A Chance Encounter and a New Disciple
"……"
In the end, I stepped outside.
Sunlight poured down as if it had been waiting for me. I raised a hand to shield my eyes from the blinding rays.
There wasn't much to do at home anyway besides staring at the ceiling patterns. Might as well head to that school sooner rather than later.
My resolution to savor a peaceful life had already vanished, replaced by boredom gnawing at me.
I tapped the heels of my shoes against the ground and glanced around.
"……"
But the street was dead quiet. Not an ant in sight.
Everyone must have left for work or school. If I came out later in the afternoon… maybe there'd be some people around.
With no destination in mind, I started walking slowly. Short legs thudding along.
I wandered aimlessly like that for a while, lost in a daze. Then, as I turned a street corner, a familiar aura hit me, and my head snapped up reflexively.
"……?"
"……Hm?"
Our gazes met in midair.
"Fancy meeting you again like this."
"Uh… yeah."
The guy standing in front of me was Jeong Iden. He seemed flustered by the unexpected encounter in this random spot, scratching the back of his head with an awkward smile.
"Hm……"
I rested my chin on my hand and observed him closely, scanning him from head to toe. My blatant stare made his eyes dart around uncertainly.
"Hey… could you stop staring at me like that since last time? Did I do something wrong…?"
"Didn't you say you were 18 last time?"
"Yeah…? Why?"
Iden tilted his head quizzically. I pointed at his outfit—his school uniform—and spoke.
"Shouldn't an 18-year-old be in school right now? Did you get suspended or something?"
"Ah… I'm a senior. We don't have to go much. Seniors usually do hunter fieldwork as practical training."
"Aha."
That made sense. I'd occasionally run into student hunters at the association back in the day.
But Iden leaned down to meet my eye level, looking more puzzled about me.
"No… that's what I want to ask. Why are you wandering around alone at this hour instead of going to school? Lost?"
"I'm heading there soon too. Right now… let's just say I'm in the middle of transfer procedures."
I gave a vague explanation of my situation, adding briefly that I'd be enrolling in a nearby elementary school soon.
"Aha… got it. So you're free for a few days."
"Something like that. Hm……"
I stared at him intently again. Noticing my thoughtful expression, Iden shrank back a little.
"What? Got something else to say?"
"I need some help."
"Huh? Me…?"
Iden pressed a hand to his chest in surprise.
"Yeah. I have a question for you. You're a student, after all."
"Wonder if I can help…?"
"About school. Specifically, what's the vibe like?"
That was the moment I was about to ask seriously.
Grrrowl…
"……"
"……"
My stomach clock timidly broke the silence with its own opinion.
My ears flushed with embarrassment, but I kept a straight face. Iden, however, couldn't hold back the grin creeping across his lips.
"……Sounds like you're hungry."
"Thanks for the meal."
"Yeah… eat up."
We moved to a bustling street and settled into a burger fast food joint with its bright red sign.
I gripped the burger with both hands and took a massive bite. The juicy patty and cheesy flavor exploded in my mouth.
Yeah, this hits the spot.
"So… you're curious about school?"
Iden took a sip of his cola and asked.
"Yeah. Nom nom… right."
"Eat slower. No one's stealing it."
Iden pulled out a few tissues and set them in front of me.
"Mm… even so… what exactly do you want to know?"
"Like… the atmosphere. What's it feel like…"
Iden's face twisted oddly at my question. He popped a fry into his mouth and stared at the ceiling, deep in thought.
"The feel…? Hm… I'm bottom-tier, so I don't know great, but the top kids have it rough."
"Rough how…?"
"Well, super competitive? They'd kill each other if they could. Everyone wants offers from top guilds, so some don't care about methods… tense vibe."
"……!!!"
I froze mid-bite. Kill each other? No holds barred?
Were those internet stories all lies…? Was it just a pretty facade over a bloodbath?
"Losers like me don't care about that… Hm? Why the face? You okay?"
"It's so different from what I expected."
I muttered glumly. Internet info is trash after all.
"No no… don't get the wrong idea. That's high school, hunter track. Elementary's probably different. I awakened in middle school, so I don't know elementary well… but it should be better."
"Ugh……"
The unease didn't fade. As I eyed him suspiciously, Iden let out a hollow laugh.
"But… honestly, I don't get why you're so worried about school life."
"Why?"
"You're strong."
"I'm weak."
I stated firmly. Right now, I was no better than a frail pushover.
