Awakening

A day has passed since the incident. Jin-hwan is currently driving to the ORΛCLE Medical Center as it was currently expected for Jin-woo to wake up within the next few hours.

Orienting the rearview mirror. Jin-hwan twisted it to point at Jin-ah his youngest sister, currently in high school.

Jin-hwan started to question Jin-ah, sending her flurry of questions:

"Are you studying well?"

"Did you eat well?"

"Do you take care of yourself?"

And many more…

Jin-ah mindlessly replied "Yes" to all of his questions. Jin-hwan then threw a curveball at her.

"Sooo… Jin-ah do you have a boyfriend yet?"

"yes… wait… NO! NO!" Jin-ah replied 'enthusiastically' but then realized her mistake later on. Waving her hand around.

"Heh… Good, good, good. Focus on studies first okay?" Jin-hwan chuckled.

"Of course, I have high grades remember? By the way… why are you asking me this question?" Jin-ah responded back with a question.

"Oh no, nothing much. I just want one less problem child to LECTURE." Jin-hwan nonchalantly replied but stressing his last word loudly.

Jin-ah immediately froze and started to shiver a little. Those 'LECTURE'… if you can even call them that… you'll feel like you met the devil himself… no worst. It could go for hours on end with no escape. Those words… those 'magical' words, they hurt bad.

She immediately replied: "Oh no, everything's fine, everything's fine." She started acting like carefree but her body is telling a different story.

"Good you remember." He said while watching her reaction.

They soon arrived in the underground parking lot. Jin-hwan parked his car and stopped the engine roaring.

Jin-hwan then turned to face Jin-ah at the back and said:

"Just keep doing what your doing. We'll help you in every way we can. Remember your brothers is here for you. Got it?"

"Yeah… Got it." Jin-ah replied with a smile.

"Now off we go and nag Jin-woo!" Jin-hwan exclaimed as if he was trying to riled up the crowds.

"Yes sire!" Jin-ah quipped as she started to laugh.

***

Jin-hwan and Jin-ah were in the third floor of the hospital heading straight to Jin-woo's room. On their way, they had met the Korean Hunters Association's Surveillance Department's Chief Inspector and his assistant.

"Advisor Sung." The two greeted.

"Ah, Jin-ah you should head first to Jin-woo's room. I need to speak to them first."

"Okay Oppa! Bye." Jin-ah felt like it was about a very important business so she immediately waved goodbye then started heading straight to Jin-woo's room.

"Greetings, so any new discoveries?" Jin-hwan asked with his arms crossed.

"Still exactly the same. No new findings." Jin-chul replied as he frowned.

"Even after asking my brother?"

"Yeah, nothing new to add."

"Did he experienced a reawakening?"

"Exactly the same."

"So we finally hit the roadblock. *sigh* I suggest creating a task force solely to respond to this kind of situation. We don't know how frequent this will be. We can't prevent it, but we can help lessen our losses." Jin-hwan concluded while running his hand through his hair.

"ORΛCLE will also try to fast track Project APOLLO. As I'm sure it will help you in many ways." Jin-hwan added.

"Yeah, thank you. We should be going now. Lots of paper works to fill." Jin-chul excused himself.

"Well then see you next time." Jin-hwan bid his goodbye as both groups started to part ways.

***

Whistling his way through the hallways, he met Jin-ah.

"Oh? Your done talking? That was quick." Jin-hwan asked curiously. Their cat and dog banter usually last for multiple hours. Sometimes needing Jin-hwan to be a referee separating them to their cool out corners.

"Yeah..." Jin-ah responded still sniffling from tears earlier.

"Now, now, your Jin-woo is still alive. Don't cry." Jin-hwan comforted Jin-ah. Pulling a handkerchief from his suit pocket, wiping Jin-ah's wet eyes and face.

"He could… have… die-" Jin-ah was immediately shush off by Jin-hwan.

"Shush! What matters most now that he's alive."

Jin-hwan then hugged Jin-ah comforting her while she was crying her heart out. After cheering her up, she then returned to her happy self again.

"Don't you have some stuff to do? You should start going now. While I'll have a fist to face conversation with Jin-woo." Jin-hwan reminded Jin-ah and whispering the last sentence to himself.

"Fist to.. What?"

"Nothing :)"

"Yeah… Thank you Oppa! Love you!" Jin-ah remembering her responsibilities. She thanked Jin-hwan. Before heading out, she kissed Jin-hwan in the cheek and went out.

