“Mr. Lee Kanghyun! Stop! An emergency arrest warrant has been issued!”
The megaphone sound echoed loudly. At the commander’s signal, police officers rushed forward en masse. Dozens of arms reached out to handcuff him. Lee Kanghyun didn’t dodge, push, or use force. He simply strode forward with his long legs.
Then something strange happened.
As he approached, the police who had been rushing forward with such momentum hesitated and stepped back.
Their movements stopped simultaneously at the overwhelming pressure emitted by the S-rank Hunter. A primal fear like herbivores before a predator bound their feet. Lee Kanghyun’s eyes were indifferent, but that very indifference made them freeze even more.
He leisurely passed between the hesitating police officers. He even tapped the frozen officer’s shield with his fingertip.
“Keep up the good work.”
At those words, the large police officer hiccupped. Countless camera shutters rained down, but he headed toward the National Assembly main building without looking back even once.
Because it’s bothersome.
At the same time, inside the National Assembly hearing room.
The atmosphere was like thin ice. Assemblyman Kim, who had come forward to question Kang Yujun sitting in the witness stand, was pointing and shouting at the top of his lungs.
“Hunter Kang Yujun! The people are watching! Is hiding a murderer justice?”
“……”
“That Lee Kanghyun has no qualifications as a Hunter. Self-defense, you say? It was assault to the point of crushing bones. That’s clearly murder! Hunter Kang Yujun, why on earth are you covering for someone who killed a person and ran away?”
Kang Yujun grabbed the microphone. His voice was hoarse.
“He didn’t run away. Until the situation calms down temporarily…”
“Don’t you think about the victim’s bereaved family?”
Assemblyman Kim cut him off and pressed even more harshly.
“Reveal Lee Kanghyun’s whereabouts right now. If you don’t, I’ll request a tax audit and forced investigation of Yunseul Guild.”
Just as Kang Yujun closed his mouth and glared at him silently.
The doors of the conference room swung wide open on both sides.
Everyone inside turned their gazes to the door simultaneously. At the entrance, with dazzling lights behind him, stood a man.
Black suit. Pomaded hair. And an arrogantly confident expression.
It was Lee Kanghyun.
Regardless of the pouring gazes, he walked steadily toward the witness stand.
“L-Lee Kanghyun?!”
Assemblyman Kim couldn’t close his gaping mouth.
At the name Lee Kanghyun, Kang Yujun whipped his head around and froze.
The usual disheveled-haired Lee Kanghyun in baggy tracksuit was nowhere to be seen.
Sharp jawline and fully exposed forehead, and a perfect suit fit wrapped around his long body. The appearance that stood out even when he went around carelessly saying it was bothersome, shone even more when he dressed up with intention.
…He’s fucking handsome.
Kang Yujun stared at him blankly for a moment. He’d always thought Lee Kanghyun was handsome, but seeing him dressed up like that, he couldn’t take his eyes off him.
Lee Kanghyun glanced at the dazed Kang Yujun. He felt like his insides were boiling.
Why are you just listening to such ridiculous bullshit? While he tormented him all the time, it was absurd that he acted like a pushover only at times like this.
And what was that dazed expression he was making right now? He looked like an idiot.
He wanted to smack the back of his head right now to make him snap out of it, but he couldn’t do that in front of all those cameras. Right now, he was in the position of a guild member who came to protect the guild master getting cursed at, so he had to act affectionate even if just for show.
Lee Kanghyun smiled the most kindly in the world. Then he bent down and brought his face close to Kang Yujun’s ear. The audience stirred at his sudden action.
Good, even he thought it was a very touching picture.
“Yujun-ah.”
He whispered affectionately. Surprised, Kang Yujun’s eyes widened. His heart felt like it had sunk.
Had Lee Kanghyun ever smiled so affectionately and called his name without the surname… had he? Not even once. A kind Lee Kanghyun? It was as nonsensical a word combination as warm ice cream.
Why suddenly? Why is he smiling like that?
Kang Yujun, who had fallen into confusion, was soon swept up in overwhelming emotion.
‘Could it be… because he feels sorry for me getting cursed at? Because he’s worried about me?’
Right, even if he’s prickly on the outside, he’s warm inside. He’s finally recognizing my sincerity. He’s giving me strength so I won’t be intimidated in front of the reporters.
Just as Kang Yujun fell into his own emotional interpretation, Lee Kanghyun immediately switched to a voice filled with murderous intent and whispered to him.
“Are you an idiot? Why are you just sitting there?”
“…Huh?”
“Just try leaving here. You’re dead.”
