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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Lee Yuri's Misconception
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On the way back to the parking lot after all the day's events were finished.
Lee Yuri walked, staring intently at Jin Yuha's back.
"So, Yuna, don't worry. What they were interested in wasn't the leather outfit itself, but the idea behind it, right?"
Jin Yuha was gently patting Yuna's head, who seemed anxious that the outfit might have been made too crudely for their efforts to be properly recognized.
'Such a strange man.'
He was always an enigma, but now his suspiciousness had gone too far, if anything.
'Hah, how much would I even take?'
It was his rightful share, which he should have received entirely.
But at the team leader's unilateral demand, it had been distributed among the other party members.
He wasn't so shameless as to claim his share after doing something like that.
'And yet, this man even dragged Yoonseo and So-yeon unnie into it, just to make sure I got something…'
She had clearly understood that Jin Yuha had participated in this dungeon expedition because he needed money,
but now, wasn't he practically desperate to give away even more of it?
'Suspicious… What on earth is up with his skill…!'
To be able to finish off a Blood Goblin with a single strike.
At that level, he should be operating in B-rank or C-rank gates, not E-rank gates, shouldn't he?
Suddenly, she recalled the story she had heard earlier while being carried on Go Yoonseo's back.
* * *
On the way out of the dungeon.
After a session of nagging had ended.
Go Yoonseo and Lee Yuri discussed what had happened in the unknown area.
"Oh, right. Gukbap-ah. I have something to ask—! Keu-eeek! Choke! D-don't choke me! Ow!"
"Go Yoonseo, you keep calling me Gukbap. Now even Jin Yuha-ssi is calling me Gukbap!"
Go Yoonseo turned her head back, making a surprised expression.
"Huh? That's what I was about to ask you, too?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, earlier, after you charged out into the unknown area, Jin Yuha-ssi drew his sword, saying he was going to rescue you."
"Yeah, I know. Jin Yuha-ssi saved me."
"But actually, at first, I told him not to interfere… I thought it wasn't right to sacrifice someone who had just suddenly joined our party today for our party's business."
"Ah, I understand that."
Lee Yuri nodded. It certainly made sense. Hadn't she also thought, while facing the goblins,
'What a terrible thing to happen to someone who just came out to earn some money'?
"Back then, Jin Yuha-ssi kept being stubborn, so I spoke a bit more sternly…?"
"What did you say?"
"I told him to stay out of it because he was an outsider, and that Gukbap might be Gukbap to us, but not to him."
"Hmm… Well, that's true."
Although the tone was a bit strong, she understood Go Yoonseo's intention in saying that. Especially since, at the time, they had even thought Jin Yuha was a frail man.
"But then, Jin Yuha-ssi suddenly made a really angry face and swung his sword with a whoosh—! The goblin far away spun wildly~ and the tree behind it spun wildly~"
"Just the main point."
"Ahem! Anyway, he just revealed his hidden skill like that! Then, he calmly lowered his voice and said,"
Go Yoonseo tilted her head back and lowered her eyes and voice dramatically.
It didn't sound like Jin Yuha at all.
"I'm sorry, but Lee Yuri has been Gukbap to me for a much longer time."
"...Huh? H-he said that? Jin Yuha-ssi?"
"Yeah, that's why I was going to ask you. If you already knew Jin Yuha-ssi."
That couldn't be.
In her twenty years of life, she had never had a single male contemporary.
Especially not such a dazzling man who looked like he'd popped right out of a comic book.
As Lee Yuri shook her head, Go Yoonseo said in a subtle voice,
"Gukbap-ah, then… Could it be that he likes you? Like, 'I've always watched you from afar' kind of thing…?"
* * *
Hot flush—
Her face burned hot.
At the time, Lee Yuri had dismissed it, thinking, 'No way, what would someone like him lack that he'd be interested in an ordinary girl like me?' But…
If she thought about it that way, his suspicious actions and favors now made perfect sense.
