Is exploding not a common power then?
The mysterious woman with red hair shifted.
He gaped unsure what to answer.
Then occurred to him.
This could be a good thing!
Seungho began explaining, his voice higher and clear like he used to do in school.
"I exploded. I am not sure how, but that is what happened...," which sounded like a clueless rookie.
Damn! Did I lose them again?
His jaw tightened.
"Well, you see, you are still in one piece...," the boss pointed out in a matter-of-fact way.
Then it occurred to Seungho, that probably making other things explode was an entirely different thing than what he did, since one wouldn't necessarily need to protect one's body. In the end, his explosions turned out to be different, perhaps even special.
Maybe I am special, after all.
He propped himself up in excitement.
Sanghyun lifted his arms, crossing them across his chest, and accidentally touched Seungho.
That set off Seungho's memories about the events, as if there were holes, information missing he hadn't been aware were missing.
He now remembered his shield activating right before the explosion.
"Yang Seungho-ssi, are you alright? Do you have something to add?" Yoon-daepyonim asked very seriously lifting his tablet.
Now Seungho saw the black tablet clearly in his hand. Also noted someone else with the same tablet, a woman much older than the man.
The UEC. Why are they here?
"Yang-ssi, we need you to be precise."
Yet, Seungho couldn't explain exactly how he had managed to explode while protecting his body at the same time.
"What about Park-ssi?"
"I was very close to Park Sanghyun-ssi, so I guess my shield elongated, for a lack of a better word, to grab him, I think. So my shield covered us both."
Now they were truly interested, especially the Duke. Seungho could hear a low-humming growl as if the noble knights of Entre were turning into beasts.
Seungho turned to look at Sanghyun, he was staring at Seungho, his eyes open wide in shock. Seungho was confused, and so decided to probe the crowd.
"I think the explosion was stronger because we were both there under my shield."
Seungho, just stop making stupid details up!
He smiled guiltily hoping no one noticed.
He left their imagination to do the rest.
Silence.
He lifted his arm to scratch the back of his head. An unplanned nervous laugh found its way out of his mouth.
The Duke had her eyes on Seungho, the green-gray had a strong tinge of warm yellow in them making them appear warm. This time Seungho couldn't take his eyes off...hers were magnetic.
"This morning, did you wake up at 7:59am?" A sudden question that brought him back to the room.
"Y-yes," Seungho responded astonished and thrown off by the change of subject.
How could have they known what time he had woken up that morning??
But on second thought, he had been hooked on medical machinery, that's probably how.
Who knows what other vitals they checked and...,
he suddenly blushed and looked to the side hiding his expression.
Oh, no!
"The interview is over. Please leave the room and wait outside."
said the woman with red hair looking directly to Seungho.
She didn't call my name.
Seungho saw the door closing behind him. Sanghyun slightly bent over, shoulders down, defeated.
He stood there for a second feeling complicit in Sanghyun's demise.
Immediately the Mask came to talk to Seungho. "You can go home. Training will begin the day after you sign the contract. It would be ideal if you could give us a response within a week."
Seungho nodded.
The Mask adjusted the mask he was wearing showing his sharp lips in the process. "The ceremony to welcome this year's new trainees is tomorrow afternoon. If I were you I would sign my contract now. Then you can still make it to be included in the ceremony."
"A ceremony?" Seungho said perplexed.
"Well my work is done." He moved to the door and grabbed the doorknob. Bent his head back
"You should really sign it tonight. Easy extra points."
The Mask looked at Seungho up and down. "Trust me you will need them." Quickly he re-entered the room again. Someone else closed the door behind him and indicated the way out to Seungho.
Seungho looked at himself.
Need them about what? Oh well, it is done now.
A car was waiting for him to take him home. A nice treat.
On the ride over the bridge and into the city, Seungho looked out of the window.
But should I sign it? Well I guess I don't really have any other real choice.
7:59am, ha! That was not nothing. They want me to know they are watching me.
Seungho opened his phone and noted a new message.
Jiyoon: Your dismissal was finalized. When did you resign?
Jiyoon: It's okay. I know you don't want to talk. I just wish you'd been more considerate. But I won't insist.
I hurt her.
He started typing an apology. Then erased it and closed the phone.
What good would it do? I am not the person I used to be.
He looked at the contract again on the phone. There was an update. There was a signing bonus. He gulped.
I could really use that money. I wouldn't need to go home if I don't want to. No, even better, I can choose to do something else.
He grunted.
"Do you need something, Gogaeknim?" (honorific for "client")
"no, no. I am fine."
I need to be careful, I didn't expect I needed to control growling too. I guess I am a little animal now!
With the extra money came a few closes, one written smaller than the other. His eye sharply lasered out one in particular.
