"..."
"Kwon Jihan?"
"Oh, yeah. I'm not sleeping."
"Is it that S-rank people can go days without sleeping? I'm so envious."
Yoo Juncheol was now so tired that he was yawning.
"I'm heading up."
"..."
Kwon Jihan didn't respond, lost in thought. Yoo Juncheol understood, thinking that the news he had heard today must have been quite shocking. Kwon Jihan seemed to have a peculiar fondness for Yoon Seo, so his mind was probably in turmoil.
Yoo Juncheol patted Kwon Jihan on the shoulder and went up to the second floor.
Left alone in the reception room, Kwon Jihan looked down at his tablet. Specifically, at the detailed drawing of a giant flame worm by Yoon Seo.
Despite having seen it once ten years ago, the detail was still striking. This was a matter beyond just artistic skill.
The well-drawn picture made Kwon Jihan feel embarrassed.
'I've been… so arrogant.'
Kwon Jihan thought as he looked at the drawing.
He had awakened at sixteen and spent six years diligently protecting the weak. He had volunteered for dangerous dungeons, rushed into fierce monsters without hesitation, and though he had been injured, he immediately got back up to fight.
So Kwon Jihan… believed he had contributed significantly to this peace.
Even when someone said he was arrogant, he ignored it with a crisp reply of, "I'm entitled to be arrogant at my level."
'But the ones who should be arrogant were elsewhere.'
In the great dungeon, 1,199 people had died. No one would be unaware of that fact. But no one truly knew the extent of it. Kwon Jihan was no exception… and now, he had just begun to peer into the veiled black box.
The thought of continuing the explanation starting tomorrow left him feeling bleak.
What kind of expression should he have while listening to the explanation in front of someone who is unable to move on from the past and is tormented by trauma, to the point of drawing such detailed pictures?
Perhaps his numerous hobbies were attempts to overcome his pain in some way.
And despite those many hobbies, he still… had not yet overcome it.
'He must have tried to die in the S-rank Yellow Dungeon.'
His brown eyes, tinged with a bluish light, were now filled with a sense of euphoria at the fact that death was imminent. It was so shocking that it remained vivid in his mind. Kwon Jihan had never seen anyone who was genuinely happy about their impending death.
Yoon Seo was a complex person.
The image of him excitedly talking about his new drama project and the image of him calmly closing his eyes in the face of imminent death coexisted,
while he expressed anger at the thought of being forced to mobilize hunters but was also uncomfortable receiving resources.
He looked down on those who risked their lives to volunteer, yet at the same time, he felt pity for them,
possessing both human compassion and distrust, a spirit of sacrifice and selfishness.
Kwon Jihan felt like he was facing an unprecedented challenge in his life.
***
Yoon Seo arrived at the mansion in the morning as he had said. Kwon Jihan tilted his head at his face, which had not changed at all from the early morning.
"Hyung, didn't you sleep?"
"I did. It seems it's you, Hunter Kwon Jihan, who didn't sleep."
"How did you know? Can you see that?"
"There are dark circles under your eyes."
"That can't be. I'm an S-rank."
Kwon Jihan looked in the mirror in surprise. His under-eyes were perfectly clean.
When Kwon Jihan looked at Yoon Seo, Yoon Seo chuckled slightly. It was as if he was saying, "Do you think you're fooling me?" Kwon Jihan raised the corners of his mouth.
"Hyung, you have much darker circles. Did you really sleep?"
"I'm always like this."
"Huh?"
"My under-eyes have always been dark."
"Wow, it really shows. Okay. Hyung, you look really pretty. I concede."
"I don't understand what nonsense you're talking about."
As the two were arguing, others came downstairs. They exchanged brief greetings and sat in front of the reception room table, just like yesterday.
Yoon Seo began to talk about the second terrain of the great dungeon while holding Riceball in his arms.
"After the lava zone, we encountered a swamp filled with poison. We got out of the swamp after a week. Of course, this means that a week passed when not using
"It was easier than the lava zone."
"Only 214 people died, so I guess you could say it was easier."
"..."
Yoon Seo responded dryly while sipping his tea. Yoo Juncheol felt like kicking himself for making such a reckless comment. He thought he should stay silent from now on, as he seemed to be constantly making statements that would irritate Seo Chaeyoon.
***
Just like in the lava zone, Yoon Seo recalled the monsters that appeared in the swamp zone in great detail. He explained with enthusiasm, and Do Deungsoo, Yoo Juncheol, and Grace listened intently. In the midst of this fervor, Yoon Seo suddenly stood up.
"I'll continue this in the afternoon."
"Huh? Why…."
Yoon Seo furrowed his brow and glanced at the U-Pad. It was 12:01 PM. The three of them looked up at Yoon Seo with puzzled expressions after checking the time. Kwon Jihan chuckled softly.
"Our hyung needs to eat. He's the type who always makes sure to have three meals a day."
"Ah."
Now that he mentioned it, Yoon Seo was known for eating regular meals and having a substantial appetite. Yoo Juncheol quickly got up.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think about lunchtime. I've prepared a portal stone, so please head to the restaurant right away."
"It's a hassle; let's eat here. Hyung, I'll make some delicious kimchi stew for you."
Yoo Juncheol was shocked by Kwon Jihan's suggestion, thinking of a hotel restaurant. With the world's top-ranking guild leader, Seokyoung, and the leaders of other top guilds gathering, having just kimchi stew for lunch seemed absurd.
