Putting Abilities to Practical Use
One week later.
On the weekend that followed, Seong-min headed back to Min-hyeok's place. A-reum noona and Yoo Ji-ah were already waiting, having been told he was coming. After her shifts at the convenience store, Ji-ah had been going straight to Min-hyeok's instead of home, and together with A-reum she had been nursing him through the brutal body aches that came with awakening.
"Did you take good care of Min-hyeok this week?"
"...Yes..."
"We had a really fun time, didn't we?"
A-reum nodded with a bright smile. Ever since the two of them had grown close, they got along like a house on fire—as close as real sisters.
"Hyung...!"
Just then Min-hyeok stepped out of the bathroom.
"Oh, just finished up in there?"
"Yeah... hehe."
"You're laughing, so you must be feeling better."
"I'm good to go~!"
Even at a glance, Min-hyeok looked much improved—more like his usual self.
"Hyung, is that coffee?"
"Felt weird showing up empty-handed, so I stopped by a café. Grabbed macarons for dessert too."
"Perfect timing~! I was just craving coffee. Right, noona?"
A-reum nodded.
"I got you a Choco Bonbon, noona."
"...I... like Choco Bonbon..."
"Hehe... So Choco Bonbon works as a cocoa substitute?"
"...Yes... it's fine..."
A-reum's sunny smile lit up the whole room; Ji-ah, Seong-min, and Min-hyeok all found themselves smiling along with her.
"Noona, let's get these ready together."
"...Okay..."
Ji-ah took the café bag from Seong-min and headed for the sink with A-reum. Meanwhile Seong-min settled onto the sofa beside Min-hyeok.
"Any trouble getting through daily life?"
"I had a rough week, but the body aches are completely gone now."
"Clean slate?"
"Yeah. But when I sleep, I can feel it myself."
"Feel what?"
"The energy circulating through my body, gathering and amplifying at a point just below my navel."
"I heard the full awakening process usually takes a month. After a week of heavy body aches, the next three weeks are like filling a vessel with water."
Once that month was over, a person stood as a complete Awakener.
"When I'm asleep it's honestly amazing. Blue smoke-like stuff wavers off my body."
Ji-ah said as she came over carrying a tray of macarons. Seong-min picked up one of the iced Americanos.
"Thanks, Seong-min..."
"Hyung, thanks for the treat!"
"...Thanks... for the treat..."
Min-hyeok had also ordered an iced Americano. He preferred cocoa whenever he could get it, but it wasn't as if he never drank coffee—he simply chose cocoa first when the option was there.
A-reum cradled her Choco Bonbon in both hands, took a few sips through the straw, and smiled.
"Noona, is it good?"
"...Yes... Choco Bonbon... is delicious..."
Just looking at that genuinely happy smile of hers seemed to brighten everything around them. Seong-min wasn't the only one who felt it. Ji-ah picked up a chocolate macaron, peeled off the wrapper, and held it out to A-reum.
"Here, noona."
"...Ji-ah... thank you..."
Watching the two of them smile at each other, Min-hyeok spoke up.
"Seriously, looking at noona and Ji-ah noona, they look as close as real sisters..."
"Not 'like' sisters—we are sisters. Right, noona?"
A-reum nodded.
"Whoa, noona, you can't just nod along to that!"
"Then Min-hyeok can become brothers with Seong-min~ Right, noona?"
A-reum nodded again.
"Brothers? Ji-ah, and A-reum noona too—aren't you just dumping the burden on me?"
"Hyung~ Burden? Is that all I am to you?! Noona, wasn't hyung way out of line just now?!"
A-reum didn't answer. Instead she took a tiny bite of the chocolate macaron with both hands and chewed with her little lips.
"Don't just eat that—defend me~!!!"
"Hehehe...!"
Ji-ah let out a soft laugh at the sight. Once the little ruckus and laughter had settled, Seong-min spoke again.
"How does it feel?"
"Huh?"
"Being an Awakener."
"Ah... that? Hehehe!"
Min-hyeok grinned slyly.
