Every time the hair draped freely down her back swayed, it fluttered softly.
Passersby turned to stare with startled expressions at the flame-red hair that burned like fire itself.
Regardless of who glanced at her or not, the woman hummed a cheerful tune and retrieved the weapon she’d stored in her inventory for the flight.
Strapping the long sword with its leather belt to her waist, she made her way toward the exit with a light step.
“Hunter Yoon Jeha.”
Just as she stepped outside the building, a blunt voice called out from behind.
Yoon Jeha glanced over her shoulder and slid her sunglasses down slightly to check who it was.
“Well, look who it is.”
The red pupils hidden behind the lenses were revealed.
“Long time no see, Team Leader Park Minhyuk. What, been two years?”
Despite her playful words, her voice carried a hint of indifference. Park Minhyuk, who was looking at her with a tired expression, let out a low sigh.
“It’s been one year. I came to meet you last year too, remember?”
“Guess I’ve been living too busily. I don’t really remember.”
Sliding her sunglasses back up, Yoon Jeha crossed her arms.
“So? You came to drag me off again?”
“Of course. It’s in the contract, after all.”
Yoon Jeha — the S-rank Hunter infamous for doing whatever the hell she wanted.
Other S-ranks at least pretended to care a little about public image, even if they ignored the Association. But she? She seemed to delight in stirring up controversy with even bolder, more reckless behavior.
“The Association must be pretty free these days, huh? From what I’ve heard, things are chaotic.”
“A contract is a contract.”
Since S-ranks were considered national assets, their overseas trips were strictly limited.
When she first heard that, Yoon Jeha had scoffed and blatantly ignored the rules, gallivanting around foreign countries however she pleased.
After giving up on trying to rein her in, the Association placed a special restriction on her alone.
She could travel freely — but she had to return to Korea at least once a year, and she had to move under the Association’s supervision upon arrival at the airport.
That’s why Park Minhyuk was here.
Last year, the year before that, and even further back — it was always him who came to meet her. And every time, she’d act like she didn’t remember and make her displeasure crystal clear.
Having grown used to her antics, Park Minhyuk didn’t bother to prolong the conversation. He simply gestured.
“A car’s waiting. Let’s go.”
“Click.”
Yoon Jeha clicked her tongue loudly. Still, perhaps knowing that refusing this much would only make the Association more annoying, she obediently followed him without trying to run.
Once they reached the parked vehicle, Yoon Jeha climbed confidently into the back seat.
Not expecting anything else, Park Minhyuk got into the driver’s seat and buckled up before asking:
“Where to?”
Once he dropped her off at her first destination, he wouldn’t have to see her again until her next trip out of the country.
The sooner he got her there, the sooner he could wash his hands of it. But the answer she gave made him instinctively glance back.
“Yesung Guild.”
“...Yesung?”
Did she have any reason to visit Yesung Guild? As far as he knew, she’d only run into Kwon Taehyuk once or twice at best.
Feeling uneasy, Park Minhyuk pressed further.
“What business do you have at Yesung Guild all of a sudden?”
“You’re really nosy. Why are you so interested in me?”
The sound of her voice alone was horrifying. Park Minhyuk shot her a cold glare in response.
Yoon Jeha smirked as if granting a favor and answered lightly.
“There’s someone I want to meet there.”
“Are you going to meet Guildmaster Kwon Taehyuk?”
“No. Why would I bother with that boring man?”
“Then why go there at all?”
“There’s someone way, way more important than the Yesung Guildmaster.”
“Who—”
“You really don’t know? The articles said we know each other.”
'We know each other?'
Park Minhyuk blinked for a moment — and then his face went completely pale.
“Wait. Don’t tell me...”
“A precious SS-rank Supporter popped up in Korea. Of course I need to stop by and say hi. Shake hands, wish him well.”
Yoon Jeha turned to gaze out the window at the brilliant blue sky and cheerfully shouted:
“Alright then, let’s go!”
“....”
Park Minhyuk suddenly wished he were at home.
“Hyung, take off your shirt.”
“K-kiddo...”
The moment I gave a weak smile and subtly leaned back, Sahyeon demanded again.
“Take it off.”
Sunlight poured into the bedroom through the wide-open window, bathing everything in bright midday warmth.
