There is No Such Thing as a Bad Hunter

Just as Lim Seung Joo doesn’t like Shin Jiho, Shin Jiho doesn’t really like Lim Seung Joo either.

All of the sorrow from being hated on and berated and forced to tread carefully for the past year suddenly surged up all at once. Even though Jiho healed himself with cat videos on MeTube,1 it doesn’t mean he didn’t feel anything.

Lim Seung Joo froze with a flustered look on his face again. He was so shocked that cold sweat appeared on his forehead. 

If it were the past, Jiho would’ve just brushed it off. But this time, Jiho waited for an answer with a smile on his face. 

The second hand turned a few times before Lim Seung Joo moved.

To fold his body at 90 degrees.

“I AM SORRY THAT I TREATED GUILDMASTER-NIM UNJUSTLY UNTIL NOW!”

The apology was so loud that it echoed through the guildmaster’s office.

Jiho was genuinely shocked.

Although he did want to hear an apology… definitely not in this way, where the person apologizing was folded in half as if they’re in a gang or something.

Afraid that Seung Joo’s loud voice could be heard from outside the office, Jiho looked around as he stood up from his seat. If anyone heard them just now, they might mistakenly think that Jiho was tearing Seung Joo apart in there.

“I WILL NEVER BEHAVE LIKE THAT TO GUILDMASTER-NIM EVER AGAIN!”

For now, Jiho has to shut that man’s mouth.

“Ah, okay. I understand, so…”

Seung Joo straightened his body when Jiho grabbed him. Seeing Seung Joo’s eyes burning with passion, Jiho flinched.

His heart bursting with an unknown emotion, Seung Joo clasped one of Jiho’s hands in both of his. He squeezed with the strength of an A-rank hunter, making Jiho’s hands feel hot and painful. But the atmosphere was so sincere that Jiho couldn’t even say that it hurt.

“That day, that skill Guidmaster-nim used on me.”

“Ye-Yes?”

“I fell in love.”

Lim Seung Joo said firmly in a low voice.2

“…”

Jiho wished Seung Joo would include the subject when he said something like that.

This person; Jiho didn’t know because he wasn’t that close to him before, but it turns out that Seung Joo has an impulsive side to him.

“I wish to follow you forever.”

“Alright, I get it, so please lower your voice. Everyone outside will hear you.”

Jiho grabbed Seung Joo and led him to a sofa in the office. After telling him to wait there for a second, Jiho went out and bought an iced Americano and sweet Frappuccino.

When he returned to the office, he was met with Seung Joo, who must’ve felt all of the embarrassment hit him at once as he was red down to his neck.

Jiho set the Americano and Frappuccino down on the table in front of the sofa and gestured towards them. Seung Joo immediately reached for the Frappuccino. Not noticing Jiho flinch, Seung Joo took a long sip of the Frappuccino before frowning and taking his lips off of the straw.

“I think this was made too sweet.”

“Is that so…”

‘That’s because I added more syrup in it for me to drink…’

Since Seung Joo usually drinks Americanos in the office, Jiho had bought an Americano for him. He didn’t expect Seung Joo to choose the Frappuccino. If he knew, he would’ve added syrup to the Americano too. Jiho shed tears of blood inwardly as he took a sip of the Americano.

Bitter.

Jiho barely managed to relax his face that was threatening to scrunch up.

What can he do? This is what he must suffer through as guildmaster. Jiho waited for Seung Joo to calm down as he continued to drink the disgusting and bitter Americano in order to save face.

After drinking the Frappuccino with multiple shots of syrup, the color of Seung Joo’s face slowly returned to its normal tone. Jiho set down the Americano he only took a few sips out of and asked.

“Is the reason you want to stay in No Name because you want to receive my skill?”

“No, that’s not…”

“It is. You said you fell in love with it.”

“…”

Seung Joo couldn’t completely refute that. Of course. After all, Seung Joo’s attitude changed after he received the skill.

Since Jiho was a combat hunter once, he understands. The desire to become stronger grows naturally in a fight with one’s life on the line. And on top of that, Lim Seung Joo has a strong sense of pride as well.

“But… I’m not saying this just because of the skill. It’s true that I didn’t like being in No Name, but I never thought about terminating my contract early. While running the guild, I grew a sense of responsibility towards it too. It’s true that I was biased towards Guildmaster-nim in the beginning but… when I saw how hard you worked, that misunderstanding was quickly cleared. Since Guildmaster-nim is hard-working to begin with.”

“You don’t have to flatter me…”

“It’s true. The reason I treated Guildmaster-nim like that…”

It seemed like he needed to borrow some confidence. Lim Seung Joo took a long sip of the Frappuccino. After drinking half of it in one go, Seung Joo opened his mouth with difficulty.

“I-it’s just that… whenever Guildmaster-nim faints, I have to stay late and take care of everything, so…”

“Ah.”

“I’m sorry. I was too emotional.”

