Chapter 16: Dating Su-jin (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: Dating Su-jin (2)
Yu Min-hyuk’s days off were very simple.
He spent them with his family! Since his profession meant he could die and leave them at any moment, his time off was incredibly precious.
Unfortunately, his daughter said she was heading out today, but surely they could still have dinner together?
Should I make lamb steaks for dinner? Imagining a cozy family meal, Min-hyuk swung his daughter’s bedroom door wide open.
"Sweetie~ are you coming home for dinner tonight—?"
The moment Su-jin lifted a one-piece dress to inspect it perfectly coincided with the moment Min-hyuk burst into the room.
Min-hyuk had been a popular student back in his school days; he had plenty of dating experience and was quick on the uptake.
Usually, when Su-jin said she had plans, she preferred clean, simple clothes. Since she mostly wore casual outfits, "going out" usually meant nothing more than jeans and a hoodie. But today was different—far too different.
"A-Abba! Get out! Now! Why do you keep coming in without knocking!"
This was the same daughter who used to scold him for being "excessively cautious for family" if he did knock.
But now? She was screaming at him to get out.
Suspicion turned into absolute certainty in Min-hyuk’s mind.
The person my daughter is meeting today isn't a friend; it's a man.
A 'male friend'? He’d never heard of such a thing in his entire life. In a relationship between a man and a woman, contact only continues if at least one of them has feelings.
All men were wolves. That was a fact.
That was exactly how he had managed to get married, after all. So, continuing a relationship based purely on "friendship"?
Don't make him laugh.
"Sweetie... you even put on some... makeup today?"
To others, he might seem like a nagging old man. But what parent wouldn't pay attention when their child suddenly started doing things they’d never done before? Min-hyuk felt that if this conversation ended now, he would never get any information on the punk meeting his daughter.
"Ah! I just did a little, so what... Anyway, um... how is it? Does it look okay?"
"Of course you look beautiful. You're my daughter, after all..."
"R-really? Do I give off a bit of that fresh, first-love vibe?"
"Fresh first love...?"
At that moment, Su-jin realized she had made a slip of the tongue and hurriedly pushed Yu Min-hyuk out.
Min-hyuk couldn't offer any resistance. The words 'fresh first love' echoed in his head. Was this what it felt like to have your world come crashing down?
Kicked out, Min-hyuk slumped onto the sofa. He glanced toward his daughter’s room and saw the door was shut. Hearing the click, he realized she had even locked it.
He knew this moment would come someday, but perhaps he had been too careless. The shock was no joke.
...If my girl is happy, then it's okay...
But what if the guy dating his daughter was trash? What if he was a scoundrel who played around with every girl he met?
If that were the case, he intended to act without mercy. People blinded by love could make all sorts of wrong choices. It was a parent's duty to set them right.
I'll have to pay a visit to the school soon.
This was the resolve of Yu Min-hyuk: a man who had cleared S-Class Dungeons 17 times, single-handedly broke through a Mount Baekdu Gate Wave, and was a 1st-Grade Hunter among 1st-Grade Hunters.
*
My first date...
It wasn't exactly a fated encounter. Though they had slept together only a day after meeting, she didn't think it was a shallow relationship.
He’s not really a bad kid...
His first impression was a bit delinquent-like, but he had shown her a lot of gentleness after they were intimate. However, she was a bit bothered by the fact that he had gone to the restaurant with a pretty girl on his very first day of school—perhaps his looks were to blame.
But that girl clearly looked like she had a boyfriend.
She couldn't forget the look in the eyes of the shaggy-haired boy who was desperate to stay glued to that girl's side. Do I have eyes like that too? Those eyes had taught her exactly what it looked like to be full of affection.
Did I look at you with eyes like that? Everything was a first for Su-jin.
Usually, people date and then have sex. She knew they had reversed the order, but she didn't think it mattered. As long as they took the steps one by one, the order could change at any time.
Right now, she didn't have time to waste thinking about such things. What she should wear today was the most important issue.
What kind of clothes do guys like...
She felt a sudden resentment toward her friends, who, like her, had almost zero dating experience. I might not have any, but you guys should have had some! One of her friends even constantly wailed about needing a boyfriend immediately.
And the result? The one who had her first experience and her first date before anyone else was Su-jin. It was a classic case of the quiet cat climbing the hearth first.
A dress? He’ll like a dress, right?
Searching the internet told her that men liked a "pure and fragile" look if possible. She rummaged through her closet. She was sure she had something light and airy—then her dad walked in.
There was a brief commotion, but she definitely gained something from it. Looking at her dad's expression, it was a sure thing.
The fresh first-love vibe!
If she kept this up, Tae-yang was bound to fall for her instantly. Since they were hanging out near Victory Academy, even if something wanted to happen, it couldn't. It was the strongest district in the country, boasting a 100% safety rate. What variables could possibly arise?
Or so I thought, but I guess it’s never that easy.
Opening a Gate at a date spot was foul play. Without any special warning signs, the air split open, and Goblins began to rain down like water.
