Kim Chan’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down noticeably.
In truth, Han Jihoo didn’t seem particularly eager to talk, so Kim Chan kept suppressing his curiosity.
Hwang Guman’s lips moved as if in slow motion.
“I don’t know either.”
“What?!”
Kim Chan blurted out loudly without realizing it.
Passersby nearby turned to stare at him wide-eyed.
Kim Chan, whose face was fairly well-known, hurriedly lowered his voice while still wearing a cap and mask.
“No, boss. Isn’t this a little too much? You’re making us expect something like you know all the details!”
“Your reaction was just too funny to resist.”
Hwang Guman recalled the conversation he had with Han Jihoo’s agency representative.
‘We will prepare the dormitory for the debut members to live together on our side. The costs will also be covered by us, so everyone can rest assured. We chose the location considering both convenience and safety.’
When he showed the dormitory, not only Hwang Guman but also other agency staff, production crew, and even association officials wore stunned expressions.
The monthly rent alone was astronomical.
And yet they were saying they would cover it all. It was good news in terms of reducing housing costs, but it defied all common sense.
‘Also, please tell everyone to treat Jihoo well.’
It was an excessively humble request just to talk about a trainee under their wing.
“Maybe he’s like a chaebol heir or something?”
Wealth is inherited.
That hadn’t changed even after monsters appeared.
Large corporations had been rushing to enter hunter-related businesses.
“I’m going to find out no matter what!”
Kim Chan’s curiosity only grew stronger at Hwang Guman’s teasing, and he clenched his fists tightly.
“Everyone, come in quickly.”
“Wow, he looks even better in person than in photos……”
The words Kim Chan had prepared to ask about Han Jihoo’s true identity were lost in admiration at everything he saw.
Han Jihoo, wearing a cardigan with four stripes loosely draped over his shoulders, greeted Kim Chan like the owner of the house.
On his left wrist was a watch that looked expensive even to Kim Chan, who didn’t know much about luxury brands.
Kim Chan subconsciously glanced down at his own hoodie, then wrinkled his nose slightly.
His worn-looking jeans and socks that had faded from white to a faint gray came into view, making his cheeks flush.
Han Jihoo, oblivious to Kim Chan’s thoughts, asked about the whereabouts of the others.
“Where are Roy hyung and Doha?”
“They’re coming up in the next elevator.”
While everyone was unloading their luggage, Kim Chan had arrived first.
“Is our dorm the only one on this floor?”
“Yeah. It’s good for security.”
When they stepped off the elevator, there was only one door on the floor. But the floor wasn’t small either.
It was huge, like dozens of company dorms combined.
“No one else is here yet?”
“You’re the first.”
“You came yesterday, right?”
“Yeah. Which room do you want?”
Han Jihoo helped carry Kim Chan’s luggage and introduced the dorm.
“Wow. How many rooms?”
“Five.”
“Seriously amazing……”
Eight people would live here, but there were five rooms.
Two people could even have single rooms.
“I already picked this one.”
Han Jihoo showed Kim Chan the room at the very back.
Inside was a king-sized bed and neatly arranged furniture that screamed luxury.
“You should have a room to yourself.”
Since Han Jihoo’s company provided the dorm, it seemed natural that he’d have his own room.
“That’s no fun. I’d rather share.”
But Han Jihoo seemed indifferent.
“Picking first doesn’t feel right. When are the others arriving?”
Since they’d be living and struggling together, Han Jihoo wanted to start things off on the right foot.
Unlike Roy’s group, Song Doyoon, Min Junyoung, and Kim Jaewoo weren’t that close, so this was even more important.
“They said they’d be here before 6 PM. I told them there’s a party tonight and to come early. They all said okay.”
***
After touring the dorm, Kim Chan remembered the question he’d almost forgotten.
“Jihoo hyung, but, uh……”
He hesitated, unsure how to ask about Han Jihoo’s identity without sounding strange.
“You look like you have a ton of questions. What is it?”
Kim Chan’s face wrinkled like a dog holding in a poop, and Han Jihoo shrugged.
“Hyung, are you really a chaebol third generation or something?”
This was his last chance to ask for a while. Kim Chan shut his eyes and blurted it out, causing Han Jihoo to burst into a big laugh.
“Really that curious?”
“Just imagine if you were in our shoes. Your company provided this dorm — and it’s worth tens of billions. This isn’t a normal dorm.”
Kim Chan was sure not only he but the others would be curious.
Maybe Lee Hajun would even cling to Han Jihoo as soon as he arrived to ask the same thing.
“My grandfather’s rich. Not my money.”
“Of course……”
Though Han Jihoo didn’t outright say it, mentioning a wealthy grandfather made it pretty clear he was a chaebol heir.
In Kim Chan’s mind, the names of Korea’s top corporations lined up.
He tried to guess which ones had a family name Han.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
“Looks like Roy hyung and Doha hyung are here.”
It took longer than expected for the two to arrive.
