"HEE-ya, are you sure you want steak for breakfast? Isn’t that too heavy for your stomach?"
"I’m craving steak, Unnie," Wonhee said, already cutting up the tender at on her plate. "I’ve only been eating salads and vegetables recently because I’m on a diet. But I suddenly craved steak as soon as I woke up."
"Alright," Semi, who was sitting across from her while having a cup of coffee, said while nodding. "Go ahead and eat. We’ll talk after."
Oh.
"Noona, you should have waited until Hee-ya finished her breakfast," Geon, who was also having a cup of coffee next to Semi, said. "What if she gets indigestion because you made her nervous for nothing?"
"Right. I’m sorry, Hee-ya."
"Am I in trouble, Unnie?"
"No, of course not," Semi said. "But I feel like you’re hiding your condition from us. We tried to ask your friends, but Yool escaped by going with Song Moonho to god knows where. On the other hand..."
Semi’s gaze landed on Ahyeon who was silently eating his bowl of bibimbap next to Wonhee.
"Your bodyguard refuses to answer our questions."
"Unnie, don’t scare Ahyeonnie," Wonhee scolded her older sister halfheartedly. "Yool, Ahyeonnie, and I promised to keep each other’s secrets."
The three of them had only been friends for a few years.
[But I feel like we were siblings who grew up together.]
"N-Noona, Jang Semi-nim didn’t scare ," Ahyeon "whispered" to Wonhee. "Semi-nim just asked once and didn’t ask again when I said I can’t tell her anything..."
"Oh, I see," Wonhee said, nodding. "I’m sorry, Unnie."
"No, it’s alright," Semi said while shaking her head. "I shouldn’t have asked your friends anyway." She then turned to Ahyeon. "I apologize, Do Ahyeon."
Ahyeon imdiately shook his head and waved his hands frantically. "I-It’s alright, Semi-nim. Please don’t apologize."
Semi laughed softly. "I’m glad we entrusted our Hee-ya to you, Do Ahyeon. You’re doing a good job both as a bodyguard and a friend."
Ahyeon bead, but blushed right away as if he was embarrassed.
[Let’s change the topic before Ahyeonnie lts from shyness.]
"Unnie, Brother-in-law, where’s Soobin Oppa?"
"We all spent the night here, but your oppa had to leave this morning," Geon said, smiling as if he was about to share so good news. "Your oppa is at the airport right now to pick up a VIP."
"VIP? Important enough for Oppa to personally pick them at the airport?"
Her older brother rarely went out of his Hidden Workshop, so it was strange that Soobin picked up a ’VIP’ at the airport.
"You’ll hear about it later," Semi said. "Eat for now, Hee-ya."
"Okay, Unnie," Wonhee said, and then she paused when she rembered she had sothing important to ask her brother-in-law. "Oppa, are you busy today? I want to get a consultation from a fellow Guide."
"I can always make ti for you, Hee-ya," Geon said, smiling. "Of course, I’ll listen to your worries."
***
[WHY am I having breakfast with this ahjussi again?]
Oh, right.
Yool ran away from Jang Semi’s interrogation, hence he ended up staying at Song Moonho’s hotel again. He returned there to retrieve his stuff, but since he couldn’t return to Wonhee’s penthouse, he just decided to sleep there.
He had a peaceful night because Song Moonho left the hotel after dropping him off there.
But while having breakfast at the hotel’s dining hall, Ahjussi appeared and joined him.
"No wonder the other guests suddenly disappeared," Yool said, sighing. "Did you make them leave? I know this is your hotel, but you can’t starve your guests, Ahjussi."
"The guests left on their own accord, Yool-ssi," Song Moonho said, smiling. "Most Civilians can’t handle the presence of high-ranking Hunters, especially the Big 4. That’s why you’re interesting, Yool-ssi."
Blergh.
"You’re interesting" was the signature line of every male lead to make the readers see the female lead as "not like other girls."
[A tiring trope, honestly.]
"I’m not like other boys," Yool said sarcastically, stabbing the sausage with his fork. "I’m worse."
Song Moonho chuckled, leaning against the chair while crossing his arms over his chest.
[Ahjussi looks a bit different today.]
It was definitely the outfit.
The old man was always dressed like the CEO of a chaebol group.
But, today, Song Moonho wore a brown cardigan over a clean white shirt, beige trousers, and a pair of brown shoes.
[Ahjussi didn’t style his hair either, so he looks younger than his actual age.]
Song Moonho looked like a billionaire on a vacation.
[While I look like a broke college student in my hoodie, joggers, and slippers.]
"Enjoying the view again, Yool-ssi?"
"Yeah, very much so."
Song Moonho looked surprised by what he said. "Then why do you always look grumpy whenever you see if you like my face?"
"You beco less and less attractive every ti you open your mouth, Ahjussi."
"That’s an, Yool-ssi. But that’s what makes you unique to ."
"Not like other boys, am I right?"
Song Moonho laughed out loud this ti.
[So unnecessarily handso even when laughing, huh?]
"Yool-ssi, when you’re done eating, let’s go."
