IH Ch 86

Chapter 86

“…….”

It wasn’t unusual for his face to appear on TV. But perhaps because he wasn’t watching alone, seeing his face blown up that large—especially with such a scowling, fierce expression—felt uncomfortable.

What’s this? He had thought all the chatter about him had died down recently, but apparently not. He considered turning up the volume, but the screen suddenly changed. Around a round table filled with all sorts of side dishes and alcohol sat people of various ages, but they were all undeniably good-looking. In fact, they were quite famous celebrities—only Hwang Jae-i was unaware of that.

A man whose face had flushed red, probably from drinking, began to speak.

[So Lee Ji-hye’s ideal type is Guildmaster Hwang Jae-i, right? Isn’t that practically a crime? Do you even know how big the age gap is?]

The actress, criticized for the age difference, scoffed and retorted.

[No one cares about age gaps these days as long as the person is capable. Instead of coming after me, why don’t you ask Actor Jo here about the age difference with his new partner.]

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the middle-aged man referred to as Actor Jo exaggeratedly bowed his head, asking to be left out of it. But immediately, a caption popped up: “Congratulations on your third marriage. His non-celebrity bride is eighteen years his junior.”

“…….”

It appeared to be one of those talk shows where people drank and spoke without filters. Likely full of meaningless chatter. He thought about changing the channel but left it on for lack of anything better to watch.

After a short bit about Actor Jo, the actress took the mic again.

[I didn’t like Guildmaster Hwang Jae-i from the start. He has quite the personality, and more than anything, he’s so young. I have a conscience, you know. What was I supposed to do with someone barely twenty? But… that moment—he was really cool.]

[Ah, that time. Wasn’t it when the gate opened near the area the government was trying to rebuild with new roads or something, and they asked him to intervene to minimize damage?]

[That’s right. They said if the road was even slightly damaged, they’d have to redo the entire setup, so they were begging him to keep the damage to a minimum. Even before the Jaei Guild arrived, government officials and soldiers were all over the place. Acting like the search was done, getting ready to be interviewed.]

[Since Guildmaster Hwang Jae-i was taking the lead, success was a given. The government probably expected that and prepared the scene accordingly—ready to grab him the moment he came out, get a status report, and use it to promote the new road.]

But the government officials got nothing they had hoped for. Though the gate had been scouted, suddenly a massive fire burst outward, causing a temporary blackout and a magnitude 5 earthquake. Caught off guard, the officials, reporters, and road-construction companies fled in panic.

Because of the chaos, the roads near the gate cracked, broke apart, and were left in ruins. Hwang Jae-i eventually emerged from the gate, quietly surveying the devastated surroundings before heading toward the guild’s command post. Just then, a government official, flustered and unaware that his wig had come off, rushed over and pointed accusingly at him while shouting something.

The first photo came from that moment—Hwang Jae-i staring down the shouting official with a “What are you talking about?” look. That scowling expression became quite popular. People said it gave off a rugged, masculine vibe.

The government complained that despite their prior explanation and cooperation request, Hwang Jae-i’s side had deliberately triggered the quake or some such nonsense. But in this particular case, public opinion sided with Hwang Jae-i. Gathering near a gate before scouting was completed was a basic violation. People criticized the government, asking what kind of example they were setting if even they didn’t follow standard safety protocols.

The Hunter Association filed an official complaint about the situation, and, unusually, Hwang Jae-i’s team also released a statement: “We were unaware anyone had gathered there. It’s common knowledge that unsurveyed gates are dangerous.” Most of all, that sharply defined, scowling face of his went viral.

Back then, since he had just turned twenty, fans didn’t have to hold back anymore. Among the general public, the phrase “awful personality but a masterpiece of a face” became a meme that defined Hwang Jae-i for a while.

That was when she really began to take an interest, the actress continued with more enthusiasm.

[There are a lot of people like me, you know. If you ask about their ideal type, I bet most people would say Guildmaster Hwang Jae-i is their top pick.]

