* * *
Since I had known him from a young age, he just felt like the friendly next-door uncle to me.
But in reality, he was a legendary figure within the Bureau.
I still remember how shocked I was when I first found out.
The same man who used to kick a soccer ball around with me and make instant noodles was actually that incredible?
I was so stunned that I shook Taehwan by the shoulders, demanding to know why he never told me.
In response, I got a flick to the forehead.
That was when I realized how extraordinary Taehwan’s family was.
They had been producing the rare A-rank hunters for generations, and the position of Bureau Director had practically become a hereditary role.
‘Taehwan must’ve been disappointed in himself for only awakening as a B-rank…’
I had always assumed he would become an A-rank hunter.
He was good at everything, to the point where just standing next to him made me feel proud.
So when I heard he was only B-rank, I felt a little sad.
Even though he himself seemed completely unbothered by it.
…Though, thanks to his lower rank, he wasn’t as busy.
Which meant he visited me every day.
That part was nice.
‘…But what if he became a B-rank because of me…?’
My mouth felt bitter.
I didn’t know the truth, nor did I know what Uncle thought.
But his wife definitely believed it.
She thought I had suppressed Taehwan’s potential and kept him stuck at B-rank.
She believed that because he wasted time taking care of me during a critical period, because he was satisfied just being by my side and didn’t push himself harder, he had ended up settling for the middle ground.
“……”
The thought made me sulk.
As far as I remembered, Taehwan’s mother had always been kind to me.
When my father passed away and my twin siblings were born, she treated us like family.
She greeted mourners in my mother’s place and gave me advice on how to care for the twins.
But now… I wasn’t sure if I was still welcome.
—Thank you for your insights. It looks like the Bureau is taking various measures to respond to the situation.
I shook off my gloomy thoughts and refocused on Uncle’s interview.
Even if Taehwan’s parents no longer wanted to see me, even if they resented me… I was still grateful to them.
I wanted to hear how they were doing.
—May I ask you one slightly sensitive question?
—Of course. I’ll answer within my ability.
—Many are wondering whether the Hunter Bureau’s “hidden ace,” the hunter known as Grey Coat, will challenge this uncleared dungeon. What are your thoughts on this?
“…Huh?”
My ears perked up.
I had only started listening because I wanted to hear Uncle’s voice and catch up on his recent activities.
But now, I had stumbled upon an unexpected jackpot—news about Grey Coat!
Excitement surged through me.
Without realizing it, I let go of the handrail and wheeled myself straight into the lounge.
I wasn’t the only one who reacted.
As soon as Grey Coat was mentioned, the entire lounge buzzed with murmurs.
I strained my ears toward the TV, trying to hear over the noise.
—Unfortunately, I cannot comment on Grey Coat at this time. He has been on hiatus recently…
—Actually, we have breaking news from a highly reliable source! Grey Coat has reportedly joined a B-rank dungeon raid and defeated a boss-tier monster in under ten minutes. This suggests that he has resumed activity!
—Ah.
A short, involuntary sigh.
Uncle had clearly not been expecting this.
I felt bad that he had been caught off guard, but I was still thrilled to hear about Grey Coat.
I had been waiting for his return just like everyone else.
Fortunately, Uncle quickly regained his composure.
Maybe I was the only one who even noticed his momentary surprise—thanks to my sharp hearing.
A second later, he chuckled, then responded in a relaxed voice.
—Well, that information spread faster than expected. Thank you for your interest in Grey Coat. However, as you may already know, the Bureau respects his personal autonomy. Therefore, I cannot confirm any plans regarding this dungeon raid at this time.
—Ah, I see.
—But I can assure you this: The Hunter Management Bureau is committed to ensuring public safety and will take all necessary measures to prevent dungeon-related incidents. Please rest assured and wait for further updates.
—Understood. We look forward to hearing good news. Thank you for your time today…
The interview ended.
But the lounge was now more animated than ever.
The mere mention of Grey Coat had caused a frenzy.
“Grey Coat is back?”
“Wasn’t he retired?”
“That’s a relief. Among the government-affiliated hunters, he’s the one who gets things done the fastest.”
