Chapter 383

Several months had passed since “that” day, yet little had changed in Do-Jun’s daily life. He still reported to work at the Fissure Management Division, handling paperwork and patrolling with Hunters to manage Fissures.

Although the King of the Dimensions had been destroyed, the aftereffects of Encroachment lingered. Fissures continued to appear from time to time across dimensions, including Earth, though less frequently than before.

With so little change, the passage of time felt dull and indistinct. However, when he saw the notice letter Yoon-Hee handed him, he was suddenly struck by how much time had truly passed.

“Notice: 8th National Hunter Academy Graduation Ceremony”

Do-Jun slowly read through the letter. It wasn’t his first time reading it, though, as he’d already looked it over four or five times. Still, the feeling never grew old. He thought back to his first day back on Earth, and also to the absurd contract they’d made.

“Please become my father! Just until I graduate.”

Back then, he never imagined he would really be with her until graduation. He thought the relationship would naturally end once she settled into school life, earned her scholarship, and moved into the dorms. Yet here they were, still together under one roof.

“Hello, my name is Seol Yoon-Hee, representative of this year’s graduating class.” Yoon-Hee rehearsed her opening line. “H-how was that?”

“Your breathing’s all over the place! You’ve gotta sound more confident, you know? Like, ‘I’m number one!’ You get what I mean?” Yong-Yong was offering her some sort of coaching, while Karsiel and Byeol sat around listening.

Yong-Yong was chomping on some Martial Dumplings he’d received earlier that morning from Wei Zhongqi during a visit to the Central Plains, offering his advice between bites.

“Right, Master?” he said, looking to Do-Jun for backup.

Yoon-Hee, slightly flustered, lowered the script that had been covering her face and peeked over at him.

As they looked at each other, Do-Jun smiled and said, “I thought your speech was quite clear.”

That seemed to lift her spirits.

“Really?” she asked with a bright smile.

“But as Yong-Yong said, it might sound even better if you read it with more confidence.”

“Okay, I’ll try again! Siel, Byeol, if anything sounds weird while I’m reading, like my pronunciation, or if my voice is too quiet, let me know, okay?” Yoon-Hee said.

“With your clear pronunciation and strong voice, I didn’t notice any issues at all, Young Master.”

“It wasn’t weird! It sounded like Mommy was weading a stowybook. I liked it!”

***

The front gate of the National Hunter Academy was absolutely packed. As with any school, graduation day was a meaningful occasion for the students and their families. Most, if not all, of the parents had come, and the scene today wasn’t much different from three years ago. Everyone held a bouquet as they made their way through the front gate.

“Whoa, it’s packed. Might be a record crowd for a graduation,” Cheol-Soo said, fanning his face despite it being just early spring.

Hyuk-Soo, though saying nothing, had beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He was clearly feeling the heat, too.

“By the way, Do-Jun. Where’s Yoon-Hee?” he asked.

“She came earlier with the other kids. They had a few things to take care of. They’re probably already inside the auditorium.”

“Time really flies. Feels like just yesterday she started school, and now she’s graduating.”

It truly had gone by fast, but no one felt it more keenly than Do-Jun himself.

***

“

Ugh

... what’s with this graduation ceremony?”

“There are so many people!”

Inside the grand auditorium, where the ceremony would take place, the third-year graduates seated behind the VIP row whispered among themselves. The class president adjusted his glasses and nervously scanned the VIP section. Among the many notable attendees, three figures stood out above the rest: the President, the Chief of the Hunter’s Bureau, and the Chairman of SG Group. They sat side by side, casually chatting with warm smiles.

“Guess this means we’re kind of a big deal now, huh?”

“Hye-Jung, you don’t seem nervous at all.”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t, but I bet I’m nowhere near as nervous as Yoon-Hee. She has to go up on stage later.”

Even now, Yoon-Hee was furiously running through her speech in her head. She’d been rehearsing over and over for days, wanting to make her dad and family proud.

“

Phew.

” Having finally memorized the speech word for word, Yoon-Hee set down her script and took a deep breath. Then, with a big smile, she gave her friends a thumbs-up.

Hye-Jung, sitting beside her, had been watching intently. Suddenly, overwhelmed with emotion and thinking how adorable Yoon-Hee looked, she teared up a little, hugged her tightly, and said, “Our Yoon-Hee is just amazing!”

“H-Hye-Jung?”

Their friends giggled quietly, clearly used to this sort of thing.

