IH Ch 33

Chapter 33

Ahn Yuna thought to herself—Hwang Jae-i was acting strange today.

He was always a difficult person to read, but something about him today was particularly unsettling. She wasn’t the only one who thought so, either. The hunter who had been driving silently the entire time whispered quietly.

“What’s up with the Guildmaster today?”

“I don’t know.”

She cut the words off firmly, and the hunter frowned, clearly displeased. His eyes begged her to explain if she knew anything, but Ahn Yuna really had no idea what was going on with Hwang Jae-i.

She began retracing her steps, recalling everything that had happened since the Guildmaster exited the building that morning.

Though she’d informed him of the schedule in advance, she had still left early, in case he decided to be difficult at the last minute. Thankfully, the Guildmaster came down on time. She had expected him to complain the moment he saw her, but he was surprisingly calm. The grave expression he wore, as though pondering something serious, made her wary of speaking up. Not wanting to risk things going awry, she had simply ushered him into the car.

She explained the day’s schedule during the ride. They would stop by a salon to tidy up his appearance and then head to the event venue. Hwang Jae-i hated being touched or forced to wear strange outfits, so the only way to calm him was with dessert. Knowing this, Ahn Yuna had gone out of her way to procure a few rare and popular desserts in advance.

“Look at this! A tangy-sweet lemon tart! You like these, right?”

“……”

Hwang Jae-i glanced at it briefly and turned back toward the window.

Though he rarely showed excitement even when he liked something, this time, his reaction was even more subdued. He genuinely didn’t seem interested in the dessert. This was a man who preferred sweets over actual meals—someone who could be persuaded to do even the most detestable tasks with a few desserts.

Could it be that now that he was twenty, desserts no longer worked on him? That would be a real problem. Just in case, Ahn Yuna pulled out another dessert she had kept hidden like a secret weapon and waved it in front of him. But once again, Hwang Jae-i showed little to no interest.

The odd behavior continued at the salon.

His face didn’t need much makeup, so they skipped that part. Hwang Jae-i didn’t even snap at the head stylist who was trimming his hair and recommending a sleek suit. He just sat there indifferently, which prompted the stylist to whisper to Ahn Yuna, “Is the Guildmaster in a good mood today?”

Yes, Hwang Jae-i was someone who, just by sitting quietly, was considered to be in a relatively good mood. Ahn Yuna, who had braced herself for a long and difficult day of whining and complaints, was left wondering what on earth was going on.

Fully dressed from head to toe, Hwang Jae-i and Ahn Yuna arrived at the event venue, and a wave of unease washed over her. While waiting in the parking lot for word from the organizers, Ahn Yuna turned to look at him. Sitting in the back seat with one leg crossed, Hwang Jae-i was dazzling today—almost frighteningly so.

Normally, the moment someone touched his hair, he’d bare his teeth in protest. But today, he had been surprisingly docile, allowing the stylist to do their best work. Even his suit wasn’t the usual dull black but a subtly shimmering gray. His tie was styled into a ribbon. This was a look Hwang Jae-i would never normally tolerate.

As Ahn Yuna stared at him intently, his brows finally creased in irritation.

“What.”

That scowling face—this was the Hwang Jae-i she knew. She felt a bit relieved, but knowing she couldn’t let her guard down just yet, she asked seriously.

“Guildmaster, did something happen?”

“……”

He gave her a look that said, ‘What kind of nonsense is that?’ but Ahn Yuna remained serious.

“What’s going on with you today? You let the stylist touch and spray your hair like that without saying anything. And do you even realize what color your suit is? Not to mention…”

That thing around your neck—it’s a ribbon tie.

It was a style more suited to celebrities or idols. Of course, with his looks, the Guildmaster pulled it off effortlessly.

Still, she worried that at any moment, he’d revert to his usual self and throw a tantrum, demanding to know what this was all about. If he caused a scene in front of a crowd, it would be disastrous. His oddly cooperative behavior almost felt like the calm before the storm. Should she cancel the appearance and turn the car around?

Just then, the event staff contacted them.

“The Chairman’s speech is almost over. It’s about time for the Guildmaster to make his entrance.”

“……”

Without a clue as to how he truly felt, Ahn Yuna studied Hwang Jae-i’s serene expression once again and spoke up.

