Chapter 47
“If your dad’s with Haedam, then he and mine are in the same guild.”
“Ah, but our dads probably never crossed paths. Their ranks are worlds apart.”
Go Hankyul scratched the back of his head, looking awkward. This was the first I’d heard that his father was a Haedam-affiliated hunter. It might just be a coincidence, but the unease wouldn’t leave me.
“So… did you decide to become a hunter because of your dad?”
Go Hankyul hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly.
“Yeah, I guess so. But isn’t it the same for you? I thought you switched from Shield to Hunter for the same reason.”
“Ah, yeah.”
It wasn’t exactly wrong—officially, that was the story.
That day, the entire school was buzzing about Yu Hyunjae. The irony? Even though I was the closest to him, no one came to me to ask about his 1st-grade news. Thanks to that, I could spend my time in quiet solitude amid the chaos. Whether that was a good thing or not, I couldn’t say. Watching Yu Hyunjae surrounded by students all day, I thought, Now it finally feels a little like the original story.
“Congrats on 1st grade.”
That’s why, when Lee Joohyun came to our classroom himself and offered me his hand, I felt a pang of discomfort. Why me, not Yu Hyunjae?
“Congrats to you too.”
“Honestly, the real surprise isn’t you or me.”
Lee Joohyun glanced toward Yu Hyunjae, seemingly intrigued by this unexpected standout.
“Did you train together or something?”
“No way.”
Lee Joohyun studied my face, as if trying to gauge whether I was lying. After a moment, he flashed his usual amiable smile and patted my shoulder.
“This is a good thing, right?”
A loaded question. He must still have doubts about my relationship with Yu Hyunjae. Since it was better for everyone if things looked a certain way, I didn’t answer.
When I returned to my seat, there was a message on my phone. I’d been waiting for it, but also not.
[Han Jaemin: Us]
[Han Jaemin: Should we meet?]
I typed back a silent reply. Yeah. Sure.
***
After all the classes ended and everyone was frantically packing up, Yu Hyunjae slowly walked over and tapped my shoulder.
“Let’s go home, Chanhee.”
I nodded as if nothing had happened—just like always.
“You must’ve been tired today.”
“A little.”
“How’s the taste of fame?”
Yu Hyunjae burst out laughing.
“I think I get how you felt all this time.”
“Right? Now you know why I was always exhausted.”
We left the classroom and walked down the hallway toward the stairs. Someone rushed up from behind—Go Hankyul—and joined us.
“Feels like I’m talking to you for the first time today, Hyunjae.”
“Really?”
“Congrats.”
Yu Hyunjae nodded in gratitude at Go Hankyul’s sincere congratulations. As we descended the main building’s stairs and headed toward the school gate, an oddly out-of-place luxury foreign car stood among the clusters of students. I immediately knew who sent it. The driver, spotting us, got out and walked slowly toward us.
“The Director ordered me to send a car for your return.”
Here we go. After sending Go Hankyul off, I got into the car with Yu Hyunjae. The entire ride home, my mind was eerily blank. How’s he going to react? I knew my father’s twisted pride wouldn’t take kindly to Yu Hyunjae—his thorn in the side—suddenly becoming 1st grade, even if I had also achieved it as planned.
The moment I opened the door, I was met with my father, arms crossed, standing rigidly.
“What brings you home at this hour?”
My father’s lips were pressed tightly together, clearly displeased. I kept my voice calm.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yu Chanhee.”
My father called my name quietly.
“Hyunjae, go up to your room.”
Yu Hyunjae didn’t move, so I poked his side with my finger.
“Go.”
Yu Hyunjae blinked in confusion before slowly making his way toward the stairs. Only after he disappeared did my father speak again.
“What’s going on?”
“You mean Hyunjae getting 1st grade?”
My father said nothing, just pressed his fingers against his furrowed brow.
“I don’t really know. I have no idea when he even awakened.”
