* * *
The groups before them in line had all arrived.
The tests open randomly between noon and midnight, and the names are called only once.
If you do not enter within one minute of being called, your turn is skipped immediately.
Since the turn would be canceled entirely, those aiming for the Market rarely left their spots.
It was currently 11:00 AM.
Since they did not know how long they would have to wait, the participants began taking out entertainment and food they had prepared.
Some brought comfortable chairs and set up their phones to watch videos, while others rolled out sleeping bags to nap.
“I guess half of these people are non-Awakened like me, right? I wonder if they all feel as amazed as I do…?”
As Yoon Youngin looked around and asked, Wolf laughed.
“Non-Awakened people probably make up less than a quarter. There are likely those with camouflage skills like me, or those who entered using hypnosis skills.”
“Hypnosis skills?”
“I heard if you hypnotize yourself into believing you are a non-Awakened person, you actually become one. To the point where even the system is fooled.”
“The world of skills is so fascinating… It’s like superpowers…”
“It’s not ‘like’ them; that’s exactly what they are.”
“I want superpowers too… I wonder if there’s a way to awaken even this late…”
At that moment, a foreign group ahead of them in line waved and approached with bright faces.
They wanted to chat to pass the time while waiting.
Since the Market was a place where one could see high-ranking Awakened people who were rarely seen in public, many people tried to use this as an opportunity for networking.
“We have to study.”
Kang Yigeon refused immediately.
Even after that, four more groups sent ‘love calls’ their way.
Wolf whistled.
“As expected, Vice Guild Leader Kang Yigeon is popular. I’m usually the type to get the most attention wherever I go, too.”
Having reached a suitable spot in line, Kang Yigeon took out a tent.
It was an item that was soundproof and blocked out x-ray vision skills.
“What is this tent for?”
“It’s a study room.”
“I don’t know why you’re working so hard when you’re going to fail the test anyway.”
Wolf shook his head and pulled out various broadcasting equipment like cameras, lights, and microphones from his inventory.
“I’m going to look around nearby and film some footage. Videos of Market Island always get a lot of views. Want to come with me, Partner?”
Just as Seohwa was about to open his mouth, Kang Yigeon cut him off.
“Hunter Lee Yuje has work to do with me.”
“Me? What kind of work?”
“Danbaek business.”
‘I’m not a Danbaek mercenary anymore, though.’
But there was no need to say that out loud.
“Work is good. Let’s work. I find working very enjoyable.”
Seohwa quickly stepped into the tent.
It was much better to be inside a closed tent with Kang Yigeon than wandering around a crowded place.
“Yi-geon, I want to go see the island…”
Yoon Youngin requested shyly, twisting his body.
“Go ahead. Hunter Wolf, please look after him.”
“Don’t worry. I will protect this precious non-Awakened person from the sea of Awakened people everywhere.”
‘I can’t believe even Yoon Youngin is leaving!’
Seohwa didn’t hide his rising smile, but he caught himself before he looked too suspicious.
‘……?’
He thought he heard something like a laugh—just the ‘h’ of a ‘heh.’
When he looked at Kang Yigeon, the man was covering his mouth with his hand and looking elsewhere.
‘No way, surely not.’
Seohwa brushed it off, thinking he had misheard the sound of the wind.
∗ ∗ ∗
Kang Yigeon is stoic.
He is a man of few words who always radiates a cold aura, so anyone sitting with him for ten minutes would usually scream, “I can’t take it anymore! He doesn’t have a fire attribute, he definitely has a frost attribute!” and run away.
Since he was such a silent man, there should have been nothing but silence between the two of them sitting in the tent unless Seohwa spoke first.
However.
“It is quiet outside.”
“I know. I guess everyone is studying. Let’s work hard too.”
“I don’t think cramming is meaningful.”
“Actually, I think so too. You should do it consistently. But then, what is that in your hand?”
The atmosphere inside the tent was friendly.
Kang Yigeon kept initiating the conversation and even added light jokes.
He sat back comfortably in a camping chair and watched a tablet screen while they talked.
Contrary to his words about cramming being meaningless, he was solving the practice questions Team Leader Go had prepared.
“Are you solving those because Team Leader Go worked hard on them and you don’t want them to go to waste?”
“I’m curious about the result. Do you want to try solving them too, Hunter Lee Yuje?”
“I’m fine. I’m not curious about the result. What is this ‘work’ you mentioned? You said it was Danbaek business.”
“There is none.”
“Pardon?”
“I was just bored being alone. Do you dislike it?”
“No. I like it. Who would refuse a chance to be alone with Mr. Kang Yigeon?”
Kang Yigeon smiled faintly.
“I see you’ve become close with Hunter Wolf.”
“Sort of. We couldn’t help but get close as we learned about each other.”
The smooth space between Kang Yigeon’s brows furrowed slightly.
