Chapter 64

“W-What do you mean by that…?”

Chae Suhyeon asked the store owner with a trembling voice, her demeanor serious as if the matter were extremely important.

“No~ Just last week, Lee Sooah started appearing here and there~ It’s just a quiet villa neighborhood, you know.”

“Could it be that she was with the man I mentioned…?”

“Right?”

Chae Suhyeon’s mouth fell open in shock. She looked as if she might faint from the unexpected news.

‘Jihoon Oppa is with Lee Sooah??????’

She appeared to be unable to accept this fact at all. This was something that absolutely couldn’t happen.

Lee Sooah getting closer to Baek Jihoon.

‘This is bad. I might completely lose Jihoon Oppa to Lee Sooah.’

Her heart raced even more. Just last week, when she was with Baek Jihoon, she hadn’t thought it was a big deal, but now it had turned into a very serious situation.

‘No. Jihoon Oppa. How is this possible? They’ve become close in less than a week?’

‘No, not just close; aren’t they dating? Lee Sooah is coming here? To Jihoon Oppa’s house? A place I hadn’t even visited?’

‘What? How far have they gone? How close are they?’

Her mind was a complete mess, embroiled in chaos.

“Do you know him?”

“Oh… no.”

Still in a daze from the shocking news, Chae Suhyeon managed to collect her thoughts momentarily at the store owner’s words.

“Thank you.”

With that, she stepped outside, thinking it was imperative she meet Baek Jihoon quickly.

What if Lee Sooah completely won over Baek Jihoon?

What if she settled down with him?

She feared she might have no chance left.

‘Jihoon Oppa… where are you? Where could you possibly be? Please. Please don’t get closer to Lee Sooah. I’ll find a way to get closer.’

Her thoughts were crumbling one by one.

When she had thought simply of dumping Baek Jihoon, she had planned to use him as a stepping stone to enter the Baekho Guild and then access the Taeyang Group.

To her, Baek Jihoon was nothing at all.

Just a mere pawn.

But now, the tables had completely turned.

It felt like she had to go to great lengths to cling to him instead.

‘No. I won’t let this happen. I will definitely find a way to get Jihoon Oppa back!’

Wearing an expression filled with fear, she set out to find Baek Jihoon’s house.

*

“Oppa, it’s okay. From here, I’ll just find my way on my own.”

Yoo Hana spoke with a voice still tinged with annoyance.

“Oh really? Alright. But be careful not to get caught taking photos. You’re a celebrity, remember? A celebrity’s image is everything.”

“Ugh. Am I a child? I know how to handle myself. I’m not some naive fool.”

“Right, you’re acting so naïve right now…”

The manager murmured quietly so that Yoo Hana wouldn’t hear.

Squeaking sounds filled the air.

Stepping out of the van, she began walking quietly around the Sillim Station area wearing sunglasses and a hat.

‘Hmm. Where’s the house… hmm… is it here?’

‘Why is the road so narrow here? This is a bit messy.’

She slowly entered a back alley.

*

Clunk, clunk.

Inside the swaying subway train.

“Excuse me, is that you, Lee Sooah?”

“Yes…”

Lee Sooah struggled to respond, squeezed in and unable to speak clearly.

“Do you really have to go this far?”

“No… I’m sure other people will definitely swarm around Jihoon. My instincts are never wrong.”

In the crowded subway packed like sardines, Lee Sooah barely managed to speak.

‘Do you really have to go to such lengths to follow me? What on earth…’

Other men kept stealing glances at Lee Sooah, making her feel embarrassed for no reason.

‘Ah… I hope this doesn’t become a news article or something.’

“Ms. Sooah, starting tomorrow I’ll handle my own commute. I’m safe, you know?”

“No! I’m definitely going to keep following you.”

‘Who could possibly break through that stubbornness of hers?’

There was no choice.

If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t be able to stop Lee Sooah, a woman known for her unyielding determination in our country.

“Excuse me, Ms. Sooah?”

A man nearby spoke to her.

“You’re the S-Rank Hunter, Lee Sooah, right?”

Everyone was paying attention to Lee Sooah, and our conversation had likely drawn some ears.

“Ah… no, I’m not… just a regular person…”

Lee Sooah hung her head low.

‘Come on, as if no one knows now.’

Her behavior was a far cry from her usual confident self.

*

“Phew. Wow, the subway really is packed.”

“That’s why you don’t need to follow me. Why did you leave your car behind?”

“Oh. Then Jihoon, starting tomorrow I’ll drive you home!”

Lee Sooah seemed relentless, trying to up her game.

