Suwon – Three Days After the Gate Incident
The streets of Suwon had returned to their usual rhythm.
Buses rumbled by. Schoolchildren crossed intersections with kimbap in hand. The news had moved on to bigger things: celebrity weddings, stock prices, and a growing hunter guild in Busan.
The monster attack near the parking lot? Just another "low-impact" gate event now.
No hunter claimed the kill.
No casualties.
No traces.
Life moved on.
And so did Jung Ha-Joon.
Jung Family Apartment – Morning
The smell of seaweed soup filled the apartment.
His mother hummed softly in the kitchen, flipping fish on a pan. His father polished his company shoes while listening to an old comedy show on his phone. Ha-Rin swept the front of the shop, already in her apron.
Ha-Joon, in his worn school uniform, sat quietly at the table with his book open—but his mind far away.
He was still adjusting.
Adjusting to the strange quiet of this world.
To the simplicity.
To the warmth.
Even after 60 trillion years, the most difficult part was… learning to rest.
Later That Day – Ha-Joon's Routine Begins
He started working online. At first, small jobs: translation, proofreading, digital note formatting. Within days, his reputation quietly grew under anonymous names. Clients offered more. Reviews called him fast, flawless, and polite.
No one knew he could read and remember an entire book in 3 seconds.
Or optimize code like he'd created the first programming language himself.
He made ₩1.8 million in the first week.
By the third week: ₩5 million.
He used multiple bank accounts.
Donated quietly.
Upgraded appliances.
Replaced Ha-Rin's freezer.
Bought a better bed for his father.
All anonymously.
And no one asked how.
At the Shop – Ha-Rin's Suspicion
"Mom, did you buy this rice cooker?"
"No. I thought you did."
"Me? It came with a note—'From someone who cares.'"
They both looked at Ha-Joon.
He was organizing cans on the lower shelf, pretending not to hear.
"Joon," Ha-Rin said slowly, "are you… doing something shady?"
"Nope," he replied without turning. "Just efficient."
She frowned.
"You're acting weird lately. Quiet, calm, rich… and your eyes are red sometimes."
He looked up.
"You're imagining things."
But she wasn't.
And she knew it.
At Suwon High – Weekday Afternoon
Ha-Joon's school life resumed like nothing happened.
He turned in homework. Ate lunch quietly. Avoided questions.
Yet whispers followed.
"Did you see the news about the gate?"
"I heard a student stopped it…"
"There's a rumor he's from our school."
"Crimson eyes. No aura."
"Urban myth. Has to be."
Ha-Joon kept walking, ignoring it all.
He didn't want rumors.
He didn't want attention.
He just wanted to stay near his family and keep them safe.
Even if it meant pretending to be ordinary forever.
Later That Evening – Rooftop
He sat under the stars again, tea in hand, feet resting on a pile of warm laundry.
The world was simple again.
Peaceful.
"I'll keep it this way," he said softly.
"No more wars. No more towers."
He looked at his palm. No glow. No system. Just skin.
He smiled.
Across Town – A Poster on a Power Pole
❖ "Hunter Association Recruitment Open!"
– Support Trainees Welcome
– Provisional ID in 3 Days!
– No prior awakening needed
Ha-Joon stopped in front of the poster on his way back from the store.
He stared at it for a while.
Then smiled again.