Awakening in Restraint
Kim Eun-bi slowly opened her eyes. The first thing that came into view was a high ceiling. She knew she was in an unexpected place, but it wasn't unfamiliar. Turning her head to take in the room, she confirmed it was exactly where she thought—Kim Seol-bi's house. It wasn't some tiny place she could memorize in a single night, but she'd visited so many times that it felt like home.
But...
"Ugh!"
She quickly realized her limbs wouldn't move. Her arms and legs were immobilized. It felt like they were bound by something, and when she looked down, she confirmed it. She was lying on the bed, her arms and legs secured by sturdy restraints.
"Ah!"
She tried to sit up, only to feel a sharp jolt at her neck. Not just her arms and legs—there was a restraint around her neck too. She was an A-rank hunter. Normal devices couldn't hold her. This must have been made for hunters... or maybe even monsters.
Why...
With her body unresponsive, she racked her brain for why she was in this state. Memories trickled back one by one. Especially the last one. Her naked body hovering over Kang Sung-gi, guiding his cock into her pussy...
"Hngh!"
The shameful scene made her squeeze her eyes shut. How could she have done something like that? She'd never even had deep physical contact with a guy before. Sex? She'd only known it from theory, never experienced it—and she'd taken the lead? The thought made her vision go dark.
He's going to hate me...
Vaguely, she remembered realizing midway through penetration that Kang Sung-gi was conscious. He'd tried to speak, even wriggled a bit. But she'd ignored it all and pushed ahead. Recalling the sensation made her lower belly tingle. She couldn't deny it. The immense pleasure from back then was vivid in her mind. If the same situation arose again, she wouldn't be able to control herself. If she could feel that ecstasy once more, she'd pay any price.
How did I end up like this...
She'd never seriously fallen for a guy her whole life. Sure, she'd thought some were handsome or cool, but it felt no different from admiring another girl. Pretty, attractive—that's all it was. She'd gotten tons of confessions but never accepted one. Once word got out that her cousin was an S-rank hunter, guys at school stopped daring to approach. She'd thought that was a blessing.
And yet...
The moment she saw Kang Sung-gi at the Dungeon Management Office, her heart was stolen like magic. Is this what falling in love feels like? She'd wondered that dozens of times a day. Some nights, lost in those thoughts, she'd barely slept three or four hours.
But why...
Remembering what happened before sneaking into his house flooded her with intense emotions. No sugarcoating it—jealousy. Betrayal toward her cousin, whom she'd followed even more closely than her own parents. The feeling made the restraints rattle. Her mana surged uncontrollably. But the device was top-notch; it crushed her outburst. A blessing in disguise, maybe? As the strength drained, rationality returned.
Did unnie fall for him too?
It was possible. He wasn't strikingly handsome or flashy, but she'd fallen at first sight. Maybe there were people with that kind of magnetic charm in the world. With hunters and monsters existing, why not?
Still, no way!
Kang Sung-gi was one man. The first guy she'd ever truly loved. Sharing him with another woman? Even if it was her beloved cousin—impossible. Better to kill him and herself first.
Rattle, rattle, rattle.
Excitement shook the restraints again. Sparks flew—crackle!—but she couldn't break free.
"Ngh!"
Exhausted and aching, Kim Eun-bi slumped. But escape wasn't impossible. Other hunters might be stuck, but not her. She'd snuck into his house thanks to this power. Lying there, she activated full-body transparency. She could pass through walls or anything now. Monsters couldn't detect her; she'd even evaded S-rank Kim Seol-bi's eyes.
But.
Crackle! Rattle, rattle!
The device suppressed even that. Why did unnie go this far? Resentment and hatred swelled. The trust she'd placed in her cousin only amplified the backlash.
"Hic... sob."
Tears started flowing. It hurt. So unfair. Love was supposed to be beautiful. She'd dreamed of basking in that beauty someday. She'd always planned to show her first boyfriend to Kim Seol-bi first. If unnie objected, she'd dump him without hesitation. That's why, even overflowing with emotion, she'd tried to suppress it when first confessing about Kang Sung-gi.
She'd eventually concluded it was love.
"Hic, why... huuuh!"
She sobbed pitifully, like a tragic heroine in a romance story.
Kim Seol-bi was in a different room, making a phone call. She'd had the name and number for a while but never actually spoken to her. The woman was known as S-rank caliber but didn't hunt. She was a specialist in sorcery and rare materials, quietly sought after by many. Her main clients? S-rank hunters. Normal items and spells didn't work on them. When they suffered grievous wounds hard to heal in dungeons, they came to her. Her fees were astronomical. She never formed personal ties beyond commissions—mysterious, untouchable despite everyone wanting her close.
In contrast, her name, nickname, and early awakening photos were all over communities. Real name: Kang A-jin. Nickname: Puppy. Partly because her name sounded like "puppy," but mostly her face was adorably dog-like. Likable, supremely talented, yet elusive.
Kim Seol-bi steeled herself to call. She knew her cousin's predicament. Exposed to Kang Sung-gi's power. Even S-rank her had fallen helplessly. It was nearly unbreakable. How a normal awakener like him had it, she didn't know—but once hooked, no turning back.
She'd been shocked when Kim Eun-bi gushed about a Dungeon Management Office guy after a raid. The girl never talked guys with her. At first, it seemed minor, but those sparkling eyes and thrilled tone? Serious. To her, Eun-bi was like a child—fresh out of high school, zero dating experience. Seol-bi had none either, but early entertainment days had toughened her to men. Not super explicit, but she'd been forced into erotic roles as a rookie. No real exposure, but she'd learned plenty about turning guys on, looking sexy.
Eun-bi's crush was intriguing yet worrying. She knew the hunter world too well. Pretty female hunters got endless approaches. Many ended up toys, lured and ruined. Hunters thought differently from normals. Male ones never satisfied with one woman, using risky items to drag females into despair. She'd heard too many stories. Even if he was a normal awakener, who knew? Maybe hunters behind him.
She'd hoped Eun-bi would be cautious. Plenty of future chances. Gain experience, choose wisely later.
But then... I fell for him too.
This mess defied logic. That's why Kang A-jin. Normal methods wouldn't sway Eun-bi's obsession.
After a few rings, a voice far calmer and more mature than expected answered.
"Hello?"