Then, from the stage, Won-Kyung, the instructor of Class 3-A and today’s emcee, picked up the mic. “Testing, testing. We will now begin the graduation ceremony for the Eighth National Hunter Academy class. Everyone, please take your seats.”

***

When Cheol-Soo entered the auditorium, the seats were already packed. Looking at the graduating class, he muttered, “They’re all wearing the same uniform. I can’t tell who’s who.”

Having arrived late, they couldn’t find an empty section. It wasn’t until they squeezed into a gap among the crowd standing on the second floor that they finally found a place where they could see the stage.

Scanning the students, Do-Jun muttered, “There’s Yoon-Hee.”

He spotted her immediately.

“Where? Oh, you’re right. Wow, I can barely see her, but you picked her out right away.”

“Of course. I’m her dad.”

Cheol-Soo chuckled. It would’ve been the same if the roles were reversed. He could always pick out his own son, Young-Min, even in a crowd of kids the same age.

Do-Jun shifted his gaze to the side. In the middle seats on the second floor sat Yong-Yong, Karsiel, and Byeol. Behind them sat Hakase and Kiriel.

“Next, we’ll hear a speech from the graduating class representative, Seol Yoon-Hee, from Class A of the third-year cohort,” Won-Kyung said.

This moment had been the only thing on Yoon-Hee’s mind all day. She stepped up to the podium as her instructor called her name. Her face was flushed, her steps slightly stiff. Anyone could tell she was nervous. Standing at the podium, she swept her eyes over the audience watching her. Then, she finally saw her dad.

Do-Jun smiled and gave a small wave.

Whether it helped or not, something clearly changed, and she seemed noticeably calmer than before.

“Hello, I am Seol Yoon-Hee of Class 3-A, and I have been given the honor of speaking today as the representative of the graduating class. First, I’d like to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to attend the Eighth Graduation Ceremony of the National Hunter Academy. I’m humbled to stand here before you all, and I want to express my gratitude for the opportunity to do so.”

At that moment, memories of the past three years flashed through her mind. Three years could be considered either short or long. She remembered how overjoyed she’d been just to be accepted into the Academy.

“You should treat me well. I'll become a veeeery famous person someday.”

That old line of hers popped into Do-Jun’s head, and he let out a soft chuckle.

Yoon-Hee continued to deliver her speech.

“And I believe the reason I am able to stand here today is the instructors who taught us with such passion, and my fellow students who leaned on one another as both friends and comrades.

“My dear classmates, today, with this graduation ceremony, we say goodbye to the Academy we’ve grown attached to and step into the real world. Let’s carry in our hearts the words our dean shared with us—that every ending is a new beginning—and move forward into a bright future together...”

As the speech neared its end, Yoon-Hee looked in Do-Jun’s direction.

“And lastly, I want to say thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart, to my father, who stood by me through my hardest times and helped me become who I am today...” Her voice trailed off, and she bowed her head slightly.

With her fingertip, she gently wiped the corners of her damp eyes.

Clearing her throat, she brought the speech to a close. “To all the graduates, I want to say: you’ve worked hard, and congratulations once again. Thank you.”

***

Though the formal ceremony had ended, the Academy grounds were still buzzing.

Do-Jun watched Yoon-Hee with a smile as she found herself surrounded by friends, chatting away with a cheerful expression, a bright yellow bouquet resting in her arms.

“You said it was about new beginnings, right? Is that the meaning behind those flowers?” he asked.

“That’s right,” Ae-Kyung replied.

“That’s nice.”

“It really is nice, isn’t it?” Ae-Kyung repeated his words, asking for confirmation with a gentle tone.

She had quietly recommended the flower earlier, when Do-Jun was hesitating over what kind of bouquet would be right for a graduation gift. She glanced up at his face, and when their eyes met, she blushed and quickly turned away, lifting her gaze to the sky.

Do-Jun followed her eyes and looked up at the sky as well.

“It really feels like spring now,” he said.

It was the season that truly marked a new beginning. The scenery looked no different from any other spring, yet somehow this one felt entirely different.

A soft breeze blew past. A single flower petal, carried from somewhere, fluttered gently and landed in Ae-Kyung’s hair. Do-Jun reached out, gently brushing her hair to remove the petal.

Startled, she flinched. “S-supervisor Lee...?”

“This was stuck in your hair,” he said, showing her the petal.

