CH 5

▶ Episode 5. The Secret of Birth (3)

“This kid really!” 

I was startled when a familiar hand hit me on the back and made me open my eyes.

Puk, puk! 

The sound was loud, but that was because the cardigan, which was an outer layer, was thick, and it didn’t hurt me at all. But, of course, it wouldn’t hurt me even if I hadn’t been wearing a cardigan. Besides, my mother never hits me hard, even though she smacks me on the back when I do something bad.

Except for once, last year, when I was trespassing without warning, and a car almost hit me right in front of her eyes. At that time, my mother was very angry and hit me hard on the back.

‘That’s my fault, isn’t it?’

My mother begged me to be careful and look at the car after I barely survived a hit-and-run accident when I was 15 years old. Well, her daughter was almost hit by a car while crossing the street without warning, and I think I deserve to get beat up for that.

‘But it was too much to cut my allowance by half that month.’

Because of that, I couldn’t buy all the goods sold in the limited edition album of my favorite idol singer. 

‘That was the last album that Silver participated in before he left the Master.’

Anyway, it was a sad memory.

“Are you throwing your coat like this? Where did you go at night? Where have you been without telling your mother?”

“…I went to the Hunter Center.”

“Why the Hunter Center again? Oh, I saw on the news that there was a SSS class at the nearby Hunter Center, so you went to see it?”  

My mother smiled as if I had answered her questions, yet she didn’t stop nagging.

“Can you stay out late without telling your mother?”

“I can’t.” 

“You answer well, ugh. Hurry up and wash up. I made marinated crab.”

“Spicy marinated crab!!!”

My eyes sparkled. 

I hurried to the bathroom and washed, but my head was full of worries.

‘…I have to say it.’

Lee Beomjin said he would come at 7 in the morning, so he should be here in an hour. However, no words came out of my mouth, and my mother’s eyes became fierce as I remained silent during the meal.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I, it’s nothing!”

“What do you mean nothing! Hurry up and say it!” 

My mother’s eyes flashed fiercely. Then I nervously pointed at the TV, feeling scared.

“You said you watched the news, right? The story of the SSS-class hunter.”

“Right, I saw it. But why is that?

“It’s actually not SSS-Class, but SSS∞-Class.”

“I see. Mom doesn’t know much about abilities or hunters. Did such an infinite class exist?” 

I swallowed my saliva and whispered softly.

“It exists. It’s the first time in the world. And the SSS∞-Class— it’s me.” 

“What?”

“That’s me. Mom, I’m an SSS∞-Class hunter. The codename is— Wizard King. It’s the king of magic. They said I had to get basic education and learn magic. But other than the basic duty, I don’t have to work as a hunter and I can have a normal job. Because I passed the medical school at Hankuk University with a lot of hard work, I will continue to attend and become a doctor. However, it will be a bit noisy for the time being. People may just come to mom’s pharmacy.”

I look at my mother’s face when I’m done talking. It seems like there are a lot of things she needs to understand at once. So after that, I said it again.

“Mom, I’m really an SSS∞-Class hunter.”

“…I know it’s not a lie.”

“Yes, I’m not lying.”

My mother closed her eyes for a moment and let out a long sigh.

Then I realized again.

‘She must hate Hunters a lot.’

People usually wanted their children to become hunters because even an F-Class person could get rich. However, my mother has been afraid of hunters since ancient times.

‘Come to think of it, she especially hated Lee Beomjin.’

It was because whenever Lee Beomjin appeared on TV, she would immediately change the channel. 

‘Should I tell Lee Beomjin not to come?’

The doorbell rang just as I was thinking about this. Then my mother stood up and walked toward the front door.

“Who is it?”

“….”

“I ask you who you are?”

“…Nahyun-ah.”

The voice across the door was very small and faint, but I heard it.

‘It’s Lee Beomjin.’ 

However, it was strange. 

‘Nahyun-ah? Why do you call my mother’s name like that?’

Even though it was only one call, an indescribable amount of emotion poured down. And there were more things I couldn’t understand. That my mother was as stiff as a stone in front of the front door. 

“Mom? What’s wrong?”

“….”

“It must be Hunter Lee Beomjin outside. He’s an Ajhussi from the Minister of Department Ability. He said he’d come by today at 8 and explain to mom about this and that. Why did he come so early?”

I approached the front door and called a little louder to check.

“Minister?”

“…Yes.”

As I was trying to open the door, my mother quickly grabbed me by the wrist.

“Don’t open it.”

I was surprised and looked at my mother, who was shaking.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Don’t open the door.”

Then the door opened as soon as my mother finished talking. To be precise, Lee Beomjin breaks the door open from the outside.

“….!”

I was very surprised, but I didn’t open the seal. 

It was because I had already put the maximum protection magic on my mother, and above all, Lee Beomjin was unlikely to attack my mother and me.

In addition, Lee Beomjin had no threatening atmosphere at all, but his response was strange.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

Lee Beomjin, whom I saw on TV and on the Internet, was always cold-hearted, and his facial expression change was extremely rare. And until this morning, he only showed surprise and had no other facial expression.

However, it was different now. 

