Promotion Celebration Party (1): Booze at My Childhood Friend's House
After my promotion to B-rank was confirmed in a flash, I hurried to the nearby mart to grab the essentials for the drinking party. Most of the list would probably just be filled with soju and beer, but since it was likely to double as dinner, buying a decent amount made sense.
"...With Eunyoung-unnie there, maybe I should stock up extra."
Thinking of her made me lean toward buying generously. Sure, she wouldn't get blackout drunk no matter what, but better to have too much than run short.
As I mentally sorted my shopping list, someone from behind grabbed my wrist.
"Oppa, all alone?"
"......"
I'd taken the alley shortcut to speed things up, away from the main road. Who knew I'd run into this kind of hassle—a back-alley thug girl clinging to me like that.
Should've just taken the long way on the big street.
The girl, with her skin tanned gal-style and multiple piercings, the type they call a Tanning Delinquent Girl, stumbled toward me messily.
"You look kinda lonely at first glance. Wanna grab a drink? Us lonely folks gotta stick together, right?"
She hit me with a cheesy pickup line out of nowhere, her tongue stud flashing silver as she rambled on.
"Don't need it. Buzz off."
"Aw, c'mon, you know you want to—why play hard to get?"
Disgust surged in my chest as she casually slung her arm over my shoulder. Sure, my tastes ran broader than the average guy's when it came to women, but that didn't mean I'd fall for just anyone.
Especially not pushy types who went straight for physical contact. They were my least favorite, personally.
I'd dealt with enough of them in high school; no way I wanted more entanglements in life.
And if I had to nitpick, she wasn't even my type looks-wise.
"Got someone to meet. Leave me alone."
"Aw, lying again~? C'mon, let's hang out."
"Even if I didn't, you're not my type."
"Hah, damn, this guy's pricey."
I felt slight pressure from her hand gripping my shoulder. She probably figured a guy like me—tall and muscled or not—couldn't fight back without an awakening ability.
"Hey, sleep with me once, I'll give you 200,000 won. Deal?"
"......What?"
"I don't usually go this far, but you caught my eye. 200k for the night—sound good?"
This fucking bitch thinks I'm some callboy?
Sure, I had sex with women to earn awakening points, but I didn't stick my dick in just anyone for cash.
I peeled her left hand off my shoulder and gripped her fingers tight.
"Oh, 200k sounds tempting... Ah, aaak! Aaaah!!"
Her pained scream echoed through the alley.
"I told you nicely to fuck off. Who the hell you calling a gigolo, you bitch."
"Aaak! You fucking bastard!!"
"Think every guy in the world is under you just 'cause you got some half-assed awakening? Pick your targets before starting shit."
"Aaaak! Ack!!"
As I squeezed harder, her screams grew louder.
Figuring she'd gotten the message, I let go roughly.
"Ahh, shit... What kinda guy has a grip like that...."
She rubbed her fingers, glaring irritably. Too bad—she didn't seem ready to back off like I'd hoped.
These types never gave up easy; they'd push for their goal no matter what.
Alley was empty anyway. If push came to shove, I'd have to beat her off.
"Even if you offered a billion won, I wouldn't fuck you. Got it? Now scram."
"......What'd you say?"
"Dick in your ear or something? No time for trash like you, idiot."
She was clearly no real hunter, so I taunted her outright. I'd learned soon after getting the Hunter Libido Manager ability: it could tell hunters from non-hunters.
Non-hunters showed a locked heart instead of points—like the twins, who weren't hunters "yet."
Translation: this chick probably couldn't even take a proper D-rank monster. Perfect for provoking an overreaction.
They only wise up after a beating.
"...You fucking piece of shit!"
As expected, rage boiled over at my mockery. Faint blue energy gathered around her fist.
She was really pulling her awakening over a rejection from a guy? Charging at me in fury, I dodged casually—
Thud.
A steel gauntlet shot from the side, grabbing her fist mid-swing. Her body froze mid-air like it hit an invisible wall.
"......Huh?"
Her furious face went blank and stupid.
The hand blocking her belonged to someone radiating endless purple energy.
"Kang Hyeun?"
"...You fucking bitch."
I called out to my childhood friend, but she seemed too pissed to hear, spitting cold venom at the thug instead.
Then she hurled the delinquent's body skyward.
"......Huh?"
The girl floated dumbly with a mix of shock and confusion—before slamming limply into the wall.
"...Kahak!"
She hit the ground hard with a crash, groaning in agony.
...But sadly, her pain didn't end there.
"Aaaah!!"
Hyeun, now fully cloaked in purple aura, charged straight at the pinned thug.
"Kuaak!"
Sandwiched between the wall and Hyeun's body, the girl screamed again.
"Y-You goddamn fucking bitch!!"
"Kahaaak...!!"
"Who the hell are you to mess with my Taekyung, you fucking slut...."
"Hey, Hyeun! Calm down first!"
It was just a shield charge minus the shield—a body slam—but with her purple aura flaring endlessly, each hit packed a wallop even without one.
I yanked her back from behind before she could ram the wall-trapped girl two or three more times.
I'd planned to lay the thug out myself, but not this mercilessly.
Before it escalated into real trouble, I pulled the berserk Hyeun to a stop.
Was she always this quick to throw hands?
A strange feeling bubbled up at this unexpected side of her I'd never seen.
"...Huh? T-T-Taekyung?"
"Stop, stop! You'll actually kill her!"
"Ah, yeah...."
Only then did she snap out of it, barely halting her charge.
"...Hiiik, f-f-fuck...!!"
The thug who'd clung to me limped frantically out of the alley.
"......"
"......"
The mood hung heavy as just me and Kang Hyeun remained in the dim alley.
"Why the scary face? Relax, Hyeun."
"Yeah...."
She averted her eyes, remembering her outburst.
"How'd you know I was here? This isn't on the way from the office to home, right?"
"The mart you always hit for shopping... it's right around here."
"Huh?"
"Thought maybe I could carry your bags if you were okay with it...."
She'd seen my Kotalk message and detoured home, planning to shop together.
"T-Taekyung, about earlier...."
"I get it. You got worked up 'cause you were worried about me, right?"
"Y-Yeah...?"
"I'm not an idiot. You think I'd peg you as some random violent psycho from that? No need to explain—I got it."
"R-Really...."
"Even if you hadn't stepped in, I'd have done something similar."
Eunyoung-unnie might warn against flashing abilities everywhere, but that applied to normal situations. When the other side started it and used theirs first, countering was fair game.
If anything, I was grateful Hyeun saved me the effort. No time for lectures now.
Plus, a fresh B-rank like me schooling an A-rank on ability use? Hilarious picture.
"Since we bumped into each other, wanna shop together and head back?"
"S-Sure?"
"Make up for that missed outdoor date. I was too busy to even see you last time."
"Y-Yeah!"
Her face lit up instantly, nodding eagerly. I took her hand and stepped out of the alley.
By the time we'd shopped and reached my childhood friend's house, it was already late evening.