A New Beginning and Old Ghosts

"So? Did you have a hot afternoon with Mom yesterday?"

Inside the moving car, my sister keeps pestering me about what happened yesterday.

"Ah, yeah."

"How many times did you do it?"

"I... don't remember."

"Was it so good you can't even remember?"

"Ah, come on..."

After a steamy tryst with my sister the day before yesterday and my mother yesterday, today is finally the day I move my belongings into my sister's official residence. She said she’d rent a car and go herself, but there’s a lot to move, and there’s nothing to do at home anyway. Plus, I’d been meaning to drop by and see Hyena soon, so I figured it would be better to do it while I’m at it. Since she isn't moving in immediately from today, we decided to move the large items first, and she’d bring the smaller things whenever she visits home on the weekends.

I was nervous because it’s been a while since I sat behind the wheel, but thankfully, the roads are clear.

"When do you start work?"

"Starting next month, so I have a little over two weeks left."

If my sister moves into the residence, that means I'll have weekdays to myself with Yuna. Even though there was no one home, I always went out to share our love just in case the sounds were too loud and we got caught, but seeing as my sister hasn't said a word despite us doing it like that, it seems the neighbors aren't home during the day either.

'Every morning until afternoon, just the two of us when Yuna isn't working... we're like newlyweds.'

I hadn't made any expression, yet my sister gently tugged at my cheek and said, "I guess you like just imagining ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it, huh? Since the troublemakers are gone~."

"W-what are you talking about... I wasn't imagining anything."

"Ugh, honestly."

Is she using mind-reading or something? I really can't win against her.

"Come over sometimes."

"Hm?"

"Sometimes, just say you have an appointment and come here to sleep over. There are plenty of motels out front."

"Yeah. I will."

I couldn't look over because I was focused on driving, but I could feel the lingering regret in her slightly trembling voice.

"We should go on a family vacation before I start work, too."

"Hm? A family vacation?"

"Yeah. Last year, Jihyun was a senior in high school and Mom was busy with work, so we couldn't go, but I think we can this year. Jihyun might not be able to... but we should go ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠before there are even more people."

'A vacation...'

I think I went a few times when I was very young, but those memories are blurry, and we haven't gone once since the divorce.

"Didn't you go to places like the beach at the Hunter Academy? Or on school trips? Did you really just spend years doing nothing but training?"

My sister asked in a somewhat pitying tone.

"Ah, I did go to the beach."

"Right? How can a person just train? Even if the age groups are different, you're all peers, so you should go out and have fun sometimes. Where did you go?"

"Yeah... it was a deserted island, but it wasn't for fun. We were on a boat, and they just threw us all into the ocean and made us swim to the island."

"Swim?"

"Yeah, it was hand-to-hand combat training on a deserted island. It wasn't dangerous, though. If anyone got exhausted and couldn't make it or got hypothermia, the instructors would grab them by the hair and drag them out. Of course, those people got points deducted."

"..."

"I was never left behind. I wasn't first, but I arrived in the top tier, built a hideout in the grass, and waited for the time to hunt while resting comfortably."

"..."

My sister patted my shoulder silently.

"Let's definitely go this time. What you did was survival; that's not... a beach, Sunghyun."

"Yeah..."

I feel it every time I talk about my days as a trainee—the training I took for granted back then seems absolutely horrific when I think about it now. I don't know ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about other subjects, but I never missed the top tier in hand-to-hand combat. Unlike battles against monsters, which are head-on collisions of power, hand-to-hand combat is a thorough psychological game. Those whose patience runs out lose. In other words, unless the gap in strength between me and my opponent is insurmountable, I can win. That’s what the instructor used to say.

'Easier said than done.'

Suppressing Hyena on that deserted island just once is my only experience winning against someone stronger than me. When I went back to the island the following year, Hyena had become so strong that I couldn't even dare to challenge her.

'Still, it's 1 win, 0 losses.'

Of course, every night, I was dragged away by Hyena and beaten up without even being able to rest, but since that was practice, not a duel, I didn't count it.

When graduation approached, I received a scout offer from the Information Investigation Bureau at the Hunter Central Headquarters, but I firmly refused.

I asked why they scouted me first when there were trainees with better hand-to-hand combat records than me.

"I've watched you train in hand-to-hand combat several times. You were very cunning and cowardly. Watching you look for and tear at your opponent's weaknesses throughout the training was impressive... you're the talent the Investigation Bureau needs."

"..."

"And I like that you have no family. I'm the same, but this line of work... it's much more advantageous for someone with nothing to lose."

I refused without hesitation. Now I know why I never stepped foot in the Association's Central Headquarters all this time. Coming here brings back the unwelcome memories I had locked away behind a tightly sealed lid on a shelf in my heart.

"Yes, Yoon Nahyun, intern confirmed. You may move your belongings in right now."

"Thank you!"

"Well then, shall we move the stuff?"

"Yes!"

Watching my sister look around the Central Headquarters, she looked happy and excited. The residence was cleaner and more spacious than I thought. A residence for one person had two rooms, an air conditioner, and an air purifier.

'Wow, it's better than my room.'

"We moved all the necessary stuff."

