I Want to Eat Ramen (3)

“I apologize for visiting so early in the morning.”

“Since when did you ever care about that? Skip the pleasantries.”

The Association representative who had visited early in the morning returned to the Hunter Department as soon as the workday began. To be precise, he arrived at 9:00 AM sharp, before our morning meeting could even start.

Even Kim Se-hyun, who visited the department every single day, at least waited until our meeting was over. These people truly didn’t have a shred of manners. Seeing them act so selfishly, focusing only on their own business while everyone in the office clearly expressed their discomfort, made me realize why my team members hated the Association so much. Whatever lingering goodwill I had for them hit rock bottom today. When I accidentally locked eyes with the man, I quickly whipped my head away.

“…….”

“So, what brings you here? You should know we have meetings every morning. Since you’ve come at the crack of dawn, I’ll assume it’s important. Let’s hear it.”

“As you might expect, I am here to deliver our stance regarding the cooperation fees.”

I had a hunch, but I didn’t think they’d actually come this early specifically to negotiate fees. The Team Leader, wearing a crooked smile, leaned all the way back into his chair. The look in his eyes shifted, becoming more lethal than I had ever seen. I swallowed hard.

“Aha, so you want to raise them again?”

“It is only natural to be compensated according to one’s ability. The global trend is shifting toward providing preferential treatment to hunters.”

“The trend is toward higher pay for hunters with actual talent, not a blanket raise for everyone. Surely the Association knows that?”

“Even for low-rank hunters, the fact that they risk their lives to clear dungeons remains the same.”

“So you want to live off the citizens’ taxes? By barging into a dungeon clear at the very end just to snatch up a paycheck?”

“Wow. You might not have taken the civil service exam, but you’re a government employee in all but name, aren’t you?” Officer Park and Officer Kim added immediately after the Team Leader finished speaking.

It might have seemed rude, but considering the stunts Association hunters had pulled in the past, their anger was entirely justified.

The representative remained unfazed by the sharp reactions. He maintained eye contact with the Team Leader and spoke, making everyone focus.

“As you know, without Hunter Kim Se-hyun’s cooperation last time, the entire city of Seoul could have been in danger. You also saw him effortlessly clear a Rank S