Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: [Reality] What Do You Know Anyway!
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Did I just hear the word "oppa" come out of Ah-rin's mouth right now?
The nickname she only used back when we were close as kids.
'Did I hear that wrong?'
No matter how I thought about it, it felt totally out of place.
She'd been glaring at me like she wanted to kill me just a second ago, and now suddenly "oppa"?
Right around the time I was wondering if maybe she wasn't actually mad,
tap, tap, tap.
Ah-rin's index finger started drumming rhythmically on the table,
"Hey."
and she called out to me.
Nope, she's fucking pissed.
That's the habit she has when she's really furious.
Like a pro wrestler-turned-celebrity flicking their tongue.
Guess that "oppa" stuff really was just my imagination.
Her eyes were screaming murder, so my brain must've glitched out, flashing my life before my eyes or something.
"Yeah, what?"
"That stuff the girl just said. Variant gate? Twin-Headed Minotaur? What the hell does that mean?"
"Oh..."
Come to think of it,
I hadn't told her yet.
About my awakening.
Of course, it wasn't like there hadn't been opportunities to say something.
But I just hadn't wanted to tell Ah-rin first.
'No point. She'd just give me shit about it anyway.'
What if I told her I'd awakened as an F-rank or E-rank?
She'd laugh in my face, calling it a joke, saying what kind of hunter is that, pure trash.
Telling me not to get ahead of myself and crash and burn, spitting curses left and right.
What if it was C-rank?
She'd call bullshit, or lecture me endlessly about not getting cocky just because I got lucky with a decent awakening.
Either way, it'd be exhausting.
So I'd planned to keep it secret from Ah-rin and tell Mom first.
'Unlike her, Mom would be happy to hear I'd awakened...'
Probably...
Even a worthless son who'd gotten kicked out for jerking off with his little sister's panties and told never to come back—I figured if I succeeded as a hunter and returned, Mom would be thrilled.
If I made it big properly, gave her spending money, bought her nice food, maybe things could go back to how they were. That vague hope.
And thinking about how Mom had sent Ah-rin over with side dishes and stuff, checking up on me—it felt like she was leaving room for reconciliation.
But...
Now that I thought about it...
'I haven't even told Mom yet?'
I hadn't told any of my family.
Am I fucking insane?
Sure, I'd been busy as hell.
After awakening, I'd been hyped up, bouncing between comic worlds nonstop.
Rolling around in there, mining, smashing monsters, getting hooked on the growth high.
Jumping between worlds messed up my sense of time, so I forgot a bunch of stuff.
The closest thing was posting my C-rank certification on Hunter Gallery when I registered?
Told the Hunter Gallery degenerates but not my family?
That post to get attention was the only time I'd announced my awakening to anyone?
Realizing it now, it was ridiculous.
First thing, I'd call Mom when I got home.
I'd only texted her lately out of guilt, and she hadn't replied, but...
This time, I'd man up, call properly, apologize for that day, and spill everything.
But more urgent was the ticking time bomb right in front of me.
Looking at a genuinely fucking furious Ah-rin for some reason, I put on an awkward face,
scratched the back of my head, and said,
"Yeah, well... that's how it happened. Ended up awakening as a hunter somehow."
"...When did you awaken?"
"Not long ago. About two weeks? Got registered already, and now I'm a C-rank hunter."
I watched her reaction as I spoke.
Would she be shocked?
Not believe it?
Or laugh?
But after saying it, there was barely any response.
"A few days ago..."
She muttered it once, let out a thoughtful hum—that was it.
Her slender, pretty fingers still tapping the table.
"Okay, so you're a C-rank hunter now. What's this variant gate? It just opened near the house, right? Nothing to do with you?"
"Oh, that. After awakening, I quit the convenience store gig. But the boss wouldn't pay my wages. So yesterday I went to get my money and..."
"Hold up? That's new to me. Weren't you still working there? And he didn't pay you at all? You said yesterday was payday."
"Uh..."
He didn't even match minimum wage, skipped holiday pay and all that.
But saying he paid nothing at all was a stretch...
Even if the boss was a dick, explaining it—I'd quit on the spot without notice, so I wasn't exactly innocent.
We were both shitty, so let's gloss over it.
