Chapter 67: Maintenance (2)

A daily routine like any other.

Starting with interval running at dawn, then sparring that feels just like the real thing, followed by a set fitness regimen.

Eating delicious food until I’m full, sometimes goofing around with my friend Kim Taeyang, who’s the same age as me.

Back in the early days, only Kim Taeyang and Kim Inho used the Training Room, but now it was a bit different.

“Sparring…? No way! Why would I spar with you…? Hey, Kim Taeyang, Kim Inho! Stop this person…! W-wait a second!”

Seohyeonji’s flustered voice rang out.

Her normally proud face had turned pale as she was dragged away.

Apparently, Seohyeonji was taking a break from her work in the entertainment industry.

Maybe that’s why she started showing up at the guild’s Training Room every day. Unlike before.

“Hey, hey, Hyunji noona. Are you interested in the Team Leader?”

“Is that so?”

Kim Inho thought there might be some truth in what Kim Taeyang said.

The Team Leader might not realize it, but Seohyeonji is so popular that you only have to turn on the TV to see her commercials everywhere.

She probably makes more from her CF Advertisements than from her life as a Hunter.

Yet, aside from previously contracted CF Advertisements, Seohyeonji had put her entertainment activities on hold.

Because of that, articles about Seohyeonji being pregnant, Seohyeonji being injured, Seohyeonji having Panic Disorder, and all sorts of speculative rumors ran rampant.

“Ignite! Burn it all down!”

“Hahaha. Burn? Our. Pre. Ci. Ous. Training Room!”

“You must be crazy! How can you put out a fire with your bare hands?!”

Seohyeonji’s flustered voice continued from the ring.

Watching this, Kim Inho let out a bitter smile.

The Team Leader really is a monster.

How could someone like that have been treated like a dropout for not even being awakened until recently?

It was hard to imagine.

‘Somehow, Hyunji noona seems happier these days.’

Even from Kim Inho’s point of view, Seohyeonji’s face was starting to show a lot more emotion.

At first, she barely smiled and was just proud.

“Ugh… Heuuung…!”

In the corner of the private Training Room, a new member—Lee Seoyeon—was doing sit-ups.

He’d worried about someone so young joining the Hunter team.

But those worries proved pointless, as Seoyeon’s abilities were outstanding.

He’d noticed it during their first trip to a high-level dungeon together—the Buffs Lee Seoyeon cast were something special.

If you could normally run 100 meters in 10 seconds, with her Buffs, it felt like you could do it in 5.

Of course, it wasn’t literally like that.

But that’s how significant Lee Seoyeon’s presence was.

“Huuuuk…!”

Lee Seoyeon’s eyes were glimmering darkly.

Once again, the Team Leader was holding her Coupon Book hostage. Forced to keep training, her expression was anything but pleased.

“Evil man…”

Karin looked at the Coupon Book trapped by the Team Leader and wore a sorrowful expression.

‘She must know the Team Leader is doing it for her own good.’

Kim Inho chuckled as he listened to Lee Seoyeon’s complaints.

Suddenly, Lee Seoyeon stopped working out and pulled something out of her bag.

“Bad guy, really bad guy.”

She took out a muscular-looking doll and began pinching and hitting it.

‘No way…’

Kim Inho glanced around nervously, wondering what would happen if the Team Leader saw that.

Then, in his line of sight, the Team Leader was watching Lee Seoyeon with a distinctly S-like expression.

It was lunchtime.

As expected.

Seoyeon sat by herself, mixing rice with soy sauce, on the verge of tears.

It was clearly the usual routine. But something kept making him feel watched.

Kim Inho glanced over his shoulder.

He saw Team Leader Lee Hyunbin humming and cleaning barbells.

It was odd.

He definitely felt someone’s gaze.

Kim Inho pretended to be choosing a dumbbell for training.

Then, using the mirror-like shine of the dumbbell’s coating, he checked behind him.

“…!”

In that instant, Kim Inho felt like his breath caught.

The Team Leader, humming as he cleaned, was staring right at him.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

He retraced his actions in his mind for the day, but nothing stood out.

