* * *
Not because of his abilities, but his face? What nonsense.
“What do you think is the most important factor when selecting a national hunter?”
“Isn’t it their abilities?”
“Yes. That’s important too. But just as important is their image.”
Shin Misook continued with a bright expression as Do Hajun looked baffled.
“Ridiculous, right? But this strategy works surprisingly well with humans. Imagine beautiful and handsome people wearing the national hunter uniform. Just standing there would increase trust, right? Not only that, but more people would want to become national hunters. In the long run, it helps a lot.”
“Oh, yes…”
“And the same goes for you. So, try to smile more.”
“Oh, thank you…?”
Do Hajun, confused about whether he should feel grateful or not, showed a hesitant expression.
Shin Misook smiled brightly at the perplexed Do Hajun.
“The adult Lee Cheongmyeong is handsome, but the child Lee Cheongmyeong is cute.”
“That and the press conference now—”
“Trust me. Even lion or tiger cubs look harmless when they’re young. Of course, showing just the face isn’t enough. You need to demonstrate your excellent caregiving skills as well.”
Can this really work?
“The show is ready. When Lee Cheongmyeong used his skill recently, you immediately succeeded in controlling it. Proving that you can manage his skill will inspire confidence in everyone. Seeing the current Lee Cheongmyeong, no one will dare tell you to do SBC. Trust me.”
One way or another, Shin Misook was a person with exceptional political instincts and media manipulation skills.
It wasn’t just luck that made her president; over 80% of the people supported her were captivated because of her image in front of the media.
Moreover, there was no other option but to trust Shin Misook at the moment.
“Understood.”
“The interview is tomorrow at noon. You’ll be interviewed along with Lee Cheongmyeong, and it will be broadcast live.”
Do Hajun nodded. There was no way Lee Cheongmyeong would cause any trouble at the press conference.
When Do Hajun held Lee Cheongmyeong, he was just an obedient child.
“Understood. Is there anything else?”
“No. Besides the press conference, I brought this for you.”
Shin Misook took out a small black box from her coat.
When she opened the velvet-covered box, a purple necklace string was revealed.
It was the item Do Hajun had requested as a reward for his childcare efforts.
Recently, Do Hajun’s team had acquired a necklace string that increased defense.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t sell it.”
“I won’t. I plan to use it myself.”
Do Hajun took the necklace string from the box and put it in his pocket.
“How are you going to use it?”
“Do I have to explain how I use the reward I received?”
How grumpy.
Shin Misook clicked her tongue internally as she stood up.
“The outfit—”
“I’ll dress him myself.”
For a moment, Shin Misook’s face scrunched up.
“No. I’ll send the clothes, so dress him in those.”
“No, he already has plenty of clothes at home.”
“Did you dress him in those while ignoring all the other clothes?”
Do Hajun looked at Lee Cheongmyeong, who was sleeping on the sofa.
Lee Cheongmyeong was wearing a tight light purple T-shirt and dark purple cargo pants with many pockets.
Shin Misook sighed as she looked at the outfit, which didn’t seem odd or dirty.
“I’ll bring a children’s fashion magazine later, so make sure to look at it.”
“There’s no—”
“No, this is an order. And be grateful you’re a national hunter. Otherwise, you’d be a fashion terrorist and ostracized by the guild.”
After delivering her insult, Shin Misook and her entourage left the director’s office in a hurry.
“What’s wrong with this?”
In the now empty director’s office, Do Hajun looked at Lee Cheongmyeong again.
The light purple T-shirt suited him well, and the matching cargo pants were not a problem.
After all, the completion of fashion is the face, and there was nothing that didn’t suit Lee Cheongmyeong’s face.
“Good grief.”
Do Hajun muttered as he carried the sleeping Lee Cheongmyeong out of the director’s office.
‘Just wait and see how great my fashion sense is.’
* * *
‘Hmm. I was wrong.’
After dressing Lee Cheongmyeong in the clothes Shin Misook had sent, Do Hajun had a moment of self-reflection.
Lee Cheongmyeong looked like an adorable little gentleman in a light pink shirt with thin check lines, black suspenders, knee-high socks, and a cute yellow bow tie.