Ae-Kyung let out a quiet “Ah...” and nodded in understanding. She tried to hide it, but there was a hint of disappointment in her expression.

“If it were anyone else,” he said, “I probably would’ve just told them there was something in their hair instead of taking it off for them.”

“H-huh?” Ae-Kyung blinked, replaying his words in her head.

When she finally realized what it probably meant, her face flushed bright red.

Just then, Byeol came toddling over, carrying her daycare bag. She opened it and pulled out a camera.

“Daddy, can you turn this on?”

“

Hm?

”

“Let’s take pictures! Today’s a special day.”

Do-Jun smiled and turned the camera on for her.

Byeol turned the camera this way and that, peering through the lens, fascinated. However, she was still too young to operate it, so Do-Jun decided to take the photo himself. He brought the viewfinder to his eye and adjusted the focus. Once he found a good angle, he set up the tripod and mounted the camera.

“Are we taking it now?” Byeol asked, her eyes sparkling. She loved taking photos.

“In a little bit.”

Do-Jun called Yoon-Hee over to stand at the center of the frame. Behind her, the Academy building and a banner congratulating the graduates came into view. He let Byeol press the shutter.

“Did it come out well?” Do-Jun asked.

Byeol checked the image and said, “Yup! Looks great!”

“Want to be in the photo too, Byeol? Go stand next to Mommy.”

“Okie!”

He had originally planned to take a photo of just Byeol and Yoon-Hee, but... then one person, then another, began joining in.

“Yong-Yong, come here! Sieh, you too! Anyone else wanna be in the photo?” Byeol actively looked for people to join. She was inviting everyone she recognized to be in the picture with her.

“

Pfft.

” Ae-Kyung couldn’t help laughing.

Cheol-Soo and Hyuk-Soo followed her lead and stepped into the frame, followed by more and more familiar people. Yong-Yong perched on Yoon-Hee’s head, throwing up a peace sign, but Karsiel sighed, pulled him down, and held him in her arms. Yong-Yong pouted, his lips sticking out in protest.

“Maintain your dignity, Lord Izaas.”

Seeing their exchange, some of Yoon-Hee’s classmates whispered, “Honestly, between the two of them, Karsiel seems more like the Dragon Lord.”

“Agreed.”

Of course, Yong-Yong wasn’t the type to just let it go. “What did you guys just say?!”

The class president and Hye-Jung snickered.

Hakase stood next to Karsiel, with Kiriel and Wei Zhongqi filling the space beside him.

“Wei Zhongqi, scoot in a bit more.”

“Hmm?”

“Otherwise, only half your face is gonna be in the shot.”

“Understood. Thanks for the heads-up.”

Soon, the S-rank Hunters took their places at the back. Ye-Ji seemed quite pleased to be in a group photo and started humming to herself. But the most excited of all was Kang-Hyun. For the president of the Do-Jun Admirers Club, a group photo with the man himself was nothing short of a major event.

“Ryu Jun-Yeol, if you strike a weird pose like last time, I will punish you,” he warned.

“Yeah, that eagle pose was way too much,” Min-Ji added, shaking her head.

She poked the stiffly nervous Min-Hyuk standing beside her. “Senior, you look way too tense. Smile a little. Smile!”

“L-like this...?”

“You’ve got all this charisma in front of your guild, but the moment Supervisor Lee shows up, you turn into a dummy.”

Meanwhile, as he adjusted the camera settings, Do-Jun noticed three men standing around, hesitant to join.

Byeol spotted them as well and waved. “Gwempa! Mistahs! Come take a picture!”

Gwang-Ho cleared his throat and exchanged glances with Young-Chul and Sung-Hwan.

“Old men like us don’t belong in there,” Gwang-Ho muttered.

“Ahem.”

Then, Do-Jun spoke up. “There’s still some empty space in the frame. I’d be glad if you joined us.”

At his offer, the three of them stepped into focus without a word.

Do-Jun adjusted the camera again, zooming out slightly. Everyone now fit perfectly in the frame. He took his eye off the camera.

And in that moment, it really hit him—how much had happened in the past three years and how many people he had come to know and care about.

What would have happened, he wondered, if he hadn’t made that “Dad Contract” on his first day on Earth? If he had stuck to his plan to retreat from the world, sever all ties, and disappear into the mountains? Would he ever have known what this moment felt like?

Do-Jun started the timer and walked over, wanting to capture this moment of joy with the people he cherished.

[15, 14, 13, 12...]

The End.