OVERFLOWING FEELINGS

Robert's room seemed quieter than usual as Mia sat on the bed, watching the newcomer with a complicated look.

The tension in the air was palpable, like an invisible veil had fallen over them after what Mia had just discovered.

She wanted to ask him, wanted him to explain what this meant, what kind of relationship he had with one of the most important people in the army. Mia wanted to know, but no words came out of her throat.

"Ah, damn, I didn't think you'd find out that way," Robert murmured, smiling ironically. "Tell me, what did you hear? Be honest, please."

Silence fell between them again. After a moment, Mia finally spoke, "I heard... I heard the conversation you had with General Commander Kim."

"Oh? How do you know the old man?" Robert raised an eyebrow, surprised that Mia had recognized old Kim.

"Gwangbokjeol... my dad is a fanatic about watching the broadcast every year. For as long as I can remember, he always appears giving a speech after each president... it would be strange not to recognize him."

"Haha, yeah, you're right. I'd dare say the old man is even more famous than the president himself," Robert smiled sarcastically. "Then this will be much easier."

That Mia could recognize the old general was not part of his plans, but it was something much more favorable than he had expected.

Robert approached Mia, took the iPad, and began opening several files. She didn't interrupt him, just watched him in silence.

"Look, this might help."

After a few moments, Robert played a video and handed the iPad to Mia to watch.

The video showed a small room with a large mirror on one end. The girl quickly thought of those police series and movies, as the place was identical to an interrogation room.

However, this was the least of it, as in that video several people could be seen, Robert included.

But, to the girl's surprise, he was chained to a metal chair, and multiple cables were connecting his arms and chest to a strange machine.

In front of Robert was a metal table, and at the other end of the table was General Kim, another elderly man.

Several heavily armed individuals with rough appearances were guarding the old military man and the other elderly man.

The entire atmosphere in that room was excessively tense!

"As you can see, at first I didn't have a very good relationship with old Kim... well, heh, not like we have a very good relationship now," Robert muttered sarcastically. "This happened almost a year ago."

What we are going to show you is something that he might not take very well.

Later in the video, someone placed a kind of briefcase on the metal table, and upon opening it a screen appeared, which began projecting various news recordings reporting on the strange phenomenon that occurred last year.

[Look, Lieutenant, I told you that the whole sky really went to hell! See? I was right, and you didn't want to believe me. Like I told you, it was one of those bolts that fell on me. Thankfully, I didn't have any injuries]

The people in the room apparently did not react to Robert's words, and they played another video.

With each video, things stopped seeming funny to Robert, whose smile gradually faded from his face and his brow furrowed.

Mia, who listened to what the old interrogator was asking, also furrowed her brow. She didn't understand why they were asking Robert if he recognized the president of the country, or if he recognized other world leaders, as well as some relatively famous figures in his own country.

Didn't he recognize those politicians and famous people?

Even for the most laid-back students, recognizing most of them was relatively easy.

But the boy's answers and expressions told her he couldn't do it.

[Wait... this is... no, no way!]

However, Robert changed from confusion to anger when they showed him the photo of a woman.

[As you can see, it says here that Lee Hee-soo, aged forty-two, originally from Seoul, is a single woman with no children, currently living in Busan. The woman who is supposedly your mother never was.]

Robert tried to stand up but it was futile; his waist was chained to the metal chair, which itself was bolted to the floor.

"She's my mother... or at least she was."

"Your mother? Wait, wait, how can that woman be your mother? That old man said that..."

Mia, who didn't understand why Robert reacted like this in the recording, was startled by his words.

In the video, that old man had said his mother... never was?

[Vladimir Jovanovich, born in the city of Vladivostok, died in a car accident in 2005 in Russia. He never left his country, never visited South Korea.]

"And that was the name of who should have been my father in this world."

Mia was completely lost now, not understanding what Robert was trying to tell her!

[What we mean is that the people you consider your parents never met, never had a mixed-race son named Robert Jovanovich-Lee. What we mean is that you have never existed... not in this reality]

"This reality? W-What does that man mean?" Mia turned and murmured in surprise, searching.

Robert said nothing, only gestured for her to keep watching the video.

[We're trying to tell you that you are the child of Lee Hee-soo and Vladimir Jovanovich, but from another reality, and when you were struck by that lightning from the great storm, you ended up in our reality, one where you don't exist because you were never born, because your parents never met]

[That explains why, apparently, you have altered memories about public figures, because it's not that way, it's just that these aren't the characters you know]

Both General Kim and the other elderly man gave an answer that momentarily stopped the girl's brain, just as the video ended.

Robert faced Mia, who was still trying to process what she had just seen.

"Another reality?"

"Did he arrive because of the storm a year ago?"

"Now, let me introduce myself properly. My name is Robert Jovanovich Lee, a guy who isn't from this reality."

With a playful gesture, Robert made a mock salute.