“As you probably know, that man’s behavior is dirty.”
“I know. He’s the type of person who jumps straight into sex without looking at anything else as long as the partner is handsome or pretty.”
“……”
“That’s why we got close. Because I’m plain. There’s no way our relationship would progress to that level. Since neither of us is interested, I feel at ease.”
In his first life, Seohwa hadn’t been that close with Wolf.
Since Wolf was a director of the Association and Seohwa was a leader of a large guild, they crossed paths, but they never had a proper conversation.
On the other hand, because they shared the common trait of being “light” and “promiscuous,” the internet often mentioned them together.
Why do you guys keep comparing Seohwa and Wolf???? Wolf is a playboy, but Seohwa is just ‘easy’!!!!!!!
└ Exactly lol. Unlike those western guys, our ‘easy guy’ doesn’t do affairs!!
└ Guy Seohwa = An easy guy who doesn’t even care about faces / Wolf = An easy guy who doesn’t care if you’re married or single as long as the face is good / Seohwa = An easy guy who only targets handsome single men. Our guy wins by a landslide.
But since Wolf loves faces so much, why is he so awkward with Seohwa?
└ Right? Seohwa is the top beauty in this universe.
└ Maybe because Seohwa is too big of a figure to play with and throw away??
└└ But he slept with the Phoenix Guild Leader too lol. That person is a pretty big deal.
Guys, I’m a fan so I know… Wolf isn’t the type of sane person who stops flirting just because someone is a big shot…
└ LOL
└ If you’re a fan, then why doesn’t he flirt with Seohwa?
└└ I bet he tried….
└└ Wait, so Seohwa rejected him?
└└ ? Guys, Seohwa would never reject a handsome man’s approach. I’m a fan, I know.
└└ I don’t know for sure… but I’m sure Wolf tried…
Do they just not interact at all?? Whether they sleep together or not, they seem like they’d get along so well.
└ They looked awkward when they met at the official conference lol.
└ I know why (Image). It’s because Boddhisatva Gam is blocking him with his whole body.
└└ LOL
└└ This is it.
(Image) If you look at this, Wolf wants to approach Seohwa, but Kang Yigeon is persistently blocking him with his back lol.
└ The incarnation of jealousy.
└ Wolf is the exact type Gam would hate lol.
└└ If you put it that way, Seohwa is also the type Gam would hate lol.
└└ That’s the power of love.
└ Please keep blocking him in the future. So our ‘easy guy’ doesn’t fall for him just by looking at his face…
└ I’m even more worried for our guy in front of handsome men ;ㅅ;
“To say you can’t get his attention, he’s mentioned several times that you are interesting.”
“Even though he says it several times, his scores are 30 or 50. It’s just talk.”
“On the other hand, your score for him was high.”
“70 is pretty good among us. Maybe I should have studied instead of being a hunter.”
“Are you interested in him?”
‘Why is he asking this?’
Seohwa studied Kang Yigeon’s expression.
It was a face that said, ‘That can’t be it.’
He was asking while already being certain.
“I like pretty women more than handsome men.”
“……”
One of his eyebrows went up slightly. As if saying, ‘That can’t be right.’
This time, the purple eyes scrutinized Seohwa. Seohwa smiled brightly.
“By the way, Mr. Kang Yigeon, did you end up engaged because of some cooperative relationship between the Bureau and Danbaek? Like how daughters and sons of noble families married in the Joseon Dynasty, without any love.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because your scores were so terrible. I think I know why people say it’s a fake engagement.”
“You don’t necessarily have to know everything about each other to love them.”
“…That is true.”
Since the topic had come up, Seohwa wanted to clarify things for sure.
“So, you mean it’s not a fake engagement?”
“……”
“Do you love Mr. Yoon Youngin?”
Kang Yigeon stared at Seohwa.
Seohwa worked hard to maintain his expression, smiling brightly so that only interest and curiosity would be visible in his plain black eyes.
To make sure no other emotions leaked out.
“Is that question an extension of what you asked before?”
“What did I ask before?”
“The reason why I am desperately looking for Hunter Seohwa.”
He was strikingly accurate.
In the end, what I wanted to ask was who the person you love right now actually is.
Back then on the rooftop, Kang Yigeon gave two reasons.
‘Because there is an answer I must hear, and because there is a debt I must pay.’
There was no mention of love.
“That’s right. I’m honestly curious which of the two you love right now, Mr. Kang Yigeon.”
“What do you think, Hunter Lee Yuje?”
The purple eyes stared as if they would see into his soul. Seohwa answered honestly.
“I don’t know. No matter how much I think about it.”
“I don’t know why you don’t know, even after thinking so much. Everyone else seems to know.”
Kang Yigeon said with a hint of laughter in his voice.
“Many have already noticed and are talking about it—saying it’s a ‘jealousy tactic’.”
* * *
