“Hah… hah…”
Lee Sooah took a ragged breath.
She had entered the women’s restroom and leaned against the wall, resting her hand over her chest.
After a brief exchange with Baek Jihoon, she had rushed into the restroom.
“What… what the hell… is this man…?”
Her pupils were shaking.
She soon regained a bit of composure and searched through every stall in the restroom to see if anyone else was inside.
“Hah… Why is this happening again?”
Her expression conveyed utter bewilderment.
She had certainly believed that when she woke up this morning, she had returned to her usual self.
In fact, she was confused about what her ‘true self’ really was.
Anxiety, headaches, and a feeling of heaviness.
Various status ailments had resurfaced.
It had definitely been that way just a moment ago.
Yet, it vanished in an instant.
‘Baek Jihoon…’
It had to be this person, without a doubt.
The dramatic change was unmistakable.
Naturally, she had to wonder what the cause was.
There was only one recent change in her circumstances.
Baek Jihoon.
‘Why do I keep being drawn to him?’
‘It feels like he keeps popping into my mind.’
‘But he’s… GAY…’
‘Do I… like gay men?’
‘No, no. That’s nonsense. That can’t be right.’
She shook her head vigorously.
For one, she had never liked anyone before.
Furthermore, if that someone was gay? She found it even harder to accept.
‘We had no connection at all. So why?’
She replayed the events of the past two days in her mind.
‘We definitely met when he joined… and greeted each other at the War Memorial Dungeon…? We had drinks together… and talked yesterday. What’s going on?’
No matter how hard she thought about it, it wasn’t easy to understand.
‘Is it the alcohol?’
The first time she felt this way was indeed during the drinking session.
‘Hmmm. I was in a good mood after drinking… Maybe I mistook my feelings because of Hunter Baek Jihoon?’
She felt a bit suffocated.
At the same time, she admonished herself.
“Lee Sooah, I hope you can gather yourself. What’s wrong with you all of a sudden? You’re not someone like this!”
Just three days ago, she had been the official No. 1 S-Rank Hunter in South Korea.
To reach and maintain that position, how much effort had she put in?
She had always endeavored to present a professional demeanor.
But now she felt as if she was trembling like an amateur.
No matter how much she wanted to grasp it, it slipped away too easily.
Thump, thump.
She placed her hand over her chest and tried to calm herself down.
“First, let’s check things one by one.”
Lee Sooah walked out.
*
“Whew. You said you wanted to see me?”
‘What the hell is going on? Hunter Sooah is looking for me? This isn’t even work-related. Why suddenly?’
Park Hyungseok was wearing an utterly beaming expression.
He was grinning ear to ear, almost as if his lips would reach his ears.
He looked so pleased that it was obvious he hadn’t even taken a moment to tidy his clothes before rushing out.
“Hehe… Hunter Sooah, what can I do for you?”
‘Oh my God! Finally, my prayers have been answered!!! Thank you! I’ll strive to live even harder from now on.’
He looked like he was anticipating something.
‘She must be about to confess her feelings to me, right? Oh no, it’s too soon. I’m not ready yet.’
‘How many kids would be good to have?’
‘Where should the wedding be? I’ve heard wedding venues are pretty expensive lately. What’s the best way to plan it? I hope it’s a small wedding.’
‘No, She was No. 1 S-Rank. What I’m talking about a small wedding? A big wedding wouldn’t be enough!’
‘Ugh. I’m going to be worn out.’
‘But it’s okay. She’s Hunter Sooah.’
He was lost in his fantasies, grinning to himself.
“Here… drink this.”
Lee Sooah had come with a drink as a bribe.
‘Wow… we could take our time getting to know each other.’
‘She brought me a drink just for today.’
‘Ah… I should have brought a wedding ring with me.’
‘As expected, Hunter Sooah is sharp and scary, yet has a warm heart.’
Park Hyungseok was in a state of ecstasy.
Having joined the Blue Guild as a devoted fan of Hunter Sooah, he felt like he was finally being rewarded for his efforts over the past five years.
“Please have a seat. I have something I’d like to discuss…”
“Sure!”
Park Hyungseok moved eagerly.
He was trembling with excitement in his chest.
“By the way… how do you know Hunter Baek Jihoon?”
“Huh? Jihoon-hyung?”
A look of slight disappointment crossed his face.
But he wasn’t about to give in.
‘Is this a baiting question? Right? You’re not just talking to me about Jihoon-hyung for no reason, right? There’s no reason to be asking me about a new intern, right?’
‘Could it be… that she really has feelings for Jihoon-hyung?’
He thought it couldn’t possibly be true, given the conversation had begun half-jokingly.
He felt slightly confused.
But he decided to respond calmly, despite his pounding heart.
“Oh. Jihoon-hyung and I were in the military together. We met during our service.”
“Aha…?”
Lee Sooah had a look of understanding.
She nodded her head thoughtfully.
‘So… they’re a couple who met in the military, huh? Since it’s all men there… they probably ended up being attracted to each other, right?’
Lee Sooah had no information about the military.
