Farewell
“Where the hell is he?”
Lee Joo-hwan, the hunter dispatched to monitor Cheon Ji-hoo, stood at the main gate of Hunter Academy and activated his skill. But the sonar wave he sent out didn't go far before bouncing back.
The academy building, which could double as a fortress in a pinch, had a special design that neutralized certain skills.
Realizing his skill wasn't working, Lee Joo-hwan clicked his tongue and headed to the guard post at the main gate.
“What brings you here, sir?”
A burly guard looked up at him. Lee Joo-hwan flashed his Hunter Association agent ID from his pocket and asked in return,
“Has a tall guy with long white hair come through here by any chance?”
“……Long white hair? Haven't seen anyone like that.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Not a single white strand in sight.”
It was only natural the guard hadn't seen him. Cheon Ji-hoo hadn't walked in—he'd used spatial transfer.
Lee Joo-hwan pulled out his phone and searched SNS for Cheon Ji-hoo. It didn't look like he'd gone anywhere but in front of Hunter Academy.
'If I think about it directionally, he's probably inside the academy.'
Sonar wasn't working either. He'd have to go in and search manually.
“Excuse me for a moment. It's important business.”
“Is there a criminal hiding inside the academy? If so, our security can assist.”
“No, nothing like that. Just keep an eye out for a white-haired man coming through the gate.”
“Understood.”
The guard looked puzzled but let Lee Joo-hwan in anyway. The association ID was genuine, so he had no authority to stop him.
Lee Joo-hwan ground his teeth and dashed deeper into Hunter Academy.
“Where the hell did he go?!”
* * *
Cheon Ji-hoo clutched his chest watching Cheon Ji-yoon mope over her failed awakening. She should have awakened by rights. But he'd stripped away the mana to stop it.
Awakening to impure mana from something like a goblin could have nasty side effects. If he was going to let her awaken, it had to be with purer mana.
He understood the principles well enough by now. There'd be a better chance eventually. Not just A-rank—he'd make her SSS-rank at least.
'Sorry to the teacher, though.'
He was the one who'd put the variant goblin up against the students and thrown up that barrier. The teacher's frantic pounding on the wall had been pretty pitiful.
But he'd blocked the goblin from hitting Cheon Ji-yoon and the other girl first, so it evened out.
Cheon Ji-hoo quirked up the corner of his mouth and followed behind Cheon Ji-yoon. They emerged from the rift to cheers from the students and teachers who'd arrived ahead.
“Why are you so late?”
“We ran into a variant goblin. Bigger and fiercer than regular ones.”
Cheon Ji-hoo rolled his eyes at the teacher's words. Fierce? That thing was downright docile.
“Oh no! Are all the students safe?”
“Yes, everyone made it out fine. Everyone except Cheon Ji-yoon awakened. We'll do the full report back at the office.”
And with that, the rift exploration(?) class was over. The students disarmed and headed back to class to grab their bags. It ended a bit early today—probably so they could go home and rest.
Cheon Ji-hoo got ahead, leaning against the main gate waiting for Cheon Ji-yoon. Luckily, it was out of sight from the guard post.
“Some weirdo's wandering around school.”
“Should we report him?”
Cheon Ji-hoo looked up at the voices. He thought they were talking about him at first, but the two girls chattering as they walked froze with mouths agape when their eyes met his. Nope.
Soon after, Cheon Ji-yoon trudged out the gate, shoulders slumped.
“Ji-yoon.”
She looked up at his call. Realizing he was waiting, she bolted over and threw herself into his arms. The other students watched with envy.
If I had a hot older brother like that, every day would be perfect. That kind of look.
“Oppa! You here to pick me up? How'd you know?”
“What other school is around here?”
“Hehe, true. You eat lunch?”
“Yeah. C'mon, walk with me.”
“Where to?”
“Somewhere we have to go.”
A place they absolutely had to visit. He'd meant to go right after returning to Earth, but the joy of reuniting with Cheon Ji-yoon had delayed it.
Cheon Ji-hoo took Cheon Ji-yoon on the subway toward Incheon. From old Yeouido to Incheon took a little over an hour. Faster than before, though. Lots of stations were abandoned now from rifts popping up everywhere after the Great Rift.
“Oppa, where are we going?”
“……I'll tell you later.”
She kept asking, but he didn't answer. After changing lines, they arrived at Bupyeong Samgeori Station—home to Incheon Family Park. It was Cheon Ji-yoon's first time there.
“……”
Stepping into Incheon Family Park for the first time, Cheon Ji-yoon fell silent. She knew what it was right away.
Tombstones everywhere. Graves and markers filled her view, so she instantly realized where he'd brought her.
“……This way.”
Cheon Ji-hoo looked around and started walking. He'd almost forgotten, but arriving at the still-intact park brought the memories flooding back. Ones he'd thought gone but had lingered deep in his mind.
