< Superior Rank Bait (1) >
Was it because of the backdrop of the gloomy gray sky and the buildings that had collapsed and burned? Song Taewon’s two eyes were beyond being heavy to feeling gloomy. Though it was a situation where it would be tiring from his standpoint, it didn’t seem like he was simply sick of it. He seemed like a tiger that was starved and had become a mess from being swept away by a tempest, but still had left enough strength for a last leap. The target was none other than me.
It was a gaze that might’ve made me break out a little in goosebumps, if I didn’t have the fear resistance.
‘Still, Song Taewon probably isn’t related to this matter.’
If he was a man flexible enough to pull nonsense like putting false charges on an innocent person, he would be living much more comfortably. As a high ranking public servant and an S-Rank Hunter, he probably wouldn’t have acted like a self-restraining ascetic.
As a petit bourgeois once upon a time, I had humane goodwill toward him, but at the same time, I very slightly understood Sung Hyunjae’s car crashing high handedness. It was stifling.
‘And it would be incredibly difficult.’
Seeing how he sensitively checked my status, I became reluctant to even apply the keyword. In fact, the easiest and fastest method would be to just throw him away. Since, if just Song Taewon wasn’t there, the Hunter Association would naturally lose their strength.
Even so, I didn’t want that person to end up at the same outcome as before the regression. What should I do? I was wondering if I should talk to him first, when Song Taewon turned around. I stared at his back as he conversed briefly with the people setting up a restriction line around the wreckage and then went past that.
The wide but heavy-looking shoulders made my mood weird.
“Yoohyun. You’re not bugging my phone, right?”
I asked, turning my head.
“I’m not. And the radius for the block isn’t that large either. Above all, the opposition from the surroundings will be fierce, so bugging is impossible.”
If I thought about the people contacting me, it made sense.
“Were there no people who opposed having their phones blocked?”
“Since I said it was only for the vacation. Seseong and Breaker also agreed. I was going to deal with them while you were resting.”
Yoohyun glanced around at the collapsed buildings.
“It seems like the Breaker Guild Leader’s lips were too loose.”
“She tried to not tell me. I forcefully probed into it.”
“What did you give away this time?”
The end of the gaze that returned to me was sharp. I was pretending to be calm because it wouldn’t do for it to be caught that I made this mess, but as expected, it seemed like that little brother’s mood wasn’t pleasant. What did I give away – he was probably talking about the price for overturning the buildings.
“Just what I normally do. I mean, I was also going to be quiet this time, but they acted so pettily.”
If they had unhesitatingly set the whole building on fire, I would’ve been like ‘hm, Yoohyun seems to have gotten a little angry’ and watched the fire. …Or, that wasn’t it. I probably would’ve been thinking of ways to settle it. Anyways, I wouldn’t have directly come and turned things over.
“Alright.”
I had been resolved in my own way, but my brother surprisingly stood down easily. How weird. Just then, one more car arrived. The person who came out from the car took a picture of the buildings’ wreckage with an expensive-looking camera. The moment I wondered if it was a journalist, one more person came out of the car. While carrying a large bouquet of flowers.
It was my first time seeing this person, but I thought that I knew where they were affiliated to.
“Han Yoojin-nim.”
The bouquet came before me. They were roses. Thin drops of rain were dangling from them so they looked even more fresh.
“The Seseong Guild Leader asked to convey that he is incredibly sorry he could not become audience to an amazing stage.”
“Ah, yes.”
To think that he just sent someone even after hearing the news. He wasn’t that kind of person, though.
‘It looks like saying it was lightly or whatever, wasn’t a simple excuse.’
It was obvious that there was a different reason for why he couldn’t come. Was he doing something somewhere? I was going to accept the bouquet without much thought when,
Hwareureuk-
The roses lit on fire splendidly.
“You can’t accept things like that carelessly, hyung.”
“That is true. Bouquets are especially even more dangerous. You cannot know if there is something hidden inside.”
It seems like you have received a bouquet with a knife embedded into it before, Noah-ssi. Even if a blade was inside, it wouldn’t be bad. And I could get my fingers pricked a little and then insist he forgive the debt with that.
“It seems like the two of you are right. While you’re at it, what about becoming friends?”
At the nonsensically tossed words, Yoohyun and Noah frowned at the same time. Woah, their expressions were similar, too. If I put them together often, wouldn’t they feel at least reluctant attachment[1]? Wasn’t it that boys became friendly as they fought?
When I thought of those two hanging out, my mood became better on its own. The visual was also good. What did young people do to play nowadays?
“There is one more thing he sent.”
The Seseong Guild member was a little surprised at the bouquet burning, but soon they calmly took out a small box. It would probably be difficult to work under Sung Hyunjae if you were taken aback by small things like this.
“Don’t burn it this time.”
I said to Yoohyun as I quickly accepted the box. When I opened the top, a wrist watch appeared.
