The dimly lit plcae was bathed in a quiet melancholy, the air heavy with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Jin and Lee Jooh sat across from each other, their hearts burdened by the weight of the situation. Jin couldn't help but gaze at Lee Jooh's trembling hands, tightly gripping the porcelain teacup. Her eyes, once sparkling with hope, were now brimming with unshed tears.
"Anyway, how's life treating you?" Jin inquired, trying to break the suffocating silence that had settled between them. But his heart was heavy with the knowledge that if this continued, their conversation would go nowhere.
""What's your take on the way life unfolds when someone you believed loved you suddenly vanishes into the night after a one-night stand, leaving behind a trail of unanswered messages, calls, and emails?" Lee Jooh's voice quivered as she spoke, sharing only a partial truth about the torment she had been enduring. She concealed the depth of her feelings, not wanting to burden Jin with the truth. She wasn't enjoying the turmoil inside her, and she knew that he, too, had his reservations.
' What a hassle ', he knew thought as he knew she had little feelings for him, he wasn't a stupid dense Shonen Protagonist but while he only partially liked her he didn't love her, he wasn't obliged to accept her feelings.
Yes it was his dick that put him in this mess but he wasn't just going to accept just because of his mistake as even if did, either of them didn't have anything common about then so even if Jin tried to work this out he knew it was going to fail and this relationship is always doomed.
And because he had a plan to live a very very long life he knew he should let her go now then ruin her immortal life trying to work this out.
But he didn't want to broke her heart by outright denying her, maybe a bit cowardly of him, but he knows better than others how much rejection hurts.
'Truly what a hassle just because of my stupid dick' again It has a terrible sense of direction. MY DICK HAS LEAD ME TO PLACES I WOULDN'T EVEN GO WITH A GUN' he thought for the final time before he sighs again.
"Yes, that's undeniable. It was my mistake," Jin finally responded, his voice tinged with remorse. . "But, you know, after we parted ways, I found myself consumed by thoughts of you and the potential future we might have built together. It's just that these musings plunged me into a deep, Regrettably, those contemplations dragged me into a desolate, lifeless void,. We both recognize the stark reality that we share so little in common, don't we? leaving me to acknowledge the undeniable truth that our commonalities are scarce at best.""
The room was silent again as Lee Jooh's hands, still clutching the teacup, trembled with the threat of tears. She wrestled with her emotions, trying to regain control, and after a long while, she finally asked the question that had been lingering in the air like a storm cloud. "You haven't told me yet, Jinwoo, do you love me?"
"I like you, Lee Joohee," Jin replied, his words cruelly striking her heart, causing tears to well up in her eyes. "But no, I don't love you."
The pain in her eyes was unmistakable as she confronted him, her voice shaking with emotion. "But what about the things you said in the past?"
"It was all in the heat of the moment," Jin confessed, rubbing his forehead in frustration. The situation had spiraled out of control, and he knew that a simple apology wouldn't suffice.
The heavy silence hung like a shroud once more. Lee Jooh tried to regain her composure, her thoughts lost in a whirlwind of emotions. After what seemed like an eternity, she sighed heavily and asked, her voice trembling, "Can I know why? Is it because I'm not beautiful enough or pure enough for you?"
Jin sighed, gently ruffling her hair in an attempt to comfort her. "The cost of loving me isn't something you can bear or even compare. It's not just about beauty or purity; yes, they play a part, but what I want is more than that. What I want is girls who are cute enough to make my heart skip a beat unique enough to stand out next to my existing wives and interesting enough as characters that I'm not bored out of my mind when they have clothes on because if I am I'll probably be bored when the clothes are off too after some time, the sexual attraction is about more than just liking how someone looks naked it's about that spark of chemistry I feel when I like someone's personality which makes me think I would probably have fun doing things with this person and also that makes me think I'd enjoy spending time with this person, even just talking to them."
Her eyes widened as she absorbed his candid words, and I continued, ," There are many things I don't accept about you, and again there are only a few things I like about you, it's my own selfishness, I can't accept someone like you"
"Women need to be more than just eye candy although it kind of goes without saying that they must also be eye candy which leads us to point to the girls needing to be hot because there's nothing worse than a girl where you're not attracted."
I blunt out my whole life philosophy about the kind of women I want in one breath. While rubbing my forehead the situation really got out of hand with this as even though I don't know what to say I could just apologise but I know it won't do anything in the current situation.
The room fell silent again, and Jin, now rubbing his temples, realized that the situation had escalated beyond his control. Apologies wouldn't mend what was broken.
"I see," Lee Jooh replied, her voice firm despite the tears welling up in her eyes.
