The SSS Rank Babysitter chapter 37

* * *

As Lee Cheongmyeong and Aileen Spencer fell asleep, Do Hajun turned his head and left the room.

“Are the kids asleep?”

“Yeah.”

Maybe it was because of the intense physical struggle, but both of them fell asleep faster than usual.

“Want a beer?”

“Sure.”

Do Hajun caught the beer can thrown from the kitchen and sat on the sofa.

As he gulped down the beer with a click, Lee Moojin came out into the living room.

“Snacks.”

Lee Moojin acted as if grilling dried squid was some grand cooking feat.

Do Hajun put a piece of the cut squid in his mouth and spoke.

“Why did Alpha Team call?”

“Why do you think?”

“Did they find it?”

Currently, Alpha Team’s mission was to find the monster that had turned Lee Cheongmyeong into a child.

It wasn’t an easy task, but it was something they couldn’t just let go.

“No, they didn’t find it.”

“They didn’t find it?”

“Yeah, it seems it’s not a boss monster.”

Do Hajun frowned.

It would be one thing if only Lee Cheongmyeong had changed, but Aileen Spencer had changed too.

If it wasn’t a boss monster, it couldn’t have turned two hunters from different countries like this.

“What makes them think that?”

“They went back into the SSS-rank dungeon just in case, but there was an obstruction stone embedded.”

An obstruction stone.

Boss monsters could freely move through dungeons, but they couldn’t move in dungeons with obstruction stones.

In places with obstruction stones, even hunters capable of teleportation couldn’t move.

If it wasn’t a boss monster and they were affected by a normal monster, Lee Cheongmyeong should have already returned to normal.

Alpha Team had killed all the monsters in the SSS-rank dungeon to find Lee Cheongmyeong.

Yet, Lee Cheongmyeong was still a child.

“Alpha Team is in a panic too.”

Do Hajun nodded. The presence or absence of a team leader made a huge difference.

Since he started looking after the kids, Delta Team had only been dealing with B-rank and C-rank dungeons due to his absence.

“Could it be external?”

Do Hajun looked at Lee Moojin.

“HNW?”

“Yeah.”

HNW.

A group of fanatics claiming to create a new world for hunters alone.

“It’s not them.”

The first HNW broadcast was on an internet channel.

A man in a rabbit mask with red eyes claimed that hunters were the final evolved beings of humanity and that ordinary people should worship them. He mentioned May 21st, 3 PM, as the start of HNW’s first activities.

When the day everyone ignored arrived, simultaneous bombings occurred worldwide.

The internet broadcast became a hot topic instantly.

Global investigative agencies cooperated to find the source of the broadcast, but with thousands of IP address changes, the original source couldn’t be found.

The internet channel embroiled in controversy deleted the channel.

But on the day the investigation closed unresolved, papers flew in the sky.

The papers contained messages about worshiping hunters as gods.

Since then, HNW has continued to commit terrorism, leaving rabbit masks at the sites to announce their actions.

If this incident were their doing, there would have been a rabbit mask in the SSS-rank dungeon.

“Let’s hope not.”

“Yeah.”

If they were behind this, all hunters would live in fear of suddenly turning into children.

“I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.”

“Okay.”

Do Hajun finished the remaining beer and stood up.

“Aren’t you going to drink more?”

“I don’t want to smell like alcohol while sleeping with the kids.”

“Then sleep with me.”

“I dislike that even more.”

Do Hajun frowned deeply and walked to the bathroom.

“Hey, you’ve become so cold since the kids came along.”

“Are you dreaming? If it weren’t for the kids, you would have been kicked out long ago.”

As he watched Do Hajun enter the bathroom without hesitation, Lee Moojin opened a new beer can.

Gulping it down, he recalled the words he couldn’t tell Do Hajun.

“An Alpha Team member got killed.”

Lee Moojin’s expression darkened instantly.