My father eyed me skeptically. I genuinely didn’t know, so I asked back.
“But what does it matter? In the end, I got 1st grade, didn’t I?”
I knew better than anyone how my father felt about Yu Hyunjae. But his anger, his desire for revenge—it wasn’t the kind of justified emotion a father should have toward someone practically his son’s age. My father was someone who cared deeply about public perception. Even if Yu Hyunjae had killed Yu Dohyun, the world knew Dohyun’s dying words had cleared Hyunjae’s name. My father could never easily discard him, no matter what.
This situation was no different. From my father’s perspective, Yu Hyunjae had unexpectedly become 1st grade, but I had also secured 1st grade as he wanted. I believed this would be enough to soothe his wounded pride.
“So that’s how you see it.”
“…Yes.”
“I see.”
My father turned and walked into his room. I exhaled, rubbing my face. One hurdle cleared. Now I had to climb another mountain.
***
“Congrats on 1st grade, Chanhee.”
Han Jaemin’s face, warmly offering congratulations, was infuriatingly smug. I glanced at Cha Suhyun standing beside him before slowly entering the room and sitting on the sofa.
“I even called Suhyun to celebrate you.”
“Thanks.”
I said the words without meaning them. Han Jaemin sipped his tea slowly.
“So.”
Silence hung in the air. I continued.
“Why’d you send that message?”
“Message?”
Han Jaemin tilted his head, then ah, and laughed as if discussing someone else’s business.
“Exactly what it said.”
“Then why the hell are you snooping into my life?”
“Whoa, ‘snooping’ is a strong word, Chanhee.”
Han Jaemin rubbed his arm.
“Do I look like I’m stalking you?”
“Isn’t it stalking if it’s not stalking? What else would you call it?”
My suppressed anger flared. Han Jaemin slowly uncrossed his legs, infuriatingly composed.
“You really trust no one, huh?”
“Memory’s good, Jaemin.”
“Yeah. You said it yourself—deals aren’t about trust.”
“I said that.”
“I don’t trust you either. I’d never want to work with a stalker like you.”
“Oh? Then what do we do?”
Han Jaemin leaned forward.
“What result do you want from this deal, Chanhee?”
He wasn’t just listening anymore.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to get rid of Yu Hyunjae when you first came to me?”
I met Han Jaemin’s gaze head-on and spat it out.
“Changed.”
“What?”
“I said it changed.”
Han Jaemin’s lips twisted unnaturally, curling up at the corners in a way that looked grotesquely forced on his blank face.
“Then let’s hear it. Your new goal.”
“Yu Dohyun.”
At the sudden mention of Dohyun’s name, Cha Suhyun’s head snapped up.
“Bringing Yu Dohyun back.”
“That’s your final goal?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“Taking his power for myself.”
Cha Suhyun’s eyes narrowed imperceptibly. I turned my head, pretending not to notice.
“So our goals still align, don’t they? You wanted to use me to bring Yu Dohyun back.”
“And can you give me what I want?”
“If I bring Yu Dohyun back.”
Han Jaemin took another sip of tea, still not entirely pleased. I was breathing hard after unloading all that.
“So Yu Hyunjae’s no longer part of your plans?”
No longer part of my plans? I nearly laughed. How could he not be? My life, willingly or not, was tied to his. Yu Hyunjae wasn’t just a means to an end anymore. My goal was singular—something Han Jaemin and Cha Suhyun could never imagine. It was about preserving what Yu Hyunjae and I had built over time, something only we shared. To do that, I’d have to climb over mountains like Han Jaemin, my father, and even the trap of fate itself. But for now, the only thing I could do was keep walking forward.
I slowly turned to Cha Suhyun, his expression still twisted.
“Suhyun’s here to help me, right?”
“……”
“Doesn’t matter what it is?”
Cha Suhyun’s face contorted completely. He was different. He had wanted to use me to eliminate Yu Hyunjae—or rather, the one who killed Yu Dohyun.
