Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Han Yoojin stared out the window of the bus to Dodam Valley and watched the scenery pass by. Thankfully, it wasn’t too warm or too cold, and the sky was nicely sunny, making the trip seem more scenic than depressing. Even his cushioned seat was rather nice, and the bus wasn’t too crowded, so it wasn’t too nerve-wracking.

He’d never been out of the city where he’d been born for very long, with only a brief trip for school here and there. And he never went this far. He knew the world beyond Seoul could be green and open, but it also felt so big. So much larger than even the city at its most intimidating could be, even those rare times he’d gone hiking in the mountains with Han Yoohyun.

And every kilometer drew Han Yoojin farther and farther from his baby brother.

Han Yoojin breathed in and shut his eyes. He’d made his choice when he realized fully how irreparably damaged everything was. How he had no future at Han Yoohyun’s side or as a Hunter. After coming back from the military, his life had been a desperate run for a goal forever out of his reach. One close shave too many, coupled by another round of tragedy after awakening to a measly F-rank had been enough to show him that he needed to do something different. So he’d gone trawling online for something to make of himself and landed on a job board for lower rank Hunters, with a listing for someone with caretaking experience who could also do admin and maybe clean.

It was also far away. He’d have to move, which was a daunting prospect.

No one would know him where he was going. Hopefully. He needed that, after reporters and scammers had harassed him ever since Han Yoohyun’s announced awakening, not to mention everything else... So he’d messaged the listing, got a pre-interview, packed his bags, and headed off.

A part of him hoped Han Yoohyun would chase after him. Another part said that Han Yoojin was leaving his brother alone in a bad way… but Han Yoohyun was an S-rank Hunter. He had his own life and guild to lead. And he’d made it clear he didn’t want Han Yoojin in it.

Han Yoojin worried that if he had raised someone who clearly hated him so much, would he be good raising other people’s kids? But he also knew he wasn’t actually parenting anyone now, and he’d have coworkers. It would be okay. And his custodian ability had to be useful for something. The interviewer had been happy about it, anyway.

So he stared out at the sky and tried to think hopefully about his future. But even as the kilometers stretched between him and Seoul, hope still wasn’t easy to grasp.

Star-Counting Bird Town was a quiet place nestled in Dodam Valley. It wasn’t huge, and there were far fewer people wandering around than Han Yoojin was used to when he got off at the bus stop early in the morning, but he was able to get directions and walk over to the pub he’d be staying at for at least the immediate future. If he wasn’t accepted for the job, he imagined said future would be a very short one, and he’d be returning home in disgrace, with even less money to make ends meet.

He tried not to focus on presumed failure: he had an interview later in the day – to conserve money, he’d cut it all close – and wanted to put his stuff down and wash his face. He hadn’t had much to bring with him – just a backpack and one medium-sized suitcase – but the emotional toll of the trip was getting to him.

As he walked, he was hit in the face with the smell of forest and dirt. It was a big change from living in the city all his life, and reminded him of when he’d been younger and could travel to parks more often.

And a baby brother who’d brought him a flowering tree branch as a present.

Han Yoojin breathed in for a moment, shrugged on his backpack a bit tighter, and pulled out his phone for directions.

He was lucky that the walk to the town center wasn’t too far. But it was empty enough that he got some funny looks with his luggage.

Hopefully they don’t pay too much attention to lurid stories from Seoul, he thought, dismally, imagining reporters trying to break down his door to ask about whatever Han Yoohyun was up to. He’d expected his new boss to check up on him, but there hadn’t been any complaints yet, and he wasn’t set on changing that if he could avoid it. It wasn’t like he was dangerous: he’d raised one of the most powerful Hunters around, largely on his own, and he had the experience being asked for. And he wasn’t going to go into dungeons: he was just there to look after kids who weren’t in school yet while their parents were at work. What could go wrong?

He found his way to the Mana Saloon, which was big and had a strange homey feeling to it, with bright wooden flooring and wallpaper covered in cute hamster designs. There weren’t many people for this time of day, so he walked to the counter and asked about the room he’d rented.

The bartender was a short, chubby man with glasses and short brown hair. He frowned at Han Yoojin for a moment before smiling. “You’re the guy interviewing for the Community Center job, right? I’m Do Hamin, I own this place. Your room’s all ready.”

Han Yoojin smiled awkwardly as Do Hamin signaled to the person helping him at the bar.

“Go get him access to his room,” Do Hamin said.

The other man was taller and paler, with long, dark hair tied back in a ponytail, and lightly tanned skin. He set down the glasses he’d been cleaning and walked out from behind the bar to a corridor next to it, leading Han Yoojin along. They passed a few rooms until the man unlocked one, opening it for him. He turned back and said, “I’m Kim Minyi. Call me if you need anything. Do Hamin cooks, too. So you can order dinner here if you’d like.”

“Oh, thanks,” Han Yoojin said, glad the people here were so polite.

Kim Minyi nodded and left him alone in the room, and Han Yoojin looked around thoughtfully. It wasn’t big, but it wasn’t tiny, either. A lot of steps down from the home he’d had with Han Yoohyun, but that was no surprise. There was a nice bed, a bathroom, a decent television, and a window to the outside, with some curtains covered in more hamster designs. He set his stuff down and got cleaned up before plopping himself down on the comfortable quilt to just breathe.

I made it this far, he thought. He’d avoided checking his phone as much as he might have, but he still had checked it during the ride: three missed calls, all spam. Nothing from Han Yoohyun or any member of Haeyeon.

He didn’t imagine that would change.

He was woken up from a fretful doze by his phone alarm with his interview time and got up quickly to get cleaned up a bit more in one of his nicer shirts before heading out to go figure out where the Community Center was.

He didn't have to walk far, thankfully, though as he walked through the quiet town - still drawing looks for clearly being a stranger - he took in more of the place, noting the older but well-kept buildings and cleanliness, as well as an abundance of flower arrangements to the side of sidewalks. The town center itself had no car traffic, which was a change for him.

As he got closer to the Community Center, he spotted a teenager, maybe 13 or 14, skipping around on the cobblestones. When she saw him looking, she glared, and then ran away.

Han Yoojin tried not to take that as a bad sign, and kept walking.

The Community Center itself was a tall, dark purple wooden building surrounded by flowers and next to what looked like a large garden. There was a large, aged clock over the green double-doors, which opened when Han Yoojin walked up. Inside was a large open space with hallways leading from either side of the room. A desk was placed to his right, with someone sitting behind it and typing away on a computer, while to his left was a glass-walled library. Ahead on the right, beyond the desk, was a large fishtank full of colorful fish. There were couches here and there for seating, and more bookshelves lining the walls, with large windows letting in sunshine.

He thought it looked nice, and he imagined it wouldn’t be so bad working here, especially since he could just walk over. He’d worked a variety of jobs over his life to make ends meet, and he felt this was certainly far better than a number of them.

Han Yoojin walked up to the desk and said he was there for an interview. The woman there clicked away on her computer for a bit and then directed him to the hallway to her right. He knocked on the office door just after the hallway started and was asked to come in.

