“Hello, Shin Ah.”

“Why are you here?”

“…I felt left out when you said you were meeting just the two of you, so I followed along… Should I leave?”

“No, that’s…”

Baek Yi Hyun spoke in a hurt voice. As I was flustered, Min Young’s cheerful voice could be heard.

“Oh, did I not mention it? I invited Yi Hyun too. Wanted to eat some meat with you guys after a long time. By the way, who’s this person next to you?”

It’s a total mess. I glanced at Min Yu Shin and Min Young.

“…Let me introduce you. This is an elder sister I’m close with, this is my fellow returnee, and this is…”

“You’re the A-rank hunter Min Yu Shin, known as nearly S-rank, right?”

Before I could finish the introduction, Min Young recited his specs. Well, an Association employee would naturally know a hunter’s information. Moreover, Min Yu Shin and Baek Yi Hyun had even fought each other before, so they must know each other well.

A strange atmosphere flowed.

“What brings someone like you here…?”

“Oh my. Our Shin Ah has made such good friends! Yes, yes, I am that Min Yu Shin. I’m here for security today, so please don’t mind me!”

“…Security?”

“Well, there have been some unfortunate incidents lately. Doesn’t it feel safer to have someone nearby?”

“That’s true.”

Min Yu Shin greeted them with a friendly demeanor. They were already shaking hands. I subtly moved my body towards Baek Yi Hyun while watching the two converse further. I had a feeling this would be tiring…

And that feeling turned out to be true.

“Hmm, this suits her too, doesn’t it?”

“Wouldn’t this color be better for Shin Ah than that one?”

“Let’s just buy both.”

“Oh! This one too.”

The two of them really hit it off well. Their initial wariness from greeting each other had disappeared somewhere, and the sight of them shopping for various things while I stood by looked like a match made in heaven.

The poorly paid Association employee’s eyes sparkled watching the A-rank hunter swipe his card freely.

“Enough…”

“Ah! There are many pretty accessories here, let’s look for a bit before we go. Yi Hyun, you should buy something suitable for yourself too.”

“Um… I’m not sure what suits me.”

My desperate cry was ignored amidst Min Young and Baek Yi Hyun’s conversation. Soon, Min Young looked at me with a regretful expression.

“It would be nice if Shin Ah grew her hair out. What a shame.”

“Oh, did you know her hair was long not too long ago? I’m not sure how it got long, but she cut it herself the very next day. With scissors, can you believe it?”

“Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden!”

“That’s why I ended up fixing it all for her. Shin Ah, you should avoid using blades as much as possible.”

And then Min Yu Shin went and brought up my recent embarrassing history! I remembered when my hair had grown long because of Shin, and I cut it with scissors because it was uncomfortable, Min Yu Shin had made a disgusted expression. Is it really to the extent that I shouldn’t use blades if possible? Regardless, Min Yu Shin was getting along great with Min Young, conversing as if teasing me.

I desperately looked at Baek Yi Hyun. Please say we should end this shopping soon. But he just smiled faintly and gave a thumbs up. You traitor! Baek Yi Hyun, despite not even being an assassin class, freely erased his presence…

After that crazy shopping spree passed, it was time to wet our throats at a cafe. Suddenly, Min Young started getting sentimental again.

“Time really flies. It feels like just yesterday when you two were little kids, but you’ve grown up so much already… You were so cute back then.”

“Were we cute?”

“Hmm, you didn’t seem that cute even back then.”

Elder sister, who had been reminiscing, made a playful expression while looking at Baek Yi Hyun. I covered my face with both hands in embarrassment.

“Can’t you please forget about my childhood?”

“Ahaha! You were really weird back then! I thought, ‘How can there be a kid like this!'”

I was pretty weird back then… As I was feeling embarrassed, Min Yu Shin next to me showed curiosity.

“Hmm? What was she like when she was young?”

“Oh, do you know? Ha Young, I mean Shin Ah, at 16…”

Min Young and Min Yu Shin had a very enjoyable conversation about my embarrassing history. I tried my best to close my ears.

Baek Yi Hyun, who was also listening to the embarrassing stories, suddenly smiled and nudged me.

“You seem better now.”

“Huh?”

“When we first met earlier, I thought something might be wrong. I’m glad to see your expression has softened a bit.”

I was about to ask if this tired face really looked softened, but I stopped myself.

Still, it was better than yesterday.

As the sun slowly set and it started to get dark, Min Young led me not to a restaurant or meat place, but to a flower shop.

Why flowers? Before I could ask, a strong memory flashed through my mind.

How could I have forgotten? Min Young had taken a day off work specifically for today. Sacrificing other days for just this one day.

“…?”

Only Min Yu Shin didn’t understand. I bought a moderately small bouquet.

“Let’s go.”

“…Okay.”

