Chapter 30
“It’s over.”
After fighting frantically with the transparent doll in the training room.
This time, after breaking through a million times as if it were nothing and returning to reality, exactly a week had passed.
Returning home.
Juhyeok first thought to go visit the hospital, but suddenly remembered Yena.
‘I should get her a gift.’
She had taken care of his mother while he was away.
Even setting that aside, he had received so much from her so far that, as a decent person, he definitely wanted to give at least one gift in return.
‘But what kind of gift would be good?’
Juhyeok hadn’t had many friends, since he spent his days mostly in training.
Especially with the opposite sex, he had almost no experience, so he couldn’t easily figure out what kind of gift would be suitable for a girl.
‘Would perfume be okay?’
Given her role as a scout, she must have plenty of face-to-face interactions with people.
She also didn’t seem to enter gates as frequently as other hunters, so if he bought her perfume, she would probably have plenty of occasions to use it.
‘If I go to a good brand, they’ll recommend something nice anyway.’
His wallet could easily handle it at the moment.
Juhyeok left the house with a light heart and headed to a department store.
“Has Juhyeok contacted you yet?”
“No, he doesn’t even check messages while he’s in special training.”
“Ha… I wonder what on earth he’s doing.”
It had been a week with no word from her son.
This wasn’t the first time, and he had already warned her beforehand… but still, she couldn’t help worrying about a son who went completely silent without contact.
“It’s been a week, so he should be coming back soon.”
“I hope so. I just hope he doesn’t get hurt.”
Even as she spoke casually, worry would flash across her face whenever she thought of her son.
Whenever that happened, Yena tried to change the subject to divert her thoughts elsewhere.
“Oh, by the way, did you watch the drama I mentioned last time?”
Every morning, she would wake up, wash up, handle her few scouting duties, and then use the remaining time to visit the hospital under the pretense of scouting for Juhyeok.
In reality, there was almost no chance that Juhyeok would ever join the Mir Guild.
Even knowing that, Yena continued visiting his mother.
“That actor wasn’t like that before, but didn’t they suddenly become really pretty?”
At first, her actions were purely to draw Juhyeok in.
Otherwise, Yena, who barely contacted her own mother once a week at most, would have no reason to show her face at the hospital more than five times a week.
Her main goal was to gently persuade his mother so that she might be recruited into the guild.
Of course, things were different now.
Even if recruitment seemed hopeless, she continued her hospital visits.
She would keep coming even if Juhyeok joined another guild.
Yena was that kind-hearted.
And Juhyeok’s mother was also someone who appreciated and reciprocated that kindness.
Their relationship grew closer by the day, sometimes seeming even more intimate than with her own son.
While they were having a peaceful conversation, the hospital door, normally hard to open, creaked as it moved on its wheels.
“He’s here.”
“…This time, at least he came within a week.”
Considering it had taken nearly two weeks last time, this was a relatively quick return.
He walked in holding a shopping bag from a luxury brand.
‘He probably does feel a little sorry.’
It was likely a gift he had prepared for his mother.
Being her son, he seemed to have prepared a gift for his mother, who must have been exhausted from a long hospitalization.
“What’s that?”
“A gift.”
Saying that, he walked closer to the two of them.
Contrary to expectations that he would place it on the bedside table, he handed the shopping bag to Yena.
“Here, take it.”
“…Huh?”
Caught off guard, Yena stammered.
She reached out and took the bag, asking hesitantly,
“Was this for me?”
“Yes, I bought it as a gift for you.”
“Oh, uh…”
It wasn’t the first time she had received a gift from a man.
Though busy with work and never having had time for a relationship, there were a few men who had shown interest in her from time to time.
Of course, some of them had tried to win her favor with gifts.
So receiving gifts wasn’t unusual, but…
‘I didn’t expect him to prepare a gift.’
She knew it wasn’t a gift with ulterior motives.
Just from his usual behavior, she knew he didn’t harbor such feelings toward her.
That made this gift feel even more unusual.
When Yena fidgeted slightly, her mother, quietly watching, broke into a playful voice with a satisfied smile.
“I’m jealous. He’s never given me a gift like this.”
“I’ll buy you lots once I get out, so don’t worry.”
After handing over the gift, Juhyeok casually sat next to Yena.