Inside was an elegant-looking older man in a neat suit sitting at a large desk with his computer on, and a small stack of papers nearby. There were potted plants throughout the room, a large shelf of books, and a large, intimidating metal vault on his left. He smiled up at Han Yoojin.

“You’re Han Yoojin, here for the childcare position?” the man asked. “I’m Ethel Vantes.”

Han Yoojin nodded and stepped inside. “Yes. We spoke on the phone?”

“Yes, I remember your voice, Mr. Han. It’s a pleasure to meet you”

Once Han Yoojin was seated, they discussed the position, and he learned he had a senior coworker, Kang Soyoung, who would be helping him so that he wasn’t alone.

“I saw your work history with the daycare center you worked at for a time,” Vantes explained as he typed at his computer. “They said you were a good worker.”

Han Yoojin smiled and said, “It was a good place. My schedule unfortunately didn’t make it easy, but I liked working there while I could.” He had assumed his experience with Han Yoohyun would make the job a bit easier, and in a way, it had, but the many children had also made it more difficult. And he got sick so often that he worried about Han Yoohyun’s health, so he bowed out and went to work somewhere else. But Han Yoohyun wasn’t around anymore, so he’d be fine.

“Star-Counting Bird Town doesn’t have a huge population,” Vantes said, smiling warmly at Han Yoojin. “So it shouldn’t be as overwhelming as a city daycare. There are a handful of young children here with families who need them to be watched during the day, or before or after school. But Kang Soyoung could definitely use the extra set of eyes and hands.”

Han Yoojin nodded. “Of course.” He felt like that didn’t seem so bad.

After a bit more chatter, where they reviewed more of Han Yoojin’s work history and schooling, and talked scheduling, commute, and his expected duties, Vantes offered to take Han Yoojin on a tour of the place. “You won’t know you like it if you don’t see it, after all.”

It sounded like the man was already offering the job, so Han Yoojin quickly agreed. He walked side by side with the older man through the facility, admiring the rooms: it really was bigger than it seemed, and there were lots of places to go, including a small library, a big kitchen, a large dining area, and a large room for younger children, where a young woman with blonde hair briefly popped out to chat.

Kang Soyoung shook Han Yoojin’s and happily and said, “It’ll be great to have more help! But oh, I gotta go, sorry!” And she was off to stop a misadventure with some scissors.

The room itself, once Han Yoojin looked inside, had blue walls, with cartoon posters, cute decorations, and large windows, and cabinets of toys, stuffed animals, and stationary, as well as a small bookcase, and some tables where kids could work on things together. There were about eight children in the room being managed by Kang Soyoung and another coworker, and the air seemed generally relaxed and pleasant. A little boy with pink hair, likely no older than six, was sitting at one of the tables and drawing in crayon, while a girl of similar age with dark hair tied in pigtails sat nearby playing with some toy cars. Two children were reading a book together, and one was curled up under a blanket in a corner by a window, asleep.

When Vantes and Han Yoojin got back to the office, Vantes said, “Well, Mr. Han? What do you think?”

“I like it a lot,” Han Yoojin said, glad they’d still avoided any mention of Han Yoohyun.

“Well then, how about we discuss salary?”

Han Yoojin sat at a table alone in the pub with his small dinner – which smelled very good – thinking about how surreal this all was.

He’d agreed to live in the town and work on a long-term basis. He would be away from Han Yoohyun. But the salary had been surprisingly generous, and he’d be fine paying for the pub room, with the chance of looking somewhere else in future, at Vantes’ suggestion, depending on how things panned out.

The pub didn’t have TVs to play news, any of the celebrity chats, or sports, though it did have a well-maintained arcade corner and pool table, with a few chatty folks standing around playing games. It also had a big jukebox that some visitors often reset to play different music. Plenty of people were on their phones, but they mostly chatted about work or family, from what Han Yoojin could hear. No one recognized him, and no one had said much about S-rankers around him at all, even though Kang Soyoung was an A-ranker and Vantes had assured him the valley was protected by a few S-rankers, who managed the local dungeons.

It was quiet, peaceful, and he was welcome. He wasn’t used to that. Seoul seemed so distant. And yet Han Yoojin couldn’t stop looking for it everywhere he went, either worried about his life he’d left behind, or missing it.

Would I even be happy here? He thought as he gazed at his glass. If I’m worried so much about what I left behind?

He’d made his decision to come here. He’d packed his bags. He’d felt better on the trip here and in the office with Vantes. But now, at later in the afternoon, after a long day, and alone with his thoughts, it all seemed so daunting.

I’m just tired, he thought, smiling at the glass. Once I get to work, things will be different. He’d have something to focus on. Someone to focus on. Multiple people, really.

And he planned to make friends, if he could. He’d gotten a team of his own before, he could talk to people. And since they wouldn’t go into a dungeon together, they’d be safe. He also had plans to explore the town more the next day.

He finished his meal, but on his way back to his room, he noticed he wasn’t the only person sitting quietly by themselves.

A man who seemed about his age was sitting at a table alone, nursing a drink, and gazing into it sadly. He looked tired, and his dark brown hair was a mess.

Han Yoojin recognized the look from any number of bar visits before he left Seoul.

He didn’t want this place to be like that.

Han Yoojin supposed he might piss the person off, but he walked over and asked, “Hey, are you okay?”

The man looked up in surprise.

Han Yoojin smiled kindly at him.

“Uh… I mean… Yeah…” The man sounded nervous.

“Okay, just checking in.” When the man didn’t reply, Han Yoojin said, “I’m new in town, I’ll be working at the Community Center. I’m Han Yoojin.”

“Oh, that’s great! I’m Yoo Myungwoo.” He smiled politely. “I guess it makes sense you’re from out of town. Most people leave me alone.”

“Oh?” Han Yoojin asked in surprise. “Why?” He knew he wasn’t the only person with baggage, but…

Yoo Myungwoo shrugged. “I spend long days in my smithy, mostly focused on my projects, and I’m kind of shy. I think people think I want to be left alone, but it… kind of just means I have no social skills.” He sighed. “I guess maybe I smell like the forge or something?”

Han Yoojin sniffed the air and said, “Well, I can’t smell anything.”

“Haha,” Yoo Myungwoo said nervously. “You see my problem.”

Han Yoojin smiled kindly and said, “Well, I can be a bit awkward at times, too. Maybe next time you’re around here, we can catch a meal together? I didn’t know the town had a smithy.”

Yoo Myungwoo looked surprised, and then sheepishly said. “Yeah. I need to help maintain Hunter weapons. But it means I’m busy a lot. The projects are great, it’s just a lot of work.”

“That sounds really neat, actually,” Han Yoojin said, thinking about the powerful gear he often saw in ads back in Seoul. “I can’t imagine working on Hunter weapons.” Smiths were important people in the Hunter world, and he was surprised everyone was leaving him alone.

“It can be difficult,” Yoo Myungwoo acknowledged. “You could come by to watch me work sometime if you want.” He seemed a little nervous and hopeful.

