<Episode 69>
“Noona! Over here! Here!”
Hunter Kang Min, stylishly dressed in a shirt and denim jacket, greeted me while waving both hands enthusiastically.
“Unnie~ Why are you so late? We’ve been waiting forever!”
“Don’t be so hard on Haneul unnie…”
Ari, wearing a cute hoodie that suited her age, puffed out her cheeks playfully. Beside her, Hunter Suhyeon awkwardly tried to calm Ari down.
“Sorry. I ended up bringing more stuff than expected while packing everything. Ah, Hunter Ria, hello to you too.”
“Hello, boss. You look cute today too.”
Hunter Ria, with her hair tied up in a high ponytail and wearing a leather jacket, tilted her head toward me.
“Ooh, Jung Haneul~! Did you pack lunch boxes? They look so delicious!”
“Hello! Thank you for inviting us!”
Even Shinhye and Yoon Kanghyuk had come. What started as a small picnic had somehow grown as crowded as a school field trip.
“Come to think of it… Where’s Hunter Lee Hyunwoo?”
When I turned my head, I spotted Hunter Lee Hyunwoo standing a little apart from the group. Dressed in a black turtleneck, he had his arms crossed and looked somewhat dissatisfied.
“Hunter! Why are you standing over here?”
“…Weren’t the two of us supposed to go together?”
“I thought it would be more fun if everyone came along. Is that… uncomfortable for you?”
Yesterday, I had casually said it would be fun if everyone went on a picnic together, but apparently, he hadn’t realized I meant today’s picnic.
‘Maybe I should’ve gone with just him this time and invited everyone next time.’
As I scratched my head awkwardly, he let out a small sigh and took the bags from my hands.
“It can’t be helped. I was the one who assumed things on my own.”
Without even looking at me, he strode toward the others gathered nearby. W-wait, was he actually upset? Flustered, I hurried after him. Just as I was about to open my mouth and explain…
“I’m joking.”
“Ah, what! You scared me!”
He smiled mischievously as though he had never looked displeased in the first place. At that moment, Kang Min Hunter called out to us.
“Noona, we’ll head out first! You can come with Leader~!”
Today’s picnic location was none other than Hunter Kang Min’s vacation house. Looking over, I saw the members of Team 1 and Ari heading off in Hunter Ria’s car, while Shinhye seemed to be leaving with Hunter Kanghyuk.
“Shall we get going too?”
Naturally, I ended up traveling together with Hunter Lee Hyunwoo.
Thankfully, today’s weather was perfect for a picnic. Enjoying the gentle spring breeze, we arrived at the picnic spot and saw everyone already sitting on picnic mats.
“Unnie, there’s even a swimming pool here!”
“Sorry, but it’s still too cold for swimming. We didn’t even fill it with water.”
“Aw, we can just come back again in the summer, right?”
Ari giggled as if nothing could be a problem. Beside her, Suhyeon whispered, “Why come here again? Let’s go to the beach instead.”
Located on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province, the vacation house was beautiful, with a sky-blue roof and white brick walls. A lush green lawn spread out in front, and behind the fence stood a massive cherry blossom tree.
“I signed the contract for this place the moment I saw this cherry tree! Isn’t it gorgeous?”
“It really is. It’s perfect for a picnic.”
Before properly starting the picnic, I unpacked the lunch boxes I had brought. Kimbap, the essential picnic food, along with inari sushi and sandwiches. I had also prepared sotteok-sotteok and fish-shaped pastries for the hunters.
“Ah, I brought lunch boxes too.”
Hunter Yoon Kanghyuk also took out containers, saying he had woken up early in the morning to prepare them. Inside were rice balls shaped like cute rabbit characters and octopus sausages. Beside him, Shinhye’s eyes sparkled as she exclaimed how adorable they were.
“Hunter Yoon Kanghyuk, do you enjoy cooking too?”
“Haha! I learned how to cook before I awakened.”
No wonder the presentation was incredible. Everyone admired his lunch boxes, except for Hunter Kang Min, who grumbled unhappily.
“…You think I’m going to approve just because you woke up early to make rabbit-shaped lunches? Not a chance!”
Apparently, he still didn’t like the fact that his fan, Shinhye, was dating a giant bear-like man, such as Hunter Yoon Kanghyuk.
“I’ll work even harder, Hunter Kang Min!”
“Yeah, you better!”
Anyone watching would think Kang Min Hunter was Shinhye’s father. Leaving the two of them acting like a comedy skit, we began eating.
After filling ourselves up, we all enjoyed the picnic in our own ways. Suhyeon and Ari were absorbed in taking selfies beneath the cherry blossom tree, while Kang Min Hunter busily interrogated Yoon Kanghyuk about all sorts of things. Shinhye was grinning broadly, clearly entertained by the whole situation.
