CHAPTER 53: INTERESTING

"NOONA!"

Woonhee smiled apologetically at Seojin who followed her to the parking lot of the hotel.

She knew that he would follow her, so she waited for him in front of her car.

"Jin-ah, I’m sorry," Wonhee said to Seojin sincerely. "You’ll have to find a new house soon."

"Don’t apologize, Noona," Seojin said while shaking his head. "I’ve always known that you’re our real landlord."

"What made you think that I am your landlord, though? It never crossed Seodam’s mind, and I was with your brother for three years."

"The neighborhood where we live is one of the expensive neighborhoods for Civilians because it’s relatively safer than the other areas in Seoul," Seojin explained. "Seodam Hyung was already a B-Class Hunter then, but there’s no way a landlord of a house with a high value would rent it out to a B-Class Hunter who has just awakened."

Oh.

That was the excuse that Wonhee told her representative to tell Seodam and his family.

["Hunters are the heroes of our country, so it’s an honor for me to rent my house to you and your family, Hunter Lee Seodam."]

But, apparently, Seojin didn’t buy that excuse.

"Plus, it’s ridiculous that we only pay half of the average rent of the other houses in the neighborhood," Seojin continued. "My mother always says we’re lucky that our landlord doesn’t raise our rent even though other places do that annually. But we’re not lucky– Seodam Hyung just happened to be loved by a generous person."

Seojin was pretty quick-witted, huh?

Then there was no use keeping it a secret from him.

"Jin-ah, your lease will end next month. I want to have a clean break from Seodam Oppa and your family, so I thought I should stop renting out the house I own to you," Wonhee explained, feeling apologetic. "I’m sorry for being selfish. But now that Seodam Oppa is already an A-Class Hunter, I’m sure he’ll easily find a new place for your family. APA might even provide a house for you since APA values Seodam Oppa."

"Noona, you don’t need to apologize," Seojin said while shaking his head. "You can do anything with your property. Providing a safe and affordable house for my family for the last three years was more than enough. Thank you."

Aww.

She didn’t help Seodam and his family with the expectation of hearing them say ’thank you’ to her.

If it was her intention, then she would have told them that the house was hers.

"Noona, thank you for staying kind even though my family treats you bad."

Wonhee smiled bitterly while shaking her head. "Jin-ah, I don’t really see myself as a good person. Sometimes, I feel like I’m only doing "nice" things for other people because I feel guilty for having too much."

Seojin chuckled. "Noona, if all rich people have a conscience and the heart to share their fortune with the less privileged, then this world would be a better place to live in. Please don’t feel bad about it. Even if you did it to make yourself feel better, it won’t change the fact that you helped other people."

Aww.

When did this child grow up?

Wonhee smiled at Seojin gratefully. "Jin-ah, even though your brother and I already broke up, and even though your mother and sister don’t like me, can we still be friends?"

"Of course, Noona!" Seojin said, bursting out crying as if he was waiting for her to say those words to him. "Thank you for letting me stay in your life, Wonhee Noona."

***

WONHEE blinked while looking at the "mummy" next to her in the backseat.

Of course, she knew that ’it’ was Yejun.

But, for some reason, the X-Class Hunter’s head and torso were covered in white bandages. The bandages were ordinary bandages, of course. The golden lights around them suggested that the bandages were ’Artifacts.’

[Artifacts are enchanted things found in dungeons.]

"Are you alright, Yejun-ah?" Wonhee asked worriedly. "Can you breathe through that?"

"Yeah, but it’s not exactly comfortable," Yejun complained lightly. "Noona, your brother-in-law is being too harsh on me."

"Hee-ya, don’t fall for that," Geon, who was in the passenger seat, said while scoffing at Yejun’s act. "Those bandages were a B-Grade weapon made by Soobin to restrain Awakened People. But Yejun can easily break free from them. He’s just acting pitiful for your attention."

Yejun clicked his tongue. "Hyung, you’re sabotaging my moves."

"Don’t even think about making a move on my sister-in-law, you dufus."

Wonhee just sighed and shook her head. She knew that Yejun wasn’t "making a move" on her. The X-Class Hunter was just acting that way because she was the only Guide he could work with. "Yejun-ah, that’s your punishment for almost hurting the Civilians earlier. You better stay put like that until we reach the next location."

"Okay, Wonhee-ya," Yejun said obediently while leaning against the backseat, visibly more relaxed. "I listen to you well, don’t I?"

