"HWANG FROST has beco more handso than he was years ago."
Wonhee turned to Bitna.
She saw her friend looking up at the sky, staring at Yejun.
Bitna’s eyes were sparkling, but it was clear that it wasn’t because she admired the X-Class Hunter or anything similar to that.
[She’s sizing him up.]
Co to think of it...
"Bitna-ya, you’re an L-Grade," Wonhee said, amazed. "Does it an you’re stronger than Yejun and the other Big 4?"
"Well, I’m L-Grade because of the skills I have– and most of them are suited for hunting down edible monsters," Bitna said, shrugging. "But you know what? Anything can be a weapon if you try hard enough."
Oh.
[I’m so glad I’m Bitna’s friend and not an enemy.]
Bitna whistled while watching hundreds of ice arrows hit the Sea Serpent. "An SS-Grade attack would have worked, but it seems like Hwang Yejun wanted to finish it as quickly as possible."
Wonhee watched the one-sided fight.
To be honest, she quite felt bad for the Sea Serpent.
The Sea Monster tried to attack Yejun, but the ice arrows that pierced through its large body were quickly turning it into ice.
Hence, right now, almost half of the Sea Serpent’s body was already frozen.
[Yejun really makes his fight look easy because he overpowers the opponent.]
Wonhee felt proud of Yejun.
[It would have been a huge loss for Korea if we lost him as a naturally awakened S-Class Hunter.]
"I rember feeling bad for Hwang Yejun every ti he was on the news at the beginning of the Outbreak," Bitna said, reminiscing. "Back then, the Big 4 was still a rookie group. They carried Korea on their backs since only the four of them could enter A-Grade and S-Grade Cracks initially."
Wonhee nodded her head, silently agreeing with Bitna.
[I rember crying and praying every ti Semi Unnie was required to enter a high-grade dungeon back then.]
"Hwang Yejun is the youngest among the Big 4, and he’s the sa age as ," Bitna continued with her story. "So, I thought the System was crazy for awakening a minor who was barely in high school. But then I realized that Hwang Yejun was crazier than the System when he started entering dungeons alone."
Pfft.
That was funny.
"I wasn’t really surprised when the System inford a year ago that Hwang Yejun has been demoted to X-Class," Bitna said while shaking her head. "The System was cruel for awakening him without his Soulmate– ah."
"Soulmate?" Wonhee asked curiously. "Would that be ?"
[After all, only I can Guide Yejun.]
"Forget about what I said, Wonhee," Bitna said, putting a hand on top of Wonhee’s head. "You need to be stronger first."
Wonhee had so many questions, but she suddenly felt sleepy.
[Bitna-ya...?]
***
[TSK.]
Yejun caught Wonhee before she hit the sand while throwing an ice dagger at the broccoli (human version).
But, as expected of an L-Grade, the broccoli simply swatted the ice dagger with her hand.
Her hand that was covered in blue fla, to be precise.
"What the hell did you do to my Wonhee?" Yejun asked coldly while carrying Wonhee in his arms carefully. "You better explain yourself, broccoli."
"I’m a cabbage, stupid."
"I don’t care– I equally hate all greens."
The broccoli just laughed, but her red eyes were dead serious. "I said sothing to Wonhee that I shouldn’t have. The System asked to ’undo’ it, so I used my skill to make her forget that particular line that I said to her. There won’t be any harmful side effects. Wonhee would simply not rember the thing that she shouldn’t."
Yejun wanted to complain, but his Status Window popped up in front of him.
[Hunter Hwang Yejun, the door will open in three minutes– please get out of the dungeon with Guide Chu Wonhee.]
Haaah.
The one who sent that ssage wasn’t the talking orange.
It seed like the System was protecting the broccoli.
"Soone already ssed with Wonhee’s mories before," Yejun said coldly. "Tell the System that if sothing like this happens again, I’ll send the Virus straight to the System."
"Hwang Yejun, violent n don’t suit a gentle soul like Wonhee."
"You’re not Wonhee, so your opinion doesn’t matter."
The broccoli looked shocked at first, and then she burst out laughing. "The mories that Wonhee lost will return soon, so don’t worry about it."
"Nah, you should be the one worrying about what I’d do if you touch Wonhee again."
"I’ll apologize to Wonhee later."
Yejun frowned. "We’re not coming back here again."
"I’ll contact Wonhee soon," the broccoli said. "She already activated the skill that she needed to connect with ."
"Okay."
"So, you were with Hamin earlier?"
"Yeah. I’m saying this in advance, but I’m not really interested in your business."
"Don’t worry. I’m not bringing this up to ask you questions about him. I have a favor to ask of you and Wonhee."
"What is it?"
