"I'm Wogan, and she's Maggie."
"Maggie Komagini."
Maggie corrected him softly, emphasizing her full name.
"Alright, so I'm the only one without a last name."
Wogan shrugged both hands helplessly.
"Morgan."
Morgan introduced himself simply.
Wogan's eyes lit up instantly. "So you don't have a last name either? Just like me!"
Morgan didn't bother explaining that Mo could function as a surname. In this world, naming conventions followed a Western structure: given name first, surname last. Someone like Gon, whose full name was Gon Freecss, was addressed by his given name, while the surname held a form of respect only when the person's reputation reached an untouchable height.
The most famous example was the strongest man in the world: Chairman Netero.
Full name: Isaac Netero.
Isaac was his given name, yet everyone addressed him simply as Netero, out of reverence.
Meanwhile, his wayward son, Beyond Netero, nearly lost the respect his surname carried.
"This is the first time I've ever eaten rice cakes this freely."
Wogan licked his lips with lingering nostalgia. "Anyway, Morgan, thanks for the food."
He curled a fist and jabbed a thumb proudly toward his own chest. "From now on, around this whole area, just say you're one of Wogan's people."
"In this place, anyone who's under you is under my protection."
He said it like a self-proclaimed big shot, oozing bravado. But Morgan knew exactly how much weight those words carried. Wogan had raw physical strength and an intimidating build, but when it came to brains… he was about as straightforward as they came. It made him easy prey for someone cunning, like Chrollo, who once played both Wogan and Maggie like puppets.
The same could be said for that other troublesome pair of biker delinquents, Feitan and Finks. They weren't much harder to manipulate either.
So Wogan's "protection" was something Morgan only took at face value.
"If either of you gets hungry again, just come here."
Morgan clapped his hands lightly as he made the offer.
"Wait, really?!"
Wogan's eyes instantly widened, practically sparkling.
"Did the rice cakes you just ate feel imaginary?"
Morgan shrugged. "If you get hungry, just drop by. But think ahead about what you want to eat."
"Of course, if you don't trust me and never come back, that's also fine."
"Come back?! How could we not?!"
Wogan beamed, leaning in closer to Morgan.
"Morgan, you're amazing."
"I really, really like you!"
Wogan had nothing else of value to express gratitude with. Even later, after joining the Phantom Troupe, he barely carried any money. When Shalnark helped him locate the hotel where Kurapika was staying during the Yorknew incident, Wogan had nothing to offer in return except planting an enormous kiss on Shalnark's cheek, no matter how much Shalnark begged him not to.
And right now, clearly, Wogan had the exact same idea.
"I don't need your kind of gratitude."
Morgan's expression froze, and he placed a firm hand on Wogan's head, stopping him in place.
All Morgan needed from Wogan was his appetite. His hunger alone was valuable enough.
"Don't be shy, I don't have anything else to give. Oh? Your strength is not normal at all."
Wogan had only planned to joke around after eating. But the moment he pushed against Morgan's hand, he realized something was off. That resistance… it was almost equal to his own.
His competitive spirit flared instantly. He stopped talking, silently bracing himself and trying to overpower Morgan's grip. Nen-infused strength radiated through his arm.
Maggie quietly glanced from Morgan to the rice cake machine sitting nearby. A thoughtful glimmer flashed in her eyes.
"No more. I'm done!"
Wogan immediately backed off once he realized he wasn't gaining ground. He pulled himself away from Morgan's hand with a loud gasp.
Then he asked the question lingering in both his and Maggie's minds:
"How did you do it?!"
Wogan stared at him, blinking, then pointed a finger toward the machine. "This thing… how did you invent it?"
He clearly sensed that Morgan's so-called invention wasn't something explainable with normal logic.
"You really want to know?"
Morgan smiled faintly at Wogan's curious face.
"Yeah!"
Wogan nodded quickly, Maggie raising her eyes to listen.
"These inventions come from a strange power inside the human body."
Morgan spoke with a calm rhythm. "Depending on a person's nature, this power manifests differently."
"And the method for unlocking that power…"
Seeing both of them leaning forward, eyes focused in full anticipation, Morgan's lips curled upward slightly.
"The method is…"
Wogan and Maggie instinctively leaned closer.
"No comment."
Morgan lifted both hands and shut the topic down instantly.
Wogan froze. Maggie's brows twitched.
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Only then did Wogan finally react, smacking his lips in disbelief. "You tricked us!"
Morgan simply gave him an innocent look.
Expanded Scene (added for length, flow, and emotional pacing)
Wogan puffed his cheeks and let out a long groan, half annoyed and half impressed. "You really got me. And I was seriously paying attention too…"
"It's rare," Maggie said softly, "seeing him concentrate that hard."
"Hey! Maggie, whose side are you on?!"
Wogan shot her a betrayed look.
Maggie ignored him completely.
Morgan walked over to the rice cake machine, tapping its side lightly. "Some things aren't meant to be said so easily. Even if I explained it, you wouldn't understand it right away."
"I could understand it!" Wogan insisted.
"No."
Morgan shook his head. "You really couldn't."
Wogan opened his mouth, then slowly closed it. He wasn't the sharpest, but even he knew when someone was stating plain truth.
Still, curiosity burned in both of them. Maggie shifted her weight, arms crossed lightly, as if cataloging every detail in her mind. Wogan rubbed his chin, trying his hardest to look intellectual.
"Well… if you ever change your mind, you can tell me," Wogan muttered. "I'll keep the secret. Probably."
"That's the part that worries me the most."
Morgan's expression didn't change, but his voice carried a rare hint of dry humor.
Maggie unexpectedly let out a soft breath that might have been a laugh.
The three stood in a moment of odd, comfortable silence. The room still smelled faintly of warm rice cakes, and the sense of shared satisfaction even after the playful deception brought a strange warmth to the atmosphere.
Morgan looked at the two of them again. For all their rough edges and childishness, they were honest. Hungry. Curious. Alive in ways most people in Meteor City weren't anymore.
Maybe feeding them wasn't such a bad idea after all.
Wogan eventually broke the quiet. "Fine, keep your secrets. But if you ever want to show off that power of yours again, I'll be here."
Maggie nodded in agreement.
Morgan placed a hand over the rice cake machine, his eyes distant for a moment. "Don't worry. There will be plenty of chances."
The promise hung in their minds like a spark waiting to ignite.