Si-Hyun pressed her phone close to her ear, focusing intently so she wouldn’t miss a word. On the other end of the line, Ji-Ah’s voice brimmed with excitement.
“During that double dungeon incident, I felt something was about to happen!”
“Uh-huh, uh-huh!”
“So, I coordinated my schedule with the administration office and went back to the province. And guess what? It really happened! It’s all thanks to you, Si-Hyun!”
“No way, it’s because of your hard work! Seriously, congratulations!”
Si-Hyun’s words carried genuine warmth as she celebrated.
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An S-Rank Hunter!
In Korea, there were less than ten such individuals, standing at the very pinnacle of the awakened pyramid.
Now, the name Kim Ji-Ah would join their ranks.
The news would undoubtedly cause a stir, becoming a hot topic everywhere. Imagining the flurry of headlines and broadcasts to come, Si-Hyun couldn’t help but smile.
“So, when are you coming back to Seoul?”
“Hmm... There are still a lot of dungeons I need to clear here. It might be tough to return anytime soon.”
“I see... Hehe, when you come back, you’re probably going to be even busier, aren’t you?”
“Haha! That might be true!”
At Si-Hyun’s lighthearted comment, Ji-Ah let out a cheerful laugh.
“Huh? Oh, Si-Hyun, hold on a second.”
It sounded like someone was speaking to Ji-Ah from the side. Si-Hyun patiently waited, faintly catching bits of the conversation in the background.
Moments later, Ji-Ah returned, her voice tinged with regret.
“The next dungeon is on the verge of going berserk. I think I have to go now...”
Her tone was dripping with reluctance.
Si-Hyun responded with a bitter smile.
“It can’t be helped. Promise you’ll let me know when you’re back, okay?”
“Of course! Oh, and one more thing—could you keep this a secret from Si-Yoon for now? I want to tell him myself.”
“Sure, no problem!”
Si-Hyun readily agreed to Ji-Ah’s request. Besides, Si-Yoon had locked himself in his room for work again today. That meant it wouldn’t be too hard to keep her mouth shut, despite the urge to share the news.
Though the soundproofing in his room was usually so good that almost nothing leaked out, Si-Hyun wondered if today might be different, with such a surprising announcement.
Smiling to herself, Si-Hyun ended the call with Ji-Ah.
Leaning back on the sofa, Si-Hyun picked up the TV remote and opened the familiar YouTube app. Checking her subscriptions, she saw that MomoBin’s broadcast hadn’t started yet.
“Looks like it’ll begin soon.”
Glancing at the clock, Si-Hyun decided to kill time by browsing the recommended videos. Her increasingly refined tastes tempted her toward specific content.
“Hmm...”
She lingered briefly on one of MomoBin’s song shorts. While MomoBin used to occasionally broadcast song performances, it seemed they hadn’t done so in a long time.
Si-Hyun regretted never watching one live. Suppressing her disappointment, she continued scrolling. Most of the videos were ones she had already seen, just edited by different creators.
“...Maybe this one?”
Her eyes stopped on a video thumbnail featuring a sophisticated middle-aged man drinking in Japan. Lately, her interest in alcohol had grown, so she clicked on the video with a lighthearted curiosity.
“I’d like to travel someday...”
Maybe after this semester ends, during the break?
If she could sync up schedules with Ji-Ah and Si-Yoon, it might be fun to go together. A passport would be easy enough to arrange.
As she idly mapped out this impromptu plan in her head, Si-Hyun let time pass in a haze.
“...Ah!”
The broadcast must have started by now!
Quickly checking the time, she returned to MomoBin’s channel. The opening had already ended, and the VTuber was now chatting with the viewers.
“‘Huh? Why am I playing this game again today? Because I feel like it.’”
“Did I see this in an older video?”
Thinking back, she remembered.
“Ah-ha! It’s that game Si-Yoon asked about a few weeks ago.”
It was the day Ji-Ah, Si-Yoon, and she had planned to have dinner together. That was also the day Si-Yoon had handed her MomoBin merch and jokingly treated her like a doll.
Back then, Si-Yoon had asked her for help with a specific game, saying he wanted to enjoy it but found it too challenging.
“I wonder if he’s having fun with it now.”
Since teaching him the game mechanics, they hadn’t talked about it again.
“‘I’ve been practicing this, you know? Today, I’m definitely clearing it!’”
“‘Oh, hold on a sec. I’ve got a call.’”
The broadcast mic turned off. Si-Hyun stared idly at the chat.
At that exact moment—
“Waaaaah! Ahh—!”
A startled cry came from the next room! The sound abruptly stopped, as if someone had clamped their hand over their mouth.
“...Huh?”
Si-Hyun raised an eyebrow, glancing toward Si-Yoon’s door. Then she turned back to the broadcast screen, then back to the door.
In that fleeting moment, countless question marks filled her mind.
“...Coincidence?”
It was possible. Maybe it was just a well-timed coincidence.
Thinking about today’s events, it made sense. Ji-Ah must have called Si-Yoon after their conversation, surprising him with her big announcement.
But still...
“...Is this really a coincidence?”
No, no, no. It had to be. Anything else would be ridiculous.
When Si-Yoon returned to Earth, hadn’t he said:
[“Oh, uh... I’m a freelancer! Sometimes I might be a bit loud in my room, so don’t worry about it, okay?”]
That’s what he said. To ignore any occasional noise from his room.
But in truth, there had hardly been any noise at all.
“...Am I starting to make excuses for myself?”
With a firm yet puzzled expression, Si-Hyun stared at the door. If looks could exert pressure, the door would’ve been obliterated.
Si-Hyun’s emotions denied the facts, but her sharp intellect urged her not to let it go.
Caught between her feelings and reason, Si-Hyun wavered like a reed in the wind.
Eventually, she turned back to the screen. MomoBin was still on the call, the broadcast yet to resume.
“Sorry, Si-Yoon, but I have to test this...”
Resolving to get to the bottom of things, Si-Hyun waited like a predator stalking its prey.
When MomoBin finally resumed:
“‘Sorry, sorry! That took longer than I expected. It was an important call.’”
Si-Hyun, however, remained absolutely still, her gaze locked on the screen.
“‘Okay! Today, I’m really going to show you the ending!’”
As the broadcast moved on, Si-Hyun stayed patient, waiting for the perfect moment.
“If it’s a coincidence, I’ll just keep enjoying the show. But if it’s not...”
She hesitated, her thoughts swirling. But she knew she had to act.
When MomoBin started an intense in-game battle, Si-Hyun seized the opportunity.
She picked up her phone and dialed her brother’s number.