A title so absurd it made curses spill out on their own. Gong Siyoung’s eyes widened as he stared, wondering what kind of insane nonsense this was. He read the article like he was about to get sucked into his phone.
Yesterday afternoon, multiple sightings of S-rank Hunter Gong Siyoung were reported at the Hunter Management Bureau. Why had someone as controversial as him shown up there? Many assumed it was related to the rumored “hunter team system,” but the overlapping eyewitness accounts told a completely different story.
They claimed that Hunter Gong Siyoung had been seen holding hands affectionately with an unidentified civilian.
After investigation, the claim turned out to be true. An unprecedented situation had occurred. Just who was the lover of the so-called “Ice Princess,” Hunter Gong Siyoung?
What followed was a long, rambling pile of garbage. If he could, he would’ve poured water straight into the database and shorted the whole thing out.
Gong Siyoung slowly repeated the reporter’s name and email address under his breath. You’re dead, you bastard.
His fingers flew as he pulled up numbers—Rapture Guild’s media response team, their lawyers. He was going to make sure the person who wrote this shit paid for it.
Hatred burned in his eyes.
Had the whole world gone insane? A layered gate had opened, and this—this was more important than that? Were people seriously out of their minds?
A dating rumor? He swore to heaven he’d never done anything like that. He wasn’t seeing anyone, and he hadn’t held hands with— …no, he had.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
He grabbed his forehead. Only then did it hit him—when he’d gone to drop Yurian off, the conversation they’d had in front of the Hunter Management Bureau, while holding hands like that.
“I’m really interested in you.”
Yurian had definitely said that, smiling with wide eyes. There’d even been talk about sleeping together.
A bolt of realization struck him.
Wait. That bastard Yurian… was he serious?
Otherwise, there was no way he would’ve singled him out like that even in the meeting room. Gong Siyoung clapped a hand over his mouth, his body trembling with shock and horror.
“S-So that’s why he said that to me?”
All that talk about taking him in—so it wasn’t a joke. It was real.
The corners of Gong Siyoung’s eyes twitched. How could someone be so shameless? In front of that many people, saying something like that—something like that?
Worst of all, Gong Sijin had accepted the proposal in the end.
At no point had Gong Siyoung’s opinion been considered. His older brother, the Guild Master—and clearly a sociopath—had happily offered him up like a sacrifice.
Before he could even object, Gong Sijin had shoved a contract at Yurian on the spot, telling him not to argue.
Once again, Gong Siyoung’s opinion hadn’t mattered.
Still frozen in shock, he felt someone pat his shoulder. Park Ildo.
And just like that, Yurian was registered under Rapture Guild. Everything moved forward smoothly.
Everyone except Gong Siyoung.
By the time he protested, shouting if they’d all lost their minds, it was already over.
Gong Sijin had taken Yurian away, saying he’d get his sword repaired. Woo Yujin and Gu Jayeong slipped out, saying they were heading back. Even Park Ildo disappeared, saying he needed to assemble a response team.
He was the only one left behind, discarded like trash.
Even getting your nose cut off in broad daylight wouldn’t feel this ridiculous.
“Yurian or whatever—was that all part of his plan? D-Don’t tell me he’s been after my body from the start…?”
Saying he’d take him in—wasn’t that basically a proposal?
How could someone be that completely unhinged? Gong Siyoung couldn’t even begin to guess what was going on in Yurian’s head.
He’d been hoping for a clean break from that lunatic. Now he was at risk of being stuck to him for good.
And there was another problem.
Gong Sijin clearly liked Yurian. Especially that so-called “monster encyclopedia” ability of his—he seemed to trust it completely.
From the moment he’d tried to keep Yurian by offering absurd conditions, it had been obvious he had something planned.
When entering layered dungeons, he’d definitely marked Yurian as a core member of Rapture Guild.
Which meant—
There was a real chance he’d have to enter a dungeon with Yurian again.
It was already irritating enough dealing with the usual idiots. And now Yurian too?
“No. Not happening.”
This wasn’t the time to avoid things.
Gong Siyoung shot to his feet. He grabbed his phone and left the training room. He’d come to clear his head with exercise, but there was no way that was happening now.
He shoved the door open—and ran straight into someone coming in.
The first thing he saw was pink hair.