There were thirteen of them. The fact that the Gate vanished immediately was also strange. Usually, when a Gate collapses, the rift remains for a while. But this one had disappeared after dumping the monsters like a sack of trash.
Tae-yang has never been in a situation like this, so I have to protect him.
She was more than capable. Even she hadn't been able to do anything the first time she entered a Gate. She would help Tae-yang until he regained his composure, just as her seniors had done for her.
[Iron Blood activated! Your entire body is imbued with Iron Blood!]
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[Main Skill]
Iron Blood (???) :: The time I have lived is iron; the time I shall walk is blood.
A body tempered by blood and hide shall never betray you.
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A dark red light gathered in her fists. The power varied depending on the output, and she could adjust that output based on the effort she had put in so far. She could draw power by mortgaging her future, but that wasn't necessary against Goblins.
In an instant, the number of Goblins was rapidly thinning. She felt relieved that there were no civilian casualties yet.
On the other hand, she felt a bit sad. A woman swinging her fists while wearing a dress—wouldn't that make her less attractive?
I wish I had eyes in the back of my head so I could see you. Every time she saved someone, her fists were painted with more green blood. Would he think this is disgusting? Worries she would never normally have began to fill Su-jin's mind.
Regardless of her worries, the Goblins were being wiped out quickly. Their numbers were small, and since they had dropped right in front of her, the situation was being suppressed in no time.
The people cheered. They repeatedly shouted "Victory Academy," expressing their gratitude.
Only three Goblins left. Once I settle this, I’ll have to go buy new clothes.
Su-jin smiled bitterly.
At least I'm glad it ended quickly.
She was relieved. No one was hurt, and most importantly, Tae-yang was safe.
But was someone watching all of this?
"Kieeeek!"
"Kwek... kwek... kl... kung!"
"Chwik, chwik... chwik..."
The Gate she thought had vanished opened again, vomiting out more monsters. Unlike before, they didn't just appear in front of her; they popped out from all directions.
Twenty-one Goblins, fourteen Kobolds, and three Orcs.
Her assessment was fast, but her body couldn't keep up. The pressure of having to handle everything alone was a weight too cruel for a mere cadet to bear. A single mistake could mean someone's death; she had to prioritize whom to save.
She was already overwhelmed by her earlier worries, and now, with the added burden, Su-jin's movements were gradually slowing down. Her dress was a mess, as if someone had haphazardly splashed green paint on it, and her white stockings were torn in places.
If she increased her output, she could resolve this quickly, but there was a high possibility that civilians would get caught in the crossfire. Support skills? Su-jin only possessed close-range auxiliary types.
"Save me! Do something!"
The people who had been cheering from a distance when she was easily killing Goblins were now screaming. Begging for their lives, they became more selfish than anyone. The reason people can be considerate of others is that they themselves are safe.
But what if they aren't? What if a Goblin's club is about to drop onto their own head?
"Hurry up and save us! You're an Awakened!"
Hostility directed at a single person poured in from all sides. In terms of monster subjugation priority, it was right to take down the Orcs first. But what if a child died from a Kobold's arrow while she was fighting the Orcs?
What if a Goblin's club fell on an elderly couple while she was saving the child from the arrow? What if an Orc's axe cleaved through the mall staff while she was protecting the elderly couple?
Endless variables followed one after another.
She moved without rest, swinging her fists. She moved her feet. Sometimes she even shouted to draw their attention.
It was all temporary. Even if all the monsters attacked Su-jin at once, they couldn't defeat her. So, was there even a need for them to attack her? The monsters were cunning. Rather than fighting against overwhelming violence, they prioritized the pleasure of easily plundering lives.
"Save us! I said save us! Hurry! You're the one killing them! Why aren't you saving me first! Why!"
Tears blurred her vision. In less than three minutes since the monsters poured out of the Gate, the hallway had turned into a hellscape. There was only one savior, and the inexperienced cadet could only protect those within arm's reach.
The arm of a total stranger was severed. Someone tried to resist by swinging a mannequin, only to be instantly suppressed. Someone's life was about to end in vain.
Su-jin blamed herself for being unable to save anyone but the person right in front of her, no matter how much she moved.
Her vision grew hazy. I shouldn't do this, I can't do this, she repeated countless times, but she couldn't stop the tears from falling. People are dying because of me? Her emotions were like a wave, drowning her completely.
She despaired. A sense of helplessness wrapped around her body.
"Fuck! You damn bastards! All of it! It's all because of you!"
She saw a death rattle, a final desperate plea for life. She saw a Goblin's club about to put an end to someone's life.
"Senior, it can be like that for everyone at first. Don't blame yourself too much."
The back that had been frozen stiff until a moment ago now stood reliably in front of Su-jin. As the man with fluttering white hair touched his bracelet, every single monster was slammed into the ground.
"No one is going to die, so it's okay."
The man smiled brightly, as if telling her to forget everything that just happened. At that sight, Su-jin felt an involuntary sense of relief and burst into tears.