#173
An annoying voice was heard.
“Ah, right. I almost forgot. That bastard Choi Tae-hyuk is here too…”
It was Choi Tae-hyuk.
“That bastard? Still the same dirty mouth for a C-rank. But…”
Choi Tae-hyuk, true to himself, started picking a fight as soon as he appeared. Neither Lee Han-sol nor Ki Baek-woo was particularly surprised, being used to it. This guy is starting again. That was the only feeling they had.
Choi Tae-hyuk’s gaze swept over Han-sol and Baek-woo beside him. A snicker, matchless in arrogance, followed.
“Seeing you two together… I guess you’ve reached an agreement in the meantime? Decided to get back together? Not even kids play around like this. Breaking up and getting back together… cheap and easy, seems just your level.”
“As you said, we decided to get back together, so please don’t interfere and just move along,” Baek-woo said in a voice that seemed like expressionlessness turned into sound.
Han-sol cut in, “Yeah, stop pretending you know anything. Get lost.”
“Ah, you two match well. Now that I see it, birds of a feather.”
“If you have so much time, I think it would be better to go help the research team over there. Rather than bothering someone else’s hyung.”
“I was wondering why a hunter like Ki would hang out with someone who doesn’t match his rank… A C-rank who thinks he can get away with flirting around just because he’s somewhat good-looking, and a pathetic guy who makes a fuss saying he’d die for that C-rank. Seems like you two deserve each other.”
Choi Tae-hyuk glanced at Baek-woo and sneered.
“But didn’t I tell you? This C-rank was checking out other men in the meantime. Why don’t you tell him yourself, trash-rank? Who were you wagging your tail at?”
“You…”
As Baek-woo stepped forward as if about to lunge at him, Han-sol blocked his way.
“Ki Baek-woo, you stay still. Step back. I’ll handle this bastard.”
Han-sol glared at Choi Tae-hyuk. Seeing Han-sol’s upturned eyes, Tae-hyuk smiled smugly, nodding as if to say “bring it on.”
“Why do you always act up when you see me? Are you a preschooler who gets worked up around someone you like? Hey, you like me.”
The composed look on Choi Tae-hyuk’s face cracked. With a serious expression, he growled.
“Want me to kill you?”
“Then why do you always come running and barking at me whenever you see me! Do you even know me? What did I ever do to you to make you throw fits all the time!”
Choi Tae-hyuk opened his mouth without hesitation, with an arrogant face as if asking why Han-sol was questioning something so obvious.
“I just want to step on those who act above their station. Since when did gates become a playground? When a C-rank who doesn’t know his place is giggling in my workplace, of course it’s annoying, isn’t it?”
“This is ridiculous, it’s not like you only act crazy at gates. Hey, let’s say I deserve it. Then what did Ki Baek-woo do wrong to make you always pick fights and spread false rumors?”
“Because that bastard inappropriately tried to seduce Jung Yi-dam…!”
The words didn’t continue but were cut off abruptly like with scissors. Choi Tae-hyuk’s face, distorted with confusion, tilted quizzically.
So, Ki Baek-woo… inappropriately seduced Healer Jung Yi-dam…?
Muttering in a voice full of doubt, he asked as if talking to himself, with an expression of complete incomprehension.
“But what does that have to do with me?”
Jung Yi-dam isn’t my type? I don’t like mild-looking people. If anything, I prefer the slightly cold and seemingly bad-tempered type…
Choi Tae-hyuk, uncharacteristically stammering, stared down at Han-sol. His face gradually filled with astonishment.
This idiot is making his own drama. Han-sol had zero interest in what Choi Tae-hyuk was thinking.
“Seeing as you can’t answer, there’s really no reason, right?”
“No… what is this? What does Jung Yi-dam have to do with me that I… Why do I have this compulsion to…”
“Don’t even think about blaming the system. Jung Yi-dam and Ki Baek-woo have been doing whatever they want for a long time now? I’ve worked my ass off to change quite a lot, that’s what I’m saying. Of course, you’re too ignorant to know anything. Anyway, so…”
You son of a bitch, let’s have you take some hits today.
With those words, Han-sol launched himself forward.
WHACK!!! A dull impact sound echoed loudly in the busy base camp. The movements of busy people stopped. Wait… what am I seeing right now? The astonished gazes of people were unanimously saying that.
At the source of the noise, there was S-rank hunter Choi Tae-hyuk sitting on the ground clutching his face, and Han-sol standing with his fist raised, hissing with rage. And Han-sol is a C-rank hunter.
Did a C-rank just hit an S-rank? And that troublemaker Choi Tae-hyuk at that?
It was a sight that couldn’t help but shock everyone.
“Ugh, trash-rank, you…!”
“Yeah, you’re getting your ass kicked by a trash-rank right now.”
Why! Do! You! Always! Talk! Shit! When! You! Don’t! Even! Know! Anything! And! Why! Do! You! Spout! Nonsense! To! Ki Baek-woo! He’s! Already! Not! Normal! And! You’re! Making! Him! Worse! Do! You! Even! Know! What! Suspicion of infidelity! Is? If! You! Ever! Flirt! With! Ki Baek-woo! Again! You’re! Dead! You! Trash!
