Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Words I Want to Say (7)
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"Here's your espresso."
A languid weekday of delivering coffee to customers.
Even though it was a weekday afternoon, countless patrons flooded the cafe, keeping me run off my feet all day.
'Damn, so many customers.'
But how could I blame them?
Death in the form of an EX Gate had loomed right in front of them, only to vanish without a hitch.
Of course everyone was overflowing with joy, celebrating life like it was a festival.
"No wonder they're thrilled. I'm thrilled too."
They were so overjoyed that half the companies in Korea granted a special week-long holiday.
And half the employees at the rest burned through their vacation days.
The whole country was in full party mode.
'They cleared the EX Gate with minimal damage. It's only natural.'
The ingredients ran out from the sheer volume of customers, so I got off early in the late afternoon.
The moment I got home, I turned on my smartphone and started watching videos.
[The site where byproducts from the EX Gate keep pouring out endlessly.]
Gates don't vanish the instant you smash the core.
They go inert—no more monsters spawning—and fully disappear after a week.
The YouTube video I was watching showed Gate Cleaners hauling away the EX Gate's byproducts.
"I used to be a Gate Cleaner myself."
Life really is unpredictable.
After closing the video, I debated texting Yu-ra noona.
"She's probably swamped. It wasn't your average job."
I still vividly remembered six days ago.
The TV stuck on gate coverage, me obsessively checking the call log to noona.
The hypnosis vanishing out of nowhere had shocked me to my core.
When the hypnosis list disappeared, it meant one of two things:
Either the one-time hypnosis—purely for enhancement, vanishing on completion—had succeeded,
Or the target, noona, was dead.
"After the list vanished, I stared at the news until my eyes burned."
Then, not even a full day later, noona and the other Hunters emerged from the gate.
The world shook.
Not figuratively.
Every citizen in Korea roared in cheers.
The neighbors joined in, their voices booming through our house, and I added mine to the chorus.
But I couldn't contact Yu-ra noona right away.
[It's great news, but I can't celebrate yet.]
Noona's interview, her face weary and sad.
Word was, twenty-two Hunters died just reaching the gate boss.
Even after noona awakened via my hypnosis and fought it, eight more perished.
She needed time to mourn her comrades.
No celebrating until the funerals ended three days ago.
"Noona was really torn up."
The funerals aired live.
On screen, noona carried the coffins to the national cemetery with a blank expression.
That stoicism made her look even sadder.
"When should I reach out?"
Tomorrow marks exactly a week.
The gate's due to vanish then—maybe text her then?
My phone was right there for calls, but more videos it was.
[America's stunned! Russia's jumping! The EU slaps their foreheads in horror! Japan's all 'sumimasen~'! This is Korea's power!]
What the hell is this?
Why's this in my recommendations?
I'd normally scroll past, but the thumbnail had Yu-ra noona's photo, so I clicked on instinct.
[EX Gates take 3 weeks on average to clear! If you fail to destroy the core, the country's done for—this ruthless beast just hit Korea! Experts pegged our odds at 37%! In desperation, the president barefoot-begged America, Japan, and Russia—but they all turned away!]
A robotic voice-over.
Giant subtitles for the elderly were annoying.
And why so many quotes?
[Korea's proud Hunters formed a suicide squad! 142 entered the EX Gate! No one bet on success! But in just ten days—the shortest ever—they destroyed the core! How!? The key was...]
The robot voice and subtitles paused dramatically as Yu-ra noona's photo blew up full-screen.
[S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra! She's the first ever to transcend S-Rank! Thanks to her, Korea's shocked! The world's shocked! Everyone's shocked! America's 'Oh my God!' Japan's 'Sumimasen!' Russia's 'Sooka blyat!']
...This is ridiculously childish.
But kinda fun.
[So the World Hunters Association designated her EX-Rank! They considered SS, but lumped everything above S as EX! Japan throws a tantrum claiming they have an EX-Rank too!]
After that, it was Japan rage-posting.
America begging for a solid alliance.
Russia promising better deals if we side with them.
