How to Seduce S-Class Hunters with Bungeoppang - Chapter 90

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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 90】
Ari’s eyes narrowed sharply. The way her gaze swept up and down my body was far from casual. I felt the prick of guilt and averted my eyes, feigning distraction.
“Oh, we’ve run out of fish cake skewers? Let me thread some more right away!”
“Unni.”
Her firm voice stopped me dead in my tracks. Ari blocked my path and crossed her arms.
“Tell me honestly, unni! Did you find an item that increases mana capacity?”
“M-my mana capacity? What’s different about it? I’m still the same as before.”
“You’re lying.”
Ari spoke with absolute certainty.
“Before, your mana was so much weaker than mine that I could barely sense it. But now… I can feel it clearly. It’s similar to mine, or maybe even a bit stronger?”
Ari furrowed her brow and tilted her head in confusion.
“Hmm, but you said mana capacity can’t suddenly increase like that.”
Now that I thought about it, the mana concealment artifact Lee Hyun-woo gave me was only A-Rank. It wasn’t nearly enough to completely hide my true SS-Rank mana.
My mana appearing on the surface right now was probably at E to D-Rank level. High-Rank Hunters wouldn’t pay attention to minor differences at lower grades, but Ari, being E-Rank, had keenly sensed mana at a similar level to her own.
‘There’s no helping it. I can’t hide this from Ari.’
I exhaled heavily and placed my hand on Ari’s shoulder. Then I lowered my voice and whispered.
“Actually… I re-awakened.”
“Gasp!”
Ari covered her mouth with both hands. Her eyes grew so wide they looked ready to pop out of her head.
“Really? Seriously? Congratulations, unni! So what’s your new rank? D-Rank? Or C-Rank?”
“Shh! Keep your voice down, Ari.”
I glanced around cautiously and pressed my index finger to my lips. Fortunately, there were no customers since we hadn’t opened yet.
“I’m keeping it secret because I’m still not certain. You can’t tell anyone for now. Understood?”
“Of course! You know I’m good at keeping secrets. I’ll take this to my grave!”
Ari nodded solemnly, then made a zipping motion across her lips. The adorable girl. Fortunately, the customers who arrived shortly after didn’t notice anything unusual.
“Shop Owner! Fish cakes, please~”
“With lots of filling~”
Their only concern was the food. I sighed in relief and began flipping the fish cakes. The day seemed to be passing peacefully.
Ding—
Just as the reserved customers were nearly finished, the cheerful bell chimed and the door opened.
“Welcome— Oh? Shin Hye!”
I reflexively looked up from stirring the tteokbokki, and a familiar face came into view. Shin Hye broke into a bright smile and waved at me.
“There’s an amazing dessert cafe nearby that just opened. Want to go after work?”
* * *
We headed to the cafe Shin Hye mentioned right after closing. She ordered various cakes before finally asking me where I’d been staying since the shop reopened. I hesitated, then decided to tell her the truth.
“…What? So you’re staying at Lee Hyun-woo’s place right now? You’ve lost your mind.”
“Hey, lower your voice. It’s a secret!”
I hastily covered her mouth, and Shin Hye nodded with a chewing expression. She had worried about me more than anyone when the false report broke about a Hunter dying from our shop’s food, so her sense of betrayal ran deep.
“I was wondering why you absolutely refused when I asked you to come to my place…”
“The reporters knew we were close! How could I go to your house!”
The world these days terrifies me. My school days, my parents, my friendships—it’s all already circulating on YouTube. Everyone who matters already knows I’m close to Shin Hye. Hiding at her place was impossible.
“Even so, Lee Hyun-woo the Hunter… Wait. You two aren’t… dating, are you?”
Shin Hye lowered her voice, glancing nervously at those around us. What was she saying? I grabbed a generous forkful of mango cake and shoved it into her mouth.
“Stop talking nonsense and eat your cake.”
“I thought you two were suspicious even back at the picnic… Mmm! This cake is really delicious.”
Shin Hye’s eyes widened as she examined the mango cake, murmuring about whether we should launch it at our cafe. I quickly changed the subject before she could spout more ridiculous theories.
“Anyway, how are things with Yoon Kang-hyuk? Nothing strange going on?”
“Well… I suppose so,”
Shin Hye stirred her drink with a straw, trailing off. Her expression suggested something was troubling her.