'And the way he came to rescue me single-handedly the moment I was in danger…'
Honestly, being rescued by a man was a little embarrassing, but that didn't mean her gratitude had disappeared.
'If he really needed money, he would never have given up his share… He tried to spoon-feed it to me, somehow.'
Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind. It was a dazzling realization.
'Perhaps Jin Yuha knew in advance that the Carmela Forest Gate was dangerous…?'
First of all, according to Go Yoonseo, Jin Yuha seemed to have been watching her for a long time.
Honestly, that part was the hardest to understand, but since it came from a third party, it was an objective perspective.
'But he was always just watching from afar. Without me even knowing.'
She didn't feel bad or anything. If the genders were reversed, it would have been creepy, but since it was such an amazing man, both in looks and skill, who did it,
'It just felt bewildering…'
A scenario began to form in Lee Yuri's mind.
Jin Yuha, who, despite being a man, had overcome the limitations of his gender and led a hunter's life with exceptional skill.
But even he lacked the courage to approach the person he liked.
That is, he couldn't step forward and talk to her, so he just watched from afar.
Then, he obtained a piece of information.
The E-rank gate Lee Yuri was going to.
Carmela Forest.
That a gate burst could occur there soon.
'That's why, with that level of skill, he even made up the absurd excuse of needing money…!'
All the puzzle pieces clicked into place in her mind.
'Ultimately, he knew he had no choice but to step forward. That's why he revealed his true abilities.'
Shivers—
Goosebumps rose all over her body.
Gratitude towards him for knowing her danger and protecting her,
and a heart trembling with apology for not being able to reciprocate his feelings.
A lump formed. Emotions surged up inside her, creating a large swell,
but Lee Yuri forced herself to swallow them down.
Because if she started to take this heavily, she would truly have to face reality.
So, she decided to just lightly accept it on the surface.
Simply, as 'Jin Yuha has a crush on me.'
And that someday, if he ever found himself in a dangerous situation, she would step forward and protect him with her life. Only that much.
Hoo—
Lee Yuri took a deep breath and let out a small laugh.
'Hah, Jin Yuha. So that's why you acted like that because you liked me? And you've been teasing me all this time?'
Just then, as she was lost in thought.
"Team Leader. Team Leader. Team Leader!!"
"Huh…?!"
When she came to her senses, So-yeon unnie was waving her hand in front of her face.
"Are you feeling unwell? Did you get any after-effects from the gate earlier?"
She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't even realized they had already arrived at the parking lot.
"Gukbap-ah. We need to wrap things up now!"
The party members were surrounding Lee Yuri, waiting for the order to disband.
And among them was Jin Yuha.
Somehow, the thought of parting ways felt a little regrettable.
'Just when I finally understood why Jin Yuha was acting that way.'
Of course, she would still see him at the academy. But she wanted to get to know him a little better.
"Hmmmm—"
Lee Yuri looked at him with half-closed eyes.
Then, she spoke words to the party members that she normally wouldn't have.
"First off, everyone worked incredibly hard today. You can all head back now, but…"
Ahem. Ahem. Lee Yuri awkwardly cleared her throat.
"Perhaps… is anyone interested in getting a drink together? It's on me today."
"G-Gukbap-ah! Are we having a party!?"
At the mention of drinks, Go Yoonseo's face lit up.
"Wow! So this day comes when our Gukbap-ie makes good money! Let's go out! I want to go!"
"I'd like that too. I've been wanting to have a drink with you before you go to the academy anyway."
Yoonseo and So-yeon unnie nodded in agreement.
Then, Jin Yuha…
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and he, as expected, gave a clear nod.
"Sounds good, Team Leader. But where are we going?"
Hmm… This is where she hesitated a bit.
She'd never actually been to a bar.
Honestly, even though it had been a while since she became an adult this year, she had never actually touched alcohol.
So, as she pondered for a moment, Jin Yuha spoke first.
