Chapter 39
Chapter 39
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Date
-----------------------------------------------------------------
♪~
♬♪~
Inside the cafe.
A beautiful classical melody drifted through the air.
The tranquil atmosphere and leisurely patrons made for a peaceful weekend afternoon.
*Vvvmm-.*
[Do-jae~ Thank you for coming~ I just really took a liking to you, that’s all.]
"Hah…"
Do-jae let out a sigh.
*Gulp-.*
He moistened his dry mouth with an iced Americano.
He had already drunk half his coffee, but his date still hadn't arrived.
‘Should I have said I’d come?’
The message was from the woman he had saved from being pickpocketed.
She had repeatedly insisted on introducing him to her daughter, asking him to meet her just once, but he had always refused.
However, the woman, seemingly having no intention of giving up, had pleaded and begged.
Eventually, she had even called him.
After ten minutes of back-and-forth, of her pleading and his refusing.
Impressed by the persistence of a true Korean mother, he had finally relented.
‘I wasn’t thinking much of it, but now that I’m here, I’m nervous.’
Until he had arrived at the cafe, Do-jae hadn't given the blind date a second thought.
He had been in a few relationships in the past, but they had all ended badly.
His brother came before love, and work came before romance.
As a result, even the women who confessed their feelings for him never lasted more than a year.
‘I’ll just make some small talk and then leave.’
Perhaps because of that, Do-jae still had little interest in dating, even now that his circumstances had improved.
Soon, he would have to look after his brother and move to the suppression zone.
His plan was simply to keep the mood pleasant enough not to embarrass the woman, and then make his exit.
So why were his palms so sweaty?
*Click-clack-.*
The cafe door opened, and the steady sound of heels approached the counter.
The time on his smartphone screen read 4:10.
‘She’s late. Looks like she’s not that interested either.’
Do-jae felt a sense of relief, thinking his date wasn't keen on this either.
If neither of them wanted to be here, things would wrap up much more quickly.
He thought about stopping by a figurine shop if he had time afterward.
He had recently gotten a nice display cabinet for his home, after all.
‘The new Metallic Hero series was pretty impressive. Maybe I’ll pick one of those up…?’
*Click-.*
Do-jae’s eyes widened.
And the woman, just as surprised, covered her mouth.
"Eun-hee…?"
"...Do-jae?"
***
Do-jae sat in a much more relaxed posture.
His tension had vanished, and his voice was noticeably softer.
"I never imagined it would be you, Eun-hee."
It had been a long time since Do-jae had seen Jeong Eun-hee of the Hunter Association.
After their brief conversation at the Seoul Regional Hunter Administration, Do-jae had joined the Suppression Corps, so they’d had no chance to meet.
Besides, he had been in Gaeseong the whole time, so a chance encounter was out of the question.
"I know. I never would have guessed you'd be sitting here."
Eun-hee replied with a bright smile.
Just moments before—before she had walked into the cafe—her expression had been ice-cold.
She was already busy and stressed, so how could she be in a good mood when her rare weekend was being spent on a blind date?
If it weren't for her mother's persistent nagging, she would have been sleeping soundly in her bed.
But after realizing her date was Do-jae, she was grateful to her mother.
"You didn't know it was me? Your mother didn't tell you?"
"No, she offered to show me a picture… but I said I didn't want to see it."
Eun-hee hadn't been curious about who her date was.
She had planned to just have a quick cup of tea and leave, anyway.
Do-jae, on the other hand, was equally uninterested but had received a photo.
However, it was a photo of her back, so he couldn't recognize her. His date's mother had promised to send a picture of her face later but must have forgotten.
"What a coincidence. To think the woman I helped was your mother, Eun-hee."
"My mom got help from you, Do-jae?"
"Yes, though it was a little while ago."
Do-jae briefly explained what had happened that day.
The story of him catching the pickpocket.
And how he had coffee with her mother afterward.
And how she had kept insisting he meet her daughter ever since.
After hearing the full story, Eun-hee’s face flushed.
"My mother can be so meddlesome…"
"It's fine. If I'd known she was your mother, I would have made sure she got home safely."
"Thank you on her behalf. And let me apologize for my mom bothering you so much."
"Haha, not at all. Thanks to her, I got to see you again."
"Oh? Ah…"
Eun-hee took a sip of her coffee.
Then she changed the subject.
"So, how have you been? I haven't seen you in the dungeons lately."
"I enlisted in the Suppression Corps. I've been in the Gaeseong suppression zone this whole time."
"The Suppression Corps?"
Eun-hee was a little surprised.
Compared to being a hunter, the Suppression Corps was all hardship with pay that was hardly attractive.
Knowing that Do-jae was always tight on money, Eun-hee found it a bit strange.
"I'm looking for someone. The problem is, I don't even know who that person is yet. Haha…"
"But if you were in Gaeseong… congratulations. I saw it on the news. The suppression was a success."
"It's not completely over yet. I think I'll be in Gaeseong for a few more days."
"Still, you worked hard."
They continued to chat casually, catching up on each other's lives.
Before they knew it, an hour had passed, and their coffee was gone.
"How about we go get something to eat? You haven't eaten yet, right? My treat!"
