The weekend sky is clear and blue. The early spring weather feels chilly but still holds some warmth. Hajin is unable to enjoy this beautiful day as he is summoned to Seoul’s Association Tower for subjugating the djinn.
Really, couldn’t they just deliver it?
Kim Hajin is feeling annoyed. He can use this precious time for training his sharpshooting, but now, he has to be here.
The conferment ceremony takes place in a garden in Association Tower. Many people have already gathered by the time he arrives. However, the ceremony seems nowhere close to starting.
Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, and Kim Hajin are forced into a rehearsal to receive their commendations from a dignitary, but the dignitary himself is late and we are forced to wait. It feels like sitting on needles for Hajin as Nayun is sitting next to him.
The weird thing is… Nayun seems to be sitting too close to his seat. It is the same way Nayun has been invading his space back at the café from their little gathering.
“Hey. Yoenha might get jealous…” Suho jokingly whisper to Hajin, making him recall the gathering yesterday. Nayun shows a rather interesting reaction. “Don’t get me started. Kim. Suho.” She scolds Suho with a few words.
“It is a misunderstanding,” Hajin explains.
“Yes, yes. It is…” Suho only smiles at this, while giving Hajin a naughty look. He grins ear to ear like an idiot. He takes great pleasure in teasing his friends like this.
“Hey, what did I miss?” Hyon Hyung finally arrives at the venue.
“You are late,” Hajin complains, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. He knows that Hyon is also someone who gets his fun from teasing his friends. “So, why are you late?” He reiterates.
***
“It is not like I am the only one who is late.” I counter. Yeah, so what if I am late?
“Hey, hey…” Suho comes at me with an excited expression. “Do you know?”
But before he can even insert a word in, Chae Nayun, gives him a chokehold from the back. This halts Suho from whatever he is trying to say. I watch them create a ruckus as finally, someone approaches me asking me to get prepared through a rehearsal.
***
“Kids, riiight…” Hajin whispers disappointedly. He cannot believe he is mingling with these children when in fact, he is an adult inside a 17-year-old’s body. He is already in his 20s from his past life! He doesn’t want to admit it, but it is making him overly conscious.
He sighs at the sight of Nayun giving Suho a suplex from the more secluded shrubbery. “That’s brutal…”
Sitting on Nayun’s seat is a familiar figure. It is Yoenha. “Do not misunderstand.” She quickly explains herself. “I just want to tell you that you should not worry about what happened yesterday.”
“But I am not,” Hajin responds not a second late. “Oh, I will return the clothes to you this Monday.”
Yoenha shows a look of disgust which is understandable. She is a clean freak through and through. “Go and burn it in the incinerator.” After saying that, she moves to another seat the farthest away from Hajin. Later on, the person in charge of accommodating the rehearsals calls her.
Hajin spends the rest of his time waiting.
***
An extraordinary magic power suddenly undulates and invades the area. The dignitary finally arrives.
Today’s commendation conferrer is the master rank hero by the sobriquet of Wolf of Valhalla. His shoulder-length hair slightly curves up and he has a well-trimmed beard uncommon for an Eastern man. His regality is more than just an invisible feeling. As though a wind blows, each of his steps causes a tiny tremor of magic power. His raw power has reached a realm where even he couldn’t fully control it.
“Huu.”
The master rank hero, Yoo Sihyuk, looks around with wolf-like eyes and murmurs, “These fuckers telling me what to do.”
It is so quiet that even the wind dare not make a sound. With arrogance and apathy, Yoo Sihyuk pushes back the guests flocking toward him.
He walks up to the podium overbearingly as his attendant runs up and hands him a paper listing the order of the ceremony. Yoo Sihyuk clicks his tongue and glances at the paper before throwing it away. His attendant runs off with the discarded paper, like an obedient dog.
“Now, the conferment ceremony will begin.” The host announces the start of the ceremony.
“The commendation will be conferred by rank 37 master rank hero, Sir Yoo Sihyuk.”
The conferment ceremony officially starts at the host’s announcement. The photographers and journalists make a ruckus as they throw themselves on the job. The flashes and murmurs create an orderly chaos that contributes to the merriment of the event.
It is that much important to celebrate the existence of Heroes, not to mention the appearance of a Master Rank Hero who belongs to the peak of the world.
Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, Kim Hajin, Yoo Yoenha and I walks up to the podium according to the way we rehearsed. Yoo Sihyuk smirks when he sees Kim Suho.
“Are you Kim Suho?”
“Yes.”
“Mmm. I can see why those guys want you.”
Intense interest reflects in his eyes. Yoo Sihyuk advises Kim Suho with unusual kindness.
“Don’t join the association. It might be better to join the Vast Expanse and become a hunter. Being a hero is nothing but a baggage of responsibility and no fun.”
At least according to Sihyuk, it is a kind advice.
“Still, a hero fits my personality best.”
Kim Suho refuses with a smile. Clearly, he wants to be a Hero.
The corner of Yoo Sihyuk’s mouth twists up.
“You’re a boring guy. Fine… And you, it’s been a while, eh?”
This time, it is Chae Nayun. She makes a bored expression as their eyes connect. In the past timeline, this conferment goes very differently. Back then, Chae Nayun cannot even look at Yoo Sihyuk’s eyes at that time.
“Are you still a bachelor, master?”
“Aigoo… Kids these days have no respect for their elders.”
In the past, Chae Nayun is very hard-headed on using the bow. This makes her master, the current best swordsman in the world feel very disappointed. But now, it is quite different from the now inexistent past. The master and disciple bickers.
“At least you are honest. So, how is being a senior citizen to you? I hear they receive a lot of discounts.”
“You will grow an old hag without a husband with that personality of yours.”
“Nah, that is still uncertain. I am just saying, you are already a lost cause.”
“Wait, is being a dumbass a personality? No. It is a defect.”
“Hah~! Surely, there will be someone who will love me for who I am.”
“Huh? Really?”
“…”
“Are you suggesting... Hmmm... doesn't choosing you is a dumb choice? That makes your future husband an idiot of equivalent brain wavelengths.”
“…”
The fight is truly intense. The way Nayun is able to maintain her ground despite confronting a Master Rank Hero is a testament to her genius. Meanwhile, Sihyuk’s show of patience speaks how much of his character is worth imitating all due to his experiences from old age… er.. from his active days working as a Hero.
The Journalists make a flicker while writing their notes, while the photographers click on their cameras with a flurry. It is good tabloid material.
“I am only middle-aged…” Yoo Sihyuk adds in a soft tone remorsefully, while he silently leaves Nayun to her own. He approaches the next person besides Nayun. It is Kim Hajin.
“Oh, you are the guy with the gun. I saw the trailer and watched the whole video. No. 1 Gunner, huh? It is good to be ambitious. I am looking forward to your future. Don’t lose, okay? Those gun-loving mercs will be crying!”
To Hajin’s surprise, he is receiving quite a warm welcome from Yoo Sihyuk. Receiving the high praise is too much for him. Yoo Sihyuk leaves the blushing Hajin as he walks to the other Cube cadet.
Then Yoo Sihyuk arrives at where I stand.
I nervously tap the floor with my shoe. Yoo Sihyuk quietly passes by me and heads to Yoenha. I am awestruck by his magic power and the way he just passes by me like that. I start taking a double take. Maybe, I am using my Gift or something, but… I am not.
“Yoo Yoenha, nice to meet you. Your father will be master rank in the future. I just know it. Give him my regards!”
Yoo Yoenha receives the handshake while she nervously looks at me and Sihyuk alternately. I can visibly see her sweating in the awkward situation. Yoo Sihyuk forgets about me entirely. Yoenha tries to signal at him with her eyes, doing the head tilt to point at me, but Sihyuk continues to ignore me.
“Miss Yoenha, is there a problem? Are you ill?” Sihyuk asks Yoenha with concern.
Oh my! Yoenha! Stop that! Leave him be! I signal back at Yoenha by shaking my head in disapproval. Finally, Yoo Sihyuk realizes that I am here. “Ah~ who is this?”
“Hyon Hyung, sir… My name is Hyon Hyung.”
“Oh. Okay.”
I suffer in silence. I am not here for fame or recognition. I am here for the money. Humiliation? Nah, that emotion can go suck ass. But the world is most cruel in the most unlikely places.
Yoo Sihyuk closes in on me and whispers with a playful tone. “Hyon Hyung, is it? Do you know? The Hero Association is actually suspecting you as a Djinn…”
!?
I can only shudder.