He seemed deliberately nonchalant, showing no reaction after giving the gift.
‘This must have been pretty expensive.’
A luxury brand everyone knew by name.
Whatever was inside, it must have been at least tens of thousands of won.
In a dazed voice, Yena replied to the gift.
“I-I’ll use it well…”
“Good, that’s what I hoped for.”
Juhyeok didn’t react to her awkward response.
He turned back to his mother to continue the conversation, and after a while, stood up.
“I’ll grab a bite with Yena.”
“Hmm~”
Her mother quickly glanced at them and, after a brief pause, smiled brightly.
“Alright, it’s late anyway. Eat and don’t come back; go home.”
“We’ll come tomorrow.”
With that, they left the hospital.
Juhyeok silently headed to a spicy hot pot restaurant.
“Aren’t you going to ask where we’re going?”
“You like spicy hot pot, don’t you?”
“…That’s true, I guess.”
Yena pondered for a moment.
Had she ever mentioned liking spicy hot pot?
‘I don’t think I ever said that.’
Had he remembered something she had said and forgotten?
Thinking that, she felt a little odd about Juhyeok’s actions.
“I’ve never seen a woman dislike spicy hot pot.”
“….”
So that was it.
She had almost misread the situation and overthought it.
From receiving the gift, she had been reading too much into everything, but few people could be conscious of that kind of self-awareness.
Without noticing her change in perspective, Yena entered the restaurant.
“So, which gate is next?”
“Getting straight to business…”
“Huh?”
“I said I like that you’re diligent.”
Yena bit into the tofu soaked in spicy soup, pouting.
Chewing and swallowing, she spoke again.
“This time, it didn’t take long.”
“Yes, I caught on faster than I thought.”
Although the transparent doll seemed like it would take a lot of time at first, by closing his eyes and focusing on everything except sight, he could clearly detect subtle sounds and changes in air flow.
Though he initially struggled because the doll switched types—archer, swordsman, mage—with each encounter,
He became accustomed quickly since the fight was confined to the limited space of the subway.
“So I was thinking about something.”
“What is it?”
“I want to see the results of this training.”
The sparring with a transparent doll rather than an archer or swordsman.
Juhyeok wanted to test how developed his senses had become.
“Is there a gate with monsters that use invisibility skills?”
“Invisibility…?”
Yena paused to think before taking another bite of enoki mushrooms soaked in soup.
“Invisibility is usually only in A-rank gates…”
“I can’t enter A-rank yet, right?”
“No.”
Up to B-rank, a high-level party member could carry him through.
A-rank gates only allowed hunters of the same or higher rank to enter.
‘Even if an Irregular accepts it… A-rank is still dangerous.’
Even with confidence in his skills, it was a challenge.
“So I’ll look for a B-rank gate where the boss uses invisibility.”
“Thanks.”
That wasn’t the end of their conversation.
They talked about mundane things that had happened while he was away, as ordinary people would, putting aside work talk.
“The gift is perfume. I picked one I thought would suit you.”
“How did you know it would suit me?”
“When I smelled it, I immediately pictured you smiling. It felt fresh and bright.”
“….”
If he hadn’t said that, it would’ve felt more casual.
But today, somehow, those words made her embarrassed and speechless.
Normally, she would have brushed it off jokingly.
Even knowing there was no hidden meaning, she found herself overthinking.
‘If Mom hadn’t looked at me like that, I wouldn’t have cared so much…’
That subtle gaze before leaving the hospital made her even more conscious of herself.
After the slightly awkward meal, they left the restaurant.
“I’m heading out now.”
“Going home?”
“I have training.”
“Training again after just coming back today?”
She wondered if he was never tired, but that diligence was one of his strengths.
“I promised Sui earlier. He insisted on training as soon as I returned, and he’d be upset if I didn’t go.”
“….”
Her chest tightened hearing that.
“They must be really close.”
Her voice grew noticeably colder.
Unconsciously, she lowered her tone.
“Somehow, it just happened.”
Of course, Juhyeok didn’t care at all.
Checking the time on his phone, he left.
“Anyway, I’ll head in.”
“…Okay. See you tomorrow.”
He ate, then left without looking back.
Watching him fade from view, Yena realized her behavior was strange and covered her face with her hands.
“Why am I like this…?”
