Chapter 51: Ji-eun is Love! Love!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 51: Ji-eun is Love! Love!
Chapter 7 - The Lightning Genius of the Hunter Academy
1
A few days later, I was eating an ice cream bar in front of a convenience store.
Ever since I started basic physical conditioning with Baeksan, I’d been jogging and training every single night.
“Finish that and run some more.”
“Aren't you working me a little too hard?”
I complained after taking a bite of my melon-flavored ice cream, but Baeksan just scoffed.
“I'm only going easy on you because of your internal injuries. Once those heal, I'm going to work you so hard you'll be nostalgic for these days.”
I’m already scared.
It had been a while since I started training, but I was still suffering from muscle aches every morning. I made a weary expression.
I was the one who asked for this, but he was truly relentless.
Just then, my phone started ringing, and I turned my head.
Ji-eun’s number was displayed on the screen. I answered the call.
“Hey, Ji-eun.”
[...Ha-chan-oppa, did you awaken as a hunter?]
Although I had internal injuries, they didn't interfere with my daily life, so I just went for daily hospital check-ups and continued working.
Though every time Ms. Baek Seol-hyang saw me at the company, she'd come over and stuff things like red ginseng into my hands, looking displeased.
In any case, I’d had a bit of a falling out with Ji-eun before I left to deal with the Kwak Sa-yeon incident.
To be precise, she was upset that I hadn't told her anything about my situation.
‘She must have felt like she meant that little to me.’
It was probably even more so for Ji-eun, who harbored romantic feelings for me.
Because of that, things had been a little awkward between us lately.
I tried to act as I normally did, but she seemed dejected.
It seemed she was bothered by the fact that she'd shown me she was sulking.
I had already submitted a leave request through Ms. Baek Seol-hyang to attend the Hunter Training Academy, which was mandatory for all newly awakened hunters. She must have heard about it from the Team Leader.
Ji-eun was a good communicator, so she heard things from all over.
“Yeah, something like that happened.”
[Then, the reason you kept coming back injured...]
“I awakened an ability, but… it’s not a good fit for me. I have no talent, so I've just been stumbling around.”
I replied with an awkward laugh, and Ji-eun fell silent.
[Did you not tell me because you'd have to quit your manager position now that you've awakened as a hunter?]
It was common for people who awakened as hunters to quit their existing jobs and switch careers.
Being a hunter was dangerous, but the pay was good, and if you had the skills, you could receive far better treatment than in a regular profession.
That must have been why Ji-eun had jumped to that conclusion when she heard I had awakened.
“No. I have no intention of doing that.”
[But still….]
“Ji-eun, I'm your manager. I'm here to support you guys until you become official hunters.”
[Right.]
“So I have no intention of giving up my position that easily.”
Registering as a hunter this time was just about establishing an official status, in case of any future legal disputes.
It wasn't because I wanted to work as a hunter.
[Sniffle.]
Suddenly, I heard the sound of crying from her end of the line.
Startled, I called her name, and Ji-eun spoke through her tears.
[I… I didn't know… you felt that way, oppa… I thought… I thought you didn't tell me because you were worried I'd think you were going to leave me… and…]
No, that’s not it.
Ji-eun kept sniffling, having misunderstood something.
I scratched my head for a moment, then looked up at the night sky with a troubled expression.
Well, if she's going to misunderstand like that, maybe it's better to just let it go.
“Ji-eun, stop crying. I'm not going anywhere.”
[Okay… sniffle.]
After a moment, I heard the sound of her blowing her nose. She stopped sniffling and spoke to me.
[I'm sorry. I acted too much like a child.]
“It’s fine. It happens.”
[...So, can I act like a child just one more time?]
I tilted my head.
She was young, but she usually maintained a mature attitude. It was unusual for her to act so childish.
Then again, Ji-eun must have had a lot on her mind, too.
“It’s okay.”
[Oppa, I want to see you.]
She threw a completely unexpected fastball.
I was a little taken aback and fell silent. Ji-eun asked tentatively.
[...I can't?]
A sweet, almost pleading voice filled with various emotions came through the phone.
Her voice, still thick with emotion, made me self-conscious for some reason.
‘Dammit, how old am I to be getting flustered by a nineteen-year-old?’
Knowing the whole story of how Ji-eun had developed feelings for me, I felt pathetic.
Ji-eun was usually proactive, but she never crossed the line.
Because she knew, deep down, that if she were to confess, I would reject her nine times out of ten.
In my eyes, Ji-eun was young, more like a little sister I needed to look after.
No matter how many romantic advances she made, the age gap between us was undeniable.
But today, perhaps because her emotions were running high, she was trying to cross that line, ever so slightly.
“Uh, I'm in the middle of a workout.”
[But you said I could act like a child…]
Seeing Ji-eun whine in a slightly drawn-out voice, I made a troubled face.
“Could you settle for a video call?”
I was certain of it.
The moment Ji-eun met me right now, she would lose control in one way or another.
And the outcome of that would not be good.
[Okay. I won't be greedy.]
I let out a sigh of relief.
At the same time, I wondered if it was really okay to just let this go.
‘Would it be better to just let her confess so I can turn her down?’
I was grateful that someone liked me, but between the age gap and the feeling that I'd be taking advantage of her situation, I just couldn't accept her feelings.
Why was I, a simple office worker, having these kinds of problems?
I could only laugh bitterly, once again realizing how difficult human relationships are.
