The city was fully awake by the time Sung Jinwoo left the station behind.
Morning commuters filled the streets, unaware of the gate that had vanished beneath their feet only hours earlier. To them, it was just another day. To Jinwoo, it felt like the world had shifted—subtly, irrevocably.
He stopped by a small restaurant on the way home.
The smell of warm food stirred his empty stomach, reminding him just how long it had been since his last proper meal. After a brief hesitation, he ordered two simple dinner sets—nothing fancy, just rice, soup, and meat.
One for himself.
One for his sister.
The paper bags were warm in his hands as he walked, steam faintly rising into the cool morning air. It was a small weight, but it grounded him—something real, something human, after the unreal terror of the dungeon.
By the time he reached their apartment building, fatigue finally began to seep into his bones.
The old structure looked the same as ever. Peeling paint. Flickering hallway lights. A place that had seen better days—much like him.
Jinwoo climbed the stairs quietly and unlocked the door.
The apartment was silent.
"Jin-ah?" he called softly.
No response.
He glanced at the clock on the wall.
School already…
He exhaled, setting the food down on the small dining table. The apartment felt emptier without her presence, but he was used to that. Since their parents' disappearance and illness, the two of them had learned to live carefully—quietly.
Jinwoo washed his hands and sat down, finally allowing himself to relax.
As he ate, he noticed things he normally wouldn't.
His grip on the chopsticks was steadier.
His senses sharper.
Even the faint hum of electricity in the walls registered at the edge of his awareness.
Sense Enhancement… still active.
He dismissed the skill with a thought, letting the world soften again.
After finishing his meal, Jinwoo carefully covered his sister's portion and placed it in the fridge, leaving a small note on the table.
Eat when you get back.
— Oppa
Then, without another word, he moved toward his room.
The mirror caught his reflection as he passed.
His face looked the same—tired eyes, pale skin—but something was different. Subtle. The slouch he'd carried for years was gone. His posture was straighter. His gaze… firmer.
Jinwoo stared at himself for a moment.
"This is real," he whispered.
The System window flickered into existence at his side, silent and patient.
Power.
Money.
A future that no longer felt like a dead end.
He closed it.
For now, that could wait.
Jinwoo collapsed onto his bed, exhaustion finally claiming him. As sleep pulled him under, his last thought wasn't of monsters or dungeons—
but of protecting the one person he care the most.
.....
The front door clicked open quietly.
Sung Jin-ah slipped off her shoes and stepped into the apartment, her school bag hanging loosely from one shoulder. It had been a long day—classes, chatter, worries she never spoke aloud.
"Oppa?" she called out instinctively.
No answer.
She paused, then noticed the smell.
Food.
Her eyes drifted to the dining table, where a small note rested neatly beside an empty plate.
Eat when you get back.
— Oppa
Her lips curved upward before she even realized it.
"He's home already…"
For a moment, she just stood there, staring at the note. Then she peeked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.
Dinner—still carefully covered.
Warmth spread through her chest.
This wasn't unusual in itself. Jinwoo had always tried to take care of her. But lately… things had been different.
Before, whenever he came home after a raid, she'd brace herself before opening the door.
Sometimes he was limping.
Sometimes covered in bandages.
Sometimes smiling weakly while pretending nothing hurt.
There were nights she'd lie awake, listening to his breathing from the next room, afraid it might suddenly stop.
But today—
She glanced down the hallway.
His shoes were neatly placed. No blood stains. No discarded bandages.
He came home safely.
Jin-ah quietly walked toward his room and stopped outside the door.
It was slightly open.
Inside, Jinwoo lay asleep on the bed, still in his clothes. His face was calm, his breathing slow and steady. Not the shallow, pained breaths she was used to seeing after a dungeon.
He looked….
She swallowed.
"He looks healthier," she whispered to herself.
Something about him felt different—like the air around him had settled, solid and dependable.He even become more handsome than before.
Jin-ah closed the door softly and returned to the kitchen.
As she ate, she found herself smiling again and again for no real reason.
Oppa didn't get hurt today.
The thought echoed in her mind like a quiet miracle.
After cleaning up, she sat at the table, resting her chin in her hands.
"Maybe…" she murmured, "maybe things are finally getting better."
She knew how dangerous his work was. She knew he'd always put himself at risk for her sake.
But today—just for today—she allowed herself to believe.
That her brother would come home safely.
That he wouldn't be hurt every time he comes.
That this life… might not always be so frightening.
Down the hall, Jinwoo slept on, unaware of jin ah throughs the apartment.