Chapter 3: The Unwavering Tease

‘You look so damn happy, you bastard…’

Shin Ji-ho considered striking Joo Yi-won with the bouquet but ultimately refrained.

They say one shouldn’t even hit with a flower. Yet, if he were to strike Joo Yi-won with flowers now, the flowers would be the truly pitiable ones, for they had committed no sin.

Instead of hitting Yi-won, Ji-ho merely let out a deep sigh.

“You’re genuinely not even a free man, so why do you live like this? Live productively.”

“I am living productively.”

“Where, exactly?”

“Since my work is so demanding, it’s crucial to relieve my fatigue and stress.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I’m relieving stress right now.”

“…By teasing me?”

Joo Yi-won laughed again. Incensed, Ji-ho finally struck Yi-won with the innocent flowers. Yi-won gently took the bouquet that was hitting him and placed it on the bed.

What on earth had he done to that bouquet? Despite being used to strike an SS-rank Hunter, not a single petal fell from the fresh rose arrangement. Yi-won merely smiled, adjusting the slightly disheveled flowers.

“I live diligently.”

“You certainly appear to.”

“Today, I even proposed.”

“Oh, that thing you get rejected for every day… That’s unproductive. It’s an endeavor that will never succeed, isn’t it?”

“I’ll keep trying until it works. They say no tree can withstand ten strikes.”

“You’ve probably struck it a thousand times already.”

“Only? It must be tens of thousands of times.”

Joo Yi-won chuckled to himself, finding something incredibly amusing about multiplying his initial “ten times” by a thousandfold.

‘I wish I could show this scene to the people on the internet who spout nonsense about Joo Yi-won and Shin Ji-ho genuinely dating.’

‘If Joo Yi-won truly liked him, how could he remain so utterly unfazed, despite being rejected time and again?’

Yi-won’s teasing was no recent development; its history stretched back considerably. Becoming a Hunter had merely added a material offensive to his repertoire.

Knowing it was his consistent brand of mischief, Ji-ho always responded casually.

“When you get married, I’ll give you a congratulatory gift, so go find someone else.”

“Are you saying Ji-ho is fine with being a mistress?”

“What?”

“To date me and then say I can get married is quite unconventional. While I’d be delighted if Ji-ho were willing to sacrifice that much for me…”

“Are you insane?”

Though it was a joke, Ji-ho frowned at the remark, which felt a little too far. Yet, Yi-won’s face remained wreathed in smiles.

“Ah, is an affair your preference, perhaps? Do forbidden relationships excite you? That’s a bit problematic. I don’t want to marry anyone other than Ji-ho.”

“I told you to shut up.”

“Mmm, I only have Ji-ho, to begin with. My virginity was always reserved for Ji-ho, so I can’t marry anyone else, can I?”

‘He wanted to wash his ears out.’ It was, sadly, information already logged in his mind — a direct result of Joo Yi-won’s incessant self-promotion — but it irritated him every single time he heard it.

He considered showering the man with insults, but he bit his tongue, knowing this guy was a pervert who delighted in seeing Ji-ho get angry. Yi-won, meanwhile, remained beaming, whether Ji-ho was fuming or not.

“Ji-ho, did you see that interview I did recently?”

“Which interview? You do more than one or two.”

“The most recent one. The interview that came out from P this time.”

Ji-ho’s face crumpled visibly. That damned interview, which clearly referred to Shin Ji-ho, was impossible to avoid, even if he tried. It had become a minor topic of conversation among people.

The subject of the interview was undeniably Shin Ji-ho. However, the description differed significantly from the real Shin Ji-ho.

From Shin Ji-ho’s perspective, not a single part of it matched him. It claimed he was kind, gentle, and delicate with those around him, and that he wished to be a source of strength for such a person. This was an entirely fictional Shin Ji-ho.

“Hey, the premise itself was wrong from the start, you know?”

“What was?”

“Who said I was sensitive and delicate? And even if I were truly that kind of person, you wouldn’t rely on me. Am I crazy?”

Ji-ho scoffed at his childhood friend, who constantly played cruel jokes on him.

Ji-ho suspected Yi-won might have a secret girlfriend. He likely used Shin Ji-ho, being close and easily manipulated, as a smokescreen.

Because the “greater Korea” hadn’t arrived yet, even if he openly declared his affection, news articles would only headline it as, ‘[Joo Yi-won, Shin Ji-ho Display Unwavering Friendship…]’

“Honestly, tell me. Who is your girlfriend that you’re hiding her like this?”

“I don’t have a girlfriend. How many times do I have to tell you?”

“Then act in a way that’s believable… You’re not using me as a shield, are you?”

“I said no. It’s truly not. Where would I find the time to hide someone and meet them?”

“…”

That much was true.

Joo Yi-won’s days were meticulously scheduled down to the minute. He was an incredibly busy man. As an SS-rank Hunter, he had countless engagements beyond dungeon raids, participating in events, occasionally appearing on broadcasts, and never missing an interview.

He visited Ji-ho so frequently that it was easy to forget, but his future schedule was packed solid for years in advance.

Joo Yi-won’s recognition, seemingly surpassing even that of the president, was partly due to his status as the world’s number one Hunter, but also stemmed from his exceptionally vigorous activities.

“If you’re not using me as a shield, then stop spouting nonsense to the media, seriously. Why do you do it?”

