S Chapter 78

I see my younger brother’s nervous face. He’s probably wondering, ‘Did the hypnosis work well?’ It must be because he lacks confidence. Usually, he’s so bold, but to shrink back like that just from showing a bit of aegyo.

‘He must be quite embarrassed. How cute.’

Well, he is too old to openly give kisses now.

‘Of course, to me, you’ll still seem like a baby even if you get married and become a father.’

But that’s just Shin Jukyeong’s own perspective. If he wants to hide it even resorting to hypnosis, then it’s proper to respect his wishes. So, Shin Jukyeong hid his noisy inner thoughts and opened his mouth, pretending to be bewildered.

“What do you need help with?”

“What?”

Yang U-dam flinched, his eyes wide. A flicker of panic crossed his light-colored pupils.

Oh, my brother. I’m pretending not to know, but why are you making it so obvious? Are you going to go around showing all your inner thoughts when you’re out in the field? Shin Jukyeong thought he was adorable, but at the same time, a sigh escaped him at his younger brother’s naive appearance. It was the mindset of an assistant instructor that he couldn’t shake off.

“You just asked for help with something, didn’t you?”

You, here, seated on the platform.

‘So, could you help me just this once?’

Finally, as Shin Jukyeong had no choice but to spoon-feed him the answer, a hollow breath escaped Yang U-dam’s thin lips, as if he only then recalled what happened right before the hypnosis. Ah, after a short gasp, an ‘uh-oh…’ dumbfounded sound followed.

Nevertheless, he didn’t drop his suspicious gaze. It was due to his cautious nature.

Yang U-dam narrowed his eyes. Thanks to this, his aegyo-sal (under-eye fat) plumped up, adding a piquant charm to his handsome features. He didn’t look like someone who had just been training, drenched in sweat. Rather, he looked like a male lead in a youth sports drama.

However, the gloomy boy who used hypnosis on his older brother to steal a kiss could not be the male lead of a youth sports drama.

“…”

Yang U-dam meticulously scanned Shin Jukyeong with a sharp gaze. He was trying to figure out if there was anything he had missed, or anything Shin Jukyeong was hiding.

“Anything else… weird?”

Yang U-dam threw out a bait, pretending to be nonchalant. It seemed the hypnosis had succeeded, but perhaps he still felt uneasy as it was his first attempt. Or perhaps he was sensing some subtle strangeness.

…He really is an intuitive guy. Shin Jukyeong nodded without hesitation. If he’d delayed now, it would have seemed odd.

Even with Shin Jukyeong’s affirmation, Yang U-dam didn’t readily show a ‘oh, I see’ positive response.

‘He’s acting uncharacteristically timid.’

If it had been a junior instead of his brother, Shin Jukyeong would have bombarded them with nagging, like “What’s the point of doubting your own skills?”, “You should just train more,” “How little effort did you put in to be like this?” and so on. But true to his reputation as a man with infinite patience when it came to his brothers, Shin Jukyeong steadfastly continued his act.

“Weird? I don’t know. What’s wrong with you? What do I need to help you with?”

Shin Jukyeong countered as if Yang U-dam’s attitude was the strange one. At this point, his expression visibly relaxed. He finally seemed to believe him.

But now that he thought about it, he felt a bit put off.

‘He’s the one who cast the hypnosis, so why is he testing me?’

It was a ridiculous situation in many ways. Shin Jukyeong deeply regretted that he was the only one aware of this comical turn of events. But there was nothing he could do; he couldn’t just tell his brother, ‘Ta-da! Actually, your hypnosis doesn’t work on your capable older brother at all!’

‘If he learns the truth, I feel like he’ll cut ties with me.’

Especially since his brother hates lies.

‘…Let’s keep it a secret until the grave.’

Shin Jukyeong made a solitary vow and, pretending not to know, asked again what he needed help with.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine now.”

A nonchalant reply came back, as if he had never been nervous. Then he said he should be heading back, backing away. Who was that person who had been so shriveled with worry, wondering if the hypnosis hadn’t worked? Now he wore his usual triumphant, arrogant expression.

Yes, that’s more like Yang U-dam.

“Go.”

Yang U-dam turned without hesitation. His long, straight legs strode across the auditorium.

Hmm, did those clothes always fit so well? Shin Jukyeong tilted his head. The comparison was stark. Isn’t it strange? Those school uniform clothes he wouldn’t wear again even if paid. Those were definitely the same uniform Shin Jukyeong had worn for years until he was sick of them, yet they looked like different clothes.

Perhaps it’s the model that makes the difference.

‘They usually say clothes make the man, don’t they? But in this case, it seems the man makes the clothes.’

Left alone, Shin Jukyeong continued his idle thoughts. Just then, his brother, who had been walking steadily, suddenly stopped.

“Brother.”

A low resonance filled the quiet space. Shin Jukyeong looked up at Yang U-dam. With his hands shoved into his pants pockets, his shoulders were slightly raised. He twisted his upper body slightly, saying with a swaggering expression:

“Even if you can’t come to tomorrow’s match, cheer for me.”