They showed up just after Kim Chan finished exploring the dorm.
As they headed to the front door, they opened it themselves, revealing more than a few familiar faces.
“Hello!”
Starting with the ever-boisterous Song Doyoon, the friendly smile of Lee Hajun, and the quietly nodding Min Junyoung.
Kim Chan’s awaited Roy and Lee Doha stood behind the three.
“Looks like everyone’s here except Jaewoo. Come on in, everyone.”
Like when he greeted Kim Chan, Han Jihoo led the members inside like the owner of the house.
“Jaewoo hyung said in the group chat he’s coming soon.”
Lee Hajun said, dragging his suitcase that was almost his size.
“Wow……”
His cheeks flushed as he took in the sight of the living room after the long hallway.
One entire wall was glass, offering a panoramic view of Seoul’s skyline.
“When Jaewoo hyung arrives, we’ll divide the rooms. There are five rooms total.”
Kim Chan, having already toured the dorm, mentioned this, and everyone nodded, gathering closely on the sofa.
Seven big young men sat together, yet the large, spacious sofa didn’t feel cramped at all.
“Oh, right. Some people will come later to support us.”
Being a Hunter Idol group required a lot of manpower.
Since everyone belonged to different agencies, they agreed to share that burden fairly.
“The road manager is from the association side.”
“But who would they send? I doubt they’d send someone with a low level.”
While Han Jihoo shared what he knew, Song Doyoon expressed his curiosity.
He hugged a cushion on the sofa, slouching against the backrest as if he’d already been living here for a year.
“The road manager? So, like the boss of Roy hyung’s company?”
Lee Hajun brought up Hwang Guman, whose first impression had stuck with him.
“Our boss definitely leaves an impression.”
Though his personality was softer than his looks suggested.
Ding dong
“Jaewoo’s here too.”
Han Jihoo stood up and brought in the last debut member, Kim Jaewoo.
“I guess I’m the last.”
Jaewoo smiled warmly, a small tear mole near his right eye twitching.
“It feels new having us all together like this.”
Han Jihoo glanced around the living room with a sentimental look.
Memories of everything that had happened during the program flashed through his mind.
He thought of those who couldn’t make the final debut lineup with some regret, but now the members had to get along well.
“I knew I’d make it. Just didn’t expect the youngest to.”
“Why me?”
Song Doyoon spoke as if he’d seen the future, causing Lee Hajun to look puzzled.
He felt a bit hurt that only he was singled out as unexpected.
“I didn’t mean anything by it. Look, what’s the common thread among those who got picked besides you?”
Lee Hajun’s face fell, and Song Doyoon waved his hands awkwardly.
Only then did Lee Hajun ponder the commonality.
“They’re all… S-rank Hunters?”
“Bingo!”
Except for Roy, whose rank was a question mark, and himself at A-rank, the rest were all S-rank.
“Not to brag, but when people say a Hunter is S-rank, they act like that means something big. Even within Hunter Idol fandoms, they argue over how many S-rank Hunters their group has.”
Song Doyoon’s words made sense.
Though their selection wasn’t solely based on Hunter rank, it surely had a big influence.
“So you’re amazing too. The only A-rank and the youngest, yet you made the debut team with confidence.”
Lee Hajun felt for the first time that Song Doyoon was truly older than him.
Until now, watching how he acted toward Roy gave the impression he was younger.
“Our ages are all pretty close. Roy hyung is the oldest. Junyoung hyung is twenty-one, right?”
Min Junyoung nodded obediently.
Han Jihoo sized up the members’ ages.
Roy was twenty-two, making him the oldest.
Next was Kim Jaewoo at twenty-one.
Three were twenty years old: Han Jihoo himself, Lee Doha, and Kim Jaewoo.
Kim Chan and Song Doyoon were both nineteen.
The youngest, Lee Hajun, was fifteen.
“Should we assign rooms by age? The oldest get single rooms. Oh, and the youngest too. That might be the fastest way to get close.”
Lee Hajun’s eyes sparkled.
He hadn’t thought about having a room to himself before coming here.
“The biggest room should go to the twenty-year-olds. We can rearrange the beds easily.”
All of them had Hunter Levels above 300. Moving furniture was no problem.
“I’m good with that.”
Roy quickly accepted Han Jihoo’s proposal, secretly happy to have a room to himself.
Min Junyoung, cheeks flushed, said he’d go along with everyone’s decision.
“You and I sharing a room…?!”
“What’s with that reaction?”
Though everyone else was fine, Kim Chan and Song Doyoon were unexpectedly the ones making noise. Kim Chan gave Song Doyoon a doubtful once-over.
In response, Song Doyoon crossed his arms and glared back at Kim Chan.
“I snore a lot, you know. You okay with that?”
Kim Chan had wanted to room with Lee Doha, who he’d shared company dorm rooms with before.
Mentioning snoring as his trump card brought a playful smile to Song Doyoon’s face.
“That what you were worried about? Don’t worry. I snore too.”