Chapter 62
Chapter 62
A Noble Person in a Humble Place - 2
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“So you’re saying you haven’t found out yet…?”
“I’m sorry…. I haven’t had a chance to run into him…”
“Is that so? Hmm….”
In the president’s office of the Raonjena headquarters.
Han Baek-ho let out a heavy sigh at his daughter Han-na’s reply.
At the same time, Han-na lowered her head.
She felt embarrassed and apologetic for disappointing her father.
But she couldn’t help it.
As just a classmate, she thought it would come across as too awkward to suddenly ask,
“Which guild are you planning to apply to after graduation?”
If she were as close to him as Baek Mi-jin seemed to be these days, she would have asked comfortably, but if she asked such a question now, she would definitely come across as a snob.
As the daughter of Korea’s top guild, practically guaranteed a position, even a simple question like that could be perceived as bragging or condescension.
So, she was cautious.
She wanted to get closer to him during the real raid, but unfortunately, she wasn’t good at ‘making the first move.’
In the end, the raid ended without any progress.
She had always been the center of attention, living a life where attention came to her even if she did nothing.
Making the first move was her only weakness.
‘How should I approach him…?’
Bluntly asking, “Do you want to join our guild?” would seem incredibly arrogant, and adding, "My father told me to ask," would sound pathetic.
And offering a handshake and saying, “Let’s be friends,” was childish, and her pride wouldn’t allow it.
She considered starting a conversation during meals, but Mi-jin and Su-ah were always eating with Tae-jin, which made it hard.
Moreover,
‘Why is he always so busy?’
While everyone was busy preparing for the festival, Tae-jin seemed completely indifferent to it.
His days were filled with training, and at night, he would go out wearing a mask and subdue villains.
‘Even though he must be tired, he fights villains for the sake of public safety…’
She found that quite admirable, but it also meant there were no opportunities to talk to him, which was frustrating.
‘There’s only one way.’
In the end, there was only one option left.
The only time she could naturally talk to Tae-jin was during his free time, when Renia wasn’t around was at the gym.
Of course, it was absurd for the daughter of Raonjena to go to a local gym, but she had no other choice.
It was difficult to approach him at the academy because of Su-ah and Mi-jin, and outside the academy because of Renia.
This was the best she could come up with.
So, she went to sign up.
“H-Han-na…? Aren’t you the daughter of S-rank Hunter Han Baek-ho?”
“Yes.”
“B-but why are you at our gym…?”
The gym owner asked, looking completely puzzled.
As someone who ran a gym, he knew that the Raonjena headquarters had the best Hunter-exclusive gym equipment in Korea.
“Ah, the equipment I usually use broke down. It’s imported, so it’ll take a while to fix. I heard this gym has similar equipment.”
“Ah… I see. Well then.”
“Can I start working out right after signing up?”
“Yes, yes! Of course!”
The gym owner beamed, his smile stretching from ear to ear.
Han-na was already a celebrity in the Hunter world.
As the only daughter of S-rank Hunter Han Baek-ho, she was naturally famous, and if he advertised that she was a member of his gym, his business would boom.
“Here’s your locker key!”
“Thank you.”
The owner treated her like royalty, and Han-na entered the locker room, her nose wrinkled at the musty smell.
The peculiar odor of sweat and dust hung in the air.
‘Ugh…’
But she quickly changed her clothes.
Tae-jin’s workout usually lasted about an hour.
About 20 minutes had already passed, so she needed to change quickly if she wanted to have a chance to talk to him.
Of course, compared to the gym at the guild headquarters, this place was pathetic, but what choice did she have?
If she could naturally start a conversation with Tae-jin, that would be enough.
To meet her father’s expectations and to get closer to Tae-jin, she could endure this much.
“Hmm….”
Han-na changed into a red sports bra and black leggings and stood in front of the full-length mirror.
She turned around and checked herself out.
Even in her own eyes, her figure was impressive.
Curves in all the right places, the embodiment of every human’s ideal.
She was naturally blessed with a feminine physique, so even a little exercise yielded great results.