“Oh? Hunter Siyoung?”
The man greeted him cheerfully. Beneath the toy-like pink hair, his ears were covered in piercings. Every single one of them looked ridiculous.
Before the man could start anything, Gong Siyoung bowed slightly.
“Excuse me.”
“Hey, come on. Since we ran into each other like this, how about a little talking, talking? I heard from Hunter Yujin something pretty wild happened?”
The man grabbed his shoulder. Gong Siyoung immediately slapped the hand away.
The man exaggerated a groan.
“Oof, does an S-rank hunter really need to hit people like that?”
Completely ignoring Gong Siyoung’s icy glare, he kept up the playful tone. Gong Siyoung ground his teeth.
“Hunter Myeong Haejin. That’s enough.”
“I know my own name. I was just going to pass by, but we meet like fate—how can I just walk away? Hey, Siyoung, have you seen this?”
Myeong Haejin pulled out his phone. The headline on the screen made Gong Siyoung’s expression twist instantly.
It was that same damn dating rumor.
“I thought this was fake, but… Yujin told me himself. Said there was a guy in the dungeon—holding your hand real tight—hey, where are you going? I’m not done talking!”
Gong Siyoung didn’t look back. He stepped into the hallway, ignoring the nonsense behind him.
Instead of answering, he raised his middle finger.
Take this and piss off, you bastard.
Myeong Haejin shouted something behind him, but Gong Siyoung didn’t even listen. Of all the bad luck, why did he have to run into that guy?
Myeong Haejin was the definition of a societal menace. Completely useless to anyone’s life.
His natural enemy. The craziest of the crazy.
Even compared to him, Woo Yujin and Gu Jayeong looked reasonable. In fact, the reason those two were considered “to be avoided” in the first place had something to do with Myeong Haejin.
The three of them had a nickname.
The “Psycho Club.”
Because all they did was insane shit.
No one disagreed that Myeong Haejin was a 100% pure lunatic. If he weren’t a hunter, he’d have been sued into the ground by now.
The only reason he got away with acting like that was because he was one.
After fuming for a while, Gong Siyoung finally calmed down a bit. He’d rather never see that guy again, but being in the same guild made encounters like this inevitable.
Why did that bastard have such a long life? Shouldn’t someone deal with him already?
As he was seriously considering it, his phone vibrated.
A message from Gong Sijin.
< Gong Sijin
The sword repair is done, so bring Yurian 😊 >
An address was listed below.
Gong Siyoung’s expression sank like someone being handed overdue homework.
Wasn’t there anyone who could take that guy away too?
Thinking about Yurian—the obvious lunatic, probably a pervert too—he let out a deep sigh.
* * *
“Thank you.”
Yurian hugged the sword to his chest. The blade that had been snapped clean in two now looked as good as new. A faint flush spread across his cheeks.
“I honestly thought it might not be fixable… Seriously, thank you.”
Even the worn and damaged parts had been perfectly restored. Seeing Yurian’s bright, satisfied face, Gong Sijin smiled warmly.
“It’s nothing. Our craftsman is just that skilled.”
There were only a handful of workshops in the country capable of maintaining hunters’ weapons.
Among them, the one partnered with Rapture Guild was known as the best. They handled everything—from items to ordinary weapons, including sales and repairs.
Yurian’s broken sword had been completely reborn in just a few hours.
Like a child with a new toy, Yurian couldn’t take his eyes off it.
“It must be important to you?”
“Important isn’t quite it… it’s just my personal sword.”
Which sounded like the same thing, but Gong Sijin didn’t point it out. He checked his phone and called out to Yurian.
“Siyoung will be here soon. Shall we wait outside?”
Yurian quickly moved to his side. He fastened the sword at his waist and gave it a light pat. The solid weight felt strangely reassuring today.
As they stepped out of the building, Gong Sijin added,
“Whatever you do, make sure Siyoung eats properly. Actually, no—I’ll say it myself, you just stay quiet. I have no idea what that kid lives on. How could he let a guest starve like that? Seriously, what is wrong with him?”
Was it really that shocking that he hadn’t fed him?
Yurian hesitated.
Just then, a car pulled up at the entrance.
Even Yurian now recognized it instantly.
Gong Siyoung’s car.