* * *
While I stood there dumbfounded by the sudden chaos, the others were thrown around the living room just like the one who’d flown through the air earlier, crashing down with loud thuds.
Pained groans, almost like screams, echoed from all directions.
The one who had taken down the intruders in an instant stood upright after kicking the groaning men into a pile and then stomping on one guy’s head.
With a long exhale, Taehwan swept his hair back.
“Seriously, what tough bastards. After that beating, they’re still conscious? If you’re awake, you should’ve just run.”
“……”
“This won’t do. We’ll have to tie them up. …Jehee, can you help me?”
“Ah… Y-yeah!”
I barely came to my senses and got to my feet.
Had he anticipated this and prepared ahead of time?
Taehwan had all kinds of restraints, handcuffs, and ropes designed for criminals—and he even knew how to use them.
Helping Taehwan drag each intruder out and restrain them one by one, I realized that the chaotic lines that had been squirming in my vision had disappeared before I noticed.
What Han Jihye had said—”If you ever need help, don’t hesitate to call”—wasn’t just lip service.
Even though it was well past working hours, the moment Taehwan called, Han Jihye picked up before the third ring and immediately sent a team to deal with the situation.
Within thirty minutes, the intruders had been taken into custody by government-affiliated Hunters, and our home became an active crime scene.
And I—despite his protests—forced Taehwan into Han Jihye’s car and took him to the hospital.
“I’m seriously fine.”
“No way. You need to get checked. You never know—just because you look fine doesn’t mean you are!”
“I mean it, I’m—”
“Don’t say stuff like that! You’re a B-rank, right? That just makes you a little sturdier than a normal person! How could you possibly be okay after that?!”
“…Ha.”
Taehwan insisted he didn’t need any exams, but I absolutely refused to back down.
I knew Im Taehwan had the kind of personality that bordered on arrogance, and honestly, I thought that confidence was one of his good traits—but right now, it was just frustrating.
How could he be so sure he was fine after going through something like that?
Even if he really hadn’t taken a single hit from those guys, combat-types and non-combat-types had different levels of physical endurance.
They didn’t even use weapons—it was a barehanded fight.
There was no way his body didn’t take a hit.
Eventually, when I started tearing up, Taehwan gave in, raising both hands in surrender.
“Okay, okay. I’ll get checked, alright? You’ll calm down once a doctor tells you I’m fine, right?”
“Yeah. Hurry—go already.”
“Haah…”
He looked annoyed as I kept pushing his wheelchair toward the exam room, but since he was the one sitting in it and I was the one doing the pushing, he ended up getting rolled around, and I guess he found that funny, because he burst out laughing.
He had no idea my heart was in shambles from worrying about him.
Cluelessly, he messed up my tearful face with his hands, squishing my cheeks until he finally stood up to go.
“Ms. Han Jihye. I’ll be right back. While I’m gone, do not leave this guy alone. Not even for a second.”
“Understood. I’ll stay.”
“Jehee, don’t go anywhere. Stay right here.”
“Okay, just go already!”
“I’m going, I’m going. If anything happens, scream.”
He kept nagging me even as he entered the exam room.
He’s the one who just went through something horrible, so why is he the one worrying about me?
Only after I saw him talking to the doctor and disappearing into the exam room did the icy block in my chest finally start to melt.
I exhaled deeply and wiped my face.
Han Jihye, who had been communicating with someone through her watch, approached and gently wheeled me toward the wall.
“About the individuals who broke into your home. We still need to investigate further, but for now, it appears they’re part of a human trafficking ring known for targeting newly awakened individuals. It was very dangerous. I’m truly glad you’re safe.”
“H-Human trafficking…?”
So Taehwan wasn’t just trying to scare me when he mentioned kidnapping.
He was right.
It was one of those moments where reality feels scarier than fiction.
But knowing just how pointless their actions were, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
“It’s kind of ridiculous. They believed some dumb rumor from the internet and went so far as to kidnap someone over it.”
What a foolish thing to do.
I’ve never once understood the mindset of criminals, but this time especially—it made no sense.
Not when it was me.
I can’t even walk on my own yet, and after so long in the hospital, I don’t know much about the world… I’m not even a desirable target for kidnapping.
Why would they pull such a stupid move?
Did they think I was some S-class and let me go after realizing I wasn’t?
Or maybe… were they going to take their anger out on me?
If I had been hurt—or worse—just because they mistook me for an S-class, I would’ve been beyond devastated.
