What Snack Should I Get?
I stood in front of the snack display, scanning it carefully. Maybe it was because I'd gotten shorter, but my field of vision felt narrower than before.
Onion crackers were out since Heukgu had devoured them all, so something different this time. Shrimp puffs? Poker chips? I had to pick something Kong-i could eat too. Nothing too hard that might hurt her teeth.
...I wonder what Lee Seojin likes.
She'd eaten some onion crackers earlier, but that was just picking up what had fallen on her lap, so who knows if she actually liked them.
I was lost in thought in front of the snack aisle when the convenience store clerk glanced over at me.
A woman in slippers and training pants staring intently at the snacks probably looked pretty suspicious. I felt kinda bad. I wasn't this kind of person before.
Before. Lately, I kept using that word. I used to be a guy.I used to live alone.I wasn't the type to take forever picking out a single snack.
The old me would've just grabbed what I wanted and checked out. Now it was three mouths to feed. Heukgu's tastes, Kong-i's tastes, and even our guest's. They say shopping gets complicated when your family grows—guess this is what they meant?
...Family? Isn't that a bit premature? It's only been a few days.
But weirdly, it didn't feel like just a few days. Waking up in the morning with Heukgu sprawled across my legs and Kong-i clutching my arm—it already felt like this had been our routine forever.
...Scary how quickly we adapt. Me or them, I wonder.
I grabbed a pack of shrimp puffs and two boxes of chocolate snacks. As I set them on the counter, a thought crossed my mind.
Come to think of it, Lee Seojin. From the way she acted, she didn't seem too fond of dogs.
She'd tense up when Heukgu approached, avoiding eye contact. Classic signs of someone scared of dogs. I get it. Even shrunk down, he's still pretty big—intimidating for dog haters.
......
Maybe I shouldn't have left her alone. I'd gone out to buy snacks to be a good host, but I'd left her with Heukgu.
...Gotta hurry back.
Eight.
Han Jeongsu muttered it like he was chewing the word.
The number of juniors he'd sent ahead.
The camera had gone dark, and there was no response from Lee Seojin. Just static from the communicator. Her last words had been "Sunbae."
A ten-year veteran A-rank hunter, left alone in a sealed space with a calamity-grade anomaly. Communications cut off.
"Squad leader, what do we do?"
One of his team members asked, voice trembling.
Han Jeongsu's eyes darkened.
He was a pro.
Pros always assume the worst. Lee Seojin was as good as dead.
Han Jeongsu gave the order.
"Hold position."
"Hold? But Hunter Lee Seojin—"
"Notify HQ. Possible KIA for Hunter Lee Seojin."
The team member's face went pale.
"Request reinforcements. At least three A-ranks minimum. And—"
Han Jeongsu cut himself off and switched frequencies on the communicator.
"Surveillance team, you copy?"
Response came.
"Confirmed."
"Target?"
"Target just entered a convenience store two blocks over."
Convenience store.
Han Jeongsu clamped his mouth shut.
While a calamity-grade and danger-grade might be taking out an A-rank hunter right now, that woman was at a convenience store.
He barely suppressed a sigh.
It wasn't even funny.
For a fleeting moment, he seriously considered retirement. A 23-year veteran A-rank hunter pondering quitting over the word "convenience store"—probably a first and last.
Han Jeongsu glanced at the sky beyond the rooftop.
Clear. Not a cloud in sight. Damn it all.
Then it happened.
Static cleared on the communicator.
Han Jeongsu's hand froze.
"—Sunbae."
Lee Seojin's voice.
"Seojin!!"
Han Jeongsu's voice cracked, uncharacteristically.
Her voice came through the comms again. Dry. Her usual tone. The most relieving thing possible.
"No anomalies."
Han Jeongsu's eyes twitched faintly.
"...What happened."
"The black dog charged."
Charged.
Han Jeongsu's back went cold. A calamity-grade charging her. And she was alive. For those two facts to coexist...
"...It charged you and you're alive?"
"Yes. Then... it licked me."
"......"
"Frantically."
"......"
Han Jeongsu was speechless.
And suspicious.
