Archive of Our Own

Zhigang blinked dumbly as he watches the woman on the opposite side from him eat her food without so much as trying to support the conversation instead using singular words to reply to him.

For the past half an hour or so he was trying desperately to engage the woman in talking to him but no matter what he did- or say, she was not reacting aside from some nodding and giving "as-matter-of-fact" answers. Which, well. Tough crowd (just a single woman). But he experienced worse, much worse. For example, his whole social life all the way back in late high school and into his university years is a “much worse” experience of talking to people, it was a constant string of the worst possible social situations.

Jinwoo, for all lack of enthusiasm with speaking with him, was still with him. At that point, he knew that if she really did not want to be there she would have left after five minutes. She must be staying willingly. After all, no one could ever possible make this woman do something she doesn’t want. Or so he hopes. Because if someone is actually making her sit through this date with him it would eliminate all of his chances of expanding their relationship ((in simpler terms — wooing her) which he would really like to do).

“Soo….. would you tell me more about yourself? It feels like up to this point you know everything about me and i know nothing about you…” truth be told, he was trying to pry more details out of her by telling things about himself. For example, how since he was a kid he liked martial arts. Which major he choose in college. The career he was planing on having before the gates and his awakening. His favourite colour (red). About his little too big of a family by Chinese standards and how he technically has three older sister who were never registered until he became a hunter.

He told her all those things and yet the woman just simply nodded and let out some humpfs in confirmation that she has heard him. He knew she was not much of a talker. Andre told him as much. But he still hopes he could make her talk one way or another.

“…There is not much to tell.” She merely said getting back to eating her food. A silence stretched between them as Zhigang wondered what to do with her. Really, if not for how charming she was he would have long since given up on her. But here he was, still trying, still attempting to form some sort of relationship with her. He isn’t even striving up for a romantic one. He is happy for them to just become friends.

Because well, he longed to fill the same thrill of battle since the Kamish’s days. And yeah he got something similar when the colossal gates broke but it wasn’t the same kind of overwhelming power as he has longed for. Jinwoo had that power to make his heart race.

Hm, it feels like he is starting to talk like Andre. Oh well, ll strong people have similar mindsets he supposes.

“Still, you lived for twenty five years. There is bound to be something.” He tried to nudge her even if it felt rather weird pointing out her age. He felt like an old geezer trying to hit on a much younger woman 'isn’t that what you are doing?' His traitorous mind said and Zhigang wanted to beat the inner voice up, because no. He was not, in fact, doing that. Because when a man hits on a younger woman there is a certain power dynamic going on. Currently, that power dynamic was not existing. Not between them. Jinwoo has already proved herself to be the strongest human alive beating Thomas with less than some scratches on her hands due to beating his rock-hard skin. And she did all of that in a suit, heels and somehow was yet to ruin her look or tear her suit.

He watched the photos, he saw her standing atop of defeated Thomas with not so much as bits of dirt on her heels and some scratches on her knuckles (and isn’t it a beautiful scene? He envies Thomas, really, he would also want her to look so majestic while beating him into the ground, to look down oh him like he was nothing. Huh, maybe he is more similar with Andre than he first assumed. That’s bad, he does not want to be like that big buffoon).

Shortly, he would be a fool to assume that he was in the power seat here. And on one of the banquets he watched as some man tried to hit on her. The man went flying with one quick punch from the woman. If Jinwoo did not like his advances he would have been flying much the same. Which would have stang because it would have been a clear refusal. And him wanting her to beat him into the ground was not the same thing.

“… I dropped out of school and started working. Then some time later i awakened as an e rank hunter and started working as one.” Zhigang’s smile slightly faltered but he kept his composure. He assumed she was not going to talk about her previously being an E rank hunter. He thought it would be a sore spot to her but maybe he was mistaking. There was no fluctuation in her mana or change in her body. She was as relaxed as she could be.

He had no illusions about e ranks, he saw the numbers he saw the statistics. He saw in real life what happens to e ranks. He could only imagine that the situation was even worse in Korea since hunters there were not quiet educated. Here at least he and his guys beat up anyone that acts out of line. He isn’t sure that he wants to know the situation for e ranks women.

“Who would you have wanted to become? Like a career.” and oh. This was the first time the woman’s gaze shifted from her plate to him. She had made some pacing glances on him but not any when she actually looked at him. She was just staring into his eyes unblinkingly and Zhigang for all of his years being able to deduce who wanted what from him from just one glance- was unable to read her.

“I never thought about that.” There was a single, small, almost unnoticeable fluctuation in her tightly held mana. And now, reading into her eyes that were like an abyss consuming him by the second he was able to see her. In her purple eyes he could see sadness and wasn’t that something he had known?

“Why not?” He cautiously inquired as she finally blinked and stared down on her plate before placing the fork and the knife on the table (it was almost laughable how much she was trying to make it look like she was a noble lady holding both the fork and the knife. Although clumsy she still looked stunning and quiet convincing).

“Well, mom always wanted me to become a doctor. Father-” Zhigang wonders why she called him so officially. Could it be they did not have a good relationship before he disappeared? “-said i would do good as a part of police forces. My little sister said i could be a good model.” There was a change of tone in the end. She sounded exasperated when she mentioned her little sister’s idea of her being a good model. Did she actually not believe it? Was she nuts? Looking at her right now she was drop dead gorgeous, tall, confident, the every step she took looked like she re petitioned it a million times before. And she thought- she thought she would not look like a model? Sure Zhigang may have never understood beauty but even he could see it.

“I don’t know what my sister was thinking at that moment. Sometimes she has the craziest ideas, that girl.” Jinwoo said with a certain fondness as Zhigang squinted his eyes. It would be risky, a bit too straightforward as well but he was not about to let her think she would not make a good model. Yeah there is way more to being a model but- again, he is sure she would still be as good in her job as a model equally as she is as a hunter right now.

“Why do you think you could not become a model?” He asked because it was criminal. Criminal for her to think that.

“…” the woman stood silent for a few long moments as with the corner of his vision he saw the shadows slightly dance as if reaching for her. As if those were strong waves of the vast ocean depths of which he would not be able to see. They were comforting her. He could since long feel the thousands of beings in her shadow, this was the first time they reached out blatantly without hiding to cradle Jinwoo’s cheek.

“I was not always…. like this.” She concluded before going back to her food.

“Like what?” Zhigang prodded because curiosity killed the cat. And maybe it will also kill him if the dead stare of purple dots were anything to go by.

“Pretty.” She concluded with a sigh as she just duck her head her bangs falling down hiding most of her face at that angle.

“…” and he could relate to that. He wasn’t always a super model. Not really. He had a terrible acne until his awakening, he was anti-social and kinda brash when it came to other people. At some point his now long beautiful hair looked horrendously on him. Only until it grew a bit more, again, when he awakened for some reason it started growing faster, had his hair looked as pretty as it was now.

But even so, he never found himself "not pretty". Everyone is beautiful in their own unique ways. Who is anyone to judge who is pretty or not?

“Think so?” Zhigang asked because to be honest, he never understood beauty standards. When boys of his age were marvelling over the girls with big chests he was just wondering how hard it must be to have those things.

“…” Jinwoo did not answer to him and just proceeded to continue eating her food which was soon to be eaten. Only just because she was taking such small bites was the meal able to go for so long. Or, well, they were high level hunters and this was the third main dish.

“I think you would still be beautiful.” He said and he wasn't kidding. Or just flirting. Again, he lost his sense of beauty a long time ago (was it when he found a rusted sword beautiful or when he fought the dragon? Oh.). By Beauty standards some would say that she would need to lose some muscle and have a pleasant smile on her face. And not have Asian facial features. But Zhigang finds her beautiful and not just because of her looks.

“… You say that because you haven't met… me.” Zhigang slightly raises his eyebrow because- she did not say "pre-reawakened" or "younger", she said "me".

“Do you have a photo?” He asked because he was curious. Curious about what she meant. About how her "me" looked like.

“…” suddenly she placed her utensils on the table before raising her hand that disappeared into some blue square bits flying around before taking out her phone. Separate spatial pocket. He has one too. Like every national hunter does. He also stores the most random stuff in there.

The woman took out her phone. A really old one with numerous cracks. He wonders if she is also of the mindset "if it works- it does not need to be replaced". His mother has the same mindset. That is why all of her children are traumatized for life.

“Here.” After a minute of her being very focused on her phone she finally found the photo. She stretched her arm to give Zhigang the phone and as he took it shivers run down his spine all of a sudden.

‘Ah, I am on a trial’ he thought to himself as he took a quick glance at the woman. Her eyes were suddenly starring daggers at him as her shadow danced and stretched out towards him with the phone. He was on a trial and will have to defend himself as his own attorney. He will either face execution or mercy. How delightful. He starts to like Jinwoo more by the second. If he was on her place he would also much rather prefer someone who was open minded and was not just chasing beauty.

Finally, Zhigang looked down not minding the gaze of the woman on the opposite side of him. The Chinese hunter was just looking at the phot and..

“You are still quite gorgeous. I would say more on the cute side but still, gorgeous.” He tilted his head before giving back her phone and oh. The momentary confusion in her face.

“You- you mean it? Actually mean it?” She looked down on her photo and back at him and wasn't that just adorable?

“Last time i checked you can’t really fake your heart beating.” Because most high ranking hunters can hear crickets from meters away and some times even kilometres. It is quite easy to hear and heart beating from the person sitting right beside you.

“…” Jinwoo’s features relaxed her gaze cast down on her phone seemingly still looking at the old photo of her with her shadow finally taking a normal form. And well, Zhigang is unsure of what he was expecting. He really did not find anything too much different from her right now and the her from her time as an E rank. To him, they pretty much looked the same. Maybe this one has just a bit more blood lust in her but that happens to all hunters.

“Want to see me before I awakened?” He asked as she shot her eye back to him as they slightly widened. It was interesting to see how expressive she was when she was not in her fighting stance. She then nodded her eyes now glued to him and not her phone meanwhile the food laid long abandoned.

“Use your words sweet thing. I was not really able to hear you much tonight.” He watched as she contemplated. Either amused or unamused with his flirting attempts. Either way. She opened her mouth to speak.

“Yes, I want to see the photo of you before you awakened.” He giggles unable to keep his own amusement away. She was precious. Incredible so.

“Here ya go.” He quickly took out his phone from his own sub-space quickly scrolled down to ten years back before finding the first photo of his pre-awakened self and wow- he forgot how long his teenager phase dragged on. Not that he really minded he just forgot how he looked before. He doesn't even recognise himself anymore in those old pictures. Not really.

Jinwoo took the phone with much more care than she should have been (how many times has he said that she was adorable?) before looking down on the phot her eyes widening as she brought the phone a bit closer to herself almost as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

“Quite a change hm?” He joked but suddenly, she blushed. A slight red creeped on her cheeks and on her ears as she continued staring at his photo.

