* * *
Taehwan was wise.
When the Bureau sent someone over, I could have just met them alone.
There was no reason for him to go out of his way, sleeping uncomfortably on that narrow cot just to stay with me.
But I had been naïve.
“There’s a huge crowd outside…”
Mornings were usually quiet when I woke up, but today was oddly noisy.
Confused, I wondered if something had happened.
At Taehwan’s suggestion, I carefully peeked out the window—and was stunned to see a massive crowd gathered outside the hospital.
Not just ordinary people, but ones holding cameras.
“Is a celebrity visiting the hospital today?”
“What are you talking about? I told you—there’d be a lot of people after you.”
“Me?”
“Why else would they be here?”
“No way, they’re actually here for me?”
“Yep.”
What in the world…
Taehwan gave me a look of exasperation as my mouth hung open in shock, then turned on the TV.
He flipped through a few channels before stopping—he had found his target.
The news. And they were talking about me.
— Do you remember the ‘Miracle Child’? Thirteen years ago, a gate appeared in a residential area, trapping two elementary school students. One boy was rescued quickly, but the gate closed mid-rescue, halting the operation. The chances of a minor surviving inside a gate for a week were close to zero.
— But against all odds, the boy was found alive. The entire nation cheered, and he became known as the ‘Miracle Child.’
— Now in his twenties, the ‘Miracle Child’ has performed yet another miracle—he has awakened.
— A gate survivor not only enduring for over ten years but also awakening as an ability user—this news has sent shockwaves around the world…
My already gaping mouth fell open even wider.
I stared blankly at the TV screen, which now showed the hospital I was staying in.
“You’re gonna catch flies… Argh!”
A finger slipped into my open mouth, and without thinking, I bit down hard.
Taehwan yelped in pain.
Satisfied, I let go of his finger without hesitation.
“So this isn’t a dream.”
“What kind of person bites someone else’s finger to check if they’re dreaming?”
“You started it.”
“Jehee, sometimes you have a surprisingly nasty streak.”
This was our usual routine—a joke we’d played countless times over the past thirteen years.
But this time, something was different.
I had awakened.
Before, only Taehwan was an awakened ability user, so no matter what I did, I could never hurt him.
But now… now I was one too.
I could actually harm him.
I quickly grabbed his hand, checking for injuries.
His thick fingers bore a clear set of red bite marks.
My heart sank.
“S-Sorry. Did it hurt?”
“It’s fine.”
Damn it.
What should I do?
In a panic, I started blowing on the bite marks, but Taehwan simply pressed my head down with his other hand.
Then, as if to reassure me, he casually moved his fingers around.
I must have still looked uneasy, because after a moment, he rubbed my cheeks between his palms and suddenly flashed a bright smile—like I’d never been worried in the first place.
“Anyway, don’t stress too much. I’m here.”
“…Okay.”
“Let’s eat. I’ll go grab some food.”
Luckily, Taehwan was tough.
Even as we ate, I kept stealing glances at his hand, worried his finger might still be swollen.
But before long, even the slight redness had faded.
The person from the Hunter Bureau came looking for me right as we finished breakfast, washed up, and were tidying the hospital room.
“Are you Jung Jehee?”
“Yes, and…?”
“I’m Han Jihye from the Hunter Bureau. Please come with us for your rank assessment and registration process.”
“…”
I swallowed dryly.
The atmosphere was tenser than I expected.
I thought maybe one or two administrative officials would show up, but the room was filled with Bureau-affiliated Hunters in blue uniforms.
Judging by the commotion outside, there were more waiting out there, too.
I couldn’t believe they sent this many people just to escort me.
It had been so long since I’d last stepped outside the hospital.
Now, being surrounded by so many unfamiliar people was making me nervous.
“Jehee, take the wheelchair.”
“Oh, okay.”
“These people are here for your safety, so don’t be too scared.”
“…Alright.”
I answered obediently, but it wasn’t that easy to calm down.
They weren’t just standing around me—they were clearly on high alert. I could feel it.
