TDLHRH 3

Horang, her veins bulging as she gripped Mark’s collar, suddenly released him with a forceful toss and waved her hand. The Bone Dragon, previously soaring high above, plummeted towards them. A powerful wind, generated by its enormous, skeletal wings, swept across the ground, causing some expedition members to stumble. Undeterred, Horang stood firm, then leaped lightly onto the Dragon’s frame and issued her command.

“Let’s go to Korea.”

Keeing…? 

“I said, go!”

Keeing, keeing…

Horang realized her predicament. She had no idea where Korea was or how to get there. Her initial excitement had quickly turned into awkwardness. Clicking her tongue in frustration, she shouted down at the group.

“Hey, which way to Korea?”

“Uh… west?”

“…Which way is west?”

“…That way.”

“And if I go that way and it’s not Korea, are you going to take responsibility?”

“… ”

Her sharp glare silenced the expedition member. Suddenly, an object hurtled towards her. Someone had thrown it with great force, but Horang caught it effortlessly, even atop the unsteady Dragon. It was a round metal object – a compass. A eureka moment struck her.

“Hey, thanks! I’ll buy you a meal next time!”

Perhaps it was instinctual, but Horang invoked the classic Korean promise, “Let’s have a meal next time.” The expedition members, bewildered by her sudden departure and the cultural significance of her words, wondered when there would even be a ‘next time’.

“Let’s go that way. That looks like west.”

The compass provided some direction, but uncertainty lingered. “Well, it’s probably not up or down. So it’s either left or right…” Flying over the open sea, Horang decided to trust her instincts.

“Let’s just head wherever feels right. There’s that thing, you know—how family, uh, like, has a blood connection that pulls them together. Right, Bone Dragon?”

Rambling to the uncomprehending Dragon, Horang set off on her quest to find Korea.

***

Baek Haerang.

Leader of the guild Horang, had rapidly expanded his guild in just seven years. With his S-rank status and skilled members, he had achieved considerable success. As he approached his thirties, rumors swirled about his lack of romantic relationships. However, the truth was far more poignant.

Haerang was still haunted by a single day from ten years ago. He vividly remembered the chilly weather and the way his older sister, Baek Horang, had yanked the blanket and smacked him on the back while scolding him.

“What kind of high school senior plays games? Are you crazy? You haven’t even started preparing for finals yet!”

“Ow, that hurts! I’m not going to college anyway, so what’s the point? I’m awakened already, so I’ll just be a hunter!”

“Baek Haerang! Do you even know how high the mortality rate is for hunters? Just go to college and get a normal job!”

“I’ve already given up on studying, okay? The association said they’d issue me an official hunter license as soon as I turn 18!”

Awakening at a young age with enhanced abilities and unique supernatural powers, Haerang had become a target for many recruiters. Fueled by the envy of his friends and the glamorous portrayal of hunters in the media, he harbored unrealistic dreams. His sister’s constant advice to lead an ordinary life felt tiresome and suffocating.

Once he became an adult, success seemed inevitable. Why should the risk to his life matter? Hunters on TV and MyTube made the dangers appear insignificant. The freedom from tedious exam prep was an added appeal.

Haerang’s words sounded like annoying nagging. Unable to contain his irritation, Haerang lightly pushed her and slammed the door shut. Despite her small frame, Haerang staggered from the force. Briefly feeling guilty, Haerang dismissed the thought and resumed his game.

“Ugh, she’s just taking it out on me because she couldn’t awaken…”

Grumbling under his breath, he was interrupted by his father’s voice.

“Haerang, we’re supposed to go to CosXCo today! Are you coming?”

“I said I’m not going! Baek Haerang said high school seniors should just study!”

Interrupting his game, Haerang blurted out his reply without thinking. He heard Haerang’s exasperated “Seriously?” followed by his parents’ attempts to calm her down. But his focus was on the game.

The door clicked shut, signaling his family’s departure. With no one around, he could fully relax and enjoy his gaming. Hours passed unnoticed, and the sunlight gave way to darkness. His family, who should have returned by now, was nowhere to be found.

Feeling uneasy, Haerang reached for his phone. The last message he had received from Haerang read, “At least do the dishes,” sent before they left. Since then, there have been no messages or missed calls.

If they were running late, surely they would have contacted him. Why hadn’t there been any calls or texts?

Trying to maintain composure, Haerang decided to call his sister, Horang.