"No, I did quit the job. Anyway, I got money yesterday, so it's like I got paid. And we're not close enough to share that kinda stuff."
"...So?"
Her voice sharpened even more.
Sweltering summer, but it felt chillingly cold for some reason.
"So I went to the store, and out of nowhere, a gate popped up—super unlucky. Not just any gate, a variant one, no grace period, monsters swarmed out right away. Pack of wolf pups and shit. So what could I do? Gotta survive. Good thing I'd awakened, so I flexed a bit. Took out all the wolves, saved some other people."
"..."
"Then the boss monster showed up at the end. Handled that too, somehow. Got a little banged up, but that healer helped out. That's it."
I skipped summoning Erika.
Too complicated to explain, and she wouldn't believe it anyway.
Just fudged it vaguely.
Explanation over.
"...That's everything?"
"Yeah. That's all."
"How bad were the injuries?"
"Uh... just a bit?"
"A bit? A biit?"
Her voice pitched up sharply at the end.
"You told that healer you survived thanks to her. Said you'd have died without her. She said you were bleeding buckets. Even after healing, she was worried about aftereffects. And that's 'a bit'?"
Ah-rin grilling me relentlessly.
'Fuck.'
I'd half-assed the greeting and slurped my coffee, thinking she wasn't paying attention.
Turns out she'd been listening intently from the side.
I'd downplayed it to avoid worrying Mom...
Now it felt like I'd been caught lying.
Which I kinda had.
"No, but I got healed and recovered fully. So it wasn't that serious."
"Ha... You call that talking sense...? Whatever. Why tell me now?"
"Huh?"
"The awakening. The gate. Almost dying. Why now? Why hide it?"
"No, I wasn't hiding it on purpose... Just slipped my mind somehow."
"Slipped your mind? Are you fucking crazy?"
Ah-rin's voice shot up.
Naturally, people around started looking over, but she didn't give a shit and kept ripping into me.
"There's other stuff to forget, not this! What are you, a goldfish? Noodles for brains? Becoming a hunter's no joke—it's life-or-death. Gate breaks out, you nearly die, and you don't tell family? Kept your mouth shut? Why didn't you say anything when I came by yesterday?"
"No, I recovered fine, no injuries left, I'm good. Didn't wanna worry you..."
"Worry? You idiot. You think finding out from the news later would worry us less? Or would an obituary text be better?"
"That's a bit harsh."
"Harsh? You think I'm in the mood to go easy? Are you even sane?"
Ah-rin glared at me, breathing hard, her eyes a little red.
A slightly teary expression.
Angry? Worried? Both?
Guess I'd been too casual about it.
Even if I'm a shitty, hated brother, nearly dying and hiding big news...
From a family perspective, it'd hurt.
"Sorry. Really. Bad timing. Was gonna call Mom today."
"...Whatever. Like you ever think things through."
"..."
Fucking nothing to say.
Better shut up till she cools off.
After a brief silence, Ah-rin spoke again.
"So."
"Yeah?"
"Who was that girl?"
"You heard everything. The healer who helped me. Kim Min-ji."
"If she just helped out, you're not that close, right? She'd heal anyone injured. So why were you grinning like an idiot?"
"Who? The healer?"
"No, you. You."
She pointed right at me.
"Talking to her, your mouth was ear-to-ear. Drooling like a fool. Looked like you were in heaven."
"Nah, no way."
When did I do that?
Just happy and grateful to my lifesaver, that's all.
Honestly, yeah, I was kinda thrilled.
What guy wouldn't smile getting a pretty girl's number?
And I managed my expression perfectly, right?
I'm a damn good actor—got skills in that department too...
Ahem, anyway, weird name or not, I've got acting-related skills now.
No way I'd slip up on that.
"Bullshit. You were grinning like a retard. Fucking pathetic."
"Watch your mouth. What's that about your brother being pathetic?"
"Just stating facts. And why's she inviting some rando to party up? You, of all people?"
"She knows my skills. I cleared everything from that gate solo. You can tell from the scene."
"Skills? Hilarious. Nothing's free in this world. Normal to team up with a stranger right away? Especially hunters?"
"No, she helped me. Saved my life. I said I handled it alone. Even let me take all the loot after splitting. You think someone's scamming after that?"
