Chapter 31. “Jeong Iheun Asked You To?”
After Seon Huida left, Han Chasu let out a sigh. No matter how he thought about it, Jeong Iheun was far too good-natured.
‘Is it really okay to leave Jeong Iheun as he is?’
In the original work, Jeong Iheun’s personality changed after the death of his younger brother, Jeong Seoheun.
To exaggerate slightly, it was to the point that one could say he had died and been reborn. That was how inhuman and cold-blooded Jeong Iheun was in the novel.
But now, that future would not come.
Jeong Seoheun had returned with all four limbs intact and was doing as he pleased, and Jeong Iheun was spending his days happily.
Still with that sucker-like personality of his.
“…
This might be dangerous.”
Han Chasu’s gaze was complicated as he muttered quietly.
If Jeong Iheun were just an ordinary person, he would not have worried like this. But Jeong Iheun was not an ordinary pushover; he was an S-rank pushover.
He even trusted Han Chasu, a villain, this easily and tried to give him everything. What if he fell into the wrong hands?
‘It’s obvious even without seeing it. They’d suck him dry to the marrow, and if things went wrong, he’d even lose his life.’
If that happened, the damage would grow beyond control.
After all, Jeong Iheun was one of the S-ranks who represented Korea, as well as a key combat force.
“Hmm.”
Then what should he do? There was no way something like personality reform existed in this world.
Han Chasu pulled the blanket over himself and sank into deep thought. How many hours passed like that?
Just like when he had called Seon Huida, someone knocked on the door.
“Hunter Han Chasu, are you there?”
“……?”
“Your guardian just arrived. They said you’ll be going straight home, so please get ready.”
I have a guardian?
“Hunter Han Chasu. Can you hear me?”
Thud, thud. The door shook violently. After a brief pause, Han Chasu answered in a composed tone.
“I’m awake.”
“Yes, then please wait inside for a moment. The team leader will bring your guardian over.”
The presence moved away. Han Chasu crossed the room in one stride and locked the door.
‘A guardian? What does that mean?’
The news the Management Bureau employee had tossed out sent ripples through his mind.
Because he had never encountered any information that the original Han Chasu had a family.
Had he perhaps missed something? No. He had searched the house thoroughly, and had checked both the diary and the phonebook.
There were no traces of family around the original Han Chasu.
Just then, he heard footsteps. Two people in all. They were likely the team leader the employee had mentioned and the so-called guardian.
Han Chasu held his breath and listened to their presence.
“Chief Gwak told me to convey how deeply sorry he is.”
“Enough. Say that to Jeong Iheun instead. So what exactly was his condition?”
“He suddenly started bleeding and collapsed. He seems all right now, but…”
One unfamiliar voice, and one voice that sounded strangely familiar.
‘Wait, that voice is…’
It was the moment Han Chasu realized the identity of the second voice.
“Don’t breathe so loudly. Come out, Mr. Han Chasu.”
Baek Dam’s clear voice rang through the hallway.
***
Han Chasu stared at the other man with a strange look.
The public official who had come with Baek Dam introduced himself as Team Leader Kim Mindo. Then, with an extremely apologetic expression, he said that Gi Taeyeon was too busy to come.
“He is someone who tends to get worked up rather easily, but I never imagined it would come to this. I apologize on his behalf, Mr. Han Chasu.”
His attitude was far too courteous for someone dealing with a mere B-rank Hunter. It seemed Jeong Iheun and Geum Myeonggyeol’s maneuvering had produced quite a result.
‘I didn’t think they’d go this far, though.’
In the few hours that had passed, they must have harassed the Awakened Management Bureau quite thoroughly. They really were good at doing pointless things.
In any case, how had Baek Dam become his guardian? Han Chasu glanced sidelong at the man.
When their eyes met, Baek Dam’s soft eyes curved beautifully. Then he gestured toward Kim Mindo with his eyes.
It meant he should focus on the conversation. Han Chasu quietly looked at him, then turned his gaze away.
In the meantime, Kim Mindo had taken on a somewhat anxious air. What was this? As Han Chasu wondered, Kim Mindo cautiously added,
“Um, in fact, if you wish, we can arrange for Chief Gi Taeyeon to apologize to you in person, Mr. Han Chasu. If our Team Leader Gwak speaks directly to the director…”
The director? Startled, Han Chasu refused.
“No, that’s all right.”
He reassured the public official with a calm attitude.
“After all, it was an incident that occurred due to a misunderstanding between both sides. I think it would be best to leave it at this and part without any lingering resentment.”
“Are you truly all right with that?”
“Yes.”
At that, admiration spread across the public official’s face. He seemed to be muttering something like, “He really is just as I heard.”
‘I think I’ve earned some strange misunderstanding.’
But stepping forward to clear it up was bothersome. For now, getting home came first.
“Then please return home safely, without any trouble, and in perfect health!”