Though it was a bit early, Eun-hee suggested they have dinner together.
She wanted to talk more, and she thought it would be nice to have a drink with their meal.
"Sounds good. I had a late breakfast, so I was just starting to get hungry. Let's go."
***
"Hey, hey, Hyeon-jae. They're going somewhere!"
"Huh? Probably going to eat. It's almost dinnertime."
"Hmm. They seem to be getting along. Laughing and everything."
"If they are, that's great. Should we sit here a little longer? These chairs are nice and comfy."
*Glare-.*
Song Ji-yoon shot him a sharp look.
Yuk Hyeon-jae sighed and put down the book he was reading.
"Ugh, what is it?"
"Hey, let's go."
Song Ji-yoon shot up and grabbed Yuk Hyeon-jae's wrist.
Then she dragged him out of the cafe.
"Where are we going?"
"Shh. Keep it down, you idiot."
Song Ji-yoon hunched over.
From a dim alley, she peeked out, only her head visible.
"What is it?"
"What do you mean? We can't get caught."
"Don't tell me you're going to follow them?"
"Isn't it obvious? I have to make sure he does well at dinner, too!"
After watching for a while, Song Ji-yoon stepped out of the alley.
The two figures were visible in the distance.
She began to follow them, slowly maintaining her distance.
After about ten minutes of walking?
The pair entered an old building.
"Tripe hot pot on a first date? Whose idea was that?"
The distinct smell of tripe and the sharp scent of chili powder wafted out of the building.
Yuk Hyeon-jae's mouth watered, and he subtly rubbed his stomach.
"Wow… smells good."
"...Hey. Are you hungry?"
"A little? It's about that time."
"Yeah? Is that so. I see."
"Huh? See what?"
*Thump, thump-.*
Song Ji-yoon strode forward purposefully.
Where to?
The tripe hot pot restaurant.
"Hey, hey!"
A panicked Yuk Hyeon-jae tried to grab her, but it was too late.
*Jingle-.*
"Welcome. How many?"
"Two."
"I'll show you to your table. This way…"
"No, we'll sit over there."
As the server tried to lead them to a table, Song Ji-yoon pointed toward the back of the restaurant and spoke firmly.
"Ah, yes. Please sit wherever you're comfortable. What would you like to order?"
"A large hot pot, please."
After taking their order, the server left. Song Ji-yoon and Yuk Hyeon-jae, completely hunched over, crept to their seats.
A spot in the very back, hidden by a large pillar.
Only after they were seated did the two let out a sigh of relief.
"Whew! We weren't seen."
"You're insane. Of all the madmen I know, you're the maddest."
"What? Mad*man*? I'm a mad*woman*, thank you!"
"Is that really important right now?"
Soon, side dishes were laid out, and a large pot brimming with bright red tripe hot pot was brought to their table.
The stew, already having been boiled once, began to bubble invitingly as soon as the gas was lit.
"Aren't you eating?"
Yuk Hyeon-jae placed a hearty piece of tripe on the rice of Song Ji-yoon, who was glued to the pillar, staring intently at one spot.
But she didn't even glance at the tripe.
"Ah, screw it. Whatever happens, happens. Excuse me, a bottle of soju, please."
Yuk Hyeon-jae flagged down a passing server and ordered soju.
Since the deed was done, he figured he might as well relax and enjoy himself.
***
A quiet residential area.
A neat alley with no cars, high walls, and elegant pine trees visible beyond them.
The atmosphere alone suggested it was a very wealthy neighborhood.
And at its entrance, a handsome couple was stepping into the alley.
"Thanks for walking me home."
"Not at all. I lost track of time listening to you, Eun-hee."
"Oh my. Was I talking too much? I feel like I was the only one talking."
"Not at all! It was fun."
After their meal, Do-jae and Eun-hee had gone for a light walk, and before they knew it, they were near her house.
The small conversations they hadn't been able to have before had brought them much closer.
"Oh, by the way, did your move go well?"
The housewarming party they had talked about when they met at the Seoul Regional Hunter Administration.
Focused on the Gaeseong suppression, Do-jae had completely forgotten her invitation.
"I'm sorry. The move went well, but I forgot. Actually, my brother is getting out of the hospital in a few days. We were planning a small celebration party. Would you like to come then?"
"Really? Yes, I'll go!"
Eun-hee answered without a moment's hesitation.
For a second, she winced, worried she had spoken too eagerly.
Fortunately, it was dark, and Do-jae was looking down the alley, so he didn't see her expression.
"Then I'll contact you… But, hahaha… I don't have your contact information."
"I have your number, Do-jae."
"Huh? How do you have my number?"
Several scenarios flashed through Eun-hee's mind before she came up with the best answer.
"We keep the numbers of hunters who frequently participate in raids on file."
"That makes sense. Alright. Please send me a message."
Eun-hee's heart pounded in her chest.
She had lost count of how many times it had done that today alone.
Calming her racing heart, she spoke.
"Okay. I can get home from here. Get home safe."
Eun-hee gave Do-jae a slight bow, then demurely disappeared down the alley.
Do-jae watched until she was completely out of sight.
Then he turned in the opposite direction and murmured quietly.
"You can come out now."