Chapter 75

Another day had passed. Although most of the news was still about Seo Chaeyoon, now there were a few headlines about urgent matters like dungeon floods and explosions.

[Soo Jaehee] Hyung!!!! Finallyㅠ We've taken care of all the flood monsters. I worked really hard… Can I visit you in the hospital as a reward today?

[Soo Jaehee] Everyone misses you!!!! The new noona also misses you a lot. Especially the couples who are now trying to rush to the hospital. I stopped them. Koreans should always get permission before visiting. I did well, right!!!!

[Soo Jaehee] Hyung, it's not because you're Seo Chaeyoon, but because you're my hyung that I'm worried and want to visit. It's true!!!!!!!!1

While I had expected that I would receive a message after Team 1 finished their mission in the morning, the loud content in the text made Yoon Seo furrow his brow.

[Me] Since my identity is not disclosed, please be careful when sending messages in the future.

[Soo Jaehee] Oh, right! Okay!!! What time should I come?

[Me] Don't come.

[Soo Jaehee] ㅇㅁㅇ….

[Soo Jaehee] Hyung….

[Me] If the S-ranks come all at once, it will draw attention.

[Soo Jaehee] Oh, of course, I'll disguise myself… Please….

[Me] Anyway, I'm being discharged tomorrow morning.

[Soo Jaehee] Wow, you've already recovered?

[Me] Is it disappointing that I've recovered?

[Soo Jaehee] ;;;;; Of course not^^

[Soo Jaehee] I'm really, really glad that you're being discharged and I can't visit!

[Me] Let's see each other at the guild next week.

[Soo Jaehee] Hyung, what are you doing on the weekend??ㅠㅠ

[Me] Hunter Jaehee must be tired from continuous battles, so take a rest.

After that, Soo Jaehee kept sending messages, unable to give up, asking if he was really not tired, what he was doing on the weekend, if they could video call, etc., but Yoon Seo ignored all of them.

Then, in the afternoon, news came that Team 2 had cleared the dungeon.

While Yoon Seo was petting Riceball and watching the TV headline "Perfect Team 2: Imminent Explosion, A-rank Dungeon Cleared," he received a call from Park Soobin. It was a video call.

On the screen, Park Soobin, looking a bit tired from just clearing a dungeon, was staring at Yoon Seo as if he were a patient who had narrowly escaped death.

– Yoon Seo, I heard you're still in the hospital. Can I visit you?

"I'll be discharged soon, so don't come. Just rest."

– You're being discharged already?

Park Soobin frowned deeply, clearly worried.

– Is it really that fast, considering you have healing resistance? Did the guild force you to leave?

– If that's the case, I'll have to give Seokyoung Guild Master a piece of my mind.

Although he wasn't visible, Alec's voice could be heard as well.

"It's not like that. I'm being discharged because I've fully recovered, so don't worry. How about you and the others? Did everyone come out of the dungeon without any injuries?"

– Really? You kept saying you were fine, but you nearly collapsed in the dungeon. How alarming.

"I didn't collapse."

Kwon Jihan chuckled from the side. Noticing Yoon Seo's glance, Park Soobin immediately picked up on it.

– Is someone there with you?

"Hunter Kwon Jihan is currently keeping an eye on me."

– Ah….

Park Soobin's expression, which had been filled with concern, turned somewhat sour. It seemed he didn't have a high regard for Kwon Jihan.

"Are you alright, Soobin? You look tired."

– I'm fine. Did Hunter Kwon Jihan stay with you all week?

"Yes, very gratefully so."

– ....

Park Soobin's face grew even darker. After clearing an S-rank dungeon and barely resting before moving on to an A-rank dungeon, it was understandable that he'd be exhausted. Just as Yoon Seo was about to end the call, thinking of Park Soobin's well-being, the conversation took a turn.

– Hey, you! Are you talking to Yoon, Yoon… that person?

– Be quiet, Hong Euiyoon.

– Hunter Hong Euiyoon, keep it down.

– I just want to talk…

– What more stress are you trying to add? Just stop it already.

Park Soobin's voice was quite sharp.

– No, no. It's not like that…. No. I'll contact him separately later…. Ah, damn. I don't have the number.

– I absolutely can't give it to you.

– Well, I wasn't going to ask you to give it to me anyway.

Hong Euiyoon shouted in frustration.

Even though Yoon Seo hadn't spoken on the call, he felt a wave of fatigue hitting him. Worried that he might get another call, he turned off his phone. Kwon Jihan, with a peculiar smile, spoke meaningfully.

"Hyung, you're quite popular among the younger ones."

"Really?"

"Soo Jaehee, Park Soobin, Hong Euiyoon. They're all younger than you."

"I'm only one year older than Hunter Hong Euiyoon. Park Soobin is actually a year older than me."

"Oh, is that so?"

Kwon Jihan tilted his head in confusion.

"Strange. Why does it feel like you're much older? Not in terms of looks, but your overall aura seems more mature. Is it because of your experience?"

Yoon Seo flinched. Did having the Eye of Gaia give him such perceptive abilities?

It made sense in a way, as he had experienced a different flow of time with the Event Horizon in the Great Dungeon. His body hadn't aged, but his soul had felt the passage of time.

At that moment, Kwon Jihan spoke seriously.