“…You were really cute.” He lost his smile right then and there his own eyes widening. That was… a first. Most people just laughed when they saw his old photo not blushed and called him cute. And heck, she wasn't lying either. Shit the things she is doing to him right now.

“… Thanks” He ended up saying after the silence stretched up for too long not having much to say otherwise.

Jinwoo, suddenly, realising that she was looking at his photo for far too long finally stretched it out back to him her cheeks going fully red from embarrassment. Zhigang wasn't any better. He was sure his face was now matching with his red shirt.

Afterwards they ate their food in silence….

“This is your imagination of an idea for a date?” Zhigang asks adjusting his tinted glasses looking at the billboard sign on the road.

When Jinwoo texted him and said she wanted to go somewhere together while keeping a low profile he thought about anything but… this.

“Yes, is there something wrong with it?” Jinwoo was wearing an oversized sweater with dark blue jeans while wearing a cap that was pulled as low as possible with a medical mask on.

“No, no. Just… I didn't expect that we will do… pottery.” He let out a deep sigh. He is just glad he was not made to spend three hours on a plane to get to Korea and that Jinwoo had a teleportation ability.

“My little sister said that it is something popular among couples to do together.” She said as if it was the most normal thing to say. As if they were a couple. Was she implying that? Did she wanted them to be a couple? Zhigang would just be happy to have a friend really- it would be nice having a friend who is equally or even more powerful than him. Sure there are other National level hunters but they are all… meh. Too prideful. They have their morals and don't pursue hunter work for money which he respects. It is better than most hunters. But still. He can’t exactly go grab a beer with them. Not that he could get drunk. He forgot how that felt a long time ago.

“And I wanted to gift something to my mother for Mother's Day. She likes such small personal gifts.” She said and well, maybe she wasn't implying anything. Maybe she was just nice enough to bring him along.

“The lesson starts in ten minutes. Should we go already?” He asked and she nodded beginning walking to the front door. Zhigang following close behind.

“…” Zhigang blinked at the warm light and a lot of small clay dishes laying in a display all with different shapes and different drawings and patterns. Now thinking about it he wonders what his companion will draw on her own pot.

“Hello, yes, I made a reservation to attend the lesson at four. Name? Sung. Yes, Sung.” He watched as Jinwoo calmly talked with the lady behind the counter that then pointed at one of the doors.

He eyes the plants that were scattered all over the room they stepped in big windows letting the sunlight do the job of illuminating the room. There were already few people sitting at the long table stretching towards from one wall to another. He watched Jinwoo silently going to the table at sitting as close to the wall as possible. Zhigang mindfully put a distance between them when sitting down. Not too close not too far off just so he wouldn't accidentally invade her personal space.

“So! People! Welcome to the pottery class to complete newbies, today we will begin from…”

He listened absent minded to the older women who was showing them how to operate pottery wheel how to bend the hand to force the clay into a certain shape. She also gave them each clay and said to take as much as they would need.

“Hey, what are you planning on making?” Zhigang asked turning over to Jinwoo as they headed over to the furthest wheels.

“Probably a mug.” He waited for her to ask him as well but clearly, this woman before him has never been taught how to hold up a conversation.

“I will be also doing a mug. Seems like the easiest thing to do.” Zhigang said all too confident.

He then proceeded to not be able to make a single proper mug without breaking it.

“How are you doing this?” He asked because well, he was gentle. He learned how to be gentle how to hold back his enormous power but this? This he was not able to do. Nuh uh.

“Want me to help?” she asked as she placed her already painted mug aside before stepping closer to him.

She started scooping up the broken mug before making it into a ball like distorted shape before nudging him to make the wheel to move.

“You are putting too much pressure. Just… let your hand be there and the wheel will do the job.” She showed him her long delicate fingers moving shaping the clay.

And Zhigang does admit- he got distracted by the sight of her long beautiful fingers. He supposes her mastery with clay comes from her mastery of using daggers. He personally preferred longer weapons but he had some knowledge of using daggers. Not as masterfully as Jinwoo but still.

Now looking a bit closer, her hands were created for using daggers. He couldn't quite imagine the woman using any other type of weapon. Her fingers turning the daggers to drive them into her enemies… he wonders how those fingers would feel like in his mouth-

“I think you will be fine on your own from now on.” Zhigang looked down and yeah, he was so deep in his thought enamoured by the woman’s fingers that he didn't notice that he was already doing everything himself.

“Good luck.” The woman turned around to go back to her table.

‘Huh, seems pottery isn't so bad after all.’ Zhigang smiled to himself continuing guiding the clay into the form he wanted to see it in.

“An action movie?” Jinwoo asked her gaze shifting over to Zhigang who was nervously tapping his leg in place. He felt like a teenager all over again.

“I assumed you would prefer action over romance. Was i wrong?” he asked because they were still in the "getting to know each other" phase. He was still unsure of what she liked. Yeah they talked on occasion over phone but they were both busy people so it wasn’t like they could get to know each other very well and he preferred one on one conversation anyway.

“Mhm, my little sister made me watch far too many romance k-dramas. I think i might get sick if i see another one.” She chuckled to herself and Zhigang kinda wanted to be a shithead and point out that this wasn’t a kdrama but a movie but he held back. He doesn’t want to end up with irritated Jinwoo.

“Do you want to get popcorn or chips?” Zhigang asked as Jinwoo just shook her head.

“…Food at theatres is overpriced and is too expensive.” It could have been a good argument but both of them had more money than they knew what to do with. And besides. He rented out the whole room just for them.

“I will just buy both of us popcorn with cheese. Three buckets please and two large drinks.” He said going over to the counter where the man (a very distressed one at that, clearly his subordinates left him behind) shakily taking the order and preparing it hastily.

“Popcorn with cheese?” Jinwoo questioned looking at the screens above with menus.

“No literal cheese. Cheese powder i guess? Anyway, they taste delicious. You should try them.” Zhigang smiled at her who just nodded. If he could show more people how delicious the cheese flavoured popcorn was then it would certainly open a new era.

“It smells funny.” She suddenly added as Zhigang took the three buckets of popcorn with the drinks. She leaned over a bit closer to smell it as he watched the shadow come up to her neck imitating their master.

“Here, try them. It would be criminal if you sat through the whole film without food.” And it was criminal. If his sisters were to be here and he would let Jinwoo sit without food they would scold him before beating his ass (and you should know that older sisters do not care about your rank, status, or whenever you have defeated a dragon or not. No matter what - they will beat your ass).

“Tha-” She looked at the offered food before trying to take it only for her shadow to jump up and take the food into her shadow. This all happened in mere seconds.

The pair stood both dumbfounded but Jinwoo was the one to break out of her trance as she nonchalantly headed over to the room where the movie was held.

“…” for better lack of understanding, Zhigang decided to put this away on the side (and whenever her shadows truly had sentience or not) and followed the woman.

…

“You don’t seem to like the ending.” Zhigang commented as he drove the car down the road. It was quiet flattering that Jinwoo agreed to go with him to one of the historical places he bought out which looked especially good at night. It was the last minute suggestion and he was lucky that the movie ended late into the evening.

“It wasn’t bad.” She shrugged but there was still that adorable frown on her face. He personally wasn't very excited by the movie. A single C rank gate is more action packed than any film is. This was just one of the things that was taken when he became a hunter.

“What did you dislike?” He asked because the movie was three hours long and so far until the end Jinwoo seemed to enjoy it on the surface level.

“There wasn't any reason for the last scene to be there.” Zhigang thinks for a second but he can’t think for a reason why she would dislike the main villain exploding in epic flames.

“You didn't like the explosions?” He asked because it would be horrible if she did. He wanted to fight beside her- would be kinda hard to do if she disliked explosions which were his main thing. Energy slashes were as old as time and they were his best friends when they exploded mid-air.

“What? No, I am talking about the romance thing.” Internally he sighed with relieve. So he can use explosions around her.

“What about it?” He stops at the red light and looks over to her. His attention was 80% and even more on her rather than the road. His mind worked too fast anyway to need to focus too hard on the road. Yet he was still better than most at driving the car.

“Well, it was pretty pointless in my opinion. The two of them barely interacted three times throughout the whole film and the only reason she liked him and married him by the end of it was because… he had a good fashion sense and he saved her? It feels pretty…” she trailed off looking on the road as the green light came and the car moved. It was pretty late but the streets were as busy as ever.

“Underwhelming? Yeah, I would expect a bit more from the two of them. They should have, I don't know, spend more time together?” He continued watching his eyes catching how her face contorted as if she ate a lemon.

“And by the end of the story instead of letting her continue being the leader of the crimson order and let her chase after her original dream they made her be stay at home mom that has no interests or hobbies aside from caring for kids.” She takes but after a second for her features to change drastically her eyes going wide open.

“Not that I judge women who choose such a life for themselves! I mean- motherhood is a big part of the woman’s life, but well, it shouldn't be her whole purpose. Not that it can’t be, they could just like children and work with them! I just think that a woman should have more roles to fulfil aside from being a wife and a mom and maybe chase for a career or have hobbies- uh, they can be just a wife or a mother, or both, I don't judge- it is their life and their decisions to make. It is none of my business after all…” he could see the blush sprouting in her face as she blinked at him before hastily turning her head away putting her elbow on the car seat to support her head now looking out of the window her legs now crossed.

She was embarrassed. She was embarrassed because she thinks she accidentally insulted someone. He burst out laughing.

“Hahah! I get what you mean- it was like they made her into a whole different character. It is okay for someone to settle down but it is weird that such a warlord such as her became a stay at home mom while he got to continue working in the military force as the marshal. And if I were her- I would probably choose someone whom I met more than three times in my life.” He giggled as Jinwoo finally turned her eyes to look at him.

“Oh hey, want to grab a snack? I know some real nice places over at that street.”

“Zhigang, you just ate two large buckets of popcorn and then half of mine. I think you had enough food for today.” And oh, his name from her lips makes him weak in the legs and more intense between them. It was the first time he heard the woman say his name.

He wants to hear it some more.

It was uncommon for Jinwoo to ask him out. Usually Zhigang was the one responsible for all of their dates. Yes there were time when Jinwoo was the one responsible for them but they were rare and few in between. And don’t get him wrong- he did not mind such an arrangement. He liked to be the one organising things for them and he equally enjoyed when Jinwoo did it.

But something this time steered him wrong. It was as if something bad was about to happen. And the more than normal serious tone Jinwoo used to call him on a date was one of the red flags.

Maybe he is looking too deep into this and reading between the lines. Maybe he is misunderstanding. Maybe Jinwoo was just in a bad mood. Maybe this was just normal outing with your friend (they never really went beyond that. He never really asked and she never mentioned).

If worse comes to worse- she would want to go no-contact. And the reasons were all but overwhelming him in his head while he stood and waited for Jinwoo on a small stone bridge in a far away forest in a rural area. It wasn’t that hard to come here. What was harder was the wait. The wait of the unavoidable.