[So it’s not just about wanting to meet him—it’s that people are seriously considering him as a potential spouse?]

[Exactly. He’s young and attractive, makes great money, and has undeniable ability. On top of that, he’s world-renowned. There’s nothing to criticize.]

As the compliments kept coming, Actor Jo, who had looked disinterested until now, interjected.

[But his personality cancels all of that out.]

[Excuse me? Have you ever had a one-on-one conversation with Guildmaster Hwang Jae-i? How would you know what kind of personality he has?]

[That’s what everyone around him says. Just look at that clip—he’s surrounded by people and still scowls just because he’s in a bad mood. You think that’s a sign of a good personality?]

[If it were me, I’d be annoyed too after coming out from a difficult gate search only to be swarmed like that. When someone’s exhausted or stressed, they might scowl a bit.]

[Why are you defending Hwang Jae-i so much today?]

[Not just today—it’s because it’s the truth. We’ve been too hard on him. He’s worked tirelessly ever since becoming a guildmaster at such a young age. Just because he scowled a little, people say this and that about his personality.]

[…….]

[Seriously, where else are you going to find a man with that kind of face? Trust me—guys like him, even if they’re cold to others, melt when treated kindly. He’s exactly that type—the kind who’s cold to the world but gentle to his woman. I know it.]

[What do you mean, you know it…]

Though Actor Jo grumbled, the actress paid him no mind.

[Now it’s just a matter of timing. You know what they say—fortune favors the bold.]

[Could that bold one be you, Ji-hye?]

[I really want it to be. What do you think?]

[W-what’s with the sudden serious question?]

Up until now, the conversation had been light, even playful, but this part felt different.

The actress suddenly swept her hair back, changed her posture, crossed her legs, and placed a hand under her chin, asking if she looked okay—if she looked like someone suitable. If there had been even a hint of playfulness, the others might’ve laughed it off. But she was completely serious.

[I mean it. I really want to be with Guildmaster Hwang Jae-i! Can’t you set something up officially right here?! I genuinely want to meet him!!]

It seemed the alcohol had hit her all at once. The sudden outburst surprised everyone, and they urged her to calm down, but the actress jumped to her feet and rushed toward the camera. As she shouted Hwang Jae-i’s name, she even began to recite her phone number, which was only censored in the final four digits with a beep.

Jae-i, who had been silently watching with a scowl the entire time, could no longer bear it and changed the channel.

He figured it would be better to watch a documentary or something with animals. But even on the animal shows, things were odd today. A group of people was gathered, and when they held up their signs, Hwang Jae-i’s face once again filled the screen.

[Wow, we’ve got a lot of Hwang Jae-i fans in the audience today!]

At the MC’s comment, the mixed-gender crowd smiled bashfully.

“……Today of all days.”

Why was it only this kind of content today?

He usually didn’t care whether he appeared on TV or not, so he hadn’t noticed before. But now that he was watching, it struck him how many weird shows there were. What do they even know about him to be calling him their ideal type and so on? Before long, they’d probably start criticizing him too—it was so predictable. Jae-i glanced sideways. He wanted to turn the TV off, but worried Dohwa might be watching.

And then their eyes met—Dohwa had been watching him all along.

“…….”

How long had he been watching?

Jae-i turned off the TV and tossed the remote aside.

“Go on. Head to bed before it gets any later.”

“What about you?”

“…….”

“You’re not going to sleep?”

Given what he had done before, it would feel awkward to say something like, “I don’t sleep.” But the truth was, before Dohwa, Jae-i had hardly ever slept. Even if he went an entire week without sleep, catching an hour or two now and then was enough. And yet, ever since bringing Dohwa home, he had found himself going to him every night, falling asleep by his side. Maybe it would be the same tonight. No matter what he did, he always ended up waking in Dohwa’s arms come morning.

But Dohwa seemed different today. When Jae-i had seen him hiding under the blanket, that thought had struck him. Maybe Dohwa had been uncomfortable all along—being clung to at night, being embraced without warning, night after night.