EX-Rank Awakeners' Standoff is Terrifying!
A week had passed since I became Kang Haneul's manager. Quite a lot had happened in that time.
Monday: Association regular meeting.
Tuesday: Dimensional Gate invasion and successful interception.
Wednesday: Ad shoot.
Thursday: Interview.
Friday: Clinging to Kang Haneul all day.
And... today.
8 a.m., first-floor lobby of the Awakener Association HQ. I drew two cups of Americano from the vending machine. One for me, one for Kang Haneul.
Morning news was playing from the large TV mounted on one wall of the lobby.
"—Last week's Reptilian Dimensional Gate invasion in Gangnam District was suppressed without major casualties. In particular, EX-rank Awakener Kang Haneul single-handedly took down the enemy commander—"
That story again.
It had been days of the same damn news.
Last Tuesday, a Dimensional Gate had opened in Gangnam District, and a Reptilian unit poured out. Luckily—or unluckily—the gate was less than a kilometer from the Awakener Association. Kang Haneul and the other Awakeners mobilized immediately. The whole thing wrapped up in an hour. She killed the commander, and the rest of the Reptilians were nearly wiped out. A handful of survivors supposedly fled.
"Yujin!"
Kang Haneul's voice called from behind me. I turned to see her waving as she approached.
"Thanks for the coffee. What's on the schedule today?"
"Presentation in the morning, then Weekly Awakener interview in the afternoon."
"Ah, that reporter. Tough one, right?"
"Yeah... last time was a bit..."
I trailed off. I'd heard that before I became her manager, she'd gotten pissed during an interview and smashed the mic.
"It'll be fine this time. You'll be right there with me, Yujin."
"Ah, yeah."
We took the elevator up to the 12th floor.
……………
"To sum up this Reptilian invasion, Kang Haneul's contribution was significant."
An Association staffer was giving the presentation.
"Especially by taking out the commander single-handedly, you disrupted the Reptilian-Overmind's psychic control, causing the rest to collapse."
Kang Haneul nodded, arms crossed.
"It's what you'd expect from the Association's top firepower. No big deal."
"No big deal? Soloing the commander was insane."
One of the Awakeners sitting next to her chimed in.
"Anyway, why'd the Reptilians show up at this timing?"
"Who knows. Coincidence?"
"Feels too coincidental. Dimensional Gates have been popping way more often lately. Three times in a single month."
"Yeah, it's weird..."
The staffer nodded.
"I've heard those rumors going around lately. That there's a Reptilian spy hiding on Earth."
Kang Haneul snorted.
"You buy into that conspiracy crap?"
"Nah, I don't. But the internet's blowing up with it, and IRL too. Saying some of Earth's mega-rich are Reptilians..."
These guys have way too much time on their hands.
I'd seen that conspiracy too. Lizard people posing as Big Tech CEOs. Hard to believe anyone took that nonsense seriously.
The idle chatter wrapped up, and the meeting continued. Meanwhile, I sat in the back corner behind Kang Haneul, logging into her FaceStagram account on my laptop. Legit manager duty—SNS management to maintain her public image. Posting, comment moderation, image control.
What to post today...
I scrolled the gallery. A shot from last week's shoot looked good—her grinning with an energy drink in hand.
Upload. Comments started rolling in immediately.
Makerberg? What the hell.
I sighed at that last one. As if Zerk Makerberg was some Reptilian. Conspiracies were all the same.
Bill Gates spreading mind-control viruses, Jeff Bezos monopolizing global logistics to rule the world.
Why push your delusions on someone else's feed? Tsk.
Couldn't let this slide. If ignored, her FaceStagram would turn into a conspiracy hub.
Hands on the keyboard. New post.
How to word this...
Couldn't deny it outright. The nuts would flip. Keep it light, but clear.
This should do it.
Hit post.
But—less than a second later, someone liked it.
Zerk Makerberg.
What the— is this the real Makerberg?
Fine, he liked it, but how so fast? Was he watching Kang Haneul's page live?
While I pondered, Kang Haneul slid over.
