22 PAYBACK TIME

CLANK.

Wonhee snapped out of it when she heard a creaking sound echo in the room.

When she turned to her side, she saw the door open.

[Huh?]

When did she space out?

The last thing she remembered was slapping Hwang Yejun and him fainting before the System congratulated her for awakening as a Guide.

She felt like something happened before that, but she couldn't remember.

[But the door is open…]

Wonhee stood up, her knees shaking a bit, but she headed for the door.

She was worried about Hwang Yejun who was still unconscious on the floor, but there was a strong force in her head urging her to come out.

And so, she pushed the door with all her might.

It opened, and she was instantly greeted by unexpected yet welcomed people.

"Hee-ya, are you alright?"

It was her Semi Unnie, her older half-sister from the father's side.

And her unnie didn't come alone.

Soobin Oppa, her older half-brother from the mother's side, was also there.

Seeing her older siblings brought her relief. She was safe now, so she finally allowed herself to cry.

"Soobin Oppa, Semi Noona, what should I do?" Wonhee asked between sobs. "I think I accidentally killed Mr. Hwang Frost…"

The X-Hunter told her to call him by his real name.

But she couldn't possibly do that in front of her overprotective older siblings.

"It's alright, Hee-ya!" Semi comforted Wonhee while gathering her in her arms. "Even if you killed Hwang Frost, all we have to do is bury him."

"Hee-ya, did you awaken?"

Wonhee nodded before responding to Soobin. "I think I did. A Status Window suddenly popped up in front of me. The System congratulated me for awakening as a Guide."

Her older siblings looked at each other as if they were communicating with their eyes.

And then the two turned to her.

"Hee-ya, can you tell us what happened here?" Semi asked carefully. "It's okay to take your time, so don't force yourself to speak if you're not ready yet."

Soobin nodded, then he turned to the partly opened door. "We'll take care of everything."

"S-Some APA Hunters pushed me inside that room," Wonhee said in a trembling voice. "Mr. Hwang Frost called me an "offering" from APA. And then I talked to Mr. Hwang Frost and he told me I wasn't the first Guide to enter the basement…"

As expected, her older siblings looked upset while listening to Wonhee finish her story without interrupting her.

Soobin remained smiling, but that smile would give anyone goosebumps.

Semi openly frowned and cursed under her breath.

Wonhee took a deep breath after giving the summary of what happened to her older siblings.

She didn't reveal her personal conversation with Hwang Yejun, and she didn't even say that the X-Class Hunter jumped her.

But that didn't mean she would protect the people who had hurt her this time.

[I almost died, after all.]

"Soobin Oppa, Semi Unnie, I know you told me to live quietly for my own good. But I don't think I can do that now," Wonhee said nervously. But she was determined. "I want to sue APA. If I do that, I'll definitely be put in the spotlight. People might find out about my relationship with you this time. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for that, Hee-ya," Semi said. "We asked you to keep our relationship a secret in order to protect you. But if revealing it to the public will have the same effect, so be it."

"I might use and ask you to abuse your authority," Wonhee said awkwardly, then she turned to her brother. "There are people working here in APA that I personally want to see punished, Oppa."

"Consider it done, Hee-ya," Soobin said, patting her head gently. "Did you forget that your oppa here is the Vice President of APA?"

"That's why I'm feeling sorry, Oppa. You're the VP of the government branch I want to sue…"

"Hee-ya, I'll destroy APA for you so don't worry about it."

Wonhee smiled, relieved by the support that she got from her siblings.

That was probably why her body finally allowed itself to lose its strength.

"Hee-ya!"

Both her older siblings tried to catch her, but her oppa was quicker than her unnie.

Soobin caught and carried Wonhee in his arms. "You should take a rest at home, Hee-ya."

"But I'm still under investigation, Oppa," Wonhee said weakly, her eyelids already falling as she leaned against her brother's chest. "I may not be allowed to leave yet…"

Her older siblings said something, but her consciousness already started to fade.

Only when Wonhee woke up later did she find out the huge mess that Soobin and Semi had made when she collapsed.

***

"NOONA, I'll bring Hee-ya to my home first– she'll be safe there."

Semi wanted to argue that her house was the safest, but looking at Soobin's dark expression at the moment, she knew it wasn't the right time to pick a fight. "Alright. I'll send my son to your place to bring Healing Potions for Hee-ya, so let your people know in advance."

Soobin's place was safe for its people, but not so much for the outsiders.

[His guard dogs might bite my son.]

And she had to send her son because the Healing Potions in her Inventory that was reserved for Wonhee were all potions made for Civilians.

A newly Awakened Person, especially a Guide, would require a different potion.

[Newly Awakened People are at their strongest, so they also need stronger potions.]

"`Got it, Noona," Soobin said, nodding. "Noona, I'll entrust everything in your capable hands while I'm away."

"Don't worry, Soobin-ah," Semi said, pulling out a small vial with a gold liquid inside from her Inventory. Then she took off the lid and drank the potion. "I'll remind Kwon Jiwoong and the entirety of APA why they should fear the Big 4."

"I'll be rooting for you, Noona," Soobin said encouragingly. "Long live, the Big 4."

And, in just the blink of an eye, Soobin vanished into thin air with Wonhee.

[Soobin is the only person in South Korea who can teleport, and yet he's not a part of the Big 4.]

