Two Days Later – Suwon, Jung Family Shop
The bell above the door chimed as another customer left with a small bag of rice crackers and detergent. Ha-Rin wiped the counter, humming to herself. Their little store wasn't busy—but it survived, just like always.
Ha-Joon stood by the stockroom, restocking ramen.
From the street, the scene looked mundane. Peaceful. A hardworking family living quietly.
But he could feel the van parked across from the alley again.
The same one.
No plates.
No markings.
Tinted windows too dark.
They weren't hiding anymore.
They were waiting.
---
Inside the Van – 3:14 PM
> "He's not acting like an awakened."
> "He's acting like someone who doesn't care that he's being watched."
> "Then we push."
The lead agent spoke into a secure comm line:
> "Prepare low-tier stimulus test. We'll see if he reacts to field manipulation."
---
Later That Evening – The Trigger
At exactly 5:37 PM, as Ha-Joon walked alone near the rear alley on his way back from the pharmacy, the gate appeared.
A false gate. Artificial.
A manufactured dimensional ripple projected by underground tech—designed to mimic a Tier-2 breach. Just enough to cause fear in civilians. Enough to panic someone… unless they knew better.
Ha-Joon stopped.
Wind howled.
A blue shimmer pulsed ahead, flickering with lightning and fog. Small tremors vibrated the pavement.
A scream echoed from the end of the block—planted. A setup.
The watchers were waiting for him to move.
To act.
To reveal.
---
But Ha-Joon Just Walked
He didn't run.
Didn't blink.
He calmly walked past the flickering projection and turned left, disappearing behind a grocery stall.
One of the agents whispered:
> "Did he even see it?"
> "Of course he did. He looked straight at it."
> "Then why didn't he react?"
> "He's mocking us."
> "Then escalate."
---
Back Home – Night
Ha-Joon entered quietly.
His mother was cleaning the sink. His father was already asleep. Ha-Rin sat on the floor organizing receipts.
> "You're late," she said, not looking up.
> "Line at the pharmacy."
> "They changed the brand of toothpaste again. I don't like this one."
> "I'll buy a different one tomorrow."
She stopped.
Looked up at him.
> "You're always so calm lately."
> "Is that bad?"
> "No," she said. "It's just… strange."
He smiled faintly.
> "Strange can be safe."
---
Midnight – Rooftop
The air smelled like approaching rain.
The city lights shimmered below like constellations lost in fog.
Ha-Joon stood still, eyes scanning the darkness. He could feel them across buildings, cloaked behind barriers and lenses.
They wanted confirmation.
They wanted panic.
They wanted control.
> "But you don't control the stars," he whispered.
"And you can't measure infinity."
His hand rested calmly against the railing.
> "I gave this world peace when I returned."
His crimson eyes flared faintly in the wind.
> "Don't make me take it back."
---
Meanwhile – Seoul, Private Facility
In a secure underground chamber, the gate simulation logs flickered.
A senior officer reviewed the footage again.
Ha-Joon walking past the artificial gate.
No hesitation.
No fear.
No fight or flight response.
Just… indifference.
> "Sir," an analyst said. "His reaction baseline matches someone with complete immunity to spatial stress."
> "He should've frozen. Or flinched."
> "He's not awakened," the officer muttered. "He's beyond it."
He turned toward a shadow in the corner of the room.
> "Is it time?"
A voice replied:
> "Not yet. Let him think he's winning."
---
Next Morning – Unexpected Message
On his way to school, Ha-Joon stopped at a local café to grab iced coffee for his sister. The cashier smiled and handed over the drinks.
> "Someone left this for you," she said, handing over a small white envelope.
No name.
No logo.
Inside, a note in neat handwriting:
> "There are others like you."
"But they're not from this world."
"Be careful who follows you. Some of them didn't leave the gate behind."
— B
He crushed the note in his hand.
> "So they did come through."
---
At School – Later That Day
Baek Seo-Yeon watched him from a distance.
Ha-Joon had returned to class weeks ago, but something in him was different.
He never raised his voice. Never got flustered. Never showed interest in club events or gate rumors, even when they went viral.
And that calm…
> "It's not normal," she whispered to herself.
He looked over for the briefest second.
And in that moment, she felt it again.
The weight.
Like she was staring at something vast. Ancient. Still.
She looked away.
---
Hunter Association HQ – That Night
> "The subject still resists all stimuli."
> "What's the next step?"
> "We stop testing…"
> "...and start provoking."
---
Back in Suwon – Rooftop (Again)
The wind blew colder tonight.
But Ha-Joon stood tall, hoodie half-zipped, hair drifting in the breeze.
He already knew what would come next.
More pressure.
More fear tactics.
They couldn't understand him.
They feared what didn't fit in their files.
> "That's fine," he whispered.
> "Let them try."
His crimson eyes opened fully now—no longer hidden.
And the sky itself seemed to dim in their reflection.
---