When I stepped out of Yoon Si-ae's hospital room, the corridor outside was completely empty.
It was still early in the morning—around 11 o'clock, according to the clock.
The desolate silence and vacant space helped to clear my head.
But no matter what, I couldn't stop the corners of my lips from curling upward.
'Ah, yes. I knew coming here was the right choice.'
The conversation with Yoon Si-ae kept replaying vividly in my head.
Her soft, careful voice resurfaced, almost as if it were still happening in real time.
'What kind of request is it?'
'Let's just say… I'll keep that on hold for now.'
'…Pardon?'
'Honestly, I don't have any requests at the moment. Maybe later.'
'Oh, um….'
'Of course, it'll be something reasonable—something within what you can do.'
'…Sure, fine. I'm okay with that.'
My lips tugged upward again.
God, this feels so good.
During my reporter days, I would never in a million years have had a chance to get tied up with Yoon Si-ae. And yet, here we were, tangled up like this.
Now I can say it with certainty:
This is what they call a "fortunate encounter."
Speaking of which—
Enough time had passed. Maybe I should check my "Fortuitous Encounter" skill.
=
Fortuitous Encounter [Rank Adjustment Pending]
A chance to test your affinity with humanity!
Humans are social animals. Alone, we cannot survive—that's the nature of humanity! So what, then, is a "connection"?
You, the one seeking that answer, are the true protagonist of "Fortuitous Encounter"!
Targets: Yong Sang-jae (Stage 1), Jung Hoon (Stage 1), Yoon Si-ae (Stage 1).
The first time I checked this skill, the targets list had said: "None."
But somehow, it had already grown to three.
Looking at the status window, there was still an empty slot waiting.
Seriously, how long does that extra slot stick around?
'And what's with that "Stage 1" next to each name?'
Maybe those stages referred to the Fortuitous Encounter missions.
Curious, I decided to open Yoon Si-ae's mission first.
=
Character: [Yoon Si-ae]
Stage 1 – Protect "Yoon Si-ae" while defeating monsters (50/50). (Completed).
Stage 2 – The character's "Limit Break" has not yet been achieved.
"Huh?"
The words slipped out before I could stop myself.
Wait, what's with Stage 2's message?
'Limit Break of the character?'
A Limit Break meant that whenever you reached level 10, one of your existing skills would evolve, or you'd gain a new skill.
Hold on. Does that mean the target has to go through a Limit Break before Stage 2 can open?
'Then what about my Limit Break?'
Normally, during a Limit Break, a new skill would be created based on your main skill.
But my main skill is "Fortuitous Encounter."
So what would happen to me?
That's when—
Bzzzt!
My smartphone buzzed in my pocket.
I glanced at the screen. The sender was "Polygon."
Right—of course. It was about time for the results.
'Ah, shit.'
I had to have passed.
I ranked first in the written test, and I cleared the second practical.
But still—my heart couldn't help but pound.
'Polygon.'
I used to look at that place with nothing but envy, watching new students enter year after year.
I gave it everything I had. Every last drop of effort.
I prepared, I worked hard, and now it was time for the results.
"Phew."
I took a deep breath, and slowly opened the message on the screen.
=
Congratulations!
You have passed the admission exam for Polygon, Class 7!
Ranking: Written Exam [1st], Practical Exam [9,873rd].
Your admission confirmation will be mailed. Please check carefully.
Entrance Ceremony Location: Incheon City….
My fist clenched tight.
"Yes! That's it!"
I had believed I would pass.
But seeing it with my own eyes made it feel completely different.
This overwhelming sense of accomplishment filling my whole body—it couldn't be put into words.
I was changing. Clearly, steadily changing.
'I can do this.'
Polygon.
Once, I only looked at it from a reporter's perspective.
But not anymore.
Now, I had earned the right to step inside as a student.
Not by anyone else's hand—but by my own.
This was proof, the fruit of every ounce of effort I had put in.
'Oh, right. Yong Sang-jae's results must be out too.'
Since I was in the third group of test takers, Yong Sang-jae, who was in the first group, would've gotten his results long before me.
He'd told me he was worried about controlling his frost release.
We had agreed not to contact each other until after the exam, to focus fully. True to his word, I hadn't heard a single word from him since.
"…Phew."
But now the results were out.
That meant the no-contact agreement was basically over.
I should tell him too—I passed.
Unlike in the past, this time I really wanted to stay connected with him as a lifelong friend.
'Damn, but it's a little awkward.'
Even so, my hand was already scrolling through my contacts.
Yeah, I made the decision. I wasn't going to live with regrets.
I tapped Yong Sang-jae's name.
God, this was awkward. Embarrassing even.
When was the last time I ever called him directly? Hell, had I ever?
'Argh, screw it. If I'm going to do it, better to just get it over with!'
The moment I pressed the call button, the line connected almost instantly.
– "Baek Kang-hyun!"
…Seriously, who picks up in one second flat?
The moment the call ended, Yong Sang-jae announced—no, declared—that he was coming over.
I told him it wasn't necessary, but the moment I said I was at Seoul National Hospital, he just dropped everything and ran over.
A few minutes later, I was waiting for him outside.
"Baek Kang-hyun!"
His voice rang out from the distance.
I turned, and there he was, running toward me, breathing hard.
Seriously, why was he sprinting in this heat?