Just as he was about to quickly clarify to avoid any misunderstanding that Seo Chaeyoon was being neglected, Yoon Seo spoke up.
"Kimchi stew?"
Yoon Seo's voice trembled slightly.
"Yeah, I make kimchi stew pretty well. I've been cooking for myself since before the Great Cataclysm. Tuna, mackerel pike, pork, fish cakes—what do you like?"
"I'm fine with going to a nearby restaurant."
"Fragrant black rice, spicy and tangy kimchi stew, savory seaweed and ketchup omelet, tender beef and quail eggs in soy sauce, spinach salad tossed in sesame oil and finished with sesame seeds, and sweet soy beans and seasoned perilla leaves. Don't you want to eat that?"
"…Do you have all the ingredients?"
"Of course. This is the Seokyoung Guild 's mansion. There's a large refrigerator, a separate freezer, and a kimchi refrigerator."
"Then I'll have mackerel kimchi stew."
"Order received."
Kwon Jihan smiled and got up.
"I'll need one more helper, so Yoo Juncheol, you come."
"Oh… okay."
Yoo Juncheol racked his brain to see if all the ingredients were indeed there, but no matter how he thought about it, the only things at home were kimchi and eggs. Trusting that Kwon Jihan would take care of the rest, he followed him out of the reception room.
Do Deungsoo and Grace watched Yoon Seo carefully.
Yoon Seo's expression seemed indifferent at first glance, but upon closer inspection, there was anticipation in his brown eyes. As he stroked the large egg named Riceball, he seemed to be imagining the delicious mackerel kimchi stew.
The two exchanged bewildered looks. After a moment of silence, Grace smiled warmly and spoke up.
"By the way, I've heard that Hunter Kwon Jihan is an excellent cook. Although I've never had the chance to taste his cooking, thanks to Yoon Seo, we're finally getting to experience it."
"I've had the pleasure a few times, and he really is good. According to the guild leader, there was even talk of opening a side dish shop with Kwon Jihan Hunter before the Great Cataclysm."
"Is it really that impressive? I'm looking forward to it."
"Hunter Kwon Jihan even has a Korean cooking certification, so you can definitely expect great things."
"He has a Korean cooking certification too?"
Yoon Seo reacted immediately to the casually mentioned certification.
Do Deungsoo nodded vigorously.
"I believe he got it when he was 18. It was right when the current guild master had just taken office, so they held a special event. They invited children from five orphanages to the Seokyoung headquarters, and Hunter Kwon Jihan personally prepared and served the meals. The children loved it."
"..."
"If you search for it, you'll find plenty of articles. Hunter Kwon Jihan personally sponsors several orphanages, and we often receive thank-you letters from them."
"Wait a moment."
"Yes?"
"Did you just say 'sponsor'? Kwon Jihan personally sponsors orphanages?"
Yoon Seo asked as if he didn't understand the meaning of the word "sponsor." Do Deungsoo nodded simply.
"Yes, sponsorship. I understand that Hunter Kwon Jihan's annual salary is the highest among all hunters worldwide, and he spends 70% of it on sponsorship."
Yoon Seo blinked in disbelief, his mouth slightly open. It seemed he wasn't even aware he had opened his mouth.
Had he really not known about Kwon Jihan's charitable activities despite the numerous articles? Do Deungsoo found Yoon Seo's reaction quite endearing.
"Would you like to see the letters from the children? We've kept them all here."
Do Deungsoo manipulated the tablet a few times before handing it to Yoon Seo.
Yoon Seo, still dazed, took the tablet and stared at the screen.
The folder labeled 'Seokyoung Charity Activities 1' contained video letters, handwritten letters from orphanage children, and footage from various events. Yoon Seo zoomed in on the photos of handwritten letters.
"Big brother Kwon Jihan! Thank you always. I want to become S-rank awakened person too! I'm Kim Jinhoon and I'll become a soccer player! Big brother Jihan, thank you always. I memorized the multiplication table up to 5. To Seokyoung's Hunter Kwon Jihan. Hello. I came first in the running yesterday. Thank you always for your support."
The letters were filled with love, written in a charmingly uneven handwriting.
Yoon Seo, as if entranced, continued to browse through the photos and videos. Do Deungsoo and Grace watched Yoon Seo with curiosity.
It was fascinating to see the same person who had laughed so dismissively yesterday now looking at Kwon Jihan's videos with such interest. More than that, Seo Chaeyoon was considered a legendary figure to them. They had always found him difficult to approach, but seeing him like this was refreshing. And… it was a sobering realization that he had become a legendary figure from such a young age. The excitement that had been sparked by this fresh view now settled heavily in their hearts.
***
While Do Deungsoo, Grace, and Yoon Seo chatted in the reception room, Yoo Juncheol and Kwon Jihan began cooking in the spacious kitchen. Of course, Kwon Jihan was the chef, and Yoo Juncheol was merely assisting.
Kwon Jihan was the type who, at an age when others asked their parents for tteokbokki or pizza, had made tteokbokki and pizza for his mother. Because they lacked ingredients, they borrowed the kitchen from the neighbor, who happened to be Yoo Juncheol.
At that time, Yoo Juncheol's family was not particularly well-off, but they managed to occasionally provide meals and side dishes to the poor child next door. Yoo Juncheol's parents often asked him to run errands for them, and although Yoo Juncheol grumbled about the impudent kid next door, he carried out the errands.