A Sudden Knock
As I approached the front door at the sudden knock, a frantic voice rang out.
“Y-you’re going to open it?!”
Even though she knew she was being chased, her panicked tone still spilled out. Without answering, I moved closer and checked through the small peephole to see who it was.
“Don’t open it…! You know I’m being chased, right…!”
“You shouldn’t commit crimes and then try to avoid the consequences.”
“I-I’m already reflecting on it, so I don’t need punishment…?!”
She seemed to believe that creating victims through her crimes and simply claiming to feel remorse was enough to make everything fine. I wondered what kind of world she had lived in to develop such twisted thinking. Part of me was curious, but I didn’t really want to know.
“Anyway, this is my house. Whether I open the door for someone is entirely my decision.”
The moment I finished speaking and reached for the door, I saw her through the gap.
“I told you not to open it…! Who knows who it could be…”
Min Jiyeon came rushing forward, screaming. Of course, I had anticipated this level of resistance, so I lightly sidestepped and flung the door wide open.
“Kyaa, ahh…!”
“Hunter Gang Jeongu of the Association. I was told Hunter Min Jiyeon was here, so I came.”
With a loud crash, police officers in special gear and association hunters stepped inside. They looked down at the fallen Min Jiyeon with completely blank expressions.
“So this is where you were.”
“H-how did you… how did you even know to come here…!”
The fact that she couldn’t grasp something so obvious showed just how broken she had become. Or maybe she had always been this foolish.
“I reported her.”
When a criminal shows up at your door causing a scene, calling the police is the only logical choice. There was no point in playing idiot and confronting her myself. From the moment I first let her inside, I had already contacted the authorities.
“Y-you… how could you…!”
“Isn’t it common sense to report a wanted criminal standing right outside your house?”
She must have finally realized there was nowhere left to run. Fortunately, she didn’t struggle or throw a fit, so there wasn’t much damage. Truthfully, I had been prepared for some furniture to get smashed if she went on a rampage trying to escape.
“H-how… how could you do this to me…!”
Even while being restrained by the police and association hunters, the way she spoke as if we shared some deep connection irritated me. I didn’t want to hear it.
“You keep talking like I betrayed you, but what exactly is our relationship that you’re acting this way?”
“W-well, we were in the same guild…”
“We were. In the past. That’s all there is to it, isn’t it? It’s been over a month since I left that guild.”
“But… still…”
I had explained it so clearly, yet I couldn’t understand how she could still respond with “but” and “still.”
“Please stop with the delusions and just go to prison quietly. Reflect on what you’ve done while you’re there.”
Those were the last words I spoke to her. After that, I heard nothing more from Min Jiyeon. She was fitted with restraints and dragged away by the association hunter.
“Thank you for your cooperation. You’re quite brave. The report reward should be issued soon.”
I hadn’t reported her for the reward, but there was no reason to refuse it if they were offering.
“Yes, I understand.”
“We’ll be on our way then! Thank you for your help!”
After the polite farewell, the police and hunters all left the house. Finally, everything grew quiet. Just as my endlessly noisy mind seemed to settle down—
“Junho-ssi!”
The clear voice immediately stirred things up again.
“Party Leader…? What are you doing here?”
We had clearly parted ways at the gate earlier. I had even refused her offer to walk me back. I couldn’t figure out why she was here, and as I stood there puzzled, a familiar object was thrust toward me.
“You left your bag behind, so I came to return it!”
Ah, the bag. Now that she mentioned it, I realized I couldn’t feel the weight of the bag that should have been on my shoulder. My mind had been scattered since the gate, and then Min Jiyeon had shown up. I had completely forgotten about it.
“Thank you. But you must be tired, so next time just leave it at the office or call me to pick it up.”
I accepted the bag with a grateful nod.
“Seeing you could never be tiring, Junho-ssi!”
Her large, rabbit-like eyes curved into a charming smile.
…Cute? Hmm. Yeah, I suppose. This person is quite small, and her face is genuinely adorable. So feeling that her smile was cute wasn’t strange at all. It’s not like I disliked her. I clearly held a positive human impression of her, so of course I could find her cute. It might sound like I’m making excuses, but that’s really all it is. Not every emotion felt toward the opposite sex is necessarily romantic interest.
“I see. Then, um, would you like a cup of tea…”
Honestly, after dealing with Min Jiyeon, I was mentally drained and desperately wanted to rest. But she had taken the trouble to bring my forgotten bag all the way here. It would be rude to simply send her away.
“No, it’s okay. You must be tired, so you should rest, Junho-ssi! I’ll head out now!”
I had assumed that since she held favorable feelings toward me, she would happily come inside. But she refused.
“Oh, and I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything that happened today, so don’t worry!”
It seemed she had arrived around the same time as the police. That meant she had probably overheard most of my conversation with Min Jiyeon. It wouldn’t matter if the story got out, but it would become annoying having to explain the past. Since she offered to stay silent first, I felt a clear wave of relief.
“See you tomorrow!”
“Ah, yes…! Get home safely…!”
