Chapter 10: A Date That Began by Chance

‘Of course, she recognized me.’

After quitting his job as a host, Si-woo had methodically begun erasing traces of his former self.

“Make sure you look as different as possible from the photos you’ve uploaded to your profile for a while.”

That had been Yoo Seo-ha’s advice.

A host’s career is most dangerous immediately after retirement.

The clients who had been visiting them daily would often go to extreme lengths to track down their “beloved” hosts, as if breaking up through ghosting made them an estranged lover.

Requests to meet again were among the lighter reactions.

There were plenty of cases where people, driven by a sense of abandonment and warped compensation logic, resorted to stalking, home invasion, or even theft.

To avoid such outcomes, Si-woo gradually altered his appearance.

His once-vividly styled hair was dyed back to its natural black, and the piercings in his ears and lips were all removed.

He worked hard to tone down the sharp, attention-grabbing aura he’d exuded during his host days.

Yoo Seo-ha herself had commented that he looked significantly different from back then, so Si-woo had been confident that he wouldn’t be recognized by most.

But fooling the sharp eyes of an S-rank Hunter? That was another story.

And when the person in question was Baek Eun-seol, it was downright impossible.

She had been one of the few clients who had been exceptionally fixated on Si-woo, even during his time as a host.

“…Surely no one else would recognize me, right?”

“No need to worry about that.”

Baek Eun-seol immediately caught on to Si-woo’s concern and dismissed it with certainty.

“You’ve changed enough that no one but me would recognize you.”

Her eyes were filled with unrestrained affection.

For Baek Eun-seol, it didn’t matter if Si-woo changed his appearance or even turned into a monster—she was confident she’d still recognize him.

‘So warm.’

Her gaze briefly shifted to the white floral pattern engraved on the back of her hand.

The Snow Blossom, her personal engraving, which normally emitted a biting chill, now radiated only a faint warmth.

Baek Eun-seol had awakened her engraving at the age of 20, spending most of her time since then trapped in a figurative eternal tundra.

But in that icy hell, Si-woo had been the only light of warmth she’d ever encountered.

A flicker of heat that had thawed even the frost deep in her bones.

To her, Si-woo was someone she could neither lose nor yield to anyone else.

‘I’ll never let him go.’

Though she had left an indelible mark on him in the form of an engraving on his neck, it didn’t stop others—those cunning, fox-like women—from being drawn to him.

The problem was, that wasn’t the only issue.

Si-woo was no longer part of the host bar world; he was now an up-and-coming prospect in the Hunter industry.

This meant that, in an already fiercely competitive field, he had to stay on guard to keep any unwelcome pests from swarming around him.

‘One’s already here.’

Baek Eun-seol let out a sigh as she glared at Saria, who was seated across from Si-woo.

You couldn’t deny bloodline.

Baek Eun-seol directed open hostility toward the new “fox” who had latched onto Si-woo.

Hunters, compared to regular people, were naturally more attractive, but their standing often reflected the purity of their mana.

Saria, in this regard, was at the very top.

As the daughter of the near-S-rank Arkineth Guild Master, she carried mana of such overwhelming purity that it was almost unreal.

Because of that, there wasn’t much about her appearance that could be criticized—aside from her hair, perhaps.

If not her looks, then what about other areas?

‘Her skills aren’t bad, and her future looks bright too.’

In the Academy entrance exam, she had ranked just behind Si-woo as the second place candidate.

Her specialty, curses, was powerful enough to defeat a wyvern golem—a feat that even most Academy graduates would find difficult.

Moreover, after graduation, she was practically guaranteed to inherit her family’s position and become the next Guild Master of Arkineth.

‘Out of everyone, why did it have to be this kind of woman?’

“So, what brings you here, noona? You’re not someone who usually leaves the house.”

“Oh, I come to this café fairly often. It’s close to the guild, and the drinks are good.”

Eun-seol casually lied without batting an eye.