"Who knows! Can't read people's hearts. Might act nice then stab you in the back. What if you show up and hunters swarm you, tie you up, beat or threaten you? You think you're hot shit? Awakened and suddenly untouchable?"
"God, why twist everything? B-rank healer's loaded, no reason to scam a newbie like me."
"That's why! Easy mark! You look like a total sucker!"
"What the fuck? Sucker? You done?"
Now I was getting pissed.
Insult me all you want.
I deserve it, no argument.
But Kim Min-ji the healer? Pure good intentions.
Sure, she didn't want the penalty herself.
But I'm no S-rank or chaebol.
Just a middling C-rank scrub—why would a B-rank healer bother scamming me?
Pure slander.
'This fucking bitch.'
Couldn't tolerate trash-talking the kind woman who saved my life.
"Fuck? Fuuuck? Who'm I doing this for? I'm worried about you! Getting organ-harvested or dying like a dog!"
Thought I couldn't take it anymore.
But hearing it was out of worry... the rage boiling over cooled a bit.
Not all gone, but mostly.
"No need to worry. I'm not that weak. Plus, the healer's got my back."
"Healer's got your back? Bullshit. You protect her—tanker's open, remember?"
"DPS sub-tank. And I've got durability to spare."
"Big talk, idiot. What if you get hurt? Die? She taking responsibility?"
"Easy dungeon, she said. Won't die! I'm actually pretty capable. You just don't know."
"Why believe her over me? Just saying be careful, don't trust blindly. I'm your sister—she's not?"
"No, but..."
"You bewitched or something? Pretty face got you dumb?"
"It's not like that! Why treat me like a horny dog?"
"That's exactly how you're acting! Right now!"
"Why so hostile to someone you just met? What do you know about Kim Min-ji? First time seeing her!"
Tried talking calmly, but no dice—frustrated, I yelled without thinking.
Ah-rin's face hardened.
Yeah, bitch, I can yell too?
Staring contest started.
Her face flushed redder by the second, breathing ragged.
Panting hard, glaring, then suddenly she shot up.
"Fuck it. Whatever. Fuck off."
"...Huh?"
"Go get scammed, die, do whatever. Useless telling you."
"Hey! Ah-rin! Where you going all sudden!"
"Home."
No fucking way, just like that?
As Ah-rin headed for the cafe door, I sat stunned, then yelled late,
"What about shopping! You were gonna pick clothes!"
She froze at my shout.
Shoulders shook a bit, then she whipped around and snapped,
"Ask your precious healer to pick. Kim Whatever, so nice, right? Go cry to her, she'll help."
Then stormed out without looking back.
Slamming the door, bells jingling wildly.
"What the fuck..."
Utterly ridiculous.
Left all alone, spacing out.
What the hell was the problem? Rewinding the convo in my head.
Whispers from nearby tables.
"That table just broke up, I think."
"Guy's face says he fucked up."
"Overheard—he became a hunter, trying to meet another girl?"
"Cheating with that face? Real psycho."
"Piece of trash."
All kinds of bullshit.
These fuckers.
First sibling fight they've seen?
Glared, they shut up.
Hunter mention got 'em scared?
Looked away, back to whispering.
Fucking exhausting.
Sudden headache hit; pressed my temples, massaging.
[Massage] and [God's Hand] eased it some.
"No... she offered to help first..."
My sister, but no clue which tune to play.
Happy all day, mad, sulky, cursing, worrying.
What the hell does she want from me?
Bipolar?
Or on her period?
Do I gotta track that too?
Mad I didn't take her side?
She worried out of care, but I sided with a stranger?
Still, storm off like that?
"Haa..."
Sighed deeply, sipped the rest of my coffee.
Bitter.
Some say life's so bitter this tastes sweet—mine's just bitter.
Guy's a pretentious fuck.
Something like soju variants too.
'Anyway, now what?'
Need clothes.
No mood for picky shopping.
I'd just grab shit anyway.
This proved I got zero fashion sense.
'Fuck it. Head home.'
Hit Unicorn Claw like usual, snag some size-fit tracksuit, go home.
On the way, karaoke to destress, clear daily quest, chill, then Hunter Market.
Oh, first—call Mom when I get home.