She’s probably sulking and ignoring me. If I call her first, it’ll be fine, right?

Reassuring himself with optimistic thoughts made him feel a bit better, but his fragile calm shattered when the call rang through to voicemail.

Horang, the internet addict who couldn’t live without her phone, wasn’t answering?

Something must have happened. In 18 years, Horang had never ignored a call, no matter how upset she was. If she couldn’t answer, their parents would have picked up instead. But why…?

Haerang called his mother and father’s numbers in turn, but no one answered. When he called his mother, he was greeted by the automated message, “The number you have dialed is out of service.”

Hearing that cold, mechanical voice instead of the familiar warmth of his family only deepened his anxiety. With his call history filled entirely with outgoing calls, Haerang began to fear the dark and silent house. Even roaming around the empty home only heightened his unease as the chilly air seemed to press down on him.

Then, breaking the silence, Haerang’s phone rang. The caller ID read “Horang Noona.” At some point, Horang had changed her contact name from “Baek Horangㅡㅡ” to this. He picked up after barely two rings, ready to lash out at her for not answering earlier.

“Hey, Baek Horang! Why didn’t you answer your—”

But the voice on the other end was not Horang’s sharp, familiar tone. Instead, it was a stranger’s voice he had never heard before.

“Uh, hello. This is Deputy Lee Juwon from the Gate Management Team. Are you a family member of the owner of this phone? I called because the name is saved as ‘younger sibling’…”

“…Sorry, who did you say you were? And what about Baek Horang, I mean, the phone’s owner?”

“Um… have you seen the news yet?”

The cautious tone of the caller made Haerang feel as if they were about to say something had happened to Horang—his sister. His vision darkened momentarily.

With trembling hands, he turned on the TV, which was tuned to the public broadcasting channel his parents often watched.

“…Here, you can see from the dashcam footage of the damaged vehicle that a gate opened suddenly without any warning and then closed just as quickly. This type of gate is unprecedented worldwide, and authorities have dispatched the Gate Management Team to investigate the situation…”

On the screen, a car shown in the footage was unmistakably the same one his father had washed just the day before. Haerang, now pale as a ghost, muttered helplessly, “This can’t be happening…”

Perhaps hearing his weakened voice, the caller let out a small, sympathetic sigh before continuing.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but since this is the first time an unidentified gate has appeared so suddenly and without warning, it seems the victims were unable to respond in time. We’ve located the driver and one passenger, but from examining the vehicle, it appears there was one more occupant.”

“Yes, yes… that’s my sister. Baek Horang. She has long hair, about 160 cm tall… Should I send you a photo? What about my parents? Are they okay?”

“I’m sorry. By the time we arrived to assess the situation, both of them were… already gone. We haven’t found your sister yet. But the rescue team is doing their best to locate her, so she should be found soon.”

“…What?”

“The remains will be sent to XX University Hospital. Do you have another family member who could act as a guardian?”

“No… there’s no one else, it’s just me…”

Hearing Haerang’s trembling voice, the man who had introduced himself as Lee Juwon clicked his tongue softly before continuing.

“Can you come to the hospital now? We need to verify the identities, and there are quite a few procedures to go through.”

“Yes, I’ll come now. Please… please find my sister.”

“We’ll do our best.”

The call ended abruptly, leaving only silence. When Haerang finally lifted his head and looked around, the reality of being alone in the dark, empty house hit him with crushing force.

His parents were gone. His father and mother were never coming back. He hadn’t even seen them once today because he’d been glued to his computer all day during his rare day off. The only conversation he’d had had been a complaint about Horang.

The sharp pain of regret surged within him, but the surreal nature of the situation left him unable to cry. Only the glowing monitor seemed to confirm that this nightmare was real.

In a daze, he grabbed his wallet, hailed a taxi, and headed to the hospital.

“It might not be my parents. It could’ve been another family caught up in this. Horang’s phone… she might’ve just lost it. This doesn’t make sense.”

The horrifying thought that he had survived simply because he chose to skip the family outing to play games was unbearable. Muttering “this can’t be happening” repeatedly in disbelief, Haerang barely noticed the sympathetic glances the taxi driver gave him.

When they arrived, the driver had to shake him gently to bring him back to his senses. “Kid, just go on in,” the driver said, leaving him at the hospital entrance.

Without even realizing he hadn’t paid the fare, Haerang stumbled toward the hospital. What happened after that was a blur.