The weekend sky is clear and blue. The early spring weather feels chilly but still holds some warmth. Hajin is unable to enjoy this beautiful day as he is summoned to Seoul’s Association Tower for subjugating the djinn.
Really, couldn’t they just deliver it?
Kim Hajin is feeling annoyed. He can use this precious time for training his sharpshooting, but now, he has to be here.
The conferment ceremony takes place in a garden in Association Tower. Many people have already gathered by the time he arrives. However, the ceremony seems nowhere close to starting.
Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, and Kim Hajin are forced into a rehearsal to receive their commendations from a dignitary, but the dignitary himself is late and we are forced to wait. It feels like sitting on needles for Hajin as Nayun is sitting next to him.
The weird thing is… Nayun seems to be sitting too close to his seat. It is the same way Nayun has been invading his space back at the café from their little gathering.
“Hey. Yoenha might get jealous…” Suho jokingly whisper to Hajin, making him recall the gathering yesterday. Nayun shows a rather interesting reaction. “Don’t get me started. Kim. Suho.” She scolds Suho with a few words.
“It is a misunderstanding,” Hajin explains.
“Yes, yes. It is…” Suho only smiles at this, while giving Hajin a naughty look. He grins ear to ear like an idiot. He takes great pleasure in teasing his friends like this.
“Hey, what did I miss?” Hyon Hyung finally arrives at the venue.
“You are late,” Hajin complains, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. He knows that Hyon is also someone who gets his fun from teasing his friends. “So, why are you late?” He reiterates.
***
“It is not like I am the only one who is late.” I counter. Yeah, so what if I am late?
“Hey, hey…” Suho comes at me with an excited expression. “Do you know?”
But before he can even insert a word in, Chae Nayun, gives him a chokehold from the back. This halts Suho from whatever he is trying to say. I watch them create a ruckus as finally, someone approaches me asking me to get prepared through a rehearsal.
***
“Kids, riiight…” Hajin whispers disappointedly. He cannot believe he is mingling with these children when in fact, he is an adult inside a 17-year-old’s body. He is already in his 20s from his past life! He doesn’t want to admit it, but it is making him overly conscious.
He sighs at the sight of Nayun giving Suho a suplex from the more secluded shrubbery. “That’s brutal…”
Sitting on Nayun’s seat is a familiar figure. It is Yoenha. “Do not misunderstand.” She quickly explains herself. “I just want to tell you that you should not worry about what happened yesterday.”
“But I am not,” Hajin responds not a second late. “Oh, I will return the clothes to you this Monday.”
Yoenha shows a look of disgust which is understandable. She is a clean freak through and through. “Go and burn it in the incinerator.” After saying that, she moves to another seat the farthest away from Hajin. Later on, the person in charge of accommodating the rehearsals calls her.
Hajin spends the rest of his time waiting.
***
An extraordinary magic power suddenly undulates and invades the area. The dignitary finally arrives.
Today’s commendation conferrer is the master rank hero by the sobriquet of Wolf of Valhalla. His shoulder-length hair slightly curves up and he has a well-trimmed beard uncommon for an Eastern man. His regality is more than just an invisible feeling. As though a wind blows, each of his steps causes a tiny tremor of magic power. His raw power has reached a realm where even he couldn’t fully control it.
“Huu.”
The master rank hero, Yoo Sihyuk, looks around with wolf-like eyes and murmurs, “These fuckers telling me what to do.”
It is so quiet that even the wind dare not make a sound. With arrogance and apathy, Yoo Sihyuk pushes back the guests flocking toward him.
He walks up to the podium overbearingly as his attendant runs up and hands him a paper listing the order of the ceremony. Yoo Sihyuk clicks his tongue and glances at the paper before throwing it away. His attendant runs off with the discarded paper, like an obedient dog.
“Now, the conferment ceremony will begin.” The host announces the start of the ceremony.
“The commendation will be conferred by rank 37 master rank hero, Sir Yoo Sihyuk.”
The conferment ceremony officially starts at the host’s announcement. The photographers and journalists make a ruckus as they throw themselves on the job. The flashes and murmurs create an orderly chaos that contributes to the merriment of the event.
It is that much important to celebrate the existence of Heroes, not to mention the appearance of a Master Rank Hero who belongs to the peak of the world.
Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, Kim Hajin, Yoo Yoenha and I walks up to the podium according to the way we rehearsed. Yoo Sihyuk smirks when he sees Kim Suho.
“Are you Kim Suho?”
“Yes.”
“Mmm. I can see why those guys want you.”
Intense interest reflects in his eyes. Yoo Sihyuk advises Kim Suho with unusual kindness.
“Don’t join the association. It might be better to join the Vast Expanse and become a hunter. Being a hero is nothing but a baggage of responsibility and no fun.”
At least according to Sihyuk, it is a kind advice.
“Still, a hero fits my personality best.”
Kim Suho refuses with a smile. Clearly, he wants to be a Hero.
The corner of Yoo Sihyuk’s mouth twists up.
“You’re a boring guy. Fine… And you, it’s been a while, eh?”
This time, it is Chae Nayun. She makes a bored expression as their eyes connect. In the past timeline, this conferment goes very differently. Back then, Chae Nayun cannot even look at Yoo Sihyuk’s eyes at that time.
“Are you still a bachelor, master?”
“Aigoo… Kids these days have no respect for their elders.”
In the past, Chae Nayun is very hard-headed on using the bow. This makes her master, the current best swordsman in the world feel very disappointed. But now, it is quite different from the now inexistent past. The master and disciple bickers.
“At least you are honest. So, how is being a senior citizen to you? I hear they receive a lot of discounts.”
“You will grow an old hag without a husband with that personality of yours.”
“Nah, that is still uncertain. I am just saying, you are already a lost cause.”
“Wait, is being a dumbass a personality? No. It is a defect.”
“Hah~! Surely, there will be someone who will love me for who I am.”
“Huh? Really?”
“…”
“Are you suggesting... Hmmm... doesn't choosing you is a dumb choice? That makes your future husband an idiot of equivalent brain wavelengths.”
“…”
The fight is truly intense. The way Nayun is able to maintain her ground despite confronting a Master Rank Hero is a testament to her genius. Meanwhile, Sihyuk’s show of patience speaks how much of his character is worth imitating all due to his experiences from old age… er.. from his active days working as a Hero.
The Journalists make a flicker while writing their notes, while the photographers click on their cameras with a flurry. It is good tabloid material.
“I am only middle-aged…” Yoo Sihyuk adds in a soft tone remorsefully, while he silently leaves Nayun to her own. He approaches the next person besides Nayun. It is Kim Hajin.
“Oh, you are the guy with the gun. I saw the trailer and watched the whole video. No. 1 Gunner, huh? It is good to be ambitious. I am looking forward to your future. Don’t lose, okay? Those gun-loving mercs will be crying!”
To Hajin’s surprise, he is receiving quite a warm welcome from Yoo Sihyuk. Receiving the high praise is too much for him. Yoo Sihyuk leaves the blushing Hajin as he walks to the other Cube cadet.
Then Yoo Sihyuk arrives at where I stand.
I nervously tap the floor with my shoe. Yoo Sihyuk quietly passes by me and heads to Yoenha. I am awestruck by his magic power and the way he just passes by me like that. I start taking a double take. Maybe, I am using my Gift or something, but… I am not.
“Yoo Yoenha, nice to meet you. Your father will be master rank in the future. I just know it. Give him my regards!”
Yoo Yoenha receives the handshake while she nervously looks at me and Sihyuk alternately. I can visibly see her sweating in the awkward situation. Yoo Sihyuk forgets about me entirely. Yoenha tries to signal at him with her eyes, doing the head tilt to point at me, but Sihyuk continues to ignore me.
“Miss Yoenha, is there a problem? Are you ill?” Sihyuk asks Yoenha with concern.
Oh my! Yoenha! Stop that! Leave him be! I signal back at Yoenha by shaking my head in disapproval. Finally, Yoo Sihyuk realizes that I am here. “Ah~ who is this?”
“Hyon Hyung, sir… My name is Hyon Hyung.”
“Oh. Okay.”
I suffer in silence. I am not here for fame or recognition. I am here for the money. Humiliation? Nah, that emotion can go suck ass. But the world is most cruel in the most unlikely places.
Yoo Sihyuk closes in on me and whispers with a playful tone. “Hyon Hyung, is it? Do you know? The Hero Association is actually suspecting you as a Djinn…”
!?
I can only shudder.
