Feeling Left Behind (2)
"…You were a hunter trainee? You?"
Cha Yuri tilted her head, reacting to my casual confession.
"Yeah, and for quite a while at that."
"Ha, but Sungcheol, you're a guy…."
"Is there a law saying guys can't be hunter trainees?"
"Of course not, but…."
In this world, male hunter trainees were just as rare as male hunters themselves. Hunting was practically a women-only profession anyway. Any guy with a sound mind wouldn't dream of becoming a hunter.
There were two main reasons male hunters were so scarce. First, men simply couldn't wield awakening abilities. Second, even those who'd trained their bodies to hunter level had no reason to bother—guys could make way more money doing something else.
A rookie D-rank hunter might spend all day hunting to bag ten goblins, but a guy could just fire up a cam stream, dance for the camera, and rake in far more cash. Especially since hunting paid better than it cost, but male cam shows operated on a whole different revenue scale. With decent looks or acting chops, you could even pivot to celebrity or modeling gigs.
That was the typical endpoint for a guy who'd maxed out his physical training in this world. So naturally, Cha Yuri stared at me like I'd said something bizarre.
"…For real?"
"Don't believe me? Ask Hyeun or Mina. We went to the same hunter training middle and high schools."
"…Yeah, I think they mentioned going to school with you."
She rubbed her chin, nodding as some old memory surfaced.
"I first dreamed of becoming a hunter at ten. That's when the monster wave hit our abandoned village, and I lost my parents."
"…You were a victim of that incident too, Sungcheol."
"It's old news now—just hits me with a pang of sadness sometimes."
"……."
Cha Yuri looked flustered by my sudden tragic backstory, but I brushed it off and kept going.
"More than the grief of losing my parents or the despair of fending for myself, what burned hottest back then was revenge."
"Revenge against the monsters that killed your parents?"
"More precisely, against the world that let the wave happen and couldn't stop it. I was just a kid, after all."
Looking back, it was pretty ridiculous—my rage aimed not at the monsters themselves, but at the system that doomed my parents. Maybe because Eunyoung unnie had already wiped out the culprits, leaving my anger with nowhere to go but sideways.
"The direction was a bit off, right?"
"…You could see it that way, but I don't think it was weird."
"The real issue was clinging to that childish mindset for twelve whole years. Making it my stupid goal to become a hunter no matter what."
"……Twelve years?"
"Yep, twelve."
Her eyes widened again at the absurd length of my trainee days.
"Mornings started with strength training, strict meal plans, school for hunter knowledge and aptitude tests—which I always failed, being a guy."
"……."
"Middle school wasn't so bad. My base fitness gave me decent mock battle win rates, and I focused on reading opponents for counters. Even beat Mina a few times."
Though I never once beat Hyeun. She was dead serious in spars—my tricks and dirty moves stood no chance against her.
Noticing Yuri listening intently now, I dove into my high school lows: the only unawakened guy in a school of hunters and trainees. Easy prey in that environment. My previous life's memories kept my sanity intact; an average guy would've cracked under the relentless lust and scheming.
I felt shame, sure—but it was for my weakness, not the sexual stuff. That faded by sophomore year anyway.
Yuri's eyes softened with pity after hearing it all.
"…Sorry. I had no idea, and here I was whining about my petty crap in front of you."
"No need to apologize. That wasn't the point anyway."
"……Huh?"
Using my pain to invalidate hers would've been shitty. I shook my head.
"What I'm saying is this: You might feel behind right now, but as long as you don't give up, you'll catch up—and surpass them."
"…The conclusion feels off somehow."
"But I went through all that and never quit. Now look—I'm a proper B-rank hunter."
"Well, your example does make it convincing…."
Of course, Eunyoung unnie and Hyeun's support let me focus solely on awakening. Yuri could get the same stability with a pillar of her own.
And there was only one person for that job.
"Plus, you've got a weapon no one else does."
"…Huh? You mean this staff?"
"Nah, not that."
I pointed at myself as she tilted her head in confusion.
"I'm your one-of-a-kind weapon, Yuri."
"……What?"
"While other hunters age out and eye retirement, you won't have to worry. Because I've got you covered!"
"Wh-what are you even…."
"Ten years, twenty—I'll handle your libido forever. No retirement from age for you. You'll go further than anyone."
Her face flushed crimson.
"…Don't say stuff like that so casually."
"Huh?"
"Keep building expectations like that, and I'll start deluding myself…."
"Deluding yourself how?"
"That you'll really stick by me forever… that kinda stupid fantasy."
She mumbled like a mosquito, shrinking back.
"Who says I'm not?"
"D-don't lie… I can tell it's just sweet talk."
"No clue how amazing you think I am, but I'll be by your side forever. Unless you get sick of a slut like me first and dump me."
"…I said that won't happen."
I hoped she'd buy my sincerity, but even partial belief was fine. As long as she didn't ditch me first, we'd keep this mutually beneficial setup—scratching each other's itches.
"…You didn't get drunk off one beer, right?"
"As if."
⁎ ⁎ ⁎
After a late chicken lunch, we strolled the riverside path for about thirty minutes. Digesting, cooling the buzz, chatting idly.
Nothing heavy—old movies, outdated songs, canceled shows. Useless nostalgia, but sharing it built rapport, deepened our bond. Meaningful time.
Hand in hand, trading dumb stories, we wandered—until a love hotel by the river caught both our eyes.
"……."
"……."
Our gazes locked on it. Without a word, we headed straight there.
Time to quench the pent-up lust.