“Zhigang-ge.” Jinwoo’s silky voice sounded at his right. The seven start hunter watched his shadow stretch as it deformed the darkness started to stand up from his own shadow forming a silhouette of a person before it exploded releasing the said person - Jinwoo.

“Hey there, gorgeous.” Zhigang smiled at the woman cocking his head. His smile soon faded as he inspected her face a bit closer. She was frowning and there was something in her eyes leading to the darkest pits of the abyss that was even darker than usual.

He was starting to get worried for real.

“There is something you want to talk to me about.” He deduced and stated is as a fact but Jinwoo’s nod was more than enough of a confirmation.

“…” They both stood in silence Jinwoo not really looking at him choosing to avert her gaze away. This was worrying at best. She was never afraid to face him head on. She wasn’t looking at him when speaking only when she was disinterested but this wasn’t the case now.

“What did you wanted to talk about?” He prodded because it was clear the woman needed a push. He wanted to believe that he knew the woman well enough to see the signs on her face when she was uncomfortable.

“Are you serious?” She asked in a way too quiet of a tone for a regular human to hear. He was not a regular person.

“About what?” Zhigang already knew but he wanted to make sure. To hear it from her lips. He needed it like air because right now he wasn’t really breathing.

“About us. Are you serious about becoming my partner?” She asked suddenly gaining confidence to look him into the eyed her shadow jumping and deforming as if cheering her on.

“Because if you are- do know i will not let go of you.” She said and on the surface it could seem kinda romantic like on these romance dramas. But this wasn’t it. It wasn’t proclamation of possessiveness or love. She wasn’t saying that she wouldn’t allow him to leave her or something like that. She wasn’t the type to say such things. There was something deeper.

“Explain? Please?” He asked and he watched as Jinwoo had to keep herself in place, to keep her eyes on him. Whenever to show him she was serious or just to ground herself.

“… Being in a romantic relationship is something people enjoy. Like enjoying a hobby so you do it more. Or you like that there is a person beside you becuse they make you happy. This is just how our brains work, they want to make the happy feeling last as long as possible.” She began but stopped abruptly to take a deep breath. Something she never did before. Not in front of him anyway.

“But in those cases you can back off. Stop doing it. Break up- divorce. It would be painful. Like stopping doing your favourite hobby. Either because it no longer brings you pleasure or because the outside forces forced you. Or for example stopping from doing drugs or stop drinking alcohol. It is hard, and some people need help to stop. But they theoreticaly still can stop. ” She tightened her grip on the air her knuckles whitening. It was so unlike her- to be able to go into details about what she means.

She really gave it a lof of thought huh?

“But being with me is non-refundable. You will be unable to break up or divorce if it comes to it. There is no person who would help you to get rid of me. Because being with me is not just about spending time with me and then leaving. It would mean that for the rest of…” he still wasn’t sure where this was going. Again, if she wanted to say that they would be partners for life he would agree. He was continuing this whole “date” thing to have lasting relationship with her. Whenever as friends or partners.

But he was still not understanding something. It felt like it was in front of his eyes but-

“…eternity. You will be with me until eternity and i, i will not allow you to cross the river of life and death. I have no more such mercy left in my heart to allow someone dear to me to leave. I wasted it all on my family to allow them to rest in peace in death when the time comes.” it felt as if the world became silent for the said eternity. Was she telling him he would be immortal?

“You mean- are you immortal?” He asked and suddenly, there was this feeling of fear he hasn’t felt in a long, long time. Something that scared him more than death.

The lack of it.

“Yes. I am immortal. And if you were to become my boyfriend- husband, whatever, life-long-partner, you would be immortal as well.” And Zhigang really wanted her to be joking. To say "April fools!" And be done with it. But she never learned how to joke.

“I am giving you the choice to back off right now. It is the only leeway i am able to give you.” Jinwoo finally broke the eye contact looking down at her sneakers and the chinese hunter couldn’t be more grateful for it because what the fuck.

“Please, think about it thoroughly. I will not mind or be upset that you declined.” There just would be a big gap between us went unspoken.

“"If i got the ability to be immortal, would i accept it" huh? From where is this hypothetical question comes from?” His third oldest sister- the closest one to his age looked at him exasperation her noodles poking out of her mouth as she finally slurped them.

“Well, if there are some other immortal people with me i guess it isn’t too bad of an offer.” Zhigang blinked but this wasn’t really so surprising. His third oldest sister- Yan wasn’t the most sociable person. She had a really small group of friends who changed every so often (because she knew how to let go of people, he wonders if it was as easy as it seemed) but she still spend most of her time with their family. He knows she considers their older sisters her “best friends” and him as well on occasion. Could this influence it?

“Am i able to share the immortality with our family? I mean, it would be hell to be stuck for eternity with you bunch but still.” Zhigang looked down on his own untouched bowl. They were in some shaggy restaurant that was falling apart but he wouldn’t want to go to some expensive restaurant. Not because he was stingy or didn’t love his third oldest sister (but god knows she is a pain in his backside) but because it felt the most like home. The place they both were most comfortable in.

“Why do you ask? Did you obtain immortality or something?” Yan joked and laughed but after looking at her younger brother’s face she stopped.

“No shit, are you immortal?” She asked and it was rare to hear so much dread from her.

“Depends. It is yet to be decided.” He said because it was the truth and he did not like to lie to his sister.

“…If you became immortal then i would become one too. Wouldn't leave my baby brother alone.” After a long pause Yan said her expression blank as she just continued eating her noodles.

“Would you want me to become immortal?” He asks because he would hate himself if she would be in it just for him.

“… And what if i say yes? Death is scary you know- and maybe it wasn’t a big deal to you but-” she gulped and oh. It was truly terrifying to see his older sister so distressed and unsure. It was a rare occasion. Or probably the first time he saw something like that from her. His older sisters never really showed or told him their worries. At first, because he was the youngest and then because they did not have the time to dwell on such things. And because he now had responsibilities that only he in the whole world could carry, his sisters no doubt would rather keep to themselves out of the worry of increasing his burden .

“I had to cope that you were dead two times. One time when there was radio silence during the Kamish raid and then when those colossal gates all opened at the same time.” She looked up at him and there were actual tears in her eyes. This, was certainly the first one for him.

“And if there was an option to keep you- or everyone in our family safe until eternity then-” a small hiccup erupted from her as the fist tear fell down from her face and Zhigang- Zhigang was unsure of what to do.

He knows he was like a mountain to some people . Unyielding standing tall and unbreakable. It would be horror for people to see him break down. But to him- he had three mountains. His sisters.

Now he felt a bit more sympathy to Americans at the time when their two unyielding mountains were crumbled. One dead and the other one got beaten to death unable to properly fight back.

Right now that was how he felt. He was seeing his mountain crumble. Break down in tears. The same person whom he was scared to wake up as a kid.

“I would… want to become immortal with my partner and be with him for the rest of my life.” His oldest sister answered as they both cleaned up the apartment. His apartment because apparently his maids weren’t doing a good enough job so every time his oldest sister came she always forced him to clean up with her. He didn’t mind it right now, usually he did, but it was something she liked to do and he was happy to assist.

“Really? Even if the two of you would be the only things keeping each other company? Even if-” and his oldest sister was married. And she was not as young as she once was. Without kids. Just her and her husband. So he wanted to hear her opinion especially. He still needs to asks Jinwoo whenever she would make someone else immortal as well. Not just him.

His sister - Yating, raised her fan she used to clean up the dust to silence him up before speaking in her gentle motherly voice.

She would be great as a mom. She basically raised him and his two other older sisters. But maybe because of it she doesn’t want kids. She raised the three of them already, she doesn’t need more.

“Didi…” she began calling out to her younger brother. “Even if the two of us were the only things left in the universe. I would still spend the eternity with him. He was the reason i moved on when all of my friends eventually left me or died in dungeon breaks. He is the reason i smile.” She gently nudged him to tilt his head enough so she could give him head pats like he was a six year old all over again.

“The future is scary and unpredictable. But i know, that whatever it may hold, i will embrace it, if it means i get to witness it with my husband.” She then gave him a light slap on the cheek before returning to dusting off his apartment. Meanwhile Zhigang stood deep in his thought unmoving like a statue.

“How do you know you want to spend the rest of your life, or eternity, with that person? How do you know that you love them enough to be able to overcome any adversity?” He asked and it felt like he was a little kid again. A ten year old him sitting on the grass while his whole family, aunts, uncles, his sisters all looked for him while he and his oldest sister had a heart to heart conversations. He remembers that day clearly. He ran away from home for a reason he can’t quiet remember and Yating was the first one to find him. She scoulded him but then she talked with him as he asked her questions. Emotionl questions. Questions many people did not dare to ask because you were supposed to know the answers for them.

“Well, i never knew. I felt it. I felt that if i was with him i would be secure. Brave enough to be able to voice anything. My concerns my displeasure and my happiness.” She looked out of his window to see tall buildings but he knows she wasn't looking at them. She was looking at the sky. She enjoyed doing it since they were kids.

“Didi, you already questioning it means you love the person enough to consider their feelings. You don’t have to have the answer right now- in the near future, sure. Who knows, maybe there would be another gentleman able to sweep your mysterious girlfriend off of her feet and steal her from you.” She winked at him her long black hair sleeping off her bun. There were already wrinkles on her face and she looked more and more like their actual mother. It made something turn in his stomach.

“I may be old fashioned but i think that you should go into every relationship with the intention of spending the rest of your life with that person. Whenever it will be this woman or someone else. You have to be able to comfort that person and let that person comfort you. Cry with them if needed laugh with them, share their sorrow the same way they share yours. For them to make you happy and make them happy in return. That is all i wish for you and your partner.” She chuckled to herself as Zhigang slowly began moving again to go and sweep the counter with wet napkins.

To share the sorrow…

“But hmm, is this a rhetorical question or did you obtain some artifact allowing people to have immortality?”

“Hmmmmm… immortality you say eh? It would be kinda boring hm?” His second oldest sister threw the ball into the small hole in the arcade machine that beeped signifying that she scored.

“Then you would not want to be immortal?” Zhigang asked as he eyed and measured how he needs to throw the ball to score.

“Being the only immortal is kinda lonely. You can’t have connections for long and whoever you love will die and you will be alone. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy!” She giggled as she took the tickets out of the machine to move onto the next.

“And what if you are not the one immortal? What if it is your friend? Or a girlfriend or whatever. Someone dear to you. What would you do?” His second sister - Xinyi moved to a pacman game putting money into the arcade before starting to play. He watched her get eaten two minutes later.

“Wellllll….. first i would curse the gods that allowed such a thing to come. Then…. i would probably create a robot that is like a copy of myself to keep them company. Orrrrrr i would tranfer my mind to a computer so that way we could be together.” She moved the joystick to the other side to go the other way from the ghost her face too focused on the game to change her exression.

“Why?” He simply asked as the next second Xinyi was cornered by the ghosts and eaten.

“Because being alone and immortal is the worst fate ever. I would want to ease it somehow.” She grinned at him despite losing the game.

