91 - Murim Login

Chapter 91 "Do you know me by any chance?" I asked back at the man who approached me confidently. "Who are you?" Shouldn't he at least introduce himself before asking such a question? Perhaps my bewildered expression gave it all away, as the man lowered his dark sunglasses, revealing a handsome face with a suitably tanned complexion. “Park Ji-hoon.” Park Ji-hoon? Well, I’ve met quite a few people in my time. Above all, this face isn’t familiar. “Sorry, but I think you’ve got the wrong person.” “No, I’m sure. Didn’t you go to Garam Middle School?” "Huh?" That was the name of my school. Although I never graduated due to moving away, the memories were still vivid. “Right? Garam Middle? And you’re twenty-seven this year.” “Yes, that’s true, but…” "That's it! Third-year, Class 6, Jin Tae-kyung!” He even remembered the grade, class, and my name, something I was faintly struggling to recall. With this level of recognition, I couldn’t deny it. I asked the man with the grinning sunglasses, who was all smiles. "…Do you really know me?" "I'm Ji-hoon, Park Ji-hoon! Remember how we used to play soccer all the time in middle school? We were always the ones caught for not studying and got scolded by the teacher. Don’t you remember?" Soccer? Scolded by the teacher? I opened my mouth, half in disbelief. “Park Ji-hwang?” “Yeah, man. I’m Park Ji-hwang! Oh, right. You probably didn't know I changed my name.” “Of course, I didn’t know.” I didn’t recognize Park Ji-hoon, but Park Ji-hwang I knew. To think I'd meet an old middle school friend here. A smile crept onto my face naturally from the fondness. “Wow, meeting you here. I wondered what was up when a stranger started acting familiar.” “Still, you should’ve recognized me, don’t you think? It’s not like it’s been since kindergarten, it’s just been 10 years.” “Even if it had been just 5 years, I wouldn’t have recognized you. Your face has changed a lot.” “Really? Haha.” It’s an undeniable fact. The guy with the tanned skin and small build transformed into someone you'd hear being called good-looking just about anywhere. “Not just your face, even your body improved, didn’t it?” “Oh, you’ve got a keen eye.” “It’s basic.” From what I remember, there was about a head difference between us in height, but now we're almost eye level. “You’ve become quite something.” The once unrecognizable face turned into a solid build, with a lovely girlfriend and even a foreign car that seemed like it could easily cost tens of thousands. Ji-hwang—now Ji-hoon, had changed much in the past decade, and I knew the reason. 'This guy’s a hunter, too.' Having mastered my senses, I could gauge people without relying on the system anymore. Should I say he gives off a certain energy? Without a doubt, he's a hunter. He might be on par with or even stronger than Lim Chang-soo, whom I met recently. 'To think an old friend from 10 years ago is a hunter too, how fascinating.' I could use my senses to read his level, but I didn’t feel the need to go that far. Meeting an old friend in a place filled with memories. Right now, I’m just the ordinary Jin Tae-kyung, neither a hunter nor a warrior. “Anyway, it’s really good to see you. Did you know, I felt really let down after you transferred and cut off contact?” “Did you? I was so out of it back then.” At sixteen, in the throes of adolescence and after losing my father, my mind was a mess. After entering high school, I focused solely on athletics with the goal of entering a sports university, naturally losing touch with the friends I once knew in the process. “Oh, really? Was it like that? Sorry.” Ji-hoon’s smile turned awkward, realizing he might have made a mistake. “You don’t have to apologize. I should’ve reached out earlier. Anyway, are you still living here?” “No, now my whole family lives in Seoul. I just stopped by reminiscing while returning from a trip with my girlfriend.” “Wow, talk about a triumphant return.” “Don’t flatter me. I’m far from being a success.” “At this point, you’ve succeeded enough. What more could you want?” We continued talking and laughing, mostly reminiscing about our middle school days, which alone was an immensely enjoyable time. When Ji-hoon’s girlfriend hinted that her legs were hurting, quite some time had already passed. “Oppa, my legs hurt.” "Hmm? Would you like to wait in the car? I’ll talk just a bit more and come.” "…Are you seriously saying that?" I had no intention whatsoever to interfere with a friend's love life, so I waved my hand, taking a hint. “No, let’s catch up next time.” “Next time? Didn’t you say something similar 10 years ago? You said you’d call next time and then never did.” With that comeback, I was left speechless. Ji-hoon handed me his business card. “Forget it. Call this number immediately.” [Myeongdong Guild Team 1. Park Ji-hoon, Hunter.] Myeongdong Guild isn’t quite in Korea’s top 10 guilds, but it’s big enough to rank in the top 20. Being on Team 1 means he's recognized as an elite within the guild. He could easily be a team leader at any mid-sized guild. 'I had somewhat expected it but it's more impressive than I thought.' Hiding my mildly surprised heart, I dialed the number he handed me. As his smartphone buzzed, Ji-hoon grinned broadly. “Call me. We should grab a drink.” “We’ll see. If I’m not too busy, I’ll come out. If I am, I can’t.” “What kind of talk is that? You know, your name came up at the last reunion. People were wondering what you've been up to.” “You mentioned my name?” “Why that reaction? You were really popular with everyone.” “Was I? Maybe I was close with the guys, being on the field all day.” “You were popular with the girls, too. Some of them had crushes on you. Didn’t you notice?” "…Really?” “Everyone in class knew. Why were you the only one unaware?” Damn. If only they’d told me earlier…but it doesn’t matter now. Now I have Song Yi. True love. Having found my destined partner, nothing else matters. “We’re planning to meet up again soon. Make sure to show up. Meet your fan