Chapter Five: A Future in Motion
Quinn pushed open the door to his apartment, stepping inside with a quiet sigh. The room was dim, the only source of light spilling in from the hallway behind him. He shut the door, locking it instinctively before making his way to the small kitchen.
The plastic bags in his hands rustled as he set them down on the counter—groceries he had grabbed on the way home. Eggs, rice, some canned food, meat, vegetables. Enough to last them for a few weeks.
His hands were still slightly unsteady as he unpacked the bags, the events of the day replaying in his mind. The fight. The kill.
He exhaled and pushed those thoughts aside. For now, he just wanted to wash up.
After dropping the groceries in their usual spots, he walked to the bathroom. He peeled off his bloodstained shirt, tossing it into the laundry basket. The mirror above the sink reflected his face—tired eyes, slightly ruffled hair, and something… different.
Sharper.
He turned on the tap, letting cold water run over his hands, washing away the last traces of the Possessed's blackened blood.
It still felt surreal.
He had killed something inhuman today. And lived.
And it felt good.
After a quick shower, he stepped out, rubbing a towel over his damp hair. His stomach let out a low growl, making him pause.
It was then that he noticed it.
On the small dining table, a plate of food. Untouched.
His eyes flicked to the clock on the wall—it was almost evening. Shit. He hadn't even eaten breakfast.
Emily must have left it for him before heading out. He walked over and sat down, the faint warmth long gone, but the meal still intact. A simple omelet with rice and some vegetables.
He smiled a little.
His sister was struggling too, working her hardest to make sure he was okay. And here he was, caught up in his own world.
He picked up his fork and took a bite.
"Emily's food is as good as always," he thought to himself, glancing outside at the fading daylight. Graduation was this coming week. After that, he might be on his own.
His movements slowed.
Graduation.
This coming week, he'd be thrown into the real world.
He chewed absentmindedly, his mind drifting to the same question that had haunted him for years.
"What comes next?"
Before, it had been simple. Find a stable job. Support Emily. Survive.
But now? Now, he was Awakened, for the first time in his life, he had a chance. A quiet determination settled in his chest. He grabbed a notebook and a pen from the shelf nearby, flipping to a fresh page.
He tapped the pen against the paper for a moment, thinking.
Then, he wrote the first words.
Goals after graduation:
1. Train harder. Learn how to use his powers. Master them. If he had an S-rank ability, he couldn't afford to waste it.
2. Get stronger. The world outside was dangerous. He had already seen what the Possessed were capable of. If he was going to survive, he needed to be powerful.
3. Build a guild. Not just any guild. A big one. He didn't want to be a lone hunter scraping by on missions. He wanted to lead. To create something of his own.
4. Become rich.
His pen stilled on the last point.
That was the real dream, wasn't it?
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the words. Train. Grow stronger. Build a guild. Become rich.
For the first time, the future didn't seem so uncertain.
He let out a small chuckle.
Yeah.
That sounded good.
He closed the notebook and smiled to himself.
"I guess I have my answer."
The sound of keys jingling at the door snapped Quinn out of his thoughts. He turned his head just as the door swung open, revealing Emily.
She stepped inside, kicking off her shoes with a tired sigh. Her long, black and white hair was tied up in a loose ponytail, and she looked exhausted—probably from another long shift. But despite that, the moment she saw Quinn, she smiled.
"You're home early," she said, setting her bag down by the door.
Quinn nodded, closing his notebook. "Yeah, finished up everything I needed to do today."
Emily raised a brow, her eyes scanning him. "You okay?"
There was something about the way she asked it—like she could sense something had changed in him. Maybe it was the way he carried himself now. Maybe it was the way his eyes held something new.
"I'm fine," Quinn said, giving her a reassuring smile.
She didn't press further. Instead, she reached into her bag, pulling out something wrapped in a plastic cover. "I got something for you."
Quinn tilted his head as she held it out to him. He took it and unwrapped the plastic.
Inside was a graduation outfit.
Since his graduation was coming up in a week, Emily must have bought it ahead of time. The fabric was smooth beneath his fingers, and he could tell she had spent more than she probably should have on it.
Quinn glanced up at her. She was watching him with an expectant look like she was hoping he'd like it.
A warmth spread in his chest.
Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her.
"I love you so much, sis," he said softly.
Emily chuckled, hugging him back. "I know you do."
They stayed like that for a few seconds before Quinn finally pulled away. He held the outfit up again, admiring it. "This is perfect. Thanks, Emily."
"Of course," she said, then stretched her arms above her head. "Ugh, I'm starving." She walked toward the kitchen, but the moment she stepped inside, she froze.
Her eyes darted to the counter, where bags of groceries were neatly stacked. Lots of them.
"...Quinn," she said slowly, turning to him. "How did you get money to buy all this?"
Quinn leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "I just had a great payday."
Emily narrowed her eyes. "Quinn…"
He laughed. "Relax. I didn't do anything illegal."
She studied him for a moment before sighing. "You better not be lying to me," she muttered, walking over to start putting the groceries away.
Quinn just smiled.
The next few days leading up to graduation were surprisingly normal.
Quinn went to school, didn't do any classes because graduation was near, and went home like usual.
He didn't tell anyone about his awakening. Not even his best friend.
It wasn't that he didn't trust them—he just needed time to figure things out on his own, and he wanted to surprise them at the right time.
Each day, he trained in secret. Experimenting with his abilities, testing his limits. He still had a long way to go, but he was improving.
And then—
The sun was shining. The air was crisp.
Today was the day.
Quinn stood in front of the mirror, wearing the graduation outfit Emily bought for him. It fits perfectly.
He adjusted the collar, taking a deep breath.
"This is it."
The first step toward his new life.
He grabbed his things and headed out the door.
Time to see what the future had in store.