Jin was at a loss for words. If she had lashed out in anger, he might have had a course of action, but her quiet acceptance left him feeling helpless.
Sigh…
"I am sorry," he finally managed to say, his voice heavy with regret. "I want to begin by saying how deeply sorry I am. It's my fault that we find ourselves in this difficult situation. If only I hadn't lost control of myself at that moment, we wouldn't be enduring this painful ordeal. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make amends, except for giving you my love. It's not that I don't care about you; it's just that reserving a special place in my heart isn't a decision I can make lightly. I have plans to live a very, very long and fulfilling life, and accepting your love right now could ultimately hurt you even more in the future. It's a pain that would far exceed what you're feeling at this moment."
"I see," Lee Jooh whispered, her voice barely audible. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as the heavy silence returned, their unspoken goodbye hanging in the air like a shadow.
"..."
'Fuck…'
"I have to be honest with you," Jin continued, his voice laden with sincerity. "That night we spent together was incredible, and in the heat of the moment, I said things I meant at that time. But the truth is, I can't promise you forever."
Tears streamed down Lee Jooh's cheeks, and she blinked them away, her voice trembling as she responded, "But you said you loved me, Jinwoo. You made me believe that there was something more."
Hearing her, Jin could only lower his head, not out of guilt, but because something weighed heavily on his heart. "I know, and I'm so sorry for that. I never meant to mislead you or hurt you, but I realize now that I got caught up in the moment. I thought I could give you forever, but it's just not possible."
Tears welled up in Lee Jooh's eyes, and she looked at Jin with a mixture of pain and confusion. "I don't understand, Jinwoo. What changed?"
Jin sighed deeply, struggling to find the right words to explain his complicated feelings. "It's not you, Lee Jooh. You're an amazing person, and that night meant a lot to me too. But I've realized that I'm not in a place to promise forever to you. I have a lot of personal problems to work through, and I can't drag you into that uncertainty. As I said before, we're worlds apart."
Lee Jooh nodded, her tears falling freely now. "I see," she whispered, her voice trembling.
As the weight of their unspoken farewell hung in the air, both Jin and Lee Jooh sat in silence. Their paths had diverged that day, and everything they had shared was now relegated to a fleeting moment of connection in the vast expanse of their lives. It was a painful parting, made even more excruciating by the love that had once burned so brightly but was now extinguished.
Jin couldn't bear to look at Lee Jooh's tear-stained face, and she couldn't bear to meet his remorseful gaze. Everything they had known had come to an end, and now they walked away from each other, their hearts heavy with the weight of what might have been.
***
The city was cloaked in the quiet of the night as Jin trailed Lee Joohee, his steps muffled by the shadows. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he watched her enter her house, a familiar pang of regret echoing within him.
Since they had parted ways, he had been silently observing her every move, using his exceptional stealth abilities to remain concealed.
'Sigh…' Jin's exhalation was laden with a mix of emotions. He couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility for her well-being, even though they had separated. The burden of concern weighed on him as he watched her safely enter her room.
'Well, at least she doesn't have any suicidal thoughts, at least not yet. Even if I don't know how a B-rank hunter could kill themselves by conventional means,' Jin thought, his brow furrowing with worry. The enigmatic realm of hunters had its peculiarities, making self-harm an intricate challenge, but he couldn't dismiss the possibility entirely.
After all, there was no ordinary rope that could strangle them, no regular knife that could pierce their supernatural resilience. Even the perilous act of leaping from a towering building would do little more than rend a few muscles or tissues, hardly a fatal endeavor. The usual poisons were equally ineffective against their formidable constitutions.
'I followed her because I understand the kind of thoughts that plague a regular human after going through a breakup. After all, I've grappled with those same emotions myself. And one of the most prevalent thoughts that haunt most young people during such times is the specter of suicide,' Jin reflected, his gaze fixed on her from the shadows.
Yet, despite the melancholy tears that streaked her face and the emotional turmoil that undoubtedly raged within her, he found solace in the fact that she hadn't succumbed to the darkest of thoughts. Her safety brought a glimmer of hope to his heart.
But he couldn't leave anything to chance. His sense of responsibility for her well-being weighed heavily on him. Jin decided to intervene discreetly, ensuring she found her way to happiness. He spoke softly from his concealed vantage point, his voice a mere whisper on the night breeze. "Come out."
At his command, Swift and two Orc soldiers emerged from his shadow, their forms materializing like phantoms. They were his loyal guardians, silent sentinels of the night.
"Stay vigilant with her," Jin instructed, his voice tinged with concern. "Ensure she doesn't engage in any reckless behavior, and if she attempts self-harm, intervene at all costs while maintaining your invisibility. Especially you, Swift. Employ stealth techniques as necessary, even in well-lit situations."
