"Great, that's good."
The director of photography couldn't stop smiling. Click. After the final flash went off, he raised his head.
"That's a wrap. Excellent."
Yoo Soo-Hyun, Yoo Jin-Ho's older cousin and close friend, bowed with a bright smile.
"Thank you for your hard work." "You worked hard too, Soo-Hyun."
Thanks to Yoo Soo-Hyun's warm personality, there was never a shortage of laughter on any set she joined. Directors who had initially been reluctant to work with her because of her image as a chaebol heiress would always end up seeking her out after working with her just once.
"Thank you for your hard work." "Thank you for your hard work."
She greeted not just the director but every crew member with a bright face before scampering over to the woman who served as her stylist and manager.
"Unnie, did Jin-Hee get back to me?"
The stylist shook her head with a worried expression. That was already the fourth call. When Yoo Soo-Hyun heard there was still no reply, she pouted her lips.
'That brat said she arrived in Korea yesterday, so why isn't she picking up?'
She had learned the morning before that her cousin, who had been studying abroad, was briefly visiting Korea. Of all times, she had missed the one phone call that came while she was dead asleep after wrapping an all-night shoot—she hadn't imagined it would feel this frustrating. After that, for some reason, there had been complete radio silence.
'What if something happened?'
No, no way. Yoo Soo-Hyun shook her head. Wasn't she Yoo Jin-Hee, the eldest daughter of Yoo Myung-Han, owner of Korea's largest company? The probability of something happening to her was on par with the chances of an S-rank Hunter dying horribly in a Dungeon.
"Unnie, give me my phone."
Yoo Soo-Hyun took her phone back to make another call, but was delighted to feel it vibrate at just that moment.
'Jin-Hee?'
However, when she checked the caller ID, her lips pouted again.
_Ugly mug
'...'
Yoo Soo-Hyun pressed the answer button and spoke in an annoyed tone.
"Hello." —Noona!
It was Yoo Jin-Ho. Yoo Soo-Hyun knew full well that the only time this guy called her "noona" was when he wanted something, so she sighed internally before asking.
"Do you, by any chance, know where Jin-Hee is?" —Noona? Why, what about our noona? She came to Korea? "..."
Come to think of it, hadn't this guy been kicked out of the house on the spot after refusing his father's order to take over the Yoo Jin Guild? He was still the same useless cousin.
"Forget it. Anyway, what's up?"
He wouldn't be calling her this late to go drinking again like last time, would he? Just then, Yoo Jin-Ho's excited voice came through the line.
—Noona, want to join our guild?
What was she suddenly hearing? A crease formed on Yoo Soo-Hyun's fine brow for just a moment.
"Guild?"
When she repeated the word back out of sheer disbelief—
—Having your name on our guild would give you more freedom than being stuck as a spokesperson in father's guild, wouldn't it? ...was the unbelievable answer she got. Feeling suspicious, Yoo Soo-Hyun's voice dropped.
"Why do you need my name?" —We're one founding member short. "You're asking me to join a guild that doesn't even exist yet?" —Yeah.
Yoo Jin-Ho answered with a sunny disposition. Yoo Soo-Hyun's head started to ache wondering what on earth he was basing this needlessly positive attitude on.
'No, more than that... who is the other person?'
More suspicious than the 'ugly mug' wanting her name on the founding member list from the get-go was the intention of the other person who wanted to start a guild with him.
"You're not being scammed by some weirdo, are you?"
Who but a con artist would want to start a guild with a D-rank Hunter who barely had any experience? But Yoo Jin-Ho's reaction was different from what she expected.
—Ha. A laugh came through the receiver, accompanied by the mental image of him raising one corner of his lips, followed by a relaxed voice.
—Wait till you hear who that weirdo is. "Who?" —Ha. "I'm hanging up." —Ah, wait, wait!
That desperate voice made Yoo Soo-Hyun's thumb, which had been hovering over the end-call button, pause. She grinned and brought the phone back to her ear.
"I'll give you three seconds. Three, two." —Sung Jin-Woo! 'Sung Jin-Woo?'
The unexpected name made Yoo Soo-Hyun's eyes go wide.
"The Hunter Sung Jin-Woo I know?" —Ha. "The S-rank Hunter who blew up Lee Min-Seong's press conference and then vanished into thin air?" —...Aren't you a bit off on which part to be surprised by? "Is it really him?"
Regardless of Yoo Jin-Ho's reaction, to Yoo Soo-Hyun, Sung Jin-Woo was the S-rank Hunter who had obliterated the arrogant Lee Min-Seong's ego. That had been so satisfying at the time.
