How to Seduce S-Class Hunters with Bungeoppang - Chapter 39

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 39
“Ari, could you pass me the scissors?”
“Here you go.”
Four days had passed since the housewarming incident. Ari still seemed bothered by what happened that day, but she was making a deliberate effort to act as if nothing were wrong.
However, the rabbit-shaped keychain that had hung from Ari’s phone was already gone. I smiled bitterly.
‘So she was curious about the trending keychain after all.’
No matter how mature Ari appeared, she was still a child at heart. She’d been curious about the trending keychain, but since it wasn’t easy to obtain, she must have settled for a similar product instead. The price on the Secondhand Marketplace was far from reasonable, after all.
‘From Ari’s perspective, the price would have been a burden, but there’s no way Soo-hyun Hunter would know that.’
Since there was no common ground between them, they likely only knew each other superficially.
As I briefly recalled that day, I shook my head.
‘Perhaps it’s better to just maintain this comfortable distance.’
In the meantime, Lia and I had worked hard to mediate between the two, but since the parties themselves didn’t want reconciliation, it wasn’t easy.
‘Both of them have strong pride, so it’ll be even harder.’
I genuinely hoped Soo-hyun Hunter wouldn’t visit the shop for a while. But the world rarely flows according to my wishes.
“Hello, you look busy as always.”
“Hello….”
Just past lunchtime, the shop door chimed open, and Lia and Soo-hyun Hunter walked in together.
‘Ugh, I let my guard down because only Lia’s name was on the reservation list.’
Fortunately, Ari had stepped away briefly to take out the trash. I thought the timing was incredibly awkward as I checked the reservation list.
“One cream-filled pastry and… wait? Today you ordered a spicy one?”
“The spicy one is for Soo-hyun.”
The moment Lia received her pastries, she pulled out one of the spicy ones and handed it to Soo-hyun Hunter.
“Here. They say it has a stress-reducing effect, so you should feel a bit better.”
After hesitating briefly, she gave a small nod and accepted the pastry.
‘Wait… Soo-hyun Hunter’s eyes….’
As Soo-hyun Hunter slowly ate the pastry, her eyes were so swollen they could barely open.
“Th-thank you.”
As she ate, tears began flowing again, and she started sniffling. Since it was awkward to pretend not to notice, I ladled out some broth and asked carefully.
“Soo-hyun Hunter, is something wrong?”
“…My friends… *sniff*… they sold the gift I gave them on the Secondhand Marketplace.”
What?
Now that I thought about it, the keychain was also missing from Soo-hyun Hunter’s phone. That rabbit keychain was something Soo-hyun Hunter had given them?
Soo-hyun Hunter roughly wiped her eyes with her sleeve and took another bite of the pastry.
“I went through so much trouble to get matching ones so we could wear them together. I’m an A-Rank Hunter, but they’re just ordinary students with no money, so I’m supposed to understand? They’re terrible.”
It seemed that the keychain Soo-hyun Hunter had given as a gift was being traded at a high price, so they’d all decided to sell it. Even so, selling a gift you received….
Soo-hyun Hunter bit her lip and muttered.
“I wish I’d never awakened in the first place. All I do is go to Gates. I can’t even fit in with my friends anymore. Everyone envies me, but there’s nothing good about it.”
From what I’d heard, Soo-hyun Hunter didn’t want to be separated from her existing friends, so she continued attending a regular school instead of the Awakened School. But after awakening, she’d been unable to attend school regularly, and with her interests changing, the distance between them seemed to have grown.
‘At that age, peer relationships are everything. I understand why she’s upset.’
As I looked at Soo-hyun Hunter with a sympathetic expression, Ari suddenly appeared and leaned crookedly against the wall, muttering something.
“…I really can’t believe your luck.”
It was barely a whisper, but there was no way an A-Rank Hunter like Soo-hyun could have missed it. I heard it too, standing right beside her. Her face hardened visibly.
“What? What did you just say?”
“That you’re blessed by fortune. Did I say something wrong?”
“What do you know about me that gives you the right to say that?”
“You’re one to talk. Do you hate being awakened? Stop saying such immature things!”
An invisible spark seemed to crackle between them.
Soo-hyun let out a hollow laugh while Ari crossed her arms defiantly, glaring right back at her. Sensing this was about to escalate, I quickly dragged Ari toward the back of the shop.
“Ari, what’s gotten into you?”
“…It doesn’t make sense. You awakened as an A-Rank Hunter, you’re making good money, you’ve become famous—and yet you say you hate being awakened?”
Ari gripped her apron so tightly her knuckles turned white. She was barely holding back a torrent of emotions.
I wanted to comfort her and hear her out, but the timing wasn’t right. I gently patted her shoulder.
“Ari, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but everyone has their own struggles. You can’t react so sharply just because you don’t understand something.”
“But sister…”
“First, apologize to her. Then we can talk about why you’re upset. Okay?”
Ari pressed her lips together stubbornly and turned her head away.
“I can’t apologize. Why should I apologize?”
She insisted that it was Soo-hyun who had reacted sharply first. Given that they’d already argued during the housewarming, I understood why Ari was upset.
This was a moment to step back. I patted Ari gently.
“…I think it would be good if you apologized, but I won’t force you. The customers are waiting, so I’ll head back out first.”
At my words to come back when she’d calmed down, Ari gave a small nod.
