Chapter 76: FIRST OF ITS KIND
"YEJUN-AH, stay here."
"Why are you abandoning me here, Wonhee-ya?" Yejun complained lightly while sitting on the swing and looking up at Wonhee with a "pained look" on his face. "This is gross negligence."
Of course, he was only pulling her leg.
Yejun knew why Wonhee had to "abandon" him in the empty playground of that gated neighborhood. But he still teased her.
Why?
[Because Wonhee is cute when she’s being flustered.]
Just look at her now.
Wonhee’s face turned red. "I’m not abandoning you, Yejun-ah. But you have to stay here because Seodam Oppa’s family members are all Civilians. You might still scare them even if you’re already using a skill to hide your presence. So, please wait for me here, hmm?"
Heh.
[I never found herbivores cute until I met Wonhee– oh, wait. She claims she’s an omnivore.]
"I’m gonna get bored without you here, so hurry up."
"Are you ordering me around, Yejun-ah?"
"Pretty please?"
"Okay," Wonhee said, then she pulled out her smartphone from her expensive bag. "I have games here on my personal phone. Play anything except the ’Fish Together’ app, okay? That’s the only game I play religiously."
"Can I download other games if I don’t find anything interesting here?" he asked when he got Wonhee’s phone. "I remember this game that I used to play before I got locked up."
"Go ahead," she said. "Here’s the password."
Oh?
"I just noticed that you’re using a local phone," Yejun commented. "I thought the foreign phone brand was more popular among our age group. My old phone was from that foreign brand."
"Why would I use the competitor’s phone?" Wonhee said. "This phone is made by Semi Noona’s company."
"Are you forbidden to use other brands?"
"No, it’s just my choice since I’m really proud of my sister’s company. Daesung Group, Semi Noona’s company, is a key supplier for the foreign company you’re talking about. Daesung Group provides components such as OLED panels to them..." Wonhee trailed off, then she stopped talking. "Sorry. I talked too much."
"Nah, it’s fine. I like watching you get excited while talking about things that have your interest," Yejun said. "So, Witch Noona’s company probably earns billions from that foreign company’s success. Amazing. Even though the world has been turned upside down, people still use phones. In fact, we need it more than ever."
After all, announcements related to Cracks were released through text messages and phone notifications.
[I know because it’s the Big 4 who implemented that law.]
Wonhee’s face beamed and nodded. "Right? Semi Noona is amazing."
"Amazing and rich RICH," Yejun said, nodding. "Maybe I should ask Witch Noona for compensation for all the times she almost killed me with her newly brewed potions."
"Yejun-ah..."
"I’m just kidding."
"You didn’t sound like you were kidding."
Yejun just shrugged, then he changed the topic and pointed at the bodyguard standing behind Wonhee awkwardly. "Are you leaving that baby herbivore here with me?"
He knew the boy’s name, but he couldn’t be bothered saying it.
"Yah," Wonhee complained. "Ahyeonnie is a carnivore. He’s strong."
Do Ahyeon’s face beamed.
"But it’s true that Ahyeonnie is a baby."
Do Ahyeon’s face turned crestfallen.
Heh.
"Is it alright if you leave your bodyguard here, Wonhee-ya?"
"Seodam Oppa’s house is just right there, so you and Ahyeonnie could reach me right away if something happens," Wonhee said. "I need Ahyeonnie here to keep an eye on you."
"I’m not a child."
"But you’re too reckless and unpredictable. Don’t bully Ahyeonnie, okay?"
"I don’t bully baby herbivores."
"Good."
Yejun’s gaze went past Wonhee. "Your real estate agent is here."
"Then I’m leaving," Wonhee said, then she gently patter his head. "Be a good boy, Yejun-ah."
"I’ll try," Yejun said while waving. "Bye."
***
"IT’S GOOD to see you again, Miss Chu."