* * *

Do Hajun looked at the bustling house with people coming and going and cameras being installed everywhere.

He had not yet agreed to any filming. So why was the broadcast team roaming around like this?

“Hello! Long time no see.”

The person greeting him cheerfully was PD Ha Yundal from Our Child’s First Errand Adventure.

“Hello. What’s all this sudden activity?”

He had only opened the door because the bell rang, and people had swarmed in.

Without giving him time to say anything, they were setting up cameras all over the house.

“Didn’t you hear about tomorrow’s filming?”

“Tomorrow’s filming?”

“Yes, you’re going to a dungeon tomorrow, right?”

As Ha Yundal smiled brightly, Do Hajun excused himself briefly, picked up his phone, and headed to the storage room.

As soon as the ringing stopped, he gritted his teeth and spoke.

“Are you insane? Or senile?”

-Hey, that’s harsh-

“What’s this about filming tomorrow? I never agreed to any filming.”

‘Judging by your formal speech, you must be really pissed,’ grumbled Kang Wontae with a sigh.

-It’s a direct order from the top. How can you refuse that?

Shin Misook. That bitch.

-It’s just filming, nothing different. Just live as usual, so don’t stress-

“The dungeon.”

-Oh, the meeting’s not over yet. They’re deciding between a tutorial or a D-rank dungeon.

Do Hajun took a deep breath and exhaled.

“Got it.”

-Okay. Don’t get too worked up. I’ll let you know as soon as they decide.

“Okay.”

-Thanks.

With a beep, the call ended, and Do Hajun sighed again.

Dirty and petty civil servants.

Civil servants who must obey orders from above.

Suddenly, he felt extremely powerless. As a guardian, he was being pushed around by those in power without considering the children’s opinions.

“Ha.”

With a sigh, Do Hajun, who had buried his face in his hands, hurriedly left the storage room upon hearing the children’s voices from outside.

“Hajun.”

“Jun.”

The children wore surprised expressions.

They had woken up to find strangers in the house, so it was understandable that they were startled.

“We’re just here to set up some equipment. Don’t worry. Both of you, go wash your faces quickly.”

Pushing the anxious children towards the bathroom, Do Hajun approached Hayundal.

“Is there a script this time?”

“No, just act as usual. We’ll install unmanned cameras in the house and office, and a cameraman will follow you only when you’re on the move or in the dungeon.”

“What about the video editing rights?”

“The edited footage will be reviewed at the Seoul Center before it airs.”

That was somewhat of a relief. Do Hajun would have some control, but the children might still cause trouble.

“Understood.”

Nodding compliantly, Do Hajun was met with a smile from Hayundal.

“And this time, you have to appear in the studio.”

“What?”

“Hmm? Didn’t you know? The show’s concept is about the children’s daily life, so both the child and guardian need to watch the footage in the studio.”

Do Hajun clutched his forehead.

Not only filming but also going to the broadcasting station? Why on earth did Shin Misook allow this kind of show?

‘Damn. Should I just transfer to Hwarang?’

Suppressing his irritation, Do Hajun took the children, who had finished washing up, and went into the room.

He tried to maintain a positive mindset, thinking about the future later.

* * *

– Cheongmyeong Freeboard

[Chat]

Today, I saw Cheongmyeong’s spring.

I work part-time at a cafe near the tutorial dungeon. As everyone knows, the tutorial dungeon isn’t exactly crowded. Even awakened hunters often skip it.

So, the part-time job is sweet. Little work, lots of money!

But today, there were so many people in front of the tutorial dungeon. I wondered if a celebrity was coming, and peeked around. Then, I saw people with cameras and someone familiar coming to our cafe.

He was handsome, really handsome. Not like, “Wow! Stunningly handsome! He could sell a country!” But, the kind of handsome that makes you want to ask, “Hey, do you have a girlfriend?”

Plus, he was wearing a black suit that looked great on him.

My heart fluttered a bit. But! But! But!

