The Reunion
"Good evening. This is Anchor Kim Ji-hyun from Hunter News."
Anchor Kim Ji-hyun’s voice echoed across the nation through the television. "Thirteen days ago, our pride, A-class Hunter Kang Min-ho and his guild members entered a C-grade gate, and there has been no news since. There are only two days left until the Gate Break. What on earth is happening inside that gate?"
Her voice grew heavy. "The government has stated they are preparing emergency measures for any potential situation, but they have yet to reveal any concrete details. Professor Han Moon-chul of the Department of Gate Engineering at Hankuk University has warned that if a C-grade Gate Break occurs, the area within a 30km radius of Seoul will be reduced to ashes."
Anchor Kim Ji-hyun took a breath, then continued.
"Viewers, now is the time for us all to become one and support Hunter Kang Min-ho. We sincerely pray that Hunter Kang Min-ho and his guild members successfully clear the gate. This has been Anchor Kim Ji-hyun of Hunter News. Thank you."
Immediately after the broadcast, fierce reactions poured out onto internet communities and social media.
Just like that, the public sentiment that had supported Kang Min-ho began to wither, and the name of a new alternative, Cheon Yooshin, began to be mentioned.
#
Young people gathered under the glittering chandelier. Today was the 5th-anniversary reunion of the Umbrella High School graduating class. The guy who hit the jackpot with coin investments, the guy who inherited the family business and became famous on TV, the celebrity who made a living off his handsome face, and even the guy who awakened as a B-class hunter—everyone was gathered in one place.
At that moment, a man appeared at the hotel entrance. It was Cheon Yooshin. All eyes turned toward him.
"Whoa, Cheon Yooshin. You actually came?"
"Was he always that handsome? Did he get plastic surgery or what?"
That was when—
"Hey, Cheon Yooshin! Thanks for coming!"
Cheon Yooshin turned his head at the booming voice calling him. Standing there was a man with a massive physique. It would be easy to describe him as a "muscle pig." It was his high school friend, Park Ji-ho.
Who was that again?
Park Ji-ho forced a smile at Yooshin’s expression, which seemed to show he didn't remember.
"Hahahaha! I heard you woke up after being in a vegetative state, so you must have lost a lot of memories. It’s me! Park Ji-ho!"
"...Park Ji-ho?"
"Yeah!"
Who is this? I can't remember. Well, it’s been 400 years. It would be weirder if I did remember.
Seeing that he still didn't seem to remember, Park Ji-ho spoke up.
"Man! Don't you remember running to the snack bar with me during break time to buy bread?!"
"Ah?!"
A bread-shuttle comrade?
Now that he thought about it, there did seem to be a guy who always ran beside him back then. Was this guy that guy? He seemed much smaller than me back then. Now, he had turned into a muscle pig over 190cm tall.
"Ah, sorry. You've changed so much since then, I didn't recognize you."
Only then did Park Ji-ho laugh.
"Hahahaha! That can happen! Anyway, let's hurry inside!"
Before he knew it, Park Ji-ho was leading the friends at the front. He was a guy who knew his way around, finding the reserved spot without the help of an attendant. Now that he looked, the bracelet, the necklace, the earrings in his ears—everything sparkling didn't look like it cost just a few pennies.
Cheon Yooshin and his friends were soon seated.
"Hey, Cheon Yooshin. I really didn't know you were such a big deal."
"People don't believe me when I say Cheon Yooshin is my classmate."
"Me too. They tell me to stop lying."
"Hey, give me an autograph! 'To Kim Jong-ho, friend of Cheon Yooshin!' I'm going to keep this as a family heirloom."
"Me too! I have to take a proof shot! Hehehe."
They were spending time catching up after so long when someone entered wearing a ready-made suit that didn't fit him well. The noisy room went quiet in an instant.
What is it?
As Yooshin blinked at the sudden change, the hunter, Park Ji-ho, said in a booming voice.
"Who is this? Isn't it our eternal boss, Kim Yoo-shin?"
At the name Kim Yoo-shin, a friend flashed through Cheon Yooshin’s mind. There was a guy who used to bully him because they had the same name. A guy who was good at fighting and had been the boss of their grade. It was the moment a blurry memory became clear. The boss of the bullies who reigned over him and the other friends. Even the memory of being a shuttle for milk and bread for this guy during break times came back.
'Wait, that guy is this guy?'
Unlike the agile boy from back then, he had now become a shabby middle-aged man. His shirt was wrinkled, his necktie was loosened, and his shoes had long since lost their shine from how long he’d been wearing them. The weariness of life was etched into his appearance.
'No, he's only 25? Why is he like this?'
It hadn't been 10 or 20 years, and it wasn't a reunion after 5 years, so why had he aged so much?
With an awkward smile, Kim Yoo-shin scratched the back of his head.
"Sorry. I had an appointment with a client."
"What are you talking about between friends! Sit here. Next to me."
Park Ji-ho tapped a chair, making space next to him as if telling him to sit.
"Yeah. Thanks."
Park Ji-ho placed a glass in front of Kim Yoo-shin and poured him a drink.
"Here! Have a drink first, it’ll wash away your fatigue."
"Yeah. Thanks."
Kim Yoo-shin hesitated for a moment looking at the glass, then picked it up and drained it in one go.
"Are you having a hard time lately? Why do you look so exhausted? Should I sign you up for another insurance policy?"
"Ah, no. It's enough. Thanks to you, I'm getting bonuses every year."
Park Ji-ho grinned.
"You rascal, yeah, call me anytime if you need help later. If you don't use friends for times like this, when would you?"
