“What are you doing here?”

He paused, glanced at her hunter outfit, then added,

“You’re a hunter now?! Don’t tell me you’re joining this raid.”

“Yup. Weird, huh? I awakened as a hunter about a year ago.”

Soo-Jin stared at her, surprised.

Kyung-Ah… a hunter?

He found it hard to believe.

Back in high school, she was one of the quietest girls in their class. Always gentle, a bit withdrawn, almost shy. She never raised her voice, never looked for trouble. And now, she was entering dungeons? Fighting monsters?

He would have never imagined she’d choose this path. Of all the people he knew, she was the last one he’d expect to end up in this kind of life.

“You… a hunter?” he repeated under his breath, as if trying to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating.

“You know, even I didn’t believe it at first,” she replied with a nervous little laugh.

“You weren’t exactly the type to… chase danger.”

“No. I was more the type to avoid it, you mean?” she said, a hint of a smile on her lips.

She looked away for a second, her eyes drifting toward the group of hunters ahead.

“But sometimes, it’s not you who chooses. Life pushes you.”

Soo-Jin didn’t answer. He understood all too well what that meant.

“I didn’t really have the luxury of thinking it through,” she continued. “When I awakened, I saw an opportunity. An open door… so I walked through it. With all these gates showing up, it felt like a chance to make a living… without overthinking it.”

“You’re lucky to have awakened, though. Very few people do, you know…”

“Not really. I’m just E-rank, you know… It’s the lowest there is. Barely good enough for small dungeons like this one, and even then, only in a team. I wouldn’t dare go in alone.”

“It’s better than nothing, believe me. I know what I’m talking about…”

Soo-Jin murmured the words more to himself than to her. A brief flicker of bitterness crossed his eyes, too subtle for most to catch. But Kyung-Ah knew him.

“Hey! Don’t make that face, you haven’t changed one bit, have you? Still the same gloomy Soo-Jin! But if one thing has changed, it’s that you’ve grown up a lot, wow. My dear Soo-Jin turned into a real young man! Ha ha!”

A faint smile crept onto his lips. Soo-Jin responded with an amused nod, almost fond. In her voice, he could hear that same teasing tone from back then, when they used to bicker all the time in class. Three years of high school together, and then life went on. She went off to college, and he hadn’t heard from her since. Seeing her again, here, in a dungeon… it felt unreal. She had changed, matured. But something about her hadn’t changed at all.

“And your mom? It’s been a long time… I hope she’s doing well?” Soo-Jin asked.

Kyung-Ah’s smile faded.

She fell silent for a moment, hesitant to answer. Then she lowered her eyes, as if afraid to confront the truth in her friend’s gaze.

“It’s… complicated. She’s sick. Been hospitalized for several weeks now.”

She sat beside him without a word, her movements gentle and calm. Then, in a softer voice, almost a whisper, she continued

“Honestly, it’s not the thrill of hunting monsters that brings me back to these places. Even after I awakened, stepping into dungeons… it wasn’t what I wanted. I just wanted to become a doctor. That was my dream. But once my mom started getting sick more often, I had to give that up. And yet, the desire only grew stronger when I saw her like that. I kept telling myself that if I became a doctor, I could heal her.”

She paused briefly, then, with her hands on her thighs, she clenched the fabric of her uniform in her fists before continuing

“But I hadn’t accounted for the cost. She was the one paying for my studies. And as you know, I didn’t grow up with my father — they divorced right after I was born. Mom raised me on her own. So… not being able to do anything for her was eating me up.”

“I started picking up part-time jobs right away. Several in a single day if needed, just to pay for her treatments. It worked, for a while. But now… she’s been hospitalized. And this time, the doctors say it’s serious. Even the treatment’s expensive. The hospital won’t keep her without upfront payments.”

She paused again.

“Right now, I’m all she’s got. So once I passed the evaluation and got the hunter title, I jumped in. Even as an E-rank, it was my best shot at making enough money to cover her care. And yeah… I’ll do as many raids as it takes. I refuse to lose her… no matter what it costs.”

Soo-Jin listened in silence. He lowered his eyes slightly, deeply moved. He saw himself in her. He admired her determination.

“Don’t look at me like that, you’ll make me blush with shame! You must be thinking: ‘What a mama’s girl…’”

She tried to smile to lighten the mood.

“Oh, what was I thinking? And what about you? How’s Yu-Mi? She was just a little girl back then… She must be a grown woman now, right?”

Instead of answering, Soo-Jin simply said

“I remember your mother’s smile. When I came over to visit, she always had that warm look in her eyes. She insisted I stay for dinner, even when I’d already eaten way too much. You’ve got a mother who deserves a lot of love.”

Then he spoke with a graver tone.

“You’re brave, believe me. You’re going to make it. Hang in there. She needs you.”

Then he let out a soft sigh.

“Yu-Mi? She’s a total brat. Probably stirring up a new mess while I’m here. Not exactly what I’d call a grown woman…”

“Heh heh… Still as pessimistic as ever, huh!”

She smiled, relieved. Knowing Soo-Jin had her back… meant more than she’d admit.

“Once this raid is over, I’m treating you and your sister. The three of us should go out for dinner to celebrate our reunion. It’s going to be great! And I’m even planning a little gift for my sweet Yu-Mi.”

“What kind of gift?” Soo-Jin asked, narrowing his eyes with curiosity.

“Ah, no no! That’s girl stuff. Eh eh!”.

At the moment Min-jun showed up