Crash. The emotion was brief. Lee Kanghyun delivered vicious curses with the sweetest expression in the world.
What he heard in his ear was clearly the devil’s whisper, but what he saw before his eyes was an angel’s smile. Cognitive dissonance hit him hard. He couldn’t tell if it was reality or an auditory hallucination.
‘Did he just say… I’m dead? With that face?’
He stared up blankly at Lee Kanghyun. He wanted to say something, but his voice wouldn’t come out from the shock.
Leaving the perfectly broken Kang Yujun behind, Lee Kanghyun straightened up nonchalantly. Still with a smile on his lips, he stood before the empty microphone next to Kang Yujun.
“It seemed like you wanted to see me, so I came. So please stop shouting. My ears hurt.”
Lee Kanghyun spoke irritably into the microphone with his hands in his pockets.
“What are my charges? Murder? Excessive force?”
“Is that what someone who killed a person, a criminal, should be saying right now!”
Assemblyman Kim slammed the desk, throwing the pen he was holding.
“Even shamelessness has its limits. It’s all in the autopsy report! You brutally tortured and killed a person by crushing them with force, and you dare question the charges in this sacred National Assembly?”
Assemblyman Kim raised his voice, pointing accusingly.
“You’re a murderer! A killer who used the power given to protect the people to kill the people!”
“Me? A murderer?”
Lee Kanghyun laughed as if it were ridiculous.
“If I broke one arm and subdued a suspicious person who broke into my house, isn’t that me going easy on them? Very gentlemanly at that. Would you serve tea to an assassin who breaks into your house, Assemblyman? I’m not saint enough for that.”
“Y-you insolent brat!”
Assemblyman Kim clutched the back of his neck. Completely overwhelmed in momentum, he forcibly changed the subject.
“What kind of attitude is that? The people are watching. You’re already inciting public outrage with suspicions of military service evasion, yet you show no signs of remorse!”
He intended to drive this case into a public opinion trial. For Assemblyman Kim, cornered by recently surfaced suspicions of illegal political fund acceptance, Lee Kanghyun was the perfect scapegoat to divert public attention. He had to cling to him by any means necessary to extend his precarious political life.
“Do you know how angry Korea is right now because of Mr. Lee Kanghyun? Look at the internet. Everyone’s going crazy saying to deport him. They’re sick of looking at you!”
At those words, Kang Yujun shot to his feet.
“Assemblyman!”
The anger he’d been holding back exploded. Kang Yujun glared at Assemblyman Kim as if he’d kill him.
“You’re going too far. Do not insult Hunter Lee Kanghyun with unconfirmed facts.”
He looked ready to leap onto the platform right away. Assemblyman Kim’s face turned deathly pale in shock. At that moment, Lee Kanghyun raised his hand to block Kang Yujun.
“Sit down.”
Lee Kanghyun’s voice was low but firm.
“I’ll handle it.”
At his words, Kang Yujun wasn’t pleased but obediently sat down. Once Kang Yujun sat, Lee Kanghyun slowly turned his head and stared straight at Assemblyman Kim.
“Do you know how many scouting offer emails I get every month from Hunter Association branch directors around the world?”
It was an out-of-context statement instead of a murder defense. Everyone looked at Lee Kanghyun with questioning expressions.
Instead of caring about their reactions, he indifferently held up three fingers.
“One country offered 30 million dollars just as a signing bonus. Private jet support, penthouse provided. The only obligation is participating in national disaster-level Gate Breaks. No forced Gate clearing normally. Good conditions, right?”
The hall stirred. 30 million dollars. About 40 billion won in Korean currency. An amount far beyond the realm of money an individual could handle. And that was just the cost to bring him over?
“Deportation? Go ahead. The moment I’m kicked out, the whole world will hold an auction to take me. Watching that would be pretty fun too.”
The corner of Lee Kanghyun’s mouth twisted. It was clear mockery.
“But do you know why I’m still living in this cramped piece of land, paying fines every year and even eating curses?”
Lee Kanghyun paused. A suffocating silence flowed. Everyone swallowed dryly and waited for his next words.
“Because it’s bothersome.”
“……”
People doubted their ears. What did I just hear?
‘Surely that’s a joke.’
Everyone thought that and looked at Lee Kanghyun, but surprisingly, Lee Kanghyun’s expression was serious.
He was sincere. Sincerely, with an expression that even breathing was bothersome.
Kang Yujun barely held back the laughter trying to burst out from beside him.
It was an excessively trivial reason, and therefore excessively like Lee Kanghyun.