Once the party leader left, the truly exhausting day finally came to an end. It sounded like the neighborhood was still buzzing outside because of the police visit.
“Whew… I’m tired.”
Not wanting to get tangled up with anyone else, I quickly shut the door and collapsed onto the bed. Today… I should sleep early.
Even though I went to bed much earlier than usual, sleeping longer doesn’t mean the fatigue completely disappears. No matter how exhausted I felt, morning always arrived, and I still had to go to work.
“I wish I could win the lottery…”
If I won first place just once, I’d quit everything and live a life of pure leisure. With those pointless thoughts, I finished preparing and headed to the office.
“Hey, Junho-ssi. You’re running a little late today, huh?”
“Slacker. Hurry up and get moving.”
“Pilseok-ssi is always late but came in early today, yet here he is scolding Junho-ssi who always arrives early.”
“Ah, haha…! Party Leader, I’m a regular party member, and that guy—I mean, that person—is the mining team leader. I just thought he should naturally be coming in early, so I said something.”
What a noisy bastard. Deciding it wasn’t worth responding, I stayed silent and gathered my gear for the site.
“The mining team isn’t all that different from the regular party members.”
“True. The only real difference is the pay.”
“Making such a fuss over something so minor. Honestly, Kim Pilseok-ssi is just loud.”
He always got criticized like this by the others, so I couldn’t understand why he kept acting that way. I had no idea why a C-class hunter who was nearly B-class would harbor an inferiority complex toward an insignificant E-class like me. Was it because the party leader kept showing me favor?
“Speaking of which, I heard the Onhwa Guild criminal got caught?”
“She’s not an Onhwa Guild member anymore, right?”
“Yeah, they said the guild cut ties with her immediately.”
It must have been a hot topic, because conversations about the Onhwa Guild and Min Jiyeon kept coming up for several days straight.
“They said a brave citizen cooperated with the arrest?”
“Whoa, and that person is a hunter too? That’s seriously brave…!”
“Yeah. It couldn’t have been easy. That’s impressive.”
It felt strangely embarrassing that the citizen they were all praising together was actually me. The article had protected my identity, but this was the first time in my life I had appeared in the news or papers. It gave me a strange feeling. I had always been the type who quietly supported from the shadows, unnoticed.
“Jiyu, Jiyu! Did you see this article, Jiyu?”
“Of course I saw it. It was all over the morning news!”
“Isn’t it amazing?”
“Right? It could have been dangerous, but she’s truly incredible!”
The relief I had felt yesterday when the party leader said she would pretend not to know came rushing back. It didn’t feel like acting at all. Her expression was so natural that anyone watching would have no choice but to believe she genuinely had no idea. She really seemed like a good person.
“Junho-ssi, wasn’t it hot during your commute today? Should I start picking you up tomorrow?”
The way she casually flirted like that… it might actually look cute.
“No, I’m fine. I don’t mind the heat.”
“Hiiik, I’m so jealous…!”
…No, it’s simply that I hold a positive impression of her as a person, so I see it in a favorable light. It is absolutely not that I’ve developed any romantic feelings toward her. Nope. Definitely not.
Ever since that worthless Han Junho joined, the guild atmosphere had completely changed.
“How does Junho-ssi manage to come in so early every single day?”
Even Han Jia, who only ever showed me her filthy temper and irritation, praised him.
“That’s impressive. Waking up early is the hardest thing for me.”
Even Jeon Chaseok, who usually ignored everything I said, was the same.
“Plus he leads people well and works hard. He really has it all!”
Even Kim Heeyeon, who constantly nagged from the side, joined in.
“Well, that’s because it’s Junho-ssi! Ahem!”
And even Shin Jiyu, the one I had my sights set on! They were all fawning over Han Junho like crazy. Honestly, I didn’t care what the others did. Jeon Chaseok was just a big, bulky male, so he held no interest. Han Jia and Kim Heeyeon might be women in name, but their faces were ugly and their bodies looked dry and brittle like twigs.
But Shin Jiyu was different.
“Then please let me know once everyone is ready! We’ll head straight to the site!”
That fairy-like, swaying movement. Her small stature and adorable face. And those explosive curves—everything that should be in and everything that should stand out. If that were all, I wouldn’t complain. But on top of having it all, she was only twenty-three and had confessed she was a pure solo who had never dated anyone.
“Hoo… ha…”
I wanted her. I wanted to claim this woman. At thirty-five years old, this was the first time in my life I had encountered such a perfect female.
“Huk…”
If I pinned down that lovely body and stole her first experience, what kind of face would she make? Just imagining it made me so excited I thought I might lose my mind.
“Eww, Pilseok-ssi’s face looks totally perverted…!”
Of course…
“You were having dirty thoughts! Pervert!”
The only flaw was that whenever she opened her mouth, it was like the mouth of hell itself. Still…
“Eh? What? N-no…! Party Leader, w-what are you…!”
…Just wait. One day, I will definitely pin that bitch beneath me, conquer her completely, and turn that bastard Han Junho into a complete nobody. By the time they all realize my true nature and start begging, it’ll be far too late.
Kuk kuk… Kukukukukuk…!