When that handsome guy opened the cafe door!

In came Cheomyeong!

Yes! That handsome guy was Hunter Do Hajunㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Cheomyeong walked in on his tiny feet and ran to the cake display, and I almost criedㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ How can he be so cute? So lovely? All the cuteness in the world belongs to himㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

And the American hunter who came with them? She looked like she lived a charmed lifeㅠㅠㅠㅠ I thought she was a fairyㅠㅠㅠㅠ How can someone be that prettyㅠㅠㅠ Her hair was rose-colored and tied in two pigtailsㅠㅠ She was a complete fairy.ㅠㅠㅠ Who ties her hair like thatㅠㅠㅠ

It looked like they were shooting something with a filming crew.

Cheomyeong and the American hunter bickered, and Do Hajun intervened like he was used to it, but they both responded wellㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ They kept saying, “Yes!” and then fought again.ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

It was a perfect day. I was so happy.

Here are the proof shots. I’ve blurred my face.

(Photo)

(Photo)

(Photo)

I asked Hunter Do Hajun for a photo while serving cookies, and he kindly agreed, so I took pictures of the two of them. Then he suggested I take one with the kids, so I did.

I’ll treasure it forever as an heirloomㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

└Wow, so jealousㅠㅠ I want to see Cheomyeong tooㅠㅠㅠㅠ

└Cheomyeongㅠㅠㅠ You’re as brilliant as everㅠㅠㅠ Why am I not working part-timeㅠㅠㅠ

└But seriously, both of them look like they’re from another world.

└Are all S-ranks this beautiful? Chae Yiwon is stunning too.

└No. Look at Japanese hunters. They look like boars.

└ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Right, they do. Even if you take a KTX train, they look like Japanese people.

└But why did they come to the tutorial dungeon? And filming? Does this mean we can see Cheomyeong again??

└I asked, and they said it’s for filming the kids’ daily lives. It’ll be on TV.

└OMG! Cheomyeong will be on TV again?! I’m so happy!!

└What show will it be on?! I feel like crying alreadyㅠㅠ Seeing Cheomyeong on TV againㅠㅠ

* * *

“What did I say?”

In front of the tutorial dungeon.

Do Hajun held the shoulders of the two children.

“Don’t run away!”

Cheomyeong, dressed in an explorer’s outfit with a hat, the same as he wore last time they went to the dungeon, responded.

“Don’t go alone!”

Aileen Spencer, dressed identically to Cheomyeong with rose-colored hair tied in two pigtails, replied.

“Right. You have to keep your promise.”

“Yes!”

“Mhm!”

Hearing their responses, Do Hajun, who had been kneeling, stood up.

The meeting was about the dungeon grade that Kang Wontae would enter, but the center side assumed he would be sent to an F or D grade dungeon as it was an opportunity.

And if the center had made that choice, Do Hajun was prepared to overturn the decision.

However, the dungeon chosen by the center was unexpectedly the tutorial dungeon.

‘Did Shin Misook pull some strings?’

Do Hajun changed his evaluation of Shin Misook from a scoundrel to just a guy, glancing down at the kids.

“Are you going to the dungeon?”

“N-no!”

“Of course not.”

The two kids had already forgotten their promise and were bickering again.

After their last fight, Do Hajun had consulted with Dr. Oh Yeongeun.

Dr. Oh Yeongeun had said that jealousy between the two kids was natural and advised him to try to love them equally.

So, he gave them equal treats and hugs and told them to say “I love you” and hug whenever they fought, but nothing had changed.

“You two.”

“We’re not fighting!”

“Right!”

Looking at the two, who only united in their denial, Do Hajun pressed his temple and sighed.

‘What am I going to do with these troublemakers?’

“Oh my! Team Leader Do Hajun.”

Hearing a cheerful and lively voice, Do Hajun turned his head.

A woman, dressed in a perfectly fitting red pantsuit and red high heels, approached with a clicking sound.

* * *