CHAPTER 66: THE BIG MISSION

WONHEE, after getting dolled up, stood in front of Yejun. "How do I look, Yejun-ah? Do I look presentable enough to greet the Big 4 at my humble abode?"

Yejun, who was sitting on the sofa while checking her out with a lazy look on his face, tilted his head to one side. "Oh. Is this what they call a couple look?"

He even pointed at his black turtleneck shirt and hers.

Yep, they had a matching look at the moment.

Since Wonhee didn’t have much time to decide, she opted for a simple outfit: a black turtleneck shirt and a pair of cream plaid trousers. If ever they decided to go out, then she’d grab a black leather jacket and a pair of chunky loafer shoes.

But, for now, she kept it simple.

She didn’t even have time to style her hair, so she just tied it in a neat bun and put on some light makeup on her face.

[I hope I look okay.]

"Well, I figured copying your style wouldn’t be too bad," Wonhee admitted shyly. "Because you really pulled off that style, Yejun-ah."

"It’s not the clothes, Wonhee-ya."

"Hmm?"

"For people like us, it’s our face that pulls off our clothes," Yejun said bluntly. "We can wear the ugliest clothes known to man and we’d still pull it off– all because we look good."

Wonhee was surprised to hear that from Yejun. "I didn’t take you for the vain type, Yejun-ah."

"I have no choice but to acknowledge that I look good because I’ve been hearing that since I was a toddler. And the visual upgrade that I received from the System only made it harder for me to avoid ignoring compliments about my face."

Well, Yejun said it as if he was just stating a fact.

And she couldn’t really refute that.

[Yejun looks good, after all. He’s known as the #2 most handsome Hunter in Korea, only second to Song Moonho.]

"But I guess you made every Awakened Person in Korea take a slice of humble pie with your face, Wonhee-ya."

"What do you mean by that?"

Yejun pointed at her face, with both hands, while smiling at her lazily. "Your face is a face that could start a modern war– I know because I would."

It wasn’t the first time Wonhee heard that she was beautiful.

However...

"So cheesy," Wonhee teased Yejun, then she rubbed her arms. "You just made me cringe, Yejun-ah."

"Hmm."

"W-What?"

Yejun was now looking at Wonhee intently.

[His eyes... they’re a bit dark, but they’re not bloody red anymore.]

"Wonhee-ya, if the System offers you the ability to read minds, you must reject it."

"It’s not like I want that kind of ability, but why do you want me to turn it down?"

Yejun got up from his seat and stood in front of her. "Because you’ll run away, Wonhee-ya," he said in that low and bedroom voice of his as if he didn’t want anyone else to hear what he was telling her. "You’ll run away from me once you find out the things I want to do to you."

"You m-mean things you want to do "with" me and not "to" me, right?"

"To you," Yejun insisted, smiling "innocently" at her. "With consent, of course."

Wonhee playfully glared at Yejun to hide her embarrassment. "Let’s keep our relationship strictly professional, Hwang Yejun-ssi."

"Nah."

"Hey."

"Nope, I don’t want to."

"You just talked about consent earlier and now you’re already being stubborn?"

"Don’t worry, I’ll get your consent– one way or the other."

Wonhee clenched her hands tight. "I want to hit you, Yejun-ah."

Yejun opened his arms. "As long as you take responsibility if I suddenly become a masochist with a spanking kink then, go ahead, Wonhee-ya."

Okay, that lewd talk made Wonhee blush. "Yah, Hwang Yejun–"

SMACK.

That was the sound of someone slapping Yejun on the back of his head.

No, it wasn’t Wonhee.

"Soobin Oppa!"

And her older brother didn’t teleport to her penthouse alone.

Semi, Graham, and even Song Moonho were also there.

"Seriously, Hyung!" Yejun complained at Soobin. "Is the back of my head your personal punching bag?"

"Yes, yes, it is," Soobin said, then he smacked the back of Yejun’s head again. "How dare you sully my baby sister’s ears with vulgar words, huh?"

"Wonhee isn’t a baby. We’re both at the right age to flirt with each other," Yejun complained, then he turned to Wonhee as if he was asking for help. "Right, Wonhee-ya?"