.....

"Wow... I still don't know if I'm dreaming or not... this is..."

Mia, somewhat calmer now, murmured slowly as she settled on the edge of the bed. In her hands, she held a half-empty water bottle.

Right now, she felt overwhelmed by a mix of emotions. Robert's revelation filled her with astonishment, disbelief, and compassion.

Upon hearing Robert's revelation about his origin in another reality, Mia felt her world shake. Everything she thought she knew about him crumbled, and she faced a truth that seemed straight out of a science fiction novel.

Confusion engulfed her, yet she also felt profound awe at the magnitude of what Robert had endured.

...Well, I can't deny that this place is something good, but the price for having it is also high...

Robert's words to her when she first arrived at the apartment now resonated more strongly in her mind.

Initially, she had thought he was referring to some economic issue, perhaps struggling with family problems to pay rent or similar things, which led to his crazy idea of starting an Idol and modeling agency.

However, now she understood what he meant when he said the price he was paying to be here was very high.

Knowing that Robert had been alone in this world for a year, without family or friends from his old life, evoked intense compassion in Mia. She imagined the loneliness and desperation he must have felt and felt a pang of pain in her heart.

Though she understood the circumstances, she couldn't help but feel a profound sadness thinking about all that Robert had lost. The idea that he had to give up his old life and adapt to a new and unknown world saddened her deeply.

"Robert... I'm sorry, really... if there's anything I can..." She tried to convey her supportive feelings, but found it difficult to express in words.

"Relax, it's done now, so don't worry," the young man smiled.

"But your family, your friends... do you know if you can go back?"

After asking, Mia regretted it, as the mere idea of Robert disappearing from her life made her heart ache.

"Well, I don't even know how I got here; nobody in the government knows. I just got hit by a damn lightning bolt and it brought me to this world. If it could be done like in the movies, I have no idea. Maybe if I had traveled back in time in a DeLorean like in the movie 'Back to the Future,' I could do something with lightning, and that would have been a madness."

Robert, sitting in the chair near his small desk, responded with a slightly humorous tone.

Mia just watched him without saying anything. Now, the jokes this guy made had a different meaning to her.

"And as for my family, well... I don't know, I try not to think about it too much. There are times when I do want to see them, but I can't do anything at the moment, I just have to keep moving forward."

The boy's words made Mia look at him with new eyes. And from the depths of her mind, a thought began to solidify, to take shape.

A feeling, a conviction that strengthened with her previous feelings.

Mia realized that everything she now felt for Robert was deep and sincere. It wasn't based on idealization, but on understanding and accepting his complex reality.

"Though it's hard for me to admit... it seems that everything said about you is true, and the fact that the Army's General Commander was here talking to you is proof of that... but that raises more doubts for me."

Mia looked directly at our protagonist. While Robert's identity seemed to be a fact, very improbable, there were still things that were not clear to her.

"You mean why I have to go fight monsters?"

The girl nodded slowly.

Having to go to a military base to help kill monsters?

How could someone of the general's level ask a boy to do something like that? Considering that when he referred to monsters, he was being as literal as he could.

Anyone would find this really crazy, there's no way a human could do something like that.

Yes, she knew he was strong, as he easily swept the floor with Gunner. However, that was a student fight, nothing remotely similar to what the old general was suggesting.

"Well, that reason is something related to some army secrets that are not easy to tell, at least not to someone who isn't close to me," Robert responded with a smile.

She understood these words; one didn't have to be a genius to know he was referring to the women mentioned by the old general.

The mention of other women in Robert's life sparked a sharp pain in her chest. She felt hurt and somewhat betrayed, though she rationally understood that he owed her no explanation.

But when it comes to feelings, a person stops being rational, at least she was like that.

"Close to you, you say? Like all those recruits who will be sad to hear that you're very protective of your girlfriends? Or are those girlfriends of yours the ones the general talks about?"

At this moment, Mia experienced an internal conflict. Part of her wrestled with jealousy and insecurity knowing that Robert had other women in his life.

These feelings were natural and understandable, but mentally she struggled not to let them consume her. She knew she would need time to fully process this information and find a way to balance her emotions.

But for now, she couldn't help but say the first thing that came to her mind.

"Haha, fishing line and lead," Robert muttered mentally, as he had been waiting for this moment.

Without saying anything, he stood up from the chair and walked towards Mia. Unexpectedly, he took her hands, pulled her to her feet, and drew her close, their bodies almost face to face.

badump badump badump

"Eek! W-What are you doing?"

Mia stood still in place, watching as Robert's face drew closer and closer, feeling his breath on her face.

At the same time, her heart began to beat like a horse's gallop as he unexpectedly took her hands, made her stand up, and wrapped his waist around her so that their bodies came close.

She couldn't struggle to escape. Or rather, she never fought to escape, because even though she felt a bit nervous about what had happened so far, her heart seemed... expectant?