It was a miracle Taehwan was unharmed.
If he hadn’t been, I would’ve resented not just the kidnappers, but also the people who spread those stupid rumors—for the rest of my life.
But then… for once, Han Jihye, who had been quietly listening to me, let a rare expression show on her face.
A troubled one.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Ah, well…”
She even hesitated and didn’t answer properly.
That made me nervous, too.
What was wrong? Did I say something weird?
My mind went blank as I retraced my words.
Han Jihye, hand covering her mouth as if choosing her next words carefully, suddenly looked at my wrist.
“Mr. Jehee… since when was your restraining device like this?”
“Restraining device? What about—huh?”
The device was, quite literally, in tatters.
The indicator light that showed it was active had gone out, and it wasn’t just damaged—it was destroyed.
Completely broken.
When Han Jihye touched it to inspect it, it crumbled into pieces.
I stared at my wrist, now strangely light, in a daze.
No wonder I’d felt like my body was floating.
When did this happen?
I was sure it was intact when I fell asleep in my room.
I didn’t even get involved in the fight—Taehwan was the one who handled everything.
As I combed through my memory, one moment flashed vividly in my mind.
‘Ah… could it have been then…?’
When the intruders went after Taehwan again.
When those lines coiled around their bodies.
I think I heard something—like a crackling sound, metal breaking.
I frantically waved my hands.
“I-I didn’t mean to break it. I just noticed now, too.”
“I understand it wasn’t intentional. Given the circumstances, we anticipated something like this might happen, so I won’t hold it against you. Please don’t worry. But it seems one device won’t be enough anymore, so you’ll need to wear two.”
“T-Two…?”
Since I had completely destroyed the restraining device, it was inevitable that one wouldn’t be enough anymore.
I understood that, and yet, my body tensed instinctively.
The memory of how my body had suddenly grown heavy when I wore two of them yesterday was still fresh in my mind.
As I hesitated to answer, swallowing dryly, Han Jihye returned to her usual emotionless expression, as if she had never been startled in the first place.
She looked up at me and asked,
“Will you cooperate?”
“…Yes. I will.”
To be honest, I was scared.
But what could I do?
I had shattered one of them without even realizing it, so now I had to wear two.
It was considered beyond my control, sure, but the fact remained that I had almost used my power on another person.
The memory of that moment came rushing back, sending a shiver down my spine.
My whole body trembled.
What if I had pulled the trigger then…?
No, I didn’t even want to imagine it.
I shook my head to drive the thought away.
Thank God Taehwan stopped me.
Really—thank God.
Anyway, the evaluation was supposed to be completed within a day or two.
I just needed to endure until then and prove that I wasn’t a danger.
Clenching my eyes shut, I held out my wrists toward Han Jihye as she pulled out a new pair of restraints.
Clink.
Once again, the cold metal clasped around my wrists.
“Huh.”
But… why?
It was the same device, attached the same way, but it felt different.
I could sense a faint drain of energy, sure, but it was so minimal.
My movements didn’t feel restricted, my breathing wasn’t labored.
At most, I just felt a little sluggish.
Maybe the sensation would change if I kept them on longer, but for now, it was manageable.
“How does it feel?”
“Oh—it’s fine, actually.”
“I see. Then please wear them until tomorrow. We’ll complete the preparations for your evaluation by tomorrow morning.”
Is this thing even working properly?
I found myself doubting it and inspected the restraints.
They looked brand new, shining without any visible damage…
As I stood there inspecting them, Han Jihye—silent by my side—opened her mouth as if she had made up her mind.
“And… they chose their target correctly. They may be foolish criminals who doomed themselves with their actions, but they’re not the kind of group to make careless choices without verifying their facts. They’ve stayed hidden this long, expanding their reach without being caught.”
“…What?”
My jaw dropped.
It took me a while to process what she said, even though the words weren’t particularly complex.
I looked up at her face.
Same as always—expressionless, eyes calmly gazing down at me.
It was Han Jihye, no different than usual.
And yet… I couldn’t believe it.
What was she saying all of a sudden?
Those words sounded like… like I actually—
Just as I stood there, unable to say “no way” out loud, Han Jihye spoke again.
In the same flat tone as always, with no hint of joking, she drove a wedge into my swirling thoughts.
“Because you are either an S-Class awakener, or someone with power equal to that level, Mr. Jung Jehee.”
And just like that, my life changed again.
* * *