“Don’t you think that might spark some misunderstandings?”

“Hmm… maybe people will think it’s a team leader caring for her team member?”

“Hah…”

With how it was going, misunderstandings were bound to happen.
“Ms. Sooah, you really don’t have any interest in me, do you? Right?”

“Hah, Jihoon. I care about our team. It’s just that you’re going to be a core member, so I’m giving you special attention. Special attention.”

She was still drawing a line, though her actions said otherwise.

“Yup, understood.”

“Hah, this is ridiculous.”

As they bantered slightly, they walked home. But then—

“Wha???????????”

I spotted someone almost shrieking in surprise as they looked at me.

It was Yoo Hana.

‘Wait, why is Yoo Hana coming out from there?’

She was closer to my house than we were.

“Is that… Lee Sooah???”

Yoo Hana’s face quickly hardened. She tried her best to hide, but I recognized her immediately.

She was wearing the exact same outfit as before.

‘Is she hiding or not? This is absurd.’

Anyone could see she was flaunting her celebrity status.

“What’s going on? Ms. Sooah? Why are you here? This is ridiculous!”

“No, I’m the one who finds this ridiculous… Why did you come here, Ms. Yoo Hana?”

They began to argue seriously. Both seemed shocked by the situation.

“Wait, what about Baek Jihoon? Why is he meeting up with Ms. Sooah after work? This doesn’t seem like the agreement we had!”

Yoo Hana’s protests were pouring out like a flood. She seemed less angry and more aggrieved.

“No, I’m telling you, I couldn’t film today because Jihoon wasn’t there. I struggled so much, and Jihoon spent the day with Ms. Sooah? And then they went home together? How ridiculous!”

Yoo Hana kept chattering as she marched toward us, exuding a fierce energy.

“Excuse me, Ms. Yoo Hana, didn’t you hear the contract terms? He’s mine for the day.”

‘Wait, I never said that.’

My gaze naturally shifted to Lee Sooah.

What she said was preposterous.

Lee Sooah stated it confidently.

“Oh, was that it? I must have been mistaken. Then Jihoon, when it’s our day together, let’s head to my place after work. Or I can just come over here too.”

‘This is driving me nuts.’

I couldn’t help but touch my forehead.

Things were getting increasingly bizarre.

The two women started arguing as they did earlier in our neighborhood.

“Could you please be a bit quieter? This is a narrow alley, and we can be overheard.”

I was bound to feel embarrassed and flustered.

If two prominent S-Rank Hunters were raising their voices over a man in an alley, rumors would spread fast, and soon people would gather to film us.

It’d be just a matter of time before we became the top trending topic in the community.

“I just don’t understand why you’re here, Ms. Yoo Hana. How did you even find out the address?”

“I asked the Blue Guild, and they told me.”

“Hah, the HR team? Come on! Is it okay to just hand out employee info like that?”

“That’s not my concern. I’m still associated with the Blue Guild, you know. Anyway, Ms. Sooah, if you’re done, can we leave? I have things to discuss with Baek Jihoon.”

Yoo Hana was trying to dismiss Lee Sooah.

“Oh, why should I? I’m having dinner at Jihoon’s house today!”

‘That’s not true!’

I hurriedly looked at Lee Sooah’s face.

Of course, this hadn’t been discussed beforehand, and we’d already had dinner last week.

She was just saying whatever came to mind.

“Wait, you were invited to dinner?”

“Yes, we had dinner once already last week.”

“???”

Yoo Hana was looking bewildered.

In contrast, Lee Sooah had a proud expression.

It was as if she felt accomplished.

“Didn’t you meet with Ms. Sooah last week? Why’s the progress so fast?”

“Progress? That’s not it at all. It’s just that Sooah has been clinging…”

“Then I’ll cling too. Please invite me to dinner.”

‘This is driving me insane.’

These two couldn’t manage a normal conversation at all.

They kept misunderstanding what I said.

“Since you’ve already eaten with Ms. Sooah, then please invite me once too. That way, it’s fair.”

“Why… does it have to be fair…?”

The whole conversation had turned into a chaotic mess.

Maybe we were so loud that people in the nearby buildings could hear us moving around.

“Wha…? Ji…hoon… Oppa…?”

Amid all that, I heard a familiar voice from behind me.

‘Oh, sh*t.’

Swearing slipped out involuntarily in my mind.

‘Chae Suhyeon.’

I slowly turned my head.

It was indeed Chae Suhyeon, staring at us in complete horror.

Her expression was frozen.

‘What’s her deal now?’

A party I couldn’t handle at all was unfolding before me.

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