Growth in Progress ①
Now that the morning training session had become part of my daily routine, I introduced Myoa to Sehyeon.
“From today onward, call her Jin Myoa, the one who’ll be training with us in the mornings.”
Sehyeon’s face twisted in obvious discomfort as he kept his distance from Myoa, the way someone who’s shy avoids eye contact with strangers.
Myoa felt that same distance, no doubt.
“Myoa, stop hiding behind my back and come out here.”
“But that person is Sehyun-nim! Someone like me could never be worthy of being scouted by him······!”
Myoa clearly knew who Sehyeon was.
Sehyeon was an S-rank hunter and a well-known figure in the industry.
Still, the situation made conversation difficult.
Similar types attract similar types, I suppose.
All the participants had the same personality—introverted, passive, reluctant to act.
Here, I’ll have to play the bridge role properly.
First, I should try convincing Sehyeon.
I stepped back a little and pulled him aside into a quiet corner for a private word.
“Hey, Seol Siha. Who’s that? You just added a new member without even asking me?”
“If I asked, you’d refuse, right?”
“Of course I would. You know I’m terrible with women!”
After all, forgiveness is easier than permission.
Bluff your way in and then ask for forgiveness.
That’s the unwritten rule among ball friends. Or so the saying goes.
“Her name is Myoa. She’s a hunter trainee whose ability I’m going to assign.”
“What?”
Sehyeon stared at me with wide eyes.
“It’s all your fault. You never believed in my ability, that’s why.”
I intended to prove the power of Affection’s Touch myself.
By turning Myoa into a proper hunter.
“Don’t include me in your plans, okay······!”
“What, why not? This is a great chance. Might as well practice interacting with women while we’re at it.”
Sehyeon was the type who kept walls up around women.
Time to activate those dormant romance cells.
“I’m perfectly fine with just you······.”
“Your excuses are getting lamer by the second. I’m your ball friend. Do you only treat me like a woman at times like this? Hey, you idiot.”
I poked him in the side.
Then, with my arm slung around his shoulders, I walked over to Myoa.
“Myoa, this is Lee Sehyeon. You already know he’s a hunter with some fame. My friend.”
“Waaaa······!”
Myoa’s eyes were fixed on Sehyeon in pure awe.
She looked exactly like a fresh-faced new student facing a senior.
“Myoa, you can get closer. It’s fine. He won’t bite.”
“Really? Can I shake hands?!”
“Of course. Here, give me your hand.”
I puppeted Sehyeon like a marionette.
Soon I had the stiff, wooden Sehyeon shaking hands with Myoa.
“Waaaa, I even shook hands with an S-rank hunter!”
Myoa melted into an ecstatic expression, her beanie twitching wildly.
The cat ears hidden beneath it were clearly reacting.
I’ll have to keep the cat ears secret.
By the way, Myoa also has a tail.
She hides it wrapped around her waist.
With this state, it won’t stay hidden for long. Whatever.
Sehyeon would probably ignore it anyway.
He had a woman—me—beside him.
“Anyway, from today we’ll be training as three. Let’s do our best toward our individual goals.”
Sehyeon still had a blank, unreadable face.
The expression of someone who wanted to ask What’s my goal?
I silently gave him a thumbs-up.
Myoa was adorable. A hyper-shoujo.
Having a woman around lit the fire of motivation in a man’s heart.
Myoa seems to like him······. Hmm. Not bad. Actually, pretty good.
As Sehyeon’s ball friend, I can vouch that he’s a good man.
He might look like a cold city guy on the outside, but he’s warm with his woman.
If their relationship develops from here, I’ll have played the role of love’s cupid.
Ah, what to do. I even need to start planning the wedding speech.
Even if it’s shameless, it’s too entertaining.
I chuckled proudly, like a kid who’d remembered a good deed.
Sehyeon, don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility for your marriage.
I solemnly swore while staring at him.
///
One week had passed since Myoa joined.
For some reason, I was complaining to Sehyeon.
That guy’s reactions toward Myoa and me are completely different. Mean, mean, mean.
I had to admit it.
Sehyeon was a perfectly fine mentor as a senior hunter.
But the favoritism was too obvious.
“Myoa-ssi, when manifesting your ability, it’s better to imagine a strong image. Preferably something that leaves a vivid impression.”
“Yes, yes! I understand!”
“Myoa-ssi’s ability is Concentration of Destruction. Concentrating all power into one point instantly, right?”
Day by day, Sehyeon grew gentler with Myoa.
He reminded me of a mentor who cherished a promising disciple.
I felt left out.
He never gave me advice like that······.
It wasn’t jealousy of Myoa.
