* * *
“You’ve wasted ten years liking a jerk like that. Heewon.”
“…It’s not like that.”
I looked up at Kwon Sahyeok, baffled by his absurd misunderstanding.
He must have misinterpreted the look in my eyes because he suddenly pulled me closer.
Uncomfortably close, his body nearly pressing against mine.
A faint scent of his cologne reached me.
“It’s okay. Nothing will happen.”
“I know. Of course, it’s okay.”
“Good.”
Kwon Sahyeok’s low, murmuring voice was serious.
If he’d joked around like usual, I could’ve punched him and ended it there, but… he was being so genuinely concerned that I couldn’t resort to violence.
Abandoning the idea of hitting him, I opted for a more gentlemanly approach and pushed him away.
“Seriously… it’s not like that. I’m fine, really…”
“…”
He didn’t look convinced in the slightest.
Whatever thoughts he was entertaining, they were only growing more intense.
Both Baek Gunho and Kwon Sahyeok were staring at me relentlessly.
Their gazes were so piercing I felt like I might melt under the weight of them.
How did I end up stuck between these two…?
I wanted to escape this very moment, but I couldn’t just leave; that would definitely lead to a fight big enough to make the news.
“Sahyeok, thanks for walking me home. You can leave now.”
“…”
“And Gunho, you too. Go back.”
“Heewon.”
Despite my dismissal, Baek Gunho called out to me persistently.
When I turned, he was gazing at me with an unusually pained expression.
“I get why you’re afraid of me. But I… I won’t do that again. Even if you pull the same stunt as before, I won’t.”
“…”
“Trust me.”
His voice was so earnest it made my resolve waver.
But there was nowhere for that wavering to land.
It wasn’t like I wanted revenge on Baek Gunho or anything. I just wanted to keep my distance.
There was nothing to forgive, nothing to trust.
Then, Kwon Sahyeok, who had been silently listening to the exchange, suddenly stepped between us.
He leaned closer and whispered loud enough for me to hear.
“Did he really hit you?”
“No, I told you, he didn’t.”
“Really?”
“…”
Did he?
Baek Gunho had never raised a hand against me in this lifetime, but… the fear I felt came from the violence of my past life.
Then again, I’d killed him countless times in that past life too, so…
…thinking about it too much would just get messy.
“Heewon.”
“…What?”
“It’s okay. Be honest.”
The moment of hesitation in my response seemed to confirm Kwon Sahyeok’s suspicions.
I shook my head firmly.
“I said no. What’s there to be honest about? Do I look like the type to just get hit? I’m an S-rank too.”
I muttered the last part under my breath.
As if to say, I’m an S-rank too, so don’t be ridiculous.
But Kwon Sahyeok’s expression remained grave.
“Violence isn’t always about the difference in strength.”
“What kind of ridiculous assumption is that? Do you think I’d hit Heewon?”
Baek Gunho, unable to hold back any longer, interrupted.
While I didn’t mind defending myself, hearing Baek Gunho say it was oddly irritating.
“From the look on his face, I’m not so sure.”
“What do you even know about Heewon?”
Baek Gunho countered Kwon Sahyeok’s sneering tone.
Right, like he knew everything about me either…
“He’s been dying to tell you to shut up since earlier, but he’s holding back.”
“….”
He wasn’t wrong. I could feel Kwon Sahyeok’s gaze shift back to me.
Clearing my throat, I pushed him aside.
“Okay, fine. If you understand, stop spouting nonsense and just go. I’m going inside.”
Kwon Sahyeok glanced briefly at Baek Gunho before stepping back.
He didn’t even bother looking in Baek Gunho’s direction as he did.
But as I turned to leave, Baek Gunho called out again.
“Heewon.”
“…”
“Stop running away.”
I’m not running away. I’m just not engaging with someone so relentless.
I turned to face Baek Gunho, only to lock eyes with him.
His gaze was intense.
It was neither the look of an enemy nor that of a friend.
If I had to describe it… it was like the look he gave me in bed, silently staring at me.
A mix of predatory greed and a protective instinct to cherish—his eyes raking over me with an obsessive intensity…
…What the hell am I thinking in this situation?
Ignoring Baek Gunho’s call, I hurried into the building as if running for my life.
I caught the elevator and headed up, my face burning hot.
Once I got home, I exhaled a long breath of relief.
That was one awkward, exhausting encounter I never wanted to repeat.
I quickly washed up, ready to collapse into bed.
As I was drying my hair with a towel, a heavy thud echoed from outside, followed by the sound of something snapping.
“…No way.”
A bad feeling crept over me. I rushed to the window and peered out.
Just as I’d feared, Kwon Sahyeok’s car was wrecked in an alley.
Judging by the crumpled state of it, there was no doubt who’d done it. Baek Gunho.
Slipping on some slippers, I sprinted down the stairs.
Baek Gunho was on top of Kwon Sahyeok, raining punches down on him.
Blood splattered his impassive face.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
I yelled. Startled, Baek Gunho froze and looked at me.
I darted between them, shielding Kwon Sahyeok with my body.
“Have you lost your mind?!”
There was no other explanation.
This guy had to be insane.
He’d beaten up Kwon Sahyeok once before, and now he was doing it again, fully aware of how people would react. I should’ve just ignored him…
Baek Gunho stared at me, and my heart skipped a beat.
His bloodied face brought back memories of the past.
With a sigh, he wiped the blood from his cheek and finally stepped away from Kwon Sahyeok without a word.
“Heewon.”
“…”
“It’s cold. You’ll catch a cold.”
I blinked.
That wasn’t what I’d expected to hear.