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud! Han-sol enthusiastically kicked with each broken syllable. Each time, sounds of “Ugh, ugh, fuck, hey, trash!” burst out. After being caught off guard by the first punch and getting beaten for a while, Choi Tae-hyuk soon jumped up.
Did I just get stomped by a C-rank? By that trash-rank who just looks somewhat decent? So, me, an S-rank… by that weak C-rank?
Belatedly coming to his senses, Choi Tae-hyuk looked around with an incredulous expression. Everyone was staring at them with wide, surprised eyes. Choi Tae-hyuk realized this was really happening.
“Huh, crazy, that crazy wildcat bastard, ha.”
Choi Tae-hyuk swiftly turned his head to glare at Han-sol. By then, Han-sol had already retreated and was running away. He was even snickering. Choi Tae-hyuk pushed back his disheveled bangs as if he was going crazy.
“What makes you think you can act like this when you’re not even a handful? You just assault people out of nowhere? This is truly a trash-rank! Hey, no matter how fierce you are, you’re still a C-rank. You can’t physically match me.”
“Yeah, but you already got your ass kicked, didn’t you? Puhahaha!”
“Only mute cats can survive by being cute despite being troublesome, Hunter Lee Han-sol. And our Hunter Lee isn’t a cat but a human? Hey, come here. While I’m still asking nicely, come here…!”
Choi Tae-hyuk’s hand, reaching toward Han-sol who was cackling and making strange sounds like “hee-hee-hee, huh-huh-huh, kuhahahkekekekpuhpkek,” was abruptly stopped midway. Blocking him was Ki Baek-woo, who had quietly stepped forward.
Choi Tae-hyuk looked at Baek-woo standing between him and Han-sol and laughed with a “huh,” as if he was going insane. After Han-sol had told him to stay back, Baek-woo had been quiet all along, but now he jumped in at just the right moment—truly a well-trained dog, Tae-hyuk thought.
What kind of people are these?
Choi Tae-hyuk pushed aside Baek-woo, who was standing like a bodyguard, and said,
“Step aside, Hunter Ki. I have business with your hyung.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that…”
“This isn’t a prince-on-a-white-horse play, and that one isn’t a princess, is he? Maybe a crazy thug. Don’t irritate me further and step aside.”
“You shouldn’t be angry at my hyung, you should be thankful, Hunter Choi.”
“What nonsense is this now?”
“You almost got hit by me, but my hyung was nice enough to let it slide.”
Be grateful and watch your mouth from now on. He’s not someone the likes of you can treat carelessly.
Choi Tae-hyuk was so dumbfounded that he could only laugh. He looked up and down at Baek-woo, who was muttering in a low and calm voice, as if he was seeing something beyond absurdity, something astral. He was so flabbergasted that he almost forgot the dull pain from Han-sol’s hits. Seeing Han-sol flipping him off from behind Baek-woo who was standing firmly, Choi Tae-hyuk felt even his will to fight disappearing.
“Fine, you personality-wrecked bastard. Be grateful it ends like this. This is payback for everything!”
Han-sol, who had gleefully mocked him, was smiling brightly for once, seemingly relieved after beating up Choi Tae-hyuk. It was a smile that created the illusion that the surroundings had brightened along with it. Of course, he was saying things like “Eat a ton of shit, you son of a bitch” with that face.
Baek-woo glanced at Han-sol, noticing Choi Tae-hyuk’s gaze directed behind him, then stepped forward one more step. He gripped Choi Tae-hyuk’s shoulder tightly and said,
“Don’t look at someone else’s lover carelessly.”
“What?”
“Don’t glance at him with those dirty eyes anymore. And definitely don’t think about touching him. Lose your interest in my hyung. Don’t ever think about coming between me and my hyung again.”
I’m very sensitive about my hyung, you know. You know that, Hunter Choi. That’s why you stirred people up by mentioning your hyung. So, don’t make me do anything stranger and don’t approach any further. I don’t want to do anything that would worry my hyung if I can help it.
Baek-woo, who was muttering as if whispering, did not hide his vicious and ominous aura. Choi Tae-hyuk realized precisely what it means to be a troublemaking lunatic. There was no sign of his blocked words flowing again. Because of that, he opened his mouth, closed it, moved his lips again, stopped, seemed to want to argue, but then just laughed hollowly and stepped back.
“Really, getting involved with such weirdos… Ha. Fine, Hunter Ki, I won’t look at your C-rank. That trash-rank is yours alone. Shit, anyone would think we’re having a love triangle fight. This is really driving me crazy. Living really brings all kinds of…”
They say the scariest dog isn’t the one that barks but the one that drools… There’s no rhyme or reason, so I don’t even know how to deal with it. Fuck, I’m so dumbfounded I don’t even want to engage. I… ha, fine. I should go do my work. Focusing on the raid would be a thousand times more productive. Huh, really all kinds of goddamn…
Choi Tae-hyuk muttered like that and left. His retreating back satisfied Han-sol.
Victory.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
