Declaration Of Extra Strike

 

“Wow, is this from the sports festival? I’ve never seen this before. It’s so cute.” 

 

I flipped through the stack of photos, searching for any pictures of Sa-na. There weren’t many photos of him alone. Most of the photos had me or other kids in the background, with Sa-na appearing as a small figure in the scene. 

 

“Isn’t there any photo where Sa-na is just by himself?” 

 

“He didn’t like having his photo taken. With his personality, this is actually a lot of pictures of him… By the way, there aren’t many photos of you either. Who took them?” 

 

“I can just see my face whenever I look at the mirror, so I don’t really care. Find more photos of Sa-na.” 

 

“I think I can find something like a passport photo…” 

 

Han Chang-sik’s voice trailed off as he stared at me. The gaze on my face made me feel a little uneasy, and as I raised my hand to my forehead, I could feel the gauze over the torn wound. 

 

As expected, Chang-sik asked in a concerned tone. 

 

“Are you really okay? Who hit you?” 

 

“I just fell.” 

 

Damn it, how embarrassing… Yesterday, I threw a fit about not wanting to go abroad and ended up getting hit again. That bastard Tae Jae-heon. 

 

I awkwardly swept my bangs down over my forehead. Just as I was about to ask him to show me any passport photos of Sa-na, a thought crossed my mind and my eyes widened. 

 

“Right, do you have something like a class register?”

 

“Yeah, why?” 

 

“I was wondering if Sa-na had left the orphanage or if he’s still there, but I don’t know his age.” 

 

“If it’s the 17th class register, it should be in the director’s office. But the administrative staff is usually… Oh, today’s their day off. Do you want to go take a look?” 

 

I headed toward the inner building with Han Chang-sik. Since it was a day off, the door was locked, but he unlocked it with a key, and we made our way to the director’s office. While we waited on the sofa in the director’s office, Han Chang-sik rummaged through the bookshelf and pulled out a file. 

 

“Here, I found the 17th class. Let me see in the Alpha room fir……. Huh?” 

 

“Did you find it? Let me see.” 

 

Han Chang-sik, who had opened it first, mumbled while looking confused at the roster. 

 

“His name was Sa-na?” 

 

“You’re just realizing that now? His name is cute. When I first saw him, I mistook him for a girl, but later I found out his name was Sa-na. So, I secretly asked him if he was really a girl, offering to keep it a secret, and then he kicked me in the shin. Plus, Sa-na didn’t want to talk to me for a week after that…” 

 

“No! It’s San-ha! San-ha! Not Sa-na, but San! Ha!” 

 

“……….What?” 

 

I couldn’t hold back and got up, approaching Han Chang-sik, who was clearly misunderstanding something. 

 

“What are you talking about? San-ha is Seong San-ha with the ‘San’… Our Sa-na is… what is this?” 

 

I froze, mouth agape, as I looked at the picture Han Chang-sik was pointing to. 

 

Big eyes, a nose that was unusually sharp for a child. The bright, light-colored child looked so much like Seong San-ha that I’d believe it if he said it was his child. 

 

Han Chang-sik’s finger tapped the name below the photo. “Look here. San-ha. Right? And the age… let’s see… it’s listed as unknown.”

 

I couldn’t hear the rest of Han Chang-sik’s ramblings. A chill ran down my spine, and it even reached my ears. 

 

Sa-na, our beautiful Sa-na… is

Seong San-ha?

 

***

 

Even after leaving the orphanage, I wandered around in confusion, eventually sitting alone in a corner, muttering to myself. 

 

“This doesn’t make sense… How… how could that be?” 

 

Could this transformation be real? Sure, I admit that Seong San-ha was incredibly handsome. He’s probably one of the

most attractive people anyone has ever seen. 

 

But Sa-na… our Sa-na…! 

 

‘It’s like a completely different person!!’ 

 

It’s like a puppy turning into Cerberus. It’s no different from Cloud becoming a Minotaur! 

 

But no matter how much I denied it, everything pointed to Sa-na being Seong San-ha. Honestly, if Seong San-ha were somehow to be reshaped into something smaller, cuter, and prettier, he’d look like our Sa-na… 

 

No, no, let’s not go down that weird thought process. I shook my head in an attempt to push aside these unnecessary thoughts, as I felt like something precious in my chest had been taken away. But if Seong San-ha really is Sa-na…

 

I could finally understand the obsession Seong San-ha had with ‘Kang Eui-jin,’ from the moment he met me and started saying things like he was going to “tear my face apart.” 

 

What did he eat to grow so much bigger than me? How many kilograms did his muscles increase? How did his personality change like that? He was so quiet and sweet when he was little. Now he’s…

 

—”Come here, puppy.” 

 

I froze in place, staring into space, thinking about both Sa-na and Seong San-ha, when the voice that suddenly crossed my mind made me flinch and shake my body. It wasn’t just about Seong San-ha’s past—it was something much bigger that came to mind. 

 

‘So, all this time, I’ve been hit by Sa-na and behaved like a dog with a collar around my neck towards him?’ 

 

I felt like biting my tongue. I wanted to bang my head against the wall. 

 

“Damn, this is embarrassing… Seong San-ha, you bastard…”

 

Knowing now that Sa-na was Seong San-ha, I couldn’t bring myself to curse as I used to. The gap between the memories of the past and the harsh reality, coupled with the waves of self-loathing that hit me, left me struggling to keep myself afloat. I barely snapped out of it when I heard voices approaching.