Even though the café was indeed near the guild, she had never stepped foot in it before today.

And the drink she was sipping? It was her first taste of anything here.

There was only one reason Baek Eun-seol had come to this café.

“Well, since I happened to see you here, I figured I’d bring you a gift as well.”

Her reason was to deliver an entrance gift to Si-woo.

Eun-seol pulled out a book.

The book, engraved with glowing silver patterns overflowing with mana, immediately drew everyone’s attention.

When Saria caught sight of the incomprehensible symbols written on the first page, she almost spat out the Americano she had in her mouth.

‘An Engraving Book?!’

The book Baek Eun-seol had brought was a miraculous artifact capable of granting a second or even third engraving to an awakened individual.

It was a treasure that only appeared in gates ranked A or higher.

Even Saria, as the daughter of the Arkineth Guild Master, could count the number of times she had seen one in person on one hand.

Yet, here was Baek Eun-seol, handing it over to Si-woo with a casual expression as if it were nothing.

Saria’s brain momentarily shut down again.

Si-woo, who had received the book, let out a low hum.

‘Hmm, this is no ordinary item.’

The overwhelming amount of mana emanating from the book was enough to hint at its tremendous value.

This gift was likely worth billions.

“Noona, I told you not to give me such expensive gifts.”

“What? It’s not that expensive,” Eun-seol replied nonchalantly.

That one sentence reminded Si-woo of a common trait he had noticed among S-rank Hunters.

‘Their sense of money is completely broken.’

For most Hunters, an A-rank gate was a living nightmare.

Unlike other gates, A-rank gates were packed with swarms of monsters, and their boss monsters were practically on par with sub-S-rank threats.

To conquer such gates, at least two or three A-rank Hunters—or a full squad with an A-rank Hunter leading the charge—were required.

Even then, perfect safety wasn’t guaranteed.

Depending on the gate’s difficulty, casualties were not uncommon.

‘But S-rank Hunters can stroll through A-rank gates like it’s a casual walk in the park.’

And during that “stroll,” an S-rank Hunter could earn a corporate executive’s annual salary in just one run.

The sheer number of monsters meant plenty of byproducts to sell, not to mention treasures.

Add sponsorship deals and advertising income to that, and the amount of money they handled would far surpass anything Si-woo had ever made, even during his most profitable days as a host.

Given that kind of income, it was no wonder their perception of money was completely warped.

“Haah, even so, noona, I really can’t accept gifts like this anymore.”

“As if you’ve ever properly accepted one of my gifts in the first place,” Eun-seol replied with a smirk.

Si-woo gave her an exasperated look, unable to hide his disbelief at her response.

“Bringing a gift worth billions is bound to make anyone uncomfortable.”

“You’re so unprofessional.”

How could she call someone unprofessional for hesitating to accept such an extravagant gift?

Saria, who had been quietly listening to the exchange between Si-woo and Baek Eun-seol, couldn’t help but find it strange.

Before she could voice her confusion, Eun-seol seemed to catch herself and stopped bringing up anything further about Si-woo’s past.

While Si-woo himself didn’t care if his past as a host was revealed, Eun-seol was different.

Even if she disliked Saria, she had no intention of tarnishing Si-woo’s reputation just to one-up her.

Twisted as it may have been, her feelings were still rooted in affection.

“This is a graduation gift. If you don’t accept it, I’ll throw it away right now.”

“Haah… Fine. I’ll take it. But please, no more ridiculously expensive gifts like this in the future.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

Because I’ve already given you the most valuable gift I could.

Though it was hidden beneath Si-woo’s dress shirt, Eun-seol could undoubtedly sense it—the cold mark engraved on his neck.

The only warmth that existed in her eternal winter.

The chill emanating from Si-woo’s engraving was unmistakable, and it made her lips curl into a sly smile.

From a distance, Saria watched this interaction unfold.

