Yoo Myeongwoo/Synopsis

Childhood and Awakening
Yoo Myeongwoo was raised by both parents in a stable household. He grew up with multiple elder sisters who were a lot older than him; they often left him out and sometimes treated him as their little servant. His parents were also working most of the time, so though they gave him a large allowance, in the end he was often left alone with no major caregivers.

Ever since childhood, Yoo Myeongwoo was good with his hands, and won a lot of awards with his handicrafts. He was alternately praised for his talent and scolded for straying from his academic studies, constantly berated about securing good prospects for when he was older. At some point, his family fell on hard times, and his parents eventually divorced. Due to the family's tight circumstances, he was unable to pursue his interests as he pleased, and ended up forced into a mediocre college. His poor academic talent meant that he ended up with horrible grades. In addition, he took out a private loan and ended up with a lot of debt.

Apart from his distant parents, Yoo Myeongwoo's sisters had also long since gotten married and fallen out of touch with him. Completely alone and lost in life, he fell into a deep depression and attempted to kill himself by slitting his wrists with a knife. It was at this point that he Awakened with his Whetstone skill. Briefly relieved at the idea of the Hunter Association's one million won subsidy given to newly Awakened people, he went to register himself as a Hunter.

Original timeline, pre-regression
Considering post-regression events, it is almost certain that soon after Awakening, his debts were transferred to Hope Resources Guild, who had him sign a mine worker contract to pay off the debt. However, given the high risk posed to miners, he was most likely injured and possibly even killed during work. In the end, Yoo Myeongwoo remained in obscurity for the rest of the original timeline.

Synopsis
In the new timeline, Yoo Myeongwoo happens to go to the Hunter Association at the same time and day as Han Yoojin, who sees his optimized skills through My Brat Is The Best and immediately flags him down. Han Yoojin pretends to be Yoo Myeongwoo's childhood friend, much to his confusion, and gets him to talk about his Awakening status. Han Yoojin offers him training at Haeyeon Guild along with freely lent equipment, assuring him that he's a good person and valuable enough to deserve such generous treatment. Yoo Myeongwoo is extremely moved and begins to cry; he and Han Yoojin sit together and talk about their pasts, and Han Yoojin exaggeratedly says that they should love themselves if the world won't, stating that he loves Yoo Myeongwoo and applying his skill keyword.

After their discussion, the duo exchange phone numbers and part. Yoo Myeongwoo acts independently for the next while, and is found again when Han Yoojin tries to call him, realizing that his phone has been taken and he is under duress. It is revealed that he has gone to Hope Resources and signed the mine worker contract already. When Han Yoojin appears, Yoo Myeongwoo is anxious, wanting to warn him about the situation. However, Han Yoojin effortlessly deals with the Hope Resources Guild, destroys Myeongwoo's contract with them, and takes him back to Haeyeon Guild. During the car ride, the two talk further; Yoo Myeongwoo reveals his anxieties around being a Hunter, but Han Yoojin reassures him once again and lends him the Manticore's Leather Gloves, much to his thankfulness. He goes to the Haeyeon dorms with Han Yoojin and is bewildered at Kim Sunghan's assessment of Han Yoojin as a useless obstacle, praising him. The two head up to Han Yoojin's room and Yoo Myeongwoo admires it. After discussing plans for the immediate future, Han Yoojin offers for him to stay in the house for the next few months while pretending to be Yoojin's housekeeper. Yoo Myeongwoo is overwhelmed and thanks him profusely.

Bak Yerim appears at that moment, and she and Yoo Myeongwoo have a turbulent first meeting, with Myeongwoo alternately on the receiving end of aggression and politeness. They part more or less amiably, and Myeongwoo's first day at Haeyeon ends with him making dinner, cooking properly for the first time. He fetches his things and moves in the next day, with only a minor altercation with Peace. He helps Han Yoojin get to bed that night after drinking, and the morning after, updates him about Hunter training and brings him hangover cures, telling him about his family history when Yoojin asks and admitting that Yoojin himself is the only major person to care about him in his life.

Later that day, he attends novice Hunter training with Han Yoojin and Bak Yerim.