Unexpected Reunion at the Cutlet Shop
Swish. As the knife sliced through the pork cutlet, a waterfall of melted cheese cascaded down. It really was a famous spot—Ga-young had an uncanny talent for finding the best places to eat.
“Mmmph… it’s sho good~.”
Kim Ga-young beamed with pure happiness, her cheeks stuffed like a squirrel. The sight made Ye-na’s face flash through Eun-woo’s mind. She used to eat with that same innocent delight. Maybe that was why he found himself smiling softly as he watched his junior devour her meal.
“Why aren’t you eating…?”
“Pfft, I just like watching you enjoy it.”
“Hau… feels like you’re teasing me…”
“It’s not teasing, so swallow what’s in your mouth and talk properly.”
“Suspicious…”
Ga-young narrowed her eyes but still took a big bite of the cutlet he’d sliced for her, then grinned. “Good, right?”
“Yeah, it’s delicious.”
It really was—one of the best pork cutlets he’d ever had. That only made Ye-na’s face surface again. Seven years later, and there she was, saying she’d become a hunter to protect the person she loved. Every time rumors of her dating life surfaced, he’d felt this same uneasy twist in his chest. It was ridiculous, really. He’d been the one to coldly push her away, yet the thought of her acting cute for another man made his blood boil. That was exactly why he’d tried to avoid any news about her… but now that he’d heard those words…
“By the way, who do you think it is, Sunbae?”
“What is…?”
“Ye-na-nim. This is her first public relationship since debuting as a hunter. Any guesses?”
“I don’t have any… and she never said the guy was a hunter, so why assume he is?”
“Hmm… isn’t it kind of obvious? When you’re risking your lives together in the Tower, it’s natural for feelings to develop. Statistically, a lot of hunters end up dating each other.”
“Kid, how about you spend that brainpower thinking about what to write for the article instead?”
“Nngh…”
Ga-young tilted her head at his scolding, then aggressively stuffed more cutlet into her mouth. She was clearly sulking. He supposed he had been acting like an old fogey. He never thought he’d end up behaving like the managers and section chiefs he used to despise. It was harder to control than he’d expected.
“Haah, Ga-young, I’m sor—”
Before he could finish his apology, a commotion erupted outside.
“Looks like some famous hunter showed up.”
“Yeah, seems like it.”
“This place is near the Hunter Association and apparently popular with hunters. From the noise, it might even be an S-rank.”
The moment Ga-young finished speaking, the crowd surged closer to the restaurant. Pushing through them were members of the Shinye Guild—Kim A-jin in the lead, followed by Park Ye-rin, the Saintess, and then Ye-na.
“No way…! Both the Saintess and Ye-na-nim at once? Sunbae, we should buy lottery tickets today.”
In five years of reporting, he’d never once run into her. And now this was the second time today. He should’ve known his luck was terrible lately. Maybe he needed to visit a church and repent. Best to avoid her entirely and slip out the back before things got complicated.
“Ga-young, keep eating. I’m going to make a quick call.”
“Hehe… they’re so pretty…”
She was completely lost in her own world. Leaving the fool behind, Eun-woo escaped through the back door.
Five minutes later, figuring it was safe, he carefully returned to his seat—only to find the Shinye Guild members sitting at the table right next to theirs. Ga-young, who had spotted him coming in, threw her hand up and unleashed a wide-area aggro pull.
“Sunbae! What are you doing? Hurry up!”
After ending the call with the president, Lee Ye-na immediately dialed her senior.
Hmm… Park Ye-rin is a bit…
The Shinye Guild was known as the Tower’s flower—a female-centric guild. Among them, Park Ye-rin, the Saintess, stood alongside Ye-na as one of the undisputed top two. With her golden hair, fair skin, and an unnecessarily large chest, she was the ideal woman for countless Korean men. Ye-na had always thought of her as just a big-breasted cow, but having her next to the man she loved made her feel uneasy. Compared to Ye-rin, her own chest was modest. Not embarrassingly so, but what if Eun-woo’s tastes had shifted toward glamorous figures over the past seven years? What if he ended up looking at Park Ye-rin instead of her? She might just collapse on the spot and sob.
“Haa…”
Ye-na let out a deep sigh, and Kim Hyun-ju, sitting in the front seat, glanced back.
“Why the sudden sigh?”