His face was pale and tired, and his body was trembling as if he had just learned something shocking that he could never have imagined.

His anger seemed to have gone to the top of his head, but it didn’t feel like he was going to hurt anyone, and he was staring at my mother with a very painful look.

“What’s wrong with you—?”

Lee Beomjin opened his lips but closed them again. He wanted to say so many things, but he didn’t know what to say first.

‘What is it?’

I turned my head and looked at my mother. Her face was pale, as if she had been greatly shocked, but it wasn’t bad. In addition, she seemed very confused and angry.

‘What is it? What kind of situation is this?’ 

I blinked and looked at my mother and Lee Beomjin alternately. Then I saw someone coming up the stairs quickly; he was a man with a rough face and much bigger than Lee Beomjin.

I shout without realizing it. 

“Bull!”

“Yes! That’s right. I’m Kim Changho, the vice minister of the Ministry of Department Ability, A-Class Hunter, Hunter Name ‘Bull’! Hello, Hunter Lee Heesun!” 

It was obvious that he ran up to the 12th floor quickly, but Kim Changho wasn’t sweating at all. Although he smiled brightly, he was too big and had an intimidating face, so everything was a mess.

But I wasn’t afraid of my opponent at all. 

Actually, it was good.

“Yes, hello!” I greet him with a smile. 

Kim Changho smiled even wider, as if he was happy that I greeted him warmly.

“Can we come in and talk? It’s like someone saw the Minister come up here. So the reporters may come.”

“Oh! Yes, please come on in!”

I slipped inside.

But my mother and Lee Beomjin stood at the front door like they were stone statues. Then I grabbed my mother’s wrist and dragged her inside.

“Minister, just leave the doorknob down and come in if you don’t want to be photographed holding it. Will you pay for the doorknob personally?” 

“….”

Lee Beomjin put the doorknob in the right place only after Kim Changho said something lightly, as if he were joking. 

‘How should I fix that…?’

Anyway, it was something to think about later.

After that, the four of us gathered at the table.

‘I’ve never thought my house was small.’

Because Lee Beomjin and Kim Changho were so big, it felt cramped now. Feeling awkward, I tried hard to read the room. My mother and Lee Beomjin were staring at each other earlier, but now they were only staring very hard at the table for no reason. 

‘What the hell is this atmosphere?!’

“…..”

Kim Changho rolled his eyes like me, and carefully raised one hand.

“Hunter Lee Heesun, we don’t have time, so I’ll tell you something related to public affairs.”

“Yes.”

“For the past two years, there has been no high-level hunter with a B level or higher in Korea. On the other hand, two SS-level hunters have appeared in Japan.  That’s why the public’s interest in this year’s test was particularly high, you know, right?”

“Yes.”

Of course, I knew well as I was subject to the ability test this year.

“Everyone still knows that he is SSS-Class, but when it is revealed that he is SSS∞-Class, interest will increase. Reporters have reported about Hunter in the line of protecting personal information, but this time it will be different. We will spread information about it on the Internet.”

“….”

It seemed like it would be crazy like last night and this morning.

“It is much better for the hunter to reveal the information themselves than for others to do it for them. The Ministry will hold a press conference at 6 o’clock. Would you like to go out with me then?” 

“No.”

The previously quiet mother finally responded.

“My daughter is still young. She’s underage. But a what do you mean a press conference? It’s going to be broadcasted in real time all over the world? She has lived a normal life up until now, but all of a sudden, she will be seen by people all over the world?”

“Your daughter is an SSS∞-Class Hunter. It is the only, first, and most special being in the world. Even if she doesn’t work as a hunter, she can never live a normal life in the future. One more thing, the Hunter Act says that she is legally an adult as soon as she finds out she is a hunter. She’s no longer a minor.”

My mother was boiling with anger.

Kim Changho hurriedly said softly.

“I fully understand your concern. But in reality, this is the best way to protect your daughter. If it’s hard to talk, you just have to sit next to it. The Minister will speak.”

“….”

“The Minister must hold a press conference at 6 o’clock today. Otherwise, journalists and the peoples will burn down the building of the Department Ability. Hunter Lee Heesun, go to the press conference. That’s the best way.”

“Hunter Lee Heesun, no…Heesun-ah.”

Lee Beomjin once again spoke with eyes and voice mixed with joy and sorrow.

‘Why did you suddenly change my name like that—?’

When a person who was as cold as ice suddenly changed like that, I could feel the emotion deeper.

‘What the hell’s wrong with him?’

It was obvious that Lee Beomjin knew my mother.

However. 

‘Still, even if they’ve been dating before—why is he doing that to me?’

I don’t know about my mother, but it was strange for her to show such a great childishness to me. However, there seemed to be a reason behind that, and as if an arrow pierced my head, something suddenly came to mind.

‘No way—?!’

I opened my eyes like a full moon and looked at Lee Beomjin.

Lee Beomjin and my mother saw my expression, too.

“Heesun-ah.”

“Mom… Is the Minister… No, there’s no way.”

I muttered to myself without realizing it. However, Lee Beomjin seemed to have heard it. After being quiet for a while, he said something in a voice that sounded like it was being suppressed.

“Yeah, that’s right—”

“Yes—?”