Minhae sat by the window, gazing outside while listening to Sohee's lecture. After hours of listening to her explain one lesson after another, boredom had begun to creep into his expression. He was barely paying attention anymore.
Eventually, Sohee glanced at her wristwatch.
"Ah... It's already noon. We'll take a two-hour break before moving on to the next subject. I'll prepare lunch," she announced.
Aside from being Minhae's tutor and manager, Sohee was also responsible for taking care of his personal needs, including his meals. She always prepared his food herself. Perhaps it was because Minhae was still so young that everyone around him paid extra attention to his development, making sure he received proper nutrition and a balanced diet.
"I'll head downstairs and cook something. You can rest while you wait," Sohee said. With that, she left the room and headed downstairs.
Minhae rested his chin on the desk, his gaze drifting back toward the window. As he stared outside, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
"If I sneak out now, there won't be anyone watching me"
His curiosity got the better of him. He pushed the window open and took flight.
His wings spread wide, beating gracefully and effortlessly as he soared into the air. Flying at a considerable height, he went unnoticed by the people below. Eventually, he made his way toward the nearest hill, hoping to enjoy the scenery.
The hill remained largely undeveloped, with barely any proper pathways leading through it. Nevertheless, it was still accessible. At its foothill stood a golf course, though it was a private establishment, restricted to authorized visitors. Minhae circled the area for a while before finally settling down.
That was when he heard the sound of someone crying.
Beneath a large tree stood a little boy, quietly sobbing. Minhae landed on the branches of a nearby tree and observed him from above.
The boy couldn't have been older than eight. His hair was a pale shade of blond, almost silver, suggesting that he might not be entirely Korean. He wear a white shirt with little black bowtie. He stood beneath the tree, occasionally wiping away his tears as he tried to compose himself. Eventually, he curled up beneath its branches, making himself as small as possible.
Watching the little boy struggle to hold back his tears, Minhae felt an unfamiliar tightness in his chest.
He wanted to help.
However, he was already quite well-known throughout Korea. Revealing himself in public, especially to a stranger, wasn't exactly a wise decision.
"...Wait. I have that skill"
Minhae glanced at his status screen. There was one skill he had barely ever used, mostly because he considered it practically useless in combat.
Taking a deep breath, he activated it.
"Shapeshift."
[Skill Name : Shapeshift
Skill Grade : None
Description :
Allows the user to freely transform their physical body into various animal forms. The user can assume the appearance and physical characteristics of any animal, regardless of its species or size.
All transformations retain the user's consciousness, memories, and intelligence. The user may freely switch between forms without losing their original identity]
A gentle breeze swept through Minhae's hair. His body gradually shrank, his limbs changing shape as soft, white fur spread across his skin. Within moments, the figure that had once stood there was no longer a human.
In his place stood a beautiful white fox.
Its fur was as pure as freshly fallen snow, while its eyes retained their original color—a brilliant blue, as clear as the sky. Minhae leaped from the tree, landing gracefully on all four paws. With newfound confidence, he trotted toward the crying boy and settled down in front of him.
The boy gradually stopped crying. He stared at the little white fox, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing. When Minhae realized the boy wasn't making any move to approach him, he took a few steps closer before sitting beside the boy's thigh.
The boy's eyes never left him. The tears that had been streaming down his cheeks gradually stopped, replaced by an expression of pure amazement.
"There's no way a white fox would suddenly appear here..."
The boy paused, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"You're not actually a fox, are you?"
Minhae flinched.
...!
He hadn't expected to be found out so quickly. Unfortunately, in his current form, the only response he could offer was a small animal cry.
Seeing the fox's reaction, the corners of the boy's lips lifted ever so slightly.
"But... it feels nice to have some company.", A small finger reached out and gently brushed the tip of Minhae's fox ear.
The boy tilted his head, resting his cheek against his knee as he continued watching the little creature beside him.
"My name is Ji-hwan. Do you want to be my friend?"
His blond hair shifted with the breeze, falling across half of his face. Beneath those pale strands were a pair of beautiful green eyes, resembling polished beryl.
For some reason, Minhae found himself captivated by them. They were so striking that, for a brief moment, he seemed to forget everything else around him. His entire attention was drawn to those unusual green eyes.
What beautiful eyes...
Having been asked to become his friend, Minhae felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
Without hesitation, he lowered his head and rested it against Ji-hwan's thigh, silently accepting the invitation. Ji-hwan gently stroked his head for a few moments.
Then, seemingly after giving it some thought, he suddenly spoke, "Then I'll call you Gamja (potato)"
Minhae immediately lifted his head.
"...What?", He stared at Ji-hwan in disbelief.
"Seriously??? Potato???", He wanted to argue. He wanted to protest. But unfortunately, all he could do in his current form was make an indignant little fox sound.
Noticing the displeasure written all over the fox's face, Ji-hwan chuckled.
"Haha... But Gamja is good. And you're kind of cute, just like one."
"Like one??? You mean I'm round like a potato?!", Minhae was growing increasingly dissatisfied with the ridiculous nickname. Somehow, Ji-hwan seemed capable of recognizing his displeasure despite the fact that he was currently looking at a fox.
Still chuckling, Ji-hwan gently cupped Minhae's little fox head between his hands and stroked his fur.
Then, as if to soothe his offended companion, he leaned forward until their foreheads touched. Minhae froze.
...!
He hadn't expected such a gesture.
"Thank you for being here. You made my day a little better, Gamja.", Ji-hwan looked directly into his eyes.
Minhae found himself unable to look away.
"I hope I get to see the real you someday.", With that, Ji-hwan slowly stood up.
"I have to go now. See you soon, Gamja.", He gave the little fox one last glance before walking away, leaving Minhae alone beneath the tree.
Minhae remained where he was, watching the boy's figure gradually disappear into the distance.
"This boy... Does he have some kind of hypnotic skill?"
Hypnotic abilities weren't unheard of among hunters, but they were exceptionally rare. More importantly, they were considered dangerous. Hunters possessing such abilities were usually placed under strict supervision by the Hunter Association.
"...Could it really be that?
After Ji-hwan had completely disappeared from sight, Minhae finally returned to his human form.
"Ah, Sohee must be almost done cooking. I should hurry back.", He spread his wings and took off, flying back toward home.
Meanwhile, at a certain luxurious mansion...
"Alexei. Where have you been?", An old man's voice echoed through the hallway.
It was stern and cold, carrying an unmistakable air of authority. The atmosphere seemed to grow colder with every word, an oppressive pressure settling over the corridor.
The warm orange glow of the setting sun was the only thing illuminating the otherwise dim hallway.
"I'm not Alexei anymore, old man. My name is Ji-hwan now.", It was Ji-hwan. He didn't even bother turning around as he answered.
"You don't have to pretend to care about me. It's disgustingly annoying when you do.", Ji-Hwan said as He finally stopped walking.
"Your language becomes more vulgar by the day. So, you're upset because your pet died? You even went so far as to smash your own window just to escape the mansion. It seems no one has ever bothered to teach you proper manners."
A bitter smile appeared on Ji-hwan's lips, "Hah... Thank you for the concern. But I learned that from you."
With a mocking sneer, Ji-hwan continued walking. The old man's expression twisted with fury.
Yet, despite his anger, he remained standing in the hallway, watching Ji-hwan disappear from sight.