—Haha!
If what Yoo Jin-Ho said was true, she could understand that bottomless confidence.
'Jin-Ho might puff himself up, but he's not the type to outright lie.'
After a brief moment of deliberation, Yoo Soo-Hyun spoke again.
"Can we meet up and talk about it?" —Of course! Come by our office. Hyung-nim is coming by later too. "Where should I go?"
Yoo Soo-Hyun was busy scribbling an address on a Post-it she had torn off nearby. After calming her excitement, she answered.
"I'll head out now." —See you later, noona!
Click. The call ended like that. The stylist, who had inadvertently overheard the conversation from nearby, asked casually.
"So, do you have to go? You're even skipping the team dinner?"
Nodding, Yoo Soo-Hyun changed her clothes and packed her things in a rush, as though there was no time to explain.
"There's someone I want to meet." "Who...?" "I'll tell you later."
Just as Yoo Soo-Hyun, having brushed it off, was about to leave, the stylist hurriedly called her back.
"I need to know who! How am I supposed to report to the Chairman?"
Yoo Soo-Hyun's father was also the chairman of a certain pharmaceutical company. The condition her father had set for her to pursue a career in entertainment was that she be accompanied by a supervisor. The stylist was her father's person—she served as Yoo Soo-Hyun's coordinator, manager, and supervisor all in one. Yoo Soo-Hyun belatedly realized that if she left without a word, the stylist-unnie would get chewed out, so she turned around and flashed a sweet smile.
"Sung Jin-Woo!"
After answering that, Yoo Soo-Hyun quickly walked away. The stylist watched her retreating figure with a worried look.
"If the Chairman finds out she went out to meet a man without permission, he's going to blow his top."
The stylist clicked her tongue, then replayed what Yoo Soo-Hyun had just said.
'Wait... who did she say she was going to meet?'
It was a name she had heard somewhere before. The stylist scoured her memory, and then her eyes grew as wide as a bull's as she whipped her head toward the door Yoo Soo-Hyun had exited.
"Who did she say?!"
* * *
'Not here... it's gone.'
Yoo Jin-Ho stared at the monitor and bit his nails down to the quick.
'Here too... and there... gone.'
At some point, the comments bashing his Hyung-nim had disappeared. Well, it wasn't hard to understand. After all, his Hyung-nim had rescued S-rank Hunters on Jeju Island, closed a B-rank Gate to clear up the traffic jam, and just yesterday had saved the lives of students. No—if anything, it would be strange if there were still people bad-mouthing him. The persistent antis seemed to have all but vanished, thanks to his own efforts and his Hyung-nim's exploits. Even the rare hateful comments that still popped up sporadically in articles about his Hyung-nim were quickly deleted after getting crossfire from everyone else who had read the article. It was a good thing. Definitely a good thing.
'But then why...'
Why did his chest feel so hollow? He had this nagging feeling that the things he could do were being taken away one by one. Click, click. As he moved the mouse with that sad expression on his face, the office door opened quietly. It was Jin-Woo. Yoo Jin-Ho spotted his Hyung-nim's face, jumped to his feet with a bright expression, and bowed.
"You're here, Hyung-nim." "Yeah."
Jin-Woo looked tired. And for good reason—he had been by Jin-Ah's side from last night until this morning, and had only just gotten home to shower. Just in case an A-rank Gate opened inside the hospital, he had left Beru hidden within his sister's shadow before coming. Yoo Jin-Ho asked with concern.
"Hyung-nim, is your sister doing all right?" "Fortunately."
He was trying to look fine, but an older brother's worry was hard to hide. The attending physician had also said the psychological shock would be severe, so she would need to be carefully monitored for a while.
'I hope she bounces back quickly...'
She was always such a cheerful kid. Offering silent encouragement like that was all Jin-Woo could do. Just then.
"Oh my, it's really you!"
A woman's startled voice came from the side. When Jin-Woo turned around, Yoo Soo-Hyun had stepped out of the conference room and was staring at him with wide eyes. Jin-Woo shot a questioning glance at Yoo Jin-Ho.
'This is her?'
Yoo Jin-Ho returned a nervous look.
'Yes, Hyung-nim.'
He had already been briefed before coming.
—Hyung-nim, there's someone who perfectly matches the criteria you're looking for! Would you like to meet them?
A holder of a Hunter's license, with zero interest in guild activities, yet still someone you could trust.
