She’s The Protagonist’s Sister - Chapter 5 - Eldest Brother is Back

“You see…”

 

No. It’s not soft. It’s pity. Lee Bobae stopped working and got up from her seat because she wondered what it was.

 

“I just got a call from the HR team.”

 

Four Seasons Guild prohibited bringing in electronic devices such as cell phones for internal security reasons. Therefore, if there was an urgent need to contact the staff, it was communicated in this way.

 

“They came in urgently because of a family matter.”

 

At that moment, Lee Bobae lost strength in her legs and nearly collapsed. As she barely grabbed the chair and held on, the team leader’s expression of pity intensified.

 

Lee Bobae had only three family members.

 

And the fact that Lee Bobae’s family had only three older brothers was famous within the guild. Everyone in the know knew that only one brother was still working today.

 

This was because Lee Bobae’s case was often used to promote the guild’s employee welfare, which was the top level in the industry. Come to Four Seasons Guild, our welfare is the best!

 

The eldest brother has been missing for 6 years, the second brother was a porter, and the third brother was in a vegetative state.

 

If Lee Bobae was contacted urgently due to family affairs, it was because one of them.

 

Either something happened to her second brother or her third brother died.

 

“I didn’t hear the details because it’s personal information, but go to the HR team right away. You should pick up your cell phone there. I’ll give you half day-off.”

 

The team leader gently pulled her towards the door. At the kindness of the team leader, who was open-minded, Lee Bobae barely remembered that the world was not always cruel.

 

That’s right. The world was not so cruel to her. Although she lost her parents, hee eldest brother supported her, and when her eldest brother disappeared, she was awakened. Her third brother could not open his eyes, but her second brother stayed by his side.

 

‘Let’s stay calm.’

 

It could be the news that the second brother has awakened. It could be the news that the third brother has woken up. Or it could be the news that the second brother was seriously injured because urgent contact usually did not bring good news.

 

So Lee Bobae ran to the HR team. The HR staff, who had been waiting for her, handed her her cell phone.

 

“Lee Bobae-ssi, the Rift Awakening Management Bureau has contacted me. The reason is not given, but it is said that it is your family business.”

 

“P-Pardon. The Bureau?”

 

Rift Awakening Management Bureau. In fact, it was a national agency that managed the rift and Awakened in general, but everyone called it the Rift Management Bureau or the Hunter Management Bureau.

 

Lee Bobae, who had no reason to go even near the rift, had no connection at all with that place after registering as an Awakened.

 

As the subject of the sudden contact was the Hunter Management Bureau, then it was not related to the third brother.

 

‘Second Brother!’

 

The thoughts of her second brother, whom she had watched leaving at dawn without even proper greetings, filled her head.

 

‘What’s going on? Is he hurt? Is he in a lot of pain? Is wishing for awakening too greedy?’

 

The Bureau wouldn’t have called the family if it was about death or trivial injuries, so there must have been an unusual accident.

 

‘Could it be that second brother is missing too? I don’t think so.’

 

Lee Bobae shook her head repeatedly, dispelling the negative speculations that were engulfing her head.

 

‘He could have awakened to an A-class or an S-class. Brilliant from the start, his hard work is rewarded.’

 

“Lee Bobae-ssi‘s application for half day-off has been accepted. Please give a brief report after you’re done. I’m sure you’ll understand because it’s a call from the Bureau, right?”

 

Lee Bobae blew the words of the somewhat rude HR staff out of one ear. She ran out of the office and caught a taxi.

 

She wanted to know the general situation before she arrived, so she called a contact number. But no matter how many times she tried, she didn’t get through.

 

Her second brother’s cell phone was completely turned off.

 

Lee Bobae looked at the news without saying anything. She searched for the rift name and area that her second brother had given her the day before, but nothing was found other than the announcement that it was going to be raided on the strategy blog.

 

Hunter.com, a community dedicated to the Awakened, might have more information.

 

‘I did not join because the annual fee was expensive.’

 

A membership site where you could join as an Awakened. She hadn’t known that it would be a pity not to sign up because she had thought she would’ve never needed it for the rest of her life.

 

It’s too late to join now, so I can only hope for the taxi to arrive soon.

 

Instead, Lee Bobae called the hospital.

 

The return answer said that there was no problem with her third brother and his condition was the same as before. Only then did her anxiety subside a little.

 

‘Think about it, Bobae. Think carefully.’

 

If something happened in the rift, even a small article would have appeared. The Silla Guild could control the press, but it’s not such an important rift.’

 

As she thought of Lee Haegi’s smiling face as he said he had a good feeling, Lee Bobae bit her lower lip.

 

‘Third Brother is alright, and Second Brother said he will be alright, too. So what’s left is…’

 

The wind blew in the desolate heart that had long since given up. Lee Bobe bit her lower lip harder.

 

‘Could it be— No, there’s no way.’

 

Denial and denial did not stop the wind of hope from blowing. She couldn’t give up hope for 6 years, so her despair hurt even more.

 

‘It’s time to give up. It’s time to give up.’

 

Lee Bobae closed her eyes tightly. The eyes behind the lids fluttered like a desert of sand, and her heart was pounding anxiously.

 

Lee Bobae kept calling her second brother, knowing that the power was off. But if she didn’t do this, she couldn’t calm down because she was nervous and trembling.

 

‘Please, Brother.’

 

She had three older brothers, but now there was only one person left to answer that call. If even that one disappeared as well, Lee Bobae would not be able to bear it.

 

‘Please be safe.’

