Please Forget Everything About Meeting Me

Suspicious Sunglasses Girl, Han Mi-na, was peeking at me timidly. She was still wearing her sunglasses and mask pulled down low over her face. Honestly, I was shocked.

When I'd grabbed her hand to give her my number, I'd doubted if the status window I'd seen was real. Could a timid girl like this, who could barely speak properly and seemed like a total pervert, really be Han Mi-na? And for such a girl to sparkle on TV? Had I seen wrong? Maybe it was just someone with the same name.

But it was Han Mi-na. She could hide her face with a mask and sunglasses, but...

'You can't hide your hair.'

That wavy ash-gray hair. The beautiful color commonly called ash—once it caught your eye, it didn't let go easily. I'd been surprised by Han Mi-na's appearance, so different from TV, but what truly shocked me was her ability.

Hypnosis. The ability to control others. Who would've thought that was Han Mi-na's power? That mental attack she'd used on me must've been hypnosis. She'd probably tried to hypnotize me into handing over the bracelet. It was the easiest way. When it failed, she panicked and got pulled into my pace without realizing it.

'On TV, it seems like she hypnotizes herself to maintain that shining star persona.'

She used hypnosis on herself to overcome her extreme shyness. I'd seen plenty of hunters like that—mental-type mages who cast spells on themselves to awaken their true potential. Mostly to fix timid personalities or temporarily overcome deep fears. Like popping a calming pill before a presentation.

Given how she treasured that bracelet, it was probably her symbol for confirming when she was hypnotized. Its color changed with her emotions, distinguishing her hypnotized extreme from her un-hypnotized one—like two sides of a coin.

'And that spinning phone screen must ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be the tool to activate her ability.'

She was an interesting woman. And her ability tempted me. An S-rank skill, no less. If I could acquire hypnosis, I could've hypnotized threats ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like Marcson Porter who sniffed around my identity, or even turned them to my advantage.

Unfortunately, she didn't seem to need tutoring. She'd said her grades were top-tier despite her idol activities. As I pondered how to approach her, she appeared right in front of me. The pumpkin had come on the vine—albeit a bit suddenly.

This was a major turning ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠point to recruit Han Mi-na. Pretending ignorance, I played dumb.

"That bracelet girl from before?"

"Y-y-yes. The bracelet..."

"Ah, you got my number—why come in person?"

"My place is nearby, but more than that..."

She hemmed and hawed, frustratingly so. Hard to believe this was that Han Mi-na. On TV, she'd have spilled the reason and solved it by now.

"I-I called, but you didn't pick up..."

Eh? Had she?

"I didn't answer?"

"Y-yeah, you must've been busy, right?"

I hurriedly checked my phone. Missed calls—five of them.

"Oh, five calls. Sorry."

"S-so I came. Ha, haha."

I'd been swamped with Marcson showing up because of Lee Hye-ri and all that followed. So focused on not getting caught that I'd ignored my phone entirely. A blessing in disguise. It brought her here.

"Sorry. I don't pick up unknown numbers."

I brushed it off with an excuse.

"R-right. Haha. It's f-fine. I didn't call that many times."

Five missed calls—no need to quibble.

"So, what's up? If it's the reward, no need to bother."

I hadn't expected it anyway. Figured it was a lost cause.

"N-no, not that... Of course I'll pay! But... something more important."

More important?

"What is it? Feel free to speak casually."

"W-well... Could you look at this for a sec?"

She held out her phone after finishing. The same spinning screen from before.

Hypnosis again. What was this girl plotting now? I felt her gaze through the sunglasses.

"F-follow me."

What was this about? I'd play along for now. Figuring out what she wanted was key. Spotting student needs was essential for tutoring—and for hunters too. Great ones assessed team deficiencies and desires, adapting accordingly.

"O-okay."

I replied awkwardly on purpose.

"I-it worked."

Her face lit up with confidence. Han Mi-na led, and I followed. No presences in the alley. No ambush or threat.

'Hiding her identity, maybe?'

She wouldn't hypnotize just for a reward.

After reclaiming her bracelet and resuming idol activities, Han Mi-na spent the whole day thinking about the man who'd found it for her. She didn't know his name, only his face. The only person she'd met immune to her hypnosis—man or woman, young or old.

Even at the academy, where future hunters trained, her hypnosis worked.

'Get out of here now. Don't come back to class until you've run 200 laps around the field.'

On annoying guys trying to hit on the academy's most popular idol.

'You like Han Mi-na. You want to be her friend.'

To befriend girls jealous of her.

Her hypnosis always worked perfectly. It let her navigate academy life unscathed as an idol, even becoming class center.

She never used it on teachers. It wouldn't boost grades, and it felt wrong. She wasn't upright herself, but she hated breaking laws.

One thing was certain: her hypnosis would work on A-rank, even S-rank hunters. Though limited points meant only simple commands on S-ranks.

'But not on that guy.'

Even 10 points on "Hand over the bracelet" failed. Some people resist hypnosis strongly—she'd seen it on mystery channels while researching her power's roots under the covers.

Words from a famous hypnosis expert on TV resurfaced. Right—that guy might just resist strongly. It happened sometimes. Some burned more points. Same hypnosis, different costs per person.

Why didn't I realize?I'm such an idiot. She did this sometimes.

'So remaining points...'

About 100 left.

'Use more, and it'll work?'

The thought haunted her all day. The nameless man lingered in her mind for days.

'Annoying.'

Had she ever fixated on a guy this long? Never. Pre-hypnosis, men were fantasy creatures in her hikikomori days. Post-debut, they were threats that could end her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠career. Scandals terrified idols. She wasn't used to men anyway.

Yet this convenience store guy stuck.

'Gotta meet him again.'

This time, stronger. With 100 points, skipping schedule could yield 60. She called.

Ring ring ring. No answer. Five times. Desperate, she summoned her driving manager, Kang Jung-hoon.

"Manager."

"Yes, Mi-na."

"How much schedule left today?"

"All done. Photoshoot tonight, though..."

"End here then."

"Pardon? Again? You skipped days ago..."

"Please. Real emergency."

Kang glanced via rearview, sighing.

"One question."

"Yes."

"A guy?"

"...No."

"You've been unfocused lately. Skipping's common, but never on-site distraction. If it's that..."

"No."

It was a guy bothering her—but not romantically. Just her power failing on him.

"Got it. If guy trouble, tell me quick. So we can handle fallout."

"Yes."

They reached the store. She dropped self-hypnosis. No way she'd let him link the nerd girl to Han Mi-na. With only 100 points, she had to conserve for critical moments.

Regretted coming— no contact, no guarantee he'd be here. But spotting his back, she ran and called out.

And now.

"F-follow me."

He paused, then followed. Yes. It worked. Of course. S-rank skill. Unless he's an S-rank hunter! Maybe high-point resistance. Relieved, tension eased.

In the alley, Han Mi-na swallowed hard. Confirmed, now her real goal. Phone out again.

"Th-this is 100,000 won for finding my bracelet last time."

She pressed cash into his hand, activating hypnosis again.

"F-from what you saw last time to now, forget everything about meeting me."

No one could know idol Han Mi-na was this nerd. He didn't yet, but coincidences happen.

'Never!'

Cut ties completely. She poured everything.

Full power. All remaining points on "Forget her." Excessive, but necessary for him.

"N-no... I don't... want to..."

Eh? What?