Chapter 240: The Truth
(Third Person POV)
The Memory Continued with Jason, a young adult, walking down the night streets of a certain South Korean city.
Mavis noticed that he looked nothing like the current and the teenaged Jason. He had a bit more weight on him and he had an unshaven face. He was still tall, and had his thick black hair. Mavis also noticed he had a gloomy look on his face.
"Ah.." Jason said next to her, "That's a familiar face.."
They watched as young adult Jason walked inside a convenience store, the way he walked, he seemed like he was just aimlessly walking around. As he was grabbing snacks, a young man approached him.
"J-Jason?" the man asked, "You're Jason Ahn?"
Young Jason ignored him and walked past him.
The Young man had dyed red hair, he was tall and a bit muscular, had a very handsome face with some piercings on his right ear.
"It is you!" the young man said, "You're Jason Ahn! From High School! You won multiple yearly Judo tournaments in dominating fashion. They called you the 2-Second Emperor!"
Young Jason shrugged, "Got me confused with someone else." He said, "I'm just a plant worker."
"It's me, Jin!" He said as he walked up to him, "Remember me? I used to lead the Taekwondo club! I kicked you in the face on our first meeting! Haha!"
Mavis raised an eyebrow, "He did what?"
Jason shrugged, "I believe he was a rowdy guy in our youth."
Young Jason looked at him, "Can I help you?"
Jin rubbed his hair, "Oh man, it's been so long." He said, "After that Kyokushin tournament you also won, you just went up and disappeared. Nobody spoke about the things that happened."
Young Jason merely looked at him with a blank face, "Okay." He said, "Good seeing you."
"Let me pay for your stuff." He said
"I don't need your pity." Young Jason retorted
"It's not pity, man." He said, "Let me treat you with something! Believe it or not, I am now an Idol. Part of a somewhat successful boy group. I got some money and I've been treating old friends with anything I can. Just last week, I bought Hoseok and Jihyun some dinner, haha!"
Young Jason merely stood there, "If I let you buy this for me, You'll leave me alone?" He asked
"Sure sure, but we should hang out." He said, "Hey, wanna go to the company building with me? My manage is quite lenient. There're these girl group members, they'd wanna meet you, some of them were avid martial artists like us."
Young Jason shrugged, "Not interested." He said, "Pay for my stuff and I'll be on my way."
"Haha, never changed, huh?" Jin chuckled, "I'll give you my number just in case you change your mind. You may look like you put on a couple of pounds but I know you're as strong as ever."
"Sure." Young Jason said
Suddenly, the memory switched again. Young Jason and Jin were in a car, this time Young Jason was shaven and had an expensive-looking jacket on.
"Mannnn...." Jin said, "I can't believe we're done with promotions....our album did real well and we got paid handsomely. I'm glad I got to convince you to become my manager, Jason. My last one couldn't handle all 6 of us, haha!"
Young Jason shrugged, "I guess..." He said, "You don't need to buy me these clothes, Jin."
"I insist." He said, "You've been a good friend this past year."
"Yea..." Young Jason said
"Hey, how'd it go with her?" Jin asked
"Good, I guess." Young Jason said
Before anyone could say anything else, Young Jason's phone rang. He picked it up.
"Yes?" He said
Suddenly, his eyes widened in shock.
"W-What? When??" He said
The memory then switched again, this time they were at a funeral, a picture of a young and beautiful woman in the shrine.
Young Jason and Jin were standing, looking down, wearing all black as many people sobbed.
Young Jason had a despaired look on his face as he clenched his fists.
Jin looked at him, "Sorry, Man..." he whispered to him
"I should've never met her, Jin..." Jason said shakily, "I...."
He then choked and walked away as Jin followed him. Young Jason walked out of the building as he wiped tears away.
"Jason..." Jin said as he grabbed his shoulder
"No, Jin!" Young Jason shook him off, "None of this would've happened if I didn't accept your offer of buying me those fucking snacks!!"
JIn looked at him, "Don't say that, man." He said, "You're my friend."
"I should've kept my life as miserable as it was....." Young Jason said with tears in his eyes, "That way, fewer people would be hurt."
"Why would you say that, Jason?" Jin said, "You're my goddamn best friend! Without you, I would've never made it past the hell that is the dark side of Idol life!"
"Stay away from me, Jin." Young Jason said as he walked away, "Sooner or later, you'll get hurt too."
"Jason!!" Jin said, "Don't walk away from me, you bastard! You're my friend, come back here!"
The Memory then shifted again, this time, Young Jason was sitting in a hill overseeing a canal. Behind him, an middle aged man walked up to him, wearing a suit.
"Been years since I've seen you, Jason." he said
Young Jason looked up and recognized him; he was the officer that let him go all those years ago.
"You.." Young Jason said, "How'd you find me?"
"When a famous Idol suddenly commits suicide, there's bound to be pictures of her funeral online." He said, "And your recognizable mug was seen."
The man looked at something next to Jason, it was a pistol, illegal in the country.
"Where'd you get that, son?" he said, "And most importantly, what're you going to do with it?"
Mavis and Jason watched this. Mavis immediately, somehow, knew what the object was and where this situation was headed. To her, this whole world was foreign to her but she understood what was going on, despite that.
"Jason..." She started, "What're..."
Young Jason sighed, "I'm tired....." He said, "I don't care anymore...."
The man sat down next to him, "I understand, son." He said, "I get that feeling."
"Do you?" Young Jason genuinely asked
The officer pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, "Oh, this line of work ain't pretty." He said, "You see a lot of shit. I've been tired for a while, son. But we, as men, we have to keep going."
"I'm no Man." Young Jason said
The Officer scoffed, "You tell yourself that." He said, "But that thought of yours. It's merely an imprint of fear placed on that mother of yours. The one that abused you. You're not a Demon, son. You're just like me, a simple Man. Just like that friend of yours, Jin. Both of you are just men trying to live. Whatever it is you have planned, don't do it. There is hope. Trust me."
Young Jason looked at him and sighed again, "That's what everyone says."
Suddenly, the entire memory began to shake.
Mavis and Jason looked up to see the entire mindscape collapse.
"I guess..." Jason said, "My mind is healed, somehow."
Mavis nodded, "This is a result of finding your trauma..." She said, "We're being ejected."
She looked at him as Jason merely looked at his younger self.
"I'm so sorry, Jason." She said
Jason shrugged, "Sorry doesn't change anything." He said,
"As you can see, everyone's been telling me that."
Memory Ends
Suddenly, Mavis is jerked awake, standing up as Jason's eyes open as well.
"Fuuckk...." Jason groaned as he sat up
Mavis rubbed her head, "That's the longest I've been in another person's mind." She said
Jason stood up, "Didn't know you could do that." He said, "Oh well...."
He then walked up to the river and Mavis stood up behind him, "Jason?" She said
Suddenly, Jason's body began to shake as he released an aura.
"....It's my fault....." He said
Mavis walked up to him, "No..." She said, "It's not.."
Jason then looked at her, "I did this to myself, Mavis." He said as his face was full of despair
Mavis widened her eyes, immediately realizing what he meant.
"The....gun....." She said
Jason looked down as he clutched his head, "Y-Yea..." He said,
"I used it."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone