VSP 85

Sejun laughed as he looked at the doll in the passenger seat that looked reliable like a guardian, and he headed straight to the Association.

But when he arrived at the Association parking lot, the one who greeted him was not Cha Dogyeong but someone else.

“Hi, oppa.”

Just as he finished parking and was about to get out, the window of the car beside him suddenly went down, and out of nowhere, Choi Yerin greeted him.

Caught off guard by the unexpected meeting and greeting, Sejun hurriedly rolled down his passenger-side window.

“Uh… hi?”

She looked like she had been sending a message on her phone after parking her car. She greeted him naturally and stepped out.

Sejun smiled awkwardly and asked.

“Are you here for a health checkup too?”

“No, I already got mine earlier. I just came to help with the checkups as a volunteer.”

“Ah. What about Choi Hangyeol?”

“He’s getting his checkup today. He’ll probably come later.”

Ah, I see.

The conversation stopped after Sejun’s short answer. The awkward silence between them came quickly after what had been a somewhat natural exchange.

Sejun felt his mouth go dry. Since what happened in Busan last time, this was the first time he had met Choi Yerin face to face like this.

‘If it weren’t for Seo Sejun, I wouldn’t even be alive right now.’

That day, because of Hoya’s condition, he had been too overwhelmed to address what she said.

After that, even when he thought of it, he felt too self-conscious to contact her first, so they had never really talked since. Meeting her like this made him feel embarrassed and awkward, and he fidgeted with his fingers.

While he was doing that, Choi Yerin’s eyes turned to the very noticeable doll in the passenger seat.

Her expression changed subtlety.

Sejun noticed her gaze a bit too late. Flustered, he instinctively covered the doll with his hand. It didn’t even cover it completely, and he knew that made it look even more suspicious, but it was a reflex.

“No, it’s not like I especially like it.”

Even the seat belt cover, the parking tag, and the air freshener in the vent all had the same character on them.

Besides, come to think of it, when Cha Dogyeong won that doll, the one who was there with him was Choi Yerin.

She must’ve noticed, right? She must’ve realized.

Even though there was nothing specific to hide, the sudden anxiety made Sejun unable to look anywhere. His eyes just wandered helplessly until Choi Yerin let out a sigh.

“There’s nothing wrong with liking something. Why’re you being so self-conscious?”

“……”

Sejun’s eyes widened a little. But when he realized that she was talking about the doll, not a person, he quickly fixed his expression.

“Uh, yeah. Right.”

The awkward silence returned.

This time, it was Choi Yerin who spoke first.

“…I think there’s something we need to talk about.”

She hesitated for a moment, then spoke clearly.

“When you’re a little less busy, let’s grab a meal. And for the record, I’m not just saying that out of politeness.”

If you avoid me, I won’t let you off. She clenched her fist once, then waved lightly.

“I’ll go first. Get your checkup done.”

Choi Yerin said goodbye coolly and turned around. Sejun waved awkwardly at her back.

“Ugh.”

But as soon as she disappeared from sight, his fake composure shattered completely.

“Did she notice?”

Judging by how her expression changed when she saw the doll, she clearly remembered it. Sejun couldn’t stop worrying about how it must’ve looked to see that doll buckled in the passenger seat of his car.

[Hmm… maybe she’ll just think it’s the same doll by coincidence since it’s a popular character.]

“…Ha.”

The system tried to comfort him, saying it would probably pass unnoticed, but Sejun couldn’t agree. Choi Yerin was smart, so she must’ve realized it was the same doll Cha Dogyeong had won.

No, but we’re not even anything to each other. Men giving each other dolls might feel a bit weird, but it’s not that bad.

[Even if he gave it to you, so what? It’s between men.]

The system joined in, but Sejun shook his head.

No. In this case, it wasn’t about being “between men.” The important thing was that the other man was Cha Dogyeong.

“If it were ordinary guys, maybe. But we’re talking about Cha Dogyeong. That guy didn’t just pull that doll while everyone was watching for nothing, and he didn’t randomly decide to give it to me either. None of it felt normal.”

