His head suddenly throbbed. There was too much to digest all at once: the fact that he had disappeared, that this body wasn't his, and that Siska—the woman he once loved—was still alive, now the mother of the body he inhabited.
His hands trembled. But not from fear—because this body seemed to move of its own accord. Before he realized it, his fingers were already clutching a car key from the drawer.
He stared at it. "Is this really... a car key?"
The shape was odd. It looked more like a remote control. No metal key like the ones from the '90s. Just a logo in the middle and a few small buttons.
His body stood up by itself. His heart still pounded, but he felt strong. "Hey, body… where are you going?"
But his legs moved. Out of the intern room. Through the sleek hospital corridor. Past nurses who barely glanced—familiar with Gabriel's face.
In the elevator, he stared at the reflection of Lim Gabriel in the polished metal wall. But he hadn't fully accepted that this was now his reflection.
The lift stopped at the basement. The doors opened. His feet moved quickly.
The parking lot was neat. Organized. No noisy security guards, no reckless motorcycles. The air smelled of cold ventilation instead of fuel.
His hand pressed a button. Beep-beep!
A black car blinked its headlights. A shiny sedan. Korean plates.
He swallowed. "Is this… my car?"
He opened the door. Sat down. Looked at the dashboard. All digital. No keyhole.
He pressed the START/STOP ENGINE button.
The engine purred to life.
His hand moved to the gear lever. "Dear God… my foot's moving on its own…"
The car began to roll smoothly out of the parking lot. This body knew exactly where home was.
—
The car stopped cleanly in front of a towering building. A glass revolving door and a neatly uniformed security guard bowed slightly as Gabriel stepped out.
Urip looked up, squinting. "This… is home?"
He walked slowly toward the lobby doors. Sensors opened them automatically.
Cool air welcomed him. Marble floors, soft lighting. A vase of fresh flowers in the center.
"Shit… this feels like a five-star hotel…"
A receptionist gave a polite nod. "Gabriel-ssi, annyeonghaseyo."
He nodded back awkwardly. Not knowing what to say.
His hand moved on its own again, lifting the ID card hanging from his neck. He tapped it on a panel by the elevator. Beep!
The elevator opened. He stepped in. A button was pressed. 18th floor.
As the doors closed, Urip touched the reflective elevator wall again. Still not used to seeing a stranger's face as his own.
The elevator chimed. The door opened into a quiet hallway. Thick carpet muffled his steps.
He stood in front of a door, typed in a code. The lock clicked open. He pushed it gently, and froze. "Holy shit…"
The apartment was huge. Far bigger than his old boarding house in Grogol. Shiny wood floors. An open living room, soft gray couch, a TV the size of a blackboard. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls revealed the sparkling Seoul skyline like a sea of lights.
He walked slowly. A sleek, spotless kitchen. Appliances he didn't recognize. A gleaming fridge, flameless stove, and buttonless machines.
"This is… science fiction?"
He opened a door to the side room. A bedroom.
A large, tidy bed. A work desk with a laptop and a stack of Korean and English medical books. In the corner, a treadmill and a rack of running shoes. On the desk, a photo frame: a young Gabriel with Siska and a stiff-smiling Korean man.
Urip touched the frame. Stared at Siska's face. "Siska… is this really you?"
He sat on the edge of the bed. Stared at his own hands. "When you sent that spirit call for help, I wanted to help, I swear… But I was shot before I could."
He lowered his head. "And now… I've ended up inside your son?"
Faint sounds came from beyond the window—cars, night wind, modern life he didn't recognize. He lay back. One hand on his chest. That heart was still beating. But it wasn't his.
This lying position felt natural in Gaby's body, though it wasn't something Urip was used to.
—
Morning light poured through sheer curtains, bathing the room in soft glow. Urip woke up with a sweat-dampened forehead. Last night, he had slept in a strange place, in a strange body, his mind crowded with questions.
The digital clock beside the bed showed 07:02. It rang with a gentle chime—not like the loud alarm back in his old home.
"This still isn't a dream…"
He sat up, gazing out at Seoul's cityscape beyond the glass window. Still not used to it.
Then came the sound of a door opening. "Gaby, are you awake?" a woman's voice called from the living room—gentle, yet full of energy.
Urip turned quickly. He knew that voice. Even after 26 years, he recognized it.
Footsteps approached.
Siska—or rather, Mama Siska—entered with a warm smile, wearing a white blouse and loose pants. Her hair was neatly done, her face clean and kind, just like when they were young. "You're not going to the hospital today. You just had a heart attack, remember?" she said as she placed a bowl of soup on the small table beside the bed.
Urip choked up. His throat was dry. He didn't know what to say. But his body nodded instinctively. "Ma…ma…"
The word nearly got stuck in his throat. It felt strange. But also warm. He had once longed to call her that—as the mother of his child.
Now… he really was her child.
Siska turned quickly. Her expression puzzled. "Are you okay? Still dizzy? Or chest pain?"
"No… I just…" Urip took a deep breath. "I'm just… still sleepy, Ma."
Siska gave a small smile. "Come on, breakfast. Your dad's already waiting at the table."
Urip stood slowly. His chest still felt tight—not from heart problems, but from not knowing how to act.
At the dining table, the man was already seated. White shirt, gray slacks, calm expression, upright posture. Lim Woo. His face was serious, but he gave a short nod when he saw Urip—or Gabriel.
"Good morning, Gaby."
"Good morning, Pa…"
He sat down slowly. Siska ladled warm soup into his bowl. On the table were fresh fruit, toast, and a bottle of almond milk.
"I made your favorite samgyetang," Siska said gently. "Herbal boiled chicken. So you'll regain your energy quickly."
Urip stared at the soup. The aroma of ginger and ginseng filled his nose. He took a hesitant sip, then paused.
"Still not feeling well?" Siska asked.
"No… It's just… the taste is different."
Lim Woo spoke calmly, but firmly.
"If you're still tired, don't push yourself. The hospital can wait. You just nearly…"
He stopped, didn't finish.
Siska touched Urip's hand. "You realize that, don't you? You almost… left us. When your heart stopped, I… I thought I'd lost you, son."
Urip only bowed his head.