Work Text:
…
…Click!
—Good afternoon, J. I’ll cut straight to it. An underground dungeon has appeared in Jongno 3-ga, owned by the Pado Guild. However, the dungeon’s grade showed unusual fluctuations, something that never happened before. Their Guild Leader and Jung Bin are on the investigation team, but I believe we’ll need your help on this.
“...”
—Of course, you can always refuse.
“No, it’s okay, Director.”
A young man, wearing a black mask, had his head tilted to keep his phone wedged between his ear and shoulder. His voice, though distorted, filled with unwavering determination.
Taktaktaktaktaktaktaktak—
And his hands were chopping garlic at lightning speed.
“I’ll be there at 12.”
—Got it.
Click!
The call ended. Cha Eui-jae exhaled a sigh, slipping off his mask and quickly stashing it in his inventory before anyone could spot him. He set the knife down next to the plastic basin piled high with chopped garlic, removed his gloves, and grabbed his phone.
He was lucky Ham Seok-jeong had called during preparation time. If it had been rush hour, it would’ve been a nightmare. Ignoring the Director wasn’t an option, but the regulars would’ve caught on fast. Hunters were sensitive like that, and Ham Seok-jeong was no stranger to anyone in their circles.
He couldn’t afford to let anyone discover his identity.
The first S-grade hunter, ranked number one in all of South Korea, known by the hunter name ‘J’. Eight years ago, following the stabilization of dungeons and rifts appearances as well as the surge of new hunters, he began to fade from the field, and eventually disappear altogether, to which the public speculated that he had retired… they weren't entirely wrong. He was still accepting jobs from the Director, but right now, Hunter J is…
‘I should prepare the kimchi…’
...currently a full-time worker at a decades-old hangover soup restaurant.
***
At 10:46 p.m., Cha Eui-jae finished tidying up and locked the restaurant’s door. He checked the location for Jongno 3-ga, adjusted his medical mask, and headed towards the nearest bus stop.
It had been seven years since he’d last entered a dungeon. Even then, his trips into dungeons and rifts had dwindled, a far cry from the first three years since the Day of the Rift. That year, he and Jung Bin were no longer the only S-grade hunters in the nation. A young S-grade had emerged, quickly claiming the number two spot, and all eyes turned to the newcomer.
Then another S-grade emerged, and the excitement grew to a frenzy, reaching international attention as four S-grades now appeared in South Korea. It became a source of national pride. Before long, the ‘Hero J’ faded into the background, overshadowed by the rise of these new S-grades.
Two new S-grades appeared in the same year, both revealing their names and faces to the public. They quickly established guilds and recruited remarkable hunters, such as Honeybee and Shield Guy. They handled rifts and dungeons faster than he could, saving more people and gaining the trust of the public in ways he hadn’t.
“Eui-jae, maybe this is your chance… to finally rest.”
It was when his aunt had said this that it occurred to him that he hadn’t graduated from high school. As things began to stabilize and schools and offices reopened, he decided to ask the Director for an indefinite break. He enrolled in an online program to earn his high school diploma and then registered at a community college.
When everything was said and done, four years had passed. Technology had advanced to the point where it could detect when a rift or dungeon would open. ASMR videos featuring dungeon byproducts had become a trend on various social media platforms, and some hunters had become so idle that they transformed into influencers.
…He didn’t know how to feel about this development.
—Passengers getting off at Jongno-gu, please prepare to exit.
He stepped off the bus. As soon as his feet hit the ground, the doors shut behind him, and the bus pulled away.
After receiving his certificate, he didn’t feel the urge to return to being a hunter. Instead, he considered finding a job, but none of his applications were successful because; one, he lacked the qualifications for most positions, and two, he was too powerful. In one instance, a drunk customer tried to punch him, resulting in a broken hand. In another instance, at a desk job he had miraculously landed, a friendly manager tried to slap him on the back, only to end up with another broken hand.
He was too dangerous to work alongside ordinary people; he needed a remote job or one that didn’t involve them at all. Walking around the neighborhood, he kicked stones along the road in frustration. He even considered taking a regular position at the Awakened Management Bureau, where most people would be hunters, when something caught his eye.
It was an old restaurant with a hangover soup sticker on the door, but that wasn’t what made him stop.
It was filled with hunters.
