Baek Ji-an VS Yoo Seo-ah: First Battle Ends in a Draw!!!!
“Jinseong-ssi’s first member, my name’s Yoo Seo-ah.”
“...Ugh!”
The moment she heard those words, Baek Ji-an snapped wide awake. This wasn’t the time to bask in the glow of Kang Jinseong suddenly becoming so reliable, floating on cloud nine. To connect with Jinseong, she had to overcome this obstacle—no, this opponent who might even be more threatening than Baek Goong-hyuk.
Right, this is the woman. The one who grated on my nerves more than anyone over the past four years... Yoo Seo-ah.
Though it was her first time meeting Yoo Seo-ah today, Baek Ji-an knew it instinctively.
This woman’s totally head over heels for Jinseong.
That Yoo Seo-ah was just as hopelessly smitten with Kang Jinseong as she was. It was that primal intuition only women crushing on the same man could share.
Kang Jinseong, you idiot moron. She’s giving off such obvious signals that she likes you, and you let a woman like that sleep in your bed? You’ve got zero wariness! One slip-up and you’ll be a dad...
Imagining Jinseong letting Yoo Seo-ah sleep in his bed, Baek Ji-an ground her teeth. She blamed his utter lack of caution around women, but in truth, it was her own doing. Even after rejecting his confession, she’d hugged him, nibbled on him, sniffed him—doing all sorts of lover-like skinship on the daily—which had ruined his sense of distance with women. Of course, she had no clue her desperate survival tactics had led to this.
Anyway, to get with Jinseong, I have to beat this woman. Get it together, Baek Ji-an.
Facing her most dangerous rival, Baek Ji-an steeled herself for battle and opened her mouth with a greeting.
“Ah, Geom-hwa Yoo Seo-ah, the hunter? Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from our Jinseong.”
“......”
At Baek Ji-an’s greeting, Yoo Seo-ah bit her lower lip just enough not to show.
Our Jinseong? Does this woman think Jinseong-ssi is her property or something?
That single line dripped with thick possessiveness toward Jinseong, and it grated on her terribly.
We’ve barely exchanged greetings, but it’s confirmed. I can never get along with this woman. I won’t let someone so selfish and arrogant steal Jinseong-ssi.
Vowing never to let a woman like Baek Ji-an take Jinseong from her, Yoo Seo-ah spoke up.
“Ah, so Jinseong-ssi talked a lot about me to you?”
“A ton. After all, Yoo Seo-ah hunter was our Jinseong’s former team leader.”
“Ahaha, I see. So Jinseong-ssi talked about me that much...”
Yoo Seo-ah smiled with her eyes at the thought of Jinseong sharing stories about her even with friends, then slowly opened them again and said,
“I just found out today that Baek Ji-an hunter is Jinseong-ssi’s childhood friend, though.”
“...What did you say?”
Baek Ji-an’s expression hardened at Yoo Seo-ah’s words.
“Jinseong-ssi never mentioned Baek Ji-an hunter once. Not in the four years we were together, not even a single time.”
Yoo Seo-ah lifted the corner of her mouth in a smirk and continued.
“So I was really shocked. I came over like always to spend some cozy time with Jinseong-ssi, and suddenly he comes back carrying Baek Ji-an hunter on his back. The great Jamryong Daeju with such renown, and a childhood friend? He could’ve mentioned that.”
Her lips curved up, but her eyes weren’t smiling at all.
“Looks like... to Jinseong-ssi, Baek Ji-an hunter is a bit of a burden. Haha.”
What hung on her lips was mockery aimed straight at Baek Ji-an.
He talked a lot about me to you? I’ve never heard a peep about you.
A blatant sneer. The moment she faced it, Baek Ji-an realized.
“......Ha.”
The fight had already begun.
And she’d just taken the first hit.
Jinseong didn’t say a word about me for my sake. He deliberately kept our relationship secret from everyone so nothing annoying would happen to me.
Baek Ji-an already knew why Jinseong never mentioned their connection. That’s why she weathered Yoo Seo-ah’s preemptive “I’ve never heard about you” without a scratch.
I figured from what Jinseong said that she seemed like a decent woman, so I was going to treat her gently... but if she comes at me first, I can’t just sit still.
But taking the first shot was still taking it. Her pride wouldn’t let her do nothing, especially against Yoo Seo-ah. Her competitive fire blazed hotter.
Acting like she knows anything about my relationship with Jinseong. Unforgivable. I’ll crush her...
Baek Ji-an clenched her fist and glared at Yoo Seo-ah. Her two red eyes burned with clear hostility. She lifted the corner of her mouth and said,
“Haha, you’ve got a weird sense of humor. Didn’t you see earlier? Our Jinseong asking me to lend him my strength.”
“I saw. I heard it too. As Jinseong-ssi’s first member. Of course it’s natural to help him once you’re a member... but whether Jinseong-ssi feels burdened is another matter.”
“Ugh.”
Baek Ji-an bristled at how Yoo Seo-ah kept emphasizing she was the first member.
“And what about you, Yoo Seo-ah hunter? You think you don’t burden our Jinseong at all?”
“Of course not. I hang out with Jinseong-ssi super often and have tons of fun. If he felt burdened or repulsed by me, would he meet me this much?”
“Ha, more shameless than I thought, Yoo Seo-ah hunter.”
“...Pardon?”
It was so petty and low that she spat out words she’d meant to hold back.
“Would any subordinate not feel repulsed by a team leader who let their mana circuit shatter?”
About the incident where Jinseong’s mana circuit was destroyed.
“Th-that was...”