'And she's an A-rank Hunter on top of that...'
Rank wasn't particularly important, but regardless, her clear gaze and bright smile made for a decent first impression. After exchanging brief greetings.
"Excuse me."
Before getting into the contract discussion, Jin-Woo first asked what he was curious about.
"Are you okay with the possibility of this making things worse between you and your uncle?" "It's better than getting tangled up with Yoo Jin-Seong." "Yoo Jin-Seong?"
When Jin-Woo turned to look, Yoo Jin-Ho scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish.
"He's my older brother, Hyung-nim."
Ah, the one with the bad personality.
'If it weren't for Yoo Jin-Ho, Yoo Jin-Seong would have been the one to take over the Yoo Jin Guild.'
Jin-Woo nodded. This was something that wouldn't have happened if Jin-Ho had simply taken over the Yoo Jin Guild as told. In a way, Yoo Soo-Hyun was also a victim of Jin-Ho's choice.
'This guy's causing trouble for a lot of people without even meaning to.'
When Jin-Woo's gaze turned toward him, Yoo Jin-Ho smiled without knowing why.
'...'
As Jin-Woo sighed internally, Yoo Soo-Hyun approached him.
"Um..." "Yes?"
Her face was slightly flushed. Her trembling pupils gave the air of someone about to say something important. Jin-Woo's expression turned serious as well.
"Do you have something you'd like to say?"
Gathering her courage, Yoo Soo-Hyun's eyes lit up.
"Would it be possible to take just one photo together for social media?"
* * *
In the chairman's office of a certain pharmaceutical company. Yoo Seok-Ho, Yoo Myung-Han's younger brother and chairman, had a face more solemn and serious than ever.
"Is that really true?" "Yes."
The stylist nodded with a frightened look.
"My daughter is meeting with Hunter Sung Jin-Woo?" "That's correct, Chairman." "It could be someone with the same name, couldn't it?" "I thought so too at first, but..."
Fumbling through her belongings, she carefully pulled out her phone. On the screen was Yoo Soo-Hyun's social media page. Yoo Seok-Ho's eyes widened as he looked at the freshly uploaded photo. Was that really the face he so often saw on the news?
'No way...'
Staring intently at the photo, Yoo Seok-Ho pressed his hand to his forehead and let out a quiet sigh.
"Huh." "Are you all right, Chairman?" "...You may leave." "Pardon?" "I said, you may leave."
Yoo Seok-Ho returned the phone and ushered the stylist out of the chairman's office. The moment he confirmed she had gone, he turned on the computer and searched for articles about Jin-Woo.
[Hunter Sung Jin-Woo—What Is His True Market Value?] [Love Calls Pouring In from Around the World: What Will Hunter Sung Jin-Woo Choose?] [Knights Guild President Park Jong-Soo on Hunter Sung Jin-Woo: "His Abilities Are Immeasurable."] [Hunter Sung Jin-Woo Secretly Contacted in the United States?] [Experts Already Describe Hunter Sung Jin-Woo as a Walking Conglomerate...]
As if reflecting the skyrocketing interest following the Jeju Island raid, numerous articles appeared. Yoo Seok-Ho read through them one by one, a look of admiration spreading across his face.
"Heavens, heavens...!"
After doing this for a couple of hours, his eyes growing tired, he leaned back in his chair. He had been so focused that sweat had gathered on his forehead. After dabbing it away with a handkerchief, he put a cigarette in his mouth and was about to light it when— he paused. Setting the cigarette down, he picked up the phone beside him instead. Ring, ring. Click.
—Hello?
A middle-aged woman's voice came from the other end.
—What brings you calling at this hour? "Heh heh, dear wife. Do you know who our daughter has been meeting lately?" —What? "I have to say, I raised our daughter well." —What's that supposed to mean all of a sudden?
Chairman Yoo Seok-Ho was certain of it. Wasn't Yoo Soo-Hyun someone special? Her looks, her background, and even her education—not a single thing was lacking. Even if they started out as mere acquaintances, it was only a matter of time before they grew close.
—This man...
The voice on the other end sounded bemused.
—You're the same person who hated the idea of a single male student sitting next to Soo-Hyun so much that you went to the school every year to make sure only girls were her classmates until she graduated... "Heh heh, did I do that?" —Who is she meeting to make you react like that? Stop beating around the bush and tell me.
Yoo Seok-Ho laughed so loud the whole chairman's office could have heard it.
"If you knew who it was, you'd be shocked too—ha ha ha ha ha!"