 

No longer at the orphanage, and with no need to be cautious, I let out a deep sigh as I stepped out of the alley. A group of people noticed me and stopped in their tracks. A new secretary of Tae Jae-heon—replacing the previous one—spotted me and ran over with wide eyes.

 

“Eui-jin nim, what are you doing here alone?”

 

“Just taking a walk. I’m heading back now, so don’t tell Tae Jae-h—huh?”

 

I waved my hand dismissively in irritation, but I froze when I saw the man at the very front of the group. Thin silver-

framed glasses and an enigmatic smile. Without realizing it, I rubbed my eyes.

 

‘It’s Zero?’

 

Could it be that Zero was caught while trying to rescue me? I was stunned and about to call out his name when he raised a finger to his lips, signaling me to stay quiet. I quickly pressed my lips together.

 

The secretary, who hadn’t noticed Zero because he was checking his watch, looked up and adjusted his expression.

 

“If you go back right now, I won’t say anything to him. Please head straight back. I’ll excuse myself as I need to attend to the guests.”

 

“Guests? Do you mean these people? Why are they here?”

 

Unlike me or Cheong, who had been dragged in unconscious, Zero looked perfectly presentable. I tried to ask the secretary about him, but he just shook his head, looking uncomfortable.

 

“I’m sorry, but this concerns the Guild Master’s private affairs, so I can’t disclose anything.”

 

“Tae Jae-heon called for them? But Tae Jae-heon said this morning he’d be at Nox’s headquarters.”

 

The secretary coughed awkwardly and replied, “He will be here shortly…

Ahem

, the Guild Master doesn’t want you getting involved in this matter, Eui-jin nim. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll take my leave now.”

 

With that, the secretary turned away, almost fleeing the scene, while Zero followed leisurely, his expression untroubled. I stood there, staring after them in bewilderment.

 

“What the hell…? Doesn’t seem like he’s here to rescue me.”

 

Tae Jae-heon not wanting me to know? That just made it all the more important for me to figure out what this was about. 

 

I ignored the secretary’s instruction to return immediately, erased it from my mind entirely, and instead turned back into the alley. If Tae Jae-heon was involved, there was only one obvious place he’d go.

 

It was a place I’d already been once while searching for Cloud—the building housing the reception room and Tae Jae-heon’s office. I avoided the cameras by taking the back route and arrived at the building around the same time as them. I slipped into a multipurpose room connected to the reception room through a storage area.

 

From an open window above, the voices of the men floated down.

 

“When will the Nox Guild Master arrive?”

 

“He’ll be here in less than ten minutes. As I mentioned earlier, the transport operation is set for a week from now. Today’s just a preliminary check for the site and personnel. Please be patient.”

 

After the secretary left, the men began chatting among themselves.

 

“So, we’re all working separately, right? How much is everyone getting upfront?”

 

“Hey, you know we’re not supposed to talk about that! Besides, I’m sure So-young got a decent cut too. She’s been doing well lately.”

 

“Haha! Not that well, really.”

 

“What kind of job do you think this is to warrant calling so many of us here? Doesn’t seem like it’s even a joint operation.”

 

“Still, Nox is Nox. Even if they’re struggling, just gathering this many people must’ve cost a fortune.”

 

“Seriously. I’ve never seen so many high-ranking hunters gathered in one place.”

 

They were private mercenaries. Judging by their conversation, they seemed to be fairly high-level hunters. What kind of operation was Nox planning that required assembling such a formidable group?

 

Zero’s voice hadn’t been part of the earlier conversation, so I couldn’t figure out why he was here. Just as I leaned on my toes to press my ear closer to the window above, Zero’s voice finally broke through.

 

“I’ll step out for a moment to take a call.”

 

“Don’t be late! You know how short-tempered the Nox Guild Master is.”

 

As I strained to listen more closely, the doorknob in front of me began to turn, and the door opened. Before I could react or hide, Zero stepped inside, and our eyes met.

 

“…Zero.”

 

“Long time no see, boss. Oh dear… your face has taken quite a beating, hasn’t it?”

 

His face was adorned with that usual sly smile, making me frown as I glared at him. I had my suspicions before, but now his reaction confirmed them.

 

“What the hell are you?”

 

“Pardon me? What are you talking about?”

 

“I knew something was off. So, you’re Tae Jae-heon’s lackey, huh? …Does that mean you’re the one who sold my information to him?”

 

In an instant, Zero closed the distance and shoved me against the wall. His hand covered my mouth as he glanced toward the door and muttered.

 

“Tsk, tsk. You need to be quiet, boss. There are several high-ranked hunters just outside.”

 

“

Mmph!

…Let go!”

 

“Now, now, boss. Are you suspecting me? That stings, you know. Have I really done something to lose your trust?”

 

“Nah, just that all your info conveniently disappeared from my workshop, and now here you are, cozying up in the middle of Nox. Why the hell would I trust you? Frankly, the idea that you sold me out makes way more sense.”

 

At my accusation, Zero chuckled, baring his teeth in amusement.

 

“Well, well. Who knows…? I’ll admit, the thought crossed my mind once or twice. But honestly, selling you out seemed far less entertaining than sticking around to watch. If I’m guilty of anything, it’s being sharp enough to figure out you were Potion Master Kang Eui-jin a little earlier than most.”

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