“Our Jinseong is too nice for his own good. He’s only had me as a close friend until now, so he can’t cut ties easily. He hinted at it in a roundabout way, though. That we live in different worlds now. Know what that means?”
“Ah, ahh.”
Yoo Seo-ah felt a stabbing pain in her heart like it was being riddled with holes at Baek Ji-an’s words.
Jinseong himself had said he was fine over and over. Plus, his shattered mana circuit had been rebuilt, and he’d even gained a unique ability—better than before. But just because things were okay now didn’t erase her past mistakes.
“Couldn’t control your team properly, went into a dungeon hidden room, faced a monster beyond the team’s level, and turned one team member into a mana cripple... What a great team leader.”
“Ugh, ughk. I-I, I...”
“If I’d been there, I never would’ve let Jinseong end up like that.”
“Cough!”
Each of Baek Ji-an’s words stabbed like a sharp dagger into the unhealed wounds in Yoo Seo-ah’s heart. They hurt so much because they were all true.
I couldn’t stop the team from ignoring and bullying Jinseong-ssi. And when they pushed to enter the hidden room after clearing the dungeon, I got swept up in the mood and overrode his objections. Jinseong-ssi ending up like that... it’s all my fault.
Yoo Seo-ah had been the team leader on paper, but she hadn’t truly led. She’d been a victim of group bullying since academy days, so the other three B-rank hunters had banded together to control the team, with her dragged along. Of course, after Jinseong’s mana circuit shattered, none of that was an excuse anymore.
I’m a sinner. A sinner who did something unforgivable to Jinseong-ssi...
Jinseong had forgiven her, but she still couldn’t forgive herself. She knew that mistake would haunt her forever.
But it wasn’t a reason to give up on her feelings for him.
That’s why. I’ll stay by Jinseong-ssi’s side forever, be the person he needs. That’s what he wants. He said to take care of each other from now on.
Though her mentality was pushed to the brink and she staggered, Yoo Seo-ah glared at Baek Ji-an before her.
I did wrong by Jinseong-ssi, but he doesn’t feel repulsed by me. He said he’d protect me. So how dare she say such nasty things... I won’t hold back anymore!
Forgetting she’d just scratched at Baek Ji-an with talk of burdens, Yoo Seo-ah reignited her fighting spirit. This was war now.
She glared fiercely at Baek Ji-an and pulled out the card she’d hesitated to play because it was too harsh.
“Well, Baek Ji-an hunter, I heard you rejected Jinseong-ssi’s confession twice!”
“H-how do you know about th...”
“Jinseong-ssi told me! I asked if you two were dating, and he was like absolutely not, no way, never ever, waving his hands frantically, saying you’re just friends! That’s what he told me!”
“......What?”
At Yoo Seo-ah’s words, Baek Ji-an’s mind went blank white.
When I asked if we were dating, he denied it that vehemently, even waving his hands? Jinseong? Why? He likes me. There’s no reason to deny it that hard...
To Baek Ji-an, who’d lived believing Jinseong liked her all this time, this was devastating.
“Rejecting his confession twice! Insisting on just being friends! And what? You hug him, sniff him, even nibble sometimes? What kind of sneaky person does that?”
“Th-that was because of Baek Goong-hyuk, I had no choi...”
Under Yoo Seo-ah’s one-sided barrage, Baek Ji-an desperately tried to make excuses.
“If you were scared of Jinseong-ssi getting taken hostage, you should’ve kept your distance! You couldn’t even do that! You draw the line at ‘just friends’ but enjoy all the perks yourself! All you do is hurt Jinseong-ssi’s feelings!”
“Ah, ahk. No, that’s not...”
“In the end, you toyed with Jinseong-ssi’s heart and couldn’t even stop him from becoming a hostage! And you have the nerve? Our Jinseong? Have you no shame!?”
“Gahk!”
Thud!
Under Yoo Seo-ah’s storm of brutal facts, Baek Ji-an collapsed to the floor.
“Haa, haa, u-ugh...”
Plop.
But Yoo Seo-ah had reached her mental limit too. Exhausted from her own fact bomb, she slumped powerlessly to the floor as well.
“U-uu, no, Jinseong-ah... I-I, I just...”
“Sorry, Jinseong-ssi... Because I was such a pathetic team leader... ugh.”
In the end, all they gained from this fight were fresh wounds in their hearts.
...If I confess to Jinseong now, he’ll 100% reject me. Fail this time, and even begging to stay friends won’t work...
I can’t confess to Jinseong-ssi now... He’d look troubled, slowly drift away, and our bond would snap for good.
Reflecting on their own mistakes had led to harsh self-awareness.
This won’t do.
I can’t stay like this.
I have to rack up points with Jinseong somehow...!
I need to be even more helpful to Jinseong-ssi, win his favor.
The goal took root in both their hearts: earn points with Jinseong and gain his affection.
Baek Ji-an VS Yoo Seo-ah
First battle result: Draw!!!!
Creak— creak—
The sound of wheelchair wheels echoed through the cathedral interior.
It was the dead of night when everyone else slept, but she couldn’t sleep.
It had been five years since insomnia plagued her. Ever since the day her legs stopped moving, she hadn’t been able to sleep deeply. Every day at this hour, she came to this cathedral.
She looked up at the cathedral’s glass dome ceiling.
The reason she came to this cathedral so late at night was solely because only at this time could she face the moon directly through the glass dome.
“The moon’s hidden by clouds tonight.”
But tonight, thick clouds blocked it; no moon was visible.
Maria Bell, princess of the British royal family.
“At this rate, dragging this frustrating body here was all for nothing.”
The wheelchair-bound saint sighed deeply from her seat.