He realized, he was in a hospital bed.
He looked at his arm once more, just to make sure.
What a stupid way to lose a limb that would have been.
Then he remembered Sanghyun. He swung up in a sitting position. He broke into a sweat, his heart pumping hard. A machine shot out an emergency beeping sound.
A nurse arrived slamming the door open, yelling across the corridor "emergency!" calling doctors and more staff to intervene.
Seungho sat there staring at her, his face flushed red and feeling apologetic for the ruckus he had caused. The nurse had large shoulders despite being short. She could have tossed Seungho around if she really wanted to.
Seungho laughed, nervous. More doctors entered the room marching towards Seungho. He laid down, faking some pain, and lifting his covers all the way up over his head.
Without asking for permission, the nurse grabbed his covers and peeled them off Seungho. She got to the pillows before he did. She stopped and looked him in his eyes. "We need to examine you." The doctors nodded to her words, quickly busying themselves to assess Seungho's health condition.
Everything was normal.
Everyone left the room, except the nurse.
"How long have I been out?"
"Two hours more or less."
Oh, two hours like the system established.
He went on and timidly asked for Sanghyun.
"He is fine…."
She said with a reassuring smile.
"...You are the problem."
And continued checking the machines was attached to.
Seungho sighed deeply but smiled. He couldn't have Sanghyun collapse too because of him.
Now able to relax, he asked for some water.
Then three people from Entre came in. The boss from the first interview with two others—the masked man and someone else, both from the Duke's team. Seungho had forgotten the name of the masked one.
Seungho had a bit of a headache but was trying to keep himself awake. Accident or no accident, he still hadn't been hired by Entre. He needed the job.
No, who am I kidding...I want this job.
He propped himself up, wanting to get out of bed. They stopped him.
"No need for that. Please stay in bed." The boss moved his sunglasses over his head, and unbuttoned his jacket. "We have a few questions for you."
The masked one pulled a chair for the boss.
"Yang Seungho-ssi. Your performance was... unusual."
"I know. I don't have control." And started to mumble a flow of sentences they couldn't decipher.
"That's right, you have no control of your powers."
The voice arrived before the woman it belonged to entered the room. She had long, shiny red hair in ringlets. Clearly dyed. She cared for her updo.
It is weird. This woman, I vaguely remember her silhouette earlier with the Duke's team in the lobby…? But she didn't look like that. Did she? I get a feeling I met her before….
"Your powers...that is not what we expected," intervened the mask, looking straight at Seungho. His tone was serious but not alarming.
This time there was no mention of scores. Seungho remember he forgot to check his stats.
No, Seungho, no. This is not the time. Focus.
He exhaled.
"Please don't tell me that after all that monkey stuff I went through I still haven't made it into Entre?!?"
The boss started to laugh loudly. "So you have met the Apelox."
Again, it seems they cannot see inside these rooms. Hmmm, and it also seems not everyone does meet the Apelox.
"Well, yes."
He leaned forward. "Oh, you have made it, son!" He couldn't be ten years older than Seungho.
"It is not a matter of whether you have made it, but what we are to do with you." The third person added half-serious half-jokingly.
Seungho wondered just how many teams were there, and which one he would likely join.
Suddenly he felt observed, like someone's eyes stared at him from the side. He turned quickly. No one was there.
Where is that woman?
"Are you alright?"
"Sorry, I am just tired."
He glanced around trying to find her. Why was is so hard?
"So?"
"What?"
"Will you come work for us?"
"If you are interested and serious about working for Entre, we will send you a contract for you to look over," said the boss with confidence.
Seungho's chest filled. An anchor to all his problems, and he grabbed it.
Better be cautious.
"So, the job is mine if I want it...?"
"Yes." The boss put his sunglasses on again and got up from the chair, ready to leave.
"Tomorrow," said the mysterious woman with a soft voice that seemed to caress Seungho's ear into sleep, "we would like you to come to the office to discuss the events of the test with Park Sanghyun-ssi. And get your thoughts on his performance."
"You want my opinion?"
"Yes."
