The Second Job

I stepped out of the house and started walking.

I boarded the bus, tapped my card, and took a seat in the corner. My destination was the hospital. I planned to stop by and see my younger sister, Yuseoah, before heading to work.

I closed my eyes for a moment, waiting, and soon the bus arrived at its stop.

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Entering the grand hospital building, I notified the reception desk of my visit. I left my name in the records, gave a slight bow in greeting, and headed toward the elevator.

Ding—

I stepped into the arriving elevator and pressed the button. The doors closed, and it began ascending. But something felt off.

This was the familiar elevator I rode every day. Yet today, it seemed different somehow.

"Why is it so slow?"

I looked up at the floor numbers ticking by.

3, 4, 5.

It was the usual speed. So why did it feel slow to me?

The elevator reached the seventh floor, and the doors slid open. My steps felt light as I moved down the hallway. Even the oppressive hospital air didn't bother me.

Standing in front of my sister's room, I began my daily check. I touched my shoulders—they were squared back, not slumped like usual.

I felt the corners of my mouth, always drooping before. The gloomy expression was gone; instead, my lips curved up in a wide smile. That's when I realized the source of the odd feeling I'd had earlier.

I'm looking forward to seeing Yuseoah.

My body, revitalized after quitting the construction grind, stood tall. My lips tingled with the urge to rush in and share the good news. Unable to hold back, I flung open the door to her room.

"I'm here."

"Yeah."

I sat in the chair beside her bed.

"How've you been feeling lately?"

"Yeah. Better."

I watched her nod faintly. A soft smile played ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on her lips, but her eyes told a different story. I took her hand as she gazed at me from the bed and said,

"You'll get better. I'll make sure of it."

She must have heard it from the doctor too—the fact that she could recover if she went to America.

And at the same time, despaired. She knew we didn't have the money to send her there.

"No, Oppa. Don't push yourself. Please…."

The calm facade on her face began to crack. I pulled her into a tight hug and murmured so she could hear,

"I'm not pushing. The job I'm doing now is going really well."

"Liar…. You're doing this because of me. Please, I beg you. I don't want to see Noona and you suffering because of me…. So please…."

"Don't worry. Noona will quit her jobs soon too. I'll make it happen."

"But what about you, Oppa? You don't have to push yourself for me either. Noona, you—none of you need to sacrifice for just me."

Her hand gripped my collar tightly. I slowly stroked her back as she sobbed. Her trembling body gradually calmed.

"Don't worry. No matter what, I'll make sure you and Noona are happy."

Do you know O. Henry's story, The Last Leaf? The character Johnsy, bedridden with illness, loses her will to live, convinced she'll die when the last ivy leaf falls from the vine outside her window. Old Behrman, hearing this, paints a leaf on the wall during a raging storm and freezing cold—and dies from it.

In the end, Johnsy overcomes her illness thanks to Behrman and lives happily.

But I don't want that kind of ending. I'll live happily with my family. I won't entertain nonsense like "I can die happy."

An old man standing in a downpour for hours is incredibly dangerous. In reality, Behrman died of pneumonia because of it. But would a seasoned artist like him not know that?

I'm no different. Yesterday in the sewer, I saw Gusechan get brutally torn apart by ghouls with my own eyes. I know full well how dangerous the work I'm taking on is.

Even so, I have to do it. Just as old Behrman painted through the storm to save his young protégé, I'm doing this to keep my precious family alive.

"So don't worry."

I murmured as I hugged Yuseoah tightly.

This is a vow to myself.

Dangerous things beyond imagination will probably come. Fighting terrifying monsters, maybe even other people.

But I won't give up.

I'll kill the monsters. And if humans get in my way, I'll kill them too.

For Noona and Yuseoah. I resolved.

Thud. Thud.

Walking down the alley, I entered the office disguised as a real estate broker's—Kim Yujin's place.

Ding-a-ling.

The door opened to reveal a neat, serene interior.

"Who… oh?"

My eyes met Kim Yujin's as he sat sipping coffee.

"Wh-what brings you here?"

He spoke in his usual calm tone.

"Here for work. Got anything?"

I approached and sat across from him. Up close, I noticed his mug trembling in his hand.

"Wh-what's going on?"

"Same as yesterday."

I stared at him silently, and he averted his eyes. I caught a glimpse of his shaking pupils—eyes filled with fear.

"Hey."

"Y-yes?! What is it?"

"You spilled coffee on your clothes."