“I hope he steps in for this dungeon too.”
“The people around there look miserable. They’re worried about property and land values dropping because of the dungeon.”
“They poured money into stopping it from being designated as the ‘Miclear Dungeon,’ but it still ended up that way?”
“Well, I kind of think they had it coming. That neighborhood was always going on about property values.”
“Don’t say that. This is a situation where people could get hurt.”
“Hm. If Heiko is resuming activity at this point, doesn’t that mean he intends to intervene? Today must’ve just been a warm-up.”
“That would be great if that’s the case…”
Hearing the excitement in their voices, I couldn’t help but feel proud.
It wasn’t even my business, but my shoulders lifted with satisfaction.
“Hey, Jung Jaehee. What are you doing here? And alone?”
“Oh, you’re here?”
Come to think of it, it was about time for Taehwan to arrive.
Punctual as always.
We had slept together in the quarantine room yesterday, and he had only gone back early this morning, so he could’ve just come tomorrow.
But, as expected, he showed up again right away.
Still, I was happy to see him.
Taehwan was one of the few people I could talk to endlessly about the things I liked.
As he quickly turned my wheelchair around, trying to take me back to the hospital room, I grabbed onto the hem of his clothes.
“Taehwan! Taehwan!”
“Huh? What? What is it?”
“‘Gray Coat’ is back! Oh my god. I’m so happy!”
I knew I shouldn’t be raising my voice in the hospital hallway, but I couldn’t contain my excitement.
Because ‘Gray Coat Hunter’ was my idol!
What is a ‘Hero’?
The dictionary defines a ‘hero’ as ‘an outstanding person who accomplishes things others cannot.’
But to me, a hero means much more than that.
A hero is someone with exceptional talent who works for the public good.
Someone who puts others before themselves.
Someone whose mere existence shines as a beacon of hope for people!
And the person who embodied everything I believed a hero should be—was ‘Gray Coat.’
A government-affiliated hunter under the Management Bureau.
His rank, gender, and age—everything about him was unknown.
Despite his incredible achievements that made him a symbol of hope for many, he never sought personal fame or wealth.
A noble figure who wasn’t swayed by material rewards!
‘Of course, he should receive fair compensation for his work… but still! There’s something so romantic about a hero who prioritizes the public good above all else!’
In a country where awakened individuals must be registered, it seemed impossible for someone to remain ‘unknown.’
But in his case, the government made an exception.
He wasn’t an officially active agent—he was more of a wild card.
His actions had been so extraordinary that people inevitably took notice, making secrecy impossible.
Government-affiliated hunters usually wore blue uniforms, but he always wore his signature gray coat, deliberately hiding his affiliation.
That’s how he got his nickname—‘Gray Coat’—or ‘Heiko’ for short.
The name stuck after people kept posting online, asking, ‘Who is this hunter in the gray coat?’
Honestly, wasn’t he the embodiment of everything a hero should be?
When I first heard about him on the radio, I couldn’t believe my ears.
The fact that someone like him actually existed in real life was astonishing.
It was like seeing my ideal hero, the one I had dreamed of since childhood, come to life!
“I thought ‘Gray Coat’ had retired, and it made me so sad. But now that he’s back… it’s such a relief.”
Because he never seemed to care about personal gain, and because his achievements were so extraordinary in such a short time, people speculated that he was an officially ‘retired high-rank hunter.’
They assumed he had already amassed a fortune and was old enough to be doing this just as a hobby.
That’s why, when he suddenly disappeared, no one found it strange.
People said he had no lingering attachments and that, once he became famous and things got complicated, he would simply walk away.
I understood his decision.
But… the timing had been really unfortunate.
About three months ago, when I started getting sick more frequently, my idol abruptly stopped all activity.
It was like one misfortune had piled onto another.
While I was stuck alone in the quarantine room, listening to the radio and hearing about ‘Gray Coat’s’ feats had been my only joy.
And then, just like that, it was gone.
Thankfully, Taehwan had been free enough to stay with me almost all the time.
If not for him, that period would have been unbearable.
* * *
Gray Coat must’ve been Taehwan 😊