Now thinking about it, has Jinwoo extended her offer to anyone but him?

“And what if you had the chance to be immortal with them? What if you were the only other person they could come to-”

“I would choose immortality. You can’t be really lonely if you have someone by your side to nag you huh?” She punched him in his shoulder but quickly recoiled. Thirteen years passed and yet she still forgets that he is made of rocks.

It two am when Zhigang woke up from his sleep for no reason. No, there was an actual reason.

He was still unsure of whenever he wanted to be immortal and be by Jinwoo’s side. Was he cut out for that? At this point in his life he accepted the fact that he will probably die of the hands of the magic beasts but now- now it could be changed and it terrified him.

Jinwoo really knew how to make him feel emotions he never felt before huh? Wicked, wicked woman.

Would he want to be with her? Throughout the ages and centuries? Would he feel the same way after a hundred years?

He wasn't sure. And he was scared that his short sightseeing was going to hurt both of them. And Jinwoo deserved someone who would be by her side unyielding. Someone who would not hesitate to spend the rest of eternity with her to make her happy.

Zhigang doesn't think he is cut out for the job. Sure he was one of the most powerful people on the earth but power and influence all became nonexistent the moment Jinwoo entered the proximity.

He was fairly handsome- or so he was told by everyone around him. He was basically the one handling all of the Chinese hunters because they did not listen to the association .

And he was patient but he wasn't sure if he was patient enough. Sure he spend two years of barely being considered a friend (if he was considered one) to Jinwoo. She deserved someone who would wait for her no matter what.

Because Jinwoo was actually a really good person. A bit socially unaware and emotionally unavailable but she tried. And most people don't even do that.

She tried engaging in conversations a bit more being the one to initiate them. She started being more friendly towards the press and overall to people around. She even made an attempt to force a polite smile (which was really pitiful).

And, the most important thing, she actually considered his feelings. She could have forced him into doing anything really and he would not be really able to fight back but she cared enough to give him a choice.

She may be the kindest person he knows.

And now he was debating whenever or not to hurt that person and leave them to spend the rest of eternity alone. Of course there is a chance of Jinwoo finding someone else but he knew her for two years. Which may not be a lot for some people but it was enough for him to get to know her somewhat.

And he knows the fact that she is loyal and would be unable to move on. That was a part of her he could relate to.

He never quite moved on after losing people. Not really.

He would be a horrible partner to her. She deserved someone better. She did not need him who would mourn every single person who was close to him when they die. As well as mourn his inability to reunite with them in heaven or something.

It was horrifying to think about. He was scared, he admits it.

And he needs time to consider everything. This may be the most important decision of his life.

And he feels like his love is not strong enough of a force to be with Jinwoo for the rest of eternity.

She is better off with someone who would love her for forevermore.

They still stayed friends. Jinwoo visited him on occasion to either just talk or spend time together by playing board games. Or video games which by the looks of it intrigued Jinwoo way more than any other activity they have ever done.

But lately there was also some tension. Not necessarily between them. Yes, Jinwoo holds him on a distance of the outstretched hand and he gets it. He doesn't mind.

He doesn’t mind.

He has no right to mind.

But there was something about the way her shadow jumped at the slightest unexpected noise. The way it cradled Jinwoo when it thought Zhigang could not see it.

Zhigang asked Jinwoo about her shadow and she told him that it was where she stored her shadow soldiers. And he could see the thousand of pupils looking at him, assessing him with a certain air of hostility.

And suddenly. Zhigang came to an unexpected revelation.

Jinwoo’s summons had a mind of their own. The way there were always hands of many creatures assisting when Jinwoo was not looking. Either to catch a bottle that accidentally fell or to brush off dust from Jinwoo’s clothes.

It wasn't something Jinwoo was ordering them to do or puppeteered them like most summoners do.

It was more on a personal level. Something they wanted to do.

Those were the creatures (beings?) that Jinwoo deserved. Attentive, always there, caring.

They were beings with mind. And Zhigang wondered-

Why did Jinwoo always looked so lonely with them around?

“What are your summons?” He asked as he threw the same number but a different colour of the card to change it. They were in the middle of playing UNO when he decided to ask.

“…” the silence stretched between them and as Jinwoo did not place her card for some time Zhigang finally lifted his gaze to see what was wrong.

“…” Zhigang softly exclaimed as he accidentally crossed eyes with Jinwoo. It wasn't a glare she was giving but not a kind stare either.

‘You have no right to know.’ He understood it without words. The shadow (s) stretched as he watched a black hand tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear with Jinwoo noticing or registering. To her it was as natural as breathing.

“…you could know if you agreed.” Jinwoo murmured after the game almost reached the end after she said “UNO”.

They ended the game without further conversation.

He made his final decision while knee deep in a monster corpse. It wasn’t a pretty sight. His subornitates walked around chatting with one another after the battle and he just, stood there. Blood (not his) trickling down from his swords and maybe he should have been thinking about how much of a pain cleaning those swords would be.

But he wasn’t. Instead, he started thinking about how to begin his conversation with Jinwoo.

There wasn’t any particular moment of realisation. It was more like his thoughts finally settled down and let him have a breather. So here he was. In a dungeon, with the odd looks other hunters were giving him, and with the answer.

How weird life could be.

“Hey, mom?” Zhigang stood on his balcony slowly sipping a can of beer while looking up at the night sky.

“Oh, Zhigang. It is you.” His mother’s voice sounded through the speaker far too loud for his comfort.

“How are you?” He attempted to be polite and make a small talk like a good son that he is. Or made himself out to be anyway. He never really felt enough even now as the China’s one and only hero. He isn’t sure whenever he blames his mother for that. His mother was great. Maybe a bit too old fashioned but she always had good intentions.

“Alive. Has something happened that you called?” She asked because he knows he never called to check on her. She was the one doing that. A pinge of guilt threatens to poison him but he does not budge. He may have loved his mother and his mother may have loved him, but the old scars still pained him. No matter how much time has passed, he isn’t sure he could quite forgive his mother for that. Not because she was undeserving. She made a genuine mistake. A mistake she was doing for a long time. But not anymore. Mostly because she couldn’t. Does she feel remorse?

“I found someone i would like to introduce to the whole family.” He simply said but the implications were enough. And he knows he is making excuses for her. She still hurt him and his sister no matter what the intent was. Their mother never apologised. He isn’t sure “apologising” was even in her blood. It was an alien concept to her. Apologising to your kids.

“Zhigang?” His mother called onto him. It reminds him of the time when he and his sisters were still kids and she would call out for them to go eat dinner. Her voice isn’t as lively and more raspier than in his memory.

“Yes?” He gritted his teeth already knowing what she will say. He just… he has to keep his bloodlust at bay as to not scare and give a heart attack to his neighbours. Who were mostly high ranking hunters but still. He once made a s rank pass out from his mana alone he doesn’t take any chances with bloodlust.

He loved his mother. But he certainly did not like her beliefs that were out-dated.

“I hope she isn’t some gold digger?” And Zhigang had to bite his lower lip not to growl or to laugh out loud. He knows his mother wasn’t attacking Jinwoo personally. He knows she just cares in that way for him. But he still disliked the implication. He had decided that he will spend the rest of eternity with Jinwoo as- he wishes they will come to it- her husband. He has to live up to it even if Jinwoo is yet to hear his answer. He still needed some time to do it right. Does he even have the right to get angry for Jinwoo yet?

And whenever to prove his resolve. He will not allow his mother to badmouth Jinwoo. Even if she was doing in unintentionally. Even if that was the way she cared.

“You know, in this age and era there are so many whores who will sell their body to anyone. I hope this one isn’t dirty.” Zhigang put his forehead on the railing taking a deep breath from his nose. He survived a dragon and magic beasts endlessly pouring out of gates . He will live through this.

“Who is it anyway? A celebrity? A model? I hope you didn’t choose a nobody.” He felt iron taste in his mouth his lip already bleeding. She did not mean it as an insult to Jinwoo, she did not mean it as an insult, she did not- he chanted it like a prayer. A prayer he was now addressing to Jinwoo herself.

If Jinwoo was a nobody, he isn’t sure what he is then.

“Sung Jinwoo.” Zhigang steadied himself taking another deep breath his eyes closed. He had no idea how she will react to him being with Jinwoo. She will either be just a little upset or be furious. Because no matter what he did, what he had become it could never satisfy his mother. She demanded a lot from him since he was a kid and at the same time she demanded nothing. She sacrificed his sisters to make sure he had every possible opportunity.

“…” he listened to the silence on the other end and he wished she had hanged up. He knows that she disliked Jinwoo. He knows why and it is for the most stupidest reasons. The very same reasons two of his sister cut contact with her. Her opinions on certain topics were ridiculous.

“Out of all the people you choose her!?” ‘On no. Here it goes’ Zhigang thought to himself as he prayed to Jinwoo again that she would somehow make his sanity immortal as well. Preferably right now. Preferably with insurance.

“This woman went into a man field to throw hands! Do you even understand how unlady like this already is? She is a barbarian in the purest sense of the word! A proper woman should be delicate, obedient, soft spoken and stay at home! This one has muscles and no doubt scars to boot! She goes around acting like a man fighting monsters, and not only that, have you seen her hair? Goodness gracious! She looks like a whore with that short hair! No woman should have short hair! Do you hear me Zhigang? You can do way better than her-”

“Mom. No matter what you have to say my decision stands. She is the woman I wish to spend my life with.” Or to be more precise, the woman with whom he wants to spend eternity with. “You have no say in this. I am just informing you of my decision.”

“You can’t just expect me not to say anything! You were alone for such a long time and when you finally settle down of all women that is who you choose!?” He could hear his mother drinking water. Her throat must not be becoming any better.

“Zhigang- sweety. You can’t do that- I am your mother. Don’t you think I have a say in this?” She tried. He knows why she says that. She was raised with this mindset drilled into her since she was a baby. He knows she is scared. She is scared for him, for him not to make a wrong decision and he hurt. Again.

“No. No you do not.” But this wasn't her decision. He heard the opinion of the people he considered important.

“Listen- have you not heard what they say about her on social media? I saw! She is doing horrendous things! She is covered from head to toe in blood, how can you call this savage a woman!?” He sighed. He really questioned how his oldest sister was able to be in close contact with their mother and not go crazy from listening to her delusions.

“And so am I. I am constantly covered in organs of magic beasts. Yet it only matter when it comes to Jinwoo? Why doesn't the same logic apply to me? How can you call me a man?” He asked and he knows his mother is now thinking. He could basically hear it. The gears turning in her head on how to give her argument.

He knows she hates blood. But he was used to the stench of blood. And at some point the stench became comforting.

“But you are a man. The work you are doing is something to be proud of. But this is a man’s field. A woman shouldn't be anywhere near the fight! She will only bring trouble and get in the way. You know how women are” And here she goes. He wonders if she will ever change. Probably not. Older people always have an extremely hard time on changing. He does not expect change from her right now. Once upon a time he did. He stopped when she hit his oldest sister.