While Jin-ah was heading to the elevator, Jin-hwan couldn't help but smile as he thought: "Always be yourself Jin-ah."

***

Jin-woo yawned out at length and climbed back up on the bed. He felt sleepy as if he had pushed himself too hard.

*Knock*

*knock* *knock*

"Jin-woo, open up."

Knocking can be heard from the door with a voice calling out his name.

Jin-woo eyes immediately shot open recognizing the voice. He was dreading for this moment to come. He was hoping that his older brother had something to do and didn't visit.

'Okay Jin-woo just take a deep bre-' Jin-woo tried to calm himself down but was cut off by loud knocking.

"Jin-woo, open the door."

Oh yeah… He forgot that he locked the door earlier when Jin-ah left. After mentally preparing himself, he opened the door and he immediately received a very warming gift…

a punch to the face. He was flown a short distance and landed on the floor.

"Now that's satisfying. Jin-hwan said while looking at his fist.

"What the fuck, hyung?" Jin-woo said while rubbing his cheek.

"Now that should be my question to you. What the fuck?" Jin-hwan responded back while shaking his head.

Jin-hwan then reached his hand out to Jin-woo. Helping his younger brother stand-up and assisting him to his bed.

Grabbing a chair in the side, he placed it right next to the bed and seated down.

"What happened? Tell me, beginning to end. Don't skip any parts. Tell me everything." Jin-hwan said leaned forward with a hand in his leg.

Jin-woo said everything truthfully. Recalling everything that happened inside the dungeon. Just minus the strange hallucinatory words he heard before losing consciousness. Knowing his older brother, he will probably send him to a psychiatric hospital.

"Now Jin-woo… Let me ask you why?"

"What… why?"

"Why do all this? Why hurt yourself? Why do you sneak out to dungeons and injure yourself?" Jin-hwan started barraging him with questions.

"…"

Jin-hwan sighed: "Is it money? No… I don't think its about money. Is it as a hobby? Knowing you definitely not." He thought out loud listing down possible motives for Jin-woo, crossing out many.

"So why? This doesn't make any sense."

"Mother's… disease…' Jin-woo said as he looked down.

"…"

"…"

Both of them went silent.

"So you were listening?"

*** [Flashback] ***

Inside the Sung Apartments….

It was night time. Strong winds rushing through the streets, leaves loudly rustling with the winds. Dark clouds cover the skylines as heavy rains splatter on the buildings.

Jin-hwan was holding a phone to his ear and wine on the other. Looking outside the window, watching the rain with a somber look in his face.

Jin-hwan was currently in a call with his assistant. Detailing events and action that should happen within the week. Then they landed on a very sensitive topic, ORΛCLE Healthcare and ORΛCLE Security Group. This was the day it was created. This was the day when ORΛCLE Technologies and magic crossed paths.

"Master Jin-hwan, Madam is still unconscious and still doesn't no signs of waking up. It is currently speculated that she is suffering a newly discovered sleeping disorder called 'Eternal Slumber' cause by the existence of Magic Beasts." His personal assistant Park Shin reported in detail.

"Fucking mutts…" Jin-hwan growled.

Mana in the air reacted slowing down their movements, the atmosphere feeling like all gloomy. The room's temperature was dropping drastically. Ice forming on the edges. The surrounding mana rushed to Jin-hwan side like a blanket as if trying to comfort him.

Drinking his wine in one shot. He rubbed his temples in helplessness. Shaking his head in disbelief.

He sighed: "Is there anyway to cure mother's illness?"

"As of right now negative sir. Current technology can't help. The possible cure might be only be found in dungeons as the illness originated there."

He can't believe it… It all happened in a flash. They were enjoying life then… Jin-hwan composed himself and sent a PDF file.

"I have sent you the restructuring plan. We'll be moving the company to Hunter-oriented."

"Yes sir."

"Also, schedule an executive meeting tomorrow morning."

"Of course sir, what will be the agenda?" Shin said as papers rustling can be heard in the phone.

Jin-hwan said as he looked at his computer with a PDF file opened with the title: "Becoming a Hunter-oriented company: Creation of Healthcare and Security Divisions."

Unbeknownst to them, a male figure can be seen through the slits of the door. A very hungry Jin-woo going to the kitchen. Passing by hearing his mother mentioned. Eavesdropping in their conversation, realization hitting him. Tears falling down his face. Body shaking, as he was currently lost for words as fear and shock spread to his face.

***