“It is a watch for Hunter use that can be stored in the inventory.”
I was thinking of getting one anyways.
“It is not a stage I prepared, but as he is purposely saying he will hand in a viewing fee, I will accept.”
Seeing how each component had to be made with dungeon byproducts, Hunter-use watches were things that were expensive and it took a long time for even the order to be accepted. So, I should gratefully-.
“…I had also put in an order, though.”
Yoohyun mumbled softly. Ah, then wait.
“I will accept just the thoughts behind it.”
I immediately closed the box and returned the watch as if throwing it back. I didn’t need it. The Seseong Guild member was at a loss, but quietly drew back.
I wanted to talk to Song Taewon before we left, but he looked busy sorting out the site. It was reported as a higher-than-A-Rank dungeon break, so it would be hectic for him for a long time. Since it became that only the giant dragon that looked like the boss monster was disposed of, there would probably be a search around the area for the remaining monsters.
I was becoming a little sorry. You shouldn’t send a false report, but the Association sent out a false article first, so let us call it even.
“I’m sorry, but there’s only one seat left.”
Yoohyun said to Noah, with a face that wasn’t sorry at all. And then he grabbed my arm and pushed me into the front passenger seat. He probably didn’t purposely bring a car that only had two seats, right?
Before I could say anything to Noah, the car started. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t be able find his way home, but wasn’t it too much to leave him like that?
“You said you’ll quietly rest.”
Yoohyun said, racing through the road that was originally on the deserted side but was even more completely empty because of the restricted passage. Though he said he understood a while ago. It really looked like he didn’t plan on quietly letting it go.
“Officially, I didn’t do anything. I only came to see my brother.”
“Hyung.”
“So what were you planning on doing? While your reputation is falling.”
Along with the sound of the wheels scratching the asphalt, the car stopped on the side of the road. Suddenly my hand felt empty. If would’ve been good if I could pet Peace or Chirpie.
“If I tell you. You’ll step forward again.”
“I’ll do that even if you don’t tell me.”
The glaring gaze stung. I wanted to touch Peace’s fur. It was warm and soft.
“Wouldn’t it be better for you to tell me instead of me rummaging around?”
“How about being dragged home like this? I’ll put in Peace and Chirpie, too.”
Yoohyun was probably talking about his house. If he blocked the mini portal, I wouldn’t be able to move. Though there was the final choice of asking Peace to break a window and jumping down.
“Do whatever you want.”
“…What?”
“After you tell me. I’m curious.”
After a short silence, my brother opened his mouth with a softer voice.
“Inside the Association, possibly among the people involved, there are guys who are trying to make a deal with foreign countries.”
“With other countries?”
“It’s presumably with China or Russia, but it’s not certain. The objective of those guys is you.”
“According to Hyuna-ssi, our government apparently wants to put a leash on me.”
“Opinions are still divided for that. You’re on the cooperative side, so the side saying to let sleeping dogs lie[2] is predominant.”
Then again, if they persecuted me so I ran off overseas, it would get troublesome. Since I would be welcomed wherever I went.
“It’s already been let out that you can know Unawakened People’s expected Awakening rank. From a dictator’s standpoint, being able to raise Awakened People, in addition to the monsters, within the country should be incredibly attractive. Especially since it’ll be easy to train young Unawakened People.”
Were they thinking of brainwashing kids and forming something like Awakened People troops? It was something far removed from love for humanity. I hadn’t thought of the idea of using me in that way. There were quite a lot of dirty people in the world.
“I don’t know what bastard it is, but how much are they going to receive that they would sell off people?”
Though it wasn’t anything new in a situation where there were people who would sell off their country.
“Still, stealing me away wouldn’t be easy. There’s always S-Ranks Hunters around.”
Noah was stationed here, and there was Peace, and the building right next door was Haeyeon Guild, so it was teeming with S-Ranks. Even when I went outside lately, there weren’t any instances where an S-Rank Hunter wasn’t following me.
“With the current state, it’s realistically impossible. If it wasn’t, I would’ve locked you up until it was resolved.”
“That sounds like you absolutely had no intention of getting my agreement? There’s also other people connected to me.”
“You told me to do whatever I wanted. And the others should all agree.”
That’s right, well. It seemed so. They would probably come over to hang out a lot. Though Sung Hyunjae didn’t need to.
“Anyways they can’t touch me right away, so they were harassing you?”
“More accurately, they tried to induce that. The Seseong Guild Leader was the first to figure out that the information about you had leaked out. Since secreting the one and only special skill user Hunter to overseas is none other than a betrayal of your country, if it’s just revealed, the Association can receive a large blow, so he looked for my cooperation.”
“How did that person manage to find that out?”
“I don’t know in detail, but it seems like the Seseong Guild Leader has a lot of connections outside of the country. And considerably widely and deeply, at that.”