Then, the friends around him also chimed in.
"Yeah. What are friends for? We should help each other when things are tough, right?"
"Should I sign up for insurance too? Just say the word. I earn enough now to at least sign up for some insurance."
Cheon Yooshin nodded as he watched them. Unlike their flashy appearances, they seemed like decent guys. And his friends had all become adults. This is why you shouldn't judge people by their appearance.
That was when—
"Ah, sorry. Ji-ho. I'll be right back, I need to go to the restroom. I came here in a rush."
"Yeah, yeah. Take your time. I'll keep your seat empty. Hahaha."
Kim Yoo-shin quickly got up from his seat and went outside. As soon as he left, the atmosphere in the room changed completely. A sneer appeared on the friends' faces.
"Hey, that bastard used to be the school boss," Friend 1 said mockingly.
Park Ji-ho giggled at that and replied.
"When was that? Now he's nothing more than an insurance salesman, right? Isn't he here because he hopes to sell some insurance?"
"Wow! Life is full of surprises. Who would have thought the great Kim Yoo-shin would end up living like that?" Friend 2 shook his head.
"He was always a rotten apple. Dropping out of school at 19 because he got someone pregnant. He was always destined for failure. Jeez! I still get chills when I think about how scary Kim Yoo-shin was back then."
Cheon Yooshin’s face had already hardened while listening to them. What are these bastards doing right now? The laughter from just a moment ago was pure hypocrisy. The sight of them badmouthing Kim Yoo-shin... it made the demons who had been after his life in the Abyss feel purer by comparison. That was how disgusting their words and actions were.
In fact, his own reason for attending the reunion was the same as theirs. To get satisfying revenge on the friends who had bullied him. But for Cheon Yooshin, who was watching them from the perspective of a third party, it felt as if he had suddenly woken up from a succubus’s dream.
Kim Ji-ho, in particular, was the worst among them.
"I’m the one who made that bastard an insurance king."
Kim Ji-ho giggled, looking so excited. His eyes were filled with arrogance and superiority.
"That’s why I get spam gift sets from that bastard every holiday. I throw them away every time, it’s such a hassle. F***."
Cheon Yooshin frowned. His head would ache if he kept listening. As Cheon Yooshin stood up, Kim Ji-ho asked.
"Hey, Yooshin. Where are you going?"
"Restroom."
The guy didn't notice the coldness in Yooshin’s voice and started badmouthing Kim Yoo-shin with his friends again. Since his interest in the reunion had completely vanished, Yooshin intended to leave right then. These bastards weren't even worth calling friends.
As he stepped into the lobby, he saw Kim Yoo-shin in a corner, talking on the phone.
"Yeah, my princess. Daddy will be there soon."
The voice of Kim Yoo-shin, in his shabby clothes, was more mature and gentle than any of the guys in the banquet hall.
"Daddy will be there soon so we can eat chicken together. Yeah, okay."
After hanging up, Kim Yoo-shin’s face was filled with happiness. But that was only for a moment; he let out a deep sigh. Cheon Yooshin’s mind grew complicated at the face so full of the weariness of life.
When he was in the same space as him in the past, he was just afraid. But now, he was just an ordinary head of a household. Shouldering the weight of being a father responsible for his family. It felt empty. He had passed those immature days and was now faithfully living his present life as a proper head of a household. He had become an adult like that.
On the other hand—
'What am I?'
Had anything changed since then?
Just then, Kim Yoo-shin spotted Cheon Yooshin and approached him with a forced, bright smile.
"I couldn't say hello earlier. Yooshin. Have you been well?" Kim Yoo-shin gave an awkward smile. "You've been on the news a lot lately. I feel proud when I see my friend becoming famous."
There was sincerity in his voice. Unlike the others earlier.
Cheon Yooshin watched him for a moment before opening his mouth.
"You have a daughter?"
At the mention of his daughter, a bright smile flashed across Kim Yoo-shin’s face.
"Oh, yeah. She’s 5 this year. She’s a smart one, a real smart one. Hahaha."
"I heard you work in insurance?"
"Oh. Yeah." Kim Yoo-shin scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed. "It’s not much, but I have to do at least this much to feed my family."
An awkward silence flowed for a moment, and Cheon Yooshin broke the stillness.
"Do you have a business card?"
Only then did Kim Yoo-shin hurriedly pull a business card from his suit pocket.
"Ah! Yeah, sorry. I should have given you one. Actually, I was worried you’d misunderstand, thinking I came to the reunion to do sales. Hahaha..."
"You rascal, worrying for nothing." Cheon Yooshin chuckled.
That was when—
"Um, Yooshin." Kim Yoo-shin’s voice trembled. "…I’m sorry about back then. For the things I did to you in high school."
"..."
He continued to speak.
"Back then, I thought all that was cool. I wanted to look strong, too. But now that I think about it, I realize what a thug I was."
In reality, he had come to the reunion intending to get satisfying revenge. But the words that came out of his mouth were the opposite.
"Forget it. Man, I’ve forgotten all about it."
For some reason, it felt like he had to say that.
And after parting ways with him, a call came to Yooshin, who was standing alone in the lobby. It was a call from Park Hae-soo. It was about Kang Min-ho, who had entered the C-grade gate to clear it, failing and running away. There was only one day left. He said that if it wasn't cleared within the day, a Gate Break would occur, and asked him to be deployed for an emergency raid.
A bitter smile hung on Yooshin’s lips as he hung up the phone.
"Now it’s really time to wake up from the dream."
The satisfying revenge in the reunion movie he had imagined was nothing more than a fantasy.