Solo Panicking

Drum Roll Please! And My New Neighbors Are...!

Sorry I just realized there's a lot of monologuing so far, but I think it helps set the scene. I'm going to fix that and add more interactions.

The next few days passed in a strange blur, a haze of unease and reluctant acceptance. I tried to adjust to this new world—the world of "Solo Leveling"—the best I could, but everything felt off-kilter. The constant buzzing of hunters in the media, the ever-present fear of dungeons breaking out. It was all so different from what I'm used to.

Most of my time was spent inside the tiny apartment, staring out the window or idly unpacking the last few boxes, trying to piece together my new reality. I avoided large crowds and any Hunter-related news, though that was nearly impossible. I really need to find a job not only to pay rent on time but also to help keep my mind distracted.

But then, as if the universe had a cruel sense of humor, fate decided to throw a wrench into my plans. It was the evening of the third day in my new apartment when it happened. I had just finished reorganizing the kitchen cabinets and was about to settle down with a bowl of instant ramen when I heard a series of loud knocks on the door.

I froze, staring at the door like it might suddenly burst open. I hadn't ordered anything and the landlord already met with me, so who could it be? Panic welled up in my chest, but after a few seconds of silence, the knocking resumed—louder this time.

"Uh... who is it?" I called hesitantly, walking toward the door, my heart pounding.

"Excuse me! I think we're your neighbors!" A cheerful, high-pitched voice rang out from the other side.

'Neighbors?' I thought, feeling a little less panicky

I opened up the door and was met with the sight of a young girl with purple hair, probably no older than 14 or 15, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Behind her stood a slightly taller figure, a young man, slouched with slightly messy black hair, and looking somewhat nervous. I blinked, recognition creeping in at the edges of my mind. Oh no please don't tell me.

I blink in surprise and put a welcoming smile onto my face, trying not to let the panic show on my face. "Uh, Hello?"

The girl smiled brightly, her energy radiating through the small hallway. "Hi! I'm Sung Jin-ah! We live next door!" She gestured toward the apartment across from mine with her thumb, then pointed at the man standing beside her. "This is my brother, Jin-Woo."

Sung Jin-ah

And

Sung Jin-Woo

Oh Shit

For a brief moment, my brain short-circuited. I did this to myself, should've just kept my mouth shut. This has to be a new record of "I'm going to avoid the main plot and live a peaceful life! Uh Oh! The plot found me and now I'm involved!"

My eyes darted from the smiling girl to the slightly nervous young man beside her. Pre-system Jin-Woo. The boy who, in about a year, would become the most powerful being in this world. The boy who, right now, was just a tired, overworked hunter struggling to support his family.

"Uh... nice to meet you," I managed to choke out, trying to keep my voice steady. This was too much. Way too soon. "I'm, uh... L/N Y/N. But please call me Y/N"

"Nice to meet you too, Y/N!" Jin-ah grinned, seemingly unaware of the internal meltdown I was having. "We just wanted to say hi and welcome you to the building. I saw you move in a few days ago, but we didn't want to bother you right away."

"Yeah, we thought we'd give you some time to settle in first," Jin-Woo added, his voice much softer than his sister's. His eyes briefly met mine, and I saw the exhaustion there. Dark circles under his eyes, the slight slump in his posture. He looked worn out, like someone who had the weight of the world on his shoulders but didn't have the strength to complain about it. This was the Sung Jin-Woo from the beginning of the story—the boy who had to risk his life in dungeons to support his mother and sister.