Lee Kanghyun continued speaking calmly, not caring at all about the shock people had received.
“Going through immigration procedures, packing, getting on a plane, going there and adjusting, learning the language… just thinking about it makes me want to throw up from how annoying it is. So I’m just paying the fine and staying here. You should be glad I’m lazy. If I were diligent, I would’ve left ages ago.”
Huh. Someone let out a laugh as if they were dumbfounded.
“But. If you guys keep bothering me like this, I might change my mind.”
He tilted his head cockily and pointed his finger at Assemblyman Kim.
“Police investigation? Hearing? Prison? That’s a hundred times more annoying than emigrating. Rather than being treated like a criminal here and being summoned here and there, it would be much less annoying to just take one plane ride and live like royalty over there.”
“Th-that’s… are you threatening us right now?”
“It’s not a threat, it’s a notification.”
Lee Kanghyun glanced at Kang Yujun. His brow naturally furrowed sharply.
“And there’s one more thing that’s been bothering me since earlier.”
Lee Kanghyun’s eyes twisted viciously. Blatant displeasure toward Assemblyman Kim dripped from him.
“Don’t yell at Kang Yujun.”
“What did you say?”
“Number one in hunter performance in the Republic of Korea. Number one in personal donations. Someone who works 365 days a year protecting your lives. The country should be honoring him and it still wouldn’t be enough, yet you’re treating him like a criminal just because he covered for someone like me? If you’re going to curse or throw stones, do it to me. Don’t take out your anger on an innocent person.”
Kang Yujun looked at Lee Kanghyun with surprised eyes. Lee Kanghyun, who always found him annoying and pushed him away, was defending him.
Lee Kanghyun didn’t even make eye contact with him and snapped while staring straight ahead.
“Just because he’s so ridiculously nice that he bows his head and says ‘yes, yes’ like a pushover, does he really look that easy to you?”
Assemblyman Kim’s face turned red and blue. How dare he—in the National Assembly, as a wanted person, using his power as an S-rank hunter to lecture a member of the National Assembly. But pressed down by Lee Kanghyun’s murderous presence, he couldn’t say a word in rebuttal.
Whine— Thud!
Lee Kanghyun pulled out the microphone and threw it onto the table. A sharp noise echoed through the room.
“If you send police to my house one more time, or if you can’t know your place and disturb my rest, or if you pull this kind of crap on Kang Yujun again.”
He tapped the frozen Kang Yujun’s shoulder and drove the final nail in.
“Then I’m really leaving this country. Both of us. Try to catch us if you can.”
“L-Lee Kanghyun Hunter!”
“If I get pissed off enough to go on strike, you’ll be the ones in trouble, not us.”
Kang Yujun momentarily forgot to breathe and looked up at him in a daze.
Did Lee Kanghyun… know how to make that kind of expression?
It was unfamiliar. So unfamiliar, yet he couldn’t take his eyes off him. He had always thought of him as a lacking guy he had to take care of. But at this moment, Lee Kanghyun looked reliable.
I’m crazy.
Kang Yujun swallowed his dry saliva. Did I just… think Lee Kanghyun looked cool?
“Let’s go.”
Lee Kanghyun grabbed the dazed Kang Yujun’s wrist. He couldn’t even think to resist and was led away. Countless camera flashes went off and reporters blocked their path, but Lee Kanghyun was unstoppable.
Kang Yujun just let himself be dragged along by Lee Kanghyun, staring blankly at his face.
As soon as they exited the main building of the National Assembly, Lee Kanghyun pushed Kang Yujun into a red sports car.
“Get in.”
Kang Yujun plopped down in the passenger seat. Soon after, Lee Kanghyun, who had climbed into the driver’s seat, roughly shut the car door. The car started with the sound of the engine.
Kang Yujun glanced and stole looks at Lee Kanghyun’s profile as he gripped the steering wheel. Without realizing it, his gaze kept drifting that way.
“Ah, shit.”
Just then, Lee Kanghyun looked at his hair in the rearview mirror and grimaced heavily.
“This is so fucking uncomfortable, seriously.”
As soon as Lee Kanghyun stopped at a red light, he roughly tousled his hair. The styled hair became messy and a few strands fell onto his forehead. Then he irritably pulled at his tie to loosen it and unbuttoned one button on his shirt.
“Kang Yujun. How do you wear stuff like this every day? I respect you, seriously.”
Grumble grumble. It was the tone dripping with his usual annoyance. The cool and sharp gaze that had been glaring at the assemblyman was nowhere to be found, and his unfocused, hazy eyes were staring ahead.
“I’m dying….”
Lee Kanghyun groaned and buried his head against the steering wheel.
“I used up a year’s worth of energy. I’m drained. Don’t touch me.”
It was like there was a completely melted slime lying there.
“Hey, you….”
Kang Yujun, who had been watching with an incredulous gaze, opened his mouth.
“Was that really you just now?”
“Shut up. I don’t even have the strength to talk.”
At those words, Kang Yujun couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Nothing. Just.”
