Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: A-grade Helper (3)
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Having made his first real friend, Cha Su-ho chatted endlessly with Won Tae-il until Jin Seong-hyeok asked if he'd forgotten about heading to the Center Director's office tomorrow.
It was only at dawn that Cha Su-ho finally lay down in bed. As he replayed their conversation in his mind, he burst into laughter. Jin Seong-hyeok spoke up in disgust.
'What's so great about talking with another guy.'
"Another guy? He's my friend."
Jin Seong-hyeok let out a deflating snort.
'Both of you are just kids.'
"Is that your way of saying you're enjoying getting old?"
'You just barely started crawling.'
Cha Su-ho burst out laughing.
"Jin Seong-hyeok."
'What.'
"It's amazing. When you think about it, everything good in my life is thanks to you. I never imagined this before. I only saw your face on the news, but who would've thought you'd end up inside me like this."
'I never dreamed I'd end up in an F-grade Helper's mind either.'
Both of them burst into laughter at the same time.
"That's why I have a question..."
Cha Su-ho hesitated before continuing.
"Jin Seong-hyeok, don't you feel stuffy in there? Don't you want to eat something or do something..."
'No.'
Cha Su-ho's gaping mouth slowly closed at the firm tone.
'I like it like this. Living under constant observation from others made me want to die, but now that I'm the observer, it's pretty fun.'
Jin Seong-hyeok was always the one under scrutiny. Everyone watched, monitored, and guarded him. Every gesture, every word was the object of attention.
Compared to those hellish days that had driven him to the brink of suicide, being in Cha Su-ho's mind felt like paradise.
Watching Cha Su-ho was entertaining too. No need for hollow emptiness or suffocating pressure.
Jin Seong-hyeok chuckled softly.
'So don't worry about me. This is perfect for me right now.'
"...Jin Seong-hyeok."
'If you're really worried, like I said before, stop watching porn and let me handle the real thing...'
"Time to sleep. Good night."
Cha Su-ho cut him off as if he wasn't worth responding to anymore and closed his eyes.
In the depths of his mind, he could almost hear Jin Seong-hyeok's laughter. Cha Su-ho's lips curved into a smile as he drifted into deep sleep.
Beep beep beep. Beep beep beep.
The alarm rang what felt like moments later. As Cha Su-ho lay there unwilling to get up, Jin Seong-hyeok clicked his tongue.
'Get up.'
Even at Jin Seong-hyeok's words, Cha Su-ho just pulled the blanket higher.
'Planning to be late to the Center Director's office?'
At the mention of the Center Director's office, Cha Su-ho's eyes snapped open.
"Oh... today!"
'The day all the A-grade Helpers gather there.'
Cha Su-ho sprang out of bed like a coiled spring at Jin Seong-hyeok's precise reminder.
"I'll get ready!"
Just as he rushed into the bathroom, finished showering quickly, and came out...
"Cha Su-ho! Let's go!"
Won Tae-il's voice came from outside the door. Cha Su-ho asked in surprise.
"You're already ready?"
"Ready? What's there to prepare? We just go. Hurry up and open the door!"
"Wait a sec!"
Cha Su-ho quickly grabbed his Helper uniform and put it on before opening the door.
"Let's go."
The two headed side by side to the Center Director's office. As they got closer, tension colored Cha Su-ho's face, but Won Tae-il remained perfectly calm.
Upon entering the Center Director's office, one of the director's secretaries, Seo Yo-seop, greeted them.
"Seo Secretary! Long time no see!"
Seo Yo-seop smiled warmly at the cheerful greeting.
"Helper Won Tae-il, you look as fit as ever today."
"What can I say, I'm always the same."
As Seo Yo-seop exchanged greetings with Won Tae-il, his gaze shifted to Cha Su-ho.
"Hello, Helper Cha Su-ho."
"Hello."
Seo Yo-seop smiled at Cha Su-ho's awkward grin and said to them both.
"Please head into the inner conference room."
Opening the door to the conference room Seo Yo-seop indicated, they saw someone sitting there. Tanned skin, muscular build, buzzed hair. He looked like a soldier. Spotting Won Tae-il, the man waved.
"Kwon-oh hyung!"
Won Tae-il called out happily and rushed over.
"Hyung! It's been too long!"
"I've been so busy lately. Sorry. Were you bored alone?"
"What, I'm always bored."
Cha Su-ho stood back watching them when his eyes met Won Tae-il's.
"Ah, hyung! Introduce yourself. This is Cha Su-ho! Same age as me."
At Won Tae-il's words, Kwon-oh's gaze turned to Cha Su-ho.
"Hello, I'm Cha Su-ho."
Cha Su-ho bowed. Kwon-oh stood from his seat. Seeing him up close, Cha Su-ho couldn't help but be shocked. Kwon-oh's body was so solid, he could pass for a physical-type Hunter rather than a Helper.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Yoo Kwon-oh."
Kwon-oh extended his hand. His outstretched forearm bulged with muscle from all the training.
"Please take care of me."
Cha Su-ho shook hands lightly and glanced at his own arm. It was exactly half the size of Kwon-oh's.
'Exactly half.'
Annoyed by Jin Seong-hyeok's pinpoint comment, Cha Su-ho grumbled.
'I know, got it. I'll start working out today too.'
'Good thinking. I know a thing or two about training.'
Jin Seong-hyeok kept talking after that, but Cha Su-ho tuned him out.
"I heard. You went from F-grade to A-grade."
