The Sorceress Intrudes
Kim Seol-bi, who had been in the living room, walked toward the intercom, asking, “Who is it?” I already knew who had rung the bell, and my stomach dropped.
What happens if Kang A-jin shows up here? The atmosphere in this house had been improving bit by bit. Even though we hadn't gotten exactly what we wanted in the early hours of yesterday morning, Kim Seol-bi and I had shared a warm night, and Kim Eun-bi had started to relax a little, easing her mind.
Why couldn't I have just told her to wait a few days? I regretted not saying anything when Kang A-jin had suggested we have a face-to-face showdown.
Kim Seol-bi stared at the intercom screen and, sure enough, froze solid. “What do you want?” Her tone and expression were as cold as ice.
As a hunter myself, I sharpened my hearing, and Kang A-jin's voice came through clearly.
—I have something I need to tell you in person, so I've come to see you.
“I have nothing to say to you, Kang A-jin.”
—Please open the door. It's something you absolutely need to know, Kim Seol-bi.
Kang A-jin wasn't backing down either. Yesterday's gentle demeanor toward me felt like a lie. Was her usual mode this cold and aloof, and she was just special with me?
Besides, Kim Seol-bi and Kang A-jin could be called rivals in love. No matter the situation, things weren't going to go smoothly between them.
Kim Seol-bi had originally called Kang A-jin to help Kim Eun-bi get over her feelings for me, but in trying to remove one worry, she'd created a bigger one. Things had escalated massively.
A battle of nerves between an S-rank hunter and someone equivalent, separated by an intercom. I was stuck right in the middle, and my face naturally soured at the realization.
“Huh? Oppa, aren't you gonna eat? If you're eating alone, want me to join you?”
Innocent Kim Eun-bi, oblivious to it all, asked me brightly.
“Nah, my appetite just vanished all of a sudden...”
“Hahaha, come on, that happens to everyone. Hunters eat a ton anyway. After I awakened, I ate five meals a day for a whole week. Oh? Wait, is that bragging?”
Kim Eun-bi cutely covered her mouth after saying it herself. But I didn't have the luxury to savor her cuteness right then.
Kim Eun-bi glanced toward Kim Seol-bi. “Unnie, what's wrong? Who's here?”
In just the past couple of days, Kim Eun-bi's feelings toward Kim Seol-bi had clearly softened a lot. They were close to begin with, after all. Cousins, but their mothers were tight, so they'd even been given similar names like real sisters.
With things not bad between me and Kim Seol-bi, or me and Kim Eun-bi, it was only a matter of time before their relationship mended too.
Kim Eun-bi's complexion looked good today. She'd slept well, and her condition seemed great. What if she found out that deep sleep was thanks to some sleep aid Kim Seol-bi had secretly slipped her—probably in a drink or food? Everything was one wrong move from exploding.
Kang A-jin was right; a face-to-face was necessary. I just wished it wasn't today.
—Whether you let me in or not, Kim Seol-bi, I have something I must say.
“I'm not interested, so say it from there or don't.”
With that, Kim Seol-bi turned off the intercom. She clearly had no intention of opening the door for Kang A-jin.
But Kim Seol-bi had overlooked one crucial fact: Kang A-jin possessed immense sorcery powers. Different from an S-rank hunter, but no less potent.
I'd seen it with my own eyes, so I knew. The air in the middle of the living room warped, and a familiar silhouette emerged from it.
Her clothes fluttered ethereally in the air as she hovered—Kang A-jin herself. This time, just like when she'd appeared in my room, it wasn't an illusion. The real deal had materialized in the living room.
Seeing it, Kim Eun-bi beside me gasped, “Gasp!”
Kim Seol-bi wasn't overly surprised. She glared at Kang A-jin and snapped, “Do you know where this is? Get out—now!”
“I told you, I have something to say.”
“I said I don't want to hear it!”
Kim Seol-bi thrust out her arm, palm open, as if ready to unleash something. I'd seen her quick movements and Hand Blade Cut skill before, but I doubted that was her only trick. Unofficially, she was known as one of the top S-rank hunters in Korea.
