“Will that be alright?”

“Yes. I’m tired too.”

He leaned back deeply into the soft seat. His drowsy voice was unusually low and resonated in the silent car.

“Then… I’ll head straight to the hotel.”

Catherine didn’t say anything more and stepped on the accelerator. The bright headlights lit the dark street.

The car body vibrated low, and the scenery outside began to move slowly. Unintentionally turning his head, he noticed a brightly lit sign.

He didn’t take his eyes off it until it completely disappeared from his sight.

“……”

Streetlights flashed across his face and quickly disappeared again.

And the next day.

Somehow the entire country was abuzz, whether it was the internet, newspapers, or TV, with one subject.

Maestro’s visit to Korea.

About his return after 30 years.

(This is a time separator.)

「I trusted you as much as I trusted my friends…!」

The big wallmounted TV screen flashed brightly. Eun Ha listened to the familiar song coming through the speakers and thought.

‘It’s a good song even now.’

The melody was upbeat, but the lyrics were full of despair and betrayal. That was the point of this song. A great song, even famous after 30 years.

But the singer looked so different from what Eun Ha remembered. Was this what time does? Truly colorless.

Eun Ha checked her reflection in the balcony window. Nothing had changed, except that her hair had grown a little longer.

‘Shall I groom our dog later? It’s a Bichon Frise, named William.’

For some reason, that child came to mind. He must be old like the singer on TV now. Unrecognizable at first glance.

The person whose shy smile was like a balsam flower. Such a statement would make him jump and wag his tail.

But the face that remained most vivid was the last face she saw.

‘Eun Ha! Cha Eun Ha!’

Baek Yi Joon, with a face that looked as if he had lost the world, reaching out to me. Though it was Eun Ha who was trapped in the gate, his face looked as if he was the one trapped.

She wondered what he might be doing now. A child who disliked fighting and had a gentle heart. In today’s peaceful world, he might have given up on his Hunter activities and be living leisurely somewhere.

If she met him, she wondered what expression he would make. He might burst into tears in surprise. Ah, he’s over fifty, so he might not cry.

Anyway, he would be incredibly surprised. He must have been living believing that Eun Ha was dead.

Tsk.

A dry laugh escaped at the thought of his face. Then a yellow message window suddenly popped up in front of her eyes.

Ding.

[The deity ‘Cat Wandering in the Darkness’ asks what you are thinking about. Its golden eyes, full of curiosity, grow large.]

“Just. Old memories. There’s a kid who was trapped in the gate with me, and I’m kind of curious about what he’s doing now.”
Then the yellow message window pops up again.

[The deity ‘Cat that Wanders in the Dark’ asks if you were close friends. It seems a bit annoyed.]

“Friend…….”

Eunha, muttering faintly, lifts the cold beer can on the table. The cold droplets forming on the can’s surface touch her fingers and drop down.

‘So, so, so, if you leave the gate tomorrow… uh… what, my house… come, come, come, come over?’

A faint smile is drawn on her lips as she takes the can.

Facing a monster the size of a house without backing down,

Being able to paint tomorrow together, always with a smile, even if she might die the next day,

Sincerely wishing that wherever she does, whatever she does, she lives well, if that is what you call a friend.

“Yes.”

A rare smile blossomed on Eunha’s face as she took a refreshing gulp.

“I think that was the case.”

Holding the smile that bloomed slowly and faintly like a flower’s imprint on white cloth, Eunha suddenly turned her head towards the balcony.

The familiar landscape of Seoul was visible beyond the transparent glass window.

If he were somewhere here, she wanted to tell him that much. That she was alive, and living fairly well.

So,

You should be too.

(This is a time divider.)

[Breaking news. The U.S. Maestro arrived at Incheon Airport yesterday at dawn on the 10th] [Netizens focus on Maestro’s visit to Korea. What’s the purpose?] [Famous popular BJ KingGodSoo ‘Maestro, my longtime idol’ directly mentioned on SNS] [Title] OMG Maestro in Korea?

[Author]□□(125.107)│2031.8.10 PM 2:01│[Views] 42,979│[Likes] 1,431

[Content] Exactly as the title says, I thought he would never come to Korea again but suddenly why??? Did he get kicked out of the USA?

[Comments] 788

┖>□□: Is he a fool LOL he has a place in the USA, why would he be kicked out LOL

┖>□□: Just on vacation?

┖>□□: Tourism after 30 years?? LOL He obviously knows he will get bashed in Korea, what kind of tourism LOL he must be out of his mind LOL

┖>□□: There have always been such rumors, is he planning to work in Korea now??

┖>□□: Traitor scum coming back to Korea, so disgusting LOL unbelievable;;;;;

┖>□□: The top comment is ignorant; he did everything he could in the hardest times of the 2000s, no more traitor talks

┖>□□: Agreed, honestly, back then, he was thrown into the gate barehanded, and he didn’t even get properly compensated in Korea, it’s understandable if he lost interest

┖>□□: All those who shield him are traitors

┖>□□: Think about it LOL, in Korea, you get forcibly conscripted and paid a pittance; why would he miss it and choose Hell Korea over a developed country, I wouldn’t live there

┖>□□: Not “need” (x), “especially” (o)

┖>□□: In the USA, hunters of Agrade and above get thousands of dollars every month for their upkeep, and he’s Sgrade, why would he leave that for Korea LOL

┖>□□: Wow, awesome LOL, but if he really comes back to Korea, which guild would he join???? As usual, the Wolf??

┖>□□: The mighty Jecheon Daesung would go crazy, Immortal will try to recruit him

┖>□□: No, no, at that level, he would just start his own guild LOL

Knock, knock.

Siu, looking at the screen, lifted his head at the sound of knocking.

The one who opened the door and entered was Jehwi.

“You’re here, I see.”

Siu turned off the computer screen and rose from his seat. The awaited person had finally arrived.

“Shall I lead you this way?”

As Siu nodded, Jehwi quickly disappeared.

Siu sat down first at the long table positioned in the center. He propped his chin with one hand while tapping the glass table with the other.

“…….”

His deep blue eyes glanced at his mobile phone beside him. He picked it up with the hand that was tapping the table and checked the messenger.

[Me] [7:20 AM] Senior

[Me] [7:20 AM] That kid from yesterday, it’s better to keep your distance

[Me] [7:20 AM] That guy is called a trickster, a quite famous hunter in Korea
[Me] [7:20 AM] Of course, it’s not a good meaning.

It was a message sent the day after having a meal at the Milky Way and the national soup house.

But even today, the number 1 by the side still had not disappeared.

Is something wrong? Looking at the lack of contact for several days now, I slowly became worried.

But Siwoo needed some excuse to go to Eunha’s house. They were not close enough to go in and out of the house without any reason.

In fact, he could make any excuse. There was a limited edition DVD of a masterpiece movie he had brought from overseas recently, and he could even use the next mission meeting as an excuse.

But today, there was something more important.

Knock, knock.

At the sound of the knock, Siwoo who had put his cell phone in his pocket, opened his mouth.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Jehwi entered with a flustered face. Behind him, a familiar woman bowed her head.

“Hello, new Hunter. Nice to see you again.”

Catherine. A woman who was said to belong to Clamp Management, a subsidiary of Chaser.

Siwoo’s blue eyes narrowed slightly.

To be precise, towards the large shadow standing behind her.