If I had a chance to work together with Sanghyun-ssi, I would.
"Don't worry, you will be out of here by tomorrow morning. They will hold you up a little longer for some more check ups" the mask added, revealing a degree of concern for others that Seungho thought didn't fit his image.
Seungho realized he'd gone quiet. Pensive. The kind of quiet that made people ask if he was okay.
"Yes. I'll see you in the morning."
They left. The door clicked shut.
Seungho lay back, arms crossed behind his head. He twisted his lips.
Sanghyun.
He's not in yet. How? How does he not deserve a spot?
The way he talks. "That's what hunters do." Like he's already one of them.
He is a hunter.
He turned to his side.
But maybe... maybe he's not the kind they're looking for.
Then what kind are they looking for?
Wait.
He sat up.
My stats! Finally.
"Screen."
The screen appeared and flickered.
[ ENTERING NEW SYSTEM... ]
Cursor blinking. New colors. New style.
The screen disappeared. And reappeared with the stat.
Now it was neon blue. Sharp and clean.
I see.
.
[ STATS ]
[ Strength: 20 ]
[ Agility: 20 ]
[ Vitality: 20 ]
[ Stamina: 20 ]
[ Mana: 20 ]
[ Synergy: 20 ]
.
[ Performance: 10 ]
[ Charisma: 10 ]
[ Visuals: 10 ]
[ Fandom: 10 ]
[ Growth Potential: 10]
.
[ POINTS AVAILABLE: 0 ]
.
[ RANK: UNRANKED | PRE-TRAINEE ]
[ POSITION: UNAVAILABLE ]
[ COMBAT WEAPONS: UNAVAILABLE ]
[ FANDOM NAME: UNAVAILABLE ]
[ PENDING: CONTRACT ACCEPTANCE ]
.
He stared at the rankings. At his stats wondering how they actually worked. At the numbers that said he was finally something.
Yes!
He missed the old screen though. Soft white. Warm.
It was surely pleasing.
Seungho smiled to himself anyway. Now excited.
A new job, phew!
He lay down again, stretching.
The screen repositioned itself above him.
Difficulty and regret? What happened to those, why don't they matter anymore?
New system? What happened to the old one?
Well, these are easier to deal with.
He looked at the numbers. All twenties. Like a template waiting to be filled.
It also marked a new life.
Being sent a contract means I'm already in the system.
I just haven't accepted it yet.
In the evening, Seungho was fed a substantial amount of food. He still couldn't get used to so such large quantities, although it made sense.
He laid in bed, lights down, he needed rest, lots of it. He was happy Sanghyun was fine. In retrospect why wouldn't Sanghyun be? The first test as well had seemed deadly, but then he was safe. Why would the second test be any different? Yet, in the midst of things it was hard to distinguish between fake and real danger.
Not being able to tell the difference was scary.
Right before falling asleep, another question came to him attention.
What are those rooms?
He closed his eyes to fall asleep, he wanted to enjoy that cozy feeling. But he wasn't feeling it yet, the euphoria of having made it. Something bugged him.
I feel like they came to check me out.
And what are those rooms exactly? How are they built?
It was too late now. He will have to think about it tomorrow.
His eyelids felt heavy, he turned on one side, grabbed his pillow and fell asleep, soundly.
Seungho woke up in the hospital. He reached for his phone. He hadn't overslept.
Lucky!
Then he unlocked his phone and searched for the contract he had carefully saved on a separate folder the evening before, an insurance against accidental deletion.
It was still there. He wanted to read it but opted for delayed gratification. Even if he was supposed to.
He kissed his phone, more than once. Good, he was still in a good mood. Taking the risk of getting himself infected was paying off.
He then noticed a message from Entre from that woman the day before. Seungho still had difficulty in remembering anything about her. And wondered if others had the same issue or it was just him.
It was a reminder about the meeting with few more details and informing him his clothing had been replaced. He would find a fresh set in his hospital room.
He got out of bed, and his body was well-rested. He felt more confident about his powers, as if the more he used them the more he intuitively knew what they were capable of.