"I want to make it clear that saying you look old is definitely not the case. In fact, calling you 'Hyung' feels strange because you look so young and pretty, so don't get the wrong idea."

"Please stop. I almost threw up."

"Such a weird hyung. I compliment you, and you almost throw up. Are you shy? How cute."

Yoon Seo decided to ignore the comment. Knowing that Soo Jaehee and Park Soobin were safe eased his mind, and he changed the channel to watch some drama. Kwon Jihan continued the conversation.

"Hyung, what about my face?"

"What about it?"

"Do you think I'm handsome? I've never been outshone by my looks anywhere."

"Hunter Kwon Jihan, you look quite arrogant."

"That's ambiguous. I'll take it as a compliment."

"You look quite rude."

"Sometimes people say that if someone is too handsome, their face seems rude."

"You really think that way about yourself. I don't understand why you asked if you already think that."

"Seriously, what do you think? Am I not handsome?"

"I said you look arrogant."

"Ugh."

Kwon Jihan shrugged.

"I don't think about marriage, but I do feel like I should pass on these genes to the next generation."

"Why don't you think about marriage?"

"How can I think about marriage when I don't know when or how I'll die?"

"..."

"What about you, hyung?"

"I don't think about it either."

Yoon Seo, who had answered firmly, suddenly had a curious thought and asked.

"Hunter Kwon Jihan, do you have a type of person you like?"

"If it's about my ideal type, as I mentioned, it would be someone in a life-or-death situation—"

"No, I mean, are you attracted to a particular gender?"

"I don't know."

"Sorry?"

"I've never liked anyone, so I don't know if I'm attracted to men or women."

"But you can at least know if you're physically attracted to a certain gender."

"I don't know. I've never even held hands with anyone."

Kwon Jihan added confidently, as if he had no shame about it.

Yoon Seo was constantly surprised during his conversations with Kwon Jihan. This guy is not only handsome, capable, and principled but also pure? How does someone like Kwon Jihan still exist in this corrupt world?

"So, hyung, do you like men or women? Or have you never held hands either?"

"How old do you think I am?"

"Regardless of age, you might still lack experience. Age is just a number."

No prejudice either!

How can he be so perfect?

Yoon Seo didn't realize that he had become quite biased. In fact, not realizing it helped keep him mentally stable.

"So, which gender are you more attracted to?"

"I'm open to both."

"I see…."

After a moment of silence, Kwon Jihan asked again with an ambiguous expression.

"Does that mean you've experienced both?"

"I'd rather not discuss such things."

"I've shared everything with you."

"Just watch some drama."

Yoon Seo turned up the TV volume. Fortunately, Kwon Jihan didn't ask any more questions.

Indeed, Kwon Jihan had changed over the past few days. The guy who used to probe carelessly, provoke, and tease now seemed to respect Yoon Seo's boundaries and didn't press further when he expressed disinterest.

The real reason Yoon Seo had ended the conversation was that he feared if he continued, Kwon Jihan might start asking even more questions. There had definitely been someone who approached Kwon Jihan, and Yoon Seo wondered how he had managed to turn them down. Maybe he hadn't held hands but had shared a kiss?

'Since I'm being discharged today, this is the end of our one-on-one meetings. Once we're physically apart, our hearts will grow distant too. I'll be seeing people from now on, so our conversations will decrease. Good. It'll be smooth sailing.'

Although the discharge process was scheduled for tomorrow, in reality, it was happening tonight. After meeting with Seokyoung Guild Master at his residence this evening, Yoon Seo planned to go straight home.

Late at night, a secret meeting was to be held with Seokyoung Guild Master, Seokyoung's deputy guild master, Europae Guild Master, Kwon Jihan, and Yoon Seo. Initially, it was mentioned that Taegui would also be attending, but he was ultimately left off the final list, indicating they would discuss sensitive matters that should not leak outside. Kwon Jihan had also warned Yoon Seo to prepare for some serious discussion.

Yoon Seo was more focused on distancing himself from Kwon Jihan than on the topic of the meeting.

"That stew had too much of a pork smell. I didn't make kimchi stew like that. That's not my cooking."

"Then who made it? You can't lie to avoid immediate suspicion. You're the head chef!"

"Pike mackerel…"

"What?"

"Now I understand everything. The person who made the pike mackerel kimchi stew is the culprit. They were trying to frame me!"

The dramatic dialogue and background music from the drama filled the room, pulling Yoon Seo out of his thoughts.

"I used to think his taste in dramas was really strange."

In fact, 'Love in Han River' was intense like this every episode.

"Hey, why are you watching such a strange drama?"

"Strange? How dare you describe a grand kimchi stew drama like that?"

"I think the grand kimchi stew drama itself is a weird combination."

"You should definitely binge-watch from episode one someday. It's a grand drama about love, the Han River, kimchi stew, and deep philosophies of the universe."

Lee Domin had brought his laptop to the dungeon and watched the drama continuously. Yoon Seo had charged his laptop with whenever he asked.

Once, curious about what was so entertaining, Yoon Seo and the other Avengers watched the first episode together, but fortunately, Yoon Seo's taste seemed normal as no one enjoyed it.

After the laptop had fallen into the lava, Lee Domin stopped bringing up 'Love in Han River.'

"..."

Yoon Seo furrowed his brows and stopped stroking Riceball.