 

Lee Bobae prayed more earnestly than ever.

 

The taxi stopped in front of the Bureau. Lee Bobae looked at the management office building. She couldn’t go right in as her feet was stuck in place and couldn’t be moved.

 

‘I’m scared.’

 

She was anxious and afraid. She felt dizzy as if hundreds or thousands of eyes were watching her. Lee Bobae patted her cheeks.

 

‘Calm down.’

 

Everyone in the management office building looked ill-tempered. In fact, it might’ve been just her feelings because it was impossible, but Lee Bobae grew more anxious.

 

An employee of the management office at the visitation area asked Lee Bobae to present her ID card. When she presented her certificate of competence, the question fell.

 

“So you’re Lee Bobae-ssi. What’s your relationship with Lee Gwihan-ssi?”

 

Oh my God.

 

Lee Bobae did not answer right away and covered her face. She was about to burst out crying or screaming, so she barely suppressed it.

 

“I’m his younger sister. Lee Gwihan’s blood type is B, he is 183cm tall, he broke his upper right canine tooth and got dental treatment. His occupation after awakening is swordsman, and—”

 

“That’s enough. We’re going to need a family confirmation. Please listen to the person in charge for detailed explanations.”

 

Her heart raced wildly at the word ‘family confirmation’. Ignoring Lee Bobae, who wanted to grab the employee and hear more, the employee called the next visitor.

 

The employee who took over Lee Bobae led her to the basement of the building. Lee Bobae, who had wanted to ask questions, simply hum iof the basement and became a honeyed mute.

 

The Hunter Management Bureau was in charge of all tasks related to Awakeneds, such as registering talented people, updating grades, job placement, and managing rifts. From the standpoint of the Awakeneds, it should be a more familiar place than the office.

 

However, as you could see from the fact that Lee Bobae went to the management office only when registering as an Awakened, most Awakened stayed away from the Hunter Management Bureau. Because the Hunter Management Bureau not only oversaw all the work related to Awakeneds.

 

It was also dedicated to Awakened crimes.

 

A legend was handed down in the basement of the Hunter Management Bureau. It was similar to the legend that came down to a certain building in Mt. Nam.

 

The only crime Lee Bobae had committed in her life was sneaking a few bottles of discarded potions. Still, when she took the windowless elevator and went down to the basement with an unknown number of floors, her neck turned numb. The uncomfortable feeling from the moment she got off the taxi disturbed her senses.

 

“Don’t be too scared. The rumors are exaggerated.”

 

Even if the staff spoke kindly, it was of no use.

 

It was a cliché genre that people were kind outside but changed as soon as the door to the interrogation room was closed.

 

She got off the elevator and walked a little down the hallway. Lee Bobae was still scared and anxious. Anxiety continued as if someone would grab her at any moment.

 

“It’s a little strange. People say they have a bad feeling toward this place, so I started thinking so as well.”

 

It seemed that Lee Bobae was not the only one who thought so. But Lee Bobae was unable to respond to the words of the friendly staff. It was best for her to walk along.

 

The staff smiled opened the door with a bitter smile. The interior was similar to the interrogation room, as expected by Lee Bobae. To be precise, it was a place to watch the interrogation room.

 

One of the walls was made of glass, so the interior of the interrogation room was clearly visible. But the other side probably wouldn’t be able to see this side.

 

On the other side of the window was a man with a naked upper body and only sleeping pants. He looked familiar. He looked very familiar.

 

At the same time, Lee Bobae realized. The unknown aura that had kept her uneasy all the way since her arrival at the bureau. That energy was felt in the man.

 

Lee Bobae called the man without realizing it.

 

“Eldest Brother?”

 

The man on the other side of the glass was Lee Gwihan, the eldest brother who disappeared six years ago. Lee Bobae noticed something bothering her while trying to find the way to the room across.

 

‘Why does he look young?’

 

Lee Gwihan was 22 years old at the time of his disappearance. It’s been six years, so he should be 28 now.

 

However, the appearance of the man was not significantly different from that at the time of his disappearance. He even looked younger because he didn’t look tired.

 

‘No, the passage of time could have been different in the other world.’

 

Just because six years have passed here, does not mean that six years have passed in the world where he was, Lee Bobae thought as she recalled the case of other returnees.

 

In fact, there was something more intrusive than his apparent age. It was his expression. Before Lee Bobae came in, the man was smiling.

 

Smiling was individual freedom, but his smile was really strange. His face was contorted as if he were crying and laughing at the same time.

 

That was not the end. Even more strangely, Lee Gwihan’s gaze turned straight to Lee Bobae even if he couldn’t see her from the window on the other side.

 

“Huh? He’s smiling?”

 

“He started smiling 20 minutes ago, it looks scary.”

 

She was distracted by the man on the other side of the glass. As a result, Lee Bobae only noticed the presence of the other person inside after the staff talked to her.

 

As soon as she saw the other person, Lee Bobae opened her mouth wide. Lee Bobae, who traveled to and from home, work, and hospital, also had a celebrity she could be recognized at a glance.

 

“Park Mano!”

 

Park Mano, a first-generation awakener, the youngest A-class Hunter in Korea, the strongest female hunter in Korea, as well as the strongest among the male and female, waved her hand.

 

“Yes, yes, I am the famous Park Mano. Can you please sit there first? I have a few questions for you.”

 

Lee Bobae’s pupils trembled.

 

“I know that Hunter Park Mano is not in charge of missing persons…”

 

Rather, Park Mano was in charge of investigating crimes against talented people. Arrests using violence was a bonus.