“I’d love to,” Han Yoojin said, making the man's smile widen a bit. “Where’s your smithy?”

Han Yoojin went to bed feeling a little better. He’d gotten along with all the people he’d met. He hadn’t checked his phone as often as he thought he would. His room was comfortable, the shower had decent water pressure, the food was good, and he’d made a friend.

He shut his eyes.

He didn’t see the soft multi-colored glow outside his window as the darkness lengthened. But even if he had, he would have had no time to investigate it, as, in the morning, he got a text from his boss, asking if he could start early, as there was an emergency.

Chapter Text

As Han Yoojin headed to the community center, he walked past harried villagers, who barely gave him a second glance. He saw the teenager from the previous day walking rather calmly away from the town center. Her face was dirty, and she glared at him when he saw her, before darting off.

He thought that was odd. And he wondered why she wasn’t in school.

Han Yoojin arrived at the Community Center to see a harried Kang Soyoung surrounded by children. She saw him and immediately looked relieved. “Mr. Han! Thank goodness you’re here!”

Han Yoojin walked over as the children looked up at him. There were more than were there yesterday, and they looked relatively calm. But it was a lot for one person.

“Let’s all have a snack, hmm?” Kang Soyoung asked.

There were cheers.

While the kids ate, Han Yoojin asked Kang Soyoung what happened. The people in town looked a little alarmed, but no one would say what was wrong.

“Dungeon break in the mines,” Kang Soyoung said with a rueful look. “Every able Hunter had to go. Sung Hyunje usually handles it, but the break happened before he could be called over, and some of the monsters got out into the woods.”

Han Yoojin paled. “A dungeon break? Here?” He hadn’t seen one in person in ages, at least in Seoul, where a number of S-rankers and their guilds had popped up to deal with them. He remembered when dungeons first appeared, when everything had been far more chaotic, and dreaded returning to that time.

“We should be fine,” Kang Soyoung reassured him with a soft smile. “Sung Hyunje dropped off Gyeol and headed out pretty early to deal with it.”

“Sung Hyunje?”

“Oh, he’s an S-rank Hunter. One of the few we have here.”

“Few?” Han Yoojin was surprised to have one, let alone more than that in such a small town.

“There’s also Song Taewon, but he’s busy a lot.” She sighed. “Mayor Diarhma had him doing some scouting for Sukwon Choi and his ah—” She looked at the kids, who were eating and then back to Han Yoojin, “Sukwon Choi is the representative of Hayul Mart. He wants to expand their operations here, and because the mayor likes him, they’ve been treating Song Taewon like their little errand boy. And since Song Taewon is in charge of keeping an eye on the gates, well…” She didn’t look happy about it.

“That’s dangerous,” Han Yoojin said. “Keeping one of your S-rankers busy with other things when dungeon breaks are a risk.”

Kang Soyoung shrugged, but she looked frustrated. “Not much to do about it. Song Taewon listens to the mayor. And Sung Hyunje can only do so much.” She smiled sadly. “We have another S-ranker guarding the southern border, at least, and some A-rankers like me.” She grinned when Han Yoojin’s eyes widened at her. “So we should be okay. But it’s an awkward situation.”

“Well, I feel safer with you around, guarding the Center,” Han Yoojin said.

Kang Soyoung grinned at him.

They spent the rest of the day managing the children, and Han Yoojin got a crash course in the usual daily activities: indoor playtime, going out to the playground, read-aloud, lunch, naptime… It was pretty typical. And the kids were decently good. One didn’t want to sleep, and Han Yoojin sat with him and talked quietly until the little pink-haired boy felt sleepy and went.

Kang Soyoung beamed when Han Yoojin came over to her afterward. “You really are good. Gyeol doesn’t like many people, including his dad.”

“That’s Gyeol?” Han Yoojin asked, glancing back at the now sleeping boy on his bedmat. He was about five or six years old by Han Yoojin’s estimate. “He seemed sweet enough.”

Kang Soyoung chuckled. “Well he’s very polite. But he can be a terror when he wishes. He often gets the other kids to do stuff. Nothing too bad. But they follow him like a little leader.” She sighed. “Probably what happens when your father is an S-rank Hunter or something.”

Han Yoojin wasn’t sure families worked like that: after all, Han Yoojin was just a measly F-rank Hunter, while his brother was S-rank. But he supposed it was possible Gyeol could awaken to be strong like his father someday, which would change things.

The day passed, and Han Yoojin chatted with Vantes briefly, who came to see how the new hire was doing. He let them both know that the dungeon was reportedly being handled well, and Song Taewon had joined Sung Hyunje’s efforts to clear things up.

Kang Soyoung seemed relieved by that, and Han Yoojin was glad to hear of no casualties.

Parents started picking kids up, and some of the children waved goodbye to Han Yoojin when they came. It was touching, given Han Yoojin had known them all only a short while.

As it grew later, the number of children diminished, until it was just Gyeol sitting at the arts and crafts table, coloring in some pages Han Yoojin had pulled out for him. The lights were on and the sky was growing darker.

Han Yoojin sat with Gyeol, as Kang Soyoung went to clean-up – she volunteered – and asked if it was normal for his father to come so late. Gyeol didn't seem bothered at all.

Gyeol shrugged and said, “Yeah. If there’s a dungeon break.” As if it was normal.

Han Yoojin found that a bit sad. But then Gyeol asked for Han Yoojin’s advice on what colors to use for a drawing filled with hot air balloons, and Han Yoojin focused more on the boy in front of him and less on the mysterious S-ranker.

It was nearly dinner time, and Han Yoojin considered giving Gyeol an extra snack when, finally, the famous Sung Hyunje showed up. He was tall and big, as typified S-rank Hunters. He had short, pale blonde hair and golden eyes, and was handsome, as wealthy Hunters went. He wore a pale suit under a brown long jacket, and he smiled charmingly when Han Yoojin stood up while Gyeol put the markers away.

“Thank you for looking after my son,” Sung Hyunje said, with a warm voice while looking over Han Yoojin. “And you are?”

“Han Yoojin,” Han Yoojin replied, unable to keep a slight frown out of his voice. It was hard for him to sympathize with the man before him leaving his son all alone for so long. “Do you know how late it is?” S-rank or no, it was important to support your child.

“…Yes,” Sung Hyunje said, with a slight glint in his eyes. “Is Gyeol much trouble?”

“Of course not,” Han Yoojin said, smiling as Gyeol grabbed his bag and walked over. “He’s great. But you should come pick him up earlier. Community Center hours are nearly over.” If dungeon breaks were so regular, an S-ranker should have better safeguards for his son, rather than leaving him to wait after all the other children went home.

“The new hire already knows the work so well,” Sung Hyunje said as he looked over Han Yoojin again, more thoughtfully. “And you know who I am?”

“You’re one of the S-rank Hunters here,” Han Yoojin replied dismissively. “And of course I know the rules. I wouldn’t be allowed to work if I didn’t.” There were things he still needed to look up, but Kang Soyoung had been a great guide throughout the day. And he’d read up in his spare time.

