This government program teaches Hunters essential knowledge.
Training sessions run three to four times yearly, open for application during enrollment periods.
Despite claims of being helpful for newcomers, the 500,000 won fee gives people pause, especially since blogs and forums already share similar tips.
Yet many pay the premium for two reasons: verified information, and networking opportunities to form teams.
Si-hyun and I joined purely to build solid foundational knowledge.
When choosing clothes from my wardrobe, I automatically picked trousers over skirts.
Wearing a skirt felt like admitting I wasn't a man anymore, so I never tried one.
After dressing, I headed to meet Si-hyun.
Though I used to notice people staring, I'd grown accustomed to it now.
Arriving at our meeting spot, I found Si-hyun already waiting.
He'd cut his hair short and had multiple bandages on his face.
"Hey."
"You made it."
"What happened to your face?"
"These? Just scrapes from training."
He'd hired a personal coach and was taking it seriously.
I slapped his back.
"Going all out?"
"I quit being a civil servant for this. Of course I am."
True, unlike my unemployed self, he had real stakes in this.
"What's with the car?"
"Heard Hunters need wheels. Bought it used."
Having a vehicle helps when visiting Gates or transporting Magic Stones and byproducts. Though buyers operate near Gates, they lowball prices citing transport costs. Handling delivery yourself saves money and hassle. He'd planned this through, unlike my aimless self.
The modified mid-size SUV had its rear seats removed, creating expanded cargo space.
The training camp sat on the city outskirts. Staff led us to a classroom resembling a school lecture hall.
Si-hyun and I took seats beside printed schedules and textbooks.
The schedule showed Days 1-5 covered Gate and Monster theory, while Days 6-10 involved advanced practical tests and VR Simulation Combat.
"VR sounds fun."
Si-hyun responded flatly, seeming distracted.
"Maybe."
About twenty trainees attended this session. After instructors arrived, classes began.
The opening covered Gate and Hunter history, essentially middle-school material with minor additions. I struggled to stay engaged.
During breaks, others socialized while I stayed apart. Having no ordinary friends, how could I join their conversations?
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Some approached me, but I fumbled replies or shut them down, later regretting it.
Meanwhile, Si-hyun chatted easily with everyone.
Had he not defended me from bullies in high school, he might've had more friends back then.
The following days proved more tedious than expected.
During the five-day theoretical training, I had rejected all attempts at conversation from day one, deliberately choosing to be a loner. As people lost interest in me, Si-hyun's popularity soared, not that I envied him... probably.
On the final day of training, we ended up at a bar.
The monster identification, characteristics, and weakness classes that started from day two forced me to study harder than I ever had in high school. The accumulated stress drove us here for a drink.
What began as a stress-relief session quickly lost its purpose after a few rounds.
Truth was... I still felt jealous of that popular bastard.
Well, people did approach me too, but my long-standing isolation made normal conversation impossible. I'd awkwardly shut down conversations, only to regret it later.
Seeing me gulp down drinks faster, Si-hyun stopped pouring, which only made me sulk.
"Hey, that's enough."
"Why? I said I want to drink. Why stop me?"
"You look drunk already. Finish this bottle and we're done."
Impossible! I normally handle three bottles easily, and we haven't even finished two...
I pushed his hand away and chugged the remaining liquor, feeling my consciousness blur.
"Si-yeon..."
Thud!
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"Young man, better take care of your girlfriend."
Seong Si-hyun smiled wryly at his friend slumped unconscious over the table.
His friend, now turned into a girl, hadn't just shrunk in height and build, even her alcohol tolerance seemed to have weakened, knocking her out quickly.
"Check, please."
After paying, he glanced at his friend again.
This friend who transformed from male to female overnight, had he not been the first to discover it, had it not been in that sealed motel room, had she not been wearing the same clothes, he would never have believed it possible.
"Sigh."
He lifted her in a princess carry, sighing. As they exited the bar, the girl in his arms burrowed deeper against the cold wind. The squirming would've been cute in any ordinary girl, but this one had been his bro until two weeks ago, killing any cute factor.
He regretted going drinking today. He couldn't drive, nor could he leave his friend on the streets. The thought of another motel stay made him sigh again.
He eventually headed to the nearest hotel.
After removing only her coat and tucking her under the covers, he wrestled with his options: though he'd only had one drink, should he walk home or stay with this troublesome friend?
As someone popular in school, he'd had plenty of female friends. He knew exactly how attractive the transformed Jeong Si-yeon was, those full breasts would make any man react, but the memory from six days ago gave him instant chills.
Though he kept it from his friend, the one conducting his special training had been his friend's brother. Jeong Seong-yeon, Korea's S-Class Hunter, who upon hearing his sister wanted to become a Hunter with her companion, couldn't bring himself to scold his sister and instead drilled the hell out of her "friend."
The training did help him awaken a Sub-ability and clarify his development path, but the brother's warning echoed in his mind: "No matter how desperate, don't touch women. She might test your limits, but endure it without crossing the line, understand?" The seemingly cold brother actually doted deeply on his sister. Watching his sleeping friend now, that warning resonated once more.
It was true she still kept the habit of slinging an arm over his shoulder even after her transition. He’d always thought of it as a buddy thing. But that look in her eyes at the dinner table tonight… In ten years, he’d never seen her with that jealous, complicated expression.
He decided to stop overthinking it. No matter what, he believed their friendship would last.
In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to leave his drunk friend alone. Si-hyun quietly lay down on the other side of the bed. He kept repeating to himself, "This is Jeong Si-yeon, not a woman."
When the sound of her breathing drew near, his insomnia kicked in. He started counting sheep. Just as he reached two hundred and began to drift off, she suddenly rolled over and draped her limbs across him.
"Damn it…"
To make things worse, she snuggled closer, as if searching for warmth. When her chest pressed against him, he was wide awake.
The closeness of their breathing, body heat, and the feel of her chest against him sent him into a confused prayer: Please just let me pass out. Three hours later, he finally lost consciousness from exhaustion.
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I woke up to my phone alarm, having slept soundly.
The sight that greeted me was shocking, Si-hyun in his loungewear, right in front of my eyes. That’s when I realized my face and body were buried in his chest.
"!!"
I tried to pull away in a panic but froze. Waking him would be awkward. So I slowly lifted the covers and inched my way out.
Once free, I turned off the alarm and stood by the bed to assess the situation.
Luckily, I was still fully dressed except for my jacket, and Si-hyun seemed to have all his clothes on too.
Damn, my tolerance must have dropped along with my body size. I remembered boasting drunkenly, but everything after that was a blank.
Looks like Si-hyun took care of me after I passed out.
"Ugh-"
Suddenly I felt my body heating up. I was already causing him enough trouble as it was, and now I’d gone and bothered him again last night. I decided to at least take a cold shower to cool down.
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