"In the time we've known each other, you've seen more of me than anyone else in this world, I mean that sincerely. Likewise, I've seen more of you than anyone else, getting to know you well."

Robert's words ignited a fire inside the girl's heart.

"As you know, I'm shameless, I don't care what people say, even if it's the damn Army's General Commander, because that's my way of life. Yes, I'm greedy, whether it's with people or material things, in the end, if I want it, I get it."

Every word Mia heard made her feel like she was in a whirlwind of emotions.

"And as you heard, I decided to have you. Since you came with your silly confession, I decided you would be my woman."

badump badump badump

The girl's heart seemed like it would burst out of her chest right now!

"W-What nonsense are you saying... I wouldn't be with a womanizer like you."

Mia tried to avoid his gaze, but one of Robert's hands held her chin, making her look at him directly.

"Whether I have other women in my life or not, that's something that shouldn't matter right now. You can call me a womanizer, a pig, shameless, whatever you want, but that's who I am. I told you that from the moment we met... and if that doesn't please you, you wouldn't be here with me, in this situation."

Upon hearing that Robert not only wanted her but possibly also had feelings for other women, she felt a knot in her stomach.

A mix of jealousy, insecurity, and pain engulfed her, but what surprised her most was the clarity that began to emerge from these tumultuous emotions!

"Stupid!... Idiot!... You're shameless... a fool..."

With a futile struggle, the girl tried to free herself from his grip, but she wasn't really trying because she didn't want to distance herself from Robert. She didn't want to lose this warm feeling she was experiencing right now, as foolish as it may seem.

Mia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and process what she had heard from Robert. She knew that anyone else might have decided to walk away, feel betrayed and hurt.

However, for her, the feeling she had towards Robert was stronger than any insecurity or pain she might experience. In her heart, there was an immense space for him, a space that could not be occupied by anyone else.

She understood that Robert had become someone very important to her.

Mia believed that, even if he had other women in his life, her feelings for him did not diminish. On the contrary, she felt a kind of commitment that drove her to accept the circumstances, no matter how painful they might be.

Was she crazy? Quite possibly, because there was no other explanation for this.

Seeing Mia's reaction, Robert smiled faintly and hugged her tighter.

"Don't worry, I'll never leave you," he whispered close to her ear, "You're already my girl."

Badump, Badump, Badump!

The girl's heart began to beat rapidly and strongly.

In that moment, everything Mia had in her mind went out the window. Robert's blue eyes were the only thing occupying her thoughts.

"To hell with it... I want to be with him."

Mia raised her hands and tightly grasped Robert's shirt. There was nothing more to say; she would worry about the rest later.

Robert bent down slightly to draw closer to her, and instinctively, Mia lifted herself onto her tiptoes to bring their faces closer.

Their breaths and heartbeats intertwined before their lips met in a fiery and passionate kiss!

"Mmm~"

Mia Woo didn't care about anything else. Whether he had more women or not, that was no longer on her mind. Now, all she cared about was enjoying this hot, suffocating moment.

Her heart was hammering in her chest, and she could almost feel Robert's against her fingers as she clutched at her shirt.

Robert took her waist with one of his hands and with his other hand, he gently and lovingly touched her cheek. 

A kind of electricity ran through the areas of the girl's body where our protagonist touched her.

Robert's hands slid from her face to her neck.

As he gently squeezed her throat, her other hand came up from her waist and entwined with her hair and pulled her head back.

"Ahhh~"

Mia couldn't do anything but moan as she felt the pressure of her neck and hair, causing her mind to short-circuit.

She began to feel that her entire intimacy was getting wet from this kind of act!

In that instant, the chaste kiss they were sharing turned into a truly passionate one!

Mia raised her hands and grabbed her partner's neck in desperation. Her fingers gripped his hair tightly, clinging to him as if her life depended on it.

Her lips touched again and again, their tongues playing in a fire ritual. It seemed like they were both competing to see who was faster, deeper, more pleasurable.

However, the inexperienced Mia could not defeat her partner.

Everything she had seen or learned from watching some 'racy dramas' was of no use to her before Robert's expert hands and mouth.

"Ahhh...ahhh..."

By the time her kiss finally ended, she was on the verge of fainting from the lack of air and the excitement that assaulted her mind.

Brrrrr, Brrrrr, Grrr

"W-Wait... my... phone," Mia reluctantly pulled away from Robert and took her cellphone from her pants pocket.

"Let it keep ringing, let no one disturb us," Robert murmured before leaning in to kiss Mia again.

"Mmm~... No~... it might be important."

The girl bit her lip, feeling torn. She didn't want this moment to be interrupted, but most of the messages she received daily were from her family. Only a few people messaged her about trivial matters.

As she read the message, Mia's smile and excitement vanished from her face.

{Hi Mia! It's Anna. Sophie and I are outside the building for our study session. Can you come down to let us in?}