CHAPTER 32: SAVED BY THE BELL

"I, Kwon Jiwoong, apologize to Miss Chu Wonhee for our mistake. All the accusations against Miss Chu are incorrect, and we admit that her arrest was unjust. We will be careful from now on."

DAMN IT.

Jiwoong grabbed the control and threw it at the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall of his living room.

Then he grabbed the bottle of rum. Instead of pouring the alcohol into the glass, he drank it straight from the bottle. He didn’t care if his throat or stomach would burn from drinking too much. After draining the bottle, he threw it to the floor.

"Chu Wonhee," Jiwoong whispered to himself bitterly. "That arrogant wench..."

He couldn’t forget the demands that Chu Wonhee made the day she went to the Blue Palace.

["I will bring back Hwang Yejun to his senses in three conditions, President Kwon."]

["And what would it be, Miss Chu?"]

["First, I want a PUBLIC apology from APA. I want you to clear my name to the public and take all the blame for my unjust arrest."]

["What?"]

["If you don’t give me a public apology, then should I just schedule a press conference and tell the entire country how APA treated me? My brother and my sister can always clear my name to make me credible to the public again."]

["Fine. You’ll receive a public apology. But why aren’t you demanding a personal apology from me, Miss Chu?"]

["President Kwon, judging by how arrogant you still are, I don’t think you regret what you did to me. And so, I don’t need your sincere apology."]

["What’s your second condition then?"]

["I want a thorough investigation of my case."]

To be honest, the first and the second conditions were doable.

Jiwoong wouldn’t lose his position if he apologized to Chu Wonhee publicly.

Since the investigation would still be spearheaded by APA, he could always manipulate it so that others would take the blame in his stead.

However, the third condition was ridiculous.

["Lastly, I want you to give Hwang Yejun to me."]

["That’s ridiculous, Miss Chu! Hwang Frost in a dangerous individual! He’s an X-Class! He has to stay under APA’s supervision."]

["This is non-negotiable, President Kwon."]

["Miss Chu!"]

["President Kwon, do you want me to ask Hwang Yejun to turn you into an ice statue?"]

Jiwoong should have been mad that Chu Wonhee threatened him then.

However, he saw it in her eyes.

Chu Wonhee was really serious about asking Hwang Frost to freeze him to death.

[There’s a famous saying among Awakened People: "Do not fear a dangerous Hunter on berserk mode– fear the Guide who holds their leash."]

Jiwoong cursed under his breath. "Why was I so scared?"

Hwang Frost may have demanded Chu Wonhee because she was a Guide.

But no Guide had a high matching rate with Hwang Frost yet.

[If Chu Wonhee and Hwang Frost’s matching rate doesn’t even reach 50%, then APA doesn’t have a reason to give Hwang Frost to Chu Wonhee. And Chu Wonhee will also lose her value by then. Once that happens, I’ll ruin that child’s career even if it means making an enemy out of Yeon Soobin and Jang Semi.]

That thought put Jiwoong at ease.

[Yeon Soobin and Jang Semi are useful, but they keep getting in the way. We’re planning to get rid of them anyway, so why not do it earlier than planned?]

"President Kwon!"

Oh, dammit.

Kwon Mina, his cousin and secretary, wouldn’t lose her cool this way if she brought good news.

"The result of Chu Wonhee and Hwang Frost’s matching rate is out, President Kwon."

"W-What’s their matching rate?"

Kwon Mina gulped hard before answering. "They have a matching rate of 100%.."

"100%?!" Jiwoong stood up while slamming his hands on the table. "That’s higher than Yeon Soobin and Shin Geon’s matching rate..."

"There’s more, President Kwon."

The fact that she remained pale already told him it was another piece of bad news.

"It’s about Miss Chu’s status," Kwon Mina said. "Miss Chu turned out to be an S-Class Guide."

"An S-Class Guide?" Jiwoong asked in disbelief. "An S-Class for Guides exists?!"

***

"WONHEE-ya, if you don’t wake up in five seconds, I’ll freeze the entire National Guide Center."

That wasn’t a nice thing to wake up to.

Wonhee could clearly hear Hwang Yejun’s eerily calm voice, but she couldn’t open her eyes yet.

"Five..."

What?

"Four..."

[Is he counting down for real...?]

"Three..."

[Oh, he’s serious!]

"Two..."

Wonhee forced her eyes open. "I’m awake!"

Yejun smiled at her. "Saved by the bell."

"Why are you always threatening to freeze things every time you encounter a minor convenience?" she complained while getting up. "I’m fine. I just awakened properly."

"I know."

"You know?"

Yejun just shrugged. "How are you feeling?"

Wonhee was about to say that she was alright when she realized the state of the room she was in.

The windows and the floor were all frozen.

"Yejun-ssi, what did you do this time?"

"I don’t like the way they were looking at you?"

"Who?"

"Geon Hyung and the other researchers here are looking at you like you’re a zoo animal."

Oh.

[He noticed it, too.]

Wonhee nodded in agreement. "I have a feeling that they want to dissect me. Is it because I’m the first Guide to awaken as an S-Class?"

"Oh, did The System already tell you your grade?"

"Yep."

"Then did it tell you that we have a 100% matching rate?"

Wonhee’s eyes widened in shock. "What? 100%? You and me?"

All this time, the only Hunter x Guide pair to reach 90% were Soobin and Geon.

[We broke their record?]

"Yep. You and me, 100%," Yejun said, grinning. Then he extended his hand to her. "May I?"

She automatically gave him her hand.

He then placed her hand against his cheek.

"Chu Wonhee, I need you," Yejun said softly, closing his eyes as he leaned into her touch. "Will you be my exclusive Guide?"

And, suddenly, a Status Window popped up in front of Wonhee.

Will you become Hwang Yejun’s Exclusive Guide?

Yes or No.

***

sola_cola’s thoughts on this Chapter: The start of Yejun simping for Wonhee...

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