As I kept inching away until my back pressed against the headboard, I swallowed dryly, eyeing Sahyeon who had climbed onto the bed with a bottle of ointment in hand.
'How did it come to this?'
The beginning of this mess goes back to the previous day.
After escaping the dungeon with Eun Woojeong that morning, I’d returned to the Yesung Guild and healed up using Cover’s form, thanks to the darkness Sahyeon had spread out.
I was planning to head straight to the Circle Guild once I recovered enough to move around again, but by late afternoon, that plan hit a snag.
'Recovery’s... a lot slower than I thought?'
The internal injuries from being struck by spider legs were bad, but the burns from the venom that splashed on my skin were even worse.
Thanks to the Holy Power skill, I’d managed to purify the wounds and spent a full day recovering with my S-rank body, so I wasn’t at risk of having my flesh melt or peel off — but I still couldn’t go walking around outside like this.
And Kwon Taehyuk kept dropping by unannounced, which only slowed things down further.
'Annoying as it is, what am I supposed to do? He’s the owner of the room.'
So I decided to rest one more day. In exchange, I asked Sahyeon to buy me some medicine.
Surprisingly, even after he came back to the room, he didn’t nag. He just quietly nodded and agreed.
And now—
With my shirt halfway unbuttoned, I clutched it nervously and forced a smile.
“I said I’ll do it myself, didn’t I?”
“How are you supposed to do this alone?”
Sahyeon frowned, glancing over my entire body with a baffled look.
“Fine, your chest, arms, and legs — sure. But what about your neck and back? Do you have eyes on the back of your head? Or an extra arm growing out of your back? How exactly are you planning to do that by yourself?”
“I can use a mirror just fine—”
“Why would you, when I’m right here?”
I shut my mouth and averted my gaze. Sahyeon sighed dramatically, loud enough to make a point.
“Hyung, do you even know how many times I’ve seen your body already?”
“I mean, seeing and applying ointment are different, right? Just give it to me. I’ll try it myself and call you if I can’t manage. That’s fair, right?”
“It’d be easier if I just did it from the start. Honestly, I don’t get why you’re so adamant about avoiding something as simple as applying medicine.”
His voice carried sincere frustration, and for a moment, I was at a loss for words.
'You seriously don’t know why?'
Has this kid sold his conscience on the black market?
Ever since Sahyeon got back, I could tell from the way he looked at me that something was off.
And how could it not be? We never got around to “making up” thanks to Eun Woojeong’s interference at the abandoned building. From his perspective, it was obvious he’d be impatient.
I tried to pretend not to notice since I wasn’t exactly eager to engage, and maybe because he felt bad seeing me so injured, he hadn’t brought it up either.
But no matter how much he held back his actions, there was no way to suppress his emotions completely. Especially not for someone like Sahyeon.
By the next day, his green eyes were practically burning. It was like he was ready to devour me alive with just a look.
And now this? Asking me to strip in that state? I’m not an idiot — I’m not doing that.
'This might lead to something worse than a kiss...'
I’ll just apply the medicine myself and later smooth things over with ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) a kiss or something.
Tensing my shoulders with nerves, I was just about to try convincing Sahyeon again when—
“I gave you a chance.”
“...!”
Before I could even process what he meant, black shadows overtook my vision.
Sahyeon lunged like lightning, and in an instant, flipped me over.
My face slammed into the bed, and the shadows from the floor coiled around my body like snakes.
“What the fuck— Cha Sahyeon!”
I couldn’t even turn my head. Something heavy pinned down my waist.
“Stay still. I’m just treating your injuries.”
My hands were yanked above my head and forcefully bound. No matter how much I struggled, the thick shadow around my wrists didn’t budge.
A chill ran down my spine.
This bastard wasn’t playing. Realizing that too late, I panicked and begged.
“Okay, okay! Just get off me! I’ll take it off myself, alright?!”
“Nope. That ship’s sailed.”
“What?!”
Where the hell did he learn that phrase?
“Let go of—ah, ugh!”
“Knew you’d pull this.”
Sahyeon’s hand slipped under my shirt and pressed hard against my side.
A scream burst out of me from the sheer pain. The area Shelob had struck was still deeply bruised.
He knew that, and he still pressed that hard? This heartless, merciless little Catastrophe bastard.
My breathing grew ragged from the shock. As I struggled to calm down, his hand slowly slid upward, brushing over my side.

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