There is No Such Thing as a Bad Hunter

While Jiho was still thinking, Yiwon got up and changed into his clothes. He put his old sweatpants and t-shirt on at a leisurely pace. 

Once he finished changing, Yiwon gestured with his chin at Jiho, who was still sitting on the bed.

“Get up, it’s time to eat breakfast.”

Jiho checked the time. The hour hand was pointing between the 7 and 8.

“You’re going to eat before you go? Won’t you be late?”

“It doesn’t matter if I’m late.”

Jiho was stunned by Yiwon’s indifferent attitude.

“What do you mean it doesn’t matter? You have to go to China.”

Today is the day Joo Yiwon is supposed to go to China to help raid an S-rank dungeon.

Whenever a dungeon is too difficult for their own country’s hunters to take care of, or, whenever it’s too dangerous, countries would occasionally request for Yiwon to raid it.

Although there’s the risk of Yiwon taking a portion of the items that come out of the dungeon, it’s better than losing a valuable S-rank hunter.

Thanks to that, Yiwon, as an SS-rank who raids dungeons with ease, is always in high demand and busy. Even though he acts like a deadbeat in front of Jiho.

For some reason, a pleased smile appeared on Yiwon’s face at Jiho’s words.

“You know it well.”

“Since your movements are pretty well-known…”

“There’s not a lot of people who know my schedule by the day off the top of their head.”

“Whatever. Anyways, aren’t you busy?”

Jiho frowned and asked. Yiwon laughed.

“It’s okay. Hwang Hye Lim has something to do in China, so she offered to take me there.”

“Ah.”

Hwang Hye Lim is one of the four S-rank hunters in Korea and a rare teleporter. 

Although her combat ability isn’t S-rank, she was recognized as an S-rank for the uniqueness of her skill as the best teleporter in the world.

With Hwang Hye Lim’s ability, they can reach China in about 10 minutes. Since Joo Yiwon’s dungeon raid begins at 11, there’s a lot of time left if he’s moving with Hwang Hye Lim.

Come to think of it, Hwang Hye Lim and Joo Yiwon often move together.

Because Hwang Hye Lim’s ability is both useful and special, a lot of countries try to grab her. Though she has a lot of personal guards, the strongest and safest guard is Joo Yiwon, so whenever she goes out of the country, the two travel together a lot. 

The two have also gotten into scandals a couple of times before. Although they were all recognized as false rumors because of how strongly the two denied it and since they’ve never met outside of official settings…

…as someone who can teleport, couldn’t Hwang Hye Lim go to Joo Yiwon’s house and meet him there?

The two of them can easily avoid Shin Jihye, who knows Yiwon’s schedule, and meet up in secret. Since it’s easy for Hwang Hye Lim to teleport to Joo Yiwon.

Plus Joo Yiwon’s ability is to copy. Although he can’t copy Hwang Hye Lim’s skill completely because it isn’t compatible with him, Yiwon can also teleport short distances.

She was the perfect person to date secretly.

“Jiho?”

“What.”

“Hwang Hye Lim and I aren’t dating.”

Yiwon spoke, as if he could see right through Jiho’s thoughts. Guilty, Jiho pretended that he wasn’t thinking that and shook his head.

“I didn’t think that. And why does it matter to me whether you two are dating or not?”

“What do you mean? Honey, you obviously care a lot about it right now.”

“No.”

“I don’t like people older than me. I like people the same age as me, okay?”

“What do you want me to do?”

Jiho glared angrily and walked out of the room.1

The fact that Yiwon felt so compelled to deny it even though Jiho didn’t say anything made it even more suspicious. 

Jiho thought about the news photo of Hye Lim and Yiwon standing next to each other. Even though it was just a photo for a newspaper, the picture made a small wave online because it looked like a photoshoot.

The tall, slim, and pretty Hye Lim with the objectively good-looking Yiwon, who stands a head above everyone else. No matter who looks, they definitely suit each other.

“…”2

In order to get rid of these distracting thoughts, Jiho slapped his cheeks.

He didn’t want to mistake the kind of relationship the two have with vague speculations. Forget Joo Yiwon–it wasn’t fair for Hwang Hye Lim, who he barely knows.

Upon returning to his room, Jiho took a cold shower. After washing away all of the useless thoughts in his head, he felt a lot lighter. Jiho took clothes out of his closet, changed, and went downstairs.

8AM.

For his parents, who woke up early and went on a light walk, it was time to eat breakfast. Since Joo Yiwon was sitting across from them, Jiho sat next to Yiwon.

“Mom, Dad. Did you sleep well?”

“Eung, Mom sleeps really well these days. Did Jiho sleep well too?”

“Yes, it was nice to sleep at home for once. Did Dad sleep well too?”

“…Yes.”

Like how it was yesterday, Jiho’s father couldn’t hide all of his irritation.

“You don’t look very good, Dad. Do you want to take a medical exam?”

“It’s not like that. I’m okay.”

Shin Joong Ho answered expressionlessly. Without another word, he started the meal.

At home, they usually eat in silence. They were only talking while they ate yesterday because it was the regular family meeting.

