Min Yu Shin, wearing regular glasses, was smiling.

“Anyway, I don’t like that secretary who’s always sticking close to the guild leader.”

“Why not that person?”

“They hold their head high just because they’re A-rank. There’s talk about them being near S-rank, but I’m not even sure if that’s true.”

“Well, it is strange for someone of that caliber to only do secretarial work…”

“How many A-ranks are there in Cheonrang for them to think they’re so special? If they’re that skilled, why don’t they try tackling some gates? I’ve never seen them enter a gate, you know?”

“Actually, from what I’ve heard…”

I felt as if the hand patting my head was applying more pressure. When I glanced up at Min Yu Shin, he was still smiling. But he looks angry.

They were chattering away, unaware that the subjects of their gossip were right beside them.

Then, a voice echoed in my head.

“Don’t mind those conversations.”

“…?”

It was Min Yu Shin’s voice. When I turned my head, he was making a shushing gesture with his index finger.

After we got out of the elevator and walked a bit away from them, he finally gave a proper explanation.

“There’s no need to pay attention to every conversation. I’ll check on it later…”

“More importantly, how did you do that just now?”

“Huh? What?”

“Making your voice echo in my head! Is that possible?”

“Oh, that. It’s a skill, a skill. I think it’s called telepathy?”

“Can it be used on non-awakened people too?”

“Well, there’s no rule saying fire created by hunters won’t burn non-awakened people. Two-way communication requires both parties to have the skill, but basically, it’s possible. Ah, depending on certain mental barrier skills…”

“Wow.”

“…You’re more interested in this than that conversation?”

“It’s fascinating, isn’t it?”

“Alright, alright, just get in the car.”

“Okay.”

Min Yu Shin started driving with familiarity. I quickly sat in the passenger seat.

“Do you know? The reason why Shin Woo first established the guild.”

“Oh, is there such a reason?”

“There is. At that time, even the government wasn’t stable, and it was a turbulent period. But there, a high school-aged kid stepped up to establish a guild alone. Even though Shin Woo was S-rank at the time, many people looked down on him because he was still young.”

Min Yu Shin kept talking while driving.

“It was a time when many adults tried to manipulate young awakened people as they pleased. Somehow, Shin Woo managed to establish a guild alone, and it was quite a scene. People said a kid would have a hard time running a guild, so they told him to hand over the guild master’s authority. Guild grounds are set as safe zones, but the system also officially recognizes the land owner. They were trying to steal the guild master position to swallow up the land.”

As I watched him talk while driving, I wondered if becoming an awakened person also made you better at multitasking.

“But Shin Woo refused it all. He said he established the guild for his younger sibling. He wanted to create a safe place for when his sibling returned.”

“What?”

“Don’t get too angry about this incident. I’m also upset that he caused trouble and left… But you should be on that guy’s side, right?”

“…”

I thought he was talking about something else, but it seems this is what he wanted to say. I unknowingly became solemn. As I silently looked at the ground for a while, Min Yu Shin let out a laugh.

“You know what?”

“What is it?”

“I used to be an assassin.”

“Oh, I heard you were of the assassin class.”

“No, not that. I mean I was a real assassin. In the past.”

“…What?”

Then he suddenly revealed his shocking past.

“I was young then too. My mother and father had passed away, and my friends were all dead or fighting each other. I mentioned earlier, right? That there were adults who tried to control high-ranked kids as they pleased.”

“…Yes.”

“I thought that was normal. The person who used me was an older man who had awakened before me, a leader who protected people until I awakened. I just thought he was a good person and followed his orders.”

It was quite a shocking past for someone who seemed so cheerful. He summarized his story. He said he did a lot of dirty work after that. During that twisted period, he didn’t care what happened to the world and wished everyone would just die.

“But one day, Shin Woo suddenly came looking for me. The famous Jeokcheon wanted to see me, but at that time, I didn’t care about childhood friends or anything. I was just dumbfounded. Why would he come looking for me, trying to maintain such an old connection?”

“I see.”

“As luck would have it, I was also in a sensitive adolescent phase… When I told him to get lost, he beat me nearly to death. It was amazing how he managed to beat me without killing me. After being beaten like that for a while, crying, and it happened to be raining that day… I felt pathetic and wanted to die rather than live like this, but then he suddenly invited me to join the guild.”

“…He beat you then too.”

“Yeah, really painfully. Anyway, he said he was establishing the guild to protect his younger sibling, and that I should join the guild and become someone he needed… That was the first time I realized my world wasn’t just buried in darkness. No, he made me realize that.”

…Somehow, their relationship seemed closer than I had thought. I had assumed they were just ordinary friends, but there seemed to be something more.