"Likewise, Mr. Kim," Wonhee said while closing the door of the car with her hip. She couldn’t use her hands because she was holding a box of banana milk and a box of red ginseng on top of it. "Thank you for taking care of my properties while I was busy."
"Let me help you, Miss Chu."
"You can just take the red ginseng, Mr. Kim. It’s for you and your wife."
Mr. Kim smiled as he carefully grabbed the box of red ginseng. "You always take good care of us, Miss Chu. Thank you."
"You’re welcome, Mr. Kim," Wonhee said, smiling. "Did you bring the things I asked?"
"Of course. Would you like to see them?"
"No, it’s okay. I trust you, Mr. Kim."
And, this might be arrogant or foolish of her to say, but she really didn’t care about the money that she asked Mr. Kim to bring.
"Thank you for the trust, Miss Chu," Mr. Kim said. "Shall we go?"
Wonhee said, nodding. "I want this to be done and over with the soonest."
***
[A C-CLASS Hunter with several S-Grade Skills?]
Heh.
Yejun thought it was ridiculous.
He was discreetly checking Do Ahyeon’s Status Window while the bodyguard was standing beside him anxiously. Although he was playing a game on Wonhee’s phone, he could check the baby herbivore’s Status Window– simply because he was built differently.
[An Awakened Person with those skills should at least be a B-Class Hunter.]
"Baby herbivore."
"M-My name is Do Ahyeon, sir."
"I know, baby herbivore," Yejun said nonchalantly, his fingers busy tapping on the phone screen. "So, you don’t raid dungeons?"
"Uhm, I belong to the F-Fall Guild, sir. O-Only our Culinary H-Hunters enter Cracks..."
"Ah, the Fall Guild."
The Fall Guild was the owner of the biggest restaurant in Korea. It was led by the Culinary Hunter who first discovered that monster meat was safe for human consumption. And that discovery saved the country from starving during the Outbreak.
"I didn’t know the Fall Guild provides security to VIPs."
"N-No, our guild isn’t a security company, sir," Do Ahyeon said. "O-Only me..."
"Then how did you become Wonhee’s bodyguard?"
"I-I can’t tell you, sir..."
Okay, that was good.
[An employee who is tight-lipped about their employer’s business is trustworthy.]
"Do you like Wonhee?"
"A-As a person and as a n-noona... yes..."
"Don’t you want to enter dungeons to increase your level? The higher your level is, the stronger you become. Then you’ll be able to protect Wonhee better."
Do Ahyeon fell silent for a moment before he opened his mouth. "Celebrities can’t hire Hunters from the B-Class and above as their bodyguards, sir. Celebrities like Wony Noona could only hire bodyguards from the C-Class and below. S-So if my level increased..."
"Ah, gotcha."
[That’s probably why the System increased the baby herbivore’s stats without changing his level– to keep him by Wonhee’s side.]
Hah.
[The System really showered people who love Wonhee with great benefits. But it seems like the baby herbivore is too innocent to realize that. Only cunning people like Soobin Hyung and Semi Noona noticed it right off the bat.]
Yejun wanted to probe more about Do Ahyeon’s skills, but he didn’t want to be obvious.
The baby hebivore was naïve, but not stupid.
[He’ll realize that I can see his Status Window if I ask more about his skills.]
Awakened People couldn’t see other people’s Status Window.
Yejun could, but it wasn’t perfect.
He could only see the names and the grades of the skills written on other people’s Status Window. Unfortunately, he couldn’t read the details since they were blurred.
Hence, he could only rely on his wits to figure out the skills based on their names.
<Rewards Notification!>
Yejun didn’t care that Do Ahyeon was there since the baby herbivore was harmless anyway.
Hence, he looked up at his Status Window nonchalantly.
Do Ahyeon had the decency to pretend not to notice Yejun’s movement.
[Your friends are as nice as you, Wonhee-ya.]