“…
Yes.”
Was it just his imagination that they wanted him to leave the Awakened Management Bureau as quickly as possible? Han Chasu swallowed his discomfort and left the Awakened Management Bureau.
A long shadow moved along behind him.
“So… how did you end up becoming my guardian, Mr. Baek Dam?”
When he turned his head, Baek Dam was there. Smiling prettily, he pointed somewhere and said,
“Is there any need to stand around and talk?”
Seeing the pure white sports car, Han Chasu let out a hollow laugh.
***
“Good grief.”
As he tried to fasten the belt, his hand kept missing. When Han Chasu clicked his tongue, Baek Dam, who was starting the car, scolded him.
“You can’t even do that properly?”
“I’m sorry.”
Han Chasu said it with a face that did not look sorry at all.
“There’s no strength in my hands.”
It was an aftereffect of deactivating his regeneration skill. Whenever he tried to put strength into his hands, they only trembled. They would not move properly.
Baek Dam let out a deep sigh.
“You really do all sorts of things, Mr. Han Chasu.”
There was a rustle, and Baek Dam leaned toward him. A fresh scent rushed in.
‘Still, since he came as my guardian, is he taking care of me?’
A firm arm crossed over his body. A hand wandered near his thigh. Han Chasu tried to help, only to have the back of his hand smacked by Baek Dam.
“Ah.”
“So fussy. Stay still.”
Click. The sound of the belt fastening rang out.
“What am I doing…”
Baek Dam muttered softly. Was he suddenly going to start lamenting his situation? Han Chasu focused on the words that would follow.
But what came instead was a light sigh. The breeze tickled his chest, making him reflexively furrow his brow.
“What? Does something hurt again?”
Flaxen hair slid upward, and their gazes tangled.
A cool hand touched his forehead. Soon after, a warm energy wrapped around his body, and clusters of light scattered out of his field of vision.
“Thank y—”
“Forget it. I’m doing it because I don’t want to be inconvenienced.”
Fine, then. If he hated being thanked. Han Chasu only shrugged. If the other person did not want to receive it, he did not feel any particular need to insist.
The car slowly left the Awakened Management Bureau and merged onto the road. Watching the cars ahead, Han Chasu asked,
“So I got in the car as you wanted. Aren’t you going to explain what happened?”
Fingers lightly tapped the steering wheel, and light-brown eyes turned toward him. Baek Dam spoke with an unconcerned face.
“Because when you were discharged from the hospital, I was your guardian.”
“Pardon?”
Han Chasu furrowed his brow. What did that have to do with this? He asked again.
“I would appreciate it if you explained in detail.”
“You don’t know about the healer guardian system?”
What is that? Han Chasu sent him a look as if asking back. Baek Dam looked dumbfounded.
“No, why would a Hunter who goes into dungeons for raids not know that… Ah, Mr. Han Chasu, you’re a production-type. I forgot. I had forgotten that you, a production-type of all things, recklessly participated in a raid.”
Clicking his tongue, Baek Dam turned the steering wheel and said,
“Healers of A-rank or higher can act as guardians for Hunters in emergencies. In a crisis, there’s no time to contact family members one by one, so regardless of who the guardian is, they prioritize saving the person first.”
So when Han Chasu was discharged from Yubaek Hospital, Baek Dam had designated himself as Han Chasu’s guardian.
“So that’s what happened.”
And after hearing the explanation, Han Chasu let out a sigh of relief.
‘Thank goodness.’
If Baek Dam’s words were true, then it was correct that Han Chasu had no family.
If they existed, the Awakened Management Bureau would have contacted his family before Baek Dam.
The anxiety lodged in a corner of his chest melted away. Han Chasu leaned back against the seat with a more relaxed expression.
‘I won’t need to put on some act that doesn’t suit me, like memory loss or whatever.’
Meanwhile, the car’s speed gradually slowed. The car entered a sparsely populated road and smoothly climbed a slope.
At the unfamiliar scenery, Han Chasu raised himself up.
“Wait a moment. Where are we?”
No matter how he looked at it, this was not the way to his house. High walls and gates lined both sides of the road. He had hoped it wasn’t, but…
“Did we come to your house, Mr. Baek Dam?”
He really does all sorts of things.
When Han Chasu asked, Baek Dam gave a small laugh. It was a laugh that seemed to say, You’re only realizing that now?
“You climbed right in, and now you’re pretending not to know?”
“You came to pick me up for this from the beginning.”
Right. As if you had any good feelings toward me and volunteered to be my guardian.
“Are you trying to use me as bait to draw out your younger brother?”
When Han Chasu pressed him, Baek Dam smiled with his eyes.
“You have to keep your promises, Mr. Han Chasu.”
That meant he was correct. Han Chasu groaned and pressed a hand to his head.
Because of these lunatics obsessed with their younger brothers, he was going through all sorts of things.
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