“Yet this woman-who-should-not-be-near-a-fight has saved her country and another country as well. Not to mention the fact that she also saved countless s ranks all over the globe. If you were to ask me- she is doing my job as a hunter but better.” And yes. Zhigang was a hunter who managed most if not all hunters in China. They all obeyed him. Not the government not the association. And yet. Jinwoo is the strongest hunter for a reason. He is half sure she cleared more gates than he did.

“…you know I saw on social media-” Zhigang scratches the back of his head.

“Your social accounts are all closely monitored by the government people for a reason. They will not allow the "Liu mother is racist" incident from happening again. I think you should stop believing whatever you see on there.”

“Zhigang-!” at this point he just put his thumb on the red button to terminate the call. If he didn’t he fears the journalists are going to have a field day.

His mother will probably go and complain about him. Or much rather about Jinwoo. He could imagine it already. His mother going to his oldest sister Yating say something of the sorts of “she is poisoning his mind”, “my poor baby son has fallen victim to a temptress!”.

His head already hurts. He was always his mother’s favourite child and she rarely hid it. She spoiled him as much as she could in poverty forcing his sisters to starve just for him to eat.

And after nearly twenty five years he still does not know to to react to it.

He dropped his phone on the coffee table nearby before looking out in the distance.

He should really meet with Jinwoo and give her his answer. He made her waiting long enough. Too long even.

Should he invite her to a restaurant? Maybe prepare a home made dinner? Buy some romantic decoration to set the mood? Would she even appreciate the gesture?

Just as he was thinking over it all-

His phone went off. He instinctively reached out to put it on silent thinking it was his mother but instead it was one of his sisters.

“Zhigang?” It was Yan, her voice unsteady and unsure.

“Yeah? Is something wrong?” He was already leaving the balcony to go and grab his jacket. An ominous feeling creeping over him.

“They said hunter Sung has gone missing.” And wasn't that news he did not expect.

The korean hunter association putting up the "Hunter Sung Jinwoo has gone missing. No she isn't temporarily gone. Nobody knows where she is." sign and Zhigang was starting to question reality when his secretary brought him the report.

Basically. Jinwoo in her favourite manor of doing disappeared. But now she has not told anyone. Not her family nor the chairman of the Korean hunter association (to whom she was incredible closed with) (no he isn't jealous she has the right to have a male best friend) (they aren't even dating officially-) And as he took a peek at his own shadow he still could see the two purple dots starring back at him.

Good. Nothing bad happened to her. He would expect her shadows would disperse if something were to happen to her. So it was alright. Sure she was offline for more than two weeks and did not notify anyone that she would be gone but it was fine.

Okay, yeah, it stang that she did not tell him. But she hasn't told her family anything and Zhigang is not prideful enough to think he is above her family.

So he would wait. He would wait and until then he has time to prepare more thoroughly for his answer.

Nothing is in fact, fine.

She is gone for three months with no news and people already pronounce her dead.

But she wasn't. She couldn't be. He saw his shadow. He saw the orbs that were unblinking.

And if something did kill her (which would never happen) then the Earth would be erased soon enough.

Zhigang put down his pen and forced his chair to lean back as his gaze shifted from the papers on his desk to the lonely vase with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. God knows how many he has already bough waiting for Jinwoo. At this point it was every week a new type of flowers.

Zhigang dried his hair as his clothes clang to his still wet skin from the bath he took. Honestly. He wasn't even planing to eat anything. Too tired to cook and too long to order. The National level hunter wanted nothing but head straight to bed. He wasn't psychically tired per say. But he was mentally tired.

His mother was trying to set him up with some poor girl whom he had to firmly reject. The new recruits were a bunch of idiots with a genuine desire to protect civilians so he couldn't even be angry at their incompetence. They were still training and he was their trainer.

He started recalling the new branch of other recruits whom he will have to face tomorrow. He really wished for a reason not to go-

“Jinwoo?”his mouth said faster than his eyes saw and registered the person sitting on his couch. Tired, hair a tangled mess, slumped, eyes closed, clearly dirty but yet so dignified as if she had just arrived to the ball as the most stunning star of the night. as making her all the beautiful.

Jinwoo was always beautiful no matter how he looked at her.

“…Hey there Zhigang.” She said her eyes slowly opening, she was clearly

The out of place clean and fresh hoodie were confusing.

“What- are you okay?” he asked looking around clearly in panic. He did not know what he had to do first. Give her a sip of water? A towel? A medkit? A phone?

“Hey.” She slowly opened her yes her lashes fluttering in that adorable way as her purple orbs looked up at him.

“…” Zhigang stopped in his tracks paralysed. Jinwoo was here. After the radio silence of three months.

“Hey.” his face softened as he threw his towel over the headboard of the chair and walked up to Jinwoo who didn’t even bothered to straightened up. At this point she was basically laying on the couch half of her face buried in the wide turtle neck her hands hidden away in the hand warmer pockets.

“What’s up?” he asked taking a seat beside her. He stopped the urge to put her hair behind her ear as it was obstructing her vision. No shadow came out to tuck it.

“…Alright. Checked up on my mom and sister.” she said her eyes closing in such a drowsy manner Zhigang was starting to get worried about her condition.

“Decided to check up on you.” she added. Zhigang considered for a moment before stretching his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.

“Well, for your information i am quite miserable. The recruits are a bunch of dum dumbs and i am the one holding the torch to lead them. Been quite hard to do since they are jumping out of the line like a bunch of rabbits.” At this point the Chinese hunter wasn’t unsure of what he was doing. Or saying for that matter. But whatever he was doing did succeeded to make her smile.

His hand lingered. An invitation of comfort. Not exactly touching her face but he wasn’t pulling of either.

Jinwoo opened her eyes just for a moment to study him. Her gaze tired and glassy but still sharp as ever. If she did not accept his show of psychical closeness he will pull away.

She accepted. Closed her eyes and leaned into his touch as Zhigang let out a breath he did not realise he was holding.

“… Do you want me to make dinner?” He asked cautiously as his thumb went to rub her cheek.

“Mhm, later.” She mumbled.

Well, their dinner wasn’t as romantic as he has planned but it was no less precious.

His gaze slightly shifted to his own shadow. The edges were jumping up and down. Clearly the guy was happy to see Jinwoo as much as Zhigang was.

“So… you agree?” Jinwoo looked at him the shadow of doubt.

“Yes.” Zhigang nodded drinking his coffee.

“…You understand that you will be immortal?”

“Yes.” he answered almost immediately.

“This decision is irreversible. You will live eternally.” He raised his eyebrow at that.

“I think i know what "immortality" entails, thank you very much.” He placed his mug on the table. Maybe choosing some random cafe for this conversation was not the best idea in hindsight. But he really needed a coffee after a week of the world celebrating the fact that Jinwoo was alive and well.

“Where were you anyway? You ghosted everyone for three months and when you returned you looked like a corpse that was rotting for a year brought back to life by a necromancer.” He grabbed one of the pastries to put in his mouth and eat it in one bite.

“Fighting aliens that wanted to eat the planet. Why?” She grabbed her overly sweet coffee (could you even call it a coffee at this point?) a smile slowly creeping on her face.

“Well, for your information. I decided on my answer and then on that same day you were pronounced missing in action. Honestly i was getting worried that you found yourself someone else. “ He joked.

“…It was close.” Jinwoo murmured sipping her coffee.

“…What?”

“It was really, really close.” She said again now a smile forming on her face as her gaze scanned the man sitting on the opposite side of her with a bewildered expression.

“Who… who was running the race besides me without me realising it?” He questioned and the worst part of it all: Jinwoo wasn't lying. Her mana nor her heart were fluctuating a clear sigh of lying.

“Mmmmm, why care now? You won anyway.” Jinwoo was clearly teasing him. It was a lighthearted thing but he had to take a moment to realise that it was a tease.

Normally he was the one doing the teasing.

Oh.

Oooohhhhh…

“Well, I still have to know who was really close to stealing your heart, who knows. Maybe they are still my opponents?” Jinwoo's trust tasted sweet. He could become a diabetes sooner rather than later with how deliciously sweet it tasted.

“Mhm. A hunter from South Korea.”

“A high ranking one?” Not that the question shortened the list. He barely remembered any of their names. He bothered to look at them only after Jeju raid and even then spared only a glance at their files.it decreased the amount but at least it would be someone he might have heard of.

“Yeah.” With that confirmation Zhigang rubbed at his memory.

“That tiger guy?” Was the first that came to his mind. He heard Jinwoo was closer to him and had a buddie-buddie relationship.

“Not him? The fiery guy then?” A shake.

“…. Don’t tell me it was that bow guy?” At that Jinwoo burst out laughing which, fair.

“No, no! None of them actually. You know Cha Haein? "The Dancer"?” A realisation hit him as his mouth formed into a small o.

“So you swing both ways.” He stated as Jinwoo’s laughter grew even louder.

“And here i thought that the men would be my only rivals.” The Korean hunter was barely able to breath between her hectic laughter.

“How close was she?” He prodded when his companion finally stopped laughing.

“Close enough to hear about my father.” She retorted her face suddenly cold.

They looked at each other’s eyes with those serious expressions before-

“Pfff!” Zhigang was the one to burst the silence and started letting out coughs as not to laugh as Jinwoo smiled.

“We even went to an amusement park together. I even let her ride my "dragon".” Unable to hold his laughter Zhigang was laughing to his heart’s content.

“Hahaha! Would you also let me ride your "dragon" M? Jinwoo?”

“Hmmmm, maybe. Depends on how well you will behave.” It was truly night and day how Jinwoo behaved around someone she knew wouldn’t leave her. She never joked around him. He doubted she could.

But it turns out that she could joke. Very badly. But he loved it.

He loved her.

“You like history?” She asked him as he stirred thoroughly the mixture in the bowl.

It was their now usual get together every Thursday to cook something together. By no means was he a chef level cook. But Jinwoo seemed to be able to rival the gods with her cooking skills and he really wanted to cook something nice for his sisters (and maybe some day even for Jinwoo).

“Yeah. I was actually in college for sometime studying for it. Haven’t i told you? I never went far, but still. It was good while it lasted.” He watched as Jinwoo was massaging the dough to prepare for some other dish. They were both cooking the main dish and the dessert. He was in charge of the dessert and she was in charge of the main course while also supervising him so he wouldn't mess up.

“Why?” She asked as he looked away to watch a shadow knight with red feather sticking out of his helmet preparing the table. Igris.

“It got thrashed in the first few days when the gates appeared and then I became a hunter and the rest is obvious.” He wasn't looking at Jinwoo in her white apron while he wore the pink one. He can't say he hated this since it was after all the one Jinwoo gifted him.

“Oh.” Was all her reaction as they continued cooking.

“Do you like dragons?” She suddenly asked as they both sat at the table looking at the oven and the stove waiting for the dishes to cook.

