….
A wild thought flickered across Jin-Ho's mind, wicked and brief.
Should I just… tell them everything?
He almost smiled.
Nah. They would just think I need psychiatric help.
Instead, he let the silence stretch a heartbeat longer, then spoke, lightly, almost carelessly, as if it were just a passing thought.
"Maybe the Creator got bored of his own little experiment, decided to spice things up, pulled a few strings… and, well, the rest just sort of happened. Some liked it, some didn't - but here we are. The outcome doesn't matter either way."
A murmur rippled through the recruits.
Someone eager to curry favor with Jin-Ho murmured. "Hmm… that makes sense."
As if. Even Jin-Ho couldn't understand the level of idiocracy.
Still, many liked the simplicity of it.
The cockier ones, of course, rolled their eyes, smirking at what they clearly thought was nonsense.
A handful of quieter Hunters, including Cha Hae-In, tilted their heads, curiosity flickering in their eyes.
But it was obvious: no one truly bought it.
Definitely not Jinchul.
Yet he noticed there was something… off, in the tone of this teenager - a confidence, a calm certainty that didn't is rare to someone his age.
And though no one here realized it yet, one person in the room would eventually uncover the truth.
Just not today.
Finally, Jinchul nodded slightly agreeing to the last part.
"Interesting perspective, and maybe true in its own way, but remember this: no matter the reason, the predators are here. It's our duty to be stronger."
He paused, letting his words sink in. "With that, I officially welcome you all to the Hunters Association. May your future endeavors prove your strength."
Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving the room buzzing with awe, doubt, and unease.
Jin-Ho rose and moved out, keeping pace beside Jin-Woo while keeping a watchful eye on Cha Hae-In.
A few bold students tried to approach him, but his blatant disregard, and a sharp glance, sent them scuttling off, muttering under their breath.
Cha Hae-In drew attention too, though she handled the approaches far less deftly.
Once outside, rounding the corner, Jin-Ho finally spoke to Jin-Woo, who was still confused why this guy was sticking so close.
"Coffee? That orientation was… brutal. I feel like I could fall asleep standing up, and you don't look much better." Jin-Ho said, his gaze steady.
Normally, he would have backed away, trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and this rich kid. But for some reason, he couldn't.
There was something about Jin-Ho, a quality that drew Jin-Woo in despite his inability to pinpoint it.
Unbeknownst to both of them, this inexplicable pull was the effect of Jin-Ho's [Title] –
⟦•-----------------------•⟧
「Titles:」
-> [Protagonist Magnet]
| Title Effects: Causes any true protagonist who comes near to feel a subconscious pull of trust, admiration, or favor toward the ability's bearer.
| Note: It has opposite effects when you come across an 'antagonist'.
⟦•-----------------------•⟧
Jin-Ho's offer of coffee hung in the air.
Jin-Woo considered it.
He did have some extra cash from his part-time job, and honestly, Jin-Ho had a point. The past few days had been an overwhelming barrage of thoughts.
His mind had been a relentless churn since yesterday's E-rank evaluation, sleep was a luxury as worries continued to mount.
"…Sure." He said at last. "Could use it."
"Great. Thought you would refuse for sure." Jin-Ho nodded once, then suddenly spun on his heel.
Jin-Woo's eyes flicked to the corner, and froze.
Cha Hae-In was there, watching.
Was she going the same way as them? He wondered.
Jin-Ho noticed too.
Unlike him, she couldn't hide her gaze.
She had been observing for a while, too obvious in her curiosity.
What neither of them realized, though, was that her reason for watching wasn't deliberate at all.
Ever since the day she had awakened as a Hunter, her senses had sharpened into something otherworldly. Most people assumed she just had good reflexes, or keen observation.
They didn't know that she could smell things - things beyond food, beyond the faint musk of sweat or the tang of metal in a dungeon.
She could smell mana itself, threads of power humming inside people like the scent of ozone before lightning.
It had always been subtle, like background noise - until now.
