083. Good Is Good Enough
"This buffet's got everything."
"That's what you get with a high-end spread."
Wandering the buffet corners with Yoon Han-gyeol for a bit, my plate was soon piled high with food. Glancing at the other teams filling up, it hit me—the real party was just getting started.
That thought lasted a split second.
As we headed back with our plates, our team's table stood out from the rest. Unlike the others, they'd already drained their champagne and were calling for refills.
Urgh... champagne fumes.
A few faces were already beet red, though the party had barely begun. They looked like they could start slurring any second.
And sure enough, Yi Yeon-ju, sitting across from me, spotted me and spoke up.
"Hey. Hey. Hey."
Unlike her usual timid self, no mousy whisper this time. Her tone was all swagger, like some street punk.
How much did she drink...?
I was briefly dumbfounded, but picking a fight seemed worse than just playing along.
"What. What's up."
"You're underage, right? Why don't you call me noona?"
I didn't answer. Just smirked.
It had been ages since someone clung like this.
"Hey. You laughing? You think it's funny 'cause noona's talking?"
Amazed at how the liquor loosened her tongue—she could barely string words together sober. Must be frustrating living like that.
"If you're drunk, don't cling to just anyone. Go sleep it off or splash water on your face."
"... "
What? It was a perfectly normal thing to say, but Yi Yeon-ju's reaction was odd.
"Not just anyone..."
Her cheeks flushed as she spoke, shy now unlike her bold self moments ago.
She took it that way?
Yi Yeon-ju wasn't bad-looking, just too timid... but I'd never seen her that way. More like a troublesome little sister.
Best to shut it down gently.
Fortunately, a clanging shattered the moment.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
Someone next to me was tapping a spoon on a champagne bottle.
What's this now...?
Kim Do-jun was already slumped over the table, talking to the picture on the bottle.
And that wasn't all—he was straight-up conversing with it.
"Bride-to-be, what should I do now? The team's heading to Division 2, but Chang-hyun might ditch me."
"...?"
What the hell?
"Useless in matches, always screwing up—internet roasts me daily. What if Chang-hyun thinks the same? I tried so hard. So hard..."
She was wasted, clearly.
He always seemed like a shameless show-off, but he harbored these insecurities?
"Team doesn't really need me. Han-gyeol or Chang-hyun carry anyway..."
Seeing him mope, I almost chimed in, but curiosity held me back—what next?
"Sigh... what's the point of me shining? Even if I help, no one calls me."
Promotion match drama, probably.
Grinning, I whipped out my phone and started recording. This footage would be prime blackmail material for Yi Yeon-ju and Kim Do-jun's hall of shame.
Yoon Han-gyeol noticed and opened his mouth, but I shushed him. He chuckled too.
Yi Gil-han across the table wasn't much better.
"Me... now Division 2, not 3. This. Yeah. Now. Money. Like a person. Yeah. So now. I'm Division 2, got it?"
Broken record much? Repeating, pausing, glitching.
But hunters... even chugging, do they get this smashed?
Just then, Lee Geun-taek and Lee Min-seok strolled in together.
Lee Geun-taek caught my eye and flashed a thumbs-up with an uncharacteristically cheeky grin.
Wait...?
Suspicious, I checked an empty bottle. Sure enough, beneath the fancy champagne aroma lurked sky-high proof.
Why our table? Probably a "gift" from Lee Geun-taek to loosen us up.
Didn't he know I'm underage?
Hah. Came all this way just to do someone a favor.
Then a voice called from behind my chair.
"Got a sec?"
***
Hunter's Day was about teammates bonding, sure—but cross-team mingling was the real highlight.
Prime chance to chat up stars you admired or wanted to befriend.
"Got a sec?"
Turning, I saw unexpected faces.
Ryu Jae-jun and Jo Yeon-hwa?
I'd figured Jo Yeon-hwa might drop by eventually. But Ryu Jae-jun?
Did they know each other?
With my team wasted, mischief bubbled up.
"Something to say?"
I knew it was just networking, but I prodded anyway.
Jo Yeon-hwa, awkward from last time, glanced at Ryu Jae-jun.
"Well... we played Division 3 together. So, you know, chat about matches and stuff."
Ryu Jae-jun, usually stoic, looked plainly uncomfortable.
Even then, he was shy around strangers.
Cold facade, minimal expressions—but really, extreme shyness.
Didn't match his sharp looks at all.
Pre-regression, I'd teased him endlessly.
Now we were near-strangers, but... couldn't resist.
"But I'm Division 2 now."
Straight-faced, I stared at Ryu Jae-jun. He went from baffled to flushed.
Yeah. That face always warmed my heart.
But time to stop. We weren't close like before—push too far, and I'd just breed resentment.
Though... might've already soured a bit.
He admired strong players anyway. Should be fine.
I backpedaled quick.
"Kidding. Nice you came after clashing in Division 3."
Wait—similar vibe recently. Post-win interview, I'd name-dropped "Ryu Se-jun" on purpose?
Nah, too much teasing already. Play it straight.
"Ryu Jae-jun. Jo Yeon-hwa. Good to see you."
"Yeah... good to see you."
His pouty tone made me smirk inwardly. How could anyone resist?
"Saw you last time too. Nice."
Jo Yeon-hwa finally spoke from beside him.
"You two together?"
"Ah, same-master alumni under Hunter Association folks."
Huh... both trained under Lee Geun-taek?
Jo Jun-ho was first-gen too—maybe they co-mentored.
"Heard you hit Division 2. Not total screw-up after all. Congrats."
Award ceremony wasn't till later, so we strolled to the garden, chatting casually.
"Just a stepping stone. Process to pass through."
"Same here. Division 1's the real start."
Despite our rough history, Jo Yeon-hwa acted normal, like it'd never happened.
Maybe she'd reflected, or my words sank in.
"And about last time—I thought it over. I was harsh too. Sorry, don't sweat it."
"Yeah, you were."
She looked shaken—I wasn't supposed to agree.
"...Anyway. Gift from Secretary-General Jo Jun-ho. Division 2 congrats, and my apology for last time."
"Thanks. I'll take it."
No reason to refuse.
Silence fell briefly. She was picking words.
"...I snapped last time 'cause Jo Jun-ho and Lee Geun-taek trained us. Thought you dissed them. But you couldn't know."
"News to me."
"Yeah, they're slumping lately. Fact-check KO'd my ego, maybe."
She shook it off cleanly.
"Clearing the air now. Spill if you're pissed. Oh, saw your last match—Ryu Jae-jun got owned. You got moves?"
"Well..."
Skill helped, but I knew him pre-regression. Countering was easy.
Couldn't say that outright...
"Well?"
"Gotta be Korea's top hunter someday. Can't trip in Division 3."
"Pfft. For real? Not riding that one win over President Lee Geun-taek in the audition, right? Trained under him— what you saw was a fraction. Wild kid."
She laughed, not mad.
Then, serious: "So, who taught Korea's future top hunter?"
Ah... she thinks that?
Misunderstanding my advice and growth spurt as elite mentorship.
Made sense for her elite background.
Probably why she came—to ask.
How to answer without suspicion? Claim solo growth? Unlikely.
How to dazzle enough to recruit her, sans doubt?
Solution came quick.
"How much do you know about awakening abilities?"
"Enough as anyone."
"Believe in one that simulates thousands of futures based on choices, then embodies them as experience?"
Jo Yeon-hwa's jaw dropped.
Pure bullshit, of course.