“Hey! Isn’t that the cake I was saving for later? WHY IS HALF OF IT IN YOUR MOUTH ALREADY” Someone yelled at the top of their lungs.

“What? Oh this? I was just hungry and it had a strawberry on it, it’s not like I could stop myself” Chaeyoung replied.

“W-WHY YOU…”

“Calm down Dubu, I’ll go get you another one tomorrow or something” Chaeyoung was confused as to why her roommate, Dahyun, was getting so worked up over a cake.

“NO! I WAS SAVING IT…for a very specific reason.” Dahyun answered. “Whatever. You can have it. It’s not like I was going to surprise you with it for dessert after dinner or anything.”

“Hey, cheer up. Oh I know, wanna go to the town square later and grab some sweets for dessert?” Chaeyoung tried to amend for her mistake.

“Hey, I don’t know about you, but Dahyun seems like a really sweet girl…and you’re just as clueless and carefree as ever.” Mina made her remark after hearing the short story from Chaeyoung. “So…what happened right before she disappeared for this ‘Class Determination Ritual’ ?”

 

“Hm. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that first part. So you know how everyone has a Class? You don’t get it officially recognized until the Guild approves and gives you an ID Card that lists your class on it. Dahyun was always good with water, but specifically freezing water…”

 

“So you mean like… ice?” Mina tilted her head.

 

“Yeah. Ice.” Chaeyoung answered, a bit embarrassed she didn’t just call it ice. “So, one day she got a letter from the Guild telling her to come there and finally get her ID Card, after which she can start in a vast variety of different jobs according to her aptitude and skills.”

 

“Oooh, so what would a person who can control ice have as their class?” Mina wondered.

 

“Probably something like an Ice Wizard. I’ve heard there are higher-tier classes like Sorceress or Enchanters as well. Anyways, that’s all I know. It’s been three years ever since.” Chaeyoung answered.

 

“Wait. If she just disappeared, shouldn’t you be worried and go look for her or something?” Mina questioned Chaeyoung while collecting the dinnerwares.

“Yeah, you bet I did. I searched all over for a long time, asking everyone I knew that knew her, but it was no use…” Chaeyoung said under her breath.

“Oh…I’m sorry.”

“No. Don’t be. But thinking about it again made me kind of mad at myself for not going with her. I still blame myself everyday.”

 

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

 

“SON CHAEYOUNG, WE HAVE AN ORDER TO YOU TO THE GUILD IMMEDIATELY.” A man yelled through the door after several knocks.

“What the f-“ Chaeyoung flinched. “I’ve never had a Guild guard come to my door like this. Usually they just send letters.”

 

She stood up from the dinner table while Mina was still washing the dishes behind her. She looked back at Mina, who was staring at the door in confusion.

 

“I’ll go get the door. You should stay out of sight, don’t want any trouble now do you?” Chaeyoung said.

 

Mina nodded and hid herself behind the pillar nearby, still peeking at the door. Chaeyoung went and unlocked the door nervously.

 

“Hey. I’m Chaeyoung. May I ask what urgent business the Guild might have with me at this hour?”

“SILENCE. THE ORDER OF THE GUILD IS ABSOLUTE. COME WITH ME.” The man grunted in a loud voice.

“Jeez, you could just talk like a normal person you know. Alright alright I’ll come with you, but could you give me a few minutes to get ready or something?”

 

 

About an hour later, they reached the Guild HQ. It was a massive building in the middle of this small town, funded by the royal family. The wooden tiles of the building seemed to have aged, but the building still appear brand new at a quick glance.

“Haven’t been here since my ‘Class Determination Ritual’, looks like nothing have changed since.” Chaeyoung said to herself, not expecting a reply from the guard next to her.

“…Go upstairs” The man said quietly.

“Oh so now you’re gonna use normal volume. Would’ve been nice to not destroy my ears earlier don’t you think?” Chaeyoung said sarcastically. “Whatever, I’m off.” She waved and headed for the stairs.

Chaeyoung looked around as she ascended the stairs. Many busy adventurers gather here, looking for jobs or requests from people who are in need of special services that could only be done with specific abilities. She noticed a painting on the wall on the way up, depicting a girl with purple hair and pale skin.

“Welcome.”

Before  Chaeyoung could wonder to herself, she was completely frozen in place as she looked up at the person who just welcomed her. It was Dahyun. It was her friend who she thought she had lost all these years. But something wasn’t right. The Dahyun she knew had deep blue hair, but the girl standing before her had long, purple hair…

“…Dahyun?” Chaeyoung still couldn’t believe her eyes. “Is it really you? Hey. It’s me. Chaeyoung. Where have you been all th-“

“It is not I who you have business with. Please head inside to see the Headmaster.” Dahyun replied with her ice gold glare and a monotone voice. Her friend didn’t use to talk like this, moreover, this person seemed to be someone completely different.

“…You really don’t remember me?” Chaeyoung asked once more.

“… … …….. C-“

 

Thud. The door suddenly swung wide open.

 

“WHAT IS TAKING YOU SO LONG? IS SHE NOT HERE YET?” A woman screamed. “Oh. She’s right here. Why are you just standing there, come inside.” The strange woman had a weird vibe about her. She was energetic and loud, but also seemed grandmotherly at the same time. Chaeyoung followed the strange woman inside, as she turned her head to look at Dahyun, who had already turned away towards the stairs. Her shoulders seemed much broader now, I guess everyone grows, Chaeyoung thought to herself as she sat down inside the Headmaster’s office.

“My name is Im Nayeon, the Headmaster of this branch of the Guild here in the great city of Sixteen.”

“…Im What?”

“I understand you might be confused as to why you’re here at this hour. Do you remember being in the forest just yesterday?”

“Oh…yeah. I woke up in the forest and was badly injured for some reason I could not remember. If Mina wasn’t there…”

“Mina? Who’s that?”

 

. My tongue slipped. “Nothing, just talking to myself”

“Hm. Well. No matter. I called you here because Dahyun recommended you. We are gathering a special party, from the citizens of Sixteen city, in order to venture into the next world.” Im Nayeon turned serious all of a sudden.

“Wait. What?” Chaeyoung now had even more questions than she did before.

“I understand you might be confus-”

“No no no no. I mean the part where you said Dahyun recommended me. DAHYUN? The girl outside that pair of doors right now? SHE WAS MY BEST FRIEND. What happened to her the last couple years? Why did she never come back home? Wh-” Chaeyoung interrupted Nayeon, before getting interrupted back herself.

“Calm down Chaeyoung. I know you have many questions. I might not be able to answer them all. At least not now. However, if you decide to join us, myself and the other members might be able to help you find the answers you seek. Right now we are still missing a few members, but once we gather everyone, I promise to tell you everything I know.” Nayeon assured.

“Oh. So are you the one leading this … special unit? What is it called anyways?” Chaeyoung asked.

“Actually, I am not the leader. I am only the headmaster of this branch right here, but the true leader is off to gather members in the neighboring city. As for the name…”

 

Thud. The door swung wide open. Again.

 

“Headmaster. I am sorry to interrupt, but it seems like there is a huge commotion outside that requires your attention.”
 

Chaeyoung and the Headmaster both went to the nearest window looking outside to check. As she caught sight of the scene, only one thought popped into Chaeyoung’s mind.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, MINA?