My Life As The First S-Class Guide

WONHEE didn’t mean it.

She didn’t know why her new skill was suddenly activated when she wasn’t feeling threatened anyway. It was true that she got scared by the thought of accidentally getting kimchi into her mouth because she couldn’t handle spicy food.

[But it’s not like my life is in danger!]

"No, stop!"

It was already too late, though.

Madam Sook-ja was already knocked down by the violent blast of air that suddenly oozed out of her body. The madam dropped the bucket when she fell and, as a result, the kimchi spilled on the ground.

Even Seojin and Mr. Kim were knocked down.

[Oh, no...]

Wonhee extended her hand to try and help Madam Sook-ja, but she immediately realized that a small ball of ice was starting to form above her palm.

[No, I said stop!]

She tried to close her hand, but she couldn’t. In fact, she even tried to grab her arm with her other hand to change the trajectory of the attack. But, much to her frustration, it didn’t work.

[At this rate, I might hit Madam Sook-ja with an ice ball!]

Wonhee was about to close her eyes to avoid the inevitable, but she was surprised when a big and warm hand suddenly covered her hand. At the same time, her back hit someone’s solid body.

[Ah, these firm pecs...]

Hwang Yejun!

"Wonhee-ya, you don’t have to dirty your hands," Yejun whispered in her ear, and then he crushed the floating ice ball with his other hand. "If you need someone dead, just tell me."

Argh.

Wonhee ignored what Yejun said because she was more worried about Madam Sook-ja and the others.

She was relieved when she saw Seojin quickly get back to his feet.

And then Seojin helped his mother get up.

That was when Wonhee noticed that there was a thin layer of what looked like a glass wall between her and Madam Sook-ja’s side.

Oh.

[It’s a barrier!]

"N-Noona, are you alright?" Ahyeon, who appeared on Wonhee’s side, asked nervously. "Y-You’re not hurt anywhere?"

Wonhee was about to say something, but stopped when Madam Sook-ja yelled.

"You should be asking that question to me!"

Wonhee gently patted Ahyeon’s shoulder to let him know that she was fine, then she subtly pointed at the barrier.

Ahyeon, who understood her silent command, nodded politely.

Then the barrier crumbled, just like that.

After that, Wonhee silently asked Ahyeon to help Mr. Kim.

It didn’t seem like Mr. Kim was hurt, but he hadn’t gotten up yet because he dropped his briefcase and the box of red ginseng.

Ahyeon nodded and quickly went to aid Mr. Kim.

"I apologize, ma’am," Wonhee said politely while moving away from Yejun who, thankfully, let go of her without being told to do so. "I didn’t mean to do that. My skill that protects me from danger suddenly got activated."

Madam Sook-ja scoffed at Wonhee’s explanation. "I bet you did that on purpose!"

"Eomma, that’s something that Eomma and Seorin Noona could do," Seojin said firmly. "But Wonhee Noona isn’t the type to physically hurt someone– and Eomma knows that, too."

Oh, dear.

Wonhee appreciated the fact that Seojin was always on her side, but she didn’t think it was the appropriate time to do so when she almost hurt Madam Sook-ja.

[He’s too loyal for his own good.]

"That kid is interesting."

Hmm?

Yejun only said those words in a whisper, but Wonhee clearly heard them.

[He finds Jin interesting?]

"Ahjumma¹, did you just try to splash Wonhee with that bucket of kimchi?" Yejun asked. He was using formal language, but his tone was arrogant and rude. Yes– he was talking down to someone way older than him, and he was obviously unapologetic about it. "Then Ahjumma got lucky Wonhee’s new skill activated the moment it did. Because if Wonhee got so much as a smudge of that kimchi on her, then Ahjumma would have been an ice statue by now."

Madam Sook-ja, who recognized Yejun right away, visibly trembled in fear.

Even Seojin flinched, and then he quickly hid his mother behind him even though the child was obviously scared.

Haaah.

[Yejun can’t mask his bloodlust, huh?]

"Instead of scolding Wonhee for failing to control her newly acquired skill, Ahjumma should be grateful that you only fell as karma. I’m sure you said something mean to Wonhee anyway," Yejun said, laughing that "villain laugh" of his. Moreover, his face also darkened. Everyone could tell that the X-Class Hunter was pissed. "So, let’s stop here, okay?"

Even Wonhee got the chills at Yejun’s obvious threat.

And it wasn’t only her.

Aside from Madam Sook-ja who was being directly threatened by the X-Class Hunter, Seojin, Ahyeon, and Mr. Kim all looked like they were about to collapse because of fear.

"Yejun-ah, please keep quiet for a moment."

"Okay," Yejun said obediently, his face beaming instantly as if his dark look earlier was just an illusion. He even acted like he was zipping up his mouth. "I’ll keep my mouth shut until you give me permission to talk again, Wonhee-ya."

Aigoo.

"Then please wait for me in the car, Yejun-ah," Wonhee said. "Ahyeonnie, please walk Mr. Kim to his car. I want to talk with the Lees in private."

