Meeting Jo A-young
Nothing happened on the way to the Hunter Management Office—no ambushes or anything like that. It was such a short distance anyway, and we were in a car, so there was even less chance of running into anyone. Plus, the heavy tinting meant no one outside could easily see into the driver's seat or passenger side.
The mess I'd gotten into right in front of Kim Seol-bi's house? That was purely because I'd let my guard down too much. Not that I'd ever imagined something like that could happen.
I'd never lived in a world where common sense allowed stalkers to assault the guy a woman liked, no matter who was stalking whom. Becoming a hunter really meant all sorts of crazy shit could happen.
The public servants at the Hunter Management Office were way friendlier to me this time than on my last visit. Simple reason: back then, I was just a regular awakener. Now, I was a hunter.
And sure enough, when I said I was there for a rank test, the desk clerk's face soured a bit.
"It's only been a few days since your last test, sir."
"I'm sure. I've already measured it with a mana gauge."
"Mana gauges give faulty readings all the time... Anyway, we'll call your name shortly. Please wait a moment."
That was about as short as the conversation could get. No doubt people showed up here every day demanding retests. Hunters were hypersensitive about that stuff. Even a single rank up could change your life overnight. And it didn't happen often.
Coming in just days after a promotion? From a civil servant's perspective, it had to seem sketchy.
It wasn't long before my name was called.
"Kang Sung-gi? Come on in for your test~"
I went through the same procedure as last time. Just like before, the tester's eyes went wide.
"Whoa, your rank really went up."
"Yeah. Haha, lucky me."
"Luck's got nothing to do with it... This is... I don't even know what to say."
The tester fiddled with his glasses, staring at the monitor, then added,
"Congrats."
"Thanks."
If it'd been A-rank jumping to S, that might've caused a bigger stir. But D to C? Not so much.
"Wait here and you'll get your updated license soon."
"Sure thing~"
It was the expected result, so no shock or joy. I headed back to where Kim Eun-bi was waiting, patiently hanging out until the new license came through.
That's when a commotion erupted from one side of the office. I turned to look and froze.
There was a woman so stunning she instantly drew every eye. Easily over 170cm tall, with a figure that was just... killer. She wasn't even trying to look glamorous—just a plain T-shirt and jeans. But her breasts... her hips... It was like those fiery dancers shaking it in Western music videos.
Her hair was long and black, skin pale white, which made her physique pop even more.
A bunch of guys trailed behind her—that's what was causing the noise. She looked annoyed by them. I couldn't catch every word, but most of what they said was fawning flattery.
S-rank hunter?
I studied her closer, but she didn't strike me as one. Even if I'd been oblivious to the hunter world my whole life, I knew the faces of most S-ranks. Unless she'd just awakened recently and I hadn't heard, she wasn't.
But the guys following her acted like they were in the presence of royalty. I'd only seen that vibe around Kim Seol-bi or Park Hyun-jun.
She seemed troubled but couldn't shake them off easily. Then her gaze shifted my way.
My heart skipped. Her face from the front was breathtaking. Unreal, like she'd stepped out of a photoshoot. The kind of beauty you only saw in top-tier 3D graphics.
She looked a little surprised when our eyes met too. Of course, we didn't know each other. No need to rack my brain—I'd never forget meeting a woman this gorgeous.
Her eyes flicked sideways next. And unexpectedly, a voice piped up right beside me.
"Oh? A-young!"
Kim Eun-bi acting like they knew each other made the woman light up.
"Eun-bi!"
What? They knew each other?
The woman strode over like it was perfect timing. Her pursuers backed off once she moved.
"Thanks for visiting!"
"Come again!"
Not just them—even the desk staff jumped up and bowed. Less like they recognized her personally, more like they were taking cues from higher-ups. Some stood on their own initiative too.
Who the hell is she...?
I'd find out soon enough. Kim Eun-bi and her seemed pretty tight.
"It's been forever!"
"I heard you awakened. You doing okay?"
"Yeah~ You too?"
"Yep. But..."
They clasped hands, chatting away, until the woman's eyes landed on me.
"Who's he...?"
Her expression turned serious.
"Boyfriend...?"
"Huh? Oh, no!"
Kim Eun-bi flushed, waving her hands frantically. We weren't exactly at the "call us lovers" stage. Though she had knocked me out once to try jumping me. And we had plans for sex soon anyway.
"Ah, got it..."
Relief flickered across the woman's face, oddly enough.
"Hi. I'm Jo A-young." She extended her hand.
I shook it. Bigger than most women's, fitting her build, but warm and soft all the same.
"Kang Sung-gi."
Jo A-young peered at my face after the handshake.
"Have we met before?"
"Dunno. Doesn't ring a bell..."
"Yeah~ Makes sense. I haven't been in Korea long. I'd remember if we had."
She smiled brightly, a far cry from how she'd dealt with the staff. With that expression, she didn't look much older than a fresh adult. The casual banter with Kim Eun-bi backed it up.
"You busy? Wanna grab food?"
"For real? Hell yeah."
Kim Eun-bi glanced at me after answering.
"What about you, Sung-gi? Join us? It's fate we met like this—lunch is on me."
A woman who looked about ten years younger offering to buy? No big deal, but I had enough cash now to treat without blinking.
"Nah, I'll get it. Just waiting on my license renewal. You cool with that?"
"Sure."
Right then, a clerk called my name.
"Kang Sung-gi~ Your license is ready."
Suddenly, every eye in the place was on me. Even the clerk handing it over seemed wary. Weird. A quick rank-up to C-rank shouldn't warrant that.
I had a hunch, so I glanced back. Jo A-young was chatting happily with Kim Eun-bi. Innocent as she seemed, she clearly wasn't ordinary. Not S-rank...
Who is she?
Whatever. Lunch and talk would reveal it.
"Thanks."
I pocketed the license and turned. We all left the Hunter Management Office together.
"There's a restaurant I know—wanna head there? Main dishes are good, but the desserts are killer."
Kim Eun-bi replied,
"Oh, yeah? Sounds good."
Because of that exchange, Jo A-young led the way in her car. What struck me as odd was that the beast of an SUV she hopped into from the parking lot was just as rugged as mine. Sure, she was bigger than average for a woman, but it still seemed mismatched for a young girl.
She caught my stare and gave an embarrassed smile.
"My bro's kinda overprotective. Insisted on this for safety."
"Ah, gotcha..."
Sounded like he doted on his little sis. I'd probably do the same with a sister that hot.
Our two cars pulled out of the lot. Jo A-young guided us to the spot.
It was fancier than I'd pictured, but I wasn't the old Dungeon Management Office drone anymore. Lunch tab? No sweat.