For someone who had been living peacefully in a quiet VIP hospital room, the tense atmosphere was overwhelming.
The last time I’d felt something like this was when the hospital got caught in a dungeon outbreak… and that was not a pleasant memory.
I exhaled slowly, but my breath trembled.
“Jehee, if I weren’t here today, you’d be in big trouble.”
“…Yeah. You were a godsend.”
Hearing my heartfelt gratitude, Taehwan chuckled as he lifted me into the wheelchair.
The only visitor not wearing a uniform—Han Jihye, the administrator who had introduced herself earlier—turned her gaze toward Taehwan.
Her expression was so unreadable it made me nervous, but Taehwan remained completely unfazed.
Watching him, I felt a little less tense.
“Are you a friend of his?”
“Yes. Friend and guardian. I’ll be accompanying him.”
“That’s fine. However, you won’t be allowed to participate in every part of the process.”
“I understand.”
“Let’s go.”
Han Jihye turned without another word, signaling it was time to move.
But even someone as calm as her faltered when we reached the first floor.
Her expression darkened—she seemed to be deliberating over something.
The reason was obvious.
The number of reporters outside had only grown.
Even elite Hunters couldn’t use their abilities on civilians.
Controlling that many people without powers was no easy task, and the situation didn’t look good.
How were we supposed to get through that crowd?
The sheer number of people made me nervous.
Just then, something soft covered my head.
A cap.
Of course, the person who put it on me was the one closest to me—Taehwan, who was pushing my wheelchair.
“Jehee.”
“Yeah?”
“Spread your arms.”
I looked up and saw that Taehwan had also put on a cap—matching mine—and a mask.
When I hesitantly spread my arms, he effortlessly lifted me into his arms and gently pressed my head down.
That’s when I realized what he was about to do.
I tightened my arms around his neck.
“Keep your face hidden. Close your eyes and just listen to my voice.”
“Okay.”
“Ms. Han Jihye, right? I’ll need you to cover us.”
“…What are you planning?”
“I’m breaking through. That’s our car, correct?”
“Yes, but I would appreciate it if you consulted with—Wait. Are you perhaps… the son of Director Im Jaewoo?”
“Huh?”
For the first time, Han Jihye’s voice wavered.
It was almost unbelievable that it belonged to the same person.
I tried to lift my head to grasp the situation, but Taehwan pressed down on it, leaving me no choice but to stay quietly nestled against him.
There was a subtle shift in the atmosphere, but I couldn’t tell what kind of glances were being exchanged above me.
Soon, Han Jihye’s voice returned to its usual composed tone.
“Then, I’ll be counting on you.”
As soon as those words were spoken, Taehwan started walking.
His long legs moved confidently, striding toward the firmly closed doors and pushing them open.
A massive crowd awaited us—hunters who had come to protect me, reporters, onlookers.
The moment we stepped into that sea of people, my heart pounded wildly.
The flood of voices directed at me, Taehwan, and Han Jihye only made it worse.
And yet, surprisingly…
Despite the overwhelming number of presences and voices, Taehwan’s steps remained steady, calm, and unwavering.
He didn’t falter, not even for a second.
Even as Han Jihye’s voice gradually faded away beside us.
It was a strange experience.
We were clearly in the same space, yet it felt as if we were separate.
Had we somehow moved past them, over their heads?
But their voices had come from beside us, not below.
I wanted to open my eyes and look around, but Taehwan held me so securely against him that all I could see was his firm, unyielding body.
Not long after, Taehwan opened the car door.
Without putting me down, he got inside and only adjusted my position once we were seated.
“Th-Thanks.”
“Don’t lift your head. Just stay like this until we leave. The tint on the windows isn’t dark enough.”
“…Okay.”
I obediently buried my face against him and waited.
The shift from the deafening chaos outside to the quiet inside the car was abrupt.
Perhaps because of that, my heartbeat sounded louder than ever.
Mine, and Taehwan’s.
Faster than usual.
He looked composed, but… was Taehwan nervous too?
I was—partly because of the people outside, but mostly for a different reason.
* * *
