Chapter 24
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Most Famous Divorcee in Korea (5)
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"My head isn't broken, and I'm not particularly stupid. However..."
The reality was that the week Park Jungwoo had endured was more than enough to drive anyone else completely insane.
Even in the hunter world, where laws and morals were applied with loose standards, the weight of the word "rape" was far from light. Chae Seoah knew of three incidents in just that one week alone. Add in the ones Moon Hayeon hadn't mentioned, and it came to four.
Even once would be enough to break most people, yet he showed no signs of breaking. He acted as if nothing had happened—eating meals together with them, laughing, and cohabiting just like normal.
"What should I even call it..."
A complicated expression crossed Chae Seoah's face. She'd met countless people while working with the Vigilante Corps, but she'd never encountered anyone quite like him, so no fitting description came to mind.
"After that incident earlier, she seemed a little scared of me..."
Clink. The sound of the teacup being set down on the glass table rang out loudly. With a calm expression, Yang Jihee fiddled with her lips.
"But once the clan talk came up, she acted like nothing had ever happened. And she didn't seem excited by the idea of being victimized, either."
Even to her, with her keen eye for reading people, Park Jungwoo remained an utter mystery.
Dreaming of founding a clan was something anyone could do.
But if the prerequisite for achieving that dream was coexisting with the person who'd just fucked her without any consent whatsoever, it would be normal to at least show some hesitation.
"Y-yeah. We... we'd be scary, wouldn't we..."
Under the influence of Seeding, they were people who could lock her up anytime they wanted. And yet, all he showed was a hint of fatigue or annoyance—he wasn't afraid.
"At first, I thought he was some twisted freak, but then the mall incident happened, and that didn't fit."
Just a week ago, he'd been someone far removed from fights or conflicts, yet he'd thrown himself at a dagger. He'd risked his own life to save another.
That might fly for a comic book protagonist. But Park Jungwoo was a real, upstanding person. Unless he was completely unhinged, he seemed ordinary—and actually was, to a significant degree.
She couldn't shake the sense of wrongness.
"...That said, I can't take back what I said. I meant it when I told him it would be great to found a clan."
Yang Jihee fiddled with her hands in her lap as she spoke. She looked up at Chae Seoah and Moon Hayeon.
There was no way she could discern in just one night of sex and a few conversations what these two, who'd spent far more time with her, couldn't.
"Y-yeah. Jungwoo... he's k-kind."
Too kind—that was the problem. Moon Hayeon mumbled in a nasally voice, her nose buried in her wrist. Kind. As if it were that simple.
"Honestly, it doesn't feel like something we should be worrying about..."
At Chae Seoah's words, the other two—who each had their own guilty spots—clamped their mouths shut. Even a cat worrying about a mouse has its limits.
The conversation ground to a halt. They sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
Finding an answer to a worry with no easy solution took longer than waiting for Park Jungwoo to return from the bathroom. They sipped their tea as if nothing had been said.
"What were you all talking about? It was so quiet."
Park Jungwoo's face was much—much—brighter now. When no one even glanced his way after he sat down, he tilted his head with a puzzled expression.
"We weren't talking about anything. The clan leader isn't here, so we couldn't decide anything on our own."
"Ah...!"
Clan leader. His already bright expression lit up even more. Who knew what was going through his mind. A beaming smile spread across his face as he clenched his fists on his lap.
Yang Jihee pulled out her phone from her pocket. She tapped the screen a few times, then stood up.
"Mind if I sit next to you for a sec? There's something I want to show you."
"Sure! Go ahead!"
He answered in a bright voice and even scooted his butt over to make room.
Yang Jihee glanced at Moon Hayeon and Chae Seoah. Meaningful looks were exchanged, and Park Jungwoo scratched his cheek.
"...You aren't sitting?"
"Ah, just a moment."
Yang Jihee stood, moved to his side, and sat down. Even as she sat pressed right up against him, he didn't startle—instead, he just craned his neck to peer at the phone.
