Because I Wanted a Girlfriend (2)
"......"
I woke from sleep.
It felt incredibly soft and cozy, yet my body was utterly exhausted.
Ouch.
My tongue stung badly. And to be precise, the rest of me was fine, but my lower back and everything below it ached with a deep soreness.
It was like suddenly putting muscles I never used through a brutal workout. I'd trained hard and built a decent body, so this was a first.
Slowly, I turned to look beside me.
Hannah was lying right there next to me.
Gulp.
Unlike when we'd first met yesterday, her blonde hair spilled loose across the pillow, and the blanket barely managed to cover her bare skin.
I did it.
Last night, on our first date, we had ended up spending the night together in this luxury hotel room.
"Hah......."
With the woman of my dreams right in front of me, all I could do was sigh.
I hadn't even been drinking, yet I'd acted like something had possessed me. I hadn't been in my right mind at all. It shocked even me — was I really that lacking in self-control?
It definitely hadn't been all that late when we started, but I think we finally collapsed into sleep around four in the morning.
What now? First date, and we'd already, well, borne fruit.
The satisfaction of sleeping with a beautiful woman, the sense of conquest — none of it put my anxiety to rest. It wasn't as if I'd approached her with this as the goal in the first place.
But would she even hear me out if I tried to explain myself now?
"Mmm.... you're awake?"
"Hannah?"
A faint sweat was breaking out on me when Hannah woke up. Her sleepy eyes and drowsy voice carried an oddly sensual charm.
"If you're tired, sleep more. Today's a day off anyway."
I said it with as much consideration as I could muster. But a creeping sense of guilt kept me from saying anything more.
"I'm fine. But......."
Hannah looked at me, then suddenly pulled the blanket up and curled herself into it. With the fabric drawn all the way to her chin, she said:
"I thought I was going to die last night."
"Ah......."
I knew full well she was a woman I should never treat carelessly, and yet deep into the early hours I'd been closer to a beast in heat. Saying it was because she was gorgeous and her figure looked even better up close wouldn't have been a very adult thing to say.
What am I supposed to say here?
I couldn't read Hannah's thoughts at all, so I had no idea what the right words were. Every woman I'd known used to smile in front of me, only to tell me later that none of it had ever been sincere.
"Um."
"Mmhm... how about we wash up and get something to eat first?"
"Ah — yes, sure."
Hannah had beaten me to the punch.
Let's just assemble the sentences in my head slowly, one at a time.
I ordered room service and decided to shower first. Even under the water, my mind was a tangled mess.
Back in Korea, here in America — dealing with women was hard wherever I went.
"......"
So I waited for Hannah to finish washing up. The conclusion I'd reached in the meantime was simple: when it came to this conversation, delay was only going to make things worse.
"Sorry, I should've gotten up earlier and put on some makeup."
"No, don't be silly."
Hannah said it while drying her hair. She barely looked any different from when I'd seen her in the car yesterday — what was there to apologize for?
But her tone was noticeably brighter than yesterday. Maybe that was why I suddenly felt a surge of confidence.
"Hey, Hannah."
"Yes?"
I finally decided to say what was on my mind.
"Don't misunderstand."
"Misunderstand what?"
"That I see you as something casual or—"
"......"
"I genuinely want to be with you, seriously......."
I should have kept going, but Hannah had stopped drying her hair and was staring straight at me, and I panicked without meaning to.
Had I just said something I shouldn't have?
"PWAHAHAHA!"
"Huh?"
Out of nowhere, Hannah burst out laughing.
"You really are a strange one."
"......Haha."
Unable to follow her emotional wavelength, all I could do was smile awkwardly.
"Were you worried I'd demand you marry me or take responsibility or something?"
"What? No, that's not it."
"Then what's the problem?"
"Ah, well...... it's just, no matter how you look at it, this was our first time alone together, and I brought you here. I was afraid you'd think I saw you as an easy woman."
"Hmm, and what misunderstanding might that be, I wonder."
Hannah said it with a coy, teasing lilt. We didn't seem to be communicating all that well, but she didn't look upset, at least.
"You don't honestly think I'd ask you to only look at me, do you?"
"......Sorry, what?"
"Do you have any idea how remarkable you are?"
Having finished drying her hair, Hannah went on.
"I was genuinely shocked the other time. You didn't have to step forward at all, and yet you threw yourself into that raid ahead of everyone else. It was really something."
"That's just...... I'm a Hunter."
"Not something just anyone would do."
I had joined a raid I'd been told I could skip, and it had succeeded. Though I had no idea it would earn this kind of reaction from Hannah.
"You're embarrassing me, saying all that."
"Hm, you didn't have much experience with women back in Korea, did you?"
"No, and that part's even more embarrassing."
I scratched my head, sheepish. It stung to admit, but hiding my romantic history would have looked even more pathetic.
"My father has been married four times."
"Ah......."
"My mother was his third wife. He's stayed on good terms with all of them. His current wife is five years older than me, and she still sends me gifts from time to time."
"Hahaha. That's impressive."
Only after hearing Hannah out did I understand what she meant. A successful man keeping several women around wasn't considered strange in her world.
