# Chapter 168
“Wh-what? Why are you looking at someone else’s phone so confidently?”
“Was it a conversation I shouldn’t see?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Basic courtesy… Iyeon was about to say that but realized Sano had no such concept.
“Tomorrow, what?”
Sano looked at Iyeon as if he obviously deserved an answer. His confidence was so overwhelming that Iyeon’s rebellious feelings somewhat subsided. Iyeon responded reluctantly.
“Well, Hyeseong-ssi is treating me to a meal…”
Hyeseong had recently contacted him, proving that his words while drinking weren’t just empty talk. He said there was a well-reviewed restaurant and suggested they go there together.
There was no reason to refuse a delicious meal. Iyeon promptly accepted and set an exact date, and with various incidents keeping him busy each day, it was already the day before the appointment. He had remembered it until a few days ago, but since yesterday, he’d been completely distracted by Mungchi’s situation and had forgotten about it. Fortunately, Hyeseong had contacted him in advance.
“Just buy your own food.”
“No, hey. I checked, and that place is really expensive.”
After hearing about it from Hyeseong, he had searched for the restaurant and nearly had his eyes pop out when he saw the course prices. Just how delicious does it have to be to cost that much? His momentarily forgotten anticipation began to rise again. Iyeon mumbled while licking his lips.
“You should get treated when you can.”
Sano looked at him as if he were looking at a piglet.
“Don’t you have my card?”
“Ah, right.”
He would have kept forgetting if Sano hadn’t mentioned it. Iyeon fumbled to pull out his wallet. The particularly glossy black card stood out like a sharp corner.
“Here.”
“…What is this?”
Sano raised his eyebrow at the credit card extended toward him. Iyeon smiled awkwardly.
“Well, I’ve already made most of the major expenditures I could make.”
He had been thinking he should return it soon anyway. He had used Sano’s card multiple times for furniture, daily necessities, and even superhuman equipment. Judging by how Jongchan trembled whenever the card was mentioned, the charges must have been enormous…
This was enough compensation for living with Sano. In fact, calculating it, he had probably received far more than the equivalent value.
“I’m fine now.”
Sano’s gaze slowly swept over the card and Iyeon. Just as Iyeon was about to urge him again to take it, since there was no reaction from Sano—
“Don’t need it.”
“Huh?”
Contrary to Iyeon’s expectation that Sano would obviously accept it with a nod, Iyeon asked back in confusion at the cold voice. Was it his imagination? Sano’s face seemed colder than usual.
“I didn’t give it to you, so why are you bothering me?”
“No, that’s not it, since it’s your card…”
“Not my business. Do whatever you want with it, use it or don’t.”
With those final words, Sano strode ahead. His attitude clearly showed he didn’t want to continue the conversation.
Left behind in confusion, Iyeon stared at his back with a dumbfounded face. Anyone watching would think he was trying to steal the card. It’s not like he wasn’t going to give it, he was offering to return it, so why wouldn’t Sano take it… He couldn’t understand Sano’s thinking at all.
“Hey, Je Sano!”
There was no answer even when he called. Sano walked so fast that Iyeon could barely catch up, having to widen his stride almost to the point of running.
“What’s wrong? I didn’t say anything incorrect.”
Though Iyeon, finally standing beside Sano, asked as if demanding an explanation, Sano didn’t answer. It was impossible to know what he was thinking. If only he could turn Je Sano inside out and see what was inside his mind, just once, he would have no other wishes. Iyeon grumbled inwardly. Already troubled by Mungchi… He felt like grabbing both of them by the scruff of their necks and ordering them to return to normal.
The two did return home together, but Sano maintained his sullen attitude well into the next day, past midnight. When Iyeon tried to open his mouth to lighten the mood, Sano glared at him with such a cold look that Iyeon became too scared to even speak to him.
As the incomprehensible cold treatment continued, eventually Iyeon became irritated as well. What did I do so wrong? Is he giving me the cold shoulder for using the card too much? That’s why I’m returning it now. If it’s so precious, I can just pay it back. All sorts of complaints bubbled up and accumulated in his heart, but he didn’t voice them. He didn’t want to have a big fight, and he didn’t appreciate Sano’s sharp gaze directed at him. …He also felt a little hurt.