<The System is pleased to inform Hunter Hwang Yejun that Guide Chu Wonhee has received her reward for saving Hunter Han Graham!>
Oh, right.
The System informed Yejun about it because Wonhee’s reward was related to him.
In fact, the System had to get his permission first. And it seemed like it took a while because Wonhee’s reward would be the first of its kind.
[Finally, it’s here.]
"Baby herbivore."
"M-My name is Do Ahyeon, sir..."
"Yes, baby herbivore," Yejun said, then he looked up at Do Ahyeon with a smirk. "Soon, Wonhee won’t need you to protect her anymore."
***
"I FAIL to see how is that my problem, ma’am," Wonhee said politely when Lee Sook-ja, Seodam’s mother, asked her to extend their contract for half a year. "Your lease will end next month. Now that Seodam Oppa is already an A-Class Hunter under the guidance of APA, I’m sure you can find a new house easily."
Madam Sook-ja scoffed. "Are you doing this because my son dumped you?"
"Yes, ma’am."
The madam looked surprised by what she said. "Are you that shameless to admit you’re being petty?"
"Eomma!" Seojin scolded his mother. "Please stop."
"It’s alright, Jin-ah," Wonhee said, her gaze focused on Madam Sook-ja. "I’m sorry, ma’am. But I don’t see how I’m being petty. Madam and Seorin Unnie are the ones who often tell me to stop clinging to Seodam Oppa. And that’s exactly what I’m doing now. I don’t want to have anything to do with Seodam Oppa, Seorin Unnie, and Madam Sook-ja anymore."
She didn’t include Seojin.
[After all, I promised Jin-ah that we would still be friends.]
"Hence, I have no choice but to do this, ma’am," Wonhee said. "But I understand that it might be difficult for you to find a new place in a month, so I’m returning all the money that you’ve paid for the past two years."
"What do you mean by that?"
Wonhee just turned to Mr. Kim.
"I have all the rent money you’ve sent me, Mrs. Lee," Mr. Kim said, handing a small briefcase to Madam Sook-ja. "Miss Chu has never touched the rent money you’ve sent me, ma’am. And since you always paid in cash, I kept the money in that briefcase."
Madam Sook-ja looked at the briefcase in her hand in disbelief. "What..."
"I understand that it might be difficult for you to find a new house despite Seodam Oppa’s new status as an A-Class Hunter, so I figured this is the least thing I could do for you and your family, ma’am," Wonhee said, then she slightly bowed her head. "Please leave before your lease ends next month. I’m sorry for the short notice. Thank you for your understanding."
After saying that, Wonhee raised her head to give Seojin an apologetic smile.
Then she turned to Mr. Kim.
"I’ll go ahead, Mr. Kim. Please take care of the rest."
Mr. Kim bowed. "Yes, Miss Chu."
Wonhee just nodded politely before leaving the house.
She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, but she stopped walking when her Status Window suddenly popped up in front of her.
<"Congratulations, Chu Wonhee!">
Hmm?
<"Your reward for saving Hunter Han Graham is here!">
[Oh, I get a reward for that?]
<"You just unlocked the <What Yours Is Mine, and What Mine Is Yours Skill>! From now on, you can use Hunter Hwang Yejun’s skills when you feel threatened...">
"Chu Wonhee!"
Unfortunately, Wonhee didn’t get to finish reading the details of the new skill that she unlocked because Madam Sookja called her angrily.
When she turned around, she saw the madam holding a bucket of kimchi.
Seojin and Mr. Kim were running after Madam Sook-ja.
[Is she going to throw kimchi at me?]
Wonhee felt a bit scared because she wasn’t good at eating spicy food.
<50%! <What Yours Is Mine> is now being activated!>
Huh?
[What does ’50%’ mean?!]
Wonhee was confused when cold air suddenly leaked out of her body, and she could tell that the cold air was about to blow Madam Sookja away– literally. "No, stop!"
It was too late, though.
***
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