A Broken Place

"Vice-Guild Leader seems to always have an issue with the final words. Always…"

Seo Min-gi muttered in a low voice, covering the microphone with his palm, his face looking as if he had lost his country. Beyond the phone, Bae Won-woo asked, "Huh?"

—What? I didn't hear you.

"It's nothing. I'll get back to you after the investigation. Shall I report directly to the Guild Leader?"

—Yeah, and keep me updated on this one too. Don't tell Sa-young about it.

"You know that such independent actions also need to be reported, right? Vice-Guild Leader."

—Just turn a blind eye this once, man. I'm doing this for his sake.

"Then, I'm counting on you!" Without considering the other person's situation, Bae Won-woo hung up the call after throwing a bombshell without hesitation.

Seo Min-gi, who ended up holding the bomb out of nowhere, glanced sideways at Cha Eui-jae after lowering his phone. Cha Eui-jae, with his arms still crossed, was softly smiling. The sight made Seo Min-gi's spine chill even more.

'I must somehow defuse this bomb from exploding!'

Seo Min-gi let out a big sigh first. Then, he adjusted his sunglasses to reveal his dark circles. If his client was human, they would surely feel sorry for this face. Before Cha Eui-jae could speak, he preempted him.

"No."

"…"

"No matter how much you're a customer, this can't be done."

"…"

"No matter how much you look at me, really, really, it can't be done…"

No. Go back. Seo Min-gi firmly extended his palm as if he were a judge. But the opponent was also resolute. Cha Eui-jae uncrossed his arms and high-fived Seo Min-gi's palm. A so-called high-five.

Smack—!!

"Ugh."

Of course, it was a bit too powerful to be called a high-five. Seo Min-gi's hand, which had received an unexpectedly strong impact, recoiled like a mimosa1. Seo Min-gi shivered with tingling pain in his shoulder. Cha Eui-jae awkwardly took out a potion from his inventory and sprinkled it on Seo Min-gi's hand, speaking with a sheepish smile.

"No, why do you refuse so strongly without even knowing what I'm going to ask?"

"Because you want to accompany me on the investigation, right? Do you think I wouldn't know? You're acting exactly like how the Guild Leader used to!"

Seo Min-gi shouted sharply, pushing up his slipping sunglasses. Cha Eui-jae, who got his mark, cleared his throat. Seo Min-gi gloomily muttered.

"…Given the situation, it seems like even the customer needs mental remodeling. Got it."

"No, who is remodeling who…"

"No matter if you're J, you can't accompany the investigation."

"Why?"

"Because you're my customer."

It was an unexpected reason. Cha Eui-jae widened his eyes. Seo Min-gi, grumbling, stuffed his tablet and pen back into his inventory.

"This issue is related to my Hunter Pride as the 36th-ranked hunter in South Korea, specializing in stealth and infiltration, customer. Have you ever seen a guide take a customer to an unsafe place?"

"…"

"Let me tell you a few more things now that we're on the subject."

Seo Min-gi said in a determined voice while wiping his potion-soaked hand with a handkerchief.

"When going somewhere, you must have at least a basic understanding of the situation and secure safety in advance. I know you're very strong, but you can't just rely on your body and rush in."

Situational awareness? Safety measures? Cha Eui-jae, who had never done such things in his life, stared blankly at Seo Min-gi.

Back in the day, he would handle situational awareness, safety measures, and problem-solving all in one go the moment he entered. Why complicate the process?

Even though it sounded like an old man's words to him, Cha Eui-jae swallowed it down, thinking Seo Min-gi, who had never gotten angry before, might blow up if he said it out loud. Cha Eui-jae at least had that much sense.

Seo Min-gi continued to speak rapidly as if rapping.

"Even if you haven't done it until now, you must start from this moment. Why? Because the Pado Guild and I will first handle the situational awareness and safety measures there."

"But…"

Cha Eui-jae cautiously began to speak, but Seo Min-gi shook his head firmly.

"If you want to argue about this, please take it up directly with the Guild Leader. The Guild Leader shares the same opinion as me."

That guy? Cha Eui-jae rolled his eyes. Of course, Cha Eui-jae didn't know everything about Lee Sa-young. But from what he had seen so far, Lee Sa-young seemed to prefer getting involved directly rather than leaving things to others.

While Cha Eui-jae hesitated for a moment, Seo Min-gi spoke in a prim tone.

