When two men share drinks, all sorts of topics tend to emerge. Money, people, the future…
Among these, Jin-ho’s preferred conversation topic was women.
Whenever he got drunk, he would become the saddest man in the world and reminisce about his first love.
“I first met her in my second year of high school.”
“This guy is drunk again.”
“It was the blossoming March of a new semester. When she opened the classroom door and walked in…”
“You must have felt dizzy. And heard the bells of heaven ringing in your ears?”
“Huh? How did you know?”
“Because I’ve heard it over a hundred times. Bells of heaven my ass. You’re writing a novel here.”
“You just don’t understand love, man.
Well, what would a lifelong single know anyway?”
“I’m not single because I can’t date. I choose not to date.”
“That’s exactly what all the forever-singles say. Is there some kind of guidebook for you guys? You’ve never even liked anyone, have you?”
“…I’m sure I have?”
“Whatever. What’s the point of explaining it a thousand times? You have to experience it to understand. Pour me another drink.”
The reason I suddenly recalled this drinking session from a few months ago was simple.
“Hyung was right.”
Ding~ Ding~ I can hear it. The sound of bells.
Ms. Song.
A tall, slender figure with a small face.
An angel with grocery bags dangling from both hands spotted me and paused.
“Who are you?”
My mind grew hazy at her seductive yet refreshing voice, and my heart pounded at her delicate, doll-like features.
“Oh my.”
I swallowed hard. I thought that spending the last 27 years as a lifelong single was for this very moment.
My brain was already running simulations.
“A countryside house with a yard. Two children and a cat. Perfect.”
My romance cells, which hadn’t stirred even during qi circulation, were now alive and breathing.
I opened my mouth, trying to speak in the deepest voice possible. Jin-ho, who called himself a dating expert, had always emphasized using a low bass voice when speaking to women you’re interested in.
“I am…”
“This is Jin Tae-kyung. You know him, right? You know, the one I mentioned before. My cherished younger brother who reawakened as a C-rank Hunter.”
“Ah, so you’re him? Younger than I expected.”
I gently stepped on Im Kkeokjeong’s foot as he butted in unexpectedly, and opened my mouth again.
“Yes. That’s me.”
“Why did you buy so much?
We have a restaurant reserved.”
“Why go there when it’s expensive and the portions are small? We can just grill some meat in here.”
Team Leader Choi. I’m going to kill you with my own hands.
I will definitely kill you.
I glared at each of the interrupters one by one.
Mr. Kim, who was about to say something, quietly closed his mouth under my murderous gaze.
“This is my only chance.”
A perfect timing with no one interrupting. And Ms. Song is looking at me too. I spoke in an attractive bass voice.
“Hello. I’m Jin Tae-kyung, 27 years old, recently promoted to C-rank Hunter. My birthday is April 22nd. I’m a Taurus, and my blood type is RH+ A. My hobbies are reading and film criticism. Looking forward to working with you.”
In the quiet silence where no one spoke, her red lips finally opened.
“Ah, yes.”
Ms. Song stared at me with doe-like eyes. She clearly looked smitten by my cave-man voice. And with the emphasis on my intellectual side, mentioning reading and film criticism as hobbies, it’s 100 percent effective.
“Thanks, Jin-ho hyung. If this works out, I’ll buy you drinks.”
Just as I was inwardly cheering, Team Leader Choi interjected with a stuttering voice.
“Sh-shall we talk more over dinner? Ms. Song must be tired from grocery shopping.”
The anger at being interrupted again vanished without a trace the moment I heard her name.
“Ms. Song-yi?”
“Song Song-yi. My name is Song Song-yi.”
After answering in a calm voice, Ms. Song-yi slipped inside the store. I stood in a daze, repeating her name.
“Song Song-yi…” My goodness, even her name is pretty. So charming.
Dazzling.
She’s my type from head to toe. I was half-entranced, thinking I’d met my destined partner, when Team Leader Choi’s voice snapped me out of it.