"I’m a baby," Wonhee said, hiding behind Semi. "Babies don’t flirt..."

The betrayed look on Yejun’s face was so funny that even Graham and Song Moonho laughed at the X-Class Hunter’s expense.

***

"WONY said she’s back safely at her penthouse with Hwang Frost," Yool said while reading Wonhee’s message in their group chat. "But she said we should go home for now. Apparently, the Big 4 is in her house."

Yool and Ahyeon had safely returned Wonhee’s helicopter in her private heliport on the rooftop of the building she owned when Wonhee sent a message in their group chat.

[I’m glad Wony is safe.]

According to the news, the Invasive Crack was already gone.

There was even a video circulating that showed how cool the Big 4 was when working together.

[After Hwang Frost froze the gigantic dungeon gate, Song Moonho cut it into hundreds of pieces using his "skeleton puppet." Then Graham burned the pieces before they even hit the ground. Finally, Semi-ssi poured some sort of potion that acted like rain when she smashed the glass on the ground. That "rain" extinguished Graham’s flame.]

Thanks to the Big 4’s efficiency, the problem regarding the dungeon was solved.

[Fortunately, there are no casualties and the victims only received minor injuries.]

"H-Hyung, is it o-okay if we return to Chef Ryung’s place?" Ahyeon asked worriedly while holding onto his smartphone tightly. "Chef is worried about us because we suddenly ran off earlier."

"That’s fine with me," Yool said, shrugging. "Let’s pack some of those delicious monster dishes for Wony, too."

"O-Okay, Hyung!"

***

RIIING.

Wonhee sipped her iced coffee nervously while listening to the beeping sound echoing in the drawing room of her penthouse.

The "alarm" was coming from the watches that Soobin and the Big 4 were wearing.

Fortunately, despite being in the presence of the Big 4, Wonhee didn’t feel scared or intimidated.

[Maybe the Big 4 only releases that kind of aura on the battlefield.]

Anyways...

[Aren’t their watches meant for emergency calls?]

"Uhm, is it really alright if you don’t answer the call?" Wonhee asked nervously. "What if it’s an emergency?"

"No, it’s not an emergency," Song Moonho said, then he sipped his coffee. "It’s just Kwon Jiwoong."

[Then isn’t it supposed to be an important call because it’s from the APA President...?]

"If it’s really an emergency related to dungeons, then the System would have notified us," Graham added. "Kwon Jiwoong is probably calling because I didn’t report to APA after my rampage. I did ask my team to send APA a report about the incidence, though."

Wonhee let out a gasp. "S-Should I report to APA because I guided Hunter Graham...?"

"We’re taking care of it, Hee-ya," Soobin said while munching on the pastries that she ordered with their coffee. "Geon is in charge of your activities as a Guide, so the center will report to APA in your place."

"As I said before, I forbid Kwon Jiwoong from directly contacting either you or Hwang Frost," Semi added. "If APA has business with the two of you, then APA should contact either me or Soobin first."

Right.

[I remember Unnie and Oppa informing me about that.]

Graham cleared his throat to get their attention. "Chu Wonhee, thank you for guiding me earlier. And I’m sorry for hurting you."

"It’s alright, Graham-ssi," Wonhee said softly. "I know you didn’t do it on purpose. And I’m okay now. Yejun used his potions on me."

"You’re too nice, kid."

Wonhee just smiled awkwardly.

[You’re only a year older than me, Graham-ssi...]

"But I know that brat isn’t kind," Graham said, pointing at Yejun. "I’ll pay for the potions that you used on Chu Wonhee, Hwang Frost. I know potions are expensive even for us."

Yejun remained frowning.

[He’s not happy with the seating arrangement...]

Yejun wanted to sit next to Wonhee, but she was already sitting between Soobin and Semi.

Obviously, none of her older siblings gave up their space for Yejun.

[There are many chairs in the drawing room, so I don’t know why Yejun wants to sit next to me when he doesn’t need my Guiding.]

Fortunately, the other members of the Big 4 were calm.

Song Moonho occupied the accent chair, while Graham sat on the other one.

On the other hand, Yejun chose to sulk while "hiding" on the hanging egg chair.

