Startled, she turned around—but the boy was already gone. Not a trace of him left.
That’s weird...
There were only six S-Rank Hunters in Korea, excluding Guru.
On Jurim, Gidan, Shin Nayun, Jin Siwon, Gu Shinhoo, and Cheon Gyuri.
Guru knew five of them. The sixth, Cheon Gyuri, ranked second nationwide and frequently appeared on TV.
So... was that guy an S-Rank Hunter from another country?
Like Mister Jin Siwon?
Even if that were true, something still felt off.
When an S-Rank Hunter so much as set foot in Korea, the media would explode with coverage.
Just recently, when an American S-Rank Hunter visited, the news wouldn’t shut up about how she went to Myeongdong and ate dakhanmari.
[Alice Cole’s Unstoppable Love for Dakhanmari... “This dish makes me homesick for Korea!”]
Photos of Alice Cole beaming outside a chicken shop had been the top headline for days.
But since then, no word—no sightings—of another S-Rank arrival.
Did he come in secret?
Was that even possible?
Guru stared blankly into space for a moment, then shook her head vigorously. This isn’t the time! Gotta beat the bad guys!
She threw the door open wide.
“—Huh?!”
The location was definitely right. But all she saw were two collapsed men on the floor.
She stepped in and checked their faces. They were the ones she saw through the vent—the drunk man with the slurred speech and the heavyset one.
Which meant...
He kept Guru out so he could take them down?!
Had he called the staff? Because now, employees were flooding in behind her.
The staff took one look at the unconscious men and started shouting into their radios.
“Deputy Director Kang!”
“Call the med team to the casino floor—ASAP!”
Guru puffed out her cheeks and glared at the villains and the staff.
So much for the plan—ruined by a rogue S-Rank sneaking into Korea.
Fail. Fail. Everything failed.
Guru trudged back to the kids’ center.
“Everyone, did you have fun at the kids’ center today? I’m sorry, but it’s time to return to the banquet hall! Let’s move along, now—no dawdling!”
It happened to be time for the auction to begin.
Guru trailed behind the staff member and stepped into the grand banquet hall.
The room was dimly lit and spacious. A stage sat at the far end, and round tables were arranged throughout.
She was led to a table marked Doan.
The aides who had been waiting there gently seated her in a chair.
“Did you have fun, miss? The Chairman will be here shortly.”
“Okaay.”
She glanced toward the area the aide pointed to. Suhyeong was at another table, chatting with a group of older men.
Guru nodded, then let her gaze wander to nearby tables.
Hyeonak!
The table marked Hyeonak was still empty.
Most of the front tables were, in fact—everyone was probably mingling elsewhere before the event started.
Well, everything failed, so it’s not like it matters if I get caught now.
She pouted like a duck, just as something small came doodoodoo-ing up beside her.
“Hey.”
It was that girl—the one who had tried to steal her sand shovel back at the kids’ center.
Gu Hwiyeon.
“Hmm? Hii.”
“You—you! Why are you sitting up front?”
Hwiyeon put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes.
Even a kid knew that at events like this, the position of your table meant everything.
A front-row seat wasn’t for a child who didn’t even know who her father was.
“Guru doesn’t know either.”
Just as she thought! She must’ve sat at a random table without knowing better.
“You need to go back to your seat!”
Hwiyeon whined as she grabbed Guru and tried to tug her away.
The aides instantly jumped up to intervene.
“Let go of her. Miss, are you all right?”
“Yesss. It’s fine.”
Guru reassured them with a smile, then took Hwiyeon’s hand and stood up.
“Where are we going?”
Hwiyeon grabbed her wrist and started dragging her backwards.
“Dunno! Just, like, the back!”
“Eh.”
She was just sitting at the table she’d been shown to—what was her problem?
Hwiyeon kept tugging, so Guru sighed and gave the aides a look that said I’ll be right back.
They awkwardly nodded, half-standing.
“Where awe we goin’?”
“To find your seat. Where are your parents?”
“Um? I dunno that either.”
Guru replied glumly.
“You don’t even know that? Then just stay here for now. They’ll come this way eventually.”
Hwiyeon brought her to a back section, where a circle of children had formed—probably her friends from the kids’ center earlier.
“Hwiyeon, who’s she?”
“She was sitting up front. Even though that’s not her seat.”
But it was...
Guru sighed and bit her tongue.
There were always kids like this in kindergarten. The kind who think they’re always right and never listen to anyone else.
Guess I’ll just humor them for a bit before heading back.
Once the auction started, Suhyeong would come looking for her anyway. She just had to ride it out until then.
“What’s your name? Where do you live?”
“My family owns Yesung Confectionery. What do your parents do?”
The kids closed in, hurling questions.
Guru blinked blankly.
“My name’s Hanguru, and I live in Yudan Village.”
“Ohh, that’s new construction. So lucky. I wanna live in a new apartment too. But my dad says real rich people live in houses. How big is your place?”
“Um? Dunno that.”
Why do they keep asking about my house and parents? Guru rolled her eyes.
“I said, what do your parents do?”
This time, Hwiyeon answered for her.
“She says she doesn’t know.”
“Why not?”
“Why do you think? ‘Cause they don’t do anything.”
The air chilled. The kids’ expressions shifted.
“Oh. I see...”
“Yeah, that happens.”
They quickly lost interest, switching to other topics.
“My dad says the Malikian was so weak this time, he soloed it.”
Grinning, Hwiyeon launched into a story she’d heard from her dad about Hunters.
Famous Hunters were always a hot topic, and Hwiyeon could go on for days—earning her the spotlight at every gathering.
Guru, awkward in the silence, tapped her shoe against the floor and glanced around like a lonely acorn in dog food.
Hwiyeon smiled sweetly as she yanked Guru’s wrist tighter to keep her from leaving.
Doesn’t even know what her parents do, and she’s blabbing about my dad dropping in the rankings.
It really stung when her dad fell to fourth place.
So Hwiyeon decided to play a little prank.
Their table was near NAG’s. Her dad would be coming by soon.
If Guru’s parents came to pick her up, they’d have to face her dad. She wanted to watch them grovel—it’d make her feel better.
“Hwiyeon, I think Guru has to go now. Let her go.”
“Go where? There’s still plenty of time.”
As the kids argued, a tall shadow stretched over them.
“Our Guru said she wants to go. So how about letting go?”
“Huh?”
Hwiyeon looked ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) up.
A flashy-looking boy smiled, eyes crinkling sweetly. Hwiyeon froze in place.
Gidan bent toward Guru and grinned.
“What are you doing here, silly Guru?”
Guru puffed her cheeks in protest.
“Guru’s not silly.”
Gidan chuckled mischievously—and behind him, the Hyeonak raid team approached.

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