So the two spent the entire day sitting in the office without talking, as if staging a protest. Except for occasional words from Hyegang, they hardly spoke a single word.
As soon as it was time to leave work, Iyeon rushed out of the office without saying goodbye and headed to his meeting place with Hyeseong. At least while eating with Hyeseong, he could escape the ice-thin atmosphere. Thinking about that, his mind, which had been uncomfortable as if something had been weighing on it, seemed to settle a bit.
But when he arrived at the restaurant where he was supposed to meet Hyeseong, Sano was already sitting at the same table.
What… what’s going on? A confused Iyeon looked at Hyeseong, but Hyeseong instead seemed puzzled.
“Didn’t you invite him, Iyeon-ssi?”
“No, I didn’t…”
At his blank response, Hyeseong also seemed a bit surprised as he looked at Sano, but then calmly agreed, saying the more people, the better. Iyeon had some doubts about whether that applied to Sano, but since it would be awkward to start talking to him now after ignoring him all day, he just let it slide without pressing the issue.
Soft piano melodies flowed between the three. The sparkling lights reflected off the table, giving off a subtle glow.
As Hyeseong had boasted, the recommended restaurant was flawless from interior to menu. Even though only a couple of appetizers had been served so far, they had already updated and claimed top spots in Iyeon’s lifetime ranking of best foods.
Plus, it was someone else’s money. There was no sweeter taste than this.
“Did you know you’ve become famous among high-ranked hunters recently, Iyeon-ssi?”
“What?”
Iyeon stopped eating his soup and opened his eyes wide. Who, me? As his head tilted silently as if to confirm the truth, Hyeseong sitting across from him nodded affirmatively.
“Je Sano-ssi was already famous.”
Both of their gazes briefly turned to Sano sitting beside them. Sano, with an indifferent face, was stirring his soup and then looked up as if to ask what they were staring at. Hyeseong and Iyeon turned away their eyes as if by agreement.
“Why me?”
After taking another spoonful of soup, Iyeon swallowed and asked. To match the atmosphere of the upscale restaurant, Iyeon had boldly foregone the goggles and bag he usually carried. Dressed in a roomy knit sweater and black slacks, he looked much closer to his actual age than in his usual casual attire.
Still, Hyeseong, who was gently looking at the young man much younger than himself, explained carefully:
“Well, wouldn’t it be harder not to become famous? You caught Kim Cheoljae, who ran two large illegal research facilities in bold fashion, and caught his partner Lee Taejin too. Recently, you also caught Dabalsin. And you even broke its core, I heard?”
Listing it all out, there was quite a lot.
“It would be surprising if a Mugunghwa Tier 4 did all that, but Iyeon-ssi is only a Mugunghwa Tier 2, and your company isn’t even large… And you did all of it with Je Sano-ssi. Of course people would talk about who this Tier 2 hunter is. Je Sano-ssi going around alone is already common knowledge, more than famous.”
Four years ago, when the Superpower Management Office conducted a massive crackdown on illegal research facilities, a special law on illegal experiments was also revised. The level of punishment for the ringleaders was enormous, especially for experiments on humans, particularly superhumans.
Especially in the cases of Dr. Kim and Lee Taejin, who were captured with most of the evidence intact, the trial was a formality, and actual prison time was almost certain. After the trials ended, the two would never return to society as long as they lived.
Of course, such cases weren’t common, so the industry would be in an uproar whenever one was caught. Iyeon also remembered often hearing stories at the Superpower Management Office when other criminals were caught. That’s why Sano, who had captured more than ten illegal researchers, was more famous among hunters.
Even so… why is my name spreading? With a bewildered face, Iyeon blinked his eyes and then looked at Sano.
“Did you submit it only under your name?”
He asked without much thought, then realized his mistake. I’m going to be ignored anyway, why did I speak? Before he could regret it, surprisingly, an answer came back.
“Why would I do that?”