It was certainly every man's fantasy, I'll admit that much.
But.
There was something more urgent than that on my plate. Hannah held me in surprisingly high regard — that puzzled me, but I'd set that mystery aside for later. No reason not to enjoy it.
"Hm?"
When I approached without a word, Hannah tilted her head, smiling into my eyes. There was something I had to say to her.
"Hannah, stay by my side from now on. Not just as my secretary — as my woman."
And so I made my confession, both too late and right on time.
Who would have thought I'd be the one chasing a bed companion, in this day and age.......
Hannah held my gaze for a long moment, then answered with a smile.
"The honor is all mine."
Relieved, I laughed along with her. What did it matter what we called this relationship, as long as she was beside me?
"A little more power, everyone!"
Paul Royce, our raid leader, called out.
The gate that had appeared in San Diego — an A-Rank, and a high-tier one at that — was ours to clear. Even if it was on the easier side for our level, we never let our guard down to the very end.
"We got it!"
"Easy. Too easy."
Only after we'd cut off the boss's breath did my teammates start flexing and posturing.
"Honestly."
I couldn't help laughing at the absurdity of it. Come to think of it, this was my tenth raid with this strike team, wasn't it? Time really did fly.
"Great work, everyone!"
"Royce, how about you buy us a round this time?"
"Yes, absolutely!"
The raid was over, and it was time to head back. As always, we decided where to gather for drinks the next day and parted ways. A few of my more jovial teammates liked to say that a night out with the crew came second only to a night out with a hot woman.
I felt much the same. Time spent with comrades-in-arms was good — but there was something even better.
"Hannah."
"Welcome back, Dohyeon."
"I don't think I've seen that outfit before?"
"Bought it yesterday. Does it suit me?"
"It's beautiful."
I was about to tell her that everything suited her, but even in America that line felt worn out.
The office was never a suffocating place for me — not when a beautiful, lovely woman was waiting there.
"Was the team dinner fun last night?"
"It was. But time with you is better."
"You're hopeless."
"Come here."
When I spread my arms from my chair, Hannah stepped in and let me hold her. Having her settle onto my lap like this, wrapped in my arms — these moments were pure joy. So this was what I'd been missing back in Korea.
Ah — well, to be fair, Korea didn't have a Hannah.
"We should go on another date soon."
"I'd love that. I'll make you even happier, Dohyeon."
"Hahaha, really? I'll look forward to it."
"You should. Although......."
"Hmm?"
"There's something I need to report."
Her voice had suddenly dropped low — this had to be something important. But with her sweet scent and soft skin pressed against me, I was still half-lost in the dream.
"We'll be heading to Washington D.C. soon to join up with the US 2nd Strike Team."
"The 2nd Strike Team?"
"That's right. We have regular exchanges with them."
"That doesn't sound like it's just for the sake of camaraderie."
"Joint training — or you could call it a competition."
"Hmm......."
Business was business; I couldn't exactly grin like an idiot in front of a beautiful woman over this.
The 2nd Strike Team, huh.
The 1st Strike Team, deployed across the nation and on overseas expeditions. The 2nd Strike Team in the East. The 3rd Strike Team in the West. So a meeting of the 2nd and 3rd meant East versus West.
Why did this feel ominous?
"Dohyeon, you're in a good mood today."
"Hahaha, am I?"
The day after arriving in Washington D.C., I met up with the 3rd Strike Team in the American capital, where the Hunter Association's headquarters stood.
How could I not be in a good mood? Another date with Hannah in Hollywood, and then just days later, last night, a night spent in a gorgeous hotel in Washington D.C. Dating a woman and seeing her regularly — who knew it could be this much fun?
I was almost anxious about being this happy lately. I really had been living my life wrong back in Korea. They say a man needs a woman — who was it that called that an outdated idea again?
"Dohyeon, let me say this up front — don't take it too personally."
"Sorry, what?"
"It's been a few months since I've seen the 2nd Strike Team, and some of them are real troublemakers."
"......"
Troublemakers? Whatever. I'd seen plenty of Hunters who just wanted to throw their weight around, even back in Korea.
"It's been a while, Brooks."
"Ah, you're looking good, Paul."
We met the 2nd Strike Team, and a rather scruffy-looking middle-aged man shook hands with our raid leader.
"And who's this? A new face?"
"Ah, this is Hunter Lee Dohyeon — our 3rd Strike Team's S-Rank, and, hahaha, the most reliable comrade I've had in ages."
"Lee Dohyeon."
"Yeah, yeah."
The middle-aged man looked me up and down. How tall was this guy? He had to be over two meters. And with that massive back and build, he looked like a pro wrestler.
"Don't know who you are, but don't disappoint me... Asian teenager."
"......"
"Brooks. What exactly do you think you're—"
"It's fine."
Paul Royce tried to intervene, but I could see he was wary of the man. No doubt about it — this one was seriously strong.
So it's the same everywhere.
Judging people at a glance, underestimating them. Plenty of people back in Korea had dismissed me for being young, too. In the end, no matter where you went, you had to prove yourself.
But that — proving myself — was exactly what I did best.