"Here, take a look..."
She spoke in a soft, measured tone as she showed him the screen. It was a page detailing clan registration procedures. Park Jungwoo nodded along continuously as she explained.
Subtly, Yang Jihee's hand came to rest on his thigh. He flinched in brief surprise, then blinked slowly.
No other reaction followed. He simply shifted his body slightly to the side, trying to shake off her hand.
A mix of unease flickered across Chae Seoah and Moon Hayeon's faces. How long this troubling feeling would last was anyone's guess, but now that they'd noticed his oddity, they couldn't just ignore it.
"Basically, it'll cost about this much."
"Oh, that's not too bad. Hmm..."
He picked up the phone and checked things out. Alternating between the two screens, he smiled brightly and nodded.
"It's a bit tight, but I think I can cover it!"
"...Pardon?"
"Pardon?"
Even as Chae Seoah voiced her confusion, Park Jungwoo just looked baffled, as if wondering what the question was. The faintest crack appeared on her usually impassive face.
"...Ah. I got some money from the Vigilante Corps last time. I was saving it in case I needed it somewhere, and this seems perfect."
"Usually, everyone chips in when founding a clan, Park Jungwoo-ssi."
It wasn't about his ignorance of the custom. It was just... the way he so naturally assumed all the responsibility and payment fell on him felt utterly alien all of a sudden.
"Ah... then we can all pitch in together. I was stressing about how tight it'd be after paying my share..."
Moon Hayeon's eyebrow twitched. Yeah. That was the problem. He wasn't dumb enough not to think ahead, and yet he acted this way anyway. If anything, it made him even stranger.
"Right? We can figure that out later anyway. There's more pressing stuff to decide right now."
We can figure that out later anyway. Park Jungwoo stared at her blankly, unaware of the emphasis she'd placed on those words.
Yang Jihee just smiled softly and deliberately set the phone down on the glass table with a loud thunk.
"We should start with the clan name."
"Hmm..."
Everyone wore troubled expressions at her words.
Most clan names were based on their office locations. Some followed their activity purpose, and for small clans, basing it on the leader's nickname had become a trend.
For example, Korea's most famous clan, Dangsan Clan, got its name from being near Dangsan Station. The Vigilante Corps fell into the second category.
But the clan they were forming wasn't big enough to need an office, and they had no specific purpose.
The third option? No way in hell. None of them wanted to join the "Small Dick Clan."
"Then maybe something cool and fitting would work."
Chae Seoah offered a standard suggestion. Hearing that, Moon Hayeon suddenly let out a soft hih of laughter before speaking up.
"How about... Crystal Clan?"
"Crystal... It's cool, but..."
Park Jungwoo glanced at Moon Hayeon. With her nose buried in her wrist and her other hand lightly rubbing her lower belly, he had a hunch it might not be "crystal" she had in mind. He slyly turned his head away.
"Crystal's fine, but something with more impact would be better. That way, it's easier to remember."
Heh heh. Yang Jihee let out a small chuckle, and Park Jungwoo unwittingly let out an impressed "Oh."
"For example... um, how about Transparent Tiger?"
His admiration vanished in an instant. This served as yet another reminder that even perfect people can't excel at everything.
The discussion dragged on for so long that evening was fast approaching.
Finding a compromise wasn't easy, so all four of them were half-collapsed on the sofa, faces pale with exhaustion.
Park Jungwoo was in the worst shape. He was sprawled halfway across the sofa, eyes half-closed from the two women who kept eyeing him hungrily and tapping his knees.
"Then, we're settling on this one, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Y-yeah, my head's fried... can't think anymore..."
"That sounds good..."
He was so worn out that even Chae Seoah was drawling her words. Park Jungwoo let out a deep sigh and held up his phone. Amid the many memo'd candidates, he found one name.
"Alright. Then, the name of the clan we're founding is..."