Hearing that, he fumbled to set down the mug and pulled some documents from his drawer.

"H-here are the current requests for mages. Tell me which one catches your eye, and I'll guide you right away."

"Not gonna wipe your clothes?"

"I-I'll do it!"

His inexplicable reaction made me tilt my head. His first impression had been cold elite professional. Now? Not even close.

Interesting guy.

I murmured inwardly as I examined the papers he handed me. They were wrapped in a yellow folder, straight out of a movie, and every request was anything but ordinary.

The ghoul extermination I'd done before was rated 3rd Grade. I'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nearly died there. Higher grades would be even riskier.

But danger wasn't a reason to quit. I kept flipping pages, searching for something suitable. Luckily, I found one soon enough.

Perfect—the date was today.

Looking closer, the target enemies were ghouls. I closed my eyes, recalling the ones from yesterday. They seemed manageable enough.

"I'll take this one."

"A-alright! I'll guide you!"

Kim Yujin shot up from his seat and politely escorted me to the car.

"Let me get the door for you!"

"No need."

I rode comfortably to the request site like that.

"W-we've arrived."

As the car stopped, I politely declined Kim Yujin's offer to open the door and got out.

"You'll pick me up when it's done, like last time, right?"

"Eek! O-of course!"

It seemed like a hassle, but he readily agreed. His reactions earlier suggested he was a pretty kind guy. I reflected on judging him by his first impression.

Anyway, I headed toward the request site.

"This the place?"

The address on the paper led to an empty lot with a lone container in the center, complete with a door. Stepping inside, the interior was much larger than it looked from outside.

As I looked around in wonder, someone approached me.

"Are you the one sent by Kim Yujin?"

"Yes."

I nodded slightly, sizing him up. He was a man with deep dark circles under tired eyes.

"Hmm… Got it. Please have a seat over there and wait a moment."

After showing me to a spot, he fiddled with his necktie and disappeared somewhere.

"…."

I wasn't alone. Five others had arrived before me. As I sat, they started glancing my way.

They're mages too.

The paper said only mages could participate. For a high-grade request, teaming up should reduce the risk.

Glance.

I turned to check the people nearby. Eyes fixed on me from all sides. Probably curiosity about the new face.

Should be fine since we're all mages.

From community info, mages were elitist, looking down on sorcerers and normals. But they were kind to fellow mages.

So no problem.

"Hey."

Then the middle-aged man sitting across from me spoke up.

"Interfere, and I'll kill you."

Hm.

I scratched my head, pondering a reply. These were teammates, after all. Starting off too harsh?

But aren't mages friendly to each other? Did I read wrong?

"Ah, sure."

"Tch."

I nodded vaguely, and he clicked his tongue, turning away.

Wondering if he was the only one, I glanced at the others. They all scowled at me too.

What'd I even do?

No point fighting, so I sat quietly, wondering when we'd start. Then the dark-circled man returned.

"The last one's here, so let's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠begin."

As I started to stand at his words, the middle-aged mage who'd warned me growled,

"You vermin. Want to die? Making mages wait, you damn sorcerer?"

I turned to his face—twisted in clear displeasure. I checked the others; no one moved to stop him.

"Ah… waiting for the last person, you mean."

The tired-eyed man adjusted his tie, offering that excuse.

"You think that justifies making me wait?"

"Obviously."

Then someone entered the container, sneering at the middle-aged mage.

"That last person was me."

Purple hair, shimmering mysteriously like it held the Milky Way, cascaded over her shoulders. Her skin gleamed translucently white, like it was crafted from moonlight—unreal, ethereal.

"What can a bug like you do to me?"

Arrogance fit her sculpted face like it was untouchable.

She sneered down at the middle-aged mage.

"Tch! It was you?"

He glared briefly before slumping back into his seat.

"At least you've got some pride."

She scoffed at him, then scanned the mages with disdain.

"Not a decent one in the bunch—just bugs."

I figured the others would snap. But no one did. They all looked afraid of her.

"Yeah, bugs like you suit bowing your heads li—"

Her eyes, roving over the mages, stopped. They fixed on me.

A crescent smile bloomed on her icy face. Click, clack. Her high heels echoed as she approached. She leaned in close, right in my face.

"What's this? You're actually decent?"

Her stunning face filled my vision.

What the hell is this situation?

I glanced around.

The mages who'd ignored me moments ago now stared in shock.

Clearly, the woman before me was someone even mages feared.