"Ahem. Are we expecting guests?"
The man who stepped into the entrance was none other than Lee Jin-ho.
'He should still be at the dojo.'
Unless there was something urgent, his father typically stayed at the dojo office until the evening. A quick glance at the clock confirmed the time—1:30 PM.
Yet here he was.
Si-woo approached and asked, "What brings you home so early?"
"You said you were taking the day off, and then I saw you coming home with someone I didn't recognize. Thought I'd check in."
Jin-ho cast a glance behind Si-woo, eyes landing on Do Min-jun.
"Huh."
Seeing the child, Jin-ho's expression shifted to one of shock.
"You! Without telling your father?!"
Before Si-woo could react, Jin-ho firmly grabbed both his shoulders.
"W-What's wrong, Dad?"
"Si-woo, my boy! A man should leave his mark on this world!"
"Huh? What?"
"It's fine. I understand! Life happens! Mistakes are made! And sometimes... those mistakes lead to unexpected children!"
"What?! Dad!"
In that moment, Si-woo pieced it together—his father thought Min-jun was his son.
'Of course. What else could lead him to such a wild conclusion?'
Classic Dad.
"Sigh. Come inside. I'll explain everything."
"Oh? Alright. I'd like to learn more about my grandson anyway."
Jin-ho stepped inside, his face full of anticipation.
"Wait... So this kid isn't your son, but an alien?"
"He's not my son. And yes, he's got nothing to do with me in that way."
"Huh. An alien, huh..."
Jin-ho nodded, surprisingly calm.
'For someone seeing an extraterrestrial for the first time, he's taking this rather well.'
Of course, Min-jun currently looked like any ordinary child—far from the monstrous form Si-woo had initially encountered. Still, wasn't this a bit too nonchalant?
"You're seriously not fazed by the fact that an alien is here on Earth?"
Jin-ho shrugged. "I was shocked when those Gates first appeared on Earth, but at this point? Aliens invading wouldn't even surprise me. Honestly, wasn't it always obvious that we weren't alone in the universe?"
"Well... you're not wrong."
Si-woo had to admit his father had a point. The revelation of alien life had once been world-shattering, but now, Hunters made their livelihoods hunting extraterrestrial creatures.
Jin-ho sighed. "What a shame."
His face showed clear disappointment.
"What's with that look, Dad?"
"I was really hoping for a grandchild."
"Dad!"
"Alright, alright. I get it. But this kid is the reason you awakened as a Hunter, right?"
"I'm not a kid!"
Min-jun interjected, puffing up his small chest.
Jin-ho gave him a skeptical look. "Could've fooled me. You sure look like one."
"I told you! It's magic!"
"Then why not transform into an adult if you wanted to be taken seriously?"
"T-That's... difficult."
"Why?"
Min-jun hesitated before mumbling, "My race values honesty. When we transform into another species, we match their relative age..."
"Blah, blah, blah—get to the point."
Cutting him off, Jin-ho eyed him with suspicion.
Min-jun, unwilling to back down, shouted, "I—I'll have you know I've lived for 120 years! I am a proud Hantaura!"
Jin-ho raised an eyebrow. "120 years?"
"That's right!"
Jin-ho hummed, pondering. "You mentioned earlier that you transform relative to age, right?"
Once an explorer of ancient ruins, Jin-ho had a sharp mind and a knack for connecting dots. This detail wasn't lost on him.
"Tell me, kid. What's the average lifespan of your species?"
"Uh... well, about 900 to 1,200 years?"
"And you're 120?"
"Y-Yeah? Why?"
Jin-ho smirked. "So, by your species' standards, 120 years old is basically... a toddler?"
"Gasp!"
Min-jun's eyes widened in horror.
'Got him,' Jin-ho thought, grinning.
"See? You can talk all you want about magic and ancient wisdom, but at the end of the day, a kid is still a kid."
"No, no! That's not true!"
"Watch your tone, boy. You're being awfully loud for someone talking back to an adult."
"I am an adult! I swear!"
"I've never met an adult who has to argue about being an adult."
With that, Jin-ho casually picked up a wooden back scratcher resting near the table.
"W-What are you doing?"
Min-jun's eyes darted nervously.
Jin-ho's tone remained calm. "Respect your elders. If magic turned you into a child, then you're a child."
"You can't just—!"
Whack!
"OW!"
Min-jun clutched his head, eyes wide. "I—I dodged that! How did you hit me so fast?!"
"I've trained in kendo for years. You think I can't read a brat's movements?"
"Lies! There's no way a human without mana could move that fast! Try again!"
"Alright."
Jin-ho swung again.
Min-jun, quick as lightning, darted to the side.
Whack!
Despite his speed, the back scratcher curved mid-air and landed cleanly on his head.
Thud.
Min-jun collapsed onto the floor, dazed.
Jin-ho smirked. "I don't condone violence, but sometimes, a stubborn kid needs discipline. Still want to challenge an elder?"
Min-jun frantically shook his head.
"Good. Now, will you show some respect?"
"But I'm royalty..."
Jin-ho simply raised the back scratcher.
"R-Respect is important!"
Si-woo nearly burst out laughing but managed to stifle it. Seeing Min-jun's defeated expression was too much.
By the time breakfast was over and the table was cleared, the new household dynamic had already been established. Min-jun had accepted Jin-ho as an elder and Si-woo as an older brother. After all, by human standards, he was only about eleven.
"So, you'll be staying on Earth until your mana heart is repaired?" Si-woo asked.
"Yes."
"And how long will that take?"
"I... I don't know. There are too many things I need to find to fix it."
Si-woo glanced at his father. "What do you think, Dad? He doesn't have anywhere to go."
Jin-ho stroked his chin. "Well, he did help you awaken as a Hunter. Seems only right to return the favor."
"So he can stay?"
"If he agrees."
Si-woo turned to Min-jun. "Well? Want to stay with us for now?"
Min-jun hesitated, then nodded. "I suppose I could... if you insist."
Jin-ho rolled his eyes. "Just say 'yes' next time. Anyway, welcome aboard."
Si-woo smiled. A new member of the family... and an interesting one at that.