Chapter 81…
How to Handle Dreams
Since there was no immediate threat rushing in, we decided to keep digging for more evidence in Baeksan.
Sometimes, legal action could be cleaner than going around acting like a shaman or something.
Until then, it was necessary to keep some distance.
So, Senior Yeo Si-yeon and I kept showing just enough closeness to look natural.
“Oh my, don’t you two look great together?”
“Aw, no, not at all.”
Even this clumsy fumbling of mine was improving bit by bit, and progress was being made.
We actually looked close.
Or was it… something more?
It was to the point where such doubts might arise.
That was just the right balance.
Damn it. Hearing people say I was finally “flirting” made me realize, belatedly, what that really meant.
And all the things I’d done before now only remained as embarrassing memories for me.
Flirting.
It was just about being openly close and friendly.
But trying to act that out deliberately made it harder.
Even today, that Chief Gu guy gave me a thumbs-up when he saw me with Senior Yeo.
“Careful. If you pay for pork belly twice in a row, he’ll make you his sworn brother.”
Ridiculous.
Chief Park once said it was a mystery why that man acted like that.
It’s a mystery to me too.
From the outside, people might even think I’m the one flirting with him.
“Alright, if you’re ready, let’s go!”
“Heave-ho! Let’s go!”
“Yeah.”
Pretending to flirt, I guarded Senior Yeo from Chief Gu as we headed to the film set.
Ever since that day, his meddling had gotten worse.
So Gamdong adjusted the schedule to be tighter, adding extra shoots he had only wished for before.
The old man agreed to cover the extra costs.
It wasn’t just because of me—since the film used a lot of background related to the Baeksan Group, it naturally became a kind of corporate product placement.
Because of that, the group’s PR team, together with the investment department, ended up previewing a rough cut of the movie.
They were apparently quite satisfied.
The acting was solid, and both the quality and engagement were rated highly.
It had truly been recognized for its artistic merit.
Maybe that’s why Gamdong’s eyes had been sparkling these days.
Though, on the flip side, his dark circles had deepened so much it sometimes looked like madness.
Or maybe it was that thing before death—clarity in the final moments?
I once said that, and Gamdong cursed me out viciously.
Still, despite the complicated circumstances, filming went smoothly.
“Whew.”
I gave it my all too.
After all, I was the one who had insisted on making this film.
I was the one who coaxed Gamdong into doing this.
How could I slack off, pretending enlightenment while half-assing it?
Even if Gamdong’s late grandmother slapped me from the afterlife, I’d have no excuse.
So I worked even harder.
“Camera rolling!”
“Quiet on set! Stand by!”
“Action!”
…
Strength filled my once hesitant steps.
Whispers from others?
They didn’t matter anymore.
I ran through the day like a madman.
The reason was simple—
I couldn’t wait for the night.
Because now, dreams were my world.
What people call lucid dreams existed.
But this—this was something else entirely.
I could immerse more deeply, and even build situations in detail myself.
I was the master of dreams.
So what if I suffered a little during the day?
Those same coworkers who cursed me out in daylight praised me in my dreams at night.
That way, I lived a life completely opposite between day and night.
And thanks to that, I could finally breathe.
Even during the day, I carried myself with ease.
So when I walked lightly past them, coworkers began whispering behind my back.
“Doesn’t Assistant Manager Woo seem different lately?”
“Right? He seems more confident. Brighter too, like he’s become a whole new person.”
“I heard even the president’s son is thrown off by him.”
At the mention of the president’s son, everyone turned their heads. That story was famous.
“What, did the president tell him not to harass Woo anymore?”
“Would he? The boss always pretends not to know.”
“Then what?”
“Normally, when you scold someone, they shrink back. But Woo answers clearly, works hard, doesn’t flinch—it’s not satisfying.”
“Ah…”
“Honestly, my manager even told me to discipline him more, but now he’s working so well there’s nothing to nitpick. He’s sharper than before. He was never incompetent to begin with, right?”
“True.”
“These days, I’m the one getting exhausted. Manager Oh is venting his frustrations on everyone else now.”
“Ugh, right. What a wreck of a person. Basically, Assistant Manager Woo used to tank his temper for all of us.”
“Well… yeah, that’s true.”
Woo Su-han’s change was both fascinating and guilt-inducing.
Meanwhile, Manager Oh’s foul temper spread everywhere.
“Aren’t you working?”
“Damn it, Manager Oh’s here.”
Seeing people scatter, Manager Oh, just back from lunch, exhaled heavily.
Annoyance flared inside him.
“Tch.”