“Guildmaster. Just one thing—please cooperate. Today, at least… Hey, I’m not done talking!”

She was just getting to the important part when Hwang Jae-i abruptly opened the door and got out. Ahn Yuna scrambled to follow him, only for the area to explode with flashes the moment he stepped out, as if the press had been waiting for this exact moment.

While some lights were for photography, others clearly had the intention of dazzling him to attract attention. Now that she was moving alongside him, Ahn Yuna once again became a target of the media and barely managed to keep from scowling. Concerned, she looked up at the Guildmaster’s face.

“……”

Hwang Jae-i’s face was expressionless, like he was wearing a mask. Usually, even the slightest discomfort would crease his brow in irritation. But now, there wasn’t a single wrinkle.

What’s going on? What exactly is happening right now?

As those questions circled her mind, they arrived at the venue.

4 PM—an awkward time for an event. Yet with rumors that Chairman Kim and Hwang Jae-i would both be attending, the place was packed. People who had been casually milling about erupted in cheers the moment Hwang Jae-i appeared, rushing toward him. If it weren’t for the pre-arranged security guards, the chaos would’ve been worse.

“Guildmaster Hwang Jae-i! Just a handshake, please!!”

“Over here, please! Just one glance!!”

“Hello! We’ve met before, remember? Hey! Don’t push! I’m friends with the Guildmaster, I swear!”

“Just a moment! Please, this way, just once—!”

With every step, people called out to Hwang Jae-i, trying to stop him. When he ignored them and walked past without a glance, their disappointment was painfully clear.

Their faces brimmed with unhidden desire—just a moment of conversation, a photo, anything. Even though they knew he would never comply, they couldn’t help but try.

Most of the attendees were people who had the connections to meet any guildmaster if they wanted to. But Hwang Jae-i was the only one who flat-out refused all requests. Other guilds maintained a public image by playing along just enough. Because Hwang Jae-i was so cold and immovable, people grew desperate and flocked to him all the more.

Ahn Yuna, watching him ignore the chaos and keep walking straight ahead, let out a small sigh. If only his personality were a little softer, his life would be so much easier. It was such a shame. Still, something was off about today. The crowd wasn’t backing down the way they usually did. As the pressure intensified, the two of them finally stepped up onto the stage.

The Chairman gave a speech about installing new facilities to reduce gate occurrences in Seoul and other surrounding cities. This had already been arranged with the Jae-i Guild. The event was meant to dispel rumors of bad blood between the Association and the Guild following the recent gate incident. They needed a photo op to silence the gossip.

Chairman Kim, well aware that Hwang Jae-i would be attending, watched him approach and looked him over. Then, realizing the cameras were rolling, he extended his hand first.

Standing slanted, Hwang Jae-i glanced at the offered hand before slowly reaching out. Without hesitation, he shook it, and the Chairman whispered, surprised by the lack of resistance.

“Looking quite flashy today. I guess you were bothered by how things went?”

Then he flashed his signature friendly smile.

“Let’s take a few photos first. I’m sure you don’t want this situation to escalate any further.”

Their conversation was inaudible to anyone else thanks to the special equipment installed nearby. The moment they shook hands, flashes went off all around, and reporters clamored to know what was being said.

They were dying of curiosity, no doubt. But the Chairman had no intention of revealing anything. As he continued smiling, Hwang Jae-i shifted his gaze sideways.

Below the stage, the crowd looked like a writhing sea of bean sprouts. From massive cameras to smartphones, all eyes were on him. As he stared at the lenses pointed his way, he recalled what Dohwa had said.

“You know what they’re thinking when they try to provoke you. Even if you’re angry or irritated, just ignore it. Or smile.”

How was he supposed to smile when he was angry and irritated? What a joke.

He could have scoffed in disbelief—but then another whisper echoed in his ears.

“Don’t feed things you don’t care about.”

“……”

The blame for the negative press lay, to some extent, with Hwang Jae-i himself.

Situations that could’ve been smoothed over with a light touch became complicated due to his noncooperation. It had happened several times. By now, he had learned how to handle such cases—what he “should” do. But he didn’t want to follow those rules. Why should he have to play along? In the end, all they cared about was the outer shell, the surface image of who he was.