Jin-Ho smelled… different.
Not simply strong, not merely powerful.
Different in the way a storm front is different from a breeze.
Something similar to the Guild Leader of the Hunter Association, when she had met him during her A-rank evaluation, had carried only a faint crackle of power compared to the low, thrumming undertone she caught from Jin-Ho.
It didn't roar. It waited - compressed, coiled, silent as a beast in tall grass.
And she couldn't seem to stop noticing it.
She trailed a few steps behind them, trying to puzzle it out, when Jin-Ho suddenly half-turned, catching her eyes square on.
"Miss Cha Hae-In, care to join us?"
??Cha Hae-In blinked, startled, stopping mid-step.
Sung Jin-Woo outright flinched, head whipping toward him.
"Hey—" He started, voice caught somewhere between shock and protest. "You didn't say anything about someone else joining us."
"I didn't?" Jin-Ho said mildly, tilting his head as though honestly trying to remember. Then the corners of his mouth quivered, and he added in that same gentle, courteous tone. "But why are you getting so flustered about it?"
Jin-Woo's ears colored faintly. "I am not—"
"You are, a little." Jin-Ho murmured, tone teasing but still soft, as if he was simply stating a fact rather than trying to win.
Cha Hae-In stood frozen a heartbeat longer, uncertain if she should walk away - or answer.
For the first time since she had stepped into the Association building, the rigid atmosphere around them shifted.
Just slightly.
Like the first crack spidering through thick ice.
….
Cha Hae-In's lips parted as though she might refuse - but instead, to her own mild surprise, she nodded once.
"…Okay."
Jin-Ho didn't wait anymore. "Perfect. This way."
….
The café they chose was small and tucked off a side street, a narrow space with warm amber lights and the low hiss of an espresso machine, far from the cold marble halls of the Association.
The three of them settled around a corner table by the window.
Outside, Seoul traffic flowed in sluggish afternoon lines; inside, the air smelled of roasted beans and faint vanilla syrup.
Jin-Ho was the first to break the silence.
"Okay. Since we have all just been officially inducted into this glamorous, monster-slaying society, I think we should start with introductions. Proper ones."
Nods.
He continued. "I will start. Yoo Jin-Ho, newly registered B-rank Hunter. My hobbies are… Well, they change. But I enjoy fighting strong opponents and have zero patience for weak ones. Currently stuck in Korea thanks to Orientation regulations, but I will be moving to America soon."
"America?" Cha Hae-In was startled.
"Mhm." Jin-Ho confirmed. "My sister will be going there soon, Newark. I will be tagging her… assuming the Association lets me leave before I go grey."
That earned the faintest amused flicker in her eyes.
Jin-Woo just took another sip of his coffee, deadpan.
"Okay, your turn." Jin-Ho said, turning to him.
Sung Jin-Woo hesitated, brow furrowing. "…Is this really necessary?"
"No chickening out, dude. Come on, spill your name."
Jin-Woo exhaled through his nose, and Cha Hae-In blinked, mildly confused.
"I thought you two were already friends." She murmured.
"Oh no." Jin-Woo said flatly. "I just met him yesterday. At the rank test."
That drew a short laugh from her, and an entirely unoffended grin from Jin-Ho.
"That's enough to make us friends." Jin-Ho was unconcerned. "But please, introduce yourself properly."
"…Sung Jin-Woo." He said finally, voice quiet. "E-rank…"
The mention of his E-rank earned him a sidelong glance from Cha Hae-In, a quiet reminder of Jin-Ho's earlier assertion about disliking the weak.
Then, she offered her own introduction.
"Cha Hae-In. A-rank. I… joined just recently."
….
For a while they sipped their drinks and let the idle hum of the café wrap around them.
"So." Jin-Ho said eventually, turning slightly toward Jin-Woo. "What do you want to do, now that you are officially a Hunter? Fame? Fortune? Or having fun?"
Jin-Woo didn't even blink.
"Earn enough and support my family."
