Ha Yujin
I still couldn't buy any underwear in the end.
To be precise, I did buy one. The one I was trying on when I came out. I didn't pay for it, though. The whole store blew up...
If a gas explosion does this much damage, shouldn't they rip up every gas line in the neighborhood? Plus, the sidewalk blocks were cracked. Sidewalk blocks. Gas cracking concrete?
...Well, I'm no gas expert.
Lee Seojin said, "We'll handle the cleanup here." Her coat was torn, her face smudged with dust, but her voice was as clear as ever. Total pro.
When I got home and checked the mirror, I was still wearing the bra I'd tried on. Over my training pants. The tag was sticking out.
"......"
Size: 75B
The next day, Lee Seojin guided me to another store. I didn't bring Heukgu this time. Just Kong-i. Might have explosion trauma or something. ...Not sure if it's Heukgu who has it or me.
Finally, I bought some underwear. Four pieces. No-wire soft cups.
Trying them on made the world feel different. I'd only thought of boobs as annoying, but this is so comfortable. Makes me feel stupid for toughing it out with sports bras for ten days. Humanity inventing bras has to be one of the top ten achievements in history. Right after the wheel. Probably.
I bought pads too. Medium with wings, per Lee Seojin's recommendation. Haven't needed them yet (and hopefully never will). Stuck them next to the fridge. Emergency pads next to the emergency rations. My life's full of emergencies.
And then the money came in.
Management Bureau Awakener Accident Victim Living Support Fund
Monthly: 1.2 million won
Not a huge amount, but gratefully not too small either. Fine for one person, but I'm not alone.
Food costs. Pet food. Kong-i's clothes. Daily necessities. Utilities.
I tapped it out on the calculator.
...Gonna be tight.
Eh, tight is familiar. Even as a guy, my balance was always tight.
First things first, I need to buy clothes for Kong-i. She's still borrowing mine. Oversized t-shirts are dresses on her, hanging down past her knees. Cute, but not sure if it's right. Gotta get her proper clothes before the seasons change.
Heukgu rested his chin on my knee. Those upturned eyes screaming "food."
"You ate earlier."
His tail wagged gently.
Kong-i came out of the kitchen holding a cup. She's been pouring her own water lately. The cup's a bit big, so she grips it with both hands, her face dead serious to avoid spilling.
She took a sip, sat next to me, and draped her arm over Heukgu's back. He didn't budge. Kong-i's personal armrest.
And Kong-i.
Kong-i's vocabulary has exploded.
When she first came here, all she could say was "absent."
Next day: food. The day after: this. Then Heukgu, come.
Don't go, grabbing my pant leg.
No, when Heukgu stole her blanket.
And finally, I'm hungry.
A full sentence.
Once the words started flowing, there was no stopping them.
It was two days after the incident when Lee Seojin visited again.
"Yujin... Kong-i's talking a lot more now..."
"Right? Yesterday she said 'no' perfectly in context. To Heukgu."
I couldn't help bragging. So this is what being a parent feels like. That urge to tell the whole neighborhood when your kid does something.
Lee Seojin nodded. Her expression was her usual stoic mask, but her eyes seemed a touch softer. Maybe my imagination.
But at some point, Kong-i started hiding behind me whenever Lee Seojin came. Grabbing my pant leg. She stopped glaring, but still hides.
When Lee Seojin left, saying, "See you next time, Yujin," Kong-i waited till the door clicked shut before peeking out.
Then she looked up at me.
"...Yujin?"
"Yeah?"
"Yujin... what?"
Did she learn my name? Nah. Probably heard Lee Seojin call me "Yujin" and got curious.
"Yujin's my name."
"Name."
"Yeah. Ha Yujin. My name."
Saying it out loud felt weird somehow. Kong-i mouthed it, like she was repeating it to herself. Then she turned to Heukgu, picked up his food bag, and asked, "More?" Topic over.
...I told her, and that's the reaction?
A bit disappointing, but hey, she's a kid. Attention span of five seconds, can't be helped.
But the next day.
I woke up as usual. Heukgu on my legs, Kong-i clutching my arm.
I tried to get up for breakfast, but she wouldn't let go. Told her three times. No dice. Fourth time, still no.
"Kong-i, gonna make food."
"......"
Fifth time.
"Not gonna eat?"
Kong-i's eyes fluttered open. Rubbing them sleepily. She looked up at me.
And.
"Ha Yujin."
"...?"
"Ha Yujin!!"
I froze mid-step to the kitchen.
"...Kong-i?"
"Ha Yujin. Food."
She let go of my arm and sat up, hands on her knees, staring right at me.
Kong-i had called my name.
I'd only told her once yesterday. Thought she'd forgotten since her reaction was meh. But she listened, memorized, slept, and woke up calling it.