“Tae-kyung.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Um… never mind. Come in at your own pace.”
Team Leader Choi turned away with a deep sigh. What’s with him?
“Did I do something wrong?”
Mr. Kim, who was following Team Leader Choi, paused at my question.
“Well… hang in there.”
With the two of them gone, only Im Kkeokjeong and I remained.
“Mr. Im. Did I make a mistake?”
“Mistake? No, you’ve committed a crime.”
“A crime?”
“Yes. A crime that can never be forgiven.”
“Gasp.”
Did I make some kind of blunder? My heart sank, and then Im Kkeokjeong continued with a stern face.
“The crime of stealing a woman’s heart.”
“…”
“Kid. Even I, a man, almost fell for you.
Did you see Ms. Song’s expression? She was completely smitten.
Game over! It’s over!”
“R-really?”
“Congratulations, Tae-kyung! Let’s have noodles!”
“Mr. Iiim!”
WHOMP!
Unable to contain my excitement, I threw myself into Im Kkeokjeong’s arms. He laughed heartily and patted my back.
“How many kids will you have? What? Two? No, make it three! Hahaha!”
Inside the store.
Team Leader Choi and Mr. Kim, who had been standing close to the door, looked at each other.
“Mr. Kim, what do you think?”
“I can only admire young master’s wise decision to block out the sound with a magic item.”
“Right?”
“Indeed.”
The two of them glanced behind them as if on cue. Song-yi was busy preparing the meal.
“If Ms. Song had heard that conversation…”
“She would have immediately left the guild, and we would have had to pay the penalty fee.”
“Where did he learn those lines?
Perhaps when you were younger, Mr. Kim…” Mr. Kim replied with a serious face.
“Young master, I find that remark quite offensive. Such lines didn’t exist even before the Great Cataclysm.”
“Tae-kyung must be a lifelong single, right?”
“If he’s not a lifelong single, I’ll change my name from Kim to Park starting today.”
“Mr. Im is also problematic.”
“I hate to say this, but I wanted to put a muzzle on him.”
“Is Mr. Im unmarried?”
“Unfortunately, he’s married. With two daughters.”
“How on earth…”
“That’s a mystery to me as well.”
The future of the guild looks dark.
Just as the two were shaking their heads with gloomy expressions…
“Excuse me.”
A voice came from behind them.
Song-yi, wearing an apron, stood with her hands on her hips, looking at the two.
“What are you two whispering about? Not lifting a finger to help with the preparations.”
“Ah, Ms. Song. That’s…”
“We’ll clean up after the meal.”
“Never mind that. Dinner’s ready, so come and eat. And call Mr. Im and…”
Song-yi continued with a sigh.
“That, Taurus guy.”
In front of the heated grill.
I opened my mouth with a solemn face.
“Ms. Song.”
Song-yi, who had just picked up tongs and scissors, paused.
“Yes?”
“Please allow me. I’ll grill the meat.”
“It’s fine. You can help with the cleanup later.”
“My hobby is grilling meat, and my specialty is cutting meat.”
“…Wasn’t it reading and film criticism?”
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
I nudged Im Kkeokjeong’s foot under the table, and backup arrived immediately.
“You don’t know this, Ms. Song, but this guy grills meat exceptionally well. Once, he simultaneously managed five grills, and when you bite into the meat, the juices just flow in your mouth. It’s like fireworks going off in your head!”
I added politely.
“My zodiac sign is Taurus.”
“That’s right! Taurus men are not only good at grilling meat, but they’re also pure-hearted and steadfast… steadf…”
Team Leader Choi muttered as he put down a broken wooden chopstick.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t control my strength.”
“Here.”
My heart sank as Song-yi handed him new chopsticks as if she’d been waiting for this. As much as I hate to admit it, the two of them—beautiful woman and handsome man—looked very good together.
“Surely not?”
I try to deny it, but I feel conflicted.
I put the meat on the grill with a gloomy face.