"Go where?"
Song Moonho smiled brightly. "To the little thief who stole your stuff."
Yool let out a gasp. "You should have started with that, Ahjussi."
***
"SO, PARK Ruda is suspicious."
Wonhee nodded carefully.
She told Semi and Geon all about her suspicions towards Park Ruda while the three of them were having dessert on the terrace of her penthouse.
Ahyeon volunteered to wash the dishes so the three of them could talk.
Anyway, she felt guilty for doubting a fellow high-class Guide.
[But Ruda Oppa is aiming to hurt , so I can’t let it slide anymore.]
"I’ll make you a perfu that can mask other scents," Semi said, clenching her jaws. "Spray it every ti you et Park Ruda from now on."
"Unnie, you believe ?" Wonhee asked, touched by her older sister’s support. "Even though I don’t have solid evidence yet that suggests Ruda Oppa is really out to get ?"
"Of course, I believe you," Semi said as if the answer should be obvious. "And it’s not like your suspicions are far-fetched, Hee-ya. Park Ruda has been working for Kwon Jiwoong even before the Outbreak. As far as we know, he was practically raised by the Kwons."
"That’s why we won’t be surprised if Park Ruda turns out to be following orders from Kwon Jiwoong to harm you," Geon added. "I’m sorry, Hee-ya. We should have been more attentive to you."
"Oppa, it’s not sothing you should apologize for," Wonhee said while shaking her head. "I do have another worry, though."
"What is it?"
"Is it possible for a Guide like us to see... uhm, strange stuff around Civilians?"
"What do you an by that, Hee-ya? Please be more specific."
"I can’t really explain it well, but the Choi Sumin in the apology video we’ve seen wasn’t the real Choi Sumin," Wonhee said, shocking both Semi and Geon. "It’s her, but my gut feeling tells otherwise. Plus, I saw a strange glint in Choi Sumin’s eyes. I can’t explain what it is, but I know that it’s not normal."
Semi and Geon fell silent for a mont.
[Do they believe ...?]
"Let’s use Soobin’s authority to check on Choi Sumin’s condition," Geon said. "Hee-ya, I think you should et the Guides who claid that they guided Hwang Frost while Hwang Frost was locked up in the basent. I didn’t see anything wrong with them when I asked them about Hwang Frost’s "rehabilitation" under their care. Their stories matched up as if they already planned what to say, so I can’t really arrest or interrogate them further."
"Hee-ya, your abilities are really unique. Don’t let anyone else know about them. Only share them with us if you have to," Semi said in a serious tone. "I’ll stay here with you until Hwang Frost returns. You need at least one of the Big 4 by your side at all tis."
Wonhee nodded because she had no reason to reject her older sister’s offer. "Okay, Unnie."
***
[OH.]
Wonhee gasped when she rembered sothing important again.
This ti, she was alone in her bedroom while getting ready to greet Graham and Ahn Kisoo. The two said they were coming to personally give her the gifts they prepared for her.
She also wanted to take that opportunity to return Ahn Kisoo’s shawl.
[But, before that...]
"Tannie?"
Fortunately, the tangerine fairy appeared.
"What is it?" Tannie, who appeared on Wonhee’s vanity table, asked. "Why did you call ?"
"Yejun is in the dungeon so I wasn’t able to Guide him for eight hours," Wonhee said worriedly. "Did we already fail the mission?"
The System didn’t alert her of her failure, but she was still worried.
"No, you haven’t failed yet," Tannie assured her. "The System understands that it’s impossible to Guide Hwang Yejun while he’s still inside the dungeon. Hence, the System automatically used Hwang Yejun’s as a replacent for his required eight hours of sleep. The System will continue to do so until Hwang Yejun gets out."
Wonhee let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."
"You have to be ready, though."
"Huh?"
"Hwang Yejun would be using his one a day for at least a week, so it might drain your energy."
"Oh, it’s alright."
"No, that’s not what I want you to worry about," Tannie said bluntly. "You should have enough energy once Hwang Yejun cos out of the dungeon. After all, a French kiss might not be sufficient anymore when he returns. The two of you might have to take the next level of intimacy."
The next level?
Wonhee’s face turned red. "Advanced Treatnt?"
***
"HEE-YA, your face is red. Are you alright? Do you feel feverish?"
Wonhee felt her face turn warr because of Semi’s questions.
She couldn’t help but rember that Tannie told her that she might need to do the Advanced Treatnt with Yejun soon: ["Hwang Yejun would be in the dungeon for days. Ordinary Guiding won’t work on an S-Class Hunter who raided an S-Grade Crack alone."]
Of course, she knew that day would co.
[But I didn’t expect that day to co so soon.]
"I’m alright, Unnie. I just feel a little hot..."
Wonhee trailed off when she saw the faces of her guests.
Actually, it wasn’t Graham or Ahn Kisoo’s face that made her stop.
It was the Status Window that suddenly popped up in front of her.
[You may now activate the Skill!
Would you like to help Guide Ahn Kisoo to retrieve his Guiding abilities?]
Wonhee gasped softly. "I can do that?"
***
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