Hunters he recognized and some he didn’t were there, chatting and eating hangover soup at metal tables and plastic chairs. An elderly woman served them, and the hunters even pitched in to help her cook and serve.
He looked at the scene.
‘This is it.’
It was the perfect place for him. There were no ordinary people to serve; all of them were hunters, albeit still weaker than he was. Hunters wouldn’t dare to touch him, as they would see him as just another ordinary person, so there wouldn’t be any accidents!
A grin spread across his face as he glanced down at the A4 sheet of paper taped to the restaurant’s door; “Looking for a kitchen auntie”, it says. Though he wasn’t an auntie, he figured he could still give it a shot.
With that, he ripped the paper from the door and stepped inside the restaurant.
Another four years passed since then, and he became a full-time worker at the hangover soup restaurant. He memorized the names and faces of all the regulars by heart, and even gained an S-grade trait that made his job easier and more efficient!
As he swept the floor after yet another hectic lunch rush, he thought to himself;
‘This isn’t so bad…’
He took off his mask, lowered his gray hoodie, and replaced it with a black mask. Stepping out of the alley, he descended the stairs, passing under a sign that read “Jongno 3(sam)-ga.”
Just for tonight, he would be ‘Hunter J’— one last time.
***
A moment ago.
“J would be coming?”
Jung Bin blinked, stunned, with his phone pressed to his ear. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a tall man dressed in black from head to toe, wearing a gas mask, watching him with a lazy tilt of the head. It wasn’t just him though— every eye in the passage turned in his direction the moment he blurted it out. J was a national hero, after all.
He coughed into his hand, lowering his voice a bit.
“I thought Hunter J had retired?”
A calm, middle-aged woman’s voice came through the speaker.
—Technically, he said he’d be on an ‘indefinite break’ and to call if there's an emergency.
Jung Bin didn't think this counted as an emergency, but he kept that thought to himself.
“When will he be coming?”
—Midnight.
That’s still eight hours away… it was now 4:29 p.m. Jung Bin glanced at the man clad in black, now leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed. Though the gas mask hid his expression, Jung Bin could practically feel the man arching an eyebrow at him.
“...Understood, Director.”
The call ended, and he lowered his phone, looking up at the man against the pillar.
But before Jung Bin could say anything, the man spoke first.
“I’ll wait.”
“...”
Jung Bin stared at him in surprise. The man continued, his voice carrying a hint of a smile.
“I’ve always wanted to meet Hunter J.”
***
Cha Eui-jae waited patiently in front of a thick iron door as the inspector, a hunter affiliated with the Rift Management Bureau, struggled to insert his ID. Each failed attempt seemed to fluster him more, especially with J standing calmly beside him.
Finally, the inspector managed to insert the ID card, and the iron door creaked open with a heavy groan, revealing a familiar face he hadn’t seen in eight years.
“Hunter J, long time no see.”
Jung Bin smiled at him.
“Yeah, long time no see. I hope you’ve been well.”
Cha Eui-jae nodded.
The two walked deeper into the passageway as the iron door groaned shut behind them. The inspector kept tilting his head to peek at them, moving every time the closing door blocked his view, until he completely disappeared from sight.
“Sorry for the long wait. I was working pretty late.”
“It's fine, J. It's good to be working with you again. But you work this late?”
“I had a night shift.”
Ahead, people in uniforms bustled around, organizing resources and research equipment for the dungeon investigation. Beyond them, lay the entrance to the dungeon itself.
The dungeon’s gate flickered, swirling with a mesmerizing blue light.
Everything looked set for entry into the dungeon. He should prepare as well. Cha Eui-jae closed his eyes.
<Tracker’s Eye!>
He opened his eyes—
Purple.
‘Hm?’
Purple flame engulfed his field of vision, the brightest and largest fire he had ever seen. It burned so fiercely that it consumed the entire passageway, obscuring even the blue light from the dungeon’s gate. It was sharp and immense, akin to a monster’s.
Cha Eui-jae whipped his head to the left, his stance ready for battle, prompting Jung Bin to let out a confused noise. There, in the shadows where the light barely reached, he spotted the source of the purple flame; A silhouette of a human.
As if sensing Cha Eui-jae’s gaze, the figure began to move. Step, step… their footsteps echoed. Beside him, he could hear a sigh. As the figure neared the light, a boot came into view, followed by a man wearing black tactical gear, shiny leather shoes, and a gas mask that covered his entire face.