Sizzle.
What kind of relationship does Ms. Song-yi have with Team Leader Choi?
Sizzle.
They definitely had a prior relationship. She wouldn’t be a founding guild member for nothing.
Sizzle.
Come to think of it, Team Leader Choi is suspicious. He keeps interrupting conversations, and why did he break a perfectly good chopstick to disrupt the flow?
Sizzle.
A B-rank Hunter claiming he couldn’t control his strength? That’s just bull.
Is he showing off his strength in front of Ms. Song-yi? I can tie knots with metal chopsticks…
“Excuse me.”
I jerked my head up. Clear eyes like a lake were staring right at me.
“It’s burning.”
“P-pardon?”
“The meat is burning.”
“Oh no!” Sizzle, crackle.
I hurriedly flipped the meat, but it was too late.
“I’ll do it.”
“No, I will.”
“On second thought, since this is your first day, it would be more appropriate for me to grill and serve you.”
My goodness, she’s not just angelic in appearance.
“Ah, Ms. Song-yi. You’re like a moral textbook.”
I fell for her silky personality once again.
Chop. Chop.
Sizzle.
She skillfully grilled and cut the meat after receiving the tongs.
I watched her dazedly.
“Even the way she grills meat is pretty.”
A casual bun, busy white slender hands. Each movement radiated light.
How much time had passed? She, who had been watching the meat with a serious face, said,
“It’s done. Could you pass me that plate?”
“Yes.”
She efficiently placed the cooked meat in disposable containers. I’d noticed it before, but this wasn’t the skill of a beginner.
“You must have done this a lot.”
“Yes.”
“Did you perhaps work part-time at a meat restaurant?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. For how long?”
“Two years.”
“Wow, when was that?”
“During high school.”
“Hmm, not many kids had part-time jobs back then.”
“Ah, yes.”
This is wonderful. Strong survival skills are exactly my type.
Her responses seem oddly short, but that must be my imagination. I lavished her with enthusiastic reactions.
“The conversation is going smoothly.”
According to Jin-ho, to gain someone’s favor, you need to dig into commonalities first. I spoke passionately.
“We’re similar then. I used to work two or three shifts a day too. One day, when I got home after work…”
“Ah, yes. But, um.”
“Yes?”
“You’re a bit too close. The grill is still hot…” I realized my body had unconsciously leaned significantly toward Ms. Song-yi.
“I’ll be fine. What’s a little burn? Hahaha!”
“Still, you should be careful.”
“Really, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
Somehow, Ms. Song-yi’s expression darkened.
Wait a minute.
“Is she worried about me getting hurt?”
I’m shocked. To think she cares this much about someone she just met today.
And now I know for certain. She’s interested in me too.
I heard Jin-ho’s voice as if it were an auditory hallucination.
“Do you know what the most important virtue for becoming a couple is? It’s courage.”
“Tae-kyung, remember this. The brave win the beauty.”
Hyung, I think I understand now. And thank you.
“Yes. I’ll be brave.”
With a trembling heart, I gazed at her. What I’m about to say is something I’ve never said in my 27 years of life.
“Ms. Song-yi, starting today, let’s be day one…”
At that moment, Team Leader Choi jumped up and exclaimed.
“Day one! Today is the first day that Hunter Jin Tae-kyung has become part of our guild family! Mr. Kim?”
“Yes, young master! The alcohol is ready!”
Mr. Kim, who was usually composed, filled the soju glasses at lightning speed.
Glug, glug, glug!
Not gentle pouring, but forceful glugging.
Though I was dumbfounded by how he poured half on the table and half in the glasses, I had something I absolutely needed to say.
“Ms. Song-yi. Let me say it again. We—”
Team Leader Choi raised his glass high.
“To our guild!”
“Ms. Song-yi. Ignore them and listen to me.”
Ms. Song-yi responded.
“Cheers!”
She probably didn’t hear me, right? Yes, she couldn’t have heard.