“And you’re not intimidated by that?” Sung Hyunje asked, smiling a little in a way he probably thought was charming. “People usually find S-rank Hunters intimidating.” He seemed curious.

Han Yoojin almost said he’d grown up with an S-rank Hunter and never been intimidated, but Han Yoohyun had awakened relatively recently, still. It’s not like he’d always been that way. Still, what hurt about him now was how he rejected Han Yoojin entirely, not that he was S-rank. And Sung Hyunje was tall and intimidating – he could probably pick Han Yoojin up without a thought if he tried – but all he seemed to be was someone who didn’t take parenting seriously. Kang Soyoung said Sung Hyunje was a single father, so he often dropped Gyeol off on days where he was in a dungeon. But it was frustrating. Han Yoojin's own parents had first neglected Han Yoohyun and then both their children when Han Yoojin refused to join them in ignoring his little brother. It was hard on kids that age, especially when Gyeol didn’t have any siblings to support him, like Han Yoohyun had.

“I’m not intimidated by your rank,” Han Yoojin replied, frowning up at him. “Are you trying to intimidate me?” He had little doubt if Sung Hyunje tried, Han Yoojin would feel the force of his anger, but that didn't mean he was going to kowtow in advance.

“The person who looked after my precious Gyeol?” Sung Hyunje asked with a smile. “Of course not. Thank you for your time.” He reached out and Gyeol took his hand.

The little boy’s face looked frustrated. He might have been embarrassed to be picked up so late.

Han Yoojin crouched down, smiled, and said, “See you next time, Gyeol. Have a good dinner and sleep well.”

Gyeol smiled brightly at him, then.

Sung Hyunje said, “Thank you, Mr. Han,” before walking out with Gyeol.

Han Yoojin sighed and started closing up after they were gone.

Kang Soyoung walked in and bowed her head, “Sorry, sorry! Had to throw out some food in the fridge so I got waylaid! I didn’t mean to leave you to meet up with Sung Hyunje on your own!”

Han Yoojin blinked at her in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Ah, well… You’re an F-ranker, right? Meeting S-ranks are intimidating, even if they’re supposed to pull it back a bit when they’re not in combat. I’m A-rank, so it doesn’t bother me, but…” She stared at him, frowned, and said, “You didn’t notice?”

Han Yoojin shook his head. “No. He’s kind of arrogant, but he seemed pretty normal.” He’d dealt with worse in the army. And while trying to get awakened.

“…Huh,” Kang Soyoung said, a bit surprised. “Sung Hyunje can be kind of intimidating to most people. He scared off my predecessor.”

“Really?” Han Yoojin asked, surprised. If Sung Hyunje had a habit of using his abilities to get rid of people he didn't like, why not use it on Han Yoojin?

“Yeah. But then again, the guy before me was kind of a dick to kids, so… I don’t miss him. I don’t think most people do.” She shrugged. “Sung Hyunje has a sort of special interest in the Center. He helped get it rebuilt somehow, when it was abandoned for years. And people appreciate it. Well… some do.” They finished putting the chairs away and locked up for the night. The janitorial staff nodded at them before moving down the hall.

“Who doesn’t appreciate it?” Han Yoojin asked as he and Kang Soyoung left the building. He wondered if the Center was Sung Hyunje's answer for his longer work hours, which was frustrating.

“Well,” Kang Soyoung began, “Sung Hyunje butts heads with Diarhma a lot. And Sukwon Choi also hates Sung Hyunje. But there’s not much they can do with an S-ranker. Or at least… Sukwon Choi is an S-ranker, but Sung Hyunje’s more powerful than him, especially when he teams up with Song Taewon. And rumor has it he's got some dirt on Diarhma that keeps him back."

Han Yoojin wondered what kind of dirt Sung Hyunje would have on a town mayor. He'd heard rumors about Han Yoohyun's activities while setting up Haeyeon, so he knew S-rankers could get up to particularly bad things, but he had no idea what they were like out here. He was starting to think he'd settled down in a bit of a mess, and wasn't surprised Vantes had been so ready to hire Han Yoojin.

"Wanna get dinner?” Kang Soyoung asked.

“Sure!” Han Yoojin said as he followed her to the Mana Saloon. It was livelier this time of night. A lot of people were there for dinner or drinks after work, chatting mainly about the dungeon break.

Kang Soyoung was looking for a table, when Han Yoojin spotted Yoo Myungwoo sitting on his own at a table for four. Han Yoojin walked over and asked, “Can we sit with you?”

Yoo Myungwoo blinked at him in surprise and looked at Kang Soyoung, who grinned awkwardly at him. “Uh, sure, yeah…”

So they sat together and ordered food. Yoo Myungwoo, another F-rank Hunter, hadn’t been dispatched to deal with the dungeon break, but he’d heard from some who’d come back. He already had weapon and armor orders to work on that evening and the next day: new equipment and repairs. He’d been planning to leave soon to start before Han Yoojin showed up.

“You don’t have to stay,” Han Yoojin said, feeling bad for holding him back. “I don’t want to keep you up late.”

Yoo Myungwoo shrugged, as if it wasn’t a big deal that he was casually talking about staying up all night. “It’d happen anyway. I appreciate your concern, though.”

“It’s good no one was injured,” Kang Soyoung said as she spooned up a bite of her beef chili. “That’s lucky. Sung Hyunje’s amazing that way.”

Yoo Myungwoo grinned and nodded.

“Is Song Taewon here?” Han Yoojin asked as he looked around. He was curious to see the man.

Kang Soyoung snorted. “He doesn’t leave work until the absolute latest. He’s kind of private, too. One of the few people he talks to is Sung Hyunje.”

Han Yoojin thought that was kind of unfortunate. He hoped the man got some rest.

“Soyoung! Was wondering where you were!” A tall woman leaned over Kang Soyoung and wrapped her arms around the blonde’s neck, squeezing, but in a friendly way. She glanced at Han Yoojin in curiosity. “Who’s this?”

“New guy,” Kang Soyoung said with a grin. “Have you eaten yet, Hyuna?”

“Yeah, I had a snack earlier,” Hyuna said. She grinned at Han Yoojin. “I’m Moon Hyuna. I run the fish shop by the docks. Got called in on reserve for the dungeon breaks. And you are?”

“Han Yoojin,” Han Yoojin said with a nod. “You run a fish shop?”

Moon Hyuna shrugged. “It’s good to keep an eye out for sea gates. And sometimes, monsters break out and head into the water, so I like to do that, too.”

“She’s another S-rank,” Kang Soyoung said. “Really strong.”

“You really have so many here,” Han Yoojin said, surprised.

“That’s on account of the mines,” Moon Hyuna said as she let go of Kang Soyoung and took to standing by her chair. Her expression grew more serious. “Zeus thinks he can manage everything, but he really can’t. The dungeons here are too difficult for just one person.”

“Are dungeon breaks more regular, then?” Han Yoojin asked. He wondered who Zeus was, but wasn’t sure how to ask.

