Rumi pressed her palms against her knees, breath trembling as the last note of the choreography music faded. Sweat rolled down her spine, her legs shaking—not from exhaustion, but from frustration.
"Again," she whispered to herself.
If she didn't perfect this routine, tomorrow's monthly evaluation would crush her.
The other trainees had already left. Midnight practice was something only the desperate dared to do, and Rumi was definitely desperate.
She walked toward the speaker to replay the track, but the moment she reached out—
The lights flickered.
Rumi froze.
One flicker was normal.
Two flickers were coincidence.
But the lights stuttered violently, plunging the room into an unnatural darkness.
Her chest tightened.
"Hello…?" she called softly.
No answer.
Only the hum of the air conditioner—a sound that suddenly felt too slow, too deep, like it was being dragged underwater.
Then she heard it.
A whisper.
Not from the hallway.
Not from her phone.
Behind her.
Rumi turned.
A mirror covered the entire wall, reflecting her trembling figure. But behind her reflection, the darkness seemed to move. Stretch. Breathe.
Her pulse hammered as a shape emerged—a crooked silhouette peeling itself out of the mirror like tar. Its fingers were long and sharp, its face nothing but a warped blur.
Rumi stumbled back, choking on a scream.
The creature leaned forward—
and whispered her name.
"Rumi."
Her knees nearly gave out.
No one should know her name.
Nothing should be able to say it like that.
She backed away, but her heel caught her duffel bag, sending her crashing to the floor. The creature reached toward her, its voice a rasp that scraped her bones.
"I finally found you."
A blinding flash tore through the darkness.
The mirror shattered.
Rumi shielded her face as glass rained down. When she looked up, a figure stood between her and the monster—calm, still, and holding something that glowed faintly in his hand.
A boy.
No—
a trainee.
"J-Jinu?" Rumi stammered.
He didn't look at her. His eyes were fixed on the creature crawling out of the mirror shards.
"Stay behind me," Jinu said, voice low and steady.
Rumi stared at him.
This was the quiet boy who rarely spoke, who always stayed at the back during practice. She had never seen him look so… dangerous.
The creature lunged.
Jinu moved faster.
With a swift motion, he slashed the glowing charm across the air. A burst of blue light erupted, ripping through the monster's form. It screeched, dissolving into smoke before vanishing completely.
Silence filled the room.
Rumi sat frozen on the floor, unable to breathe.
Jinu slipped the glowing charm back into his pocket and finally looked at her. His expression softened—but only slightly.
"You shouldn't be here alone," he said quietly.
Rumi's voice cracked. "W-What was that thing?! Why did it—why did it know my name?!"
Jinu hesitated.
Then he extended a hand toward her.
"That wasn't the first one," he said.
"And it won't be the last."
Rumi stared at his hand, confused and trembling.
"Why?" she whispered.
Jinu met her eyes, his voice turning cold.
"Because the demons have started hunting you."
Rumi's blood turned to ice.
Jinu offered his hand again.
"Come with me. I'll explain everything."
Her heart pounded as she reached for his hand unaware that this was the moment her life as a simple trainee ended…
…and her destiny as a Demon Hunter began.