Sure, I’d come out with wet hair, wearing just a t-shirt, pants, and slippers, but still… how absurd.
He knew I was S-rank, and he was worried about a cold?
Baek Gunho approached me.
I flinched, but he simply shrugged off his coat and draped it over me.
“Wear it.”
His voice was indifferent, but his actions betrayed a certain tenderness, as always.
I bit my lip.
His coat was warm, carrying his lingering heat.
“You think you can hit people and then act nice and it’ll be fine? You asshole,” Kwon Sahyeok muttered.
I clamped a hand over his mouth, wishing he’d shut up.
Before I could stop him, Baek Gunho stomped on Kwon Sahyeok’s leg, his voice icy as he replied.
“Shut up. What do you even know?”
The tension between them was palpable.
Caught in the middle, I had no idea what to say.
In the distance, the sound of sirens grew louder.
Great. You two are done for.
✧✧✧
[Breaking News] High-Rank Hunters Brawl in City Center
S-Rank Hunter Rampage… The Light and Dark Sides of the Hunter World
Kwon Sahyeok and Baek Gunho Clash in Public
“A Second Incident Already”… Are Kwon Sahyeok and Baek Gunho Archrivals in the Hunter World?
Title: Are Kwon Sahyeok and Baek Gunho not getting along?
Didn’t they fight last time too?
Comments:
- If they were on good terms, they wouldn’t be brawling on the street.
└ Even if they’re not close, fighting in public like that is too much.
└ True facts. -
Who started it?
└ Baek Gunho threw the first punch.
└ So Kwon Sahyeok picked the fight?
└ Who knows?
Title: Are Somang and Samho not getting along?
Just curious.
Comments:
- The guilds don’t have any particular issues with each other.
- Aren’t they pretty close? They collaborate a lot. Don’t know why this is happening.
- Guys, please don’t fight. My stocks are dropping…
└ Seriously, I’m begging youㅠㅠ
Title: So who won? Kwon Sahyeok or Baek Gunho?
Comments:
- Baek Gunho seemed to be in better shape.
- Probably Baek Gunho.
- This one’s Baek Gunho.
- Kwon Sahyeok is crying.
└ As a Kwon stan, I can’t deny it this time.
Title: Our country should do ranking matches like overseas.
Without ranking matches, they end up brawling anywhere they wantㅋㅋ. Just start the ranking matches already.
Comments:
- Why would we do something so dangerous?
└ Yeah, someone could dieㅠㅠ. - Ranking matches are for raising market value, but most domestic S-ranks already belong to guilds or own guild shares, so it’s not worth it for them.
└ Then at least let the A-ranks have a shot.
└ Just watch overseas broadcasts instead.
Title: Rumor has it their fight was over a love triangle.
Honestly, it makes sense:
- The fight happened in such a random spot. If you assume it’s in front of someone they like, it checks out.
- They weren’t best friends, but they were on decent terms. After their last fight, things went south—probably over a girl.
- Let’s just say it’s about a girl. It’s fun that way.
Comments:
- Didn’t someone already mention this last time?
└ For a second, I thought I’d gone back in time and checked the date. - Point 3 convinced me.
└ Same here. - Does every fight have to be about romance?ㅡㅡ You think this is a drama or something?
└ What else would they fight over?
└ For real, they weren’t even on bad terms beforeㅋㅋ. Why else would they suddenly fight? Explain it.
└ Okay, you win, you idiot.
└ Alright, I’m right.
Title: Rumor has it they fought in front of Seo Hoon’s house.
Heard it from a reporter friendㅋㅋ.
Comments:
- Don’t spread false rumors.
- Seo Hoon does live in XX-dong… and the fight happened there too… so it kinda makes sense.
└ Don’t doxx him. - Weren’t you saying it was a love triangle earlier? So was it because of Seo Hoon?
└ LOLㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ The genre’s suddenly shifted.
└ This is spicy: middle-aged daddy with two sons fighting over him.
└ WTF.
└ Please take that nonsense elsewhere. - Does Seo Hoon have a daughter?
└ He has a son.
└ Then it doesn’t matterㅡㅡ.
└ Maybe they fought over the son?
└ Are you insane?
└ So they’re both gay? Make it make senseㅋㅋ.
└ Maybe they’re both gay. Or bi.
└ LMAO, then what, a third of domestic S-ranks are gay now?ㅋㅋ.
└ Welcome to Queer Nation. -
Seo Hoon’s son is ridiculously handsome.
└ Is Seo Hoon good looking?
└ No, but his son’s seriously good-looking. Anyone who goes to Hanguard knows it.
└ If he’s Seo Hoon’s kid, of course he’d be handsome. Seo Hoon was a hottie in his youth.
└ He’s even better-looking nowㅡㅡ.
└ Ew, uncle vibes.
Title: I’m a classmate of Seo Hoon’s sonㅋㅋ.
It’s totally possible Baek Gunho fought Kwon Sahyeok because of him.
Not sure about Kwon Sahyeok, but Baek Gunho really seems gay. They went to middle and high school together, and Baek Gunho was OBSESSED with him. My mom doesn’t baby me like thatㅋㅋ.
Not convinced? I’ll prove it with a yearbook photoㅋㅋ.
(Photo attached)
Comments:
- Baek Gunho being gay? Come onㅡㅡ.
- He had lots of girlfriends. No wayㅋㅋ. Friends can just be close.
└ It wasn’t just “close,” okay? - My brother isn’t gay, you lunatics.
└ Someone’s in denialㅋㅋ.
└ It’d be great if he was gay, just to see you cry.
└ LOL.
* * *
Yoooow ♡(> ਊ <)♡
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Descobriram 🤣🤣🤣