It was no joke. But if I thought about how Sung Hyunjae contracted with the lizard owner guy right after Awakening and accepted this and that, it wasn’t surprising. It might be that there were numerous high rank Hunters he had placed leashes on, like Noah, around the world.
…I was a little worried for my future. Should I tell him we should clear our relationship at least now? But I couldn’t miss out on someone who was that impressive.
“If I showed a weak appearance, those guys would definitely approach, so I purposely gave them an excuse to attack.”
“Since when? When you went into the dungeon just with Peace?”
“It was around then.”
“It hasn’t been long. Ah, then when you came to the lake dungeon, was that an act?”
At my question, Yoohyun smiled.
“No. I just held back less.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t hold back, but that he held back less?
“What about fighting with Noah-ssi?”
“At that time, I held back a lot.”
“…Still, the isolation center was a little excessive. I couldn’t try out even once the latex mattress that I barely bought, and it just burned up.”
“Latex matress? Should I buy you one?”
“I’m talking about Yoon Kyeongsoo.”
I was thinking of applying the keyword and keeping him tied.
“Ah, that guy.”
The tip of a long finger tapped the steering wheel.
“There’s something I heard from Hunter Riette.”
“Riette? What did she say?”
“It wasn’t anything much. There’s no evidence for the isolation center case, so it’s okay. It’s just that I excessively took action.”
That little brother said that he did things that would be minorly rebuked. The actual big matters weren’t on purpose, but maybe rather because of that, it seemed like the response came faster. Since they seriously added a false charge and tried to bring down pressure.
Since, if they first tightened around Han Yoohyun’s neck, it would be easier to touch his brother, me.
“Even so, there’s a high possibility that deliberately lowering your reputation will become bad in the long term. And it’ll be hard for me to quietly watch, too. So let’s end it cleanly.”
At my continuing opinion, Yoohyun frowned hard.
“Let’s go home. I’ll let you loose in a week.”
“Hey, wait!”
And it was really very difficult to persuade my brother.
There was filming equipment spread around the rooftop garden. At the center of many people’s gazes, I petted Peace as if nervous. The male and female entertainers who were sitting on the other side sent me smiles.
“It was really a cool flight.”
-Kkyaa!
Maybe she had understood the words praising her, because Blue triumphantly flapped her wings. Then they tossed several questions to me. When I replied while being reasonably awkward, various exclamations poured over. It was for the broadcast, but the praise was excessive.
It was just then. Along with a slight disturbance, the camera turned toward, not us, but the trail connecting to this side. When I turned my head, I saw a tall and lean young man walking over. It was Yoohyun. When he met my eyes, he gave a most refreshing smile. Whoever’s younger brother he was, he sure was handsome.
“It looks like I arrived too early. I didn’t know you were still filming.”
“It’s a live broadcast, this.”
“Really?”
Yoohyun’s eyes became round as if he didn’t know. Then the two entertainers didn’t know what to do and asked if it was okay if he came out on screen like this. The Haeyeon Guild Leader said of course it was okay and smiled beautifully .
“It looks like the two of you are really close.”
“Since it’s just the two of us as a family. And he is a younger brother to be incredibly proud of. His only flaw is that he worries too much about me.”
“What’s wrong with worrying about you, hyung?”
“Still, you hearing bad things because of me is…”
Purposely trailing off, I stared at Yoohyun. It wasn’t hard to put on a sorry expression. When I mumbled and let out a sigh, tossing the bait that ‘it is all my fault’, the male entertainer quickly took it, asking what was the matter.
“Wasn’t there talk lately that the Haeyeon Guild Leader was acting a little harshly?”
That was all because my brother was worrying about me so much. Since my stat was F-Rank, not any different from an ordinary person. I spoke, emphasizing the close-to-ordinary-person hyung. My younger brother was this good. He was S-Rank, but he defended his weak hyung. Our relationship was extremely good.
“If I was a little stronger, there would not have been cause for bad talk to come out. It is my fault.”
“Don’t talk like that, hyung. I’m okay.”
It was true, but it felt a little cringy to converse like this in front of the camera. The two entertainers had extremely moved expressions. If they were this close in distance, they should be feeling pressure from Yoohyun, but they didn’t show it at all. They really were pros.
In the middle of a good atmosphere, another uninvited quest appeared again. It was Song Taewon.
“Hunter Han Yoojin. You will be arrested for inciting harm to Jeon Junhwan and 8 others, as well as violation of the dungeon gate special law.”
[1] lit. ‘bad/hateful affection’ from the idiom that’s sth like ‘(feel) good affection bad affection’ that means sth like ‘if you live w sb or know them for a long time, then you become attached to them through both the ups and downs’. When you say just the ‘bad affection’ part like yj does here, then you mean at least you feel a sense of attachment/affection from the bad experiences bc it’s sth that’s passed or bc you still went through it together or w/e the reason
[2] lit. ‘scratch and make boils’ w similar meaning to the eng idiom used in the tl