That’s a decent profession.
I’ll need to interview him separately to ask about his salary, vacation time, and work intensity.
A travel guide would probably be away from home often.
“You’re really still doing it.”
Just then, Ryu Seoram, who saw me working, muttered bitterly.
“Are you really going to keep doing that?
What was it?
Maple?” “Meracle.” “Haaa…”
Another long sigh.
With her head down, Ryu Seoram glances at me and asks.
“Are you really going to keep doing it?” “I’m slowly getting established now, and I have regular clients.”
It’s been two years since I started Meracle.
I’m slowly making a name for myself in this industry.
“…Just come work as a Hunter with me.
If you join as my assistant, I’ll make sure you get a good salary.”
Her voice seemed calm, but I had to be careful with Ryu Seoram at times like this.
Because she’s incredibly persistent.
“Forget it, what Hunter?
You know I gave up on that a long time ago.” “Why would you give up?
You, the bastard who was top of our class batch.”
Top of the class.
There was a time I was proud of it.
The days when I believed nothing was impossible.
“Just close your eyes and come work for me.
I’ll take responsibility for you.
At least three times what you’re making now.” “…Showing off how much money you make.” “It’s the money you love.
I don’t need money.
Remember your dream.”
My dream.
“My own apartment in Seoul.” “Right, you punk.
To buy a decent apartment in Seoul right now, you need at least 3 billion won.” “I’m not aiming that high.” “If you work with me, you can aim that high.”
The offer is appreciated.
But I can’t accept it.
“I like the work I’m doing now.” “…” “It’s fun.
Connecting people.
There’s a certain romance in pairing up people who lived in different worlds.” “Haa.”
A short sigh.
Even so, Ryu Seoram didn’t give up.
“Wasn’t it fun when we lived in the goshiwon together?
We worked so hard to become Hunters together.
The fact that you weren’t issued a Hunter License?!
I’m telling you, it was definitely an error!
I’ll go and-!”
Seeing I had little reaction, Ryu Seoram sighed, feeling like she was just shouting at a wall by herself.
“Haa, okay, I get it for now.
But call me anytime.
I’ll save a spot for you.” “You should be the one calling me anytime.
When you want to get married.”
Whack!
“Ack!?”
Having kicked my shin, Ryu Seoram glares at me.
As I awkwardly avoid her gaze, Kim Yang, who had been gnawing on a pig trotter bone with both hands, asks.
“Boss, are you abandoning me?” “Abandon you?
What are you talking about?
Just don’t drink too much.
If you’re late for work tomorrow, I’m docking your pay.” “U-unfair.
If you dock my s-salary for being late.
Th-then conversely, if the Boss is late with my salary, shouldn’t the m-money increase?” “…” “B-Boss, answer.”
I throw back a shot of soju.
It’s so bitter.
*
The next morning.
The commute to work is always the same.
I leave my small studio apartment and stop by a convenience store.
One triangle kimbap and a coffee from a vending machine.
I pass through the jungle of steel buildings and arrive at my own.
There’s a gukbap restaurant on the 1st floor.
A regular spot I often eat at for lunch.
I have a smoke at the smoking area out front, then head up to the 2nd floor.
Creeeak.
“Boss!
Good morning!” “Yeah, good morning.”
Kim Yang is already here.
She’s already looking at something on her phone.
I open the window to air the place out.
Sitting at my desk, I open a drawer, and an old photo comes into view.
From my days at the Hunter Training Center.
My classmates from the same batch, all posing together.
I shove it under some other documents without much thought, and before checking today’s schedule-.
I should start the morning off on a bright note.
I take out my phone and open my banking app.
[15,012,000 Won]
My bank balance makes me grin automatically.
A whopping fifteen million won!
“Kuhuhu!
So sweet, so sweet!”
To me, who’d been living on nothing but instant ramen, a massive sum of fifteen million won came in a single day.
It was an excessive amount for matching one couple, but I guess I can just give a generous amount of congratulatory money later.
Anyway, love becomes money.
Clatter!
The door bursts open violently, even though it’s early in the morning.
As Kim Yang and I simultaneously look at the entrance, there stood-.
“N-no one-.”
The old woman who became a 200 million won-aire by catching the Net Queen.
“No one…
will accept me.
Even when I said I would pay for the VIP Course-.”
She collapses to her knees, a scene straight out of a musical.
The sense of futility in a tragedy.
The self-loathing from not being accepted by other matchmaking agencies, no matter how much money she had.
Lenea looks up at me, on the verge of tears.
“I-I want to get- married.”
Honestly, the fact that she went to other matchmaking agencies as soon as she got her 200 million is fucking infuriating.
But if she’s a high-paying VIP member, the registration fee alone is at least 5 million won.
Even if she is a 1,900-year-old elf queen who’s been viciously weeded out of the marriage market.
Our Meracle never turns away a client who comes to us.