An S-grade.
Cha Eui-jae squinted at him behind his own mask, the man’s aura prickling his skin.
He looked like a hunter, is he Pado’s Guild Leader?
“J.”
The man spoke lazily.
“We finally met.”
“...”
“I’m Lee Sa-young.”
The man slid his hands into his pockets, nodding in acknowledgment. Cha Eui-jae stared intently at the moving gas mask.
…Is the gas mask part of his hunter persona concept? Cha Eui-jae brushed aside that thought and replied.
“Ah, yes, hunter name’s J, it’s nice to meet you.”
“There’s something I’ve always wanted to ask.”
“...Yes?”
“Why do you name your Hunter alias J?”
What?
“Does it have to do with your real name?”
“That’s enough, Lee Sa-young-ssi. That is Hunter J’s privacy.”
Jung Bin politely stepped between the two, directing a gentle yet stern smile toward the gas mask man, Lee Sa-young, while holding his hand out to shield J, Cha Eui-jae.
The man probably hadn’t expected to receive an answer anyway, as he backed off without a word, so why had he even asked that question? Cha Eui-jae stared at Lee Sa-young while Jung Bin nagged him. Something about him set Cha Eui-jae on edge. Why?
As Cha Eui-jae continued to stare, Lee Sa-young turned his gaze toward him, narrowing his eyes behind the lenses of the gas mask as if smiling.
“You’re going to bore a hole into my mask.”
Ah, this guy has been speaking informally the whole time.
“Hey.”
His irritable tone, discernible even through the distorted effect, caused Jung Bin to gaped at him in shock, while Lee Sa-young looked on unflinchingly. Gritting his teeth, Cha Eui-jae asked,
“How old are you?”
Lee Sa-young tilted his head, and answered innocently.
“Twenty-four.”
Twenty-four? Twentyyy-foouur?
“You little brat, speaking informally to someone older, even to whom you’ve never met!”
“Hm, you seem about my age though?”
"Hey, I’ve eaten at least five thousand more bowls of rice than you!"
Of course, he hadn’t literally eaten five thousand bowls, but he had to use whatever advantage he could muster. Sure, all he had was four extra years of life experience over Lee Sa-young, but he wasn’t going to let the younger man speak informally to him.
The man tilted his head to the other side this time. Despite the menacing gas mask, his movement had a childlike quality to it. Which made him even more frustrating.
“You don’t like the way I talk? Should I start using honorifics for you?”
He fiddled with his gas mask.
“Apologies, it’s been a while since I used honorifics.”
…Just like that?
Somehow, it made him even more annoyed.
And with how Jung Bin’s expression grew even more shocked suggests that this guy rarely, if ever, used honorifics.
“Shall I call you Hyung as well?”
He snapped.
“No need.”
“Then hoodie?”
“Just call me J.”
“But that’s boring.”
“Then don’t call me anything.”
“Okay, Hyung.”
“I said don’t call me.”
“Yes, Hyung.”
Can I punch him?
As Cha Eui-jae’s fist trembled, Jung Bin cautiously cleared his throat to get their attention. When they both looked at him, his previously shocked expression had softened back to his usual gentle smile.
“Pardon me for interrupting, but perhaps we should begin our investigation now.”
As if on cue, the people around them suddenly looked away, pocketing their phones or pretending they hadn’t been recording. Some even busied themselves with useless tasks, repeating actions just to appear preoccupied.
Now that he thought about it, they must have drawn quite an attention. Three S-grades gathered in one place? Unheard of. And two of them bickering, no less. Cha Eui-jae shot a glare at the man in the gas mask. But instead of looking intimidated, he seemed… amused.
Lee Sa-young strode to the front of the dungeon entrance, glanced back at Cha Eui-jae, and, with a slight bow, extended an arm toward the dungeon like a gentleman holding a door open.
“After you, Hyung.”
Cha Eui-jae clenched his fist so hard his knuckles popped.
He’ll punch him once they are inside the dungeon.
***
He hadn't been able to punch him inside the dungeon.
Jung Bin kept a considerable distance between them, even positioning himself as the buffer as if sensing Cha Eui-jae’s ill intentions. Or perhaps he was just used to Lee Sa-young's antics and felt some pity for Cha Eui-jae's fraying patience, so he made sure to keep them apart.