First thing in the morning.
"Ha Yujin. Food."
She said it again, tacking "food" onto my name. Her own sentence.
Is this what hearing "mommy" for the first time feels like?
I'm not her mom, not her parent at all—hell, I was a 21-year-old guy a few weeks ago.
My eyes stung a little.
"...Yeah. I'll make food."
My voice cracked a bit as I turned to the kitchen.
Put the pan on the stove. Cracked an egg—shell slipped in. Fished it out. Chopped green onions. My knife work blurred. Cutting board hard to see. Steam, maybe.
Heukgu came to my feet, tail wagging. Knows I get it—food soon.
Kong-i followed to the kitchen. Didn't grab my pants this time. Stood by my side, peering at the pan.
"Ha Yujin."
"Yeah."
"Ha Yujin."
"Yeah, Kong-i."
"...Ha Yujin."
She kept calling.
New word exciting? Wants to say it? Likes that I answer?
Kids grow so fast. Just days ago, "absent" was her whole world.
Made three plates of fried rice. Set them on the floor and sat. Kong-i grabbed a spoon. Words improved, but spoon skills still tragic.
Heukgu face-planted into his bowl—ten-second clear as always. No change there.
Kong-i scooped some fried rice and fed Heukgu. No change there either.
"Kong-i, what if you give him all yours?"
"...More?"
More. Asking Heukgu if she should give extra.
"You eat yours."
She looked up at me.
"Ha Yujin too."
"Huh?"
"Ha Yujin eat too."
She was telling me to eat.
I picked up a spoon. Took a bite of fried rice.
...A bit salty.
It was a long vacation.
Park Doyoung returned after four months. Injuries from the Daejeon op: left knee ligament torn, two ribs broken, lung punctured. Took four months to fix it all.
All he'd done was watch Netflix in the hospital bed, then at home after discharge. Same position, different bed.
First day back, desk piled with papers. Four months' worth. No one touched it. You don't mess with an S-rank's desk. Dust had layered into strata.
Top of that strata: one fresh report. No dust.
• Calamity-class resides in civilian's one-room apartment. Danger-class also resides there.
• Civilian perceives Calamity-class as dog. Name: Heukgu.
• Civilian perceives Danger-class as child. Name: Kong-i.
• Fed triangle kimbap.
• Licked A-rank hunter.
• Got ears scratched by high school girl.
• One-shot Danger-class at lingerie store.
"......"
Park Doyoung closed the report and sank into his chair.
Four months of Netflix, and this is what the world became.
The scene was three blocks away.
He walked. Nice weather.
Yellow tape around the store. Glass shattered everywhere. A mannequin lay on the sidewalk in lace bra, staring at the sky.
He ducked under the tape.
"Excuse me, this area's restricted—"
The investigator cut off at his face.
"...Hunter Park. You're back?"
"Yeah. Today."
S-rank showing up day one to a Calamity-class scene. Looks enthusiastic, but really just hates desk work. Better than sorting dusty papers. Not something to advertise.
Squatted by the sidewalk blocks.
Three sliced clean. Smooth edges. Not cracked—pushed. One direction. Dark red stains above.
Traced the edge with a finger.
Read residual mana. Park Doyoung's mana detection was top-tier S-rank. Could gauge concentration and output to decimals without gear. One reason he survived Daejeon with a punctured lung. Two punctures, and he'd be done.
Mana on the edge.
One hit.
Single strike.
Report said: from small-dog size, hypertrophied one front paw. Struck, then instantly back to normal size.
One paw only.
Not full power.
Park stood, brushed his knee. Left one ached. Ligaments not fully healed.
Pulled out his phone, dialed.
Click. Tired middle-aged voice on the other end.
"Team Leader Han."
"Hunter Park. Back already?"
"Yeah. Checked the scene."
"And?"
"Mind-blowing. Heh."
Silence.
"Not full power, right? Looks like 20% to me?"
"Probably."
"What if it was full?"
Han Jeongsu didn't answer.
Park didn't expect one. No one who's seen full Calamity power lives to report it.
"One thing: any plans from the Bureau to poke it more right now?"
"None."
Instant reply.
"Figured."
Park hung up.
Pocketed the phone. Scanned the scene again. Store interior. Fitting room. Torn curtain. Cracked mirror. Underwear scattered on the floor.
Report said the strike happened because a Danger-class approached the store, and Ha Yujin was inside.
Put another way: the dog protected its owner.
With one paw.
Park ducked back under the tape. Glanced at the sidewalk mannequin. Lace bra. Sky-gazing pose. Serene blank face.
"You must be tired."
A word to the mannequin, and Park headed back to the office.
Had to sort papers. Four months' worth.
...Maybe fake sick.