"Don’t tell Hamin that I’m stuck here," the broccoli said in a serious tone. "I know you already figured out that I’m Hamin’s personal Admin. Keep it a secret from him, too."
"Hyung doesn’t even know that he has a personal Admin. He thought everyone has a "Virtual Friend.""
"For real?"
"For real."
The broccoli suddenly burst out laughing. "He’s a little slow, but he’s a good guy."
"Are you really going to stay here?"
"The System can only take the two of you out– I need to stay here to fix the status abnormality of this dungeon."
"I see."
"Don’t pity ."
"I don’t have the luxury to waste emotions on other people."
"Good," the broccoli said, nodding. "Take care of Wonhee."
"You don’t have to tell that," Yejun said, scoffing. "I already have nas for our future children."
[Of course, only if Wonhee wants kids.]
The broccoli burst out laughing again.
"Hwang Yejun, you’re really one hell of a crazy bastard!"
***
"SOOBIN-ah, we need to leave."
Upon hearing the urgency in that voice, Soobin dropped Park Ruda and imdiately turned around to face Geon whose eyes were glued to his phone. "What happened?"
"I’ll tell you on the way," Geon said, and he probably didn’t want to talk about it in front of Park Ruda. "Do Ahyeon."
Do Ahyeon, who put the unconscious Lee Seodam on the sofa earlier, imdiately stood up straight. "Yes, sir?"
"Stay here and keep an eye on Park Ruda and Lee Seodam," Geon said in a serious tone. "Make sure they won’t leave the apartnt until we return."
Do Ahyeon looked worried, but he nodded his head. "Y-Yes, sir..."
[The kid is probably worried about our Hee-ya.]
"Don’t worry, Ahyeon-ah," Soobin said, patting Do Ahyeon’s back. "We’ll inform you right away if there’s news about our Hee-ya."
Do Ahyeon bead and he answered more cheerfully this ti. "Yes, sir!"
Soobin just nodded, and then he looked at Park Ruda who was catching his breath. "If you or Lee Seodam tries to leave this place, you’re dead."
Park Ruda just scoffed.
Soobin walked past him and Geon followed him suit in silence.
His husband only talked when they were in the car.
Soobin was behind the wheels and Geon was in the shotgun seat because his husband was his passenger princess.
"Hamin sent us a ssage to our group chat and said a Crack burst open above the Fall Guild Headquarters. And Yejun entered that dungeon because, apparently, our Hee-ya is there," Geon reported as soon as the car left the APA Village. "Semi Noona is on her way there while Graham said he can’t because he’s at the Blue House now. Song Moonho must be busy since he hasn’t seen the ssage yet."
"Another Crack, huh?"
"It’s probably the System’s way of pulling out our Hee-ya from wherever she has been dragged into."
Haaah.
[It’s happening earlier this ti.]
"If only we could hide our Hee-ya in order to protect her..."
He only realized that he said that out loud when his husband responded.
"I understand that you’re worried about our Hee-ya. I am, too," Geon said gently, consoling him. "But I believe that our Hee-ya will soon change the world for the better, especially for the Guides, because of her own resolve."
Soobin could only smile bitterly.
[She already did.]
***
"YOU HATE Chu Wonhee, don’t you?"
Lee Seodam knew that it was just a dream.
After all, it was the only explanation as to how he could see an older version of himself sitting on what seed like a broken altar.
[I can’t really see well because it’s dark here, but this place seems to be an old church.]
The atmosphere there was a bit spooky.
But nothing was scarier than his older version of himself who looked jaded and dangerous.
[And his eyes are glowing red...]
"I admit that there’s a part of that finds Chu Wonhee’s kindness appalling," Seodam confessed in a quiet voice. "But I don’t completely hate her. I loved her. And perhaps, I still do."
His older version laughed. "Don’t lie to yourself, Lee Seodam."
"I’m not lying."
"You don’t love Chu Wonhee– you just love that soone as great as her loves you."
Ah.
Seodam didn’t want to accept it, but he also didn’t feel the need to deny it.
And that made him feel really bad about himself.
[Do I really just love the fact that Wonhee loves ?]
That was when a splitting headache hit, almost driving him insane on the spot.
Seodam clutched his head tight while closing his eyes. "No, it’s not true. I don’t hate her," he said. But even to his own ears, it sounded like he was convincing himself and not the other person. "I love Wonhee!"
"Yeah, and I love Kwon Jiwoong."
What?
[That sarcastic voice...]
Hwang Frost?
Seodam imdiately opened his eyes and, much to his shock, he woke up with the Big 4 pointing all their weapons at him.
Hwang Frost even had an ice dagger against Seodam’s throat.
[What happened while I was unconscious...?]
***
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