Where Beans Are Planted, Beans Grow

"Who is J?"

"Hmm~"

As he stretched out his words, Gyu-Gyu grinned and swayed his upper body back and forth.

"What if I don't want to tell you?"

"You will have to."

When Jung Bin clenched his fist tightly, the black chain restraining Gyu-Gyu's upper body tightened further. Another chain had wrapped around his neck like a noose. Gyu-Gyu shrugged and sighed.

"Alright, alright. But! Answer one thing for me. Then I'll tell you right away."

"I'll decide after hearing it."

"Oh~ it's nothing much…"

Gyu-Gyu rotated his stiff neck.

"Why are you looking for J?"

"Because it's an order from above."

Jung Bin answered briefly and gestured for Gyu-Gyu to speak. Gyu-Gyu grimaced.

"Come on, think about it without the orders. Do we really need to find J?"

The light hanging overhead swayed precariously. Jung Bin coldly answered as he stared at Gyu-Gyu, who was still smiling.

"What is the point of your question? Just get to the point."

"It's funny, isn't it?"

Gyu-Gyu puffed his breath to lift his bangs, his brown eyes glinting under his messy, white-and-yellow hair.

"Do we really need to go to such lengths to find J like hunting a rat?"

"…"

"Take Ham Seok-jeong, for example. She couldn't even stop me from leaving the country and got reprimanded by the higher-ups… but she entrusted the task of finding J to someone like me? Does that make sense?"

Ban Gyu-min. South Korea's fifth S-grade awakened. Unlike the previous S-grades, who all chose to stay in the country, he declared that he would become a freelance hunter traveling the world. Naturally, the country was turned upside down, and Ham Seok-jeong visited him daily to persuade him.

In front of the silent Jung Bin, Gyu-Gyu continued talking as if he never expected an answer in the first place.

"It's also funny that we are searching for J because of the apocalypse. We are looking for J because of an apocalypse that we don't know when, where, or how it will come? Can't we stop it without J?"

"…"

"Why? To throw someone who barely survived the rift back in there?"

Gyu-Gyu smirked as he asked sarcastically. Jung Bin couldn't say anything. Ban Gyu-min's words were sharp as a serpent's.

"Hmm? You two are from the same era. The first S-grade and the second S-grade. Don't you know each other well?"

"…"

So deeply buried that it awakened firmly.

***

Nine years ago.

Jung Bin stood in front of the mirror, taking a deep breath. His neatly trimmed hair and spotless police academy uniform. As he checked for any wrinkles on his clothes again, the bathroom door suddenly swung open, and a middle-aged man with a sharp tiger-like look stuck his head in.

"Jung Bin, are you ready?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good, you're very disciplined."

The man laughed heartily. He was Song Jo-heon, a well-known A-grade hunter. As Jung Bin nodded politely, Song Jo-heon opened the door wider, signaling him to follow.

"Let's go. He's a busy person, so we shouldn't keep him waiting."

"Yes, sir!"

"Remember what I told you? Don't stare too long, and don't pry too much."

"Yes, I remember."

"Good, good. He's not too difficult to deal with."

There was a hint of awkwardness in his words, but Jung Bin didn't show it and quietly followed him. After walking down a long corridor, they arrived at a door.

"We're here."

When Song Jo-heon opened the door, it revealed a spacious conference room. In the middle of the oval table, a young man was slouching, flipping through a thick file. His face was entirely covered by a mask, and his black combat suit was splattered with dried blood in places.

It was immediately obvious. He was J, the hero who saved the country.

J seemed entirely focused on what he was reading, showing no interest in who entered. Jung Bin stood straight and saluted, while Song Jo-heon bowed with a smile.

"J-nim! This is Jung Bin, the newly awakened S-grade. Please introduce yourself."

"Hmm?"

Only then did J turn his head toward Jung Bin. It felt like their eyes met through the mask. J put down the file he was reading and asked lightly.

"Oh… how old are you?"

"I'm twenty-one."

"You look younger than I thought."

His voice was oddly modulated, making it impossible to discern his age or gender. Was he just in a good mood? Jung Bin couldn't help but observe him closely.

On TV and radio, J was a reliable hero for the country. But in person, the masked youth…

'Can you even call him a youth?'

Jung Bin had always been observant. To him, J seemed far from being an adult. At most, he appeared to be a high school student, perhaps barely out of his teens. As he pondered this, J walked over to him.

When their eyes met at a slightly lower angle, J suddenly extended his hand.

"Hi, I'm J."

"Ah, I'm Jung Bin. Nice to meet you."