With his directives in place, the shadow soldiers nodded in unison, vanishing into the darkness once more, becoming one with the night as they trailed Lee Joohee, their mission clear.
"Now let's hope everything goes well," Jin whispered softly to himself, his eyes still trained on her window. He wished fervently for her to find the happiness she deserved. With a final, lingering gaze, he turned away and silently retreated into the night, leaving behind the hope that, in time, she would find the peace and contentment that had eluded them both.
***
'Now what should I do? Should I visit the Korean Hunter Auction house or directly head home?
As there is still some time before the doctor is done with the enhancement project I gave him and it could take a few more hours plus I want my guild to be established while I am out of the game.
And for that I need to converse with Yoo Jinhoo. By now his father had already kicked him out so he would be heading to my home.'
'Na there is no point in visiting the Korean Hunter Auction as I don't think I would be able to find any better equipment than B-rank.'
***
Baek Yun-Ho returned to his private office.
"I wish to be left alone for a while, so don't let anyone in."
Maybe he found ordering his secretary wasn't enough, he even locked the door, too. Only after that, he switched on his computer. And then, using the authority afforded to a rank S Hunter, as well as a Master of a Guild, he began perusing every information he could get his hands on.
'Can it really happen?'
Baek Yun-Ho couldn't stop thinking about Jin-Woo.
A Hunter that could grow stronger?
But, if not that, then how could anyone explain that man's strength that had increased to an unrecognisable degree in only a few days?
Baek Yun-Ho's fingers moved quite quickly.
He logged in to the special Hunter website that only the top-ranked Hunters around the world could access, and searched for any information related to this matter. Unfortunately, it was a waste of time.
'There's nothing….'
There was not one Hunter who could improve their stats all by themselves. No, they could only grow stronger through pure luck, also known as Awakening, or Re-Awakening process.
So, should he call that man not as a Hunter, but someone chosen by the gods?
Countless windows repeatedly popped up, only to disappear, and countless texts filled the computer screen without a moment's rest. Three hours passed by like that as he did all he could to find Jin traces all over South Korea.
And the only thing he could find are some hints of Hunter. As a chin of events was created after Sung Jin Woo gone through Re-Awakening process but nothing that link it towards Jin-woo
Getting fatigued from the long hours spent on searching, Baek Yun-Ho leaned against the back of his chair.
'Maybe, I overreacted?'
That could've been a possibility.
Because he was too shocked by the incredible strength Hunter Sung Jin-Woo displayed, he could've thought up a crazy theory as a way to explain that.
"…Hahaha."
What was he doing when things remained so hectic?
Rather than wasting time like this, he should be sending another offer to Hunter Sung Jin-Woo, instead. Who knows, that quick-witted Chairman Choi could already be visiting Hunter Sung Jin-Woo with a contract in his hand by now.
Baek Yun-Ho chuckled wryly and began closing all the windows one by one. But, when only a single window was left open….
'Wait a minute….'
Just for fun, he typed 'Hunter level up ability' in the search engine. Of course, there was no result to speak of. Baek Yun-Ho wasn't expecting anything tangible, to begin with, when he typed that, anyway. It was just that, he was unconsciously repeating the actions he'd perform when searching for something online.
'Now that I think about it…. I haven't had lunch today.'
He slowly rubbed his tummy as he belatedly sensed his hunger. Baek Yun-Ho was about to log off the search engine altogether, but then, his eyes gleamed brightly.
'.....?'
He spotted a certain link with some words below it, found on the fifth page of the search results.
If the linked address wasn't the forum only Hunters could sign up with, he'd have ignored those words and move on.
Baek Yun-Ho quickly moved the mouse.
[Title: Something weird has been happening around the country.]
[Description: Did you what the video of hunter literally eating out a monster. ]
An 'anonymous' had opened a thread with those words and posted a very famous video of a hunter fighting a D -Rank black gorilla monster with iron skin.
However, how should Baek Yun-Ho describe this? When he saw the video he had seen it before but now focusing on the hunter, he could feel his breaths quickening, as well as his heartbeat, pounding faster and faster.
'Surely, others will think that I've lost my mind.'
Still, there was nothing to lose by confirming it. Baek Yun-Ho picked his phone up.
– "Hello, sir."
Soon, the Section Chief of the Second Division, Ahn Sahng-Min, answered the call.
"I'd like you to find something out for me, please."
Baek Yun-Ho wanted to find out what Hunter Sung Jin-Woo was doing on the night this anonymous hunter fought the beast.