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 guarder 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 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.