“They’ve gotten worse lately,” Moon Hyuna said. Her expression darkened. “With that asshole Sukwon Choi ordering Song Taewon about like a lapdog…”

“And even Sung Hyunje has to sleep sometimes,” Kang Soyoung said, sadly. “Even if he pretends he doesn’t.” She looked over and grinned, “Ah, Sigma’s here. Sorry, Soyoung, Yoojin, Myungwoo, but I gotta go.” She nodded at them and left, heading for two newcomers: a tall blonde man who looked vaguely like Sung Hyunje, and a shorter man with pale skin and long, dark hair, who stood near him.

“That’s Sigma and Han Sihyun,” Kang Soyoung explained. “Sigma and Hyuna went to school together. They’re close.”

“And Han Sihyun?”

“…He doesn’t like most people who aren’t Sigma. It’s why Sigma doesn’t let him run the general store. But he’s good at finding stuff, anyway. They’re also pretty powerful Hunters.

“I’m amazed you ever have issues with gates,” Han Yoojin muttered.

Kang Soyoung chuckled. “Well, the sad thing is, the gates we have are just really strong. It used to be, Sung Hyunje could handle a lot of them on his own. Now even he needs help.”

Han Yoojin frowned at that. He supposed it was okay to go to a town that clearly planned for disaster, but it felt like wherever he went, there were problems. He wasn’t really a fan of danger, but… He didn’t want Han Yoohyun to feel like his older brother was just begging to be rescued.

They handled the dungeon break fine, he thought as he finished his food. It’s okay. And with so many powerful Hunters here, even Yoohyun-ie finds out, he might leave it alone. He imagined it’d be easier for his younger brother to write off anyhow. Han Yoojin could be someone else’s problem for once.

“I’ve even thought of taking on apprentices,” Yoo Myungwoo muttered. “But it’s hard to entice people here. It’s quiet. And, well…” He smiled sheepishly at Han Yoojin. “It’s hard for me to put out the word.”

“We’re lucky Vantes put that notice out,” Kang Soyoung said. “Diarhma’s downsizing everything he can. And Sukwon Choi is encouraging it. He wants everyone to work at his stupid Hayul Mart.” She rolled her eyes.

“I’ve seen branches of it in Seoul,” Han Yoojin said, recognizing the name. “It’s a general goods store?”

“Yeah,” Kang Soyoung said. “Groceries, tools, whatever you need. It’s been trying to drive places like the general store out of business. That’s one reason Hyuna hates it.”

Han Yoojin didn’t blame her. It was cruel to target small town businesses that way. With one less competitor, Hayul Mart could hike up prices however they pleased.

“Ah, I should head home,” Kang Soyoung said as she glanced at her watch. “It’s late. It was nice meeting you, Yoojin!” She grinned at him. “See you tomorrow!”

Han Yoojin smiled and waved her off.

“You’re lucky,” Yoo Myungwoo said.

“Hmm?” Han Yoojin asked.

“You’ve got an in with Sung Hyunje’s people,” Yoo Myungwoo said. “You’re brand new and you’ve practically made it.

“What do you mean?” Han Yoojin asked, confused.

“Kang Soyoung, Ethel Vantes… they’re supposed to work for the town, but Sung Hyunje brought them in. It’s one reason Sukwon Choi and Diarhma haven’t been able to get rid of the Community Center, or them.”

Han Yoojin thought that was surprising. “Isn’t the Community Center government property?” Kang Soyoung had said Sung Hyunje had special interest in it, but still...

Yoo Myungwoo nodded. “Yeah, but Sung Hyunje helped rebuild it. So people are intimidated by it. If it has budget issues, he always makes up for it. He’s kind of rich with all his farming, so… he can do whatever he wants.”

“That doesn’t sound all that great,” Han Yoojin muttered. Being at the behest of a rich guy who could do whatever he wanted was precarious. He supposed it was odd that Kang Soyoung and Vantes had warmed up to him so quickly, but they hadn't seemed to be doing anything devious with it. He wasn't sure how much you could accomplish from a Community Center, particularly a daycare.

“Yeah, we’re kind of at his whims,” Yoo Myungwoo said, sadly. “But at least he’s been decent so far. More than Diarhma or Sukwon Choi, anyway.”

“Can’t someone else run for mayor?” Han Yoojin asked. “It sounds like people don’t like Diarhma.”

“People have tried,” Yoo Myungwoo said, sadly, “But Diarhma's rich and Hayul Mart helps his campaigns, so other campaigns tend to fail. And the most likely candidate to replace him is Song Taewon or Sung Hyunje, and both have refused to do it.”

“Why?” Han Yoojin asked. “That’s a prestigious job. And Song Taewon wouldn’t have to listen to Sukwon Choi if he hates the guy.”

Yoo Myungwoo shrugged. “Beats me for Song Taewon. But Sung Hyunje doesn’t want that kind of leadership role. He sticks to his farm and his hobbies. And raising Gyeol.”

“But he still manages the town anyway,” Han Yoojin said, feeling annoyed. If he was rich and didn’t care, why butt into things? He could just live on his own and ignore everyone else.

Yoo Myungwoo nodded. “He’s curious and likes poking his nose in people’s business. It generally leads to good things, though.”

“At least there’s that,” Han Yoojin said, still skeptical. He knew how easily good things could end. And how someone powerful could always change their mind.

Chapter Text

If Han Yoojin’s short time in Dodam Valley had taught him anything, it was that he needed to pay more attention to local politics, so he looked around at local papers. The biggest one was Hayul Post, even if the articles weren’t all that great and were more focused on business. But there was a smaller, local paper called the Puppet Times, which focused on local farms and competitions. There was a lot about different people about the town, some of whose names he recognized, some he didn’t. It was interesting to learn, anyway, especially when he saw one of the paper owners was Han Sihyun, the man Moon Hyuna had been meeting.

Moon Hyuna seems pretty involved in things, too, Han Yoojin thought as he prepared to head out. Maybe Sung Hyunje and Song Taewon don’t want the mayoral seat, but her… He thought of sea gates going unwatched without her there, or a mayor who was never around because she was watching the water, and cringed. Never mind, I guess.

On the way into the Community Center the next day, Han Yoojin again saw that girl who’d looked like she had wild eyes: she was drawing pictures in the dirt with a stick near a large fountain close to the main square in the town, and almost but not quite close to the Community Center. Han Yoojin smiled brightly at her, and she looked worried and stood as if to flee. He’d noticed her clothes didn’t look well-cleaned, and were rather ragged. And she looked hungry.

He wondered why she wasn’t in school, but the more important part was that she didn’t look well at all.

Han Yoojin said, “If you’re hungry, I can get you something at the Community Center.” He’d struggled with money and keeping a roof over his and his brother’s heads over the years, and this girl looked like she didn’t have anyone looking out for her.

Han Yoojin couldn’t imagine letting Han Yoohyun go hungry.

The girl paused and just stared at him before saying, sharply, “You don’t know me, ahjussi.”

