Aggro Hunter 75

“Chunsik thinks I’m a lackey of that crazy old man Do Jeongwang. Well, our whole family is parasiting off that side, so even though it hurts, it’s not wrong.”

Do Jeongwang, a global hero who had firmly held the top position for half a century. Byun Taehui revealed his hostility toward him without hesitation. As risky statements continued, Yoon Gyeom turned around with a worried face.

“Taehui, you shouldn’t casually bring up such stories. You could be in danger.”

“Well, what more can happen than death?”

“Byun Taehui!”

“Still, hyung, isn’t my life worth at least proving Chunsik’s identity?”

Yoon Gyeom was at a loss for words and closed his mouth. Just looking at his playful attitude moments ago, he’d thought nothing had changed in ten years, but he felt unfamiliar as if this wasn’t the Byun Taehui he knew.

The two first became acquainted ten years ago when a government summons was issued due to the Mount Baekdu plane crash incident.

Byun Taehui, who had a well-off family, pretty looks, and excellent attention-seeking skills, was always surrounded by people. Yoon Gyeom had not the slightest desire to become close with Byun Taehui, who was draining just to look at. That thought didn’t change even while performing missions together as a team.

Mount Baekdu was land that all neighboring countries had given up on because they couldn’t handle the monsters. A flying-type monster had caught the plane carrying VIPs, and the last survival signal came from Mount Baekdu. The summoned Hunters divided into teams and conducted a survivor search operation.

Byun Taehui at first at least pretended to search diligently, but as the search dragged on, he openly slacked off. There was no way the young master who grumbled that he had no energy because there was no one to his taste among the team members and Yoon Gyeom who approached everything earnestly would get along. Even though they were on the same team, the two were quite distant for a long time.

In the end, the VIP died, and 92 out of 264 passengers were found here and there throughout the mountain range with various injuries. Yoon Gyeom and Byun Taehui’s team, which had rescued the most survivors, remained until the end performing additional search missions even after the other teams returned home.

Camaraderie sprouted among the team members who had shared hardships in the mountains for nearly a month. It was the same for Yoon Gyeom and Byun Taehui. After that, they became acquaintances who saw each other’s faces whenever there were group gatherings, but they weren’t close enough to meet one-on-one.

Then rumors spread that Byun Taehui had undergone gender reassignment surgery. It was soon corrected to cross-dressing, but Yoon Gyeom wasn’t very interested in those rumors. Not long after, he sustained a major injury and had to quit being a Hunter, naturally dropping out of the gatherings as well.

At that time, Byun Taehui was an immature silver-spoon young master who didn’t try to take responsibility for anything, tried to sweet-talk and use people when they showed interest, and tried to solve problems with money when they arose.

But the current Byun Taehui had eyes completely different from before. Beyond having become an adult, he even felt an inexplicable nobility.

“Okay. I get it, so stop now. What is this even worth betting your life on?”

“Because this is all I can do. I……”

I know a way to cut that kid’s leash. Even knowing, I…… Byun Taehui, wearing a self-deprecating smile, didn’t continue and closed his mouth.

When Pyeonghwa was around, Dohae could breathe. When Dohae breathed, he too could escape from deep guilt and breathe.

Even if Dohae hadn’t asked separately, Byun Taehui intended to somehow put the two together. His own life wasn’t something worth considering in the first place.

“There’s a week left until championship registration. We need to contract by this weekend at the latest. Can you persuade Pyeonghwa?”

“Of course. Seducing Pyeonghwa is my specialty.”

“When Pyeonghwa signs the contract, let’s have Chunsik-ssi sign the coach contract too. But what’s Chunsik-ssi’s tier?”

“Oh my, look at the time already. Hyung, thank you. I won’t forget this favor. I’ll contact you later~!”

As soon as an unfavorable topic came up, Byun Taehui pretended to check the time and quickly got out of the car. Tier, what tier. Dohae didn’t even have experience playing games. Even if he started now, it would take quite a while to escape the newbie zone, so his plan was to first finish the contract so there was no backing out. Byun Taehui waved his hand and disappeared behind the building.

“Ha……”

Yoon Gyeom let out a helpless sigh thinking about the two who had come and gone like a storm. Was it a good decision? He couldn’t tell through rational judgment. But when Byun Taehui spoke to that extent, he couldn’t ignore it. Yoon Gyeom was the type to become weak to people who confronted him with sincerity.

“I should tell Sinhyo not to go looking for Pyeonghwa.”

