Cho Hojin/Counter Case

## Ability Study #1

> *A visual compilation provided to help analyze Cho Hojin's abilities.*
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Cho Hojin forgets to bring her gym clothes for P.E. class and considers borrowing someone else's. Suddenly, it starts to rain, prompting her teacher to replace that day's outdoor activities with an indoor study hall. Later when the school day is over, Hojin realizes she doesn't have an umbrella and is about to sprint home when a student accidentally knocks over a cabinet, revealing a number of new umbrellas the school acquired for last year's field day event. She takes one and leaves happily.

On the way home, Hojin contemplates buying a sweet potato from a vendor but notices she doesn't have enough money to buy one. Just then, a truck hydroplanes and almost crashes into the vendor, but Hojin is miraculously saves him and his cart apparently without realizing it. As gratitude, the vendor gives her three packs of sweet potatoes for free. Hojin then resumes walking home, wondering if today is just her lucky day.

## Ability Study #2

> *The target has been transferred for a closer inspection.*
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The next day, Hojin is informed by one of her teachers that the Administration has registered her as a Counter after reviewing video footage of her saving the sweet potato vendor. Hojin is dubious at first and says she doesn't want to become a fighter or mercenary, but her teacher assures her that Counters can pursue careers that don't involve combat. The teacher also tells her that she'll have to transfer to the Administration Counter Academy as all minors with a Counter Watch legally must complete their education there.

Afterwards, the Class President congratulates Hojin on officially becoming a Counter and reveals that he, along with the rest of their class, suspected she was one early on due to how uncannily lucky she tends to be. He announces he plans to throw a farewell party for hopes for the best for her.

## Student Record Book #1

> *※ Non-recruited and unaffiliated personnel helped with this investigation.*
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Hojin is running late for her first day at the Counter Academy when she bumps into Chloe Starseeker, a student from the Administration Control Center, just outside campus Chloe warns her that Hojin's "purity" is being clouded by the "evil dark energy of Elcano" that will cause her misfortune and offers her a curative charm that she can buy. Hojin isn't very interested as she doesn't have much money, so Chloe tries to pressure her with astrology cards that will supposedly depict the misfortunes she will have in her life. However, the cards predict that Hojin will instead be blessed with great luck, much to Chloe's confusion.

Eventually, Chloe's classmate, Lena Mackenzie, interrupts and drags Chloe back to their classroom. Hojin panickedly notices how she late she is when Academy announces that morning classes have been canceled due to the instructor's personal circumstances— the schedule will resume as normal in the afternoon. Relieved, Hojin decides to go get breakfast.

## [Record] -- Damaged --

> *∎∎∎∎? ∎∎∎∎∎.*
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Sound Beta walks in on Sound Alpha is reviewing Cho Hojin's student transfer files. The two of them find Hojin to be very interesting as they've never seen anyone, Counter or not, with the ability to grant its user excessive luck. Alpha says they're lucky themselves to find someone like her, but Beta suggests that the luck "changed" to guide them to her. Beta also points out that abilities like Hojin's are very dangerous since it's difficult to identify how reality has changed or figure out what really happened; She recommends they place her as a Class 2 or higher Alert target, and Alpha agrees they keep their eye on her. However, unbeknownst to either of them, reality warps and changes so that Beta recommends they place her as a Class 2 or *lower* Alert target and Alpha say they should forget about her. They then completely forget what they were talking about, and the Beta leaves the room.

The Terrabrain GAP-166774 reports that a Category 3 data corruption had occurred three minutes and twenty-four seconds ago and attempts to recover the corrupted data. Sound Alpha remarks on how much Hojin has been able to develop her ability so far and speculates she needs to take away others' luck in order to make herself lucky.

## Student Record Book #2

> *Only authorized personnel are allowed to view this file.*
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Han Sorim is teaching Hojin how to use a firearm and takes her to a firing range. Sorim goes first and manages to get a near-perfect score, missing the bullseye on the target only once. Hojin goes next but fires wildly after mistakenly setting her gun on full-auto. Miraculously, though, she hit the center on every target except seemingly for the last three.

After the two girls leave, the firing range staff notice that the 1,500-meter target for snipers has three shots lined up exactly at its center. One of them jokes that Hojin must have hit it in her last three shots while the other one laughs and says he has quite the imagination.