club. Okay?” “Oh, okay.” Sure, just seeing them wouldn’t hurt. They're all just old schoolmates. I gave a reflexive answer, and Ji-hoon chuckled as he opened the driver's side door but then paused. "It was nice meeting you." "Oh? Oh, yeah." "See you around." Vroooom. As the car with the roaring engine sound drove away, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. "Did we really get along that well?" "Like long-lost childhood friends." "Who? Oh, Tae-kyung?" "Who else would I be talking about?" "Why do you sound like that? Did you not like him?" "Yeah, I didn't want to say it because he's your friend, but honestly, he was a bit... off." "That's strange. He was really popular when he was young." "There are lots of reasons. Tall, well-built, great at sports. Plus, he's decently good-looking. He’s just really clueless when it comes to love." "Hmm. I wasn't impressed. Don’t you think he comes off as a loafer? What was his job again?" "Hmm. I didn't ask. When we were kids, he wanted to be a PE teacher, so maybe he went in that direction." "He's twenty-seven and a guy... still in university? Preparing for exams?" "Dunno, myself." "Maybe because I'm with you, other guys just don't measure up. You're handsome, have a great personality, and are really capable." "That’s nice to hear, even if it’s just lip service." "I'm serious. Compared to that guy who only looks good, you're a hundred times better." "Don't say that. He's a good guy." "You said you haven’t met in 10 years. And he’s the one who cut off contact first. Yet you speak so well of him?" Park Ji-hoon chuckled gently. "No. Not at all." “How about the place?” The real estate agent asked with a phlegm-filled voice. Judging by his expression, he wasn't pleased after chain-smoking while waiting for me for an hour. “It's nice.” This wasn't just a polite response. The two-story house with a spacious grassy yard was the best I’d seen so far. 'Four rooms, two bathrooms. The living room is spacious too.' It’s like a house straight out of a fairy tale. After listening to the detailed explanations from the agent, I took one last look around the property and stepped out the gate. “You don’t find listings like this easily. The owner has a few buildings but put this one on a rush sale because he’s raising a new building in Incheon.” “So, what’s the market price?” “Just as you saw online. 3.38 billion won.” Still a staggering amount, but it’s worth it. For the family’s safety and for a place that holds significant meaning for us. “Contact me.” “So, you…” “I’ll buy it.” “Ah, good decision, sir!” I firmly shook hands with the agent who offered his hand. “By the way, would it be okay if I took another look around the area?” “I’m just joking.” You should’ve seen how his grip tightened just from that joke. “Be careful on your way back.” “Yes, you too.” I placed a 10% deposit and left the real estate office. Arrangements were made for a formal purchase procedure with the owner on another day. Since they also needed the funds quickly, the discussion wrapped up fast. 'The move will have to be postponed.' Though I’ve acquired it, it’s about an hour away from where my family currently lives, so moving immediately isn’t feasible. Above all, Ha-yeon is taking her college entrance exams this year. I plan to announce the move as a surprise right after. 'I should remodel it, too.' I planned to make it resemble our old house as much as possible. Even though it was a long time ago, the house’s structure is still vivid in my mind as we lived there for 16 years. 'Formalize the contract, find an interior company... what else is there?' Running through a monster gate might be familiar, but I’m practically a novice with this sort of thing. I had no sense of where to start. Pondering all this, I turned into a dim alleyway. 'Hmm?' A tickling sensation ran down my neck. My fine hairs stood on end, and the air felt different. I felt a subtle gaze bore into my back. 'Open inventory. Summon.' I turned like a flash, gripping a dagger in my hand. But... "What? A cat?" Meow. A mottled cat leaped down from the wall. The cat peered at me briefly before sauntering away. 'Was I overly sensitive?' As my senses heightened, I became more sensitive. Normally, you adapt gradually as you grow, but my growth had been so quick that the adaptation period was insignificant. 'No, this time it felt different.' I quickly raised my [Sixth Sense] but found nothing in the deserted alley. Beep - No target available for [Sixth Sense] detection. If the system says so, it must be right. I must indeed be tired these days. “Oh, I suddenly crave samgyetang.” Thinking of it, maybe the whole family should go out to eat. Imagining the tender chicken and hot broth made my steps lighter. In a dark, dim room, a young man who had been meditating opened his eyes suddenly. "Gah!" His disheveled hair was drenched in sweat, and he was gasping for breath. He guzzled down bottled water, letting out a sigh of relief. “Damn it. Scared the shit out of me.” Everything had been smooth—no, it was boringly smooth. The subject of investigation was on vacation and had a predictable route. Home, convenience store, home. Today, he at least traveled an hour away, but tracking him was no trouble. However... “What’s with that guy? Why’d he suddenly turn around like that?” The moment I saw those sharp eyes, my heart nearly stopped. If I hadn't quickly ended the link with the cat, I might have truly been caught. “He didn’t do it on purpose, right?” The subject of the investigation was merely a C-rank hunter. Compared to other targets I’ve investigated, he’s leagues below. 'That can't be. Who am I?’ Hong Woo-jin, a B-class magician and information broker, shook his head. He’s a master in tracking and surveillance magic. Although he can't wield flashy offensive magic, he prides himself on being the best in this field. “Yeah. It can’t be. Just a coincidence, merely a coincidence.” Muttering like a mantra, anxiety tinged Hong Woo-jin's voice. Amid the Martial World Login