“Hyun-ju… am I not pretty?”
“…Do you want to die?”
“B-but…”
Ye-na pouted and rested her head against the window. Kim Hyun-ju couldn’t help but feel puzzled. She’d always thought Ye-na wasn’t the type to care about her appearance. The woman never wore makeup when heading into the Tower and barely bothered with powder even for interviews. Yet last night she’d suddenly asked to book a salon appointment. She’d even worn a skirt despite always complaining about them. And then there was today’s press conference.
‘I want to become someone I can be proud of for the person I love.’
No matter how many times Hyun-ju asked what that meant, the answer was always the same: ‘It’s nothing.’ Did she even realize that because of that single line, media outlets across Korea and the world were now scrambling to uncover the identity of this “person she loved”? Judging by her carefree attitude, maybe not.
Still, who on earth was this man? Enough to make the great Lee Ye-na wear such a cute expression. Well, she’d figure it out eventually. For now, she should at least fix that pout.
“I don’t know what’s bothering you, but you looked stunning today, unni. If I were a guy, I’d have kidnapped you on the spot.”
“……Really?”
At the quick nod, Ye-na’s lips twitched upward despite her best efforts.
This unni is way too easy to read.
Of course, she only showed this foolish side to people she truly trusted. It was like a fierce cat kneading its owner—completely different from the cold image she projected to the outside world. Hyun-ju had no idea why someone who loved head pats and hugs had become so distant with everyone else. She was simply grateful that Ye-na had opened up to her.
Cheers from outside reached her ears. Hearing her name far more often than Park Ye-rin’s made the early salon trip worth it.
Hehe, what if Eun-woo falls head over heels and confesses?
Clutching her excited heart, Ye-na stepped into the restaurant—only to spot Eun-woo’s retreating back as he bolted for the back door. Her lips jutted out in a pout.
“Where should we sit?”
“Let’s go to a corner so we don’t bother anyone.”
While the others looked around, Ye-na pointed.
“Over there…”
Sitting right next to Eun-woo’s table was the perfect plan she’d come up with on the way here—close enough without causing rumors. She took the empty seat beside him. And then she noticed the girl eating pork cutlet at the table that should have been hers.
The girl met Ye-na’s eyes, blushed, and kept eating.
Eun-woo’s junior? She’s pretty cute. They’re not dating or anything, right?
Impure thoughts bubbled up.
“Ye-na, what are you getting?”
“Ah… the Wang-don.”
“Hehe, your appetite hasn’t changed. Cute.”
“……”
Eun-woo used to say he liked how heartily I ate…
She wanted nothing more than to throw the girl outside and show off her own eating skills in front of Eun-woo. But there were too many eyes watching. The higher her position, the more carefully she had to approach him. If she scared him off, there might never be another chance.
Huu… She was steadying her breathing when she sensed a familiar presence. Her ears perked up. That wide stride was unmistakable. It was Eun-woo. He spotted her, hesitated, and stopped.
“Sunbae! What are you doing? Hurry up!”
Ga-young’s shout came at the perfect moment. Then a sweet voice followed.
“There are a lot of people here. Don’t shout so loudly.”
“The cutlet’s getting cold because you’re standing there spacing out.”
Their natural back-and-forth made them seem close. At least there was no romantic sweetness between them—that was a relief. Now it was her turn to gather her courage.
She carefully approached Eun-woo’s side.
“E-excuse me… Reporter-nim…”
Before she could finish, the cow’s voice cut in.
“Huh?! Lee Eun-woo Reporter-nim, right?”
“Y-Yes, Ye-rin-ssi?”
“What… you two know each other?”
“Ah, I guess the Pioneers don’t know. Eun-woo Reporter-nim is pretty famous among us Vanguards.”
“F-famous…?”
“Yeah! He’s the only one who writes proper articles about us. We’re so grateful we sometimes take him out for coffee interviews.”
“……”
“By the way, I thought you’d come to the Association today, so I waited forever. Why didn’t you show up?”
“Ah, something else came up for an interview…”
A wave of disappointment crashed over her. She’d hoped he would at least mention attending her press conference. Does he hate me so much he can’t even say my name…? She’d braced herself, but the pain was far worse than she’d imagined. Maybe I should just run away…
Just as the weak thought crossed her mind, a large hand wrapped around her wrist.
“Come with me for a second.”