"Yes, yes, you do," Wonhee said, gently patting Yejun’s (bandaged) head. "Good boy."

"Noona, where should we go next?" Ahyeon asked while starting the car’s engine. "Do you want to go home now?"

Wonhee was about to say that yes, she wanted to go home.

But she received a text message from Yool.

Actually, it was sent to their group chat because Ahyeon also received the same thing.

["HELP."]

That was the single word sent by Yool.

It was followed by their secret code– a code only Wonhee, Yool, and Ahyeon knew. They made it so they would know that it was really them sending the messages.

"Noona, what should we do?" Ahyeon asked worriedly. "Yool Hyung..."

Wonhee nodded to assure Ahyeon that everything would be fine. "Let’s go to Yool’s house."

***

"I DIDN’T expect you to be this obedient and stay in your apartment as you were told, Gong Yool-ssi."

[Fuck.]

Yool grabbed his mug and sipped his coffee. "Well, I don’t want to die."

He made that coffee more than thirty minutes ago, so it was already as cold as the heart of the person sitting across from him.

[Song Moonho, that bastard is here again.]

The dining hall in his apartment wasn’t that small, but it sure felt that way not only because of Song Moonho’s presence.

[He’s physically huge.]

Like tall.

And toned.

Fuck, just look at the poor button in Song Moonho’s button-down shirt. They looked like they were about to snap because of Song Moonho’s pecs.

That wide expanse of chest...

[People weren’t lying when they said Song Moonho is the most handsome Hunter in Korea. He even beat Hwang Frost even though younger people usually topped the list. But this ahjussi’s face and body are both top-tiers...]

"Do you like what you’re seeing?"

Yool knitted his eyebrows, confused. "What I’m seeing?"

Song Moonho smiled. "My chest."

Fuck.

[I got caught looking, huh?]

Yool maintained his poker face, though. "I was just wondering if I could stab an S-Class Hunter’s chest with my kitchen knife."

"You can try."

"No, thank you. I love peace."

"Then we’ll get along well, Gong Yool-ssi," Song Moonho said, still smiling creepily. "I also love peace."

Yool scoffed. "Yeah, right."

Song Moonho just chuckled while shaking his head. "You’re pretty interesting for a Civilian, Gong Yool-ssi. Not only do you not shake in fear in my presence– you also had the audacity to talk back to me. Ordinary Civilians adore S-Class Hunters from afar, but fear them when they’re in our vicinity. So, your reaction is interesting."

Fuck.

[I have some acting experience from my previous life. Maybe I should have acted scared so I wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb.]

"I’m scared of you," Yool lied. "I just don’t show it."

"Pfft." Song Moonho leaned against the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, right."

Fuck again.

[This bastard just threw my words right back at me.]

"Gong Yool-ssi, you know why I’m here, don’t you?"

Of course, Yool played dumb. "Is it because I helped Ahn Kisoo?"

"I see, you chose to play dumb," Song Moonho said while nodding. "Gong Yool-ssi, do I look like a pushover to you?"

Tsk.

This fucking Autumn Guild Master was starting to get annoying.

"Why are you threatening a law-abiding Civilian like me, Hunter Song Moonho-ssi?"

"Why are you suddenly addressing me formally?"

"Fine, Ahjussi," Yool said, scoffing. "I just got lucky, okay? Graham brought me to his estate. Ahn Kisoo went to visit, and your brother followed Ahn Kisoo. It was just my luck that I heard Song Sunho’s phone conversation with you while I was looking for my way out. Then I noticed that he was recording that particular conversation–"

"How did you know my younger brother’s ability?"

"Huh?"

"According to the report I received, you knew that Song Sunho was faking his "death.""

Wait.

The novel didn’t mention anything about Song Sunho’s ability!

Yool knitted his eyebrows. "What ability are you talking about? Didn’t Song Sunho use a device that could make his heart stop beating for an hour– argh!"

Wind was knocked out of him.

He was forced to stop talking because Song Moonho suddenly got up from his seat and grabbed Yool’s throat.

[This bastard...!]

"As expected, you know something you shouldn’t," Song Moonho said, his eyes glowing menacingly. "Who’s your informant, Gong Yool-ssi?"

Yool responded by giving Song Moonho a bitch slap. "Kiss my feet first if you want to know, Ahjussi."

***

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