IH Ch 119

Chapter 119

“Guildmaster.”

Arms folded the entire time, Hwang Jae-i lifted his head.

What. His expression practically said as much, and Ahn Yuna, staring straight at him, asked:

“Is this about Dohwa?”

“……”

“I see.”

Giving that calm reply, Ahn Yuna said nothing further. In the short silence that followed, Hwang Jae-i asked:

“That’s all you have to say?”

“What more is there? Should I tell you we’ll separate you two because it’s dangerous? As if you’d ever sit still for that.”

“……”

“It’s clear that Dohwa is a high-risk individual and should technically be in a holding facility, but do you know what I’ve been thinking this whole time?”

“Say it.”

“If you learned this through someone, it could only have been the Association. Which is why I’m furious. Even though they know everything about you, the Association President must have tried to pressure you with this to shield Hwang Hajin.”

“……”

“I also can’t stop wondering where information about Dohwa came from in the first place, and it’s grossly obvious where the remnants of Lee Myunghwan’s faction have attached themselves. When did the Association President first learn about Dohwa?”

When had Kim Wi first become aware of Dohwa?

Had he known from the beginning and simply watched as Jae-i took Dohwa away?

Had he anticipated that Jae-i would develop feelings while living together?

Seeing Hwang Jae-i’s expression steadily harden, Ahn Yuna cautiously asked:

“…Do you regret it?”

Her question held a dozen implications, but he only laughed under his breath. Lowering the faintly lifted corner of his mouth, he exhaled a short sigh and muttered:

“What’s the point of regretting something like that.”

The water was already spilled.

There might be things he still didn’t know. But even so, it was far too late to regret the situation itself—more precisely, the feelings he had come to harbor for Dohwa.

He had never expected it to happen. He had never imagined he could like someone.

“……”

Feeling he could finally think about it without recoiling, Jae-i spoke:

“At first, he probably didn’t want to clash with me. He must have intended to let things settle peacefully and take Dohwa back at a suitable time.”

But things had not gone that way. Someone as calculating as him must have realized it was better to keep Dohwa under Jae-i’s control than in his own possession.

He refused to be used in their dirty schemes. But he also had no intention of giving Dohwa up. Dohwa’s situation was separate from this entire matter. That issue could be addressed later—slowly—after he handled what was already in front of him.

“This pisses me off.”

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

He had assumed things began moving once Hwang Hajin’s name surfaced. But looking at the broader pattern, he realized he was wrong. This had been brewing long before that moment.

Seeing his expression grow darker, Ahn Yuna lifted both hands as if to calm him.

“Breathe. We aren’t just standing still, you know. With you showing your face so much lately, they must be completely thrown off—wondering why you’re suddenly doing things you’ve never done before.”

“……”

“To anyone watching, it looks like you and Haesung are practically one entity. Other corporations and government bodies can’t help but tread lightly. Your popularity these days is no joke—they’d be idiots to provoke you.”

Hwang Jae-i’s popularity had become… abnormal.

Even at the top of the domestic rankings, he’d had plenty of antis. But at some point, their voices had fallen completely silent. Now people attacked anyone who spoke negatively about him. Clips and photos of him were everywhere, with comments like “This man should be registered as a national treasure,” flooding every platform.

The attention he was receiving wasn’t limited to Korea. China, Japan, France—international reactions were exploding. On a global ranking site tracking hunters’ popularity, he had already entered the top five. This was clearly not a passing trend.

Could a nation really afford to mishandle a hunter with this level of public influence? Even before all this, Hwang Jae-i had been notoriously unmanageable. His recent actions only heightened the threat he posed to those in power.

Which meant the most vulnerable person wasn’t the Guildmaster—but Dohwa.

“As I mentioned before, we’re already pushing the process to formally transfer Dohwa to our guild. We submitted the basic paperwork to the Association, though I’m sure it won’t pass. Still, we’ll keep trying.”

The Association wasn’t oblivious to the fact that Hwang Jae-i was deviating from their expectations. They might process Dohwa’s case just to placate him.

“And about the dinner meeting the Chairman mentioned—you’re not attending, right?”

“Why would I go there.”

“Well, yes, but… rumor has it the Association President and some government officials will be there. And also…”

“Stop trailing off and say it.”

“Pungjin—that old fossil—is scheduled to attend.”

Pungjin was currently entangled in the fallout of multiple investigations, along with the Chairman and most of the executive board. The charges against him and his eldest son were solid enough that both had been detained. So how was he attending outside events already?

At this point, it would be less surprising if Hwang Hajin showed up too.

“If they grease enough palms, they’ll get him out. And there’s nothing we can do to stop it. I’m just warning you ahead of time—you’d be furious if you heard it suddenly.”

“…F*ck.”

At his sharp curse, Ahn Yuna nodded as if to say she understood completely.

There was no point speaking further—anything he said now would only come out ugly. He didn’t want to take his temper out on Yuna, who had done nothing wrong.

Still—this was improvement. In the past, he would have been tearing the room apart by now.

His rage toward that man had not lessened. But he could no longer afford to lash out blindly.

Doing so now would destroy more than just himself.

Knock, knock.

Startled, Jae-i’s eyes flicked toward the door. Yuna, still on the video call, also glanced toward the doorway behind him.

“Is that Dohwa? There’s nothing sensitive left—let him in. I should at least say hi.”

“No. There’s no need.”

“Oh please, the possessiveness is unreal. Don’t be like that—he’ll get tired of you fast if you keep it up. Dohwa! You can come in!!”

Since the earlier conversation had been heavy, she deliberately lightened her tone.

The moment she cupped her hands and called out, Jae-i shot up from his seat.

At the same time, the door swung open, and Dohwa peeked inside—holding something in his arms.

Ahn Yuna’s bright expression flickered hard.

Jae-i slammed his fist into the keyboard.

With a loud thud, the monitor cut to black and the call disconnected.

Dohwa, alternately glancing between the dead screen and Jae-i’s fist, adjusted what he was holding.

“Did I come in at a bad time?”

“No… what the hell is that?!”

Whipping around, Jae-i nearly shouted.

Because the thing in Dohwa’s arms was—

the beast.

Startled by his voice, the beast clung desperately to Dohwa’s neck, kicking wildly. Before it could scramble up his body, Jae-i darted forward and seized it by the scruff.

“……!!”

The beast squeezed its eyes shut and hugged Dohwa’s neck even harder, pulling Dohwa forward with its weight.

Jae-i, who had intended to yank it off, froze as Dohwa stumbled toward him.

“You can’t even let go?!”

But the only thing stretching was the back of Dohwa’s shirt—the beast refused to budge.

As if still convinced he was in beast form, it tried to smother Dohwa’s face with its tiny arms.

Just as Jae-i prepared to roar again, Dohwa lifted a hand. Gently, he patted the creature’s back.

At first it didn’t move.

But with continued soft pats, its grip slowly loosened.

Finally, it peeled away from him—still dangling in Jae-i’s grasp by the scruff.

“……”

Jae-i stared at the child—about four years old—glowering at him with triangular, furious eyes.

And that face—

The instant he released his hand, the beast landed neatly on the floor and sprinted behind Dohwa’s legs.

It hugged one of them tightly with its tiny arms and peeked out from behind.

A round cheek, plump and cherubic, poked out from one side.

Long, glossy black hair cascaded down its back.

Its red eyes still shot daggers at Jae-i, sharp and fierce—

Yet despite that—

it was undeniably adorable.

Because—