“It’s peaceful, isn’t it?”
Hunter Ria, lying on the picnic mat with her eyes closed, spoke up. Feeling the warm spring breeze, I nodded.
“I think it’s been a long time since I relaxed without worrying about anything.”
Following Ria Hunter’s example, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then, suddenly, I realized Hunter Lee Hyunwoo was nowhere to be seen.
‘…Where did he go?’
I quietly opened my eyes and looked around.
“The leader went toward the back a while ago.”
“Cough, hack! Weren’t your eyes closed?”
“Ahaha, A-rank hunters can see everything even with their eyes closed.”
Ugh. A-rank hunters.
Feeling embarrassed, I stood up. Since Ria Hunter had told me where Lee Hyunwoo Hunter went, I figured I should go look for him.
‘Wow, there’s such a huge lake behind the vacation house!’
Walking along the trail connected behind the house, I came across a large lake. Tall grass reaching halfway up my height swayed alongside nameless flowers, making the place feel peaceful and serene.
“It’s beautiful…”
Judging by the occasional people strolling near the lake, it didn’t seem to be privately owned. I walked slowly along the path, taking in the scenery.
‘It would’ve been nice if Hanyang had come too.’
He hated Busan because he said it smelled salty from the ocean, but maybe he would’ve liked a lake. I smiled faintly as I imagined a chubby cat strutting proudly down the trail.
At that moment, the bushes rustled unnaturally, and someone suddenly popped out.
“What a coincidence! You’re Jung Haneul, right? Could we get a quick interview?”
A woman holding a small camera and a man carrying a microphone appeared. Before I could even answer, the man thrust the microphone toward me.
“We’re from Hunter TV. We’re currently covering the recent murder case involving Hunter Park Jaemin.”
“Wait a moment. I don’t want to do an interview–”
“What brings you here today? Do you perhaps have some sort of relationship with Hunter Lee Hyunwoo? If so, does that mean your relationship with Hunter Park Jaemin has already ended?”
Hunter TV. They mainly covered hunter gossip. With the suspicions surrounding Park Jaemin’s civilian murders now exposed, it seemed they had decided to dig into my connection with him as well.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to do an interview. Please move aside!”
Keeping my expression stiff, I pushed the microphone away. But they clung to me relentlessly. Instinctively, I took a step backward.
“Aw, come on, just say a few words~ Doesn’t the public have a right to know?”
The public’s right to know? I twisted my lips sarcastically. Did useless gossip like this really count as the public’s right to know?
“Stop filming. I never gave my consent.”
I shoved the man’s hand away roughly. Startled for a moment, he smirked slyly and muttered,
“Haha, they said you were an F-rank hunter, and wow, it’s true. This is like child’s play…”
“What? Different from other hunters in terms of strength?”
“Seriously, senior. It’s like being hit with a cotton ball.”
I had a bad feeling about this. I immediately tried to leave, but the man moved faster.
“We just want to talk. Why do you keep running away?”
The moment he reached out toward me…
“Ugh!”
Suddenly he cried out and collapsed to the ground. The woman holding the camera gasped sharply.
“Are you alright?”
“…L-Lee Hyunwoo Hunter!”
Hunter Lee Hyunwoo had pinned the reporter down in an instant. After quickly checking me over to confirm I was unharmed, he spoke to the reporter in a low voice.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing? Harassing someone after they said no?”
“H-Hunter Lee Hyunwoo! Th-that’s not what this is! Aaagh! It hurts! It hurts!”
The man’s face turned pale blue as though his arm might snap backward at any second. The camera operator had already fled long ago.
“S-Sorry! I’m sorry! Aaaagh! My arm, my arm’s breaking! Agh!”
“What should we do, Hunter Haneul?”
“…I’m fine. Just let him go.”
Clicking his tongue, Lee Hyunwoo Hunter slowly released him, and the man waddled away like a frog. Watching the ridiculous sight, I shook my head.
‘And to think he tried threatening me with strength just because I’m F-rank…’
The moment Lee Hyunwoo Hunter appeared, he ran away with his tail between his legs. Unable to hide my displeasure, I dusted off my clothes.
“Thank you. Those weird people suddenly showed up…”
Seeing Lee Hyunwoo Hunter finally made the tension leave my body. I shook my head with a sigh when suddenly the ground beneath me gave way.
“…Huh?”
While backing away from the reporters, I had unknowingly retreated all the way near the lakeshore. The soft soil near the water couldn’t support my weight and collapsed.
Splash!
The last thing I saw was Lee Hyunwoo Hunter urgently reaching out his hand toward me before I plunged into the freezing lake.
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