station on a summer day suddenly found itself racing through spring.
The fact that the sea appeared immediately after leaving Seoul Station was undeniably strange.
That’s right.
I was traveling through time itself.
The spring I had once witnessed had already become summer, brushing past me now.
Clack-clack.
Next came autumn, when trees prepared for winter’s slumber in full swing.
The verdant leaves that once shimmered fell away, and the season grew progressively bare.
Yet some trees adorned themselves in yellow and crimson, displaying a far richer beauty than spring or summer could offer.
The sky was higher and clearer than ever before.
Perhaps it felt like a sky stretched across heights far greater than the one I had once soared through with Arun.
That cloudless sky was a brilliant, crystalline blue.
“Arun. Before we head home, let’s take one more journey through the sky.”
[Of course!]
Beolkkot perched on my shoulder, gazing out the window alongside me.
Clack-clack.
The train continued onward.
Soon, the train was racing through a time thick with heavy snow.
The entire world was filled with white.
Children had gathered in the snow-covered meadow, rolling snowballs.
They were clearly building a snowman.
As the train traveled further, a snowman with a carrot nose danced like a ballerina.
Faint singing could be heard.
Children sang a song beginning with “Do you wanna build a snowman~” as they bounded across the snowy meadow.
Like young fawns.
Clack-clack.
The snow began to melt.
As the warm sunlight returned from its brief absence to the cold, spring began anew.
Spring. Summer. Autumn. Winter.
And then spring again. Summer. Autumn. Winter.
The train carrying me continued racing through the seasons.
A considerable amount of time passed in this manner.
I began to understand why Beolkkot had once said that train journeys were the very romance of youth.
All these moments were beautiful for no particular reason.
Or perhaps there was a reason after all.
Maybe it was because I was young.
That’s why every moment seemed to shimmer and gleam.
On one of those radiant days, I spoke.
“I feel like I’m dreaming.”
[….]
Kim Beolggwol couldn’t answer.
“Where is this dream heading?”
In truth, I already knew.
That this train was strange.
A peculiar train with only two passengers—myself and Kim Beolggwol.
It had a point of departure, but no destination.
A strange train whose only purpose was to keep moving, whose only change was the turning of seasons.
I had known this for a very long time, but the scenery beyond the window was too beautiful, and the train journey with Kim Beolggwol was too enjoyable.
So I pretended not to know.
A little further, and I would see The Sea.
A little further, and I would see autumn leaves.
A little further, and I would see the Snowy Plains.
A little further, and I would see the Meadow.
Tonight, shooting stars would fall.
“A train journey with Arun. And in a dream at that. It’s quite romantic, isn’t it.”
Before I knew it, Arun was sitting beside me.
A warmth far greater than Kim Beolggwol’s drew near.
“It is, isn’t it?”
“I. How long have I been asleep?”
“Not long.”
I leaned my head against Arun’s shoulder.
Arun, who had offered his shoulder, naturally placed his hand on my head.
As always, it was a reassuring and tender touch.
“Arun. Can you wake me up now?”
Arun shook his head.
“The only one who can wake you….”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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