“That came out of nowhere.” He commented as he side-eyed the shadow knight, Igris, turn his plant pot around almost as if adjusting it to look perfect. At this point he got used to her summons popping out of nowhere and doing their thing. Jinwoo seemed to never mind them and Zhigang did the same.

“So, do you like them?” It wasn't necessarily true that it came out of nowhere. They started raiding together quiet often. He enjoyed seeing her covered in blood and as he discovered - he enjoys fighting by her side way more than against her.

And well, he was bound to show off his skill (even if tried to show off more than it was needed, he had to impress her even if a little bit). And the thing is- he has two fire dragons as things he could control. And he also had to fight Kamish. He could see where the question came from.

“Somewhat. I dislike Kamish but i like my two dragons. But are they alive tho? They are just… effects of the skill i guess.” He never really considered whenever he liked dragons or not. he liked the idea of Chinese dragons.

“Do you like dragons?” he asked instead. He knows Jinwoo has three massive dragons in her arsenal but since the war days he never seen them out. Even during the war they were barely there mostly dragging their enemies into the sea and fighting them there. Aren’t they at disadvantage there?

“I do.” She answers as she looks down on her shadow that slightly distorted. Could the dragons live there - in her shadow and answer her?

“Really?” He also looks down on her shadow expecting for none of the purple eyeballs to look at him but to his surprise - one actually looked at him.

“Is it so hard to believe in? Your home is full of dragons yet you say you like them "somewhat".” Ah, now looking at it that way, he really could see why she asked him that question.

But this was just the truth - he liked dragons somewhat. Yeah maybe his house was full of dragon ornaments (and maybe a belt somewhere made out of Kamish’s hide) and one of his swords did have a dragon head. But this was mostly… living up to his title as the "China’s dragon emperor" or whatnot (this is a lie, he found the title cringe and never cared for it all that much).

“Why do you like them?” He asks to get rid of his own contradictory thoughts. He must have gotten it from his third sister, Yan was a walking contradiction and as the one closest to him in age he must have picked out some of her traits.

“Kaisel is doing a lot of the heavy lifting.” she said a smile so warm it could probably melt half of an Antarctica while looking at her shadow. the two eyeballs that were looking at him now had their full attention at their master.

“But it is a shame i never got to have Kamish with me. Now thinking about it, my two most desired soldiers were also the only ones whom i was unable to get. Kamish and that elf bastard” She tsked as the purple eyeballs faded into her shadow as she crossed her arms.

“A shame really. That ice elf- Bradk? Barka? Beste? Whatever his name was- he could have been really useful. But what can you do.” She let out a sigh as a light bud went off in Zhigang’s head

Oh.

Oh.

“Are you a necromancer?!” He leaned over closer to her as she looked at him as if he was the one being ridiculous.

“I am.” She replied with no further explanation.

“Actually what i said was a lie. I got to have Kamish for a short amount of time. He said something about Antares and that he was regretfull about being unable to join my army and disappeared. If only i was able to get to him earlier…” She put her face into her knuckle clear regret on her face as Zhigang - with his mind working several times faster than that of a regular human was unable to process everything that he was given.

“Wait, but wasn’t it Ashborn’s fault? I mean- the shadow monarch has the absolute authority over the dead, does it really matter how long the body was dead?” she thought for a second before suddenly slamming her fist into the table making him flinch from the sudden movement. Thankfully, the table was not broken as the shadow quickly went to cover it before the blow was delivered.

“Damn that old bastard! He wanted to tell me the story himself! Curse him!” She gritted her teeth before stopping.

“Wait. Doesn’t that technically mean i am cursing myself out? And- Could it be because i am still not masteful enough with the authority over the dead? Hmmm….” She put a hand on her mouth - clearly in deep thought.

Meanwhile Zhigang was barely able to have one thought in his mind.

“Wait- what do you mean you talked with Kamish? When did that happen? Who is Antares, who is Ashborn- and what’s up with that ass name?!” it felt like he was in middle grade in the math class all over again. What were they doing? Where this that number come from? Why are we changing the whole thing?

“I did and- don’t insult Ashborn’s name! It is basically my name- or wait, is it?” her shadow flared up dragging itself up to her to be near her face as he listened to voices, so many voices whispering into her ear-

It would have given him the creeps if he was not actively losing his mind.

“Who is the shadow monarch? What about the absolute authority over the dead? What are your summons?!” at this point, he was basically tearing up because what the actual fuck.

“Ah, shadow monarch is my title.” she said and he could vividly remember hearing that name, even saying that name, but when?

“How did you get it? What does it even do-” he asked and in the next second Igris that finally finished changing the placement of basically all of the furniture in the house came back to stand by Jinwoo’s side his helmet slightly bowed.

“Well, The absolute being created monarchs and rulers and then a ruler became a monarch and got tired of living- it is a long story. Anyway, Ashborn, the ruler-turned-monarch wanted to pass his title onto someone and decided on me.” Igris slightly waved his head as Jinwoo looked away from the chinese hunter (who was in complete despair from the woman’s storytelling skills) as the two exchanged some telepathic messages the other thing that stretched from her shadow was still whispering into her ear now fully formed into a-

“The ant king…” Zhigang, by this point, was completely defeated and drained. Who knew their simple get-together would ended up on him receiving some bullshit information?

The ant king, now enveloped in shadows, occupied Jinwoo’s other side as the two shadows whispered something in her ear before she got annoyed.

“Enough the two of you- you might as well tell the story yourself if you dislike how i do it.” She waved her hand as the knight stood straight as the ant king turned his head to face Zhigang its eyes squinted at him.

“Greetings oh king from another la-” he watched as the ant king got punched in the face by Jinwoo before he was able to finish his sentence.

“I told you to talk normally, didn’t i?” she scolded the creature that bowed its head, almost apolegetic?

“keeeukk…. my apologies my queen….” Jinwoo waved her hand again before getting up as the dishes started burning on the stove. Zhigang did not have the energy to stand up and help her (and somehow he feels like it will soon become so, so much worse).

“Keeeuk, my ever benevolent queen has allowed me to tell you her tale of greatness-” another hit from Jinwoo, he could almost feel bad for the ant if not for that one time it screamed into his face.

"Keuuuukkk, please, this one goes by the name "Beru" granted by the most magnificent queen-” yet another hit to the face-

He wonders if he will get hit nerly as much if he ever displeases Jinwoo.

He is both, equally eaager to get trampled over by her and not excited to ever upset her.

…

“So… you mean rulers were the ones who gave me my powers?” he asked his head in his hands as his plate stood empty food long gone.

“Yeah, i actually talked to them through you.” she added and wasn’t that nice to know.

“Like what? Are they able to posses me whenever they want?” he asked and he hoped not.

“Pretty much” damn it.

“…What stopping them from actually doing that?”

“They like you.”

“…Huh?”

“If they didn’t, i doubt they would have ever given you their powers.” She said and suddenly- his own (?) mana flared up on its own without him losing control or allowing it to do that.

“See? They agree.”

“So…. are we dating?” Zhigang asked slowly sipping his beer as he looked up at the night sky unblemished by clouds.

He and Jinwoo went out on a date. Camping date. Somewhere in Chinese mountains with zero wife connection and her shadow companions doing anything but be serious (He wonders what words to say to the government when they found out that one third of the upper half of one of the mountains was gone and how to gaslight them into believing it was always there).

“We started dating when you accepted the immortality deal.” Jinwoo sitting right beside him on her own camping chair drinking juice instead of the earlier offered beer (more for him then).

“Oh.” The Chinese hunter closed his eyes tasting the next question in his mouth before shooting it.

“Then am i allowed to kiss you?” He asked.

“Yeah.” Jinwoo was still looking at the night sky.

“Can i kiss your cheeks?”

“Yes.”

“Can i kiss your forehead?”

“…Yeah?”

“What about your lips?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Am i allowed to kiss your neck?”

“Yep.”

“Your arms? Your hands?”

“Do you really need to ask?”

“What about your stomach?”

“…I am ticklish there but sure. I don’t mind.”

“Your chest?”

“….If you want to.”

“Hmmmm, Your legs?”

“Why are you asking that?” His question seems to reach a point where Jinwoo turned her gaze (a very judgemental one at that) at him and scoff.

“We are putting boundaries. They are very important in relationships you know! And i am planning on spending eternity with you, i would hate to cross a line and for you to hate me and then leave me to die a lonely death.” Jinwoo scoffed (again) and waved her hand.

“I still have Beru with me. You will be fine.” She got back to stargazing as Zhigang fell in deep thought.

“Then can i kiss your pussy?” Jinwoo blinked and slowly turned her head to look at her boyfriend.

“What? I gotta ask!” The seven star hunter defended himself but Jinwoo just stared. And not in a cute way he liked- like in unblinking way. In a way that was screaming "one more word and i am feeding you to the ice bears".

“………..” he averted his head the opposite way like he had done something wrong. Which, he didn’t. Sooner or later they would need to break the idea of sex. And in his mind it would be better to do right now when they were discussing boundaries. Or, well, more like he was asking questions and Jinwoo was nodding.

“………………………………..” he could feel her gaze on the back of his head. Well, if she decided to behead him right here and then. He would die happily.

“…!” Zhigang yelped as he felt a heavy weight on his lap. Jinwoo who (without him hearing or sensing a thing) stood up and decided to sit on his lap sideways. Her legs were still able to reach the grassy ground (the chairs were extremely small. He forgot for a moment just how small they were). Her soft lips were kissing the top of his head her face hidden from his point of view. She threw her arm over his shoulder to support herself while the other arm rested on the same shoulder as the one she threw over.

“Huh?” He questioned but still instinctively placed his arm on her hips and the her back to not let her fall and let her have an easier time sitting on his lap.

“…” they sat in that position for some time. At that moment he really wished nobody would disturb them. He never knew having your lover sit at your lap would be this enjoyable.

“…Can we not talk about it yet?” Jinwoo asked in that extremely quiet voice of hers. Cute.

“What? About sex?” Jinwoo nuzzling deeper was the only answer he needed. But- in the corners of his vision he could see it. Blush. Jinwoo was blushing from him mentioning the idea of sex.

“Sooooo…. you are a shy girl huh.” A tug on his ponytail gave him a clue that he should really stop talking. But oh god, Jinwoo was embarrassed at the idea of him kissing her pussy.

Well, at least now he knows the first thing he would be doing when they get to that point.

“Sometimes i don’t know if i really feel anything or i have fooled even myself.” It was a movie night. And well, not the good one. Yanqing (bless her heart) did not account when recommending a movie that it would be heavy heavy. He knows what his sister was thinking. She probably expected him to watch this alone.

And well, not the nicest movie night for him and Jinwoo.

Such heavy movies with really heavy topics always left something hollow inside of you after watching.

And maybe that was what made Jinwoo to confess to something he is yet t o understood the magnitude of.

“I feel scared. But to be honest. I don’t know if it what i am actually feeling or what i am supposed to feel.” She says. He affectionately pets her on her shoulder her head against his own. He isn’t sure if he knows what to say.