The clothes suited him so well that the neon green hoodie and red pants that Do Hajun had prepared in case he didn’t like Shin Misook’s outfit seemed unnecessary.
The clothes looked as if they were made for Lee Cheongmyeong, accentuating his cute face.
Moreover…
“Shall we try this?”
Wearing the bear fedora hat that came with the clothes, Lee Cheongmyeong looked like a baby model to anyone who saw him.
“Perfect.”
Blinking his blue eyes, Lee Cheongmyeong’s lips moved slightly.
“Pretty?”
“Yes, you’re cute. So cute.”
Instead of patting his head because he was wearing a hat, Do Hajun poked his cheeks with his fingers and stood up.
“I’ll go change my clothes too.”
Shin Misook had sent a person along with the clothes to help them dress.
The person, a self-proclaimed stylist, first tried to dress Lee Cheongmyeong. But—
“Kyaa! No!!”
“No bears! No bears!!”
“Waaah!”
Lee Cheongmyeong threw a tantrum, which he usually didn’t, so the stylist gave up.
But as soon as Do Hajun took the clothes, Lee Cheongmyeong smiled and raised his hands to be dressed.
“Jun!”
Knowing that he was about to be left behind, Lee Cheongmyeong clung to Do Hajun’s leg.
“Cheongmyeong.”
“Sniff.”
“I’ll just change my clothes. Wait.”
“Nooo.”
Seeing the blue eyes well up with tears, Do Hajun sighed and picked Lee Cheongmyeong up.
“I’ll take him with me.”
“Okay.”
It was awkward to leave an outsider alone in the living room, but he didn’t want Lee Cheongmyeong to cry before the press conference.
Placing the excited Lee Cheongmyeong on the bed, Do Hajun looked at the clothes hanging on the stand.
The dark blue outfit, which looked like a uniform, was the center’s formal dress.
The four buttons on the jacket were all engraved with hibiscus, and the collar and cuffs were embroidered with the center’s emblem, a black tortoise.
In addition, the medals that Do Hajun had received were neatly attached to the left chest, and the Delta team’s badge was on the right.
As if not embroidering something would cause a problem, the tie was elegantly decorated with hibiscus and the center’s emblem as well.
“A formal uniform.”
Unlike the activity uniform, the formal uniform had to be requested, but Do Hajun never felt the need to have one, so he never applied for it.
Shin Misook knew this and sent the uniform to him.
“If I’d known I’d receive it this way, I would have applied and burned it.”
Do Hajun clicked his tongue, reached out, and removed the medals and team badges hanging from his chest.
“Me!”
Seeing Lee Cheongmyeong reaching out with his small hands as if the medals looked like toys, Do Hajun handed him the medals and said,
“Be careful with the pins at the back.”
“Okay!”
While Lee Cheongmyeong played with the fabric medals, Do Hajun changed his clothes and looked in the mirror while tying his tie.
‘Should I put my hair up? Or down?’
Since he was going as Lee Cheongmyeong’s guardian, it might be better to put it up.
-Knock knock
“Are you done changing?”
“Yes.”
The stylist, who was in the living room, came in and snatched the wax from Do Hajun’s hand.
“You shouldn’t put your hair up.”
“Sorry?”
“Today, you need to show a friendly image. By the way, where did all the medals go?”
Do Hajun pointed to Lee Cheongmyeong with his chin.
“Why did you give the medals to him?”
“He rubs his face on my chest when he’s sleepy. It could hurt his face.”
“Then stop him from doing it-”
“How can you stop a child from doing something unconsciously when they’re sleepy? And isn’t this event supposed to prove that Lee Cheongmyeong is a child?”
The stylist flinched at Do Hajun’s sharp response.
“Then, at least don’t put your hair up.”
Do Hajun frowned.
“The president wants a friendly image.”
Since when did a uniform represent a friendly image?
If they wanted to maintain a friendly image, wouldn’t casual clothes be better than a uniform?
“We don’t have time. Let’s go.”
Team member Yoo Mia, who was leaning against the open door, knocked and smiled.
“I think it’s the first time I’ve seen you in a uniform.”
“Because it is.”
