Chapter 65 (1/2)

“What’s wrong?” Su-hyeun asked.

“Oh, were you there?” Lee Ju-ho answered.

He walked as fast as he could down the corridor. Hak-joon and Yun-seon also heard the commotion and left the room after Su-hyeun.

“There is a guest for you, Su-hyeun,” Lee Ju-ho said.

“Who is that?” Su-hyeun asked.

“Her name is Park Ji-yeon. She is the guild master of Ripper Guild and an S-Rank awakener.”

Park Ji-yeon. The name sounded familiar to Su-hyeun.

<>

He remembered her name and face. He had never met her in person though.

“Why is she looking for me?”

“I suppose she wants to suggest you join her guild.”

“She came here herself?”

There were not many cases of S-Ranks working directly for guilds. Unless it was planned long ago, they spent most of their time climbing the Tower of Trials.

<> Lee Ju-ho thought.

It had been decided a few days ago when Su-hyeun got reexamined. As she led the green dungeon in Ansan not long ago, she might have been interested in Su-hyeun.

“Well, I suppose I can meet her,” Su-hyeun said. He took out his phone and added, “Of course, not in the building right now.”

***

The lobby of the Authority was noisy with the voices of many journalists and awakeners. They had been waiting for Su-hyeun all this time, but they got louder because of the appearance of a celebrity.

“How long should I wait?”

“W-wait a second, please. I’ve forwarded your business and contact. So, I am sure you can meet him soon.”

The lobby staff, who was dealing with guests in the lobby, began to sweat. He could not rejoice, even as a beautiful woman standing in front of his eyes. She was a beautiful lady with a milky-white face and dark hair in a bun. She was Park Ji-yeon.

“Is that so?” She thought for a moment, then nodded. “Ok. I will wait. Thank you.”

“Oh. O-okay…”

The staff, who was worried about her pestering, sighed with relief. Soon after, Park Ji-yeon sat down on one seat and pulled the phone from her pocket. She glanced at the screen and got up.

In a small voice, she said, “I will be back in a minute.”

“Where are you going?” Kim Seok-jin asked.

“It won’t take long.”

“Watch out for the paparazzi,” Kim Seok-jin said.

“Sure. Don’t worry.”

Swish—

As soon as she finished her words, Park Ji-yeon disappeared from her seat. It happened the moment he noticed that she was moving. It would be impossible for ordinary reporters or other awakeners to follow her.

“…I guess she got him.”

Kim Seok-jin noticed where she went and smiled.

***

Whiz, bam—

Park Ji-yeon flew to the roof of the Authority. She lightly stepped on the wall of the building and went up about 20 floors. When she arrived, she could hear the voice.

“You are coming loudly, Ms. Ji-yeon.”

She looked at the owner of the voice. It was an unfamiliar face, but she could tell who he was.

“Su-hyeun?”

Su-hyeun, who was sitting on the roof railing, put on a sour face. “…Are you talking down to me?”

“I heard you are younger than me,” Park Ji-yeon said.

She was only one year older than Su-hyeun. She must have heard about his age already. Su-hyeun realized that she had already researched enough about him.

“But we’re meeting for the first time… Never mind. I will talk casually, too. You are not much older than me anyway.”

“Okay.” Park Ji-yeon slowly walked toward Su-hyeun and asked, “I heard there were more people. Where are they?”

“I sent them back. I will see them later. Hak-joon and Mr. Ju-ho might be in the trouble by now though.”

“I guess you don’t like being noticed, do you?”

“More exactly, I don’t like bothersome things. Time is precious, isn’t it? There is nothing much to gain and I don’t like being bothered like that,” Su-hyeun said and looked at Park Ji-yeon’s eyes. “So, unless you have a special case, keep your business short and simple.”

“I like that,” Park Ji-yeon said.

As the place to talk was made, Su-hyeun rose from the railing where he was sitting. There was no chair or table to sit on, so Su-hyeun and Park Ji-yeon stood and faced each other.

“Do you want to join the Ripper Guild?” she asked.

“You started the conversation by talking down to me and now you are trying to recruit me?”

“But you won’t join anyway, won’t you?”