"……?"
"……?"
His eyes widened round. We stared at each other, baffled.
"You're strong."
"Weak."
"Strong, I said."
"Weak, I said?"
"……"
"……"
Silence hung for a moment, then Iden clutched his forehead in despair.
"No… if you're weak, what am I…? What have I been doing…?"
"That's… 'cause you don't know how to fight, bro…"
"Don't know how to fight…?"
"Anyone trained properly can do this much."
"Trained by who…?"
"Me!"
I proudly jabbed a thumb at my chest.
"……"
"……"
Iden stared at me blankly, at a loss for words.
"You're… going to teach me?"
Iden looked at the girl.
In the languid weekday fast food joint, the words from the burger-sauced kid didn't fit.
"Don't believe me?"
The girl slurped her cola and narrowed her eyes. Her tiny hand swished lightly through the air.
Iden's mind was a whirlwind.
Is this… a fated encounter?
Thoughts raced by. But the girl's skill in that dungeon was undeniable.
Nothing to lose…? No, this is…
Iden swallowed dryly. His eyes shook, then hardened with resolve.
Opportunity of a lifetime…?
The mismatched setting aside, the girl's confident gaze stirred his instincts. He opened his mouth seriously…
"……Urp…?"
"First, that mouth of yours…"
Iden grabbed a tissue and wiped her mouth. The tension shattered, but he pressed on undeterred.
"Fine. If you're teaching… no reason to refuse. But then…"
"……?"
Iden straightened up and eyed her cautiously. An odd awkwardness in his gaze.
"What should I… call you? Master…? Teacher…?"
She grimaced at the overly formal title.
"I told you my name last time. Just call me Shina casually. Master? Teacher? Whatever you're comfy with… doesn't matter."
"Huh…? Really doesn't?"
"You watch too many comics."
"……"
Iden and I stepped out of the fast food joint.
The outside air rushed in, far stuffier than the AC inside.
If asked why I suddenly took a disciple…
Well, honestly…
Maybe just boredom.
Under the pouring sunlight, I paused and looked around.
Even if I hadn't died and retired normally… this scenery might not have been so different.
Taking a disciple, teaching someone. Despite all my gripes, I was probably fated to never fully escape the hunter life.
Not that I'd willingly crawl back into those damn gates.
Though… maybe sometimes.
Anyway.
"See you next time."
I gave him a quick bow. "Yeah."
"Rida…! What're you doing? Let's go…?"
The light blinked green, but the girl stood frozen at the crosswalk like a statue. Even her friend's urging from behind couldn't budge her gaze, fixed on a single point beyond the dispersing crowd.
Her name was Seo Rida. 18 years old.
Hunter Academy High School's…
top student.
Her usually calm eyes trembled uncontrollably now.
"Th-that… kid… looks just like…"
A dazed murmur slipped from Rida's lips.
"Huh? What're you talking about…? Where where?"
Her friend craned her neck to follow, but saw nothing special in the bustling crowd.
"……"
Rida bit her lip instead of answering. A bead of cold sweat trickled down her pale cheek.
That small figure that had just passed by lingered in her mind.
"What's wrong…? This isn't like you, Rida."
"Mr. Shinwoo…?"
Certainty mixed with tremor in Rida's voice.
"Huh? Why would he…? No… why would that guy be here?"
"It was definitely Mr. Shinwoo."
Rida muttered, entranced. Confusion swirled in her eyes.
"Whaaat…? He's dead though…"
"……The boy with him earlier. His uniform was from our school."
Rida ignored her friend. Her sharp senses had perfectly captured the silhouette of the girl resembling him walking beside that boy.
"You mean… that guy passing by?"
"Yes."
Rida's gaze chased a male student's back into the crowd.
"Ah… that's Iden."
"You know him?"
Rida frowned—a rare show of interest from someone usually indifferent to others.
"Everyone in our grade knows him~!"
"……"
Rida silently memorized Iden's retreating figure. The girl he'd had with him, that unique aura from her.
It was too similar to the 'him' she remembered.
"But the… kid you mentioned…? Not seeing her?"
Her friend squinted, but the figure Rida saw was already lost in the throng.
"……She passed by."
"Already…? You sure you didn't imagine it? Tired or something…"
"No. Definitely……"
Rida stared blankly at the now-empty street beyond the signal. Pain throbbed near her heart, pounding fiercely.
"It was Mr. Shinwoo…"