A Consistent Answer!
“……”
“Huh? Try calling me noona.”
Paeng Sorin's hand stroking my back in a ticklish way sent chills down my spine for some odd reason. I never really thought of her as an older woman before. But now that she was being so blatant about it, a red alert was blaring in my head.
Is running a marriage agency really this dangerous?
Enough to stake my future on it?
“Huh? Noona. Come on, say noona.”
“Ahem, Ms. Paeng Sorin—.”
As I awkwardly called her name while she kept patting my back, trying to coax out the honorific, the gym door swung open and Renea stepped inside. She'd gone to the convenience store for water—a whole case of thirty bottles—and had a chocolate stick in her mouth.
“Mmm! Boss! Students are starting to arrive outside!”
“Y-Yes! Let's go!”
I praised Renea as I passed her, then headed straight for the entrance.
The routine was exactly the same as yesterday. ID checks at the door, handing out name tags, a quick rundown of precautions. Nothing tricky, and since I'd done it before, I just followed the script.
“Hello!”
“Had lunch yet?”
“You're the boss, right?”
They seemed like casual greetings, but the energy was noticeably higher than yesterday. These folks were the blatant type. Some even glanced my way and quickly looked back. After a couple times, their hesitation made me think, Just come out and ask already.
“Ahem, boss. Is that for real?”
Finally, a student prodded while taking their name tag, and the air froze as everyone stopped what they were doing to stare.
“I heard you're from the Hunter Training Academy……”
“Yeah, well. That was a while back.”
“111th class?”
“Yep.”
It felt like twenty questions. The student swallowed hard, gauging my reaction.
“Are you really……?”
“Pardon?”
“N-No, I mean. Like…… are you really the top graduate of the 111th class?”
I almost sighed but held it in. Customers, after all.
“Yeah, that's me.”
“Whoa.”
“For real?”
“Insane!”
Exclamations erupted everywhere, eyes sparkling. Then the questions came flooding in nonstop.
“Why'd you quit hunting?”
“Are you really classmates with Yu Ye-na?”
“You close with Ryu Seram?”
“Do you use swords too? What was your main weapon?”
“How'd you connect with Namgoong Sega and the Northern Paeng family?”
Total onslaught. I felt like a celebrity at a press conference—more embarrassed than flattered.
Why no hunting? Because I'm from the 7th Floor, duh. I'd end up using Law if I got in danger, and hunting means constant danger.
[Geomjipgwan.]
Lately, one annoying issue was that thinking about Law or the 7th Floor kept dredging up more trauma.
[I love snowy days.]
Yeah, I know. I know.
“Boss?”
“D-Did we make you uncomfortable? Sorry.”
I snapped out of it under the customers' worried gazes. My business smile faltered awkwardly, but I responded smoothly.
“No, no, not uncomfortable at all. I quit hunting because I wanted to try something else. A marriage agency.”
Some faces showed skepticism, but I wasn't explaining further.
“Yu Ye-na and Ryu Seram? Classmates, yeah. Main weapon back then was knives mostly.”
“Ooh.”
“Whoa.”
“It's true.”
“Well, that was years ago. Now I'm just a marriage agency boss. Forgot how to hold a sword.”
I tried laughing it off, but to the hunters, I already looked different. A hidden master among the Chilgeuk elites, maybe? The title sounded cool, but in reality, it was just a hassle.
“So boss, in the 111th class—”
“This time at our company—”
Paeng Sorin's white hair sliced through the barrage like a blade.
“The young master is handling today's event.”
She appeared gracefully, her lips curved in a brushstroke-perfect smile that chilled viewers to the bone.
“Private chats are best after class.”
“Ah, yes.”
“R-Right.”
“Sorry.”
“And for reference, I am Paeng Sorin of the Northern Paeng family, your instructor today. Pleased to meet you.”
She bowed slightly; the others bowed deeper. Paeng Sorin accepted it as her due. As students filed in to warm up, she turned to me with a warm, benevolent smile. The chill from before was gone, pure warmth now.
“Tell noona if anything's troubling you.”
“You're the most troubling thing right now.”
Knock it off.
The first week of Love is Real Combat wrapped up. Three sessions a week: Namgoong Haryeong, Paeng Sorin, Mosco Bi Chacos. Monday through Wednesday—a grueling nine hours total. The response? Explosive.
Day 1: Namgoong Haryeong. Kinda flipped my idea of close combat? Paid lecture, so no leaks, but melee hunters—listen up.
Day 2: Paeng Sorin. If Namgoong did basics, stance, concepts, Paeng did techniques. Northern Paeng famous for sword and fist—nearly confessed when she taught fist arts.
Day 3: Some nun? Thought nobody, but most helpful. Gun hunters were shocked lol.
After lectures: Nun sis is insane.
“……”
“B-Boss. S-Stop looking.”
Kim Yang grumbled beside me as I slowly closed the community tab. Reactions were great. Of course they were. Especially Mosco Bi Chacos—3rd Floor hunters always carry guns regardless of awakening. Old murim arts or basics paled next to shooting know-how; it clicked fast.
Chacos prepped her lectures well too.
She'd invited herself to the zoo this weekend with the kids. I tried refusing, but community buzz meant I should look after her.
Namgoong Haryeong and Paeng Sorin maybe not, but Chacos could do a second round.
Gifts for the kids might help?
“Kim Yang, what do kids like these days?”
“D-Dunno.”
“Fair…… you're not 'these days' either.”
“Q-Quiet. Old man.”
I nodded and reopened the browser. Meant to shop for kid gifts, but a fresh hunter community post caught my eye.
“……”
Black Line Risk. Ryu Seram's company. I'd part-timed there once, so some connection. Unease stirred as another post popped up.
“……”
I frowned and pulled out my phone. Dialed Seram's memorized number—no answer. Then Ye-na. She picked up fast.
“Hello?”
“Seram. In danger now?”
“……”
Silence answered my straight question. Clearer than words.
“Where. Where'd you go.”
“Juseon, this isn't your fight.”
“Hey, she's my friend—”
“Stay put, Kim Juseon.”
Ye-na's tone was icy. Firm, but laced with pure worry for me.
“I'll handle it. No worries, Juseon.”
“……”
“I know you've helped a lot. But no more need.”
“……”
“Got it, Juseon? I'll fix it. You keep living like now. Peacefully, working.”
My mouth opened, then closed. Ye-na thought she'd calmed me and softened.
“Sorry for worrying you. Once I save Seram, let's eat together. Company's booming, right?”
The rest was similar. After hanging up, I caught my breath and nodded.
Right. That's right.
Things had been special so far, but I'm a marriage agency boss anyway.
“Hoo.”
My feet had carried me to the 1st-floor smoking area. Lighting up, I mulled Ye-na's words.
I'll handle it.
Don't worry.
It's fine.
Overly familiar phrases, repeated endlessly. Our talks always ended like that.
“Hoo—.”
That's why. Why our relationship anchored here.
Suddenly one day. Even when I said breakup—
It's fine, Juseon.
Her answers were always unwavering.