“Ji-ho, you’re popular, you know. I’m just staking my claim so no one else snatches you up. Because you have to marry me.”

“No, goddammit, I won’t…”

“I want to marry Ji-ho quickly and retire. Then I’ll support you as a househusband.”

“Are you insane?”

‘He was spouting nonsense that would ruin Cheongram.’ Half the reason Cheongram had become an unrivaled guild was thanks to Joo Yi-won.

Ji-ho, who had been about to argue seriously, pressed a hand to his forehead.

‘There was no need to get worked up and respond to every piece of nonsense. It would only give him a headache…’

Just then, Joo Yi-won leaned his head close to Shin Ji-ho. The proximity, so close that he could discern the texture of the other’s skin, made Shin Ji-ho tense up.

Even though it was a face he had seen countless times since childhood, he still felt a fresh wave of tension whenever it came this close.

He was a man as renowned for his looks as for his skill, and his exploits as a Hunter, constantly crossing the line between life and death, had imbued him with a subtly heavy, yet sharp, aura.

Of course, not wanting to show any reaction, Ji-ho feigned indifference and brusquely pushed him away.

“What is it?”

“Does your head hurt?”

“…A little. Get back.”

At the sharp retort, Joo Yi-won, whether his spirits had dampened or for some other reason, retreated with a somewhat subdued expression.

“Alright. Fine…”

“Yeah.”

“Then I’ll be going now, darling.”

At the sudden farewell, Ji-ho’s eyes widened.

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yes. Goodbye.”

“Oh…”

Despite their earlier exchange of strange jokes and lingering banter, Joo Yi-won’s demeanor instantly became composed. After a brief goodbye, he turned and departed as abruptly as he had arrived.

In an instant, Ji-ho was left alone in the hospital room. He gazed blankly around him.

When he had first opened his eyes, it had merely been a hospital room, a commonplace sight. Yet, as the saying goes, one doesn’t know what one has until it’s gone. The private room suddenly felt starkly empty.

‘Why did he even come…’

Perhaps because he had left immediately after Ji-ho mentioned his headache, a strange sense of guilt washed over him, even though he hadn’t explicitly chased him away.

He had wished for Yi-won to stop spouting nonsense, but he hadn’t intended to drive him away like this. Though, even if he hadn’t, Yi-won would likely have left soon anyway.

Each time, Yi-won would visit Ji-ho for a brief five minutes or so, spouting absurdities and teasing him before departing.

Whether busy or not, he diligently sought Ji-ho out, so much so that there had never been a week where they hadn’t seen each other.

He couldn’t fathom why the busiest man in Korea would deliberately make time to visit. Joo Yi-won’s schedule must surely be booked for roughly 340 days out of 365. Yet, judging by his frequent visits, he seemed almost unemployed.

Even with an SS-rank Hunter’s excellent physique, it was impossible he wasn’t tired. Though he was annoying, having grown up with him like family, Ji-ho genuinely felt a pang of worry.

However, just as with his pleas for Yi-won to stop his “I like you” nonsense, any suggestion to stay home and rest would simply go in one ear and out the other.

‘He only spouted words about liking him, but he was utterly self-centered.’

“I don’t know… He’ll figure it out himself.”

There were times he had seriously tried to understand why Yi-won acted that way. Of course, no plausible conclusion ever emerged. Even when asked directly, Yi-won would only offer frivolous remarks.

So, he decided to simply conclude that Yi-won was so accomplished that everything came easily to him, making his life boring.

It was certainly healthier to relieve stress by visiting and teasing Ji-ho than by drinking, taking drugs, or living promiscuously.

Eventually, if he ever found someone he genuinely liked, he would stop his strange remarks on his own, simply to avoid misunderstandings.

Even though he found him annoying and exasperating, Ji-ho could still understand him a little, given their long history as childhood friends.

That guy had always considered teasing Shin Ji-ho the joy of his life.

Ever since middle school, Joo Yi-won had clung to him annoyingly, starting to call Ji-ho “darling” and similar terms. He would delight when Ji-ho recoiled, yet get angry if anyone else called Ji-ho that.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t wondered if Yi-won truly liked him. But Joo Yi-won teased him with far too much genuine enthusiasm for it to be merely an expression of affection.

Especially that smug, triumphant look on Yi-won’s face every time they received their report cards, with Yi-won always in first place and Ji-ho in second…

You could never do that to someone you liked. If it were Ji-ho, he would have intentionally lost at least once or twice, or at least apologized.

For these reasons, the misconception that Yi-won liked him had been tossed into the trash years ago.

In fact, Yi-won’s friendly interviews, which made it seem as if he liked Ji-ho, were often framed as a deep friendship in Korea, where homosexuality was not even considered. Due to Yi-won’s excellent public image, Ji-ho’s own image had even been slightly “cleansed.”

Initially, he had been grateful. But now, with nothing left to “cleanse” and the situation becoming more like an internet meme, Yi-won’s continued behavior felt nothing short of persistent teasing.

Shin Ji-ho decided not to dwell on the departed Joo Yi-won. Him, Shin Ji-ho, worrying about Joo Yi-won of all people? If the Hunter community found out, they’d mock and criticize him for three days and nights.

Just as Ji-ho finished changing and preparing to leave, another knock sounded at the door.