He stopped in front of a tombstone, and Cheon Ji-yoon halted behind him.
“Here.”
She looked at the inscription.
Cheon Seong-hwan, Shin Ji-ah.
Their parents' names.
Over ten years later, the stone was still well-maintained by the caretakers. But unlike the others adorned with flowers, this one looked stark and lonely.
“Cheon Seong-hwan, Shin Ji-ah. Mom and Dad's names.”
“Dad…… Mom……”
Cheon Ji-yoon barely remembered her parents. They'd died when she was little, and Cheon Ji-hoo had basically raised her. After he vanished, she was too busy surviving in the orphanage to look them up.
No one to spoil her, so she grew up fast. No relatives since both parents were only children. Naturally, visiting the grave never crossed her mind.
As Cheon Ji-yoon started to collapse to the ground, Cheon Ji-hoo supported her. He gently set her down and knelt on one knee before the stone.
“I'm very late.”
Way too late. Leaving behind someone ten years younger alone on Earth……
Cheon Ji-hoo clenched his right fist and extended it toward the stone. A plant root sprouted between his thumb and index finger, blooming into a beautiful bouquet of white chrysanthemums.
He placed the flowers before the grave and spoke.
“They passed when you were little, so you probably don't remember much.”
“……Yeah.”
He turned to see tears streaming down her face. He reached out, gently wiping them away, and gave a faint smile.
“Tonight, I'll tell you about our parents. What they were like, how much they loved you. And about how I've lived too.”
“……Yeah.”
Now was the time to fulfill his role as guardian.
* * *
Meanwhile.
“Where'd he go—!!”
Lee Joo-hwan was still tearing through the school searching for Cheon Ji-hoo. It wasn't until 30 minutes later that he confirmed he'd gone somewhere else.
* * *
After paying respects at their parents' grave, Cheon Ji-hoo took Cheon Ji-yoon to a nearby bank to check his old account from ten years ago.
Officially a Returner, he'd get some adaptation stipend, but it was pocket change. The old account held inheritance plus his part-time savings— a big help for living expenses.
They made it just before closing. He took a number, waited a bit, and met a teller.
“I'd like to check my accounts.”
The teller stared blankly at his face before snapping to and asking for ID. She checked it quickly.
“Ah, you have a savings account and a fixed deposit.”
“Lost my passbooks, so reissue both please. And a debit card for the savings account.”
“Got it. Please wait a moment.”
His first bank in centuries, but it wasn't much different from the other world's. They had accounts and card-like things too.
Suddenly, Cheon Ji-hoo remembered the rare minerals and gold he'd left in his sub-space. No need for money there, so he'd stashed it all in a vault. A shame—he could've crashed Korea's gold market.
'Anything left in my sub-space?'
“Oppa, this card looks good.”
“Alright, that one then.”
Cheon Ji-yoon scrutinized the debit card options carefully. He went with her pick.
Soon the teller handed over new passbooks and the card. Cheon Ji-hoo checked the balance right away.
As he recalled, there'd been enough inheritance to avoid bankruptcy. After selling the house, paying loans, and adding it up, they'd entered the orphanage. The best he could do as a kid. Two minors with no relatives faced legal and practical issues living alone.
“Oh……”
“Whoa!”
The savings and deposit totaled nearly 40 million won. Interest had piled up over ten years. The deposit was long past maturity……
Cheon Ji-hoo had the matured deposit transferred to savings and wrapped up.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you! Wow! Jackpot!”
Cheon Ji-yoon beamed at the windfall, her face lighting up adorably. Cheon Ji-hoo ruffled her hair and stood.
People's stares flooded him then scattered. Annoyed by the constant attention, he'd cast Perception Impairment. Everyone but Cheon Ji-yoon looked away.
“Oppa must really be that handsome. People always stare when we walk…… but now they don't.”
“Just your imagination.”
He sought a peaceful life. For now, he'd treat his cute sister to a full dinner. They boarded the subway back to Hunter Way.
* * *
“What?! Incheon?! When the hell did he go there?! This is driving me insane!”
Lee Joo-hwan, learning Cheon Ji-hoo's location, fumed and drove to Incheon.
But Cheon Ji-hoo had already reached Hunter Way. Their paths had perfectly diverged.
* * *
“So this is the taste of Hanwoo……”
“Eat up. Lots.”
Cheon Ji-hoo, using magic to grill perfect Hanwoo without charring, pushed meat toward Cheon Ji-yoon. She wrapped a big ssam, popped it in her mouth happily, then made one for him.
The days of scraping by were over. As her only family, he'd make up for everything she'd wanted but couldn't have.
'The tail that's been stuck to me finally shaken off?'
Whatever. They'd stuck him with surveillance without a word—if they lost him, their problem.