“…I wasn’t always like this.” His hand stops as he just stays motionless. Listening. Jinwoo isn’t breathing nor can he hear her heart.

“Then what happened?” He carefully prods. They were close. But he doubts they are close enough for Jinwoo to tell him something she hasn’t told her family.

“…” she stays silent choosing not to answer. Her heart and lungs are working again.

“Would you believe me?” Her question is so innocent like but he can feel it. Her sorrow. And mourning. He is yet to know of what, or who she is mourning.

“I would.” Jinwoo doesn’t answer further and he stops trying to get anything out of her if she does not wishes to tell him.

He offered. When or if she takes him on his offer to share is her own decision. He has one too many skeletons in his own closet that he needs to gather courage to speak to Jinwoo about.

In that matter. He feels how much stronger Jinwoo is than him that she even began opening up. He doesn’t want Jinwoo to handle even more burden of knowing what Zhigang himself has been through.

“…Hypocrite.” He scoffs. He wonders how Jinwoo can read his mind but maybe she just knows. Just as he just knows.

“Well. Maybe if you ask me nicely i could tell you.”

Returning from a six hour long red gate which translated to six day in that other world it was obvious Zhigang was tired. Jinwoo told him that she will be waiting for him back at their home (their!) so his mood was lifted exponentially.

That was, until he came home. Sure he was ecstatic to see Jinwoo. What he was not happy about is seeing her on the couch with the facial expression of a stone while surrounded sisters and her eldest's husband surrounding her like a pack of hyenas ready to devour her.

“Zhigang! How dare you not tell us that you had such a sweet thing at home!” Xinyu laughed at the glare Zhigang shot her when he saw a hand resting on Jinwoo’s shoulder.

“Didi, you never told us you had a girlfriend. When were you planning on introducing us?” Yating sat on the other couch opposite to Jinwoo’s looking at him with that fake softness. He could see it from here. Yating was clearly displeased that he was dating without her knowing (and he was 38 already. Shouldn’t he be allowed to date whoever he wants without his sisters’ approval?).

“Has he been treating you well?” His third sister asked Jinwoo. While petting her head like she was a little girl.

He questions how Jinwoo is able to keep a straight face. Maybe because her emotions are already dampened- his thoughts betray him but for a moment.

“What- what are you lot doing here?” He looks at Yan his oldest sister’s husband for help but the man only shakes his head. What is that supposed to mean?

“Well, we figured since our brother stopped spending any time with us that we would come by. And wouldn’t you know it! You found yourself quite a catch!” He just hopes Jinwoo is not offended by any of that.

“Get out of my house.” All three of his sisters laughed but he wasn’t quite joking.

“Awww, c’mon. We want to talk to your girlfriend a bit more! For example, how was it beating the strongest hunter?” Zhigang couldn’t stop himself from frowning. Thomas wasn’t the strongest hunter. It was a common misconception. But of course, knowing his sisters, she said it in such a way on purpose.

“…I didn’t feel much. I just saw an enemy that had to be defeated.” Jinwoo finaly spoke up.

“Really? Weren’t you, i don’t know, scared?” His eldest sistter asked.

“If she was scared of anything, then it would be the man’s fashion choices.” His second sister said.

“Guys, guys, back off a little. Y’all came uninvited have some decency to be polite.” Zhigang promtly decided to then go to Jinwoo and sit right by her side pushing his third sister off the couch while throwing his own arm over Jinwoo’s shoulder throwing Xyniu’s arm off of her.

“Ohhhh, look, someone is a possessive type. Jinwoo if he ever doesn’t let you go somewhere, tell us — we will teach him some manners.” Xyniu laughed but backed off as Yan went and took a seat on the other chair beside the couch.

“I am not- i am not possessive!” Jinwoo tilted her head curiously observing how the siblings bickered clearly amused as some of the shadows opened their eyes to watch the commotion from the shadows as well.

“Oh, you aren’t? Jinwoo find another man, this one clearly doesn’t treasure you enough.” Yan began as Zhigang shot a silent glare at her.

“Hmmmm, how did the two of you met?” his eldest sister Yating asked nudging closer to the edge of the chair to hear more properly. He hopes she actually visits the doctor to check her hearing.

“On the conference.” Jinwoo retorted before Zhigang was able to shut her up. If his sisters actually hear what transpired at the conference or what were the first words he said to Jinwoo he doubts his sisters will ever let him live that down.

“Really? Before or after?” She asked with curiosity as the other two also stayed silent clearly their intrest has been piqued.

“During.” Jinwoo answered easily enough as Zhigang pinched her shoulder so she would stop saying anything.

“Ah, how did it happened? Aren’t hunters supposed to stay quiet during it?” Xyniu asked and as Jinwoo opened her mouth to speak he preemptively closed her mouth with his hand. Clearly Jinwoo was too clueless to pick up on social clues.

“We have signed a NDA forms. Saying anything more would be breaching it.” Zhigang smiled and dropped his hand as Jinwoo’s furrowed. They didn’t actually sign anything. It made no sense since the reason on the surface for the conference to even exist is to exchange new information between countries through their selective representatives. Which would fail if the representatives in question were made to sign the NDA forms.

“No we didn-” he closed Jinwoo’s mouth again. She has talked enough.

“Jinwoo blink two times if Zhigang is being abusive!” He scowled at that as Jinwoo, bless her, did not blink at all, her shadow jumping up and down meanwhile. Calming itself before stirring again.

“Can we stop? It is not important how we met.” Xinyu eyed him with suspicion.

“Was he mean to you Jinwoo? Do we need to teach that dafoon some disciplinary lessons?” Yating asked making Jinwoo scratch her cheek in awkwardness.

“Nothing I wouldn't have guessed from his reputation.” She ended up settling on as Zhigang shot her a pitiful glare. He was in enemy territory and his only ally was slowly turning against him.

“Oh, i guess our didi is known as an asshole isn't he?” His oldest sister laughed her hand covering her mouth. Something she did for as long as he could remember. Nobody else of the Liu siblings ever bothered to do that. She always nudged them on their manners.

“Wow, five against one. How noble.” His sisters all collectively laughed as Jinwoo’s shoulders slightly eased.

“He was nicer after the conference meeting.” Jinwoo decided to add.

“Really? Well, not all hope is lost. Why did you even decide to go talk to him more?” Yan asked as the Korean looked away.

“… someone made me.” She quietly said as Zhigang stared at her.

“Who?” He asked without a second thought. To think that Jinwoo went on that date just because someone made her… it hurt his pride.

“…Woo Jinchul was really distressed about Korea’s political stance after i beat Andre. He didn’t want me to escalate the situation with China as well.” Zhigang threw his back against the couch as he watched his sisters just burst out laughing unapollegetically.

“And here i thought my charm got you.”

“What charm?” Jinwoo, the face of complete innocent just delivered a critical hit right into his heart. Which made even Yating’s husband to star crackling. Zhigang closed his eyes, grabbed his stomach and hunched over.

He wanted to be mad. Really. But laughter was overtaking him more. But his pride could never allow anybody to make fun of him and then for him to laugh at himself.

“Then why did you went out with me even after?” He asked trying his best not to let any laughter out.

“?” She looked at him directly,

“My sister said i should have more friends. And i liked you so…” ‘oh she is dead serious’ so for most of the time, Jinwoo was with him because someone told her. How nice.

Somehow, with his sisters laughing, Jinwoo looking confused as ever, he wouldn’t have it any other way. It seemed like his family and Jinwoo started getting along.

…Even if at the expense of his pride.

Jinwoo sleeping in his bed was a scenery he got used to very fast. Now whenever he got good night’s sleep depended on whenever Jinwoo decided to sleep in the same bed as him or not.

It was curious how strangely their relationship developed. They haven't even properly kissed once and he learned the lesson of never putting his hand on Jinwoo when she least expects it (or he will have a bloody nose). She mind have allowed the touching but clearly she wasn’t used to them.

He doesn't mind it. Really. They dated long enough for almost everyone to already have sex with their partners and they haven't even touched lips yet. Not that she didn’y allow it but…. He had his reasons not to

But that was utterly and completely fine. He could go on eternity without Jinwoo ever answering his sexual desires if she never wishes to engage in any of them. He is already on the eight cloud from joy that she lets him kiss her almost anywhere and sometimes even return the gesture.

And really, right now having her sleep in his bed her guard completely down is the best reward of all. He still can feel the ever vigilante knight in her shadow watching his every movement. He doesn't mind the constant surveillance. Really it puts him at ease knowing that Jinwoo has people (beings?) around her who care as much to ensure her safety at all times.

So right now, in the dead of the night, he was extremely happy to have her in his arms.

And all that to say that one of the said arms was going to fall off. You see, he made the mistake of letting Jinwoo rest her head on his bicep so now her face was extremely close to his, yes, but also his blood circulation was cut off for long enough he could feel the white noise in his arm.

But it was worth it. If he needs to cut off his arm himself as the price for Jinwoo’s sleep being undisturbed that shall be it. He could even ask Igris to fetch him his sword.

“Hmpf.” Jinwoo wrinkled her nose in her sleep making that cute frown she did when she was irritated. ‘Cute’.

He contemplated for a few moments. He could feel how the darkness shifted around him. Inspecting. Her shadow soldiers were truly curious creatures especially when it came to anything regarding their master.

“The amusement park?” He asked placing his papers aside. On the back of Zhigang’s mind he noted to himself to go to the auction house. It seemed the folks there forgot who he was and were delaying the equipment he requested.

“Why?” He asked turning his head to look at Jinwoo who, in her fashion, appeared behind him without making a sound. At least he wasn’t that much startled when her greeting was pecking him in the cheek.

“…I want to go to the amusement park together.” She said and honestly, she looked adorable. It wasn’t often Jinwoo looked so nervous asking him out on dates. Usually, she just came, gave him a tap on the shoulder, told him (not asked), that they were going out on a restraunt and dissapeared.

“Fu-fu. Jinwoo is shy~.” Jinwoo immediately pushed his face away the moment he started teasing her.

“Awwww, you are so cute when you are embarrassed.” he smiled and moved his chair so he culd face Jinwoo who was standing by his ride side before spreading his arms inviting her for a hug.

“…” Jinwoo rolled her eyes before hugging him back and for some time they just stayed in that position until-

“Ouch ouch! Jinwoo!” he let out a pained squeak as Jinwoo drive her heel into his boot until he let go.

“Meanie.” he puffed his cheeks as Jinwoo just smiled at him before the shadows overtook her and her figure dispersed into shadows that immediately clung to the floor.

Walking in the amusement park was… hilarious if he were to be honest. Maybe it was a better decision to rent out the park rather than just go into it like any normal person would.

But now that they were here, and obviously Jinwoo could never think of that, they were surrounded by both, her shadow soldiers and his bodyguards who did not allow the swarm of people get to them.

“So, what is the first attraction you want to go on?” He asked his hand in his pocket while Jinwoo held him by the arm. She scanned her surrounding before it landed on the vertical drop tower.