“No, I understand.”

Jiho did. 

Even though Jiho is an ambitious guildmaster, there are times when he, too, doesn’t like Monday coming and going to work.

From the perspective of Seung Joo, who was just trying to pass his contract period, all of the overtime must’ve annoyed him a lot. 

Jiho has an excuse for that. Since awakened ones who are good at office work are also wanted by normal companies, they don’t necessarily try to join No Name. But when he tries to recruit employees who aren’t awakened ones, a bunch of reporters trying to get a scoop on Jiho get mixed into the group too.

Jiho’s tired enough from all the work he has to do; he didn’t want to be wary of people inside the guild either. And so, to make things easier, he just didn’t pick anyone.

Instead, all of the work was split between Jiho, the guildmaster; Sori, who’s favored by him; and Seung Joo, the vice-guildmaster…

But since Heo Sori is a normal guildmember, there’s a limit to the things she can do. If Jiho gives her a higher position, it would only add fuel to the rumors within the guild that he was favoring her.

As a result, all of the important tasks are left solely to Jiho and Seung Joo but…

Because it’s hard to order Seung Joo around, Jiho assigns most of the work to himself, but on the days that he faints, all of that work is naturally passed down to Seung Joo. 

Seung Joo probably didn’t want to do it. Jiho understands. Since it’s hard for him too. 

But it seemed that Seung Joo had interpreted Jiho’s expression differently, because his face turned pale.

“That’s all from before. I will take care of that stuff on my own, now. So please don’t kick me out.”

“I understand, so calm down.”

Jiho stopped Seung Joo, whose voice was getting faster and louder again. Seung Joo acted like a person desperate to prove himself. In order to not fall into Seung Joo’s pace, Jiho carefully organized his thoughts.

“Naturally, I don’t want to kick Hunter Lim Seung Joo out of the guild either. After all, you are a highly skilled and talented A-rank hunter. And you also know a lot about the guild as the vice-guildmaster. I don’t plan to kick Hunter Lim Seung Joo out if you want to stay, so you can relax.”

“Yes, then I will work hard from now on.”

“Um… I was planning to pick more office workers from the beginning, so I will leave the data to you. Please work hard for a few more days. Focus on fissures and dungeon raids moving forward.”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you.”

Lim Seung Joo bowed up and down. Having given up on stopping him, Jiho just let him be. Isn’t it fine as long as he doesn’t do that outside?

“Then…”

Lim Seung Joo brought the straw to his lips. But the Frappuccino that Lim Seung Joo had supplied his confidence with until now had already disappeared.

Jiho took the straw out of the Americano he was drinking and handed it over to Seung Joo. Even though Jiho had given it to him because he didn’t want to drink it anymore, Seung Joo took the cup with an elated look on his face. He took the lid off of the cup and gulped it down. When his lips separated from the cup, he looked refreshed.

If he drinks Americanos that well, why did he take the frappuccino? Feeling a wave of grief surge up, Jiho forced himself to calm down.

Empathizing with Seung Joo’s frustration of working overtime, Jiho tried his best to smile gently like a merciful guildmaster. As he did so, Seung Joo became flustered.

“Uh, uh… Why are you s…”

“S?”

“… Nothing.”

Jiho thought Seung Joo had something else to say. Seung Joo not only went silent, but he even avoided Jiho’s eyes.

Did he make it obvious that he was annoyed that Seung Joo took the Frappuccino instead of the Americano?

Jiho reached out to the sofa next to him and tightly held Seung Joo’s hand. 

Maybe it’s because Seung Joo holds a sword these days, or perhaps because his dream was to become a baseball player… Jiho used both hands to hold tightly onto Seung Joo’s hand, which was much bigger and sturdier than his own.

“If you have something to say, say it comfortably. If there’s something you’re upset about… just let it all out so that we can move on as a normal guildmaster and vice-guildmaster.”

“Normal guildmaster and vice-guildmaster… yes, of course.”

For some reason, Seung Joo let out a very complicated sigh. Seung Joo slowly pulled his hand out of Jiho’s. Then he slapped both sides of his face.

Jiho obediently returned to his original position and waited for Seung Joo to start talking. With a face red from either the slap or another reason, Seung Joo solemnly got down on his knees.

“No, didn’t I say you didn’t need to do this?”

“Th-then take me too. I want to go with you.”

“Pardon? Wh-where?”

“The training center. The place you’re going to with Hunter Heo Sori and Hunter Yang Hojin every day…”

“Ah.”

Seung Joo choked up from Jiho’s emotionless tone and clenched his fist. Seeing Seung Joo’s watery eyes, Jiho panicked.

“I was a part of the defense that time too, but why am I the only one…”

“Okay, okay. Let’s go together. Go to the training center tomorrow.”

Jiho quickly answered in response to Seung Joo’s voice, which was gradually getting louder again. Jiho set Seung Joo back down to his seat.