A toned, lifted hips, a slender waist, ample breasts that couldn’t be hidden even by the sports bra, a slender neck, and narrow shoulders.
‘This is good enough.’
Even other female Hunters, who complimented her beautiful belly button and worked out with her, were envious, so what more could she say?
Satisfied, Han-na tied her hair back with the black hair tie she had brought.
Today, she felt like a change, so she even wore light brown colored contacts.
There was no particular reason.
She just wanted a change.
‘Alright.’
She was ready.
But for some reason, she hesitated.
She even felt a little nervous.
Was it because of the unfamiliar environment?
Or was it because she finally had a chance to talk to Tae-jin?
Was it the anxiety of him seeing through her intentions?
‘No, that’s not it.’
Whatever the reason, it definitely wasn’t the last one.
Growing up in high society, attending tedious gatherings with other wealthy children had made her a skilled liar.
Anyway, Han-na checked herself in the mirror one last time, took a deep breath, and stepped out.
And just before she left the locker room,
She glanced back at her reflection in the full-length mirror.
As expected,
Her backside was perfect.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
As soon as she left the locker room, the gym, which had been still, came alive.
The men sitting on the exercise equipment suddenly started working out.
As if they had been waiting for her to appear.
Used to the stares and reactions, she maintained her composure and walked on.
All the male Hunters in the gym were glancing at her and gulping.
Except for one person...
One person with black hair remained indifferent and focused on his workout.
That annoyed her.
He was always like that.
A cadet who was only serious about studying and training.
A cadet who had been so focused on stalking her just a month ago, but had suddenly changed.
A cadet who made her think about ‘making the first move’ for the first time in her life.
And a cadet who, strangely, kept bothering her thoughts.
Han Tae-jin.
The distance between them gradually closed.
There was a lull in the loud music, and Tae-jin finally noticed her presence, sat up from the sit-up board and turned his head.
And their eyes met.
“Huh…? Han-na?”
Tae-jin looked surprised, as if he had seen a ghost.
His expression gave her a strange sense of satisfaction.
A sense of accomplishment.
She had definitely made an impression.
“Oh? Han Tae-jin? You work out here?”
She approached him naturally, feigning surprise.
She could feel all eyes in the gym on her and Tae-jin.
Most, no, all of them would be thinking the same thing.
‘Who is that guy talking to Han-na? I’m so jealous.’
The childish attention, something she hadn’t felt in a while, almost made her smile, but she maintained her poker face.
Tae-jin wiped his sweat and asked,
“What are you doing here…?”
She gave him the same excuse she gave the gym owner, and Tae-jin nodded.
“Oh, really? But it’s quite far from your house…? Which equipment are you using?”
“That one.”
Han-na casually pointed somewhere.
There was a small glass-enclosed space with a sign that read [Aquatic Mana Training Area].
It wasn’t a common facility, but it was possible there could be a gym with that somewhere between her house and this gym.
That place, where you could train your mana underwater, was perfect for making excuses.
But as expected, Tae-jin seemed convinced.
“Oh, that one? I also went to another gym, but they didn’t have it.”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m here. The mana pressure control device in Raonjena’s Aquatic Mana Training Area broke down, so I can’t use some of the equipment.”
“Really? I was planning to work out there for the rest of my time here.”
“…Oh?”
Han-na’s lips curved into a subtle smile before returning to their usual composure.
Perhaps she was simply amazed by her successful first attempt, but it felt like the situation was working in her favor.
So, she boldly suggested,
“Then… want to work out together?”
“Sure, why not?”
And then,
“Huh?”
Tae-jin, who was getting up from the sit-up board, looked at her and seemed surprised again.
Their eyes met again.
And she knew the reason.
“Are you wearing colored contacts?”
“Ah.”
This time, Han-na couldn’t suppress her smile.
She didn’t know why, but she felt grateful.
That Han Tae-jin noticed the small change.
She would have been quite upset if he hadn’t.
Han-na put on her usual aloof expression and replied,
“Just… trying them out.”
“They suit you. That color.”
But Han-na was flustered by Tae-jin’s unexpected compliment.
Because she wasn’t good at receiving compliments.