Chapter 196: He’s in Big Trouble
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 196: He’s in Big Trouble
It was the after-party for S University’s Hunter Department.
The gathering, composed of those considered the elite of the hunter world, could essentially be seen as a meeting of future top-tier hunters.
After all, the weakest among them were B-rank, and the standard was A-rank potential.
The unique atmosphere of hunters gave them a sensibility that set them apart from ordinary people.
Some found it intimidating, while others were deeply captivated by its immense charm.
But at this gathering of the most promising future hunters…
Amidst the boisterous chatter, one spot remained unusually quiet.
At its center was a single girl, sipping juice as if she had no interest in alcohol, despite it being an after-party.
Her dark blue hair was tied back in a ponytail.
Contrary to her sharp features, her frame was small, making it hard to believe she was twenty.
Her small face was so beautiful it was reminiscent of a doll.
Yet, no one dared to even speak to her.
Because she was none other than Ha Si-ho—the S-rank hunter officially recognized by the Republic of Korea for having the highest output in spatial abilities, and the younger sister of the S-rank hunter, Snow Mountain Wolf Ha Seo-ho.
No matter how elite the students of S University were, a clear hierarchy existed.
An S-rank hunter was, quite literally, in a realm of dreams for other hunters.
There were only a handful of them in the entire world, and as Ha Seo-ho’s sister, she was not on the same level as them.
“…Wow, the atmosphere around her is insane.”
“Isn’t she too pretty? Is she even human?”
“I really, really want to try talking to her just once.”
And so, all they could do was gaze at Si-ho with envious eyes.
They didn’t have the confidence to deal with the aftermath if they accidentally upset her.
Still, they didn’t bother to move away from her.
Just being near her filled them with an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
“Pfft, really? That happened?”
“Yeah, I’m telling you!”
“Ji-eun, you’re hilarious.”
In contrast, there was another area that was full of life.
At its center was none other than Yoon Ji-eun.
She was holding court at one of the tables, having practically become the heart of the group.
With her naturally cheerful and bright personality, she livened up the atmosphere every time she spoke.
Because of this, a mix of male and female students had gathered around her, eager to join the conversation.
“Ji-eun, do you have a boyfriend?”
Suddenly, a friend posed the question.
Seeing the hopeful look in his eyes, Ji-eun saw right through him and let out a small smirk.
“Nope.”
“Oh, really? But you’re so pretty.”
Hearing the blatant advance, Ji-eun scoffed.
“Yeah, but there is someone I like.”
Instantly, the expressions of the man who had hit on her, as well as the other men beside him, fell into a deep sigh.
This time, it was the girls who showed interest.
“For you to like someone, he must be really lucky. Have you confessed?”
“Yep. How many times was it now? Twice, I think.”
“Huh? Seriously? And he still didn’t accept?”
The girls reacted with complete disbelief.
Even among the female hunters, Ji-eun was considered one of the prettiest.
Her dyed blonde hair, slightly protruding canine tooth, and piercings suited her perfectly, giving her a somewhat rebellious yet cheerful vibe that made her likable to just about anyone.
She lacked nothing in looks, personality, or even ability. For her to be rejected after confessing…
As everyone stared in shock, Ji-eun touched her lips.
“Uh-huh. So I’m waiting to confess again.”
“Wow, Ji-eun, that’s amazing. You like him that much?”
“I love him more than anyone in the world! That’s why I have zero interest in dating anyone else! There’s no one cooler than him.”
As Ji-eun said this, her eyes swept over the boys nearby, who quickly averted their gazes.
She had decisively crushed any unspoken hopes they might have harbored.
“For you to like him that much… I’d love to see what he looks like.”
“Heh, you’ll probably get to see him sometime.”
As everyone grew curious, Ji-eun flashed a proud, confident smile.
Seeing her reaction, the girls all came to the same conclusion.
That man must be ridiculously handsome.
“By the way, Ji-eun, you seemed close with Si-ho at the entrance ceremony. Are you two friends?”
“Oh, Si-ho? Yeah. I’m on the same team as her.”
“For real?”
At Ji-eun’s answer, everyone wore a unified expression of shock.
To be on the same team as the Ha Si-ho.
They felt a mix of envy and the thought that it must also come with a lot of pressure.
“So, um, does Si-ho have a boyfriend?”
Perhaps because romance is the biggest interest for people in their early twenties, the conversation naturally shifted in that direction.
And what they were most curious about was Si-ho’s love life.
Even to the other girls, Si-ho was like a flower on a cliff’s edge.
Jealousy only arises when someone is within reach.
Si-ho was on such a different level that they couldn’t even feel jealous of her.
Seeing their expressions, Ji-eun smiled faintly.
“This is a secret, so just between us, okay?”
It wasn’t really a secret, but Ji-eun deliberately drew them in to get their full attention.
The students leaned in, their heads close together.
Watching them, Ji-eun whispered.
“She does.”
“Gasp, really?!”
“Holy crap, dating Ha Si-ho… What kind of person is he?”
The moment the bombshell dropped, the area erupted.
“I feel like a squid just standing next to her.”
“Her brother is the Snow Mountain Wolf. What kind of man could possibly catch her eye? This is huge. I’m dying to see him.”
“Ahem.”
Seeing everyone’s reaction, Ji-eun puffed out her chest with a proud expression, feeling excited herself.
For her, nothing was more pleasing than hearing Ha-chan being praised.
“It’s a secret, got it?”
“Yeah, my lips are sealed!”
“Even if I told anyone, I doubt they’d believe me anyway.”
Ding-dong—
“Yo, first-years, your sunbaes are here.”
“Everyone having a good time?”
Just then, the pub door opened and a group of people walked in.
Wearing S University department jackets, they were the upperclassmen from the Hunter Department.
“Ah, welcome, sunbaes!”
Seeing them, a few first-years stood up to greet them.
The upperclassmen smiled and returned the greeting, their eyes scanning the students as they spoke quietly among themselves.
“There are a lot of pretty ones this year.”
“I know, right? This year’s freshman class is stacked.”
“Oh, you rascals.”
As the second and third-year upperclassmen whispered, a female upperclassman who had overheard them smacked them on the back.
“Are you really going to hit on the new students? You’re a third-year.”
“Hey, hey, I’m just trying to be friendly.”
“Ahem, I’m just trying to be friendly too, sunbae.”
“Right. You shouldn’t treat the younger students like that.”
At that moment, a man’s voice rang out from behind the three.
When they heard it and turned around happily, they saw a man with striking good looks.
His neatly permed bangs were swept back, and he wore a cardigan and jeans perfect for spring.
Standing around 185 cm tall with a gentle, noticeable smile, he waved at the three.
“Ah, Tae-hee-oppa!”
“President, good to see you.”
“What brings you here, hyung?”
“It’s the freshmen’s welcoming party, so I felt I should show my face this year, now that I’m the student council president. A bit shameless of me, I know.”
The student council president, Shin Tae-hee.
A fourth-year in the Hunter Department and set to graduate this year, he was an exceptionally rare case of a potential S-rank.
Moreover, his personality was as pleasant as his looks, making him popular among the students.
He was the very picture of the ideal university upperclassman.
“And besides,” he said, his gaze shifting somewhere else.
His eyes landed on none other than Si-ho.
“There’s someone I’d like to get to know.”
Seeing his smiling eyes, the two male upperclassmen glanced at each other.
Then, as Tae-hee approached the freshmen to speak as the student council president, the two huddled together.
“…How do you think this will turn out?”
“Hmm, I don’t know. This time, his target is the famous Snow Mountain Wolf’s sister.”
Shin Tae-hee, the student council president, was someone who dated about once a year.
Of course, his relationships were normal—he never cheated, and while the girls he dated might cling to him afterward, they never had any complaints about the relationship itself.
There was just one peculiar thing about him.
Whenever he started dating someone, he would always end the relationship by the time winter passed. And he always dated a new freshman.
Specifically, only the top “queen bees” among the freshmen.
This had become a sort of unwritten rule among the upperclassmen.
Not that it lowered their opinion of him.
After all, it was always the girls who confessed to him, never the other way around.
“Besides, I heard Ha Si-ho is an S-rank too. The highest output in spatial abilities.”
This time, however, the situation was a little different.
Until now, the so-called queen bees of the S University Hunter Department had been A-rank at best.
His current target was not only the sister of the Snow Mountain Wolf but an S-rank hunter herself.
Even if Tae-hee was a potential S-rank, this was a different league.
“I’m betting on Tae-hee-hyung. He’ll succeed.”
“Really?”
“When you think about it, Tae-hee-hyung is a future S-rank too. Besides, is there anyone else in our school right now who’s on Ha Si-ho’s level?”
“That’s true.”
While the two were talking, Tae-hee, having greeted the students one by one, found an empty seat and pulled out a chair.
Directly in front of him was Ha Si-ho.
She had been playing a game on her phone the entire time, as if completely uninterested in the after-party. She looked like a living, sculpted doll.
“…Beautiful.”
Looking at her, even Tae-hee couldn’t help but let the word slip out.
“I know.”
A voice replied abruptly, just as he realized what he’d said and began to feel flustered.
Hearing the voice, Tae-hee turned his head to see Si-ho, still casually playing her game.
She knows.
It seemed she was well aware of it, just as her words implied.
But to give such a blunt answer made him feel the immense height of her pride.
For that reason, Tae-hee found her unique and interesting.
He liked that about her very much.
He liked proud women.
And he especially enjoyed watching those proud women crumble and fawn over him.
But the moment such a woman completely lost her pride, he would lose interest.
It was a habit of his.
That was why he broke up with the women he dated every year around the time winter passed.
He found it especially dreadful when they threw away all their pride and clung to him after a breakup.
But he didn’t sense even a hint of that from the girl in front of him now.
What kind of reaction would she show if she were to give him her heart?
Tae-hee began to feel an even deeper interest in Si-ho.