[Eek?! Ah, um, just a second, oppa! My face is a mess from crying! Can I… can I call you back in just a little bit?]
Good grief.
I told her that was fine.
I heard her giggle, and then the call ended with the sound of her bustling around.
I stared at my phone for a moment, then tossed the melting remains of my ice cream into my mouth and sighed.
My eyes met Baeksan’s. He was sitting pigeon-toed on the convenience store table.
“How'd you figure out the feelings of that kid, Ji-eun?”
“Huh? Ji-eun?”
It seemed even Baeksan could tell how obvious Ji-eun's crush was.
“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
“If it’s so obvious, then why.”
Baeksan looked at me as if I were an idiot, then clicked his tongue as if he understood.
“So that's how it is.”
“What is?”
“You're thinking that kid is not a bad option, are you?”
“No, what the hell are you talking about?”
I stared at him, dumbfounded, but Baeksan just kept clicking his tongue. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
“The other ones are like flowers on a cliff's edge. After that fucking bitch taught you firsthand that getting close to the cliff means you fall, you're probably just subconsciously ignoring all of them.”
The phrase ‘flowers on a cliff’s edge’ made me tilt my head.
I was puzzled as to why he brought up Kwak Sa-yeon.
“Listen up. If you keep this up, you're going to be in real trouble one day.”
“So you keep saying.”
“I know, I know, you punk. Just you wait. I'm going to train you until you're strong enough to crush those returnees like bugs. Let's see if you can maintain that attitude after you're standing on equal footing with them.”
As he said that, Baeksan floated into the air.
It was as if he had no intention of listening to my phone call any longer.
He was about to fly off but stopped as if he’d thought of something.
He hovered in the air, looking down at me silently, before a grin spread across his face.
“By that logic, the kid has the highest chance right now. I can't wait to see the looks on the others' faces later.”
With those parting words, Baeksan took off for a night stroll by himself.
He was the one who said he had to stick to me 24/7, but he actually disappeared quite often.
“Jeez.”
I threw the ice cream stick into the trash, sighed, and started walking with heavy steps.
I figured I might as well run some more until Ji-eun called back.
‘It's a bit sad that my gaming time has decreased lately because of all this physical training every night.’
As I reminisced about the days when I did nothing but play games like a shut-in, I heard a faint sound and turned my head.
I was in a nearby park, and I’d heard a human voice coming from the bushes.
‘A drunk?’
Figuring I should at least report them so they could get home safely, I approached the bushes.
I came face to face with a large man leaning against a tree.
He must have been around 190cm tall.
He had a very masculine air about him, with tattoos here and there. His hair was a mix of black and white, a peculiar style that reminded me of a tiger.
At the same time, he gave off an intense aura that warned me not to get close.
“Ugh…”
He let out a pained groan, and I hurried toward him.
“Sir, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
There aren't really gangsters around these days, but from the looks of him, it wouldn't have been strange if he'd just been stabbed somewhere.
But he looked to be in really bad shape, so I kept my distance and asked to check if he was conscious. He groaned once more and lifted his head.
His bright yellow eyes met mine.
“...Buy me some bread.”
Was he just a beggar?
2
I couldn't bring myself to ignore his plea for a piece of bread, so I bought several pastries and two cartons of milk and gave them to him.
Perhaps it was because I knew all too well the misery of having no money for food, but I just couldn't walk away.
‘Getting scammed for bread by a total stranger. I’m really something else.’
But that thought soon vanished as he began to devour all the pastries and milk like a man possessed.
Well, Ahyu once bought me a meal, so I guess this is me paying it forward to someone else.
Life’s no fun if the world is always so harsh.
“Hah, that saved my life.”
He finished all the pastries and milk I’d bought him and spoke with a look of relief.
It was just his clothes and appearance that were intimidating; his face itself wasn't that scary.
If anything, he had strong, masculine features and was quite handsome.
The kind of look that women in their late twenties would prefer over teenagers.
“Thanks. You saved my life. It's been a while since I've met a good kid like you.”
He spoke in a dialect, seeming to be from the Gyeongsang province.
Maybe because one of my gaming friends was from Gyeongsang, it felt familiar, and I smiled.
“We all just help each other out. I know what it’s like to go hungry.”
“Ha, what's this, a real good kid. I know a kid just as nice as you. Reminds me of him, ya know.”
He laughed heartily and then fumbled around in his pocket for something.
What he pulled out was a business card.
It was a pitch-black card with a single word printed in silver: Beom.
“I can't repay your kindness right now, but take this, at least. If you ever run into trouble related to my boys, or if some rough-looking kids mess with you, show them this.”
“What is this?”
“In game terms, it's like an invincibility skill that lets you skip a dangerous turn.”
It seemed he enjoyed games a little.
He was offering it to repay a kindness, and I had no reason to refuse, so I took the card and put it in my pocket.
He watched me with a satisfied smile, then dusted off his pants and stood up.
“If we meet again, I'll be sure to repay this debt. Let's see each other again if we get the chance.”
“Ah, yes, take care. You should probably head home.”
“Keke, got it. I should head home. Definitely home.”
With that, he waved his hand and walked away.
It seemed he really had just collapsed from hunger.
‘What is this? This strange sense of familiarity.’
I scratched my head but decided to let it go and started running again. A short while later, my phone rang. It was Ji-eun.
For the record, Ji-eun was wearing a full face of makeup.