The rumors had spread everywhere; everyone they met already knew. Cha Su-ho found it fascinating.
"If you need any help, feel free to ask me or Tae-il anytime."
Unlike his tough-guy image, Kwon-oh was calm. Polite and kind too.
A-grade Helpers seemed to have that unexpected charm. Kwon-oh's looks didn't match his personality, and Won Tae-il only looked like a thug on the outside—inside, he was pure and soft.
That made Cha Su-ho curious about the last A-grade Helper.
Airin, was it? The one with an SS-grade Hunter boyfriend.
As Cha Su-ho rummaged through his memory, Jin Seong-hyeok exclaimed as if remembering something.
'That guy? The lunatic who skips boss-grade monster sweeps because his girlfriend's sick. I think his girlfriend's an A-grade Helper.'
Skipping missions because his girlfriend was sick?
'Must've been something serious.'
'It was a cold.'
'...Maybe the flu. Couldn't move...'
'Just a light cough from a cold.'
Cha Su-ho blinked for a moment before asking Jin Seong-hyeok in shock.
'And he still skipped...?'
'That's tame. There's the guy who said not to call him for emergency summons the day before and the day of his girlfriend's birthday to prepare.'
To Cha Su-ho, who had never been in love, it was incomprehensible, but he couldn't criticize.
'Must be a huge romantic.'
'Here comes the romantic.'
'Huh?'
The conference room door burst open.
"It's the A-grade Helpers meeting~"
Everyone's gaze turned to the door at the cutesy voice.
"It's dangerous if you go alone."
"It's just coming to the Center. You're too overprotective."
A man entered with his arm around the waist of the curt woman. They screamed couple vibes.
The cute-looking woman greeted Kwon-oh and Won Tae-il warmly.
"Hi, Kwon-oh oppa. Tae-il too."
Kwon-oh waved lightly in response.
"Long time no see. Eun-woo doing well?"
"Yeah, hyung."
Eun-woo's sharp eyes scanned the room coldly before landing on Cha Su-ho. Won Tae-il quickly spoke up.
"Ah, this is the new A-grade Helper joining us. Same age as me, Cha Su-ho! Say hi, Cha Su-ho. This is Airin noona and Eun-woo hyung. Eun-woo hyung's an SS-grade Hunter."
Who would've thought the lovestruck Hunter Jin Seong-hyeok mentioned would look so normal—no, handsome enough to pass for an idol.
Unlike Airin in her white dress, Eun-woo was all black. A long sword was visible inside his calf-length jacket.
Eun-woo's main weapon as a physical-type was a sword. A family heirloom demon-slaying blade.
Eun-woo's demon-slaying sword had a special ability: even mutated monsters wouldn't regenerate if beheaded by it—they died for good.
Airin stepped forward and greeted Cha Su-ho.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Airin."
"Hello. I'm Cha Su-ho."
Eun-woo scanned Cha Su-ho from head to toe like he was sizing him up.
"I'm Lee Eun-woo."
As if he had nothing more to say to Cha Su-ho, Eun-woo took Airin and sat down. The conference room fell silent just as the door opened again.
"Everyone's here."
A deep, resonant voice. Cha Su-ho knew who it was without looking. The Center Director.
"Hunter Lee Eun-woo came with Helper Airin again today."
"We're practically one body."
Airin lightly punched Eun-woo's arm with her fist.
"Eun-woo, I told you not to say that outside! Sorry, Center Director."
"It's fine. It's heartwarming."
The Center Director laughed heartily. He knew well that the two were inseparably in love.
"Hello, Center Director."
"Center Director! Long time no see!"
Unlike Kwon-oh and Won Tae-il greeting cheerfully, Cha Su-ho stiffly bowed his head.
"Hello."
The Center Director's gaze turned to Cha Su-ho at his voice.
"Yes. Nice to see you all together. Please sit."
Won Tae-il, who had been standing, sat quickly and gestured for Cha Su-ho to do the same. Sitting beside him in a daze, Cha Su-ho stared at the Center Director in the head seat.
After their last private meeting, Cha Su-ho wanted to keep his distance. He couldn't shake the feeling that Jin Seong-hyeok's presence in his mind had been exposed.
But unlike before, the Center Director didn't pierce him with his gaze. Just as Cha Su-ho thought that was a relief...
"I gathered you all because there's something to discuss."
The eyes behind his glasses were clouded with worry.
"With reports of increased boss-grade mutated monsters in the Evil Zone lately, Center 1 and two others from Branch 1 conducted a sweep operation."
The World Hunter & Helper Association and governments divided the world into seven zones, each with a branch. Branch 1 was Asia. It included Center 1 in Korea, Center 2 in Guangzhou, and Center 3 in Kyoto.
The Center Director glanced at Kwon-oh.
"Helper Yoo Kwon-oh participated in that sweep."
Kwon-oh nodded slightly, and the Center Director continued.
"But the situation isn't good. Hunter An Ji-young missed the last one due to overload rampage, and Hunter Lee Eun-woo... because Helper Airin wasn't feeling well."
The Center Director spoke matter-of-factly, and Eun-woo acted like it was natural. Jin Seong-hyeok let out an incredulous chuckle.
'What a nutjob. Skipping sweeps again because his girlfriend's sick?'
Then came the Center Director's final words.
"So we're conducting another Branch 1 joint Evil Zone sweep. This time, all A-grade Helpers from Center 1, plus SS-grade Hunters Lee Eun-woo and An Ji-young."