Johee blinked again—her brows pulling together. "No, no, this is weird. You feel familiar. Like I've bumped into you before—but you're not… no, you can't be…"
His smirk grew a little wider. "Not what? Short? Skinny? Barely taller than a vending machine?"
Johee's jaw nearly dropped. "Wha—? How did you—?"
"Don't tell me you've already forgotten the weakest hunter in Korea," he whispered, leaning in slightly, voice teasing.
Her eyes widened in slow-motion realization.
"…J-Jinwoo?!"
He gave a mock bow. "In the flesh."
She took a step back and stared at him like he'd just risen from the dead. Which, to be fair, wasn't too far from the truth.
"No way. No freaking way! You—what happened to you?! You're—tall?! And—broad?! And hot?!" She slapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh my god, did I just say that out loud?"
"You did," Jinwoo said, voice utterly amused. "But I'll allow it."
She was still blinking like she was seeing a unicorn on rollerblades. "You used to be this quiet, awkward beanpole who couldn't walk without tripping over air!"
He shrugged. "Character development."
"And now you look like a K-drama male lead mixed with a gym commercial?!"
Jinwoo laughed, a real, soft one. "Should I be flattered or offended?"
"I—I don't even know!"
A silence passed between them. Her eyes softened gradually as the initial shock wore off.
"I really didn't recognize you at first," she admitted, voice lowering. "But now that I look again… it's you. You're really here."
Jinwoo's tone turned gentle. "Yeah. I'm here."
Her gaze dropped slightly. "I… I've wanted to talk to you. Ever since that day. But I couldn't. I didn't know if you'd ever forgive me."
"For what?" he asked.
"For… leaving. For not being there when you needed someone."
He exhaled slowly. "We both know what happened. I know you didn't want to leave."
"I begged them to let me stay," she whispered. "I would've died there if it meant standing with you."
Something flickered in his gaze—an old, familiar ache twisted with new resolve.
"I know," he said softly. "And if I'd known you were suffering this whole time…"
Her eyes brimmed with something fragile. "I wasn't suffering because I was weak. I was suffering because I left someone behind. Someone I—"
She bit her lip, cutting herself off.
Jinwoo gently stepped forward, closer. "Say it."
She looked up, eyes trembling. "Someone I cared about."
He met her gaze without hesitation. "Then don't leave me behind again."
A pause.
"…Is that an order, Hunter Sung?"
He smirked. "A request. From Jinwoo."
She exhaled—half a laugh, half a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Alright. But you owe me coffee.an explanation,A long one."
Jinwoo stepped aside, offering his arm. "Deal. But don't say I didn't warn you—my story's kind of… on fire lately."
She rolled her eyes and linked arms with him anyway.
The system, never one to miss a moment, whispered smugly:
[System Warning: System heart monitor suggests incoming romance subplot. Proceed with caution or reckless abandon.]
Jinwoo grinned to himself.
Yeah. He'd rewrite this Story properly.
--------
They strolled down the quiet park path, sunlight filtering through spring-green leaves. Children laughed somewhere in the distance, and the scent of coffee lingered in the air from a nearby café. It was a beautiful day—one of those rare, perfect ones that didn't feel like it belonged to the real world.
And yet, Johee's grip on his arm was just a little too tight.
"You okay?" Jinwoo asked, glancing down.
She hesitated, then gave a small smile. "Yeah. I mean… no. I don't know."
"Want me to fight someone?" he offered with a completely straight face. "I'll fight a squirrel. I'll win."
She let out a laugh—quiet, unintentional. "Please don't punch wildlife."
"Only if they start it first."
That pulled another small smile from her, but it faded quickly. Her steps slowed. "It still gets me sometimes. That dungeon. The statues… the blood… the sounds. It's like it never left."
Jinwoo nodded, slowing with her. "Yeah. I remember every second too."
Johee swallowed. "I keep thinking… if I hadn't turned away… if I had stayed another second…"
"You would've died," Jinwoo said softly. "And I wouldn't have wanted that. Ever."
She looked up at him. "But you almost died. Alone."
He paused. "Yeah. I did. And… I think I needed to. To break apart. So I could rebuild."
She frowned, looking away. "But I didn't even say goodbye. I left thinking you were behind me, and then—"
"Hey." He stopped walking. She turned to him, startled, as he gently reached up and flicked her forehead.
"Ow?!"
"That's for blaming yourself for something that wasn't your fault." He smiled gently. "And for calling me hot earlier. Double damage."
Johee blinked, confused. Then laughed. Actually laughed—open, bright, vulnerable. Like a real breath after holding it in too long.
He leaned in a bit, eyes playful. "Also, for the record, I was always hot. It was just buried under a few layers of anemia and fear."
That earned him a shove. "You're so full of yourself now."
"Confidence is step one to healing," he said sagely. "Step two is coffee, and step three is—this."
He took a step back, spun around dramatically, then dropped into a flawless crab walk across the path while people passing by stared. "Step three: embarrassing myself in public until you smile."
She stared at him in horror. "Jinwoo. Stop. People are watching."
"Good," he said mid-crab. "They'll learn what love looks like."
She laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. "Oh my god—what is wrong with you?!"
He crab-walked back up to her, stood tall again like nothing had happened, and offered his hand. "That's classified information. You'll need to fill out Form 69-D: GirlFriend Level."
Johee took his hand, still laughing, wiping tears from her eyes. "You're such an idiot."
He gave her a wink. "Yeah, but I'm your idiot now. Signed, stamped and verified."
A beat passed. They just stood there, holding each other's gaze.