When I returned to the shop, Soo-hyun had already left. Lia sat alone at the counter, her elbows propped up. She smiled when she saw me, though her expression carried an unmistakable weariness.
“I feel like I’ve become a parent without even getting married…”
“Haha, I know what you mean. Is Soo-hyun very upset?”
“Quite a bit. But everyone’s sensitive about rank, so it’s right that Soo-hyun is being careful.”
Lia smiled bitterly, mentioning that Soo-hyun seemed to be going through a rough patch with her friends lately.
“She’s an A-Rank Hunter, but she’s still just a child. At her age, she’d rather be with friends than dealing with Gates.”
Lia assured me she’d talk things through with Soo-hyun, then grabbed a bag of pastries and left the shop.
I pulled out the finished pastries and shook my head.
‘I’m really not good at handling this kind of thing.’
Having worked at my parents’ shop since childhood, I’d never been good at navigating relationships with peers my own age. So I honestly had no idea how to mediate between Ari and Soo-hyun.
“Sister, I’m back.”
When Ari returned not long after, her expression suggested her mood hadn’t fully improved.
“Ari, are you feeling better?”
“I’m fine.”
I smiled bitterly.
Ari was an employee who would be working at my shop for the long haul, while Soo-hyun was simply a customer who would visit. There was no need to be close with everyone, but there was also no reason to let this uncomfortable tension linger.
First, I’d listen to what Ari had to say. And if I could offer any advice, I would. Having made my decision, I carefully suggested to Ari:
“Ari, how about we close the shop early today and talk?”
Based on our current sales pace, it looked like today’s orders would finish faster than expected. Ari hesitated but didn’t refuse—she nodded in agreement.
* * *
After closing the shop, Ari and I headed to the dormitory.
“There aren’t any decent restaurants nearby. Instead, I’ll make us a delicious dinner.”
“I’m fine with anything.”
Fortunately, my room had sandwich ingredients I’d bought for dinner. I toasted the bread and quickly assembled the fillings.
“Here you go. Egg mayo sandwich. It looks simple, but it’s quite filling.”
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
Ari responded dutifully, but her fingers only fidgeted with the paper wrapping. She clearly believed I’d called her here to scold her.
Watching her already deflated shoulders, I spoke.
“Ari, don’t misunderstand. I don’t think you were completely wrong. I’m just curious about your situation—why you said what you did back then.”
Ari nodded slightly, then hesitated before speaking.
“…After my parents passed away, I moved between relatives’ homes. My dream was to awaken as a high-rank Hunter. That way, at least I wouldn’t be thrown out because of money.”
She was only ten years old when her parents died. After that, she’d drifted between relatives’ houses until eventually living with her grandmother.
“Then one day, my grandmother suddenly fell ill, and I prayed even more desperately to awaken. Finally, I got the awakening I wanted, but….”
Ari bit her lip hard. Her rank was E-Grade—the bare minimum to enter a Gate.
Because of her young age, she couldn’t officially enter Gates, so she had no choice but to become bait for them.
“If I had been A-Grade, I wouldn’t have to worry about money. I wouldn’t have to go in as Gate bait either.”
“Ari….”
Her breathing grew ragged. Biting her lip to hold back tears, she spoke.
“But she has a high rank and plenty of money! I don’t understand what she’s complaining about.”
After finishing her story, Ari hung her head low, as if waiting for my rebuke. I moved beside her and wrapped my arms around her small frame.
“Ari, it’s okay. Don’t make that face.”
“…I just wanted to live like everyone else. Go to karaoke with friends, eat delicious food. Not work part-time every day after school.”
Ari whimpered and burrowed into my embrace. Despite her mature appearance, Ari was still just seventeen. I gently patted her back.
‘To Ari, Soo-hyun Hunter’s words must have sounded like spoiled complaints.’
There was no way Soo-hyun Hunter had spoken that way knowing Ari’s circumstances. But from Ari’s perspective, it was understandable that she felt hurt.
After sobbing in my arms for a while, Ari finally lifted her head, seeming a bit calmer.
“Thank you, unni. If I get the chance later, I’ll try to apologize.”
“Good. That’s the right thinking. For now, go rest.”
I handed the half-eaten sandwich to Ari and shook my head at Ha-nyang.
“This situation really isn’t simple.”
“Can’t things just stay as they are, nya?”
“They can. But it’s better if no uncomfortable feelings linger between them.”
Both were children carrying their own pain. If they’d only been honest with each other, things wouldn’t have become so strained. But forcing a reconciliation would clearly backfire.
“Hmm.”
-Ding!
Lost in thought, a familiar sound effect rang from the System window. It was a mission screen I hadn’t seen in a while.
*MISSION*: Reaching Toward You
Unlock a special effect for Hunters trapped behind walls in their hearts.
-Targets: Shin A-ri, Lee Soo-hyun
-Status (Danger): Wounds, Betrayal, Loneliness
-Required Materials: 30 Honest Mushrooms, 10 Red Slimes
Reward: 2,000P
Failure: Special Effect Unlock Impossible (Permanent)
I shot up from my seat the moment I finished reading the mission window.
It was a mission that would grant me the exact effect I needed at the perfect time. And tomorrow was Saturday—the Shop’s day off!
“The timing is absolutely perfect!”
I clenched my fists tightly.
Alright. First, let me acquire this special effect!

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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