Chapter 2: A Stirring in the Heart
Kim Seol-bi was plunged into deep confusion.
It had started a month ago. She had a cherished cousin whom she'd been close to since childhood, and even after becoming an S-rank hunter, their relationship hadn't changed. Then, not long ago, that cousin had awakened. To A-rank, no less. Cases where an A-rank grew to S-rank were exceedingly rare, but for two hunters of S- and A-rank to awaken from the same family was an extraordinary event.
Kim Seol-bi was overjoyed as if it had happened to her own self, vowing to spare no support.
"Can you just come with me up to the dungeon entrance?"
It was her cousin's request. Going inside the dungeon to hunt together would draw too much attention to the freshly awakened girl. But escorting her to the entrance was no problem.
In the back seat of the Rolls-Royce driven by her knight, Kim Seol-bi showered her cousin with advice.
"Got it? Don't let your guard down just because it's a D-rank dungeon. And you're going in alone. Focus on getting a feel for the place today—don't push yourself. You can raid B- and A-rank dungeons anytime later, so no need to grind for experience or cash here."
"Okay, Unnie. Thanks so much."
"Hee hee hee."
Kim Seol-bi stroked her obedient cousin's head. Truth be told, even fresh out of awakening, a D-rank dungeon was child's play for an A-rank hunter. Plus, she'd gifted her a full set of high-end gear as an awakening present. No amount of carelessness would get her killed in there.
Still, the lesson of never dropping one's guard in a dungeon needed to sink in. Unable to shake her unease, Kim Seol-bi decided to accompany her all the way to the Dungeon Management Office. Her fame alone would ensure they treated her cousin right.
"Aigoo, whatever brings you to such a humble place?"
As expected. She'd only meant to ask the staff to look after her cousin, but the director himself came rushing down after getting word.
Seeing her cousin beam with pride eased the annoyance a bit, so she endured the tedious chatter. Midway through, a sharp sensation pierced her heart—like unearthing a treasure item in an S-rank dungeon.
She'd never felt anything like it in daily life, and even in dungeons, it was rare. Bewildered, she couldn't make sense of it.
The feeling lingered briefly in the room before shifting toward one side.
Click.
Someone was slipping out, the door closing behind them.
"Director, do you have any hunters working here?"
"Pardon?"
Even as the words left her mouth, Kim Seol-bi inwardly scolded herself. What kind of question was that? If they were hunters, why would they work at the management office?
The expected answer came.
"Not hunters, per se—more like awakened folk. Sometimes we need to enter dungeons for work, so you can't do this job without awakening. Hunters can't, but those who can enter dungeons get hired here at the Dungeon Management Office. No brag, but I'm one myself."
A textbook response. Kim Seol-bi let out a quiet sigh, replaying the sensation.
'No way.'
Probably just poor sleep messing with her condition. She brushed it off lightly.
A faint, peculiar echo remained, but S-rank hunters brimmed with mana—occasional glitches left lingering aftereffects. A temporary fluke, she figured.
"Unnie, you okay?"
"It's nothing. Just didn't sleep well last night; feeling off."
"Aww, sorry, Unnie~ This is all my fault for asking you to come~"
"Aigoo, I've taken too much of your time, Hunter-nim. No worries about your cousin—we'll treat her like royalty."
Kim Seol-bi sighed deeply at the director's excessive courtesy. He was buttering her up for favors, no doubt, and wary of offending an S-rank hunter. Everywhere she went, people watched her every move, and it exhausted her.
Back when she was a struggling actress craving attention, now it just drained her.
'I need some healing.'
Who'd have thought becoming an S-rank hunter would leave her this tired? Unimaginable compared to her days begging for even bit parts.
'Healing...'
The thought made the odd afterglow in her heart flicker brightly.
'Time to head home and rest.'
"Take good care of our Eun-bi."
"Of course! We'll pamper her—worry not!"
Kim Seol-bi sat on an unfamiliar man's bed, gazing at the anxious-looking man before her.
'He was the key after all.'
Ever since following her cousin Kim Eun-bi to that D-rank dungeon, a faint afterglow had lingered in her chest, refusing to fade. She'd chalked it up to fatigue at first, but days passed, and it persisted.
The clue came from Kim Eun-bi's chatter.
"The dungeon staff were so nice. Especially this one guy—pretty good-looking."
Kim Eun-bi blushed as she said it. At twenty, she was at that age where anyone could catch her fancy.
Kim Seol-bi chuckled at her innocent cousin. No boasting about her S-rank unnie, no using her for vanity. She'd been her cheerleader even in those nameless actress days. As far as she knew, no boyfriends until adulthood.
"You can't just date anyone now. You're an A-rank hunter. Who knows—you might climb to S-rank. Guys will come sniffing around for your background. Be picky if you're dating."
She didn't specify fellow A-ranks or higher, prosecutors, chaebol heirs—they'd flock anyway. She'd lost faith in men before even hitting S-rank, and afterward, dated no one.
'Not Eun-bi.'
Her cousin, with far less—mostly bad—experience with men, needed the warning. Job and status knew no equality in practice, no matter the saying. Pick wrong, and misery for both.
"Okay..."
Kim Eun-bi replied, a bit deflated.
"But he was kind. Name's a bit weird, though. Kang Sung-gi..."
"Sung-gi? Ho ho ho!"
What an odd name. Kim Eun-bi flushed saying it—not just from liking him.
"Eut!"
"Unnie? What's wrong?"
The moment "Sung-gi" hit her ears, a jolt rocked Kim Seol-bi's chest.
Thump thump thump.
'Yes... this is it.'
A warm, cozy sensation. Exactly the one that hadn't left since the D-rank trip.
She tilted her head.
'But no hunters there, right?'
Kang Sung-gi was just an ordinary awakened, surely.
'Then what's this feeling?'
She resolved to dig deeper.
"Eun-bi, heading to the dungeon again?"
"Yeah! Staff's nice, so same one!"
"Want Unnie to tag along?"
"That'd be great!"
Kim Seol-bi hid her face with sunglasses and a hat, watching Kang Sung-gi from afar.
Kim Eun-bi was clearly smitten, blushing at idle chit-chat.
She knew it now. That treasure-like thrill from S-rank dungeons. Undeniable. And it stemmed one hundred percent from that man.
Kang Sung-gi. Just thinking the name made her heart race, cheeks burn. Perhaps a hundred times the crush her cousin felt.
'How is this possible?'
Thump thump thump.
She stayed cautious. Hunters, dungeons, monsters—nothing was simple. For an S-rank like her to feel this intensely, he might not be ordinary. Maybe hiding his identity for some agenda.
She ran a background check. Age thirty. Awakened at twenty, but no standout traits, lived normally. Three weeks at the D-rank Dungeon Management Office. Nothing special.
Despite meticulous digging, nothing more surfaced. Only her intense emotions grew daily.
'I can't take it anymore!'
After her second encounter with Kang Sung-gi, Kim Eun-bi gushed openly, like a girl in love, Kim Seol-bi thought.
'Sorry, Eun-bi.'
But Unnie's need burned hotter. No more suppressing this overwhelming urge. Armed with his address from her sleuthing, she'd shown up unannounced.