Of course, every S-rank was a national treasure, but rumor had it that when tackling S-rank dungeons, everyone wanted Kim Seol-bi in their party.
Even seeing that, Kang A-jin didn't yield an inch. “Please don't get worked up. If it's a fight you want, we can settle it after we talk. I'll humor you then, so let's converse first.”
Watching the two women's standoff, my throat went dry. But unlike me, Kim Eun-bi had no intention of just spectating.
I felt movement beside me and glanced over—Kim Eun-bi was already gone. She reappeared from the ceiling. I couldn't tell if she'd gone upstairs and broken through or jumped while invisible.
Either way, she swung a dagger at Kang A-jin from above. Kang A-jin smoothly stepped back, dodging.
Both attacker and dodger—no pushovers. A true clash of masters.
“Eun-bi!”
Kim Seol-bi cried out in alarm. Kang A-jin, having evaded the dagger, crossed her arms. Several talismans fluttered into existence, binding Kim Eun-bi midair in a barrier.
A few daggers of a different type from Kim Eun-bi's appeared, aimed at her.
“Stop it—now!” Kim Seol-bi shouted, startled.
“I said I want to talk. I have no desire to harm anyone.”
Bound in the barrier, Kim Eun-bi couldn't budge. She remembered it too—that time she was restrained on the bed and Kang A-jin had done something.
No good memories there. Seeing her suddenly appear and confront Kim Seol-bi must have pushed her over the edge.
Well, I'd been asleep then, so I could only guess the details.
The tense staredown between Kang A-jin and Kim Seol-bi lasted about a minute. I was burning up inside. Screw sex; I just wanna order Chinese food back at my place. Though my house was half-destroyed and under repair now.
“Fine. Let my sister go.”
In the end, Kim Seol-bi conceded. Kang A-jin let out a small sigh of relief and released the barrier around Kim Eun-bi.
Carried by the talismans' power, Kim Eun-bi floated gently down to the floor.
“Hey! What the hell are you doing?!”
She snapped fiercely, but Kim Seol-bi calmed her. “Eun-bi, enough. We'll hear her out, then I'll send her packing.”
“No.”
Kang A-jin landed on the floor and continued. “Eun-bi, you listen too. And...”
Her gaze turned to me. “Sung-gi as well.”
Hearing Kang A-jin call me “Sung-gi,” sparks flew from Kim Seol-bi and Kim Eun-bi's eyes.
This is so awkward.
And so, the face-to-face Kang A-jin had mentioned yesterday came about like this.
Kim Seol-bi, Kim Eun-bi, Kang A-jin, and I gathered in the living room. Kim Seol-bi and Kim Eun-bi looked extremely sharp-tempered, while Kang A-jin remained composed. Stuck in the middle, I felt utterly uncomfortable.
To be fair, this whole mess stemmed from me, so I couldn't complain.
“What do you want to talk about?”
Kim Seol-bi said, arms crossed. I tensed, wondering if Kang A-jin would mention having sex with me yesterday.
But unexpectedly, what slipped from her small lips was something else entirely.
“It's about Park Hyun-jun.”
Kim Seol-bi seemed caught off guard too. She furrowed her brow and uncrossed her arms. “Park Hyun-jun? Why him?”
“I know he likes you, Seol-bi.”
“Hey, hold on!”
Kim Seol-bi shot to her feet. She glanced at me—clearly uncomfortable discussing Park Hyun-jun in front of me.
I already knew: Kim Seol-bi had done nothing wrong in that mess. That damn stalker was spiraling on his own.
“Please don't get excited. Yesterday, he sent hunters after you.”
“Sent hunters? What do you...”
“He ordered them to capture Sung-gi.”
“What?”
Kim Seol-bi whipped toward me in shock. Kim Eun-bi was stunned too.
“Oppa! You okay?!”
At least it's not the thing I was worried about. I felt a bit relieved.
Park Hyun-jun's issue was indeed worth bringing up in this showdown.
Just as I started to relax—
Kang A-jin dropped a bombshell. “Yesterday, Sung-gi was on his way to meet me. If I hadn't intervened, he would've been badly hurt—or worse, captured by Park Hyun-jun and subjected to who knows what horrors.”