Because Jiho was used to eating in silence, he didn’t feel awkward. Jiho, too, didn’t say another word and quietly started to eat.

Because he’s been so busy these days, he’s been making do with a breakfast sandwich. Eating the warm soup and hearty Korean meal, he could feel his appetite return. When Jiho had almost cleared a bowl of rice, his father called him.

“Jiho.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll set a space up for you, so you should try going on a blind date3.”

“…A blind date?”

Suddenly?

They say your head goes blank when you’re startled. That’s what Jiho felt right now.

It was so sudden that his mind went completely blank. It was only after he felt the three people’s gazes on him that he woke up.

A blind date at his age?

Jiho is only 24. He’s much younger than the average age of marriage these days.

On top of that, both his older brother and sister had dated and married freely.

That’s why he thought his parents weren’t going to bother with his marriage but… to suddenly tell him to go on a blind date. Although Jiho truthfully hated the idea, he nodded.

“Um… if it’s needed, I will.”

If this was in the past, Jiho would’ve refused, asking what they were talking about, but the situation was different now.

One year ago, the effects of Jiho’s rank assessment had spread to Chungram. His father, who ran the company transparently, was suddenly called a corrupt chaebol and swept into scandals with no evidence.

The rumors that were spread then have since died down. But getting rid of doubts takes a long time.

Jiho felt a lot of guilt for this. Not only did he worry his parents, who loved and cared for him all of his life, but he even rolled all of their life’s work in the dust. 

One of the reasons Jiho continued to stubbornly hold on to being a hunter was to prove those rumors wrong. Even though his parents didn’t want him to. 

He is, in many ways, an unfilial child. Although he never thought he would be in an arranged marriage, if it was needed, he would follow.

But then.

“…”

Jiho’s face turned white as he turned to Yiwon.

A terrifying aura of mana came out from Yiwon. Jiho, who, as an awakened one, is sensitive to mana, wasn’t the only one to feel it; his parents’ bodies flinched as they felt something dangerous too.

“What are y…”

“Look at this person. Our baby is still so young but you want him to go on a blind date?”

Before Jiho could properly scold Yiwon, his mother cut in.

His mother didn’t know the source of that dangerous feeling, so her rebukes were aimed solely at his father, who brought up the topic of the blind date.

His father, who got hit by Jiho’s mother, frowned and fake coughed.

“Keuheum…”

“This man. Why are you scaring this poor child? You’re scaring him.”

His mother glared at his father. As she did so, an apologetic look appeared on Shin Joong Ho’s face.

His parents know well about Jiho’s guilt. Besides stubbornly sticking to being a hunter, their kind son does whatever they tell him to do, even if he doesn’t want to.

“No, I’m not trying to force you… I was just, suggesting that you go meet someone like other kids do these days. Not for marriage, just… What do people call that these days? Anyways, try meeting other young people. I heard a lot of kids say they like you because you’re good-looking. My friends are going crazy with how they want you as their son-in-law.

His father explained.

It seemed like a simple blind date4 was turned into something more. Jiho felt relieved.

“If it isn’t something I need to do, then I’m sorry, but I will refuse. I don’t have any thoughts of dating right now.”

“You don’t?”

“No. I don’t have time to think about that right now. There’s a lot more important things.”

This is the turning point where he can change the opinion that he’s a corrupt B-rank hunter. He doesn’t have the time to spend on something like dating.

Plus Jiho had a certain fantasy about dating. 

In high school, he turned down multiple confessions with the excuse of having to study. In college, he turned down many people too. 

Since he doesn’t have any experience, Jiho’s fantasy about dating only grew.

Jiho usually takes good care of people. He thinks of people close to him as particularly special, and although he’s never had one before, he’s sure that he would treat his lover with a lot of care.

He wants to make a cool confession, take the other out on a date wherever they want, call everyday, get couple rings, and treat them well. Even though he has no experience, his fantasy grows day by day.

That’s why there’s no way he can start dating right now. Since he’s planning to pour everything into his work right now. Jiho planned to try dating after the situation stabilizes and he has the time to take care of his lover.

For some reason, his mother looked between Yiwon and Jiho before putting on a gracious smile.

“Eung~ Our baby is still too young to date, right? It’s okay to date after you find someone you like.”

Seemingly dissatisfied by Jiho’s mother’s words, his father frowned and set his spoon down with some force.

“Still, both sides have to like each other in order to start dating. It’s bad to push that person, huh, if that person never said they liked him. People who do that are lowly people.”

“Ey… the kids will figure it out themselves.”

Blinking, Jiho got a feeling.

It seems like this was brought up because Yiwon keeps making weird jokes and sticking to him. His dad must’ve wanted to stick an actual girlfriend to Jiho so that Yiwon would stop saying that kind of stuff.

But that’s just a joke Yiwon’s been making since the two of them were young.

Jiho glanced at Yiwon. Yiwon pretended to not understand by raising his eyebrows before starting to eat again.

‘Even if I have to wring his neck, I should stop him from doing those kinds of interviews from now on.’

Of course, it’s impossible for Shin Jiho to wring SS-rank Joo Yiwon’s neck… Thinking that that guy always makes him tired for no reason, Jiho, too, finished his meal.