#26
If one were to describe Do Ha-seong as a hunter in one word, it would be sufficient. A devoted person. With the thought that he should devote himself to people in trouble because he had abilities superior to others, Ha-seong had endured those arduous times.
It was Ha-seong who would throw himself into a dungeon without hesitation the next day when he heard that many civilians had been caught up in it, even after saying he would quit being a hunter who received neither proper treatment nor respect. And the root of that thinking was one thing.
His innate nature.
That’s just how Do Ha-seong was born to be. Going into a gate to save Boss Kim, with whom he had made a deal because their interests aligned, giving cabbage to the pig that annoyingly followed him around while telling it to get lost, being unable to ignore a young child caught up in a dungeon despite the risk of being discovered as a hunter. All of this was simply because Do Ha-seong’s nature was made that way.
A senior hunter who often worked with Ha-seong because their past combat styles matched well used to say this to him:
‘Do Ha-seong, you’re too damn kind.’
‘I’m not kind. I just pocketed the allowance for entering the association earlier.’
‘No… hmm, anyway, not that kind of thing. I mean your nature. Hunters who have excellent skills like you and also have a sense of mission are rare. That’s why I worry about you. It’s good to work hard, but don’t work too hard.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m saying take care of yourself. You have to take care of your own body – who else will? Reduce any actions that will cause you losses, even a little.’
After that, he often heard such things from people around him. That he was incredibly kind while pretending not to be, that he was full of justice, and so on. But Ha-seong wasn’t deeply aware of his own nature. To Ha-seong, it was just ‘something he had to do.’
But after coming to this world, he began to understand a little what that senior had said, what he had heard from those around him. Not that he understood he was a wonderful hero full of justice, but that he had to take care of and look after his own share. Although they say it’s a society where we must live together, he realized that ultimately, the only one who could think of himself the most was himself.
Even after coming to this world where hunters were treated well, the reason he didn’t bother doing hunter work and just acted as a purifier, secretly making money behind the scenes, was all because of that. He decided to absolutely never do anything that would cause him losses. He resolved to live in this world looking out for and trusting only himself.
Of course, that resolution was thoroughly shattered at this very moment.
“I’ll help you. With that revenge or whatever.”
It wasn’t that he sympathized with Cha Do-hyeok. Ha-seong wasn’t sensitive enough to sympathize with anyone, and he wasn’t close enough to that guy to have built such a bond in the first place.
Then why did he say such words? Why did he set aside his resolution not to do things that would cause him losses? Honestly, he didn’t really know, but he just wanted to do that. He couldn’t ignore the strange emptiness that occasionally appeared in Cha Do-hyeok’s eyes, the chilling voice when he spoke of revenge.
He had never seen him walking down a familiar solitary path from behind, but he could tell. What kind of feeling that emptiness was. He just empathized a little. With the human called Cha Do-hyeok.
“…Why?”
After frowning as if pondering something for a moment, that was the first thing Do-hyeok said.
“You asked for help.”
You asked for help, so why are you asking why? After confirming that the gate was completely closed, Ha-seong strode toward Do-hyeok.
“I said I’d help.”
“If it’s a half-hearted feeling…”
“Hey, I hate half-hearted things just as much as you do, you know? I’m being sincere right now. Can’t you tell by looking?”
Having almost gone to his grave several times due to being half-hearted, Ha-seong always had the habit of making up his mind decisively and acting decisively. And unless some significant circumstances arose, he rarely reversed his decisions.
“If you want, look with those eyes of yours… no, with those eyes.”
“…What did you think I meant, hyung? That shows other people’s status windows, not their inner thoughts.”
“Ah, was that it?”
Ha-seong awkwardly bobbed his head briefly. Cha Do-hyeok searched Ha-seong’s face as he spoke. That was definitely sincere, and it wasn’t an action meant to test him either.
“I’m just curious. Why you accepted it. Honestly, I thought you’d refuse.”