"Whatcha doing? Meeting's over. Let's go."
"Ah, yeah. FaceStagram management. Too many conspiracy comments, so I cleaned up."
"Oh, the Reptilian stuff?"
She burst out laughing.
"World's full of weirdos. Anyway, thanks. Makes it easy with you handling it."
"It's my job."
She ruffled my hair.
"Lunch?"
"Sure."
……………
We walked the hallway toward lunch. Kang Haneul seemed in a good mood today too. Staff passing by bowed greetings, and she waved back.
"Yujin. What for lunch?"
"Hm... Association cafeteria?"
"Nah, let's go out. Craving pasta for once."
"You sure? Afternoon schedule's soon—"
Then I spotted someone approaching from the end of the hall.
A woman. Elegant white suit. Skirt ending just above the knees, blouse buttoned to the collar. Height about Kang Haneul's or a tad taller. Long pink straight hair cascading past her shoulders. Her gait was graceful, like a model's.
Not sharp or seductive like Kang Haneul's—just poised, intellectual beauty straight out of a textbook.
Wait, is that...
Kang Haneul noticed her too, slowing down. Suddenly, the air grew colder.
The woman approached without a care.
As we drew near, Kang Haneul's expression shifted. No more friendly smile for me—just a feral grin before battle.
The moment we were about to pass, Kang Haneul spoke.
"Thanks for sweeping up the small fry. Made it easy for me. Appreciate it, Baek Sehee."
Baek Sehee. The elegant woman's name.
Baek Sehee stopped and looked at her.
"Oh, hearing that makes me feel bad. I just pitied the one with the least merit and yielded the chance."
Kang Haneul snorted.
"Least merit? I killed the commander."
"Yes. The one commander."
Baek Sehee tilted her head slightly.
"I handled the other three hundred."
"Going by numbers? Fine, you win. Console yourself with small-fry kills."
"Those small fry were attacking civilians. If I hadn't stopped them."
"You could rack up those small-fry kills because I took the commander. Command structure collapsed—you just mopped up."
"I was already handling them smoothly before that. Even without you butting in, I'd have bagged the commander in an hour."
"I butted in? You just said you yielded."
"Yes. You charging straight for the commander was so pitiful. Pure sympathy."
They kept smiling the whole time. Kang Haneul and Baek Sehee, faces beaming.
But it wasn't a smile. Too much killing intent leaked out.
I quietly stepped a pace behind Kang Haneul. No way I was jumping in—looked like I'd regret it.
Ugh, do EX-ranks all hate each other?
I knew Baek Sehee was a famous Awakener. But Moon Yujin and her weren't personally acquainted. Probably not academy classmates either. They'd likely met after joining the Association.
But this vibe? They clearly despised each other.
Kang Haneul stepped forward.
"That mad you stole my commander? Next time, I'll take the small fry. You try the commander."
Baek Sehee didn't back down.
"Aw, thanks. But yielding to the lowest-merit one like you? Can't do that. Wouldn't want to make you a wage thief."
"...Ha."
"...Heh."
Not my imagination—the hallway temperature actually dropped. Any colder, and I'd see my breath.
If these two EX-rank Awakeners fought right here? Would the building survive?
Time to intervene.
"H-Haneul?"
I stepped out from behind her, grabbing her arm.
Then Baek Sehee's gaze shifted. Away from Kang Haneul. To the side.
To me.
She scanned me top to bottom. Slowly, like appraising something. Head, face, shoulders, torso, legs.
Why's she staring like that?
Uncomfortably intense. If some creep uncle eyed me like that, I'd call the cops.
Finally, Baek Sehee spoke.
"Pardon, but are you Kang Haneul's new manager?"
Gentle tone. Completely different from her banter with Kang Haneul.
"Ah, yes! Moon Yujin."
Short answer, but Kang Haneul's breathing grew rougher. I glanced at her.
She wasn't smiling.
Uh oh...
This situation felt bad. Very.
Baek Sehee still eyed me. Kang Haneul glared at Baek Sehee.
And I stood between them.