Just to be sure, he checked behind him again.

Still, Team Leader Lee Hyunbin’s hawk-like eyes were fixed on him.

His heart thudded in his chest.

Even after that, Team Leader Lee Hyunbin’s watchful gaze continued.

Even while showering after training.

Even while leaving the Guild Lobby at the end of the day.

He could still feel Team Leader Lee Hyunbin’s eyes on him from behind.

‘What did I do? Should I just admit to whatever it is? No way… Could he have seen me liking that comment criticizing Team Leader Lee Hyunbin last night?’

Kim Inho felt his mental state crumbling. The only consolation was that he was finally heading home.

At least he wouldn’t be under surveillance any longer today.

“Inho, how about a drink later?”

“No.”

“You always say no.”

Kim Taeyang sounded disappointed.

Not today. There was something important waiting at home.

After parting ways with Kim Taeyang, Kim Inho took the bus home.

“…?”

He felt a prickling sensation at the back of his head.

‘No way…’

When Kim Inho looked back, there was a suspicious Bear Doll.

He swallowed nervously without realizing it.

“….”

It was Lee Hyunbin.

What did covering his face matter?

Those broad shoulders and solid arms, that body that radiated an unmistakable aura—these were the hallmarks of Team Leader Lee Hyunbin.

‘Why? Why is he doing this?’

Kim Inho trembled in silence, unable to speak.

He’d never experienced anything like this before.

He even considered jumping out of the bus window.

He cautiously tried to open the window, pretending to get some air. But it only opened a little.

Kim Inho gulped again.

Someone pressed the bell.

The back door of the bus opened.

One, two, three.

Now!

As the bus doors were about to close, Kim Inho bolted out.

Soon, he watched in relief as the bus—now only carrying Lee Hyunbin—left the stop.

‘I’m safe.’

Just then, the bus suddenly screeched to a halt.

Bang!

The back door exploded off the bus and rolled onto the ground.

Step, step.

A man in a Bear Doll suit stepped off the bus.

It was Team Leader Lee Hyunbin.

Kim Inho instinctively turned around and began walking away quickly.

Step, step.

Tap tap tap tap!

Before he knew it, Kim Inho found himself running.

He had no idea what Team Leader Lee Hyunbin would say to him tomorrow.

But fear was freezing his mind.

“Kyaaah!”

“What the—!”

People jumped aside or froze in shock as Kim Inho sprinted like he was running a 100-meter dash.

He’d done interval running every day. Running was his specialty.

‘It should be safe now, right?’

Kim Inho slowed down a little, panting as he looked back.

His eyes widened.

Behind him, the Bear Doll was charging at full speed.

Maybe the sight was too threatening, as people started fleeing into buildings or even shooting tranquilizer darts for wild animals.

‘I have to run.’

Kim Inho started sprinting again.

If he was caught, he’d die.

That was the overwhelming feeling he had.

The race that started at the entrance to the Market.

To onlookers, the sudden chase between a man and a Bear Doll looked like a movie or drama shoot.

Leaping over fruit boxes, dodging carts as obstacles, jumping walls.

Even with the chase dragging on, Kim Inho stayed ahead.

Ever tried working part-time in a Bear Doll suit?

Movement is restricted, and just standing still makes you sweat buckets. Above all, the fur suit soaked in other people’s sweat stinks to high heaven.

There’s no way he could keep up for long.

Not even if it was Lee Hyunbin.

‘Team Leader. I became strong because of you.’

Kim Inho had faithfully followed all the training Lee Hyunbin assigned.

Now, he was more than just an athlete.

“Huff, huff, huff…!”

Team Leader Lee Hyunbin was nowhere to be seen.

Kim Inho wiped away his sweat. Thank goodness. Whatever that was, it seemed dangerous.

The Bear Doll’s fierce eyes felt more terrifying than cute.

His sweat cooled in the chilly wind.

Kim Inho looked around several times before cautiously entering his destination.

Luckily, Team Leader Lee Hyunbin seemed to have truly lost him.

“Phew.”