There was no drama in the words. Just calm certainty, like stone.
Cha Hae-In paused, her cup halfway to her lips. She studied him quietly. There was something unsettling about how calm he sounded.
Most E-ranks she met either tried too hard to hide their frustration or broke under it. But this man… he could still speak, like the world hadn't crushed him yet.
"You don't sound discouraged." she said after a moment. "Most people would be. An E-rank isn't exactly an easy start."
"I don't have time to be discouraged." Jin-Woo replied simply.
That shut down any argument she might have had.
Cha Hae-In lowered her eyes, the faintest crease forming in her brow. She could smell him - faintly, barely even there
His scent was too faint, weaker than any awakened being she had met. Almost human.
And that was what unsettled her most. Something about it made her chest tighten briefly, for reasons she didn't care to explore.
"You will make it." She said finally, her voice calm again. "If you hold on to that resolve, you will."
Jin-Woo looked at her - surprised, maybe a little unsure what to do with encouragement like that.
"Thank you."
And that's when Jin-Ho snorted.
"Oh, how nice." He said dryly. "The ice-queen gives a pep talk, and the underdog smiles back. I feel like I am interrupting a K-drama moment."
Both Jin-Woo and Hae-In froze for a heartbeat, then turned toward him in unison.
"That's not what's happening." Cha said quickly, setting her cup down a little too neatly. The faintest pink touched her ears.
"Where did that even come from?" Jin-Woo frowned.
Jin-Ho raised his hands, feigning innocence. "Just an observation. You have got that 'quiet mysterious loner with a tragic backstory' energy, and she has got that 'stoic yet secretly soft' vibe. I have seen this pairing before."
"Stop spouting nonsense." Jin-Woo muttered, a twitch in his brow. He leaned forward. "How old are you, anyway?"
"Seventeen." Jin-Ho said flatly, sipping his drink like it was nothing.
Jin-Woo straightened up, deadpan. "Then call me Hyung."
"Haa… maybe on your deathbed." Jin-Ho said sweetly, not even looking up.
Cha Hae-In bit the inside of her cheek to stop a smile.
She looked between them - one all calm resolve, the other all quiet attitude - and shook her head lightly. "Are you two seriously telling me you only met yesterday?"
""Yep.""
They said in perfect sync.
They all blinked - and then, for the first time, laughter broke across the table.
Genuine, unrestrained.
Even Cha Hae-In's laughter was soft and almost soundless, but it reached her eyes.
And for a moment, the weight each of them carried, the expectations, the uncertainty, the world waiting outside - felt very far away.
Jin-Woo still wasn't sure why he had come here.
But somehow, sitting here, felt right.
It felt… easy.
Familiar.
Like they had known each other much longer than a day.
He didn't understand it, and for now, he didn't need to.
….
At the counter—
"I invited you, so I am paying."
"Can't let a kid pay for adults."
"…Who the hell are you calling a kid?"
"Obviously the kid who is still in high school."
"You wanna fight, old man?"
"I don't fight with minors."
"…I will show you a minor—"
Clatter
"Sorry." Cha Hae-In murmured softly to the cashier, slipping her card across the counter. "They will calm down in a second."
The cashier blinked, caught between confusion and pity.
Behind her, Jin-Ho and Jin-Woo were still half-whispering, half-barking at each other, both refusing to back down, as if pride itself depended on the bill.
Then the machine beeped. Payment accepted.
Both froze.
"…Wait. You paid?"
"She paid?!"
They turned to her at the same time.
"Why would you pay?!"
"Do we look like we can't—?"
Cha just sighed, pocketing the receipt. "Because neither of you were going to stop arguing before the café closed."
Silence.
Then, softly—
"…We made a lady pay for us."
"Unbelievable."
"…You started it."
"I did not—"
"Both of you, out."
And just like that, the trio stepped out into the street - one quietly amused, one slightly flustered, and one pretending he didn't care at all.
….
.
[To be continued…]
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