Yoon Gyeom called Bae Sinhyo. The ringtone rang for a long time, then soon led to a voicemail notification. He must be training. Yoon Gyeom thought he should contact him again later and started the car.

A few hours later, articles plastered everywhere that Bae Sinhyo and Pax would face off.

*

“Hyung, that bastard spouted nonsense. I’m not such a pathetic guy! I didn’t chicken out, and I didn’t cry……!”

-I’ll pick you up Saturday at 11 AM, so be ready.

“Yay, a date!”

-No.

“Let’s go to the beach! Last time I wanted to go on a date with hyung so I found a place with no people. Hyung, do you like seafood? I can’t eat raw fish. But grilled fish, steamed snow crab, sushi restaurants are also good……”

-Stop. I said it’s not a date.

At Dohae’s sharp distancing, Pyeonghwa’s lips jutted out. He could just call it a date, how petty…… Pyeonghwa muttered barely audibly.

-……What’s with the article that came out today.

When Pyeonghwa openly showed signs of disappointment, Dohae on the other end of the line fell silent for a moment before speaking. It was an indifferent tone as if he wasn’t curious at all, but Pyeonghwa’s gloomy expression cleared up instantly.

“Ah, that? Bae Sinhyo spread false information so we’re going to PVP tomorrow. I can destroy him. Don’t worry worry. Hyung, you trust me, right?”

-Yeah, do well. Hanging up.

“Wait, don’t hang up! We didn’t say good night!”

-Say it.

“I love you. See you in my dreams.”

Before he even finished speaking, the call was cut off abruptly. He thought he heard cursing for a moment, but Pyeonghwa didn’t care and pressed his lips rounded like a circle against the phone screen. Smooch smooch smooch…….

He said he trusts me. He said to do well! All day he’d been furious at Bae Sinhyo’s lowness, but receiving Dohae’s encouragement, his anger melted away smoothly, leaving only a heart-swelling emotion. Bae Sinhyo or whatever, he wished he could close his eyes and it would be Saturday when he opened them.

Pyeonghwa looked at Dohae’s photo set as his phone wallpaper with wistful eyes, then opened his photo album. The ‘Hyung♡’ folder had thousands of Do Dohae photos saved.

His appearance smiling as pristine as a single flower was fake without exception. Pyeonghwa caressed the corners of Dohae’s mouth in the photo. Even if it’s fake, it’s pretty. His half-folded eyes, the aegyo-sal under his eyes—there wasn’t an unpretty spot. If his fake smile was this pretty, if he smiled brightly with sincerity, his heart might really stop.

‘It’s okay if my heart stops. I want to see hyung smile.’

Pyeonghwa pondered how he could make Dohae smile. If he deliberately tried to make him laugh, he might get angry. This way hmph, that way hmph—it wasn’t easy to please the temperamental prince’s mood.

‘Tch, I just grin when I see hyung though……’

He couldn’t control the corners of his mouth in front of the person he liked. Worried his smiling appearance looked stupid, he practiced smiling handsomely looking in the mirror every time he showered, but it was back to square one.

‘As expected, there’s only that method.’

There was one method that was the most difficult but likewise the most certain. Right, winning Dohae’s heart! He’d gotten advice from Byun Taehui too, so Pyeonghwa planned to launch his Do Dohae seduction operation starting this Saturday.

Pyeonghwa searched the internet for ‘how to seduce a man’. First, show unexpected charm. The easiest method was to change your styling—if you were normally a sexy style, be cute; if you were a cute style, be sexy.

Pyeonghwa usually enjoyed wearing boxy t-shirts and loose pants. Should he wear tight clothes on Saturday? He’d have to rummage through his father’s wardrobe again this time. Pyeonghwa lowered his gaze to the next item.

Second, make subtle skinship. Brushing the back of hands while walking, touching shoulders, etc…… It overlapped with Byun Taehui’s advice. Pyeonghwa neatly stored the information in his head.

Third, satisfy the man’s need for recognition. He was most confident in this part. Since he wanted to praise him just for breathing, trapping him in a prison of compliments would be a piece of cake.

Fourth, don’t carelessly attempt push-and-pull unless you’re a dating expert. If you push away claiming to do push-and-pull, no matter how much you pull, he might not come back…… Pyeonghwa let out a relieved breath. As expected, going straight was the answer.

Fifth, shine on your own to become someone too precious to let go. Men envision a future with someone who makes their life more solid…….

“So that’s why I want to marry hyung.”