Still, the distance did nothing to stop Lee Sa-young's “let’s see how far it'll get under his skin” remarks, nor Cha Eui-jae's sensitive hearing from picking up every single one.
“Go ahead, Hyung, I'll just watch and learn.”
“Need a hand? Or should I let the veteran handle it?”
“Just let me know if you need any support from your hoobae, Hyung.”
“Oh, I can hear your teeth grinding— getting on with the years, are we, Hyung?”
Since entering the dungeon, Cha Eui-jae had been silently practicing breathing exercises and meditation techniques to keep his composure.
‘Don't hit a coworker, don't hit a coworker, don't hit a coworker, don't hit a coworker…’
As Jung Bin reprimanded Lee Sa-young for the nth time and Cha Eui-jae regained control of his mind, he decided to tune them both out. Instead, he focused on the main reason they were here; the dungeon investigation.
The underground dungeon of Jongno 3-ga looked like any other dungeon— a portal to another dimension filled with monsters. But only if you ignore the fact that it's…
‘It’s… white.’
Nothing but an endless, pure white expanse stretched before them.
Typically, dungeons have distinct landscapes— an unfamiliar biome that suited the monsters living within. But here, there was nothing, just blank space like an untouched canvas.
The monsters, too, were off. He recognized many of them from past encounters, but their grades were all over the place. Low-grade monsters wandered alongside high-grade ones, with no rhyme or reason to it. Monsters usually matched the dungeon's grade or were one level lower, but.
‘The dungeon’s grade wasn't specified.’
The system was supposed to display the dungeon's grade, but instead, it showed;
[■]
A single box. Or was it… blank?
Cha Eui-jae glared down at the fallen monster he had pierced, its form crumbling. Behind him, the lunatic’s applause echoed, making his scowl deepen. Without a word, he shifted his stance and aimed his spear at the next target; a golem.
Whip—!
The spear shattered the golem into countless pieces, scattering across the white plain. As Cha Eui-jae moved to retrieve his weapon, a familiar white system window flickered into view before him, halting him mid-step.
[The dungeon grade assessment is complete!]
[The dungeon is restructuring!]
Cha Eui-jae froze, watching as the messages appeared one after another. The ground beneath him trembled slightly, and the white surface began to shift and ripple.
[...System check complete...]
[Dungeon restructuring complete.]
[A new grade has been assigned to the dungeon.]
[The new grade for the Jongno 3-ga underground dungeon is L grade.]
“L-grade?!”
He heard Jung Bin’s shout from behind, but Cha Eui-jae couldn’t spare a glance. His eyes were fixed on the black-purple liquid staining across the white ground… no, it was melting the floor! The once blank dungeon was twisting into something dark and unstable.
‘Corrosion? Or some sort of decay…?’
“Poison.”
Cha Eui-jae turned to Lee Sa-young’s voice and blinked. At some point, the man had removed his gas mask, revealing his face. Long, thick lashes framed his narrowed violet eyes. His nose was smooth and elegantly curved, with a small mole just below his plump lips. Despite his refined, almost artful appearance, there was an underlying air of languid indifference.
Cha Eui-jae gulped. Is this why he wore the gas mask?
Cha Eui-jae snapped back to reality when a finger tapped his shoulder. He turned and found Jung Bin wearing a gas mask, holding out an extra one in his hand. Through the mask’s muffling, Jung Bin’s voice came out.
“Does your mask have poison immunity, J?”
No, his mask didn’t offer poison immunity, but his body could handle most toxins. He wasn’t sure about L-grade poisons, though. If he stayed clear of the liquid and didn’t breathe in too much of the gas, he should be fine. He nodded to Jung Bin.
Then the ground shook again, this time with increasing intensity. No, it felt like something was rising beneath them!
“Scatter!”
The three of them jumped just in time as a giant beast erupted from the ground, letting out an ear-splitting screech.
It was a massive, scaly beast, its body armored with jagged spikes and rugged ridges. Fiery orange eyes glow with malice, and its wide-open maw reveals rows of razor-sharp, curved fangs. A forked, red tongue flickers between its teeth, while its coiled tail bristles with deadly spines.
A basilisk.
Cha Eui-jae tightened his grip on his spear. Even with three S-grades, an L-grade monster wasn’t something they could easily handle— especially since this was the first time anyone had encountered such a creature. L-grades were exceedingly rare; the only thing he’d ever heard about them was a news article involving an art college student, of all things.