“Mm… I was going to refuse, but…”
Ha-seong scratched his head with an expression like a test-taker solving problem 30 on a college entrance exam math test.
“But?”
“Well, you know, people have something called nature. It might sound ridiculous, but I’m a bit weak when it comes to people who need me.”
“…”
Somehow, after saying that, he felt incredibly embarrassed. Like he sounded as if he were some hero of turbulent times. The fact that Cha Do-hyeok, who should be listening to this, remained quietly silent without saying anything added to his embarrassment.
“Hyung is…”
Do-hyeok, who had been quiet all along, slowly moved his lips.
“A good hunter.”
It was a completely unexpected comment.
Was it praise? No, it was praise, but the problem was that the person saying it was Cha Do-hyeok. Since a guy who seemed like he wouldn’t be interested in the letter ‘p’ in praise suddenly said something like that, embarrassment crept up his legs.
“But I have a condition.”
Do-hyeok nodded as if telling him to speak. Once he accepted the proposal to help, he was as gentle as a lamb.
“Give me more money.”
“…I’ll correct myself. Hyung is a materialistic hunter.”
“Materialistic? Naturally, it’s normal for anyone who’s human to have some material desires.”
“What will you do after collecting all that money?”
It was pure curiosity. Ha-seong said with his own mouth that his dream was to be a rich unemployed person, but that seemed like a metaphorical expression at best. What was Ha-seong planning to do after collecting so much money? At this point, he was curious.
“Me? I’m going to play around.”
Do-hyeok acknowledged it again.
That human was serious. Being a rich unemployed person wasn’t a metaphor but real.
“I see.”
Do-hyeok chuckled at the absurd feeling.
“I’ll make it happen for you. Make you a rich unemployed person.”
It was the moment when Do-hyeok and Ha-seong exchanged what each truly wanted.
* * *
“Team Leader Yoon, you don’t look well lately? Is there something difficult going on?”
A team leader from another department naturally approached Woo-bin as he was getting coffee in the communal break room.
“Something difficult? I just haven’t been able to sleep well lately, I guess.”
Woo-bin spoke with his usual polite and neat smile.
“Not being able to sleep is the hardest thing. Take some vacation time and go somewhere to rest. How can the Hunter Management Bureau’s mascot be dying like this?”
He joked around while patting Woo-bin’s shoulder a couple of times.
“Yes. I’ll consider it. Thank you for your concern.”
After exchanging a few more words, Woo-bin left the break room and headed to the team office.
“Vacation…”
Setting down the teacup filled with fragrant coffee, Woo-bin leaned back deeply in his chair. How nice it would be if he could also go on vacation. Right now it wasn’t that he wasn’t going, but that he couldn’t go, which made it even more so.
Since talking with Do-hyeok, no gates caused by artificial forces had been discovered yet, but Woo-bin was still keeping his senses sharp. Moreover, since this was a matter involving security, he had to move alone. Trying to handle regular work while also conducting investigations into the mastermind behind that incident was quite difficult. He used to fly around when he was active, but had his stamina already decreased? Woo-bin drank his coffee while rolling his stiff neck.
Cha Do-hyeok was also part of the cause of this fatigue. They should be helping and moving together, but right now he was doing all the work alone. He had said he would find investigators to move and be active with, but there had been complete silence until now.
Just when he was thinking he should visit once or at least call, Woo-bin’s phone rang.
“They say even tigers come when you talk about them.”
It was a text from Do-hyeok.
[Cha Do-hyeok: Found someone to work as an investigator]
Woo-bin immediately sent a reply.
[Yoon Woo-bin: Who is it? A hunter? What do they do?]
The other party was quiet for a moment at Woo-bin’s barrage of questions. The ‘1’ indicator disappeared right away, so it seemed like they were looking at this chat room right now… Just when Woo-bin was about to send another message, a brief reply arrived from Do-hyeok.
[Cha Do-hyeok: A rich unemployed person.]
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