The smile on her face softened—less laughter now, more peace. The haunted flicker in her eyes dulled, not gone, but quieter.
"I needed that," she said. "I really needed that."
"I know," he said. "And I'm not going anywhere this time."
She leaned her head against his shoulder, breath warm and steady. "Then maybe I can stop running from it. Bit by bit."
"Take all the time you need," Jinwoo said softly. "But I'll be here to make sure you laugh through it."
The system let out a sniffle in his head.
[System Alert: Romance subplot fully operational. Emotional damage neutralized by aggressive flirtation and physical comedy.]
Jinwoo chuckled under his breath.
------
The café they picked was tucked between a bookstore and a flower shop—quiet, sunlit, filled with the aroma of espresso and fresh pastries. Jinwoo held the door open with a casual grin, bowing slightly as Johee walked in ahead of him.
"Such a gentleman," she said, mock-suspicious. "Who are you and what have you done with the real Jinwoo?"
He smirked. "He's currently busy toning up his charm stats."
They picked a corner booth near the window, surrounded by potted plants and soft indie music. Johee ordered a hazelnut latte with extra foam—same as always. Jinwoo went for a black Americano, earning a teasing, "Wow, edgy."
As they waited, Johee relaxed, just a bit. She leaned back in her seat, hands wrapped around her warm cup once it arrived, and for the first time in a long while, she smiled like the world wasn't heavy on her shoulders.
------
As they exited the café, sun dipping lower now, casting warm amber over the streets, Johee tucked her hands in her jacket pocket and walked quietly beside him.
And then—something changed.
Her steps slowed, not enough to be obvious. But enough that Jinwoo noticed. Her expression grew thoughtful again, a crease forming between her brows. That curtain—the one she'd lowered—began to inch back up.
She was retreating. Not out of fear. But uncertainty.
And Jinwoo, the assassin reborn as a shadow monarch, didn't hesitate.
He murmured the word in his mind.
"Appraise."
His vision flickered.
---
[Appraisal Active]
Target: Lee Johee
Level: 38
Class - Healer
Rank :B
Affiliation: Hunter Association
Status:Nightmares (Frequent), Survivor's Guilt (Moderate), Confidence Suppression Trait (Latent)
[Ding]
[Appraisal upgraded to Lvl 2]
[New function : Thought identification ]
Current Thoughts:
—He's changed so much… maybe he doesn't need someone like me anymore.
—Why does he still treat me like I matter?
—What if I ruin this again? What if I freeze the next time something happens?
---
Jinwoo blinked, letting the system fade.
He glanced over at her. Still walking, head down slightly, biting her bottom lip in thought.
He reached out—not forcefully, not loudly—but gently hooked his hand with hers as they walked.
Johee froze, eyes flicking down, then up at him in confusion.
"Hey," he said softly. "You matter."
Her eyes widened.
"You still matter," he repeated. "To me. More than as a Friend. Not as a memory. But as you."
She stared.
"You still matter," he said again, soft but unwavering. "Even if things changed. Even if I changed. That doesn't make you less important."
"…But you did change," she whispered. "You're not the same Jinwoo I used to know. You're… stronger. Braver. You look like someone who belongs in a different world now."
He paused, then gave a small nod. "You're right."
That made her heart sink, just a little.
"I have changed," he said. "After the dungeon… I reawakened. But not like the others. My class isn't listed in the system the Association uses. Even I don't fully understand what I've become. All I know is—I got a second chance. A reset. A way to become someone who can fight back. Someone who doesn't need saving."
He met her eyes.
"But that doesn't mean I left everything behind."
Johee looked away, teeth worrying her lower lip. "…And what if I'm not strong enough to keep up?"
"Then I'll wait for you," he said simply. "I'll walk at your pace. Or carry you if I have to."
A tiny, disbelieving laugh escaped her lips. "You can't just say stuff like that. It sounds like something out of a manhwa."
Jinwoo tilted his head with a grin. "Would it help if I flexed dramatically and said it on a rooftop?"
She laughed again—louder this time. A genuine laugh that startled even her.
"…God," she whispered, wiping at her eyes. "I missed this."
He looked at her quietly.
"I missed you."
That silence returned, but this time it was gentle. Restful.
Then Johee teary eyed Hugged jinwoo as if there's No tommorow. The tension Broke And the doubts In her mind Shattered.. Gone..
Jinwoo held her firmly.. And then Johee Now red from embarrassment, elbowed his stomach...
Their hands still linked, they walked under the soft glow of streetlights. Neither rushing. Neither running.
Just existing. Together.
And for a moment—for the first time in weeks—the shadows in Johee's mind weren't so loud.
[System Alert: Emotional checkpoint passed. Bonus XP granted for successful human interaction. Also, pinky holds now added to the romance skill tree.]
-------
Author's Note:
Ahem. Soooo…
Was this supposed to be a wholesome coffee date?
Yes.
Did it somehow turn into a feels-fueled rollercoaster of guilt, flirtation, and public crab-walking?
Also yes. And I regret nothing.
Johee finally gets her moment! Our emotionally constipated healer and the reincarnated assassin-flame-punching-shadow-overlord finally had a proper heart-to-heart. With bonus hand-holding. And system snark.
By the way, shoutout to the system for acting like a proud rom-com director in Jinwoo's brain:
"Cut! Perfect! That's the 'you still matter' scene—print it!"
If you laughed, got misty-eyed, or yelled "JUST KISS ALREADY" at your screen, then congrats—you are now emotionally invested. Welcome to the chaos. There's no way out.