"The Guild Leader also underwent such mental remodeling once. After scouting me, he didn't give me any tasks, so I sternly disciplined him."

Scratch that. It wasn't particularly such a problem. It was just that Seo Min-gi had dug his own grave. Cha Eui-jae looked pitifully at Seo Min-gi, who was burying himself in the pit he had dug. Whether fortunate or unfortunate, Seo Min-gi looked satisfied after finishing his speech.

"You heard the call just now, right? Use me properly at least half as much as the Guild Leader does."

"Ah, yes."

Seo Min-gi's phone rang briefly in his hand. After checking his phone, he bowed to Cha Eui-jae.

"The address has arrived. I'll see you again next time."

"Ah, wait a moment."

Cha Eui-jae, who had been lost in thought for a moment, called out to Seo Min-gi. Seo Min-gi, who had half-hidden in the shadows under the chair, lifted his head.

"Yes, please speak."

"After the investigation, contact me as well. All the information about Prometheus, including the address of the place."

Seo Min-gi looked at Cha Eui-jae for a moment and then asked in a sighing voice.

"In secret from the Guild Leader?"

Cha Eui-jae smiled.

"Yes."

Seo Min-gi nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly, and then quickly disappeared into the shadows. Silence returned to the narrow shop. Every time he suddenly found himself alone in such quietness, Cha Eui-jae couldn't help but feel his spirits sink. He clasped his hands together and brought them to his mouth.

"Sigh…"

Even though he knew it was meaningless to chase after the traces of someone who was probably already dead, he couldn't help but helplessly follow them.

Because, that child…

His hand, which had been roughly rubbing his face, turned on the TV. The irregular noise provided some comfort.

Cha Eui-jae walked out of the shop with trash bags in both hands. The lingering smell of cigarettes in the air suggested someone had been smoking for a while. He looked up at the gray sky.

***

Click, an old fluorescent green plastic lighter flickered. Beyond the wavering small flame, the sky was filled with thick clouds.

The young man, staring at the flame, soon put the lighter back into his pocket. His fingertips brushed against a cigarette pack, but he didn't take it out. There were too many people in the building for that.

Where there are people, it's noisy. Sometimes unbearably so.

"…!"

The senses that developed extremely due to the awakening were either a blessing or a curse. Sometimes, they made him hear things he didn't want to hear. The young man pretended not to hear the noise in his ears and stretched his leg to step down a few steps. He was sitting in the middle of an old outdoor staircase.

The Awakened Management Bureau, hastily launched to deal with the flood of awakened criminals, was located in one of the police stations that had not been functioning properly since the Day of the Rift. There was neither money nor time to build a new building.

Posters for traffic safety and no-smoking campaigns were still stuck on the walls, as if to remind everyone that this was a police station. The campaign posters hadn't moved past the date three years ago and remained stuck on that day.

Someone's footsteps were getting closer. Tsk, the young man clicked his tongue so softly that it was barely audible and closed his eyes tightly.

'This place is hopeless too.'

Soon, the footsteps reached right below the stairs. With a curious rustle, a voice full of welcoming tone echoed.

"J! Here you are!"

J slowly opened his eyes and glanced down the stairs. A hunter from the Awakened Management Bureau, whom he had seen a few times, was sticking his head up and looking at him.

A newcomer who had joined three months ago, if he remembered correctly. As expected of a newcomer, his eyes sparkled. J replied indifferently.

"Summoned?"

"Yes! That's right."

J took his eyes off the newcomer and looked up at the cloudy sky. In the middle of the sky, a black hole was swirling.

"Tell them I'll be there soon."

"Uh, but I think you should come right away…"

"…"

J didn't respond and just stared at the hunter. Though his expression was hidden behind a mask, the meaning of his gaze was clear. The hunter, receiving the chilly stare, mumbled his words.

"It, it's an urgent matter. I was told to definitely bring you along…"

"Who said so?"

"So, Hunter Song did…"

"…"

Sigh, a short breath escaped. J slowly stood up.

Tap, tap, the sound of solid boots echoed regularly as he stepped down the stairs. His face hidden under a mask, hands in his pockets, he walked past the hunter.

At that moment, the strong smell of blood hit his nose. The hunter instinctively frowned slightly and then, startled, quickly covered his mouth.

Pretending not to notice, J nodded. It had already been three years since he was hailed as a hero right after his awakening.

"Thank you for letting me know."

Thinking about it now…

"Go back to work."

He seemed tired. Very much so.