Lots of chatter, but pure national pride TV.
'She did get EX-Rank, that's true.'
I figured SS-Rank.
But even SS couldn't match her feats.
SSS was off the table without SS first.
To commemorate conquering the EX Gate with minimal losses in record time, EX-Rank it was.
'Whatever, perfect time-killer.'
Skipped the comments—probably flooded with the usual.
Liked the video and shut off my phone.
Ding-dong!
Then the doorbell rang.
Who could it be? I checked the intercom and double-, triple-checked my eyes.
'Millennium Guild!?'
White and blue uniforms.
Several women in Millennium Guild uniforms stood quietly at my door.
-Excuse us. Is this Yoo Jun-hyuk's residence?
"Yes. That's me."
-Choi Yu-ra Hunter invites you to the Millennium Guild event.
"What!?"
A Millennium Guild event?
From noona?
Stunned, I flung open the door.
"Really?"
"Yes. The event starts soon—we'll escort you."
No way it's kidnappers.
One Hunter was a familiar face from TV.
"Just a sec. For the event, I should change..."
"No need."
An oddly familiar situation greeted me.
"We've prepared your dress code."
＊＊＊
[Millennium Guild EX Gate Annihilation Celebration Party]
I eyed the banner at the venue entrance and sighed in relief.
'Good thing. Thought I'd change in the car again.'
As they said, my outfit was ready.
Just changed in a dressing room near the venue.
'I have something similar at home. Kinda wasteful.'
Yu-ra noona prepared it specially?
She must like me in suits.
Hence another one just like it.
'Crowded place.'
The event was exactly as advertised: celebrating the EX Gate's end.
Millennium Guild members, plus families, friends, lovers—all invited to party.
I was here on Yu-ra noona's invite, so I scanned for her.
She spotted me first and came running.
"Jun-hyuk!"
A dress suited her perfectly, as always.
But sprinting faster than me at full speed in that long gown?
Awakeners are something else, I thought again.
"You doing okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. More like, noona—you worked so hard."
"Hard? Others suffered way more and pushed harder."
Her complexion was better than on TV.
Seeing her smile and chat normally filled me with pride and joy.
"And thanks for inviting me."
"Had to. You're..."
I waited for the rest, but she blushed and changed tack.
"Anyway, how's the cafe these days? Haven't been in ages. I need your coffee to recharge."
"Haha, come by once you're free."
"Right? Oh... never mind."
She kept trailing off.
Practicing the art of frustration?
Then we chatted idly.
Interviews from magazines and stations post-gate.
Other Hunters grilled her on transcending S-Rank limits—she had no clue, so it was awkward.
Rival guilds kept trying to poach her.
"White wine? Or sparkling?"
Mid-convo, a waiter offered me a glass.
I'd sworn off getting blackout drunk, but one glass?
"Nah, no booze—got any drinks?"
"We have carbonated beverages."
"That'll do."
He nodded, left briefly, and returned with cola in a fancy glass.
Even cola looked premium.
"You can't drink alcohol here, Jun-hyuk."
Here?
So elsewhere's fine?
I shot her a dubious look; she whispered in my ear.
"Only when it's just us."
Noona...?
Does that mean...?
Then a woman I'd never seen approached noona.
"Choi Yu-ra Hunter, the Association Chairman's here."
"Ugh, the Chairman?"
She glanced at me; I smiled and nodded.
"I'll wait."
"...Be right back!"
Alone, I sipped my drink.
Ah, not zero-calorie.
Zero's tastier.
"Um, excuse me... Jun-hyuk-ssi?"
"Yeah?"
No one I knew here, yet they knew me.
Turned out to be Yu-ra noona's guild teammates from the gate clears—TV staples, so their faces were memorized. Felt like old pals despite first meeting.
"Yeah, that's me—Yoo Jun-hyuk. And you are?"
"Ooh! It's really him? Thought he was imaginary!"
"No way that statue Yu-ra got a boyfriend before me? Impossible!"
"Wow... you're so cute and handsome! Mind a handshake?"
Fun, nice folks.
Stern on TV.