Fiercely cool one moment, then instantly pathetic the next. The gap was so absurd it made him laugh. More than anything, he looked cute. To think he’d find Lee Kanghyun cute. He was definitely crazy.
“But why did you come? I told you to hide since I’d handle it myself.”
“I was watching TV and got annoyed.”
Lee Kanghyun turned to look at him irritably.
“Hey. Are you really a pushover? Why were you stupidly sitting there getting cursed at? Did you commit a crime? Why couldn’t you say a single word and just took it?”
Even while listening to Lee Kanghyun’s harsh scolding, Kang Yujun couldn’t hold back the laughter escaping him. He understood now. Lee Kanghyun’s fierce words all came from worry about him.
“Because of who.”
“What?”
“If I had blown up there, all those arrows would have come back to you too. They would’ve said birds of a feather flock together and attacked both of us for having personality problems. Then you’d be in trouble. That’s why I held back.”
“……”
“But I’m glad I did.”
Kang Yujun quietly reached out and tidied Lee Kanghyun’s messy hair.
“Thanks to that, I got to see you rush over to protect me. I was pretty moved.”
Lee Kanghyun turned his head away, avoiding Kang Yujun’s gaze.
“Bullshit. Who asked for it? Don’t do this next time. Doing it for me my ass. I almost died from getting pissed off because of you.”
As the light changed, he hastily started the car. His expression was stiff, but it was obvious he was embarrassed. His earlobes were slightly red.
Seeing that, Kang Yujun, his mischievous side emerging, slowly leaned over and pushed his face toward Lee Kanghyun.
“Kanghyun-ah.”
“What. Get away.”
Lee Kanghyun pulled his head back in disgust, but Kang Yujun didn’t back down and smiled as he moved even closer.
“No, you were really cool earlier though? When you opened the door and came in, wow… I thought you were a movie protagonist.”
“Shut up. Please.”
At Lee Kanghyun’s suffering expression, Kang Yujun began to get more and more excited.
“The way you walked too, taking those long strides so coolly. I was wondering if this was really the same kid who shuffles around in slippers normally.”
“Stop it. Seriously, before I really leave you behind.”
Lee Kanghyun gripped the steering wheel tightly and threatened him. But Kang Yujun didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping. Instead, his eyes sparkled.
“Especially that line. Wow, I should’ve recorded it.”
Kang Yujun lowered his voice and imitated Lee Kanghyun.
“‘Don’t yell at Kang Yujun.’ The impact was insane, seriously.”
“I told you not to!”
Lee Kanghyun screamed and covered his ear with one hand. It was a pity he couldn’t cover both ears since he was driving.
“Why? It was cool. My heart almost stopped right there.”
“Just shut up!”
Kang Yujun poked Lee Kanghyun’s reddened ear and whispered in the cheesiest voice in the world.
“Take responsibility, Lee Kanghyun. I almost actually fell for you just now.”
“Get out! Get out right now! Just get out!”
Lee Kanghyun’s desperate cry filled the car.
“Hahaha! Ah, my stomach hurts.”
Kang Yujun laughed so hard he shed tears while watching Lee Kanghyun suffer. What an entertaining reaction. It seemed like he could tease him for the rest of his life and never get tired of it.
Lee Kanghyun just silently stepped on the accelerator until Kang Yujun’s laughter subsided. He suppressed the urge to dump Kang Yujun on the side of the road with his patience.
After that commotion passed, peace returned to the car once more. Lee Kanghyun was still fuming, and Kang Yujun was staring at him intently with a pleased expression.
How long had they been driving? Lee Kanghyun slowed down and drove the car in front of a familiar building.
Screech.
The car stopped.
Kang Yujun, looking out the window, blinked.
“Huh? This is the Association.”
“Yeah.”
“Weren’t we going home?”
Lee Kanghyun shook his head and turned off the engine.
“I’m going in.”
“Where?”
“The Association detention room.”
“Hey, are you crazy? You’re going in there with your own two feet?”
“The warrant’s already been issued anyway. Running away just makes things more annoying. Just think of it as sleeping there for a few days and coming out.”
Lee Kanghyun opened the car door without hesitation and got out. Kang Yujun hurriedly followed him out.
“Wait. Think again. At least hold out until we can prove your innocence—”
“It’s fine.”
Lee Kanghyun completely loosened his tie and tossed it to Kang Yujun.
“I’m sleepy. I’m going to go sleep.”
He then turned around and trudged toward the Association lobby like someone really going to sleep.
Kang Yujun stared blankly at his retreating figure.
“Lee Kanghyun!”
Kang Yujun shouted. Lee Kanghyun, who had been about to press the elevator button, turned around.
“What, again.”
“Be good in there. Eat your meals properly. If you’re sick, tell them right away.”
“Am I a kid?”
“Yeah, you’re a kid. A high-maintenance kid.”
Kang Yujun looked into Lee Kanghyun’s eyes and said as if making a promise.
“I’ll get you out soon. Just hold on for a few days.”
“Just hurry up and go already.”
Ding dong.
The elevator door opened. Lee Kanghyun entered without looking back.
Even after the door closed, Kang Yujun couldn’t leave and kept staring at the closed door.