Ahjussi?! Do I really look that old?! He supposed to someone the girl’s age, maybe, but… “I’m still in my twenties!”

The girl gave him an odd look, then asked, “Did you do your army service yet?”

“Yes?” Han Yoojin wasn’t sure what that had to do with anything.

“Then you’re definitely an ahjussi,” the girl insisted. “And you probably shouldn’t be talking to random strangers, especially kids.”

Han Yoojin grimaced briefly, then shook it off because he didn’t want to argue about this when the girl looked like she did, and said, “I don’t know most people here. I’m new in town. But I work at the Community Center, and they—we look after kids.” And Han Yoojin knew where the snacks were. He thought he could sneak some to this girl, if she wouldn’t let him buy her a meal or something.

“…It’s okay, ahjussi, you don’t have to bother.” The girl smiled at him. “Thanks, though.” She made to move, and slid on some mud, falling towards the stone fountain edge.

Han Yoojin moved quickly, leaping out to tug her away so she didn’t hit her head on stone, but rather fell onto him. They both landed on the ground in a heap, with Han Yoojin on the bottom. The grass was not the most comfortable pillow, but at least it wasn’t stone. A bird flew overhead, and Han Yoojin’s nose filled with the smell of plants.

“Ah, ahjussi, are you okay?!” Park Yerim asked in alarm as she sat up and moved off of him.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Han Yoojin said with a smile. “How are you? Did I hurt you?”

“No…” the girl frowned at him. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I could have done something better, maybe,” Han Yoojin said with a grimace, embarrassed at his own clumsiness. “But I’m glad you’re safe.” He smiled at her, and she eventually looked away, embarrassed.

Park Yerim stood up and reached out to offer Han Yoojin a hand, which he took as he stood up. They both dusted themselves off.

“You know,” Han Yoojin continued, before she ran off, “if you’re looking for a place to sit that’s clean, there’s also a reading room. It’s open to the public. There are lots of books there, and a computer you can play games on.” He was worried what trouble she’d get in, in the state she was in. Dodam Valley seemed a nice, quiet place, but in any world, particularly one with dungeons, you never knew where the monsters were hiding.

The girl looked nervous. “Why are you so interested in me?”

“My job is to look after kids,” Han Yoojin said, glad for her being wary of strangers at least. “And you seem to need help.” He knew it was still weird, and wouldn’t be surprised if she ran off in the end. But it was also possible she knew some of the kids he’d be working with, anyway. Sooner or later, word would likely spread he was there. "It's good to be wary of strangers, especially strange Hunters!" He'd been taken advantage of, after all, over the years, and he could only imagine what someone would do with a middle schooler, none of it good. “In fact, always question if someone offers you things!"

She gave him an odd look then.

"But it’s also not a bad thing to need help," Han Yoojin said. "I raised my brother myself. We all need help at some point, especially when we’re young.” He hadn’t seen other unhoused people in the town, which was a surprise. Though he still hadn’t wandered much.

“…Okay.”

Han Yoojin grinned and gestured to her to follow him as they walked to the Community Center. He started asking the girl about her name, her family, her schooling. She was slow to open up, but explained her name was Park Yerim and she wasn’t in school. She’d gone for a while after her parents passed away, but explained, “My uncle doesn’t support me at all for school, and all the other kids are assholes because…” She grimaced, and Han Yoojin saw tears in her eyes. “And then my uncle makes me slave away at his stupid restaurant, which he only was able to build after selling all my parents’ things and using their money. I hate him and his restaurant!”

Han Yoojin was bewildered by the cruelty. “I can try to find legal help for you if you need it.”

Park Yerim looked at him in surprise.

“I’m not sure what’s available here,” Han Yoojin said. “But it sounds like something awful happened to you. I lost my parents when I was young, too, I get how hard it can be.” He still didn’t have much money, but maybe there was a legal aid office or something around here… He’d ask Kang Soyoung. “You should be in class and studying instead of working, and able to live freely.” Her uncle sounded terrible. Sure, plenty of kids from lower-income families helped their families with business, but Park Yerim was in middle school, and she wasn’t going at all?

Park Yerim looked frustrated and glared at the ground. “It’s fine. One day I’ll go be a Hunter and just run away from all this.” She looked determined, too.

Han Yoojin felt for her, especially in how she saw the dungeons as an out from her situation, which too many people did, often foolishly. His own parents had been very neglectful before they’d passed, particularly to Han Yoohyun. But if he’d known how dangerous things could be, well… “I’m sorry. You deserve better.” He actually thought about how easy it would be to adopt her. He’d raised Han Yoohyun, after all, before Han Yoohyun left. There was some leeway with Hunters adopting other Hunters, too, though Park Yerim wasn't a Hunter yet... "And maybe that's not with my help, but we can try to get you the help you need."

Park Yerim looked at him in some surprise, as if what Han Yoojin said was shocking.

“Well,” Han Yoojin said, “we’ll just go to the Community Center, at least. I’m sure your uncle can live without you for a bit.” He didn’t think kindly of all he’d heard about the man: from what Park Yerim said, she cared about her parents, and he’d stolen everything from them, and kept their teenage niece working in the spoils of his theft instead of letting her life her life and focusing on school. Though he wasn’t sure the man would take kindly to a strange adult interfering in his niece’s life.

If she’s planning to run away, she needs someone on her side, he thought. There was, of course, the chance she was just spinning a tale for him, but given she just wanted to get away rather than get anything from him, he doubted it.

Park Yerim smiled at him, then.

Some people they passed gave them odd looks, and Han Yoojin could tell Park Yerim was nervous, but Han Yoojin kept talking, to distract her, asking her to tell him what they were passing. She mentioned some building names, but didn’t always know who ran them. He was still grateful all the same. He hadn’t gone out with Yoo Myungwoo properly yet to get that same information, and Kang Soyoung could only tell him so much.

They got to the Community Center, and Han Yoojin had Park Yerim follow him around. But at the entrance to the reading room, he ran into Kang Soyoung, who smiled at them in greeting, but then her eyes widened when she saw Park Yerim. “Yerim-ah! You came back!”

Park Yerim bowed her head, embarrassed.

Kang Soyoung looked worried, and Han Yoojin said, “I said Yerim-ie could go to the reading room or maybe get a snack…? Is that okay?” He was glad Kang Soyoung and Park Yerim at least knew each other.

Kang Soyoung smiled at him and said, “Of course! She’s always welcome here! The daycare’s free of charge.”

Han Yoojin realized he didn’t know that, and wondered if he should ask Kang Soyoung more pointed questions about the place. And he even felt a little embarrassed by his comment to Sung Hyunje about knowing the rules. But he did know that Park Yerim was a little older than most of the other kids they had, and should be in school. He planned to ask Kang Soyoung what was going on with her, too. At least then he might learn if anyone else knew about Park Yerim’s situation and was maybe doing something about it.

They settled Park Yerim at the computer with a bag of chips before properly opening up the daycare for the day. There was no rush that day, and fewer kids.

