FTE 002

Another rookie, Hyeongmin, who’d been trailing behind with a yawn, probably on his very first dispatch since joining the agency, rushed over and greeted him. 

“Woah, aren’t all the genuine items stored inside there?”

“Nope? They buried them underground in the Alps.”

“If that place explodes, we’re done for.”

I maintained a highly skeptical attitude. Seunggyu chuckled and agreed, saying I was right. Maybe our carefree attitudes were why we were good friends at one point. However, looking back now, I started to doubt it. Were we really friends?

In any case, this was the era of dungeons. My previous memories felt hazy, like remnants from a past life, making trust increasingly elusive.

“Hey, Yang Baekgyeom. You aren’t going there.” 

I went to pick at the wax in my ear, ready to ditch these clowns, when Seunggyu suddenly snagged me. I turned around, unable to hide my annoyance, and he just grinned. The gold tooth glinting in his canine made him look less twenty-eight and more like he could be anywhere between six and fifty-four.

Who knew that naturally handsome features, chubby cheeks, and an old-man fashion sense could combine to create such a deeply unsettling effect? Maybe this little punk is a Hunter too? Nah, he gives off psychic vibes. An Esper, maybe? 

“You go over there. Fourth floor.”

“The fourth floor? There’s a fourth floor here?”

“Yes, there is.”

Whether it was due to dungeons spawning and releasing all sorts of monsters or people developing supernatural abilities, superstitions were rampant these days. The Hunter Association still believed in the ominousness associated with the number four, so they omitted the fourth floor from their building when constructing it. Helios had been quite instrumental during the early stages of establishing the association, but even though they didn’t share this particular superstition, they’d removed the fourth floor upon hearing that some hospitals continued to adhere to such beliefs.

Now, Helios no longer exists in Korea—or anywhere else for that matter. Amidst an accounting scandal, a series of exposé documentaries shattered the company beyond repair.

The company had sued for defamation, claiming the documentary was fake news, but due to its unethical and immoral content, most of their clients and even the US government cut ties with them. Here’s what it alleged:

‘Helios conducted experiments on orphans to turn them into hunters. There were no failures, as they also helped develop new medications.’

It was utterly revolting. The Hunter Association of Korea swiftly severed relations with Helios as well.

Some people speculated that the US government had orchestrated this because Helios had become too influential. Others claimed the CIA supported the documentary, and while it was true that Helios ran several orphanages, they did so purely out of charity.

In any case, it was just a brief rumor. Each day was so dramatic that people couldn’t be interested for several years in a company that had already disappeared.

I was no different. What Helios left behind at the Hunter Association wasn’t important, whether they ultimately left something or not. The important thing now was that officially, the fourth floor was called the fifth floor, and everyone considered it as such.

“We have to go up the stairs from the third floor. If you open the examination room next to the ‘Atypical Life Form Specialized Department’, there’s a staircase.”

“How do you know this in such detail?”

“It’s information, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to work here~ You should thank me.”

“Take less commission midway.”

It was complicated to go there. I put my hands in my pockets and snatched Seunggyu’s sunglasses with one hand. Ignoring his ‘ahh’, I strode away. The security guard already recognized me and immediately let me through the visitor entrance. His expression showed indifference, indicating that no inspection was needed since I would soon be affiliated with this place.

“How’ve you been?”

“Good.”

“The kids… they started elementary school, right?”

“I sent them to Jeju Island not long ago.”

“Oh my, that’s quite far away.”

Jeju Island was indeed distant from Sejong City. With tears welling up in his eyes, the security guard nodded as if he missed seeing the kids already. Not wanting to get emotional, I promptly headed for the elevator.

It was quiet at this time of day. With nothing else to do, I glanced at my reflection and saw a face that felt both familiar yet strange. Since I rarely looked in mirrors, it always caught me off guard when I did. My eyes appeared tired, but that was because I’d played video games late last night. Sleep had completely eluded me the day before returning to the Hunter Association headquarters.

I rested one hand on my chin, turned my head side to side, and admired myself. Hmm, looking good today as usual. Seunggyu’s tacky sunglasses, which made him look thirty years older, actually suited me quite well.

‘You know you’re handsome, so stop flaunting it.’

That was how Seunggyu grumbled about me, but since he wasn’t wrong, I just laughed it off. Being well-paid and attractive is all that matters, right? Now, if only I could find a home in the safe green zone far from those unstable red zones.

“Ah.”