“There.” She nudged him towards it and he followed without a fight.

Less to say, it was boring.

Sure, maybe to ordinary or low ranking hunter it would be still exciting to drop down from heights. But both he and Jinwoo experienced way worse landings and this wasn’t even that fast. So, they mostly sat in silence during the whole experience on the tower. And on the roller coaster.

There were other attractions, the one where they had to shoot with a toy gun the balloons, but since they were hunters they weren’t allowed to do it. Then they went on the Pendelum ride and the tea cup ride where they spun themselves as fast as the cup could go but it didn’t even dizzy them in the slightest.

And the last part was the Giant Ferris wheel. Which, well, there was nothing to write home about.

He himself never had much of an expectation going into this. Doing a D rank dungeon would be more thrilling but he never complained in Jinwoo’s choice to go to the amusement park. If she wanted to go somewhere he will bend mountains to make it happen and this was small enough of a request for all that he had to do was take a day off, notify his association and the Korea’s and meet Jinwoo at the airport. Of course he could let Jinwoo just teleport him to the amusement park but he wanted to do it the civil way so there wouldn’t be any scandals.

He dressed up a bit nicer than usual (if that was even possible, any clothes looked like top fashion on him), put his hair into a bum (the last thing he wanted was it flying around during the rides) and left his dearest twin swords to Jinwoo to place them into her dimensional pocket.

Even Jinwoo put a bit more thought into what to wear than she did usually.

And she almost never did that. Exceptions would be some important occasions like the conference and funerals.

Which meant that Jinwoo, for unknown reasons considered this an important occasion.

Which was the breaking point for him to ask:

“So, what is wrong?” For the whole day Jinwoo wore that semi stoic-indifferent expression. Not really on guard but neither was she thrilled. Objectively, she usually was not much on emotions. He just learned how to differentiate the small changes.

“…” she stopped looking out into the scenery from the cabin and instead looked down on her shoes and it was the moment he put what exactly was wrong with her.

She was awkward.

“If you don’t want to tell me you don’t have to. But if there is something weighing down on your mind i will happy to share the burden with you.” He said more softly. It takes a lot of time for Jinwoo to gather the courage to speak about her problems much less to ask for help. She told him that it was due to her own pride. She never asked for help as an E rank and never did as a S rank.

He isn’t sure he buys into that but that is a story for another time.

“…This isn’t my first time visiting this amusement park.” She said finally looking up at him. Zhigang nodded and let her continue when she was ready.

“It was after a few months has already passed did i go to this amusement park. My mother made me.” She said pausing and looking away before looking back at him, clearly contemplating whenever she should tell him or not.

“My mom was worried me and my dad were growing apart since he was even busier working as a hunter rather than when he was working as a firefighter. She made us go spend daugter-dad time together.” Zhigang’s mouth opened slightly before he closed it. He wasn’t sure what to say.

“Coincidentally, the guild my father was apart of was in the gate that appeared in the other part of the amusement park. One of his guildmates came running to him the moment we stepped into the park. They successfully cleared the dungeon but there were injured who couldn’t escape.” She took a shaky breath having to close her eyes as her head hung low.

Zhigang, without words, stood up to sit beside her. They were already at the top of the giant wheel. The scenery showing the whole Seoul was beautiful and maybe he would have cared for it a bit more if Jinwoo wasn’t distressed.

“He left me at the entrance before rushing to the gate.” Her head laid on his shoulder as he put his hand on her head slowly petting her.

“…And he never came back to get you, did he?” He finished for her as she gave a nod. They didn’t say anything more as they stood up to leave the cabin going straight to the car waiting for them at exit. The whole way, the shadow soldiers made sure that nobody could even peak at the two of them and his bodyguards were happy to help.

Only when they were in the car did Jinwoo let herself fall apart. Throughout it all, Zhigang silently held her hand and let her cry into his shoulder.

“My mom wants to meet you.” Jinwoo suddenly says breaking the nice silence they had.

“Mhm, sure.” Zhigang barely creaked his one eye open to glance at the face hovering above him admiring the woman’s face before closing the eyes again. He was way too comfortable resting his head on Jinwoo’s lap, which was heavenly by the way, to care too much about the things a very near future him will have to do.

“Hey.” Jinwoo jumped one of her legs to bump the back of the Chinese hunter’s head making let out a painful snarl before opening both of his eyes. He was about to fall asleep as well.

“Take this seriously. My little sister will be meeting you as well so you have to be on your best behaviour. And my little brother will come as well.” Her eyes looked down on him almost seeming to be half closed her lashes even more visible than usually. She was beautiful. Stunning. Dangerous. He would almost feel threatened if he hadn’t already felt her dagger graze his neck on numerous occasions.

But who did she think he was?

“Sweetest of honeys~ you think I don't?” He purred taking one of Jinwoo’s palms and bringing it to his face first kissing the ends of her fingers. She said that she went to have her nails done on the "girls day" with her sister and mother. The purple fading into black looked beautiful. How sad to know that this will probably not last long. Both of them had rough skin on their hands, hers from using her daggers and his from using his swords.

Those were scars proving their hard work and their skills. Many told him to his face that his only physical flaw were the numerous scars on his body, especially on his hands. He knows his touch is rough and not nice. But Jinwoo welcomed it all the same.

“You don't seem to be very serious about it.” Jinwoo huffed but let Zhigang kiss her fingers her free hand falling down on his head massaging his scalp.

Ancestors. He lived for her rough touch. He lived to love and adore all the sharp edges she had. To give his most fervent prayers to all of the scars she bore.

And that was what he was doing right now. Singing his praises through kissing every part of her hand. The middle of her fingers, the knuckles, the palms. Licking them with his tongue, putting them in his mouth. This was all his way of calling out to his goddess in prayer and praising her deeds through actions.

“…” Jinwoo watched how her fingers were getting devoured one by one becoming covered in the man’s saliva. The person in question was far too busy looking at her hand to notice the expression on her face.

“Get up.” She commanded after a few long minutes of Zhigang just licking her fingers. He lost the track of time with how focused he was.

“?” His eyes darted over to her own trying to study her expression as she took out the glossy fingers before wiping them clean against the man’s cheek.

“Ouch! Alright, alright! So grumpy…” he mumbled when Jinwoo jumped her leg once more when the seven star hunter took his sweet time savouring the last moments his head was on her lap.

“Want to get punched?” Jinwoo brought her fist up as the man flinched away.

“Hey! Attacking me for preaching the tru- OUCH!” Jinwoo quickly grabbed a chunk of his loose hair before harshly tugging on it.

“Aw, aw, aw, it hurts Jinwooooo….” She smiled at his dramatics. He handled worse from her. Just tugging at his hair wouldn't make him scream in pain like this. Although he did have extremely sensitive hair.

“Close your eyes.” Zhigang looked at her his features losing all the dramatic glamour they had previously as Jinwoo let go of his hair.

“Why?”

“Want me to make you close your eyes?” She threateningly waved her fist as the man huffed.

“This is abuse.” He said gently with a smile on his face as he closed his eyes as was commanded.

“…” the silence stretched between them and he could feel the smallest bits of hesitation in Jinwoo. He knows what she was about to do. He will let her take it at her own pace. Slow, fast, whoever she wanted it.

It was rather cute, really. It does make him feel way younger with how Jinwoo is acting. He doubts Jinwoo had much of an experience about romantic partnership and the things it entailed. He can’t say he isn’t worried about it. But Jinwoo fought in a war and broke every possible bone in his body and had his back on even more occasions. She will handle it just fine.

And taking things slowly isn’t bad per se. Jinwoo was a kind of person you have to take things slowly with. Her life was far too fast paced for her to get a breather. And if she didn’t want to run a marathon in their relationship he will not insist.

He felt the exact moment she finally became ready. The shadows creeping on his back were almost threat made by her servants. Do something bad and they will have his head.

Huh. Seems like her soldiers are still not excited about him. He will live tho.

Especially when Jinwoo’s palms cup his face. Her rough, cold palms that couldn’t feel more warm on his skin.

But then- “hiiik.” Jinwoo pinched his cheeks huffing to herself as the shadows retreated from being dangerously close to his neck.

“Stop grinning like an idiot.” She said and Zhigang wanted to retort but was quickly silenced by a feather touch of her lips against his.

‘Huh’

“Well, Jinwoo did certainly fail to mention that her boyfriend was the China’s strongest hunter.” Mrs Park took a sip of her tea as Zhigang just nodded. It did seem like Jinwoo failed to mention a few details about him. Something she did quite often.

“Took me by surprise but i expected something like that to happen. After all, she spends most of her time with high ranking hunters. It was bound to happen.” Despite her statement, the woman looked utterly calm when he first stepped into the apartment just offering him tea and sitting him down while she the food cooked.

“Damn. You are even more handsome in person!” Jinwoo’s little sister exclaimed with a smile on her face which was dropped the moment Jinwoo pinched her cheek.

“Ouch! Hey! I am complimenting him!” The woman then proceeded to give her younger sister a flick on the forehead forcing her to let out even bigger yelp of pain. He can relate to that. Jinwoo did like to bully him like this as well.

“Thanks.” He said honestly. Compliments rarely meant much to him. But it was fun to see the frown Jinwoo gave both of them.

“Hmm, i guess the two of you met at the conference?” Mrs Park broke off the fight with merely speaking up as bot h Jinah and Jinwoo sat straighter. Him and his siblings would fight even when their mother screamed at them and had to go call their neighbours to break it when it got especially bad. For all its worth- he rarely lost the fights with his sisters even when he was a little scrany kid.

“Oh yeah, they did.” Instead of him or Jinwoo her sister replied. He raised his eyebrow, he could see what Jinwoo meant that her sister had no filter on her tongue.

“And you know what? It was even caught on camera, honestly i thought the two of you would get into a dog fight.” She laughed but quickly backed off towards their mother when Jinwoo raised her hand to give her another flick.

“It wasn’t that bad.” He replied. Because no, it wasn’t as bad as she said it was.

“But it was! Those people around the two of you looked really nervous! Some were even shaking!” Jinwoo slapped her hand on the girl’s mouth shutting her up.

“The dinner is ready, come sit. Jinwoo help me make the table.” she jumped up from her seat going over to her mother helping her make the table in a record time. Coming up to the table Zhigang respectfully pulled out the chair for Jinwoo’s mother but he was not fast enough to do the same for Jinah who already jumped over the couhc to get to the table.

“You are such a child.” Jinwoo huffed as she sat down on the chair Zhigang pulled out for her next.

“Honestly, now i do not know what questions to ask of you.” Mrs Park said as they began to eat.

“Oh, oh! Nobody knows about your family, where are they?” Jinah asked.

“In China.” he smiled as he watched the younger girl puff her cheeks unsatisfied with the answer.

“Well, to telly you a bit about my family, i have three older sisters-”

“Gosh, i feel bad for you.” He laughed as both of the older women glared at the youngest one. This was going to be quiet an eventful dinner.