“The way he talked made me think he had already found his sibling, but that wasn’t the case? It seemed ridiculous to establish a guild to protect a sibling he hadn’t even found yet…”

The traffic light turned red. Min Yu Shin stopped the car, looked at me, and smiled, showing his teeth.

“He may not say it, but that guy doesn’t move without thinking. Don’t worry too much. Everything will be fine.”

“…Okay.”

As I thought before, this person was really kind. He’s so kind that it’s hard to believe he used to be an assassin. I felt a lump in my throat. I felt like I should say something, but unable to find the right words, I just kept my gaze on the window outside.

I understand what he’s worried about. But it’s not like my feelings towards Cheon Shin Woo will miraculously improve because of this. I felt frustrated.

After that, I didn’t say anything. Min Yu Shin occasionally shared information and made jokes. I couldn’t bring myself to laugh.

The car drove on. A familiar neighborhood came into view. The neighborhood where I had lived, barely getting by in a semi-basement room.

In the distance, I saw a familiar head.

“Oh, Ian?”

I had let him know I could go out today, so he must have come because of that.

I should contact him in advance. I hurried over to him.

“Does that A-rank hunter have nothing to do? Coming out every day…”

I pretended not to hear Min Yu Shin’s grumbling beside me.

“Shin Ah.”

As always, Baek Ian smiled gently at me.

“You’re calling her Shin Ah naturally now?”

“That’s your name, isn’t it? If Shin Ah is your real name, I want to call you by that name.”

A smile appeared on his clear face. I felt my face heating up. Feeling flushed, I fanned myself with my hand and said,

“L-let’s go organize the house first!”

“Alright.”

Min Yu Shin followed behind. I walked towards the semi-basement room where I used to live. My heart felt unsettled seeing the old neighborhood, the secluded location, and the buildings that had somehow managed to maintain their form without being destroyed.

“How can people live in a place like this?”

“…The security doesn’t look good.”

The two bourgeois A-rank hunters said.

Yes, yes. People do live in old neighborhoods like this. I pressed the doorlock’s password. What was the password again?

“This place… doesn’t leak water?”

Min Yu Shin, still looking shocked, muttered while staring into space. Is a semi-basement really that surprising?

“It leaks sometimes when it rains… But it wasn’t a problem to live here.”

There was the sadness of having to cover all the already sunless semi-basement windows with newspapers, though.

“How can people live in a place like this…”

“Hmm, wouldn’t it have been better to stay at the association?”

The two A-rank hunters didn’t seem to want to change their expressions. Somehow, it’s annoying.

“Semi-basements have cheaper rent than other places. This area used to be a gate outbreak zone, so housing prices were especially cheap…”

“Gate… outbreak zone?”

“I haven’t seen any outbreaks since I’ve lived here. Generally, they’re taken care of before they become a problem.”

“…I didn’t know you lived in a place like this, Shin Ah.”

“I never told you where I lived, Ian, right?”

“…”

Is it that shocking? They’d probably faint if they saw the inside of the house. Come to think of it, I didn’t clean up the room before I left. I hoped the two of them wouldn’t faint seeing my messy house.

“That’s why I said we should live together, Shin Ah. But you refused.”

“W-w-what?! You two! H-how could you…! Such young kids!”

Fortunately, or unfortunately, they didn’t faint upon seeing the room. Instead, Min Yu Shin was shocked by an even more surprising statement.

“We’re not in that kind of relationship. He just said he’d help me when I was having a hard time.”

“…I should have dragged you out by force.”

“That’s nonsense.”

“I’m against this relationship. And you’re still too young to be thinking about living together already!”

Min Yu Shin’s eyes were bloodshot. It doesn’t seem right for someone who’s practically living together under the name of protection to say that.

Baek Ian sighed.

“I was rejected anyway…”

His voice sounded somewhat bitter. Despite not even making a sincere confession.

“Anyway, I said I’m against it. Your relationship… just don’t let Shin Woo find out. I’m serious about this.”

“What are you talking about… It’s not that kind of relationship, and why is Cheon Shin Woo’s name coming up?”

“Well, he’s personally selecting candidates.”

“…What?”

“He’s personally selecting candidates for your partner, Shin Ah.”

It was too shocking to hear. I pretended not to hear and walked briskly inside.

“Let’s organize the luggage first, organize the luggage!”

“Anyway, don’t let him find out. From what I see, that guy’s sister complex is no joke…”

Fortunately, it wasn’t as bad as having laundry rolling around on the floor. I licked my lips looking at the beer that filled one side of the refrigerator.

“Ah… I guess I’ll have to try to be likeable too.”

I don’t know why those people came all the way here. If they’re not going to help organize, I wish they’d leave without interfering.