Do Hajun said as he picked up Lee Cheongmyeong.
“How did you get in?”
“I opened the door for me.”
“Why are you here?”
“Think about the reporters outside.”
Just as Yoo Mia said, reporters were swarming outside the house.
With the press conference coming up, why were there already so many reporters in front of the house?
Just looking out the window made Do Hajun’s head hurt, so he said while holding Lee Cheongmyeong with one arm.
“Where is the press conference?”
“Where else? At the Seoul Center.”
“Wait a minute. My hair!”
The stylist, who had been fidgeting with Do Hajun’s hair while he and Yoo Mia talked, grabbed his clothes.
“Why?”
“Just a little. Please, just a little.”
“Team leader, please lower your head a bit.”
At the stylist’s desperate plea, Yoo Mia helped her.
When Do Hajun slightly lowered his head, the stylist quickly applied something to his hair.
Unlike the wax Do Hajun usually used, this one made his hair naturally fall into place and even had a silky texture.
“Wow.”
Yoo Mia exclaimed in admiration.
“Sniff sniff. Good smell.”
Lee Cheongmyeong giggled while sniffing Do Hajun’s hair.
As soon as the coordinator let go, Do Hajun straightened up and gestured to Yoo Mia.
“Open the door.”
“Yes, sir.”
A large door appeared in front of Do Hajun.
With a click, the door automatically opened to the familiar space of the Delta team office.
“Wow!”
While Do Hajun might have seen it countless times as a hunter, Lee Cheongmyeong clapped and cheered, finding it fascinating from a child’s perspective.
“Wow. Amazing.”
Even the stylist, who seemed to be seeing it for the first time, exclaimed in admiration, to which Yoo Mia shrugged.
“It’s no big deal.”
Do Hajun snorted at Yoo Mia’s attitude and walked inside.
“You can leave here, Ms. Stylist”
“Yes!”
The stylist nodded vigorously and waved to Yoo Mia, who closed the door.
Except for Yoo Mia, the Delta team was already guarding the press conference hall, so the office was empty.
“Let’s go.”
Due to briefings on dungeons and gates, not only the National Hunters but also the guilds had press conference halls, and Do Hajun, as the team leader, frequented them.
However, the press conference hall he arrived at with everyone looked different from usual.
The podium with a single microphone was gone, replaced by a table with a white cloth.
At the table were an adult chair and a child chair placed side by side, and in front of the table, reporters with cameras like cannons were glaring at them.
“Wow. They look like they want to eat us.”
Yoo Mia shivered at the reporters’ intense stares.
“Team leader, you’re here?”
One of the team members handed over a wireless earpiece.
“There are two behind you, two at the ends, and one above.”
“Who are those beside me?”
“Yoo Mia and Haneul.”
With space hunter Yoo Mia and light hunter Jeon Haneul, they could easily escape with Lee Cheongmyeong in case of an emergency.
“Let’s go.”
Do Hajun walked towards the press conference hall.
Startled by the blinding flashlights, Lee Cheongmyeong clung tightly to Do Hajun’s neck.
Do Hajun patted Lee Cheongmyeong’s back and sat down, gesturing towards the child’s chair.
“Remove it.”
As soon as the chair was removed per Do Hajun’s order, reporters suddenly started shouting questions.
“Is that Lee Cheongmyeong Hunter you’re holding?!”
“Is it true that Lee Cheongmyeong Hunter destroyed the Seoul Center building?!”
“Is Lee Cheongmyeong Hunter’s ability intact?”
“They say Team Leader Do Hajun has a Caregiving ability. What exactly is that?”
The shouts echoed through the press conference hall.
Even knowing it was being broadcast live, the reporters yelled fiercely, as if trying to tear Do Hajun and Lee Cheongmyeong apart.
Feeling Lee Cheongmyeong trembling in his arms, Do Hajun bowed his head.
[Lee Cheongmyeong feels anxious.]
[Lee Cheongmyeong feels fear.]
[Lee Cheongmyeong thinks his guardian is in danger.]
[Lee Cheongmyeong is about to use a skill.]
* * *
*Summary page is only available for login users. Non-users can view the chapters on the chapter list.*
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