“Some parents keep them home while the parents train,” Kang Soyoung explained at one point. “Others go to the primary school. But the bus closes during breakouts, for safety. It’s only available for emergencies, then.”

Han Yoojin nodded. “And what’s Yerim-ie’s story? She told me some of it, and it all sounds awful.”

Kang Soyoung sighed as they finished putting chairs out. “She’s an orphan. Her uncle’s family took her in, and he’s, well…” She glanced around before saying, “A waste of space is being kind. He doesn’t care about her, and rumor was he was hitting her. But the mayor cut into child protective services here in recent budgets, and Yerim-ah’s the kind of kid who would probably run away.” She looked depressed about it.

“Dang,” Han Yoojin said, frustrated by the confirmation that Park Yerim’s situation was bad. Shitty guardians and a shitty system to fall back on. He’d been afraid of losing his brother because of his own precarious situation when their parents passed away, and hated the idea of someone like Park Yerim having no one to rely on.

Kang Soyoung nodded, looking equally frustrated. “I don’t know how she’s eating, if she is. But I’m glad you brought her in. She runs away from me even on the rare times I see her in town or helping with her uncle’s restaurant.”

“Kids can be weird like that sometimes,” Han Yoojin said, thinking of Han Yoohyun, who only liked him. And Park Yerim seemed a bit embarrassed about her status. She was proud, and probably didn’t want pity.

Kang Soyoung smiled and nodded. She’d likely seen her own share of kids as she worked here.

Park Yerim stayed in the center throughout the day, even going outside to the playground with them after lunchtime. She even joined some of the younger kids with some of the gaming consoles, giving it her all. Gyeol, who was in again, seemed to get along well with her.

“You’re really good at this,” Han Yoojin told Park Yerim when they had a break between games.

She smiled a bit at him before ducking her head down. “It’s just boredom. I’d go to the gym if it wasn’t men only…”

Han Yoojin frowned. “There’s a gym here?” He knew the Community Center was large and he hadn’t explored all of it, but a gym, too…

And why would she go to the gym? He wondered. Does she think it’ll help her be a stronger Hunter? But he also remembered Kang Soyoung’s commenters about Park Yerim’s maybe abusive uncle… Does she want to fight him?

Park Yerim nodded. “It’s in the back, by the pool. But it’s only for guys.” She gazed at him thoughtfully. “You should enjoy it for me, ahjussi.”

Why would the gym be for men only? Han Yoojin thought with confusion. That’s absurd. Especially with female Hunters. He knew Diarhma wasn’t liked, but he didn’t know things were this bad… It wasn’t like he didn’t know what sexism was, but it seemed like a weird thing to do, all the same.

“We’ll see,” Han Yoojin said as he smiled at Park Yerim.

As the kids started leaving for the day – with Park Yerim heading out on her own, promising to get home, despite Han Yoojin’s worries about what she’d find when she got there – Han Yoojin decided to investigate the mysterious gym. After wandering for a bit and seeing some tired carpet and walls that could use a cleaning, he discovered the pool – which was somewhat small, and currently empty, with a bored lifeguard tapping their foot on their knee. It had an attached but small locker room, and near that was a very small basically storage room with only a few old looking pieces of equipment, and one incredibly large, buff man, lifting the biggest weight available.

The stranger paused when Han Yoojin walked in and looked at him in surprise. He had short, dark hair, pale skin, and thoughtful eyes. His muscles bulged under his workout clothes.

“Uh, hi!” Han Yoojin said, smiling at the stranger. “This is the gym, right?”

“Yes,” the muscular man said, easily holding the weights.

“It’s… not much of a place, huh?” The floor could use sweeping, there was what looked like a closet, and the equipment really needed to be updated.

The guy working out looked around. “Yeah. It’s… a bit dilapidated. But there have never been enough funds to fix it up.” He shrugged.

“Do you know why it’s only for men?” Han Yoojin asked. It wasn’t like it was a locker room issue: there was a woman’s changing room. But he’d seen the sign outside the door: Men Only.

The bigger man shook his head. “No. It was like that when I got here. Most people don’t come down here, so I don’t think anyone cared.”

Han Yoojin frowned, wondering what that meant with Park Yerim. Was she so curious she just explored? He could see someone who wanted to run away looking for places to hide. “I see… and what’s your name? I’m Han Yoojin. I’m working with Kang Soyoung to take care of the daycare.”

“I’m Song Taewon,” the big man said, gazing at Han Yoojin with some curiosity. “It’s good you’re here. They need the help.” He frowned. “Though I wasn’t told they were getting more money in the budget…”

Han Yoojin had no idea with that one. Vantes had just told him a good salary, which was better than anything Han Yoojin had in his life.

“I’ve heard about you,” Han Yoojin said, surprised he was running into another S-ranker. But he supposed it was a small town. “It’s nice to meet you!” He could imagine someone like this serving as a bulwark, though it was hard to imagine him following along with whatever a bureaucrat insisted on. The man was a veritable wrecking ball, and the weights looked almost comically small in his hands.

Song Taewon had no response to that.

Han Yoojin looked around. “I feel like if this place was cleaned up a little, and maybe if we ordered some more equipment, it wouldn’t be so bad. There’s an empty storage room nearby we could maybe clean out, too.” He walked over to the closet and opened the door, before quickly stepping back to wave off some dust and cough. Inside was an old broom and some towels he imagined should be cleaned, but little else.

“You’ll have to ask Vantes about that,” Song Taewon said. He still hadn’t gone back to his weights. “He manages the money around here.”

Han Yoojin nodded and grabbed the broom as well as the cleanest towel. “I’ll ask him.” On the condition it’s made open to anyone. I can’t say I want Yerim-ie down here all the time, but maybe if we got some easier equipment for her to use, and Soyoung-ssi got her a bathing suit to use the pool… If she’s not going to school, having something to do might be good for her.

He got to work sweeping, ignoring how the S-ranker watched him for a time.

An hour passed, and Han Yoojin looked about at his work: the floor was a lot better, and the window had been wiped down decently, to the point he opened it to air out the place and let in some afternoon sunshine.

He realized he’d gotten caught up with making a nice place for Park Yerim and winced. Well, I just want to make the place more comfortable… and she did say I should enjoy it, so…

It wasn’t like he had much to do until dinner, anyway. And Kang Soyoung said he could explore more. He set the broom carefully back in the closet – which was also a bit cleaner, and took the towels out to the big towel bin he’d seen in the locker rooms. He bid Song Taewon goodnight and headed over to Vantes’ office, to talk about things.

“It’s a good proposal,” Vantes told him after Han Yoojin explained. “And I do agree the men only policy would be outdated if we could expand it to be open to more than one or two people at a time. Though there really isn’t room in the budget.” He looked frustrated.

Han Yoojin wondered just how bad the politics was here. “I can look around for cheaper equipment. I’ve worked at a few companies over the years that might have deals.”

“It would be appreciated,” Vantes said with a smile. “But I’ll also talk to Sung Hyunje, and see if he can help.”

