Chapter 39: Something Unknown (13)

10-13 minutes 13.07.2023

“…You’re going out? Today? When it’s our first day?”

Though Jiho felt a little sorry when he saw Yiwon shoot question after question, what can he do? This move had been decided suddenly, and the dinner had been planned before that.

Seeing Jiho nod, Yiwon’s bright expression instantly fell.

When Yiwon smiles, he tends to appear very warm and gentle. What this means is that when he’s not smiling, he appears extremely indifferent.

His deep eyes are neither cold nor warm. His emotionless gaze is arrogant, and even seems, for some reason, almost inhuman.

A lot of people have said–especially after Yiwon awakened–that his unique aura and overwhelming mana make them feel threatened by him.

“I’ll be quick, eung?”

Threatened? By Yiwon? That’s not the case for Jiho. Jiho approached Yiwon with the idea of coaxing a pet dog.

But unlike a good dog, Yiwon is stubborn.

“Don’t go out. Play here. Don’t get attacked outside again.”

“I’m meeting him at Gangnam Station, so it’s not that far from here.”

“Who?”

“A friend.”

“A friend who?”

Not even his parents are this persistent.

Though Jiho wanted to ask, ‘Would you know if I told you?’ Yiwon would know. After all, the person in question went to the same school, was in the same class, and even appeared in the pictures in “The Bluebeard Room.” Jiho had no choice but to answer.

“Kyung Hyun.”

“I don’t like that bastard.”

Yiwon said fiercely, without a single second of hesitation. Jiho was dumbfounded.

“But you guys were friends…”

“Not really.”

Despite Yiwon’s words, Kyung Hyun appeared in every single picture. Isn’t Kyung Hyun much better than the friends they cut contact with…?

To be fair, that’s just Jiho’s opinion; Yiwon could think a little differently. Since it seems like Yiwon developed an overall distrust in humans while he protected the world these past three years.

It isn’t necessarily Kyung Hyun’s fault. Yiwon just doesn’t trust humans in general.

He wanted to get mad and demand, ‘Why does it matter whether I go out or not?’ but Jiho had been saved by Yiwon just a few days ago. In the end, Jiho asked almost pleadingly.

“Sorry, but it’s something I had planned beforehand, so it can’t be helped. Kyung Hyun took time out of his busy schedule to meet, too, and it’s been a while since we’ve met. I can’t just cancel it suddenly. Until we get more information about the monster that attacked me, I’ll let you know if I have to go somewhere next time. Eung?”

Yiwon, who had been staring at Jiho, ruffled his own hair roughly, as if he was annoyed by something.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“What are you talking about… I was just looking at you.”

Instead of answering, Yiwon bit his lips.

He’ll bleed if he continues to do that.

Jiho unconsciously reached out for Yiwon’s wrist and pulled it down to stop him. As he did so, Yiwon’s eyes widened in great shock.

Thinking he did something unnecessary since an SS-rank can heal a bit of blood quickly, Jiho lowered his hand slightly, but Yiwon’s fervent gaze followed it closely. Yiwon looked repeatedly, once at his wrist that had been grabbed by Jiho, once at Jiho’s face, then the wrist again, face; before sighing.

“Fine.”

“Thank…”

“But in exchange, take me too.”

“What?”

His unbelievable stubbornness made Jiho immediately retract his thanks. 

“Take me with you.”

“… Are you a kid to follow me around like that?”

“You’re the kid here. I’m going as your guardian.”

Jiho punched Yiwon. Of course, Yiwon didn’t feel a thing.

“Go where? You’re busy.”

“I’m not busy.”

“Not busy? You have another work trip tomorrow. Go to sleep early.”

Instead of answering him, Yiwon stared at Jiho. Feeling uncomfortable under Yiwon’s silent gaze, Jiho avoided Yiwon’s eyes.

“Wh-Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Just… felt like you always know so well.”

“That’s because news about you is everywhere…”

“Mm. That’s true.”

Yiwon replied in a tone clearly brighter than before. Thinking that Yiwon might let him go now, Jiho offered gently.

“You should rest early since you have to travel far.”

“I’m going with Hwang Hye Lim, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Ah…”

Again?

They went together last time too. Hwang Hye Lim and Joo Yiwon’s movements often overlap with each other.

Jiho thought back to the day he met Hye Lim.

Despite their age gap, she called him ‘Yiwon-ssi’ with such a friendly tone. Hye Lim, who is usually described as quite difficult, seemed rather close to Yiwon.

Are they dating?1

The doubt Jiho had buried deep down floated back up again.

“We’re not dating.”

“Hm?”

“We’re not dating.”

“Ah, sure.”

But Jiho didn’t even say anything yet.

Yiwon’s defense only made Jiho’s doubts grow. They say, after all, that strong denial is strong affirmation.

They must actually be dating. He didn’t even ask, yet Yiwon’s already feeling guilty…

“I said we aren’t.”

Yiwon angrily protested.

Although Jiho doesn’t really believe him, he was too lazy to deal with Yiwon, so he just nodded.

“Alright, alright. I’ll keep it a secret.”

