CHAPTER 268: TEMPORARY SEPARATION

"YEP, IT’S too late to stop Seon Eunseok’s Awakening."

Oh.

Wonhee was surprised by Bitna’s announcement while helping her friend wipe the smudge of blood off her nose. "Then Eunseok is going to awaken? What happens to a Guide who awakened with the help of a Forced Awakening drug?"

"To be honest, it’s hard to distinguish an "unnatural" Guide from the genuine ones at first glance. Only geniuses Hwang Yejun can do that," Bitna explained. Then she paused for a moment and glanced at Eunseok. After that, she looked at her uncle. "Let’s go outside and talk, Uncle. When will my aunt-in-law be here? She also needs to hear what I need to stay."

"My wife is on her way home," Chang-ho said nervously. "I-Is it serious?"

"Yes, Uncle."

"Then I want to hear it, too!" Eunseok insisted. "It’s about me, so I have the right to know."

"I’m not saying that you don’t have the right to know about your current state," Bitna said to Eunseok in a scolding tone. "But I need to talk to your parents first. Be patient, silly. You acting impatiently will only make us think you’re still a child."

Surprisingly, it worked on Eunseok.

"I understand, Bitna Noona," Eunseok said obediently. "I will wait patiently because I’m not a child."

Hmm?

[Eunseok listened to Bitna? I’m surprised.]

It wasn’t just Wonhee.

Even Chang-ho was surprised.

"That kid doesn’t listen to us most of the time," Chang-ho commented, impressed. "You’re amazing, Bitna-ya."

"It’s nothing, Uncle," Bitna said smugly. "I have a rebellious younger brother, so I’m used to dealing with brats."

Wonhee clapped her hands slowly. "I need to learn a thing or two from you, Bitna."

"Oh, right," Bitna said. Then she turned to Wonhee and patted her shoulder. "You stay here, Wonhee-ya."

"Huh? Why?"

"You won’t understand what we’re going to talk about anyway since you don’t have your memories yet."

She wanted to complain, but she didn’t want to do it in front of Eunseok.

[Because I know my nephew will only tease me about being a ’child.’]

"I’ll tell you once you’re back to normal," Bitna said, smiling apologetically at Wonhee. "Don’t feel left out, okay?"

Wonhee sighed and nodded. "Okay, I’ll wait."

***

THE FAMILY meeting began when Jang Semi finally came home.

Uncle Chang-ho then led them to his study so that the three of them could have a serious talk.

And that’s why Bitna was now standing in front of the couple.

Jang Semi sat on the chair while Uncle Chang-ho sat on the armrest.

"Aunt Semi, Uncle Chang-ho, do you know the difference between a naturally-awakened Guide and a Guide who took Forced Awakening drugs?"

Uncle Chang-ho turned to his wife.

"Only people like Hwang Yejun can tell them apart at one glace," Aunt Semi said. "However, according to Shin Geon’s studies, "artificial" Guides are weaker than natural Guides. Moreover, after a few Guiding sessions, most "artificial" Guides grow weak until their health fails them. That’s the reason why most people are wary of Forced Awakening drugs— the public deemed it not worthy."

"Do you know why "artificial" Guides grow weak every time they use Guiding on a Hunter, Auntie?"

"Isn’t it because their bodies are never meant for Guiding?"

"That’s right. But there’s another reason— "artificial" Guides actually use their life force when Guiding Hunters because they don’t have a natural Mana Tank that only comes with natural awakening."

By this time, both Aunt Semi and Uncle Chang-ho already looked gloomy.

It was understandable.

[I just practically said that "artificial" Guides have short lives.]

"Is there really no way to stop Eunseok’s awakening?" Uncle Chang-ho asked in a cracked voice. "Bitna-ya, I know you already said it’s too late to stop my son’s awakening. But maybe there’s another way to do that."

"Uncle Chang-ho, who is Seon Eunseok’s aunt?"

Her uncle looked confused, but he still responded.

"It’s Chu Wonhee."

"And who is Chu Wonhee?"

This time, it was Aunt Semi who answered Bitna’s question.

"The luckiest girl in the world."

Bitna smiled and nodded. "That’s right. And luck follows everyone and anyone who loves Chu Wonhee genuinely."

This time, the married couple looked hopeful.

"Actually, there’s a way to stop "artificial" Guides from awakening. Forced Awakening drugs are like poisons, anyway. That means there’s an antidote for that."

Aunt Semi knitted her eyebrows. "But why did you say it’s too late to stop my son’s awakening?"

"It’s because Seon Eunseok has the potential to awaken as a Guide in the first place."

Aunt Semi and Uncle Chang-ho both gasped at the same time.

"The System doesn’t awaken minors. A Guide should at least be twenty years old," Bitna continued with her explanation. "That’s why Seon Eunseok’s potential as a Guide has been dormant all this time. However, the Forced Awakening drugs that he unwittingly consumed triggered his awakening."