Min Yu Shin asked ‘Where to?’ but Min Young didn’t answer. She had intentionally brought her car and drove us somewhere.

The place we arrived at was a columbarium.

“Sorry I couldn’t visit often. You know I’m busy, right? Please understand.”

Min Young placed the flowers first, then I and Baek Yi Hyun placed ours in order. Min Yu Shin, who hadn’t understood the situation, seemed to realize as soon as he saw the name and let out a short sigh.

The late Kang Se Jin. The Association’s only S-rank hunter, who saved countless people and died as a hero.

The person who taught me how to live as a person of this world.

“…”

“…”

After briefly paying our respects and praying, I left first. I couldn’t stay there in my right mind. More precisely, after hearing the full story of the Bupyeong disaster from White Rose, it became even more unbearable.

Min Yu Shin followed me.

“Shin Ah, did you know Hunter Kang Se Jin?”

“…Um, yes. You know how Association employees do all sorts of jobs due to staff shortages. Se Jin used to handle a lot of returnee education too.”

“Seems like you were close enough to call her elder sister.”

“I guess so.”

I smiled awkwardly. Min Yu Shin didn’t ask anything more.

On this day a few years ago, an incident big enough to be recorded in history occurred in South Korea. This incident, which might still be a trauma for some, caused various repercussions afterwards.

The S-rank gate that opened in Bupyeong.

The single hunter who stopped it, the support that was blocked due to political interests, and the one who died protecting people until the end despite being able to escape.

Min Yu Shin didn’t ask me anything, but I felt like talking.

“Association hunters have a lot of work. They have to catch awakened criminals, raid gates about to open, save people when incidents occur, mediate between guilds, and protect returnees when they appear.”

“…I heard they had a lot of work, but I didn’t know it was that much.”

“So I became close with a few people. Child returnees are rare, and if they don’t have family, the Association teaches them various things until they become adults. Actually, it’s been so long that I don’t remember well what kind of person Se Jin was anymore.”

“It must have been tough.”

“I’m okay now.”

I was okay now, but back then, I wasn’t.

That day, Se Jin, who loved me the most, died as a political sacrifice.

The large-scale wave that caused thousands of casualties was eventually resolved by Cheon Shin Woo, who arrived late.

And somehow, that incident became Cheon Shin Woo’s responsibility.

He was put on trial for allowing thousands of casualties to occur there.

…That person, who has now become my elder brother, killed everyone in the courtroom.

Min Young probably called me and Yi Hyun out today specifically to drink.

The shopping was just to cheer me up because I looked upset.

I suddenly thought that there are many good people around me.

“Shin Ah, about that time…”

Just as Min Yu Shin was about to say something, Min Young, who had finished paying her respects, came out with Baek Yi Hyun and waved her hand widely. I smiled at her.

“Did you wait long? Let’s go, dinner’s on me!”

“Really? I’m going to eat a lot, you know?”

“How much can you really eat? Would you like to join us too? It would be more fun with one more person.”

“Huh? Me too?”

“Yes. Ah, please don’t eat too much though. I, uh, have a low salary.”

“Haha, everyone knows Association employees have low salaries. I won’t take advantage. Let’s go. I’ll treat for dinner today, I know a place!”

“Oh, really?”

“Hmm, hmm. Is it a hidden gem only known to insiders?”

“Sounds good, let’s go! No backing out now?”

I heard voices pretending to be cheerful. I smiled. Yeah, it’s okay now. The situation is different from back then, so it really was okay.

The voices of the two people talking were soft and not loud. However, the man’s ears were good. He stopped for a moment, listening to the voices reminiscing about that incident.

“It must have been tough.”

“I’m okay now.”

The voice saying it was okay was trembling slightly. As the group came out from inside the columbarium, talking in bright voices as they left, the man smiled faintly.

“Our daughter has made many good friends.”

Perhaps because many people died on the same day, the scent of flowers was particularly strong.

The man, not knowing what his daughter liked when she was alive, bought flowers as recommended by the florist.

He neatly wiped the photo and spoke as if greeting her.

“Se Jin.”

I’m glad you made many good friends.

The man greeted his daughter. The man, who had been living solely to protect people, carrying on his daughter’s will until now, closed his eyes for a moment, recalling those who had come to pay respects today.

Thinking that he might meet them again soon.

“What are you doing over there, quickly come this way! It’s dangerous!”

“Oh, oh, over there! Monster! There’s a monster over there!”

“Get out of the way, you fool!”

“Oh dear, why can’t I use my strength properly?”

It’s a complete mess. I smiled faintly at the scene before me. Far away, a monster was swinging its arms threateningly. Someone who couldn’t dodge got hit and flew, rolling on the ground several times.

It’s amazing that they can get up just fine after being hit like that.

“Little miss over there! Quickly come this way!”