"How should I put it? I feel like I've become someone special. It feels incredible!"
"Anything else?"
"I can feel the power that's been sleeping inside me, clear as day."
"That blue smoke-like stuff?"
"Exactly, noona."
"Can you control it?"
"Want me to show you?"
When Seong-min nodded, Min-hyeok stretched out his hand. Seong-min, Ji-ah, and A-reum all leaned in, curious.
Saaa...
A blue haze shimmered and wavered from Min-hyeok's palm.
"Oh my."
Ji-ah startled. Even seeing it with her own eyes, she could hardly believe it. Psychic energy—the power Awakeners could release, the very source that marked someone as an Awakener—was flowing from Min-hyeok's hand.
"Does it just control itself?"
"More like I naturally figured out how to draw the power out? I can control it as if I've always known how."
Seong-min had always wondered how Awakeners managed to control and use that force. Listening to Min-hyeok now, it seemed that simply passing through the natural stages of awakening taught a person how to handle it. Without that, freely wielding psychic energy the way Awakeners did would be impossible. How could anyone make good use of power they couldn't control? In the end, control was everything—and Min-hyeok was saying that control came to him on its own.
"It's like with just this power I feel like I could do anything. That kind of confidence wells up too."
"That's probably why Awakeners start acting so flashy."
"Hehehe... yeah."
"I heard power levels differ from one Awakener to the next. Where do you think you stand, Min-hyeok?"
Ji-ah had looked into Awakeners herself. She already knew they weren't all equal—that differences in strength existed even among them. Naturally the same applied to Min-hyeok.
"Like noona said, I've heard the same thing. So I'm curious myself... hehe... just how strong I am."
"We'll know for sure once the three weeks are up?"
"Probably."
"Things are getting tense these days."
"Huh?"
"I heard the guilds are going all-out recruiting members."
"Guilds?"
"They know full well by now that they can't operate alone. More than anything, monsters have shown up, and you can pull things like crystal energy out of them. The rights and profits from that are going to be massive."
"That does make sense. They say those crystal jewels are basically priceless, right?"
"Meaning not just anyone can stake a claim."
"Yeah."
"So if you want something, you need the ability or the backing to match..."
"That's why there are rumors of guilds scouting teenage Awakeners—same way gangs used to approach school delinquents."
"Will they come after me too?"
"Maybe. Maybe not."
"...Min-hyeok... but... you can't... join..."
A-reum said it with clear worry in her voice.
"Noona~ No need to worry at all. Why would I join something like that for no reason and stir up trouble? I have zero interest, so you can rest easy~!"
"...Okay..."
Seeing A-reum's relieved smile, Ji-ah smiled too.
"Hyung, I'll start work again on Monday."
"You sure you're okay?"
"Body aches are gone—I'm fine..!"
Even though the full awakening process took a month, daily life only required about a week of rest. Once the fever and aches faded, physical condition bounced back. After that the energy simply grew, slowly filling up like water poured into a cup. And so Min-hyeok was back on his feet.
They drank their coffee, ate the macarons, and talked about everything that had happened lately.
"Going out to eat together feels nice, right noona?"
Outside, as they climbed into Seong-min's car, A-reum nodded. With Min-hyeok recovered, they had decided to head out as a group, grab something delicious, and enjoy themselves.
"All right, we're off."
"Yeah~!"
Today they were all riding together in Seong-min's car instead of splitting into two vehicles.
"Get ready."
At the rough-looking man's order, everyone who had been preparing snapped into position. Some wore knuckles, others gripped bats or iron pipes; a few even carried real sharpened swords.
Shuaaat—!!!
Something sharp came flying in.
"Huh!"
Taaang!
The sound of projectiles being knocked aside—then thuk. Puuut!
"Keuk!"
Others took hits and cried out in pain.
"Kieeeeeek!!!"
A piercing scream split the air. From the Monster Hole where red eyes flickered, green monsters roughly 140 centimeters tall burst out in a rush and charged straight at the men who had been standing guard.