"Hey, isn't that Yong Sang-jae?"
"Yeah. Didn't he take the Polygon exam too?"
"Who's Baek Kang-hyun? Do you know?"
"Not sure. Who is he?"
As expected of the youngest S-rank.
Just being associated with him pulled every pair of eyes in the vicinity.
Well, that's natural—he was famous all across the metro area.
Maybe next time I should make him wear sunglasses or something.
"Baek Kang-hyun!"
He called my name like we were long-lost family.
Ah, come on, man. Don't do this to me.
I was going to die of embarrassment.
I actually felt like running away.
Sighing, I went to meet him halfway.
"Hey, slow down, would you? You're sweating like crazy."
"I'm fine. I'm not sweating."
"…No, I mean me. You're making me sweat just watching."
What the hell was he talking about again?
If those beads trickling down your forehead aren't sweat, then what the hell are they?
But then—
"Hmm."
Yong Sang-jae frowned, and a faint chill spread from his body.
Oh, that—frost release.
"Phew."
He shook his head lightly, and the beads of sweat on his forehead crystallized and fell to the ground in tiny shards.
"Don't worry, Baek Kang-hyun. I don't sweat."
This crazy bastard….
When Yong Sang-jae and I finally reunited after a month, the first place we went… was a convenience store.
"Hey, do we really need to do this here?"
"Is there a problem?"
"I mean, it's been a month since we last saw each other, hasn't it?"
"That's right."
"So why are we eating instant noodles here of all places?"
"Is there a problem?"
"There's tons of food in Jongno, just down the street!"
"I only eat cup noodles when I'm with you."
This damn kid….
Just admit you wanted cup noodles! Why drag me into it?
Still, the way he said it almost made me feel guilty.
"You… sick of cup noodles already?"
And damn it, he even asked in that downcast tone, making me feel like the bad guy.
Right. He's still just a kid. Mid-teens at most.
Snapping at him wouldn't be very adult of me.
I had to be the adult here….
"No, not sick of them. Just… you know. It's been a while, and I kind of wanted to go eat something nicer."
"I see."
Slurp.
He nodded, then went back to inhaling his noodles.
Wait. That's it? That's all you have to say?
"Baek Kang-hyun."
Thank God, not the end.
I thought as much, but still, it had me worried.
"Yeah?"
"Then next time, we'll go somewhere nice."
"Somewhere nice? Like where?"
Damn it. That actually caught my attention.
"There's a place I know. We'll go there next time."
"Is it good?"
"Guaranteed."
"Sweet."
If he was that confident, maybe it really would be somewhere fancy.
Like a high-end Korean beef restaurant, maybe?
Man, having the right friends really pays off.
"Oh, right. How'd you do on the exam?"
"Piece of cake."
"…Yeah, I figured."
Of course. Dumb question.
While I was sweating buckets doing shadowboxing with Yoon Si-ae, he probably could've handled an A-rank dungeon with no problem.
Wait, who the hell was his partner, anyway?
"But that girl… I really couldn't stand her."
So, his partner was a girl.
"That girl? Who?"
"Han Seung-hee. Do you know her?"
"Uh, yeah. I've heard the name."
Wait—Han Seung-hee was his partner?!
I nearly choked but kept a straight face.
Han Seung-hee… I remembered her from those "Basic Hunter Training" videos. She had the talent called "Conversion."
If I remembered right, she was S-rank too.
'While I got paired with A and C, they paired him with double S? What the hell, Polygon.'
Two S-ranks tackling a dungeon together?
That balance was completely broken.
"She kept clinging to me, asking if I knew who she was."
"And?"
Yeah, that sounded like her.
She was probably fishing for recognition.
But him? No way he'd know. The guy didn't care about celebrities at all.
"I told her I didn't."
Called it.
"…And then?"
"She threw a fit."
Yep, figured.
From what I remembered, Han Seung-hee had massive pride in herself.
She'd clawed her way up in the entertainment industry from childhood, after all.
Of course she was proud—it was a world where pride was your lifeline.
"…So what happened then?"
"I didn't want to be around her, so I just finished it quickly."
"How long did it take you?"
"Don't remember exactly. Around eight minutes."
"Elimination type?"
"Yeah. Weren't you elimination type too?"
"Uh, yeah. Sure."
"How long did it take you?"
"Well… normally."
About three hours, actually.
Goddamn Polygon's balance system.
Was this even an exam?
Yoon Si-ae, we really did our best, right?
Suddenly, I really missed her.
And this bastard, Yong Sang-jae—I was starting to hate him.
"I'd already seen that dungeon before. I knew the path. Nothing hard."
"Oh, right. You've done dungeons before, haven't you?"
"They always nagged me about getting experience."
Right, I remembered now.
His father had dragged him to dungeons since he was little, drilling it into him.
Back then, he used to whine to me nonstop about not wanting to go.
'Wait. Then his level must be….'
Come to think of it, I'd never seen his status window before.
The last time, I avoided it so he wouldn't notice my talent had awakened.
And after that, I hadn't had the chance.
I'd been too busy with my own Polygon prep anyway.
'Alright. Let's take a peek now.'
I focused on him.
Sure enough, a status window appeared before me.
'…What the hell?'
The chopsticks slipped out of my hand.
'What the hell is with his stats?!'