"If that’s the case, then why did Hwang Yejun say my son’s awakening is unnatural?" Aunt Semi asked, confused. "He also said that my son’s Status Window is unnatural-looking."

"Because it is," Bitna said. "Hwang Yejun didn’t make a mistake. Seon Eunseok’s Status Window looks unnatural because his awakening was forced. The drugs that he took corrupted his Status Window. All Status Windows that the System didn’t activate itself would look unnatural."

Aunt Semi said, and then she knitted her eyebrows. "Then the System has no control over the people who awakened unnaturally?"

"We can assume that there are two Systems active at this very moment," Bitna confirmed while nodding. "One that is owned by the real System, and the other one controlled by the Virus. But the Virus is good at hiding the Status Windows of the people it corrupted. Moreover, we can also assume that the Virus controls the Status Windows of the "artificial" Awakened People."

"Haaah," Aunt Semi pinched the bridge of her nose. "The Virus is really messing with us."

"Well, Hwang Yejun will deal with the Virus," Bitna said nonchalantly. As a Guide (well, she chose to be a Guide here now that she didn’t have to fight monsters like a Hunter), she didn’t care about Hunter-related things when the Hwang Frost existed there. "Let’s go back to Seon Eunseok’s case."

Uncle Chang-ho immediately nodded his head. "Yes, please."

"It’s possible to "fix" Seon Eunseok’s status as an "artificial" Guide so that he can become a natural Guide eventually because he originally has a potential to awaken as one," Bitna explained. "When I said he has the potential, it means he has the Mana Tank that serves as a Guide’s lifeline."

Aunt Semi looked relieved by that. "If my son has a Mana Tank, then doesn’t it mean he can guide Hunters without using his life force?"

"That’s the good news, Auntie."

Aunt Semi’s face suddenly turned crestfallen. "What’s the bad news, then?"

"Seon Eunseok belongs to the ’minority’ among the Guides," Bitna said, sighing. "That means he needs to find his ’Soulmate’— just like how Hwang Yejun is to Chu Wonhee."

***

[HE LOOKS tired.]

Wonhee felt bad for Eunseok while watching her nephew sleep.

It was obvious that the young master had been through a lot these past few days.

[Sleep well, Eunseok-ah.]

"Wonhee-ya?"

Omo!

Wonhee almost had a heart attack when Hwang Yejun suddenly appeared next to her.

[He teleported again!]

"I’m sorry for startling you, Wonhee-ya," Hwang Yejun said apologetically. "Are you alright?"

Wonhee just nodded, and then she grabbed Hwang Yejun by the arm and dragged him to the balcony.

She then closed the sliding glass door quietly.

[I hope Eunseok doesn’t wake up because of us.]

"Are you done with your business?" Wonhee asked in a quiet voice. "You’ve been gone for hours."

"Yeah, I’m done with my preparations," Yejun said, talking in a low and quiet voice, too. "Lee Seojin will be here later."

Her eyes widened from shock. "Jin-ah? Seodam Oppa’s younger brother?"

"We told you that he awakened as an A-Class Hunter, didn’t we?"

"Oh, right. You did."

"Lee Seojin is strong and loyal to you, so I thought he’d make a good bodyguard," Hwang Yejun said. "So, aside from your older siblings, Lee Seojin and Do Ahyeon will serve as your bodyguards while I’m away. I’ll be gone for at least five days."

Hmm.

It was just five days.

Not even a week.

And yet...

[Why do I feel sad?]

"I’m working with Park Ruda in this particular mission, by the way."

Wonhee let out a gasp. "With Ruda Oppa? But you said I shouldn’t trust him..."

Ahyeon also warned him about Park Ruda.

[And Ahyeonnie isn’t the type to badmouth other people without a valid reason.]

"I don’t trust Park Ruda— and that’s exactly why I’m keeping him by my side while I’m away," Hwang Yejun said. "I’ll make sure that he won’t be able to do anything funny while under my watch."

Wonhee understood that Hwang Yejun did it for her safety.

She was happy even though she didn’t know she was feeling that way.

However, there was a bugging feeling inside her.

[Apparently, Seodam Oppa chose Ruda Oppa over me. I don’t remember that part, but I’ve always been secretly jealous of Ruda Oppa.]

What if...

Wonhee gulped hard.

She knew that what she was about to ask was silly, but she couldn’t help it.

"Yejun-ah, what if you fall for Ruda Oppa—"

"Never," Hwang Yejun said sternly with a disgusted look on his face. "Wonhee-ya, even if Park Ruda was the only Guide left in the world, I’d rather lose my mind than receive Guiding from him. And even if he’s the only person left in the world, I’d rather die than fall for him."

Oh.

Wonhee felt like Hwang Yejun’s feelings had finally reached her.

***

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