Kim Inho let out a low sigh as he entered the hospital room.

He’d come to visit patients with Magestone Disease.

“How have you been, Inwoo?”

Kim Inho flashed a bright smile at the child lying in the hospital bed.

“Dad! Daaad!”

A child so precious he couldn’t hurt him even if he tried.

Kim Inho hugged his son, Kim Inwoo.

“Yeah, Inwoo. Sorry Daddy’s late. You must’ve been scared, right?”

“It’s okay, Dad.”

Kim Inho felt both proud and sorry for his son, who could say that despite being so young.

“Dad.”

“What is it, Inwoo?”

“Bear Doll.”

“Bear Doll?”

Bear Doll, all of a sudden?

Before Kim Inho could make sense of the words, he turned around.

There was the Bear Doll, spewing red steam.

Hoo.

Trying to shake me off, are you?

Our Inho’s grown up so much. Impressive.

But it’s not enough.

I activated the camouflage function of the Justice Armor.

It wasn’t available before, but now it works just fine.

Soon, I blended into my surroundings. Kim Inho kept looking around, completely unaware that I was nearby.

Suspicious.

There’s definitely something.

As the Team Leader, it’s my duty to find out what trouble my team member is dealing with.

Inho entered the hospital.

I have a rough idea what this place is for.

It’s linked to the Hunter organization—where patients with Magestone Disease are admitted.

“Team Leader, why did you…?”

“Why else.”

I came because I was worried something was up.

“Bear Doll! Bear Doll!”

The little kid stared at me with a big smile, repeating the words.

Kim Inho looked flustered seeing that.

Did he really think I’d harm a kid?

No matter what, I wouldn’t touch a child.

The kid was surprisingly friendly.

He clung to me, chanting Bear Doll, while I sat there.

So, I gave him a ride like an amusement park attraction.

Inho and Taeyang are both twenty-one. The boy looks about five—no way he’s their biological child from middle school.

He must have been awfully lonely stuck in the hospital alone.

“Bear Doll wrestling! Wrestling!”

“You cheeky little—hiyaaaah!”

“Waaaah, Daddy, Daddy! Ahahah!”

Let me put you to sleep.

Just like taking a sleeping pill.

I wondered how long we played.

Eventually, the child—tired from all the fun—flopped over in a deep sleep.

Kim Inho tucked him into bed and, with a wry smile, began to explain.

“He’s not really my own child.”

Of course, I expected as much. The ages don’t add up.

He said the boy is his sister’s child. A Gate suddenly appeared, and before his sister and nephew could escape, they were infected by the virus.

When you Awaken, a magestone is generated. By using your power, the magestone is consumed.

But what if a regular person—a non-awakened—gets a magestone?

They can’t use it up. That causes various complications and the body’s functions to deteriorate.

No, they die slowly.

Inho was never a big spender. But there was a reason for his hardship.

His brother-in-law died early, and his sister and nephew were undergoing treatment for Magestone Disease.

Then his sister died soon after.

She felt so sorry for her brother, but through her tears, she asked him to take care of her child.

There is still no cure for Magestone Disease.

Research is ongoing, but it’s only been a little over ten years since the Gate Incident.

Treating the pain and symptoms of Magestone Disease costs a fortune.

I remember asking before I brought the two Kims into the Order of Knights.

Why did you become a Hunter?

Inho told me then, a bit embarrassed, that he needed money.

There’s nothing shameful about that.

To protect his family. For his nephew, he worked himself to the bone.

“You should have told me.”

“It’s a private matter.”

“It’s not just private. You’re on my team.”

Kim Inho is part of my team. He’s one of mine.

I don’t bring just anyone into the Order of Knights. Only those with talent, trustworthiness, people I believe in.

“If you’d told me earlier, I would’ve healed him.”

“Thank you for caring, but…”

Kim Inho trailed off.

A brief silence. Then he blinked and looked at me.

“Huh?”

Did he not hear me right?

“If you’d told me earlier, I would’ve fixed it.”

“Fix it?”

Kim Inho seemed to think he’d misheard my words.

“Yeah.”