Impossible Intimacy
Kim Seol-bi was utterly confused.
'S-rank hunters can't have sex with regular people?')
It didn't seem like just a matter of poor strength control, where an S-rank might accidentally crush a normal human. Mana made it outright impossible.
"This can't be..."
Kim Seol-bi clutched her forehead.
"What's wrong? Don't tell me..."
Park Hye-na asked, looking utterly baffled.
"Your boyfriend's a regular guy?"
Kim Seol-bi snapped her head up and waved her hands frantically.
"N-no, we're not dating yet. It's just me who's... for now..."
Seeing her flushed face, Park Hye-na clicked her tongue.
"What's gotten into you? The great Kim Seol-bi. You could date anyone if you wanted. Who is this lucky regular guy?"
"No, I said we're not dating..."
"Even more shocking. He turned down Kim Seol-bi?"
"Well, it's like..."
Feeling the conversation turning against her, Kim Seol-bi shifted to the more pressing question.
"Is there really no way? No method for an S-rank hunter to... you know, with a regular awakened person?"
"He's a regular awakened too?"
Park Hye-na latched onto another clue and laughed. "Hohoho."
"This is hilarious. The national treasure Kim Seol-bi falls for a non-hunter first time ever."
"Is it that funny?"
Only after Kim Seol-bi puffed her cheeks did Park Hye-na continue.
"It's not completely impossible. There are two main methods."
"Two ways...?"
Kim Seol-bi's face lit up.
"You really want to sleep with him, huh?"
"N-not exactly, but you never know with these things..."
"Fine, I'll stop teasing. First method's simple: he grows stronger. Best if he hits S-rank, but even A-rank would make sex manageable."
"But..."
"Yeah, unrealistic. A plain awakened becoming S-rank? Pass."
Kim Seol-bi perked up her ears and swallowed hard, waiting for the second.
"Use a mana suppression ability..."
"Ah..."
She knew exactly what Park Hye-na meant from that alone.
Mana suppression ability. Plenty of hunters had debuff skills like that—for weakening dungeon monsters.
Reverse it on yourself, and sex with a regular awakened might work.
Still...
There were limits. She didn't have such a skill herself. That meant dragging someone with it into the bedroom with Kang Sung-gi. The mental image was absurd.
"I know what you're picturing. There are people who offer that service."
"They exist..."
Nothing was impossible in this world.
"But I doubt you'd hire one..."
Kim Seol-bi nodded vigorously. She'd consider it if desperate, but only as a last resort.
"Then?"
"Items exist. But they're insanely expensive just for sex, and their effects aren't fully proven."
"An item...!"
Kim Seol-bi's face brightened. Park Hye-na clicked her tongue again.
"Damn... you want it that bad?"
"W-well, not exactly..."
"Got it. I'll hook you up with a dealer. No rumors about you buying one, promise."
"Thanks, Hye-na. You're my lifesaver."
"Lifesaver? Anyway, who's this guy? Introduce us later."
Kim Seol-bi stayed silent. Just imagining introducing Park Hye-na to Kang Sung-gi ignited a fierce jealousy.
And someone had been eavesdropping the whole time.
His name: Park Hyun-jun. Fellow S-rank hunter, long obsessed with Kim Seol-bi.
Kim Seol-bi got a dealer from Park Hye-na who sold mana suppression items. She inquired right away, only to despair at the news: custom-made, minimum a week.
"Any way to get it faster?"
"As a VIP customer, we'll prioritize you. That's the fastest estimate—if it's done sooner, we'll call right away. Best contact times?"
"Anytime. Even at dawn—call immediately."
"Got it. We take half upfront... materials are pricey."
"No worries. Sending now."
"Aigoo, thank you! Hunter-nim! Honored to deal with someone I've always admired. We'll do our best!"
"Okay."
Kim Seol-bi hung up and sighed. A whole week. She hadn't expected ten-minute delivery, but this was far longer than hoped.
Hers was top-spec: 5 billion won. Unproven efficacy, not permanent. Too rare for tests—risk included.
She didn't stop there. Bought a shock-mitigator for S-rank sex too: 2 billion. Total 3.5 billion upfront, wired without batting an eye.
'If I can just have sex...'
She caught herself. 'Why am I like this?'
Never craved a man this intensely. Thinking of Kang Sung-gi, yesterday's unfinished business—passion and regret surged. That itchy groin feeling. She'd never understood the vulgar idiom until now.
'And I'm still a virgin.'
She knew sex in theory only. Less interested than peers, never desired unsatisfying partners. Hence, virgin at her age.
She stocked up groceries. Knowing his story explained his condition. She'd worried seeing him pass out on insertion—now it made sense.
First time cooking for a man, she grabbed nutrient-rich porridge ingredients and potions. Into her inventory, heading to his place—then spotted it.
A staple for mid-level hunters: mana measurer. Tracked growth, not just mana. Hunter office for precision, but this sufficed.
Hers gathered dust. Premium, near 500 million won—but S-ranks barely grew. Low-ranks surged; S-ranks hit limits at awakening. Unused since purchase.
Today, it caught her eye. Not baseless: since distant encounters with Kang Sung-gi, yesterday's skinship—energy surged, mood elevated. First time like this. Post-S-rank dungeon highs were minor, not this proud fullness.
She activated it casually.
'How'd it work again?'
Forgotten method recalled: palm on, infuse mana slowly. It remembered her last reading.
Beep beep beep.
Kim Seol-bi's eyes widened watching numbers climb.
"Huh?"
1.3% growth since last measurement!
"Wha...?"
Kim Seol-bi realized it then. Why she'd been so drawn to Kang Sung-gi.
Not baseless. Her mana, deepest instincts—craved him.