Jung Bin, lost in his observations, quickly shook hands after a nudge from Song Jo-heon. J's bony hand was firm but gentle. After a few shakes, J asked cheerfully.

"What's your ability?"

Jung Bin glanced at Song Jo-heon, who nodded slightly. Then he answered sincerely.

"Restraint. I can subdue my opponents."

"Monsters?"

"Awakened ones."

"Wow, that's great. There are so many awakened criminals these days, it's a headache."

"Right. Haha, he awakened at the perfect time."

Song Jo-heon patted Jung Bin on the back and urged him forward. J seemed to be pondering something.

"Alright. We should get going. Thank you for your time."

J waved and turned towards the window, jumping out. A cold wind rushed in through the open window. Song Jo-heon looked at Jung Bin, who was staring at the window, and patted him on the back.

"Hey, don't get too interested."

"Sorry?"

"Don't get too interested in J."

Seeing Jung Bin's puzzled face, Song Jo-heon shrugged.

"We need a hero right now. Knowing too much about J will only make things complicated. So I'm just giving you a heads up. Keep a proper distance. But don't make an enemy of him either."

"…"

Jung Bin probably wasn't able to hide his confusion. Clicking his tongue, Song Jo-heon left the conference room, muttering softly.

"We have no choice. Until things stabilize, the powerful ones have to sacrifice. The country is in such a state…"

Jung Bin glanced at the file left on the table. It was left open, revealing its contents.

[Swamp Toad: It's crucial to prevent it from vomiting. ★★★ Attack the head and mouth first.]

[Red-Tailed Dragon: It's troublesome if it joins its group! Pierce its throat to prevent it from calling its mates.]

J was reading a list of monster names and countermeasures written in firm, pressed handwriting. Suddenly, Jung Bin felt a tightness in his chest. He realized that if he read any more, he might start doubting things he shouldn't. He quietly turned around and followed Song Jo-heon out of the room.

***

Jung Bin stared at Gyu-Gyu. The light, which had been precariously swinging, was now completely still.

"We need to find him, even if it's not an order."

"Why?"

He remembered the back that used to leap alone into the cracks. The figure always heading into the rifts alone. The young version of himself who turned away from it. The strange discomfort he ignored back then was still vivid in his memory. He couldn't repeat the same mistake again now, after all these years.

"To protect him."

Jung Bin slammed the metal table and stood up, glaring down at Gyu-Gyu.

"So, answer me. Who is J?"

"Well, I don't know."

Even though Jung Bin had delved into his memories to give an answer, all he got in return was a lazy, half-hearted denial. He frowned and raised his index finger. The black chains tightened further around Gyu-Gyu's neck.

"You're really impatient. I've got the tail! …But it's cut off."

Gyu-Gyu quickly added.

"Look into Lee Sa-young."

"Why?"

"I dug hard and shortlisted a few J candidates… But all information gets cut off at Lee Sa-young and the Pado Guild. That guy, he gives out misleading information and it's really annoying."

Upon hearing this, a memory flashed in Jung Bin's mind. On the day the rankings were updated, Lee Sa-young was staring at J's name on the memorial. He had claimed that anything coming out of the West Sea rift was his. Jung Bin scrutinized the singing Gyu-Gyu with suspicion.

"By the way… Why are you suddenly so cooperative?"

"Huh? You seem like a J ally."

The chain around his neck slowly slithered back onto Jung Bin's wrist. Gyu-Gyu must have awakened after J disappeared. Jung Bin asked curiously.

"Do you have a connection with J?"

"Ah, nothing special."

Gyu-Gyu smiled.

"One time, he killed a monster that was about to destroy our church."

"…"

"Well, I do repay favors~"

Gyu-Gyu closed his eyes and began to hum again. It was a song Jung Bin had never heard before. The moments I walked through were not just ordinary, but grace…

Meanwhile, without Jung Bin, the hall full of hunters was like an 8-ton truck with a broken steering wheel.

"Number 7! Number 10! Number 2! Number 7! Number 11!"

Maybe even without brakes. The paddles were rising relentlessly, and the prices were skyrocketing.

"Hey, don't bid higher on the weapons I claimed. Aren't you putting your paddle down?"

"Huh~ So what?"

"I've cut the phone lines to prevent foreign guys from bidding."

"Good job. Kill them!"

In the middle of this battlefield, where super hamsters were charging at each other with weapons, Cha Eui-jae, who had unintentionally thrown a gas can into the fire,

"…This is fun."

He muttered while trembling with his legs, being used as a support for Lee Sa-young, who was sprawled out like a wet rag.

'Where the hell is that guy, Jung Bin, when we need him…'

He missed Jung Bin more than anyone else.