Was this comm itself part of the anomaly? Lee Seojin dead, the monster mimicking her voice? Danger-grade and above could imitate human speech—not rare. Plenty of precedents.
Han Jeongsu asked.
"Three years ago. Incheon. What'd I give you."
Instant reply.
"Vending machine token. You said once it's used up, you could retire."
Han Jeongsu closed his eyes.
Right. After the Incheon op, at the hospital vending machine. He'd dug in his pocket and pulled out a token—not even a coin. Handed it to her with those words.
"Once this is used up, you can retire."
A 500-won token. Cheapest Americano was 1,500—could never use it alone. Meant don't retire.
...Looking back, what a lame, shitty joke.
"Bullshit."
Strength drained from Han Jeongsu's grip on the communicator.
She's alive.
This crazy junior was alive.
The team member glanced at him. Han Jeongsu's face was still expressionless. But his hand on the comm kept shaking. The team member saw it but pretended not to.
Soon, surveillance reported in.
"Target's heading home."
I bounded up the stairs and flung open the door.
"I'm ho—"
My feet skidded to a halt.
A rather awkward scene greeted me.
Lee Seojin was sitting on the floor. Proper seiza position. Posture impeccable.
Except.
Her coat was slathered in drool. Shoulders, chest, sleeves. That glossy sheen of dog spit. Something shiny on her cheek too. Hair mussed to one side. Like someone who'd been enthusiastically licked all over.
Heukgu lay beside her, thumping his tail happily. Utterly satisfied expression.
Kong-i had burrowed under the blanket on the bed. Total disinterest pose.
Ah.
"...Uh, what do we do."
I froze, clutching the shrimp puffs.
"Looks like Heukgu caused some trouble while I was gone. Sorry, really. You can use the bathroom to wash up..."
I trailed off. Telling a woman to wash up and go felt rude. Wait, I'm a woman now too. No, I used to be a guy. Anyway, it felt weird.
"No, I mean, at least a wet towel or—"
"It's fine."
Lee Seojin cut me off sharply.
She stood. Movements mechanical. Unfolding her knees, straightening her back, adjusting her coat.
Didn't seem to care about the drool. Or rather, no spare capacity to care.
"Submit the documents as prepared, and the temporary ID is valid for use starting today."
Clear, dry voice. A pro's voice. Though her eyes were a bit glazed.
She slipped on her shoes heading for the door. Quick motions.
"I'll visit again next time."
She turned as she opened the door.
"...Take care, Ha Yujin-ssi."
The door shut.
I stood there dumbfounded, still holding the shrimp puffs.
"Ah, the snacks......"
Missed my chance to offer them.
Heukgu looked up at the pack, tail wagging.
"This is your fault."
Tail wagged harder.
Kong-i poked her head out from under the blanket.
"...Snacks?"
"Yeah. Got shrimp puffs."
Kong-i emerged, hands outstretched. Took the pack and carefully tore it open.
Good, didn't explode this time.
"Nice job."
Kong-i nodded and popped one in her mouth.
By the way.
Ha Yujin. The name on the ID for this body. My name from now on.
...Kinda embarrassing.
Gotta get used to it.
Lee Seojin emerged from the building.
Han Jeongsu and his team were waiting in the alley behind.
Han Jeongsu froze at the sight of her.
Coat soaked in drool. Hair a mess. Something glossy smeared on her cheek.
Looked like an A-rank hunter who'd been savagely mauled by a calamity-grade.
Han Jeongsu had 23 years on the job. He'd seen juniors lose arms to calamity-grades, legs crushed, eyes gouged out.
A drool-soaked one? First time.
Couldn't believe it. Her surviving. Coming back like this. All of it. Seeing it with his own eyes, still unbelievable.
"...Wanna grab food first?"
Han Jeongsu asked. It was all he could say.
Lee Seojin shook her head.
"Mountains of reports to write."
Reports. Right. Reports. 'Calamity-grade went berserk licking.'
Han Jeongsu eyed her coat. Drool drying, leaving stains.
"Still, you should hit a dry cleaner."
Lee Seojin looked up at him.
Han Jeongsu's lips twitched up. The faintest hint.
Very slightly. Really, very slightly.