CHAPTER 263: THE FIRST RETURNEE (2)

YEJUN tried to pretend that he didn’t notice Wonhee stealing glances from him, but it was hard to do it.

After all, only the two of them were in the waiting room at the moment.

They were sitting side-by-side on the sofa while watching the broccoli’s live press conference on the TV.

[But Wonhee keeps on looking at me instead of watching her friend’s presscon.]

Yejun was savoring the moment until Wonhee let out a long sigh.

That made him panic.

"What’s wrong, Wonhee-ya?" Yejun asked nervously. "Did I do or say something wrong?"

Wonhee’s face turned red as if she was embarrassed. "Uhm, can I ask you something personal?"

"Of course. Ask away."

"Are you and Bitna... close?"

"No?"

"But I saw you and Bitna talking earlier... and you flickered her forehead..."

Ah.

It was when he was trying to find out if the broccoli was suicidal or not.

[And she is. But it’s not something that I can share with Wonhee. Aside from the fact that it’s none of my business, I also don’t want her to worry too much about her friend.]

"I just gave the broccoli some advice."

"Why do you call her ’broccoli?’ That’s rude."

"Her display name is ’Cabbage Kid,’ but her haircut looks like a broccoli," Yejun said, and then he grinned. "It’s not a pet name or anything, so you don’t have to be jealous, Wonhee-ya. Broccoli is just a broccoli to me."

As expected, Wonhee’s face turned red again— even her ears. "W-Who says I’m jealous?"

"You’re the only one for me, Wonhee-ya."

"Y-You’re so... so... mean!"

Yejun couldn’t help but laugh at Wonhee’s cuteness. "Wonhee-ya, your vocabulary when it comes to swear words sucks."

[Well, the current Wonhee, that is. The older one knows her curses.]

"Do you always tease the person you like, Hwang Frost-ssi?"

"I wouldn’t know," Yejun said, shrugging. "You’re the first person I’ve liked in a romantic sense, after all."

"I-I’m your first crush?"

"It’s more than a crush, but yes, this is the first time I felt attracted to someone."

"Why do I suddenly feel pressured?" Wonhee complained lightly. "You’re not my first love..."

"Ah, it’s alright. It’s rare for people to end up with their first love anyways, so I don’t care if I wasn’t your first love," Yejun said casually while waving his hand. "I aim to be your last and greatest love, Wonhee-ya."

"Did you say those things to me when I haven’t lost my memories yet?"

"Nah, I was stupid. As I said earlier, I thought I had all the time in the world. I wanted to let you heal at your own pace since you just got your heart broken."

Wonhee fell silent for a moment. "I think I’m grateful that you took it slow with me."

"You are?"

"I feel happy listening to everything you just said. Although I still don’t remember anything about you, I feel your sincerity."

"I’m glad that your heart recognizes its owner."

"Yah, that’s so cringe."

Yejun burst out laughing. "I know, right? But it’s true. You just can’t remember it yet, but our feelings are mutual, Wonhee-ya."

Wonhee, who was blushing so hard, avoided Yejun’s teasing gaze. "L-Let’s just continue watching Bitna’s presscon."

He wanted to tease Wonhee more, but she was right.

[We really have to watch this.]

After all, the press conference was already at the part where the special guests made their appearance.

Ahn Kaia.

Lee Cheongsan.

And finally...

"I’m glad, Hyung," Yejun whispered to himself while watching Hwang Minho walk on his own. "I’m glad you got your legs fixed, Hyung."

***

YEON SOOBIN watched their special guests enter the hall one by one.

Ahn Kaia.

[Her face was badly burned earlier, but the effect of the ointment that Bitna gave her was already visible. Her burn marks faded quite significantly.]

Lee Cheongsan.

[His eyesight is back.]

And finally, Hwang Minho.

[I heard he has to pay a huge price, but at least, he can walk again.]

Cameras should be blinding flashes by now.

But it seemed like the reporters were too shocked to remember to take pictures.

After all, it was just reported a while ago that Ahn Kaia was severely burned, Lee Cheongsan lost his eyesight, and Hwang Minho became a cripple.

But the three looked better than what was reported.

Only when Ahn Kaia, Lee Cheongsan, and Hwang Minho greeted the audience did the reporters snap out of their shock.

[They’re back, and so are the flashes of cameras.]

The three Hunters suddenly found themselves being ambushed by questions as soon as they took a seat.

"Hunter Ahn Kaia, did you get surgery to get rid of your burn marks?!"