It happened when I heard that ‘ding’. After checking and getting off, I realized we were on the second underground floor. I hadn’t confirmed which floor we were descending to. Nervously, I repeatedly pressed the button for the third floor. The elevator door opened, and a man dressed entirely in black with a deeply pulled-down hat entered.

The man looked at the dashboard with his head bowed. Seeing the flashing number three, he lowered his hand again. It seemed like he was also going to the third floor.

We reached the third floor instantly. The man and I got off together. At first glance, all I could see of his profile were his lips, but they appeared young. His straight, tightly pursed lips conveyed stubbornness. However, it was unfortunate as bloodstains marred their otherwise appealing appearance. But more important than some stranger’s lips was my bank balance, so I didn’t dwell on it for long.

I walked towards the examination room. As I strode along, I felt slow footsteps chasing me from behind. Despite our different walking speeds, the distance between us remained constant. With his head hanging low, it was hard to gauge his exact height accurately.

<Specimen Room>

Finally finding the examination room at the end of the corridor, I cleared my throat nervously and grabbed the doorknob. Just as I wondered if that gloomy fellow had disappeared, I heard a click.

He released the adjacent door handle before me and entered first.

“Huh.”

Is he someone who works on the fourth floor? Maybe that’s why he has such a unique personality? Most employees at the Hunter Association were public servants, so encountering this type of character was quite rare for me. Puzzled, I stepped inside after him.

Was he impatient by nature? He was taking two steps at a time. I gripped the handrail and slowly climbed after him. Soon, there came the sound of the emergency exit door opening and closing again.

“It would be troublesome if the fourth floor is full of eccentrics like that.” He shook his head while removing his sunglasses and placing them in his pocket. Then, he ran his fingers through his hair to style it casually yet attractively. My appearance, which was my only reliable asset from growing up in poverty, never betrayed me.

“I’m feeling a bit nervous.”

I had been to floors one through three multiple times over several years, but this was my first time on the fourth floor, so I felt slightly nervous. The door opened abruptly.

“…..”

The interior… how should I describe it? Should I say it looked like a dentist’s office or the utopia constructed by an extreme minimalist who developed obsessive-compulsive disorder and perfectionism? It even resembled the home of a psychopathic serial killer. Everything was starkly white, devoid of any human warmth. Apart from light blue accents and hints of silver metal, there were no colors other than white.

In that space…

“I’m here.”

A gloomy figure swiped their card with a dazed tone. And a mechanical sound played as he swiped his card.

―13:17, Registration number 170009, Hunter Chae Won-u, record complete. 

“Huh?” I quietly chuckled. Of course, I knew the name Chae Won-u. Patting the breast pocket of my jacket where I’d tucked away a couple of documents, I approached him and offered my hand. 

“Pleased to meet you. Starting today, I am your guide, Yang Baekgyeom.”

There was no need to make a bad first impression. Regardless of how our relationship developed, we were purely business partners, so it’s best to keep things smooth sailing.

Chae Won-u stared at my outstretched hand before removing his hat.

***

“Hunters tend to lack social skills.” I offered some consolation to Sungmin, who was sniffling.

Sungmin still had his visitor’s lanyard around his neck. Rather than empty words of comfort, sugar would be more helpful, so I gave him some fruit from my share. It was canned fruit, but processed foods were known to have a greater effect on the brain.

“I didn’t expect them to tell us to get out right away…”

“Isn’t it normal? Once, I got slapped without warning.”

“Woah.”

“With a fist.”

“Oh dear.”

Hyeongmin quickly looked at me with sympathy. However, I wasn’t deserving of such pity… As he seemed to realize that his condition wasn’t as bad as initially thought, he returned the can of fruit. Unsure if he wanted more, I hastily put a piece of mango in my mouth and asked:

“But isn’t it a bit much to cry just because someone told you off? Is this your first time here? Did you come straight from being a freelancer?”

“I’m a total newbie. My parents pushed me into this to build my resume, to be honest.”

“Hmm.”

“What about you?”

“Me?” Even after polishing off the syrup—the best part of canned peaches—I was still hungry. “I’m here for the money,” I said, scanning the room for more snacks. 

“And he’s damn good at it. Top earner in our whole agency,” Seunggyu chimed in, plopping down next to me. He was sporting another pair of those tacky sunglasses, this time perched backwards on his head.

“You going fishing?”

“Yep. How’d you guess?”

It was stupid of me to ask.