He cast a quick glance at Jung Bin. His specialty was in neutralizing other awakeners, not monsters. Then his gaze shifted to Lee Sa-young. Come to think of it… what exactly is that guy’s ability?
“This is annoying…”
With his heightened hearing, Cha Eui-jae caught Lee Sa-young muttering a curse under his breath. The voice, once muffled by the gas mask, now came directly from plump lips— wait, why did he take off his gas mask?
Lee Sa-young stepped forward.
“Get as far away as you can.”
Before Cha Eui-jae could protest, Jung Bin grabbed his arm, pulling him back to a safe distance. He watched as the ground beneath Lee Sa-young’s feet darkened, taking on the same inky hue as the basilisk’s poison.
It met head on with the basilisk's poison, halting its spread, like an invisible barrier.
“Lee Sa-young-ssi’s ability is poison as well.”
Jung Bin explained quietly.
“He’s using his own poison to counterattack the basilisk’s, to keep it from reaching us.”
But this meant that neither Lee Sa-young’s poison nor the basilisk’s could harm each other— both immune, yet locked in a toxic stalemate.
“But, while Lee Sa-young-ssi’s poison is extremely potent, he’s not exactly… skilled in combat.”
Cha Eui-jae nodded, understanding. Lee Sa-young’s potent poison typically made any combat unnecessary, but facing a basilisk, it was different.
“So I need to take it down while he neutralizes the poison.”
“Exactly.”
But could he take it down? He was an S-grade, facing an L-grade monster. His spear might not even be able to pierce its scales.
Lee Sa-young sidestepped just as the basilisk’s spiked tail slashed through, tearing a strip from his tactical gear. The basilisk roared, its venomous breath filling the air. Cha Eui-jae steadied his grip on his spear, taking a deep breath, then—
<Heart Piercer!>
With a swift throw, the spear shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
BOOM—!!
It pierced through the basilisk’s eye. Light exploded from the wound as the creature let out an ear-splitting, agonized screech.
But Cha Eui-jae’s spear hadn't caused the damage he’d hoped for— it hadn't even shattered the side of its head. All it left behind was a single, seething injury of losing one of its eyes. Now, he was without a weapon, and the basilisk was more furious than ever.
The basilisk roared, its spikes flaring as its tail shot high into the air before crashing down with a force that split the ground. The impact sent shockwaves rippling out, cracking the dungeon and sending stones in every direction. Lee Sa-young, closest to the impact, was caught in the blast.
“Lee Sa-young!”
Cha Eui-jae launched himself across the debriss, leaping from rock to rock until he reached Lee Sa-young. He caught him mid-air, slipping one hand behind his back and the other beneath his knees. Sliding across the ground, he felt the poison melting his hands. He hissed.
Lee Sa-young looked at him in alarm.
“What are you doing—!?”
Cha Eui-jae dropped him unceremoniously on the ground and leaped toward the trashing beast. He pulled out another weapon from his inventory— a ladle.
With all his strength, he swung the ladle at the basilisk's body— BAM! The impact made the creature bend, creating a small shockwave. The ladle melted instantly from the poison.
Seizing the opportunity while the basilisk was distracted, Cha Eui-jae grabbed his spear, still lodged in its eye.
<Heart Piercer!>
He struck again, this time targeting the same eye with a vertical thrust. The basilisk let out a deafening screech.
Standing atop the basilisk, Cha Eui-jae felt the poison eating away at his shoes, the heat searing into the skin of his feet. The weight of the poison pressed down on him, making his body feel heavy and sluggish as he struggled to maintain his balance.
‘Ah shit, I breathe in too much of the gas…!’
His head started to spin, and his vision blurred. Cha Eui-jae lost his grip on the spear as his melting feet caused him to stumble. Just then, a cold liquid splashed over him, and a cloth-like material enveloped his body.
“You reckless idiot.”
Cha Eui-jae's eyes widened at the low, frustrated growl. He turned his head to the side and saw Lee Sa-young, wrapping him in a cocoon of fabric. Instantly, his mind cleared, and the swaying of his vision subsided. He noticed an empty bottle in Lee Sa-young's hand.
“You couldn't have waited? Charging in like that…”
Lee Sa-young sneered, his violet eyes gleaming as they narrowed at Cha Eui-jae, long lashes brushing against his cheek. His black hair was tousled from the fight, giving him an oddly captivating appearance.