Anyway, Semi suddenly had the urge to prove that the Big 4 was just as great.

[If only our representative didn't fall from grace.]

That was when she remembered Hwang Frost was also there.

She took a peek in the basement and confirmed that the former #1 Hunter was indeed unconscious.

[He's still breathing, so my baby sister didn't accidentally kill him.]

That was a relief.

Semi then pushed the heavy iron doors close, causing the ground to shake and for cracks to spread all over the walls.

Right.

[It's time to destroy this building.]

***

"YOU'RE really amazing, Yool-ah."

[What is this dude saying this time?]

Gong Yool wanted to ignore Graham, but he couldn't do it since the bastard was practically lying on his lap like the cat that he wasn't.

[Why is this dude so touchy-feely?]

Yool couldn't ask Graham to move since Graham was stuck in that place because of him, so he just scolded him a bit. "Graham-ssi, please maintain your dignity as South Korea's current #1 Hunter."

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Graham was now the face of the Big 4 after Hwang Frost had fallen from grace.

[So why is he using my lap as his pillow? If his fans see him now…]

"Call me 'hyung' again, Yool-ah."

"Nah."

Graham laughed. "See? This is why you're amazing, Yool-ah. You're the only Civilian I know who doesn't cower in the presence of multiple S-Class Hunters."

"That's true."

Yool turned to Ryung Dae, the amazing chef, who was busy playing with his phone.

"According to Ahyeon, he has a friend who doesn't shake in the presence of S-Class Hunters," Ryung Dae said, turning to Yool. "That must be you, Yool-ssi."

Yool turned to Do Ahyeon who was sitting next to the chef.

"I-It's true, though," Do Ahyeon said, giving Yool a thumbs up. "Hyung is amazing."

Tsk.

[What are these kids saying?]

The problem was the S-Class Hunter using his poor lap as a pillow.

"Aren't you going to leave, Hunter Graham?" Kwon Jiwoong, the APA President, asked Graham sharply. "Is it really smart to ignore Ahn Kisoo's calls?"

Right?

Graham's smartwatch had been ringing nonstop, but he kept ignoring it.

"My guild won't collapse just because I missed a few calls from my Guide," Graham said casually. "Give it up, Kwon Jiwoong. I'm not leaving this place as long as Gong Yool is here~"

Yool knitted his eyebrows.

[Why does this bastard keep saying things that can easily be misunderstood by other people? I don't want to be mistaken as a homewrecker. Everyone knows you're obsessed with Ahn Kisoo, Graham-ssi.]

Yool was about to scold Graham, but stopped when the ground shook.

Again.

Kwon Jiwoong was the first to complain. "What are these S-Class Hunters trying to do in my building…?!"

The door suddenly burst open.

Graham didn't move from his spot as he greeted the person who entered the room in a hurry. "Semi Noona, did you finally kill Frost Hyung?"

"Get Civilian-ssi out of here, Graham," Jang Semi said in a hurry, then she looked at Do Ahyeon. "I'll send you Hee-ya's location. Go and stay by my baby sister's side, Ahyeon-ssi."

Yool was relieved to hear that.

[They've rescued Wony successfully.]

Even Do Ahyeon, who nodded eagerly at Jang Semi's order, looked relieved.

"You took Chu Wonhee home without my permission?" Kwon Jiwoong asked in disbelief. "Hunter Semi, Miss Chu is still under investigation–"

The APA President was forced to stop talking when Jang Semi punched the wall.

Long cracks spread all over the walls, the ground shook hard, and every glass in that room broke into tiny pieces.

[Damned S-Class Hunters and their nasty temper…]

"Kwon Jiwoong, it seems like APA thinks they're the shit lately just because you swallowed the Winter Guild," Jang Semi said, smirking. "Let me give you a reminder: you ain't."

Yool wished he had a bucket of popcorn at the moment.

But when the temperature in the room suddenly dropped, he wished he had a blanket instead.

[Wait… why did it suddenly turn cold?]

Yool was surprised when Graham suddenly stood up and growled, red flames coming out of his palms.

He wanted to look at what Graham had seen.

But he was frozen in fear.

He didn't know why he was afraid.

Yool's body just started to tremble as he broke out in a cold sweat while a tall man with blue-gray and white hair walked past him.

The stranger's steps were light and soundless, almost as if he was walking in the air.

Ryung Dae put an arm in front of Do Ahyeon who tried to move.

Even Jang Semi and Kwon Jiwoong froze on the spot.

Everyone was silent as the entire room was slowly being covered in thin layers of ice.

And that was when Yool realized who the terrifying man was.

[Hwang Frost…!]

Yool couldn't see Hwang Frost's face because his bangs covered his eyes, but he could tell that the Hunter's visual was S-Class.

"Jang Semi."

Wow.

Yool couldn't believe how deep and cold Hwang Frost's voice was.

[Even his voice is sexy.]

"Where's Chu Wonhee?"

Jang Semi glared at Hwang Frost. "Why are you looking for my baby sister?"

"Because I need her," Hwang Frost said, combing his fingers through his hair– his orange-red eyes glowing. "I need Chu Wonhee as my exclusive Guide."

Say what?

***

sola_cola's thoughts on this chapter: The yandere has awakened. >.<

***

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