“I mean it. Even if there were a hundred Hwang Hye Lims in front of me, I wouldn’t be the least bit attracted.”

“Isn’t that too harsh on Hunter Hwang Hye Lim?”

If he’s going to deny it, then just deny it. There’s no reason to cut others down for that. Seeing Jiho frown, Yiwon looked extremely wronged.

“Hwang Hye Lim was the first to say that even if there were a hundred brats like me, she would still hate me.”

“To you?”

“Yeah, she said it straight to my face.”

“Really?”

“Really. If you feel like I’m lying, then you can ask her the next time you see her.”

“…”

Jiho thought Hwang Hye Lim was a good person, but it turns out she has a surprisingly rude side to her.2 Jiho lowered his view of her a little. A competent hunter, but one that speaks harshly to her fellow hunters.

“Alright. I got it. Still, don’t follow me. I’m not even going far. I’ll stay in this area.”

“Why? Just take me with you. Isn’t it nice to meet old friends?” 

“But you said you don’t like Kyung Hyun…”

Yiwon had said that just a minute ago, and now he’s changing his words. Yet Yiwon didn’t bat an eye and was shameless to the end.

“I’ll try to like him.”

“It’s not the place to do that. It’s to meet Kyung Hyun and relax…”

“But you still need a guard. You know, too, that you don’t have any combat ability by yourself, right?”

“Of course I know that. That’s why I bought a defense item and weapon. Though it’s only a single-use item, I even have an item that can block an S-rank. You gave me this, so you should know it well. And don’t you have the day off today? If I’m in this area, you can easily use your teleportation ability to come to me if something happens. And I have the emergency alert device you gave me too. If you can’t trust me, I’ll hold it in my hands the whole time.”

“…”

Yiwon was the one to close his mouth this time at Jiho’s flawless logic.

Jiho, of course, wasn’t going to go out without a plan. If a monster attacks, it would put not only Jiho, but the people around him in danger as well. Why would he do that? He was as best prepared as he could be.

“Good, right? Then…”

“Fine. Then while I’m left alone here, I’ll go and speak with the Chairman for the first time in a while. I should tell him what happened to his youngest son.”

“…”

This petty bastard.

Jiho’s tightly clenched fist shook. He forgot there was a simple spell to throw reason and rationality right out the window.

Shin Jiho can’t win against Joo Yiwon’s endless stubbornness and dirty-handed ways with reason.

Thus, in the end, Jiho brought Joo Yiwon along to the place he promised to meet Son Kyung Hyun at.

Thankfully, when he had sent a message to Kyung Hyun earlier, Kyung Hyun easily said that it was fine.

The place they promised to meet at was a Korean restaurant with private rooms.

They had picked this place because a lot of people are interested in Jiho. At the time, Jiho thought they were going overboard, but now that Joo Yiwon is joining, it became a wise decision. If Joo Yiwon appeared in the middle of Gangnam, traffic would stop because of all of the people gathering towards him.

Perhaps because he came straight from work, Kyung Hyun was dressed in a suit. He had taken off his jacket, wearing a shirt and tie, as well as a pair of pants. Upon seeing Jiho, who he hadn’t seen in a long time, Kyung Hyun smiled widely. A smile naturally appeared on Jiho’s face as well.

“Kyung Hyun.”

“Hi Jiho. And Yiwon too.”

Unlike Yiwon, who said that their relationship was bad, Son Kyung Hyun smiled brightly as soon as he saw Joo Yiwon. But Joo Yiwon frowned.

“Annoying bastard.”

“Hey. Are you crazy?”

Jiho poked the side of the crazy bastard who greets a friend they hadn’t met in a while with a curse. Even though Kyung Hyun’s treating him like normal, Yiwon, alone, is acting hostile towards him.

Jiho let go of Yiwon and quickly apologized to Kyung Hyun.

“Sorry, Kyung Hyun. He must be crazy.”

“Stop calling someone’s boyfriend out.”

“Are you going to spout that nonsense here too?”

Jiho turned towards Yiwon in shock, yet Yiwon sulked, as if asking what he did wrong.

He brought him for no reason. Though Jiho regretted it, it was too late. And seeing how Yiwon was really planning to tell his father if he didn’t agree, Jiho would’ve had to bring him anyways…

Jiho pushed his anger down and gestured towards Yiwon.

“If you’re going to keep picking fights like that, then leave.”

“But it’s dangerous.”

“I won’t tell you to go back home. You can stand guard at the door, can’t you?”

Yiwon’s sulking face instantly chilled. He even released his repressed mana intimidatingly, making Kyung Hyun, who, though an awakened one, is only an F-rank, freeze.

“Do you mean that?”

“Yeah.”

Hearing Yiwon’s low voice only made Jiho even angrier.

Jiho doesn’t like it when awakened ones show off their strength for no reason. But the person doing something similar to that is none other than Yiwon right now.

Planning to chase Yiwon out the door if he doesn’t listen, even if he tells his parents, Jiho pointed forcefully at the door.

“Choose. Are you going to sit and speak nicely, or are you going to do things your way and stand outside?”