Cursing alone, he shut himself in his office.
Night fell, and Su-han slipped back into his dreams, as he had learned.
There, a different life awaited.
When he stepped out of a sleek car, employees greeted him brightly.
“Director, good morning!”
“Good morning!”
“Director, here you go.”
Assistant Manager Yeo Si-yeon hurried up with a drink, then ran off bashfully.
Seeing this, other staff whistled and teased.
“I’ll buy dinner!”
At Su-han’s shout, Yeo Si-yeon covered her face and ran faster.
Here, everyone admired him.
Even the company president cared more about Su-han, now a director, than his own son.
Meanwhile, Manager Oh looked utterly deflated.
“What now? Did the president scold you again?”
“I… I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. Just do your job properly. Still, it’s not like you’ll get fired. Just coast along.”
Hearing that, Manager Oh’s pride crumbled.
And with that, a wave of satisfaction rushed through Su-han.
But then something twisted.
Time froze.
Manager Oh, who had been hanging his head, stopped moving.
So did Yeo Si-yeon, who had just winked at him.
Everyone had gone still.
“W-what is this?”
For the first time, the world Su-han had built stopped.
“Really? This is what you’re doing for fun?”
“…Huh? You’re…”
It was the friend who had introduced him to this world.
Another Su-han.
“You’re telling me this is all you’re doing with the power I gave you?”
“Long time no see! I’m really grateful!”
“Forget it. Is this really the best you can do?”
“…What do you mean?”
I had no idea what he was talking about.
“Why are you just hanging around this company? Because it’s your main source of stress?”
“That’s not…”
“And this revenge? Pathetic. You should at least do this much.”
Clap!
Another Su-han clapped his hands, and time moved again—
but not as the dreamer intended.
“Hey, Assistant Manager Woo! What the hell are you doing?!”
Manager Oh exploded in anger, just as in real life.
But oddly, his rage wasn’t directed at Su-han the dreamer.
It was aimed at the other Su-han.
As if he couldn’t even see the dream’s original master.
That Su-han glanced at me and whispered:
“This is how you handle dreams.”
He lifted his foot swiftly—
Smash!
Manager Oh was hurled backward with a grunt.
“Kyaaah!”
“What are you doing?!”
People rushed him, but he punched them aside one by one.
Wham! Pow!
They crashed down like ragdolls, just like villains in a superhero movie.
“Damn you!”
Manager Oh staggered up, fists clenched, charging again.
But Su-han grabbed his collar, dragged him forward, and didn’t stop even when they reached the giant glass window.
“Heave-ho!”
Crash!
Manager Oh’s body smashed through the window and hung suspended for a moment.
Pain. Then realization. Then terror.
And then—
“Aaaaahhhh!”
His scream faded into the distance before ending with a dull thud.
“Mm, now that’s satisfying.”
“You killed my son!”
The president lunged too, but Su-han sidestepped and tripped him.
“Argh! Aaaagh!”
He too plunged, ending with the same sickening splat.
“Mmm. See? Simple. Oh, miss, are you shocked? Can’t breathe? Then mouth-to-mouth!”
He pulled Yeo Si-yeon close and kissed her.
Instead of horror, her face flushed bright red, as though embarrassed.
“There, you’re breathing again.”
Laughing, Su-han released her, then turned to me—the original dreamer.
“In this world, you’re god. No need to play house. It’s not real anyway. Isn’t that right, Manager Oh?”
“Yes, sir!”
“…!”
I froze.
Manager Oh, who had just fallen, was now kneeling, bowing politely.
“My shoes are a bit dirty.”
“Forgive me, I didn’t notice.”
He dropped to one knee, lifted Su-han’s foot, and polished the shoes with his sleeve.
Then Yeo appeared again, heavily made-up, clinging to his waist.
“Honey, what should we do today?”
“I don’t know. Imagine it. That’ll be today’s fun.”
He looked at me as he said it, then laid a hand on my shoulder, whispering:
“Friend. In this world, you can do anything. You know that being bold here makes you more confident in reality too. Don’t you want that?”
“Uh… well…”
“Then from here on, it’s your turn again. Enjoy it. That way teaching you was worth it. Your joy is my joy.”
“…Why?”
“Because we’re friends.”
With that, the other Su-han dissolved into dust.
Yeo, still in character, embraced me again.
“So, what’ll we do today? I’m curious.”
She looked sultry.
My throat went dry.
Without realizing, I crashed my lips onto hers.
Her trembling hands at my side steadied, then boldly wrapped around my waist.
…
“Hhhkk!”