A laugh, sparked by the clumsy plea, scattered softly into the air.

“That goes without saying.”

Shin Jukyeong’s answer was just that, but Yang U-dam seemed satisfied, scrunching his nose once before exiting.

After he disappeared, silence descended upon the auditorium. Shin Jukyeong pressed the back of his hand firmly against the cheek where Yang U-dam’s lips had touched. The sensation, which should have already faded, was strangely vivid.

A feeling of warmth spread throughout his entire body.

The day of the sparring match.

It seemed that almost everyone within the Hunter Academy had gathered. No, even people who shouldn’t have been there were seated, their heavy bottoms glued to their spots.

Shin Jukyeong, hiding himself from the bustling crowd, trembled violently and ground his teeth. He bit down so hard that a grinding sound emanated from his teeth. The reason for his anger was very simple.

‘Won Go-yu…!’

It was because of that damned bastard. Damn it, he should have known from the moment the guy brought it up.

‘To let things escalate to this point.’

Shin Jukyeong covered his eyes with one hand and let out a long sigh. He was already exhausted to death from accumulated fatigue, so what was all this? With an irritated touch, he massaged his stiff eyelids. He then looked straight ahead again, but the situation remained unchanged.

Damn it. No matter how many times he rubbed his eyes, those esteemed individuals didn’t disappear. Yes, the Hunter Association Chairman and the Guild Leaders.

‘Don’t they have anything better to do? Why are they here?’

If they’re here, I can’t help Yang U-dam!

Shin Jukyeong tore at his hair. A silent scream, “Aargh-“, echoed within him. His plan to take control of his brother’s body at a critical moment and completely resolve everything had all gone up in smoke.

‘The moment I control Yang U-dam’s body, the Hunter Association Chairman will definitely notice.’

The reason he had been hounding his brother for days, like catching a rat, was because he wanted him to overcome things himself. That’s right. He wouldn’t deny it. But that absolutely didn’t mean ‘I’ll just stand by even if my brother is humiliated.’

Shin Jukyeong intended to watch secretly and step in if Yang U-dam was at a disadvantage. That was the plan from the beginning.

But Won Go-yu ruined everything. He actually made it happen. What on earth did he say to make everyone from the Hunter Association Chairman to the Guild Leaders come to watch in person?!

‘…No. No, that’s not it. It was a subject ripe for attention from the start.’

It’s a sparring match between Yang U-dam, who is currently treated as a hero by the world, and none other than the Hunter Academy’s Runner-up enrollee. If you think about it calmly, hmm. There’s nothing better for attracting attention.

If such an event had happened in the past, when he was an assistant instructor, he would undoubtedly have come to watch, thinking, ‘This will be interesting.’ Yes, he would have, if it were someone else’s business.

‘Fortunately, there don’t seem to be any reporters.’

It was while Shin Jukyeong was fretting with worry.

“Oh dear, I merely came as a spectator today, but you all are making me blush.”

The Hunter Association Chairman, who had somehow gotten a microphone, stood up and spoke with a hearty laugh.

‘Then sit down quietly, old man.’

Shin Jukyeong grumbled inwardly.

“Greetings everyone! Thank you for welcoming this old man’s greeting so warmly!”

However, it seemed Shin Jukyeong was the only one uncomfortable with the situation, as the reactions around him were quite different. Cheers welcoming the Hunter Association Chairman erupted from all directions. Ear-splitting applause was an added bonus.

‘Anyone would think this was the Hunter Association Chairman’s fan meeting.’

Well, since they were all gathered here to become professional Hunters, was it a natural reaction?

‘If they lack skill, they should be training more instead of smirking at others.’

Shin Jukyeong didn’t bother to unravel his twisted feelings.

Before long, the Hunter Association Chairman finished his greeting and sat down. Then, from different doors, Shin Jukyeong’s brother and the Runner-up appeared, signaling the imminent start of the sparring match.

Whoa! With the appearance of the two, the atmosphere heated up even further. “Go for it!” Not a few people stood up and shouted. If a stranger saw it, they might mistake it for a festival, not a sparring match.

‘Now, is all I can do to trust Yang U-dam?’

As long as it’s not a humiliating defeat.

‘Yes, that’s all. I originally intended to control him and lead him to victory… but now, even if he’s at a disadvantage, I can’t help him.’

Shin Jukyeong gulped. It felt like leaving a newborn who had just started walking by a lake. His heart pounded erratically.

‘It’s okay. Calm down. I taught him intensively for a few days. At least a draw, yeah. He should be able to force a draw.’

But the most worrying thing was this:

When his brother gets beaten up right before his eyes.

Will I really be able to endure it?

Shin Jukyeong clasped his hands together tightly and pressed them down. His mouth felt dry from tension. A frantic thirst welled up. Gulp, as he swallowed his dry saliva, his Adam’s apple slowly moved up and down.