Her lips tightened as she bit down hard, her frustration evident.

She didn’t know the nature of their relationship, but every one of Baek Eun-seol’s affectionate actions stirred turmoil in her heart.

It was suffocating.

If she had witnessed this scene back when she hadn’t made up her mind about her own feelings, she might have been able to manage her emotions better.

“Si-woo, is Baek Eun-seol Hunter… your girlfriend by any chance?”

In the end, she couldn’t hold back and asked the question.

Her voice was low, just enough that others wouldn’t hear.

With a trembling tone, Saria desperately hoped that Si-woo would deny it.

“Of course not. There’s no way that could be true.”

His response was too casual, accompanied by a breezy smile as he dismissed the idea of any romantic connection to Baek Eun-seol.

Saria felt a wave of relief wash over her as she placed a hand over her chest to steady herself.

“Saria, you know who Eun-seol noona is, so why would you even ask something like that?”

Si-woo said with a hint of exasperation.

“R-right? Yeah, that makes sense. She’s an S-rank Hunter, after all.”

Saria muttered, trying to sound convinced, but the slight tremble in her voice betrayed her unease.

Baek Eun-seol, on the other hand, didn’t seem thrilled with Si-woo’s answer. Her expression hardened slightly, but she understood.

‘Back then, Si-woo was someone no one could truly monopolize.’

At the very least, his response was acceptable.

After all, among the countless connections Si-woo had made during his host days, the number of people who were as close to him as she was could be counted on one hand.

On top of that, she still had the privilege of being called “noona.”

‘And it’s not the past anymore, is it?’

Her gaze lingered on Si-woo’s lips, rosy and glossy like ripe peaches catching the light.

The desire to steal them for herself flickered briefly before she suppressed it.

Even though her instincts screamed to claim this perfectly ripened fruit immediately, mere physical conquest wasn’t enough.

Mind and body alike.

To fully possess Kang Si-woo, every part of him had to belong to her. But for that, she would have to wait a little longer.

“Si-woo, come to think of it, if you don’t have anything planned next, how about we go on a date…”

Ring-ring-ring!

Baek Eun-seol’s pocket suddenly erupted in song.

Who on earth is it, at such a crucial moment?

With an annoyed expression, she glanced at the screen and sighed when she saw the familiar name of the caller—her guild master.

“Hello?”

<“Eun-seol, we’ve discovered an A-rank gate nearby. I’ll send you the coordinates now.”>

“Unnie, I’m a little busy right now…”

<“Didn’t you say you had no plans today? And if you’ve got time to relax at a café, you should help us clear this gate. All the A-rank Hunters are off on expeditions, so we’re short on manpower.”>

Baek Eun-seol cast a look around at the bustling café, silently berating herself for being so careless as to appear in public so casually.

‘This mother-daughter pair is just relentless…’

“Is it a gate, noona?” Si-woo asked, noticing her exasperated look.

“Yeah, looks like I’ll have to push the date back to another time.”

Reluctantly, Baek Eun-seol stood up, her disappointment evident in her movements.

“When we meet again, we’ll definitely go on a date.”

“Of course. Next time, I’ll treat you to a nice meal at a good restaurant.”

“You’d better!”

Despite her reluctance to leave, Baek Eun-seol finally departed, leaving behind a lingering glance filled with longing.

As soon as she left, the previously hushed café erupted into chatter, the patrons no longer able to contain their excitement over having witnessed an S-rank Hunter in person.

Amid the lively atmosphere, Saria turned to Si-woo with a determined expression.

“Well then, Si-woo, how about we ‘Academy classmates’ go grab a bite to eat?”

Saria’s words carried a subtle challenge directed at the absent Baek Eun-seol.

Before she could propose her partnership to Si-woo, she wanted to make the most of today—this unexpected opportunity.

“Actually, I know a great place to eat.”

Deciding to savor this chance encounter, Saria made up her mind to fully enjoy this “date.”