“What? Is something wrong? Did you two have a fight?”
“A fight? No, nothing like that. It’s just… he’s been so busy lately. I barely see him. Even when we do meet, he seems unable to focus on me…”
Shin Hye sighed, saying it was hard to pinpoint exactly, but something felt different from before.
“Don’t tell me he’s interested in another woman? If he is, I’ll break his legs!”
Shin Hye’s eyes blazed as she savagely mashed the cake with her fork. Watching the mango cake lose all semblance of its former shape, I fell into thought.
‘Yoon Kang-hyuk doesn’t seem like the type to harbor wandering affections while with Shin Hye…’
The way he looked at her was practically dripping with honey. I hoped there was nothing amiss between them and spent the rest of our time catching up on all the gossip we’d missed.
After parting with Shin Hye, I took a taxi home.
“Ah, Ha-neul. Welcome back.”
The moment I opened the foyer door, a delicious aroma struck my nose. Lee Hyun-woo, wearing an apron in the kitchen, turned around with a radiant smile.
“I’ve prepared a late-night snack. Spicy chicken feet—you mentioned wanting to eat them last time, remember?”
“Wow! Amazing! I’ve been craving something spicy!”
I bounced on my toes and rushed to the dining table. After eating four slices of cake, I was definitely in the mood for something peppery. Ha-nyang trailed behind me, wondering where his portion was.
And so peaceful days continued. Running the shop, contentedly watching points accumulate, baking blessing-filled fish cakes for Lee Hyun-woo every night…
Oh, and there was one interesting piece of news during that time. The trial verdict finally came down for that man and woman who’d used illegal items to push Hyun-woo and me into the Rift.
The woman who’d participated in the crime received two years in prison, while the man who’d detonated the illegal item and sent us plummeting into the Rift was sentenced to five years of actual imprisonment, his direct culpability fully established.
‘It was handled cleanly without any settlement or leniency. Plus, the Association launched a massive crackdown on illegal items following this incident, right?’
With even the matter that had left an uncomfortable knot in my chest finally resolved perfectly, the thirtieth day promised by the System drew near at last.
As always, I placed a perfectly formed golden fish cake on a plate and handed it to him.
“Once you eat this fish cake, all your memories will return. How do you feel?”
“Well… I’m both excited and a little afraid.”
Lee Hyun-woo said he’d steeled himself to endure whatever memories surfaced, and carefully picked up the final fish cake.
“Then… I’ll eat it.”
At last, he bit into the golden fish cake. A crisp, pleasant crunch echoed through the air, and simultaneously—
“Ugh…!”
Lee Hyun-woo clutched his head and staggered violently. His mana began to ripple with unsettling turbulence.
* * *
Hyun-woo’s childhood had been comparatively unhappy.
‘You call yourself a Hunter? Ha! The world must be coming to an end.’
His father, Park Sung-chul, an ordinary corporate employee at a large corporation, could not bear the existence of his mother, who had transitioned from housewife to C-Rank Hunter. Once her income from Hunter activities began to far exceed his salary, he escalated to throwing objects and throwing tantrums.
‘You think you’re something special because you’ve earned a little money? Don’t get cocky!’
‘No! Dear, please calm down!’
In Hyun-woo’s memories, Park Sung-chul was always screaming, his face flushed with alcohol. His mother seemed strangely paralyzed in the face of such outbursts, doing nothing but cradling the hoarse-voiced, weeping Hyun-woo in her arms and retreating into the shadows.
Then one day, Park Sung-chul vanished like smoke, leaving behind only a delusional letter about becoming a politician.
‘It’s all my fault. I was foolish enough to awaken as an Awakened One….’
His mother perpetually tormented herself with such recriminations.
The most devastating truth emerged later: he had never even registered their marriage. Legally, they were strangers, and Hyun-woo was illegitimate.
When his mother discovered this truth too late, she crumbled.
‘I thought having you would let me keep him!!! I was so foolish….’
Young Hyun-woo wiped away his mother’s tears and made a silent vow. Though Father had abandoned them, I would become the reason for Mother’s life. I would do better.
But when he turned ten, his mother threw herself into a Gate and ended her own life, leaving behind only a suicide note cursing Park Sung-chul for abandoning and leaving her.

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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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