I was simply hurt by his discrimination.
I wanted to become a hunter too.
Yet Sehyeon was cold to me and sincere to Myoa.
The sky-and-earth difference in responses made me furious.
Myoa’s rapid growth is probably part of it too.
Myoa’s skill had grown noticeably in just a week.
From stumbling over multiplication tables to suddenly mastering factorization.
Her growth was impossible to miss.
In some ways, even Sehyeon was amazed.
Her self-confidence seems to have recovered. Good.
Watching Myoa made me happy too.
It was like a gamer feeling proud of a well-grown character.
Affection’s Touch had clearly played a big part.
It was a collaborative masterpiece of Myoa’s effort and my ability.
“Producer-nim! What are you doing alone?”
Moreover, Myoa had a kind heart.
She even took care of me, who was like an outcast.
I could’ve been left alone in the shadows.
“I’m taking my own rest. I like places like this, shady. Ehehehe.”
“Producer-nim, come this way. Sehyun oppa is lonely.”
No, that male would be better with you.
But if Myoa called, I had no choice.
I pretended I couldn’t win and stood up.
With big, deliberate steps, I made my presence known.
Then I intentionally clung to Sehyeon.
I needed some attention too, you idiot.
I sent him a telepathic glare.
“Siha, you······. What are you doing? Why are you sticking to me?”
Sehyeon looked flustered.
Like a suspicious person caught using the stall next to the urinal in an empty men’s restroom.
“What? Why?”
I replied curtly and leaned against him.
I pushed my head against his back like an angry bull.
“If you have complaints, say them.”
“No complaints here. Completely fine. Why? Jealous? The thief is afraid of the owner?”
“Are you starting a fight?”
Sehyeon pressed down on my head.
“Aaaaaak! Don’t! If the growth plate closes, you’ll be responsible? Are you saying you’ll be responsible?!”
“It wasn’t me who closed it. It was already closed, right?”
“Shut your mouth!”
Kwaduk. Emotionally I bit my own finger.
Tsk, tsk. I dirtied him with my saliva.
“You crazy bastard, what nonsense!”
The atmosphere was turning chaotic.
Myoa, watching from the sidelines, wandered her gaze.
“I-I’ll go buy something to drink from the convenience store. Please rest comfortably!”
Myoa gave up and fled.
Now I was alone with Sehyeon.
“Ya, Seol Siha.”
Sehyeon called my name, but I ignored him.
I wanted to provoke his interest.
“Don’t tell me you’re jealous that I get along well with Myoa?”
“Are you crazy?”
Wrong target. Assumption was unnecessary.
I shot at him sharply.
It’s fine to cling a bit with Myoa.
I support my ball friend’s romance business.
But I won’t neglect friendship.
I need your attention too.
You’re the only friend I have.
“Then why are you so down today.”
I pouted and vented to Sehyeon.
“You said it’s better to imagine an image when manifesting ability.”
“What?”
“Why don’t you give me that advice? Only to Myoa.”
I was aspiring to be a hunter too.
It was mean to only teach Myoa well.
I’m your only close friend.
“······So that’s why you’re pouting.”
“You’re funny. I’m not pouting.”
“Idiot. You can tell I’m pouting just from the tone of your voice.”
Sehyeon muttered as if it was obvious.
Like a cat with raised fur reacting to anger.
“Yeah! Let’s say I’m pouting! Then why are you discriminating against me?”
“Not discrimination. Different situations.”
“What situation? Ouch!? Ahuhu!”
Sehyeon pulled my cheek.
Violence. At this point, he was tormenting me.
“Then, will you try imagining an image when manifesting your ability?”
“That’s easy.”
“You, do you remember what you said about your own ability to me?”
It was simple.
The ability that made you stronger the more I liked you.
“Ah.”
Only then did I realize. My lips trembled.
My face flushed instantly.
“So when using your ability, what image will you imagine?”
“······.”
“No words? Idiot. Apologize to me quickly.”
No easy answer came out.
I didn’t want to press the self-destruct switch.
But this was my winning hand.
Mutual destruction might be better.
In other words, you die, I die.
“You, imagine the scene of marrying me?”
You said it earlier, right?
An image that leaves a strong impression is good.
This time it was my turn to counterattack.
I’d engrave the same number on you.
“Let’s do a friendship marriage! Anyway, you’ll die old and virgin. I’ll specially dedicate myself. E, ehaha! Since we don’t hate each other. If you imagine the situation of marrying me, the ability will······ ehehehe.”
I blurted out anything.
Then reality check came.
The aftershock from my pointless bravado was fierce.
So embarrassing. Better to self-destruct like this.
I felt like exploding.