Who is she? (Solo Leveling Three-shot) MAJOR EDITING

Who is she? [Part 1]

Disclaimer:
Story takes place in a distant future and based on the Author's imagination. Characters and Original plot credits to the owner except for this story plot and the OC character. Plot does not follow the current ending.

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Somewhere in Seoul, South Korea, stood a modest building with the name "Ajin Guild" prominently displayed in sleek metal letters above the entrance. Inside, Sung Jin-woo sat at his office desk, hands clasped together as his eyes bore into the dungeon reports in front of him. Yet, despite his calm demeanor, his mind was far from the paperwork—he was deep in thought, and the tension in the room was palpable.

Yoo Jin Ho, the D-Rank Hunter and Vice-Guild Leader of Ajin, watched from a distance, concern gnawing at him. Something was off about his hyung. Jin-woo had been distracted lately—leaving early, disappearing for hours, often wandering the streets aimlessly. It was unlike him.

"Hyung!" Jin Ho called, stepping forward. His voice carried a sense of urgency as he held his phone, displaying the orders from the Hunter Association. "The Association wants us to enter the S-Class Dungeon gate that appeared in the central district."

Jin Ho waited, anxious to see how his leader would respond. In front of him stood the strongest S-Rank Hunter in the world—the invincible Sung Jin-woo—yet something in the air felt off, almost... vulnerable.

Jin-woo didn't immediately respond, still staring at the dungeon information in his hands. He'd seen it already. S-Class dungeon, high-level threat, central Seoul. But his thoughts weren't on that. 'If only my problems were as simple as an S-Class gate,' he mused bitterly. Truthfully, he was more worried about a certain brunette than any dungeon.

"We'll handle it. Prepare to leave," Jin-woo said finally, his voice cool and commanding, as he skimmed the last few lines of the report.

Jin Ho, though obedient, couldn't help but push further, a rare boldness creeping into his voice. "Hyung, you've been leaving early a lot these days. You used to stay late at the guild, but now you're out roaming the streets..."

He trailed off, immediately regretting his words. Jin-woo didn't take kindly to being questioned, especially when it came to personal matters. Jin Ho's stomach knotted as he felt the room's temperature drop. He could practically feel Jin-woo's cold gaze on him, sharp and calculating. It was as if he could hear his hyung thinking: 'You're treading dangerous ground.'

But Jin Ho wasn't wrong. Jin-woo had been slipping out often, and as much as he wanted to keep his personal life private, he couldn't hide it forever. Their agreement—his and *her* agreement—was still intact, but today was the day of re-evaluation, and after that, he wouldn't need to hide anymore.

"That's none of your concern," Jin-woo replied curtly, his voice low but firm. He stood up and tossed the report onto the desk. "Finish the drafts by tomorrow so we can enter the hidden dungeon on the floating island."

Jin Ho nodded, though confusion flickered in his eyes. The floating island had surfaced two days ago, and while it was due to overflow soon, the dungeon there wasn't considered difficult—not for Jin-woo. In fact, lower-rank hunters could probably handle it with ease.

Jin Ho couldn't help but think, 'Why is he so focused on this dungeon?'

"Hyung," Jin Ho hesitated but then spoke up again, his curiosity getting the better of him. "You requested that dungeon from the Association, but they rejected you because other guilds had already bid for it. I mean, it's not hard for them to give you priority if you ask, so... why the interest?"