"Belated intros: Millennium Guild A-Team. Yu-ra's teammates."
"Ah, I recognize you from TV."
They introduced themselves, then bombarded me on my link to Yu-ra noona.
"How'd you meet Yu-ra?"
"She's a regular at my cafe. Chatted more and more, and somehow we got close."
"Huh? Just friends? Not dating?"
"Embarrassing, but not yet. Two dates..."
"For real? How about me then?"
Fists rained on her head from teammates.
"Hey, you saw her hunting that thing for him..."
"Yeah, she'd save our Jun-hyuk no matter what..."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing!"
They spilled it loud enough on purpose, smirks rising.
'Noona's got something planned.'
Her cutoffs earlier.
This too.
'Confession incoming?'
What else could it be?
Noona returned from her errand.
"See ya!"
Her team scattered at her approach.
Glad she has fun colleagues.
"Back?"
"Yeah. Sorry to keep you."
She'd grown quieter, now just downing drinks.
'Nervous.'
Oh no, I could see where this was going.
Surprise ruined?
'Needs time to brace.'
Heart pounding, I awaited her words.
She mentioned "saving something"—couple rings maybe?
Glancing around while waiting, I spotted a newcomer.
'Her too? Right, Millennium Guild job.'
Go Jin-yo—Lee Seo-yeon—entered awkwardly in a dress.
The pure white gown matched her reformed look perfectly.
'Working hard, huh.'
Turned trash into a proper person.
Felt like a wayward daughter finally employed—satisfying.
"Jun-hyuk."
"Yeah, noona."
Here we go?
I played dumb and responded.
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"Before transcending my limits, I remembered your words. How I'm always the hero in your heart. That let me shake off death as a hero—and transcend."
P.S. Top secret.
Haven't told a soul—keep it that way.
Her cheeks flushed.
"And sorry. I had time to call even if busy. Just... obsessed with finding that item, neglected you."
"Item? What?"
"This..."
She opened her clenched hand.
A small blue box.
Ring case.
Here it comes.
"Jun-hyuk."
She flipped it open.
A pair of rings, adorned with shimmering red Mana Stones.
No ordinary bling.
Couple rings like these? Overspending, but her sincerity warmed me more.
Now she'd slip one on me and confess...
'Huh?'
Suddenly, she dropped to one knee.
Everyone stared at our spectacle.
"Marry me?"
...What?
Noona? Not a dating confession?
Skipped straight to marriage?
In past-life terms: guy on date two proposes publicly out of nowhere?
Am I weird?
Or is the trend skipping dating like a 4D ron?
"Holy... insane bitch..."
"Only two dates?"
"Eight-ton truck with busted brakes..."
"She's broken. Why propose instead of confess?"
"Virgins ruin everything. Should've consulted me."
"Top male nightmare: public proposal in a crowd."
"Let's buy him pity drinks later."
Her team's whispers carried over.
Shouting it, really.
Right? I'm not crazy?
'What now?'
My heart?
Flustered, but decided long ago.
Hearing them roast her, I wanted to tease too.
"Sorry, noona. Can't accept."
The air chilled—my imagination?
Noona's face drained to blue instantly.
Too far for more fun.
"Instead."
I knelt to meet her eyes.
Took one ring and slid it onto her left ring finger.
"Date me with marriage in mind. Start there."
"Ah, yes! Yes!"
I offered my left hand to her vigorous nod.
"Not putting it on me?"
"S-Sorry!"
She slipped it on.
Thunderous applause celebrated us.
Amid claps, glass shattered—but eyes locked, I couldn't look.
Who ruins the moment?
"Noona. That's not the end, right?"
"..."
She hesitated, then wrapped arms around my waist.
Her face neared.
First romance, clumsy as hell.
But...
"Choi! Yu! Ra! Choi! Yu! Ra! Virgin! No! More! Choi! Yu! Ra!"
"Jun-hyuk-ssi! Pick me second! I can love you more than Yu-ra unnie!"
"Then I'm third!"
Her kissing? World-class.
Maybe just 'cause I adore noona.