"It's almost dinner time anyway, so how about we go for some Gukbap? A glass of soju with it would be perfect."
Jin Yuha said, subtly curling up the corner of his lips.
"...Gukbap?"
"Yes, Gukbap-ie."
"…"
This was clearly him trying to tease her again.
Who on earth calls 'Gukbap' 'Gukbap-ie'?
'No, if he likes me, he should just be nice…! Why does he keep teasing me?!'
For a moment, a surge of irritation rose within her.
But then, when she thought about Jin Yuha being nice to her, that would be awkward in its own way.
Perhaps this much distance was just right.
Still, just letting this man get away with it didn't suit her temperament.
'Alright. This… might be a chance to get him back for all the times he's teased me.'
It seemed Jin Yuha had just said it as a joke,
but she'd heard somewhere that Gukbap, while a soul food for women, was 'the number one food men didn't want to eat.'
Because chili powder or perilla seeds would get stuck between their teeth. Was that why they disliked it?
Honestly, she couldn't understand how anyone could dislike Gukbap.
Right, it would be good to actually take this man, who looked like he only ate noble steaks, to a truly shabby Gukbap restaurant.
Then she might even see him flustered, with an embarrassed look on his face.
"Hmph… Yes, that sounds good. Let's go, Gukbap-ie."
Lee Yuri said, clenching her teeth.
*
A shabby sign. An old Gukbap restaurant with steam rising from a large cauldron.
This was a place Lee Yuri would only visit veeery occasionally, usually after a successful dungeon run when her earnings were good.
'He probably never thought I'd actually bring him to a place like this, did he?'
Lee Yuri quickly glanced at Jin Yuha's face as he got out of the truck.
If he showed a troubled expression, she'd tease him for a bit, then immediately suggest going somewhere else.
"Ohh! This place looks great! Places like this are usually real hidden gems! And the prices are cheap too!"
But Jin Yuha's eyes sparkled, as if saying, 'This is it!'
'…He actually likes it? Is he usually a fan of Gukbap?'
No, she wouldn't know for sure until they actually went inside.
Because Jin Yuha was a man who expressed his affection through mischievous teasing.
He might even be doing this now just to tease her.
"So, are we really going in…?"
She asked again, but Jin Yuha didn't seem to hear her and strode right in ahead.
Instead, he poked his head back out the door and said,
"What are you doing? Aren't you all coming in?"
Lee Yuri and the party members exchanged awkward glances, then entered the Gukbap restaurant.
*
We sat around an old wooden table.
After a short wait, five bowls of Gukbap, kkakdugi kimchi, and soju arrived.
And she was just about to watch how Jin Yuha would react, but…
Slurp—
He scooped up the Gukbap boldly with his spoon and ate it without hesitation.
But perhaps, as expected, Gukbap didn't suit his taste.
He tilted his head.
'See, I knew it.'
It was clearly just something he'd said to tease her.
'Ugh, he should have just said let's go somewhere else. Why is he so serious about teasing me? Now that we've ordered, we can't even back out…'
However, Jin Yuha took another spoonful, then made a realization-filled expression.
And his hand moved towards the kkakdugi.
Wasn't he pouring the kkakdugi juice into the Gukbap!
He took another spoonful and said,
"Kuh— This place is really good!"
'…He really likes Gukbap?'
That couldn't be acting.
As she watched him for a moment, marveling at his actions.
Jin Yuha looked at Lee Yuri.
"Ah, I feel bad doing this alone. Our Team Leader too."
"...Huh?"
Glug—
Without giving her a chance to stop him, he poured kkakdugi juice into Lee Yuri's Gukbap.
"Ah, this is one of those places where you really get the full flavor if you add this."
"…"
"Here, have a bite."
Lee Yuri stared blankly at the Gukbap in front of her, her mouth agape.
The Gukbap, now completely red, as if corroded by kkakdugi juice.
'This crazy person, seriously!!!'