Yejun looked like he wasn’t happy with her order, but he quietly left.

Then Ahyeon and Mr. Kim followed suit.

Only then did Madam Sook-ja and Seojin look like they could finally breathe again.

"Ma’am, let me ask you one last thing before I leave," Wonhee said in a calm yet slightly cold tone. "Did you ask to meet me because you wanted to slap me with kimchi?"

Just like those in the dramas that used to be popular before the Outbreak?

Madam Sook-ja, who had obviously recovered from being threatened by the strongest Hunter in Korea, also recovered her anger and lashed out at Wonhee again. "Why did you rent out this house to us and keep it a secret, huh? In the first place, why would you even buy a house for us? Are you looking down on my family?"

"That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you, ma’am– I didn’t want Seodam Oppa and your family to think that I was looking down on you."

"If you knew we’d feel that way, then why did you still do it?"

"Because I was grateful to you, ma’am."

Madam Sook-ja knitted her eyebrows, obviously confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"I still clearly remember the day that I bought this house. After all, it was a special day for me," Wonhee said softly. "I always get sick during my parents’ death anniversary."

She was talking about the death of both her biological and adoptive parents.

[I don’t know why, but I always get sick during those times.]

"Seodam Oppa wasn’t a Hunter yet back then, but he couldn’t visit me because of his part-time job," Wonhee said, smiling sadly. "But Madam Sook-ja, Seorin Unnie, and Seojin visited me that day. You may not remember it, ma’am, but you brought me porridge that day. Then Seorin Unnie filled my ref with side dishes that the two of you made together, ma’am. And our Jin brought me fruits with his allowance."

Yes, Wonhee used to have a good relationship with Seodam’s family.

Well, she wouldn’t say that Madam Sook-ja and Seorin were friendly to her because both ladies were reserved. The two still kept her at arm’s length.

But Madam Sook-ja and Seorin weren’t hostile to her, so it was fine.

Wonhee thought her future in-laws only needed time to get to know her better.

[But they changed for the worse when Seodam Oppa became a famous Hunter.]

"I lost my parents twice, so I was really happy when Madam Sook-ja took care of me when I was sick that day," Wonhee said, smiling because she didn’t want to cry. "For the first time after a long while, I felt a mother’s love and affection. Foolishly, I thought we could be a family back then."

She really didn’t want to cry.

But when Seojin suddenly burst into tears, Wonhee’s tears suddenly rolled down her cheeks silently.

[Why am I such a crybaby?]

"In return for the kindness you showed me that day, I brought this house for you, ma’am– because I wanted to keep your family safe," Wonhee said in a cracked voice. "And because I didn’t want to lose a mother for the third time."

Madam Sook-ja looked surprised when she realized that Wonhee had seen her as a mother all this time.

[I really thought Seodam Oppa and I would end up married.]

"I thought about telling Seodam Oppa that I brought a house for his family, but co-incidentally, a few days after I became the official owner of this house, Seodam Oppa awakened as a B-Class Hunter," Wonhee continued with her story. "Seodam Oppa said that he was glad he could finally provide for his family. I didn’t want to discourage him, so I asked Mr. Kim to help me. But don’t get me wrong. We didn’t lie– Seodam Oppa really saved Mr. Kim. It happened a week after Seodam Oppa became an official Hunter."

Wonhee hired Mr. Kim for that reason.

"I apologize for that, ma’am," Wonhee added softly, then she paused for a moment– waiting for Madam Sook-ja to say something. But the madam didn’t. "If that was all you wanted to know, then I’m done explaining here. Mr. Kim will keep in touch if you have any questions regarding your lease."

Madam Sook-ja kept her mouth shut, her head hanging low for some reason.

Seojin caught Wonhee’s eyes, then he bowed politely to her.

Wonhee just gave Seojin a small smile, then she finally turned her back on the Lees.

[I finally got to get this off my chest.]

She knew that her connection with the Lees hadn’t been cut off completely yet.

There was still the debt that Seorin owed her, and the fact that she needed to work with Seodam soon.

However, progress was still progress.

[Seodam Oppa, I feel like I can finally stop loving you...]

***

[A HEARTBURN?]

Seodam frowned, clutching his chest when he suddenly felt a pang in his heart.

[Should I go to the infirmary for this?]

He was currently in the apartment that APA provided for him, but he needed to leave soon because President Kwon had summoned him.

[I guess I still have time to drop by the infirmary first...]

His thought process was interrupted when his Status Window suddenly popped up.

<WARNING!>

What?

As if that wasn’t shocking enough, several Status Windows popped up continuously.

<Level Advancement locked!>

<Skills Upgrade locked!>

<Hunter Lee Seodam cannot enter S-Grade Cracks without at least an S-Class Awakened Person as a companion!>

To say that Seodam was shocked would be an understatement.

[What’s wrong with my Status Window?]

***

Please ADD <MY LIFE AS THE FIRST S-CLASS GUIDE> to your LIBRARY to be notified when an update is posted. Thank you! :>