Han Yoojin nodded, but wasn’t comfortable owing the man any favors. Though, like Yoo Myungwoo said, if he was at least decent with his money…

I hope he puts that thought into caring for Gyeol, he thought, before bidding Vantes goodbye and heading back to the daycare to help Kang Soyoung clean up.

Han Yoojin stopped by the fountain on his way back to the pub, and gazed up at the starry sky, so much brighter than the one back in Seoul, with less light pollution. It was quite beautiful. And he wondered if Han Yoohyun ever gazed up at the stars like this.

Han Yoojin grimaced. I can’t keep thinking about him. I have a life here, and people to look after. He looked over at the spot where he’d seen Park Yerim drawing in the dirt. Not all of her pictures had been rubbed away. Maybe it’s small steps, but I can get things moving that apparently have been forgotten. And that’s something.

He looked at the fountain: it was an old thing, with a dark stone round pool, with a simple stone figure in the center, and gushing small waterspouts in four directions. There was a little water wheel at the figure’s feet, but it didn’t move.

Han Yoojin frowned at it, and realized there was a bit of trash – like an old newspaper or something – stuck to the wheel. The fountain wasn’t that wide, so he was able to lean forward and carefully remove the paper. Water gushed, and the wheel started moving happily again. It was rather nice.

If Yerim-ie hadn’t been here, he thought as he watched the wheel. I wouldn’t have noticed that. He always walked past it on his way to and from work, focusing ahead. He stayed for only a little longer before heading back to the pub, thinking about websites to visit to look for equipment.

Park Yerim wasn’t at the fountain the next day, but she was at the daycare, helping Kang Soyoung open the place.

Han Yoojin thought maybe he should say something, given she should have been in school, not working for free, but he supposed it was better she was here than outside drawing in the dirt. And he was glad she was here rather than running away somewhere else.

“Ahjussi!” Park Yerim said with a grin as she ran up to him. “Have you seen the gym?!”

“Yes,” Han Yoojin said, thinking back to the sad little place. “It needs some work, but—”

“What do you mean?” Park Yerim asked. “It’s incredible!”

Han Yoojin wondered if her home was that bad that a little sweeping looked incredible. He didn’t imagine much, given what he’d heard, and again thought about how hard adopting her would be. He’d have to meet her guardians first, but…

“It really is,” Kang Soyoung said, which surprised Han Yoojin. “I didn’t think Vantes was focusing on fixing it up…”

Han Yoojin frowned. “Fixing it up how? I just swept it yesterday.”

“I remember you telling me,” Kang Soyoung said. “But it seems like Vantes or maybe Sung Hyunje were busy in the night.”

“Did Sung Hyunje buy new equipment already?” Han Yoojin didn’t think the man would act that fast, but he supposed he barely knew the man. He also assumed he’d kind of weirded the S-ranker out, after lecturing him about Gyeol. Would he really jump in like that?

“I’m not sure,” Kang Soyoung said.

Park Yerim reached out to grab Han Yoojin’s arm. “Come see, ahjussi!”

Han Yoojin followed her downstairs, wondering just how big a change there was, and his feet ground to a halt when he saw, as it was visible from out in the hall.

The back of the Community Center was small, with barely enough room for the pool and locker rooms. But now it seemed like, overnight, someone had built an addition, expanding the sort of closet gym area into a larger space bigger than the daycare, with glass walls to see within. There were many new machines: for running, biking, walking, stretching, and a whole wall of weights, another of mirrors, and more windows. And some blue mats for other workouts. The connection to the locker rooms was open, too, and not just for the men’s side. It even smelled nice and new.

“Isn’t it incredible?” Park Yerim asked. “Did you talk to the people in charge, ahjussi?”

“…Yes,” Han Yoojin said, a bit bewildered. “But I didn’t think…” He wasn’t sure what to think, honestly.

“Soyoung-unnie said I could come down here to work out,” Park Yerim said. “As long as I study a couple hours a day.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Han Yoojin said, pulling himself back to look at Park Yerim, who looked worried. “School is important.”

“But what if I just become a Hunter?” Park Yerim asked. “They can live independently…” She sounded hopeful.

“Anything is possible,” Han Yoojin replied, still feeling a bit alarmed when he imagined Park Yerim going into dungeons. He started walking them back to the daycare room. “But there are lots of options, even as a Hunter. And you’re young. School will help you navigate the Hunter world, too.” A lot of Hunters didn’t stick with their full education, which was frustrating, as it created a world of superpowered strong people who felt they could do whatever they want, often preying on weaker Hunters.

Han Yoojin didn’t want Park Yerim to live a Hunter’s life, given how hard it was. But he wasn’t going to try to control her, either. It wasn’t like he was her guardian, and he knew how his interference in that vein turned out.

Not everyone is Yoohyun-ie, he reminded himself. “Do you want me to talk to your teachers for you? Maybe figure something out so you can study here?”

“You’d do that, ahjussi?” Park Yerim asked, surprised.

“If you’re more comfortable here and it’s difficult to go,” he replied, “I don’t see why it’s a problem. I’m sure we could get you a tutor, too.” He’d have to look around, see if anyone was offering. There had to be other middle school or even high school students looking to make some money, even with the small population. He could try tutoring, but he had his work with Kang Soyoung and the other kids.

Kang Soyoung had already started welcoming the first arrivals, and Han Yoojin and Park Yerim were back in time to see Sung Hyunje walking in with Gyeol, who ran up to Han Yoojin and grabbed his legs.

Han Yoojin smiled and patted the little boy on the head, before realizing that Sung Hyunje was staring at him. Han Yoojin looked up at the S-ranker with a forced smile, reminding himself this was Gyeol’s father and Han Yoojin had to try to be nice. “Did you need something, Sung Hyunje-nim?” Despite how handsome the man was and how good he looked in what was likely an expensive suit, something about him set Han Yoojin on edge.

“I just wanted to make sure you’re doing okay now that you’ve been here some days,” Sung Hyunje said with a twinkle in his golden eyes.

Han Yoojin wondered if the man had some hand in what happened in the gym. But Han Yoojin wasn’t sure how that was possible. Even an S-rank needed time to do all that they’d seen. More than an evening.

“I’m fine, thank you,” Han Yoojin said, trying to keep the snippyness out of his voice and somewhat failing. The guy was being nice in his own way, after all. And he was handsome, which was still distracting. Plus, it wouldn't be bad to have a powerful friend around, especially if he wanted to look into maybe finding Park Yerim a nicer living situation...

Sung Hyunje smiled again and said, “Vantes talked to me about wanting to make an addition to the gym here. I was hoping to see what it was like.”

“Oh, you don’t know about…?” He frowned at Sung Hyunje, unsure. It sounded like the man had no idea about the addition.

But then who did it? Han Yoojin wondered.

“I don’t know about what?” Sung Hyunje smiled in that way he still probably thought was charming.

Han Yoojin breathed in deeply and looked at Kang Soyoung, who shrugged at him. Then Han Yoojin looked back at Sung Hyunje and said, “There’s been… a change in the facilities.”