[A man-child, indeed.]

"I know why we’re gathered here," Yejun said, completely ignoring Graham. "We’re here because the System asked us to protect our Wonhee, right?"

"Yes, but I’m confused," Graham said, raising his hand. "Ahn Kisoo is my exclusive Guide. As my Guide, he can still guide other people in case of emergencies. However, I cannot receive Guiding from other people anymore. So, how come Chu Wonhee was able to Guide me properly? We didn’t even know our matching rate yet."

Wonhee was about to answer, but Yejun stopped her.

"Can we really talk about this with Song Moonho here?" Yejun asked while looking at Song Moonho coldly. "I know that the System punished Song Moonho by forcing him to cooperate with us for a whole year. But we’re talking about Song Moonho here, you know? I’m sure that old man will find a loophole in his punishment and stab us in the back."

"Please don’t talk like I’m not here, Yejun-ah," Song Moonho complained lightly. "You’re hurting my feelings."

Soobin and Semi seemed to agree with Yejun.

Graham looked clueless, though.

"You don’t have to worry about that, humans."

Wonhee beamed when Tannie suddenly appeared out of thin air.

The tangerine was suspended in the air, looking down at them as if he was looking at some filthy bugs.

[Tannie is cute, though.]

"The System will make sure that none of you here could betray Chu Wonhee," Tannie said in an arrogant voice. "Now draw your blood and let’s begin the ritual, mortaaals!"

Dead silence.

Soobin and the Big 4 looked at Tannie with cold eyes, clearly not amused.

That seemed to freak him out because the tangerine fairy suddenly shrieked and hid behind Wonhee.

[Oops?]

"They’re scary, Chu Wonhee!" Tannie complained, then he disappeared behind Wonhee only to reappear on her lap. "Why are they looking at like they want to peel me open?!"

[Maybe they really do...]

Wonhee gently patted Tannie’s "head." "Uhm, don’t be scared, Tannie," she said awkwardly. "They don’t bite as long as we don’t draw their blood..."

***

CHU WONHEE’s biggest fansite master, aka homma, waited patiently for Chu Wonhee’s appearance at the press conference arranged by APA.

It was being held in one of the conference rooms at Sarang-hee Hotel.

Golden Era Entertainment, Chu Wonhee’s agency, invited some of their artist’s biggest fansite masters for the presscon.

That was how the homma, with their professional camera, got a seat there.

While waiting for Chu Wonhee’s arrival, the homma went on a trip down the memory lane.

Quiet luxury.

Classy.

Refined.

Those were the first three words that entered the homma’s mind the first time she saw Chu Wonhee on TV.

As a fashion student, the homma immediately recognized the brands that covered Chu Wonhee from head to toe: everything was quiet luxury brands exclusive to the true elite with refined taste. Most of those quiet luxury brands didn’t have visible brand logo on them.

Chu Wonhee’s refined lifestyle matched her elegant personality.

That was why the homma fell in love with Chu Wonhee.

And that was also why the homma couldn’t believe the video circulating on the internet right now.

It was the video of Chu Wonhee pushing Lee Seodam’s mother.

The homma was enraged.

[Why can’t Lee Seodam and his parasite family leave our Wony alone?!]

Unbeknownst to the homma, Wonhee was already wondering about the same thing.

***

WONHEE, who had a scheduled press conference, sighed while watching her new "scandal" on her smartphone.

It was the video of her "physical fight" with Lee Seodam’s family.

[Had I known this would happen, I wouldn’t have gone to Seodam Oppa’s that day...]

And what happened that day again?

Disaster– it was a complete disaster.

[At this rate, I won’t be surprised if my heated argument with Ruda Oppa gets leaked out as well.]

Yes, Wonhee also had a "fight" with Park Ruda.

[#villainess-in-the-making.]

***

NOTE: Happy New Year! Thank you for being with Wonhee and the Big 4. Hope you still join their journey next year (haha as if 2024 isn’t a few hours away). There are still so many exciting arcs ahead of us. Have a good day! 3

***

Please ADD MY LIFE AS THE FIRST S-CLASS GUIDE to your LIBRARY to be notified when an update is posted. Thank you! :