She was interpreting things in her own biased way.
“Hm. Yeah. If you’re stuck for two years, that could happen.”
“It’s lonely, right? You’re cut off from the outside world?”
“So you could grow close while relying on each other. Very rapidly.”
As she continued to think, she nodded her head.
Her conviction was gradually strengthening.
“Then what’s the reason for the special hiring guarantee?”
“Uh. It’s just that Jihoon-hyung and I got along really well in the military. We were in the same position, and especially, Jihoon-hyung once saved me from a life-threatening crisis. So I wanted to repay that favor. Right now, Jihoon-hyung is a little shaken…”
Park Hyungseok thought that there was no reason to bring up Chae Suhyeon.
After all, it was a personal matter.
‘Ah…’
‘Saved from a life-threatening crisis…’
‘I see… Okay, I understand. Then that makes sense.’
‘I can’t grasp it, but yeah, it’s possible for two people to fall in love like that.’
‘Shaken? Why? What’s happening?’
‘But why do I keep…’
She felt like she was grasping something while also being confused.
She was repeatedly interpreting things on her own.
She thought that to fully understand, she needed more information.
If she could completely understand Baek Jihoon, she thought she would get it.
However, for now, that didn’t seem to be very helpful.
She could not acknowledge her current state at all.
She needed to prove and verify that it could not be true.
Park Hyungseok was looking at Lee Sooah with sparkling eyes.
He was eagerly waiting for the words he had longed to hear.
“Um… then Hunter Baek Jihoon is currently E-Rank, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
‘Why is he beating around the bush?’
‘Just say it already!’
‘Park Hyungseok! I’ve been watching you secretly all this time. I can’t live a day without thinking about you. Please go out with me!!!’
‘That’s why you called me here, right? Please.’
Park Hyungseok was anxious.
He thought he had gradually increased his intimacy over the past five years by meeting Lee Sooah multiple times.
Moreover, he believed that by putting Baek Jihoon on Lee Sooah’s team, he had scored a point.
On his first day, Baek Jihoon had saved the entire Team A.
‘Wow. Even I think the timing was amazing.’
‘They almost all vanished, including Hunter Sooah.’
‘Thanks to that, maybe she’s smitten with me?’
“Um. By any chance, do you know anything about Baek Jihoon and the Blacklist incident? I heard he was placed on the Hunter Blacklist on the day we joined the guild?”
Lee Sooah asked in a calm tone.
She certainly didn’t think Baek Jihoon was that kind of person.
“Oh. That was some messed-up thing by Chae Suhyeon… I’m sorry. There must have been some misunderstanding. I assure you, Jihoon-hyung would never do such a thing. Absolutely not. The suspicions will be cleared up soon enough.”
Park Hyungseok spoke with certainty.
Of course, accusations of sexual harassment, assault, and stalking…
What Chae Suhyeon had put out there was completely absurd.
‘Hmm. You’re saying he wouldn’t do such a thing?’
Seeing Park Hyungseok nervously shaking his head in denial made her feel confident.
‘Exactly. He’s gay, so it wouldn’t happen. There must have been some misunderstanding. He must know that and that’s why he’s actively recommending his hiring.’
Lee Sooah nodded.
She felt she had verified everything she needed to check.
Of course, that didn’t mean her questions about her current state were resolved.
“Understood.”
Lee Sooah began to tidy up as if she had finished saying all she needed.
‘Huh? Is that it? Is this the end? Why? What’s going on? Aren’t you going to confess to me? Why?’
Park Hyungseok was flustered.
He felt a significant drop in mood after being stirred up.
“Um… Um, Hunter Sooah?”
“Yes…?”
“Don’t you have anything you want to say to me? Something you’re curious about…?”
“Huh?”
“Seriously, anything’s fine. Just ask me. I have a completely open mind. I’m ready to accept even the most absurd thing. I’ve been preparing for this for a long time.”
He was waiting confidently for Lee Sooah’s next words.
Slowly blinking his eyes, he awaited her confession.
‘Huh? What’s this…? What’s going on…?’
Lee Sooah tilted her head.
“Wait, does he know that I figured out they’re both gay and a couple? Is he about to come out right now?”
‘Did I probe too deeply today?’
‘I did ask too many personal questions about their relationship and past. That was quite rude.’
‘He must find it embarrassing to say it outright, so maybe he’s taking this opportunity to just come clean.’
‘Okay. If that’s the case…’
“Um… Park Hyungseok?”
“Yes, yes!”
Park Hyungseok wore a very expectant expression.
He felt he was about to burst with happiness.
These were the days he had been eagerly awaiting.
“Are you perhaps gay? Right? You are, aren’t you? I’m sorry for being perceptive…”
Lee Sooah asked politely.
And with a slightly apologetic gesture, she scratched the back of her head.
“Excuse me?”
Park Hyungseok’s expression instantly changed to one of disbelief.
From an ecstatic expression just moments ago, it had shifted to one of utter shock.
“No, what the fk?”
And without realizing it, he let out an expletive.
Right in front of the Hunter Sooah, whom he secretly admired.
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