"Hunter Lee Cheongsan, have you completely regained your sight?!"

"Hunter Hwang Minho, were the reports about you losing your ability to walk all false reports?"

The three Hunters all turned to Soobin.

He wasn’t surprised.

[Since this is an emergency press conference, I didn’t have the time to brief them on what they can and cannot say. So, I asked them to leave it to me.]

"Hunter Ahn Kaia, Lee Cheongsan, and Hwang Minho aren’t in their best conditions yet, so let me answer those questions for them," Soobin said after picking up the mic. "Hunter Ahn Kaia’s burn marks faded significantly because of the ointment that Guide Seon Chowon-ssi gave her. It was also Guide Seon Chowon-ssi’s antidote that got rid of the poison in Hunter Lee Cheongsan’s body. As a result, Hunter Lee Cheongsan regained his sight."

A loud buzz echoed in the hall.

Aside from the whispers of the reporters, the sound of them typing furiously on their laptops was quite loud.

"It was Guide Seon Chowon-ssi’s ability that fixed Hunter Hwang Minho’s legs," Soobin continued with his explanation. "However, we can’t disclose the skill that Guide Seon Chowon-ssi used. All we can tell you is that Hunter Hwang Minho didn’t get his legs fixed for free. Guide Seon Chowon-ssi’s ability can’t perform miracles."

Soobin made eye contact with Hwang Minho, and then Hwang Minho nodded.

He then put his mic down.

Hwang Minho, on the other hand, picked up his mic. "I would like to take this opportunity to announce that I’m no longer an A-Class Hunter. My level dropped to B-Class. Unfortunately, there’s little to zero chance of me leveling up to reclaim my former A-Class level."

A loud collective gasp erupted from the audience.

It wasn’t a surprise.

[The Hwang Triplets are known for being the ’A-Class Triplets,’ after all.]

"It’s the price I have to pay for getting my legs fixed," Hwang Minho said. "Please don’t be sad for me. I’ll work hard as a B-Class Hunter."

The loud buzz in the hall only got louder.

[It’s a loss to South Korea to lose a talented A-Class Hunter like Hwang Minho, after all.]

"Guide Seon Chowon-ssi, are you really a Guide?!"

"How can a Guide perform such miracles?!"

"Where did you get the ointment that can fix such severe burn marks?!"

"And where did you get the antidote that got rid of Hunter Lee Cheongsan’s poison when the God Alchemist herself couldn’t heal him?!"

Oh.

Soobin felt goosebumps all over his body when the reporters suddenly began attacking Seon Chowon.

[Humans are really afraid and wary of people who seem different.]

"Are you really the Seon Chowon that disappeared eight years ago?!"

"How do we know you’re not someone or something wearing Seon Chowon’s skin?!"

"Guides can’t do what you’ve done, after all!"

[Ah, I knew this would happen.]

Soobin picked up his mic again. "We already did a test to confirm that Guide Seon Chowon is who she claims to be—"

"Why the fuck are you looking down on Guides?"

Uh-oh.

That was Seon Chowon.

The reporters suddenly fell silent because of the Guide’s harsh words.

[Hee-ya, your friend has a nasty temper...]

***

BITNA couldn’t listen to the reporters’ bullshit anymore, so she grabbed the mic and spoke even though she knew doing so would cut off Yeon Soobin’s words. "Why the fuck are you looking down on Guides?"

The entire hall suddenly fell silent.

It was because the reporters stopped talking and typing on their laptops, and even the photographers seemed to have forgotten to take pictures.

But the big cameras were still playing since it was a live broadcast.

Hence, she continued talking.

"I was stuck in the dungeon for eight years. How do you think I survived there alone?" Bitna said, standing up. "Guides are only known as a "charger" for Hunters. But while I was in the dungeon, I realized that Guides don’t necessarily have to provide sexual pleasure to guide Hunters. In fact, we can use our power to heal, too. Guiding is essentially healing, isn’t it?"

She was bluffing at this point.

After all, she could do the things she could because she was a half-Guide and a half-Hunter.

But it wasn’t something she could announce at the moment.

[I just need to increase my value, so let’s change the topic.]

"Everyone, I know that my abilities are amazing. But it seems like you have forgotten one vital thing since you focused on the wrong one," Bitna said, falling silent for a moment. When no one interrupted her, she continued and dropped a bomb that would shake not only South Korea but the entire world. "If a Civilian like me was swallowed by a dungeon and survived as a Guide, do you think that sort of miracle can only happen to me?"

***

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