Section 7. Subsection C. "Perpetual and irrevocable access to all biometric and psychological data."
They own me if I sign this. They will own me.
But he knew what he was putting himself into. To him it still meant freedom. That was the difference.
He pressed "accept" button on the contract. And started laughing.
He got an instant reply. "Welcome to Entre" and a bunch of other information he would read at home, relaxing, eating some ice-cream.
The driver looked at him through the mirror with a puzzled look, but didn't say anything.
Seungho looked outside again. He sighed, relieved.
I will make it up to her, later.
When they arrived at his address, the driver handed him a bag with clothing.
Did the Mask know I was going to accept?
He blushed holing the back on his chest as if to hide. The driver was already in the car driving away.
He went up and locked the door. Not because it was dangerous, it wasn't. He needed to separate the spaces, the in from the out, to be able to think and take the proper decision.
He took a long shower. With the towel wrapped at his waste he looked for clothing. Nothing fit. Now it seemed he was even bigger. He looked at himself in the mirror.
Not bad, ha! But I really need new clothing.
He wrapped himself with a blanket. He didn't want to ruin the clothing for tomorrow.
Seungho sat down comfortably, took a bite of his Melona (popular melon ice-cream Popsicle). He was resigned to not like it. But it was his comfort food, the one that signaled him he was home.
Hmm, this seems ok. It is weird.
And thought of the food at the hospital. Bland and functional, exactly what one would expected.
He had eaten it without thinking.
Not good. Not bad. Just... taste. Especially the salt in the broth. The texture of rice crisp in his mind.
He had looked at the tray. The label: Hunter Recovery Meal.
Oh, no wonder he could eat it. Fuel, not food.
His body didn't need to taste anything, it wanted that food to keep working.
"Screen."
.
[ CONTRACT ACCEPTED ]
[ CONGRATULATIONS ]
[ YOU NOW ARE AN ENTRE EMPLOYEE ]
[ COMBAT HUNTER POSITION | IDOL POSITION ]
.
[STATUS: PRE-TRAINEE ]
[ COMBAT HUNTER RANK: ]
[ IDOL RANK: 0 ]
[ AURA LEVEL: 1]
[ POSITION: UNAVAILABLE ]
[ COMBAT WEAPONS: UNAVAILABLE ]
[ FANDOM NAME: UNAVAILABLE ]
.
He kept sucking his popsicle evaluating the information.
"Stats"
.
[ STATS ]
[ Strength: 30 ]
[ Agility: 30 ]
[ Vitality: 30 ]
[ Stamina: 30 ]
[ Mana: 30 ]
[ Synergy: 30 ]
.
[ Performance: 0 ]
[ Charisma: 0 ]
[ Visuals: 0 ]
[ Fandom: 0 ]
[ Growth Potential: 0]
.
[ REWARD POINTS: 0 ]
.
Ah, no reward points! That's a bummer.
Hmm, let's see so it seems the points are organized in skills, hunter skills and idol skills? Well I am not surprised I got 0 in all of those. I mean when was the last time I looked at combat show. Too gruesome.
All 30, my body has grown, and I feel more alive, let's see what else? Mana…? I think I better practice that in Entre, just in case, I don't want to burn anything. Overall I feel great, though.
He smiled pleased with himself. It had turned out all pretty great so far.
Beep.
.
[ NEW MESSAGE ]
.
"Open message"
.
[ MESSAGE 1]
[ NEXT: DODECAHEDRON EVALUATION ]
[ LOCATION: UEC TESTING FACILITY ]
[ DATE: TOMORROW, 9:00 AM ]
.
"Ok, I will be there," talking to himself.
.
[ MESSAGE 2 ]
[ IDOL CEREMONY ]
[ LOCATION: ENTRE TRAINING GROUNDS ]
[ DATE: TOMORROW, 12:00 PM ]
[ REQUIREMENT: WEAR CLOTHING PROVIDED ]
.
I see, so that is what they are for.
He looked into the bag. A training track suit. Red.
Yack, too bright.
He immediately stuffed it back inside the bag.
Well. I am an Entre employee now and if wearing this is part of the game, I will wear it!
It cannot get worse than this, can it?
"Close messages"
The main screen appeared again.
'Combat hunter rank' and 'idol rank' seems to matter the most.
He thought about the 295. Gone now. Replaced by 30s.
They leveled me. Made me average.
He growled.
Am I no longer special?
But the thought didn't bother him like in the past. It mattered less now.
He almost closed the screen. Then he noticed it.
Three concentric circles. Faint.
He reached for it, like to touch it. Pure instinct.
.
[ ACCESS DENIED ]
.
It zapped him.
Ouch.What was that? How is that even possible?
He tried again. Nothing.
The shape still in the same spot. Blinking. Waiting for him to be freed.