Cha Eui-jae found himself unable to look away from the sight.
Lee Sa-young stared at him, then he chuckled softly, his breath warm against Cha Eui-jae’s ear.
“What a liar. Your mask doesn't protect you from the poison.*
He produced a potion filled with golden liquid.
“Pour this on yourself. It's the same as the one before. It should grant you a momentary immunity.”
Cha Eui-jae snatched the potion from Lee Sa-young's hand and splashed it on himself in one swift motion. He tossed the empty bottle aside, quickly extricated himself from the blanket cocoon and Lee Sa-young's hold, then assumed a battle stance to—
“I'll be waiting, Hyung.”
Ah?
He's waiting for me…?
A new vigor surged through Cha Eui-jae as he launched himself at the basilisk, delivering a powerful kick to its side while narrowly evading its snapping jaws. He sprinted up the beast's scaly body, retrieving his spear once more.
With a strong push from the basilisk's head, he leaped into the air, aiming his spear directly at the creature’s gaping maw. His eyes blazed a vivid blue, and Lee Sa-young's vibrant purple flame flickered nearby.
Like a guiding light.
[Trait: Enhanced Strength (S+) activated.]
Eight years ago, this world no longer had a place for him, and he, who had no ambition for anything…
“Eui-jae, maybe this is your chance… to finally rest.”
He had felt empty.
[Unique trait: Hand of a Master (S+) activated.]
The world moved on and peace returned— something he had so desperately wished for.
—Why is J still number 1 lmao? He hasn't done anything for six fucking years.
Yet, he felt empty.
[Unique trait: The One Who Pierces All (S+) activated.]
He had never understood the source of his emptiness, but now he did. It was a longing for connection, for the gratitude that came with having someone to protect.
With a powerful thrust, he hurled his spear—
And his eyes met Lee Sa-young's violet ones.
For the joy of having someone waiting for you.
Cha Eui-jae smiled.
<Heart Piercer!>
A blinding white light bursts forth, engulfing the entire dungeon in its brilliance.
[Dungeon Clear!]
[Congratulations! You have unlocked a new trait!]
[You have acquired the trait: Basilisk's Venom (S+).]
***
A few days had passed since then, and Cha Eui-jae had returned to his usual routine at the hangover soup restaurant.
On that day, the research team waiting outside had been stunned to discover that the dungeon had transformed into an L-grade. In panic, they had called for reinforcement from the Pado Guild.
Which led to Cha Eui-jae encountering with a team of new faces; a red haired girl named Kang Ji-soo, Choi Go-yo— who had been wheezing on the ground— and a man with sunglasses whose name he didn't quite catch, as he had gone straight to Lee Sa-young.
Bae Won-woo had been there too— one of the regulars at the hangover soup restaurant. His familiar voice had nearly made Cha Eui-jae instinctively reach for a notepad to take his order.
While Jung Bin had been pulled aside by Yang Hye-jin, one of the hunters from the Rift Management Bureau— and yet another regular at the restaurant— to answer a stream of questions.
Seeing everyone so wrapped up in their tasks, and noticing that it was nearly 4 a.m.— with just a few hours left before he had to open the hangover soup restaurant— Cha Eui-jae decided to head back. After one of the medics treated his melting skin, he quietly slipped away.
Now, life had settled back into such normalcy that Cha Eui-jae could almost convince himself his time in the dungeon had been a fever dream. Until a news article surfaced— a research announcement from the combined efforts of the Rift Management Bureau, Seowon Guild, and Pado Guild research lab, officially naming the new dungeon as the “White Dungeon”. That was when he knew it had all been real.
‘I wonder how that guy's doing?’
An image of a man in a gas mask flashed across his mind as Cha Eui-jae ushered out the last hunter of the lunch hour. Shaking his head, he thought; I could just look him up online…
Step…
His ears twitched. He recognized that lazy footsteps, slowly approaching the restaurant. Raising his head toward the door, shadow loomed as the figure drew near, then—
Knock, knock.
Cha Eui-jae’s eyebrow twitched, and his mouth fell open as the man in the gas mask tapped on the window. Violet eyes glinted with delight behind the lenses.
“Hello, Hyung. We met again.”
[Trait: Poker Face (B) activated.]