"Yeah."

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

'Sister, keep unpacking. I'll go see who it is.'

I approached ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the door and opened it to find an old friend standing there.

"Hey!"

"Oh?"

It wasn't the tomboyish Hyena who always wore gym clothes, carried a sword, and went around challenging people to duels. It was Hyena, now a proper executive of the Association, dressed in a neat suit with two women who looked like aides trailing behind her.

"How many years has it been? Huh? You only contact me when you really need something."

"You... you've really made it big."

"Sunghyun, who is this? Huh? *Gasp.*"

My sister, perhaps finished with her unpacking, was walking toward the shoe rack when she saw Hyena's face and froze.

"You must be Sunghyun's sister! You must have a hard time having a younger brother like this, right?"

Hyena looked at me with a playful smile.

"Ah, hello! Director! I'm Yoon Nahyun, who just joined as an intern!"

My sister greeted her with a booming voice and a 90-degree bow.

"I'm here as Sunghyun's friend today, so don't do that!"

Hyena was flustered and came in to grab both of my sister's hands.

"Y-yes!"

'Sister, you're really stiffening up.'

My sister is looking at me with trembling pupils. It looks like she wants to say something.

"Shall we grab a cup of coffee?"

"Aren't you busy?"

"30 minutes is fine. Sister, would it be okay if I borrowed Sunghyun for just 30 minutes?"

"Of course! You can keep him all day!"

"Thank you. Then finish unpacking and come to the cafe on the first floor. You know where it is, right?"

"Yeah."

As soon as Hyena left, my sister tugged at my collar.

"Sunghyun..."

"Hm? What is it, sister? Why are you like this? Are you sick?"

My sister's expression was pale.

"Don't tell me... did you call Director Kang Hyena to handle my residence issue? You didn't, right?"

"..."

'Ah.'

Now that I think about it, Hyena and I are friends, but to my sister, she's a boss at a workplace far beyond her reach. I didn't think it would be a big problem, but if the two aides behind her started spreading rumors, it was obvious my sister would be treated like a nepotism hire.

"Why... aren't you answering?"

"I'll go to the cafe and explain it well."

"You promise, okay?"

"Don't worry, I'll be right back. Just wait here."

"No wonder... the room was so nice..."

'If it's my sister, she's not a nepotism hire, she's an airborne unit.'

I patted my sister's shoulder and left the room.

When I got to the cafe, Hyena had ordered coffee and was looking out the window. She was still looking out the window even though I had arrived.

"What are you staring at so blankly?"

"Just seeing you after so long brings back old memories."

"Old memories? From when we were trainees?"

"Yeah, those were the days."

"Are you serious? I get goosebumps just imagining it."

Hyena chuckled and looked at me.

"I heard you've been taking some greenhorns into gates lately. Are you preparing for a full-scale comeback?"

"No, I just went a few times to make some money. Comeback? I'm so rusty now I'd just be dead weight."

"You... you beat me, too. Even if it was just once."

"What, are you finally admitting it?"

"Yeah, but now that I admit it, I'm getting a little angry. Want to go down and have a round?"

"If I spar with you now... I'll die."

It was fun exchanging old stories with Hyena. Seeing as I was remembering some fun memories in between, it wasn't just a horrific past.

"Oh, right. Do you know Hunter Kim Min-ah?"

"Min-ah sister? Why wouldn't I? She was a team member when I was recklessly running B-rank gates. Is she doing well?"

"Yeah, I saw her for the first time a while ago, and she asked if you were close with me."

"...?"

"To be exact, she said you told her we were friends when we were working together back then, but she couldn't believe you had any friends. That makes sense."

"I don't mind if it's someone else, but hearing it from her makes me angry."

A-rank Hunter Kim Min-ah. When she was on the same team as me, she was a B-rank like me. If you work in the Hunter-related field, she's a hunter whose name you'd know just by hearing it. Even if you don't know her, if you explain, 'You know, that crazy woman at the Incheon branch,' everyone knows who she is.

'If it weren't for her temper, she would have reached A-rank much earlier.'

"Hm? I should get going now."

Hyena checked her watch, grabbed her clothes, and stood up.

"Yeah, oh right. Make sure not to act like you know my sister. You know? If an intern is seen greeting a director like that..."

"Hey, I know. The two people who came with me today aren't the type to go around talking about things like that either."

"Good."

"Yoon Sunghyun."

"Hm?"

"Come over sometimes... the people around me are either going civilian, retiring, or dying... I don't have many people I know left. It's boring."

"Yeah, I'll come over sometimes. Go on, you'll be late."

"Yeah."

Hyena's back as she left, leaving the regret behind, looked somewhat lonely.

"Are you sure? You told her properly, right?"

"I told you, you don't have to worry."

On the way back home, my sister only felt at ease after I told her ten times that it was fine.

"When are you returning the car?"

"I just need to return it tomorrow afternoon."

"Really? Then... I want to go for a drive. Let's go before the sun sets."

"Hm? Is there somewhere you want to go?"

"Anywhere is fine~."

My sister, seemingly in a good mood, opened the window and smiled while letting the wind blow in from outside.