[That’s true, but thinking too deeply about it won’t change anything. No matter how smart Hunter Choi Yerin is, she’ll still have her assumptions. And Hunter Cha Dogyeong has only ever dated women. She wouldn’t suddenly think he likes a man. And you, of all people? That’s quite a leap.]

“…You’re right, but somehow that doesn’t make me feel better.”

‘You, of all people?’ This bastard.

But after hearing the system’s words, Sejun started to think that maybe he was worrying for nothing, and the turmoil inside him calmed a little.

Yeah, there was no need to worry. He might have to make an excuse if someone asked, but even then, he could just say he bought it himself or that someone else gave it to him as a gift, and that would be it.

What Sejun needed to focus on now was the fact that Choi Yerin had personally suggested they have a meal and talk.

Sejun had believed that after that day when he made a mistake and almost caused Choi Yerin’s death, their relationship would stay at its worst for the rest of their lives.

But the fact that they could now talk so normally was unbelievable.

Part of it was probably because the influence of the original story had disappeared, but more than that, he was happy to know that Choi Yerin had never hated Seo Sejun as much as he had thought.

“Not bad.”

Sejun unconsciously spoke his thoughts aloud. Fortunately, the only one who could hear was the system.

[Exactly. That’s good news.]

And the system was always ready to offer Sejun kind words like that.

Things were changing.

Not only his relationship with Cha Dogyeong, but also his relationships with other people were gradually shifting.

It seemed the effect of the original story’s compulsion disappearing, as the system had mentioned in the past, was finally becoming clear. Back then, since he hadn’t noticed any big difference, he had taken it as a simple consolation, but now that he experienced it himself, it was real.

That wasn’t bad. No, to be honest, it felt good.

It felt good to live a life where he wasn’t hated.

Thinking that way made his steps lighter as he got out of the car.

The checkup he had been putting off because it felt annoying suddenly didn’t seem so bothersome. His steps felt unusually light.

It felt like something good might happen today.

Without realizing it, Sejun had set up a flag for the day, humming to himself as he walked toward the Association.

But contrary to his expectation, as soon as he passed through the Association’s main entrance and saw who was there, Sejun froze in place without meaning to.

“Ah.”

Unfortunately for Sejun, he still had more uncomfortable encounters than pleasant ones within the Association.

“Oh.”

He thought about turning around and leaving immediately, but before he could, the other person spotted him and grinned. Then the man walked straight toward him before Sejun could avoid him.

The man had eyes that slanted upward and a large scar that cut across his cheek. His first impression gave off a nasty look.

Because of that distinct face, he was known for not having a friendly impression, but at the same time, he was also one of the most famous hunters in South Korea, aside from the S-class ones.

His name was Lee Yongseok. His nickname was the Unlucky S-class. He was the guild master of the Bacheon Guild, called the strongest among A-class hunters. He was the same man who had been causing Ryu Sehyun trouble lately with various complaints.

And whenever he saw Seo Sejun, he acted like he couldn’t rest until he had devoured him alive, even worse than Lee Dohun in his prime.

He was a little over forty, but like any high-ranked hunter, his aging was slow, so he looked closer to his early thirties. The moment he saw Sejun, he smiled as if he was delighted. Of course, Sejun grimaced in response.

“Look who it is.”

Why did guys like this always start their appearance with the same kind of line? Sejun’s face distorted even more.

“Isn’t this Seo Sejun? What brings you to the Association?”

It wasn’t like they were close, and Sejun wasn’t the Association’s owner, so the question of why he was there was absurd, but Sejun decided to keep his mouth shut instead of replying.

Should he just ignore him? But if he did, this guy would start running his mouth about how an A-class hunter wouldn’t even greet an S-class one. The man had a serious complex about ranks, he didn’t know if he realized it or not.

[If it’s Hunter Lee Yongseok, that’s exactly what he’d do. He’d gather all the Bacheon Guild members and rant about how Seo Sejun disrespected him, then post about it on HunterNet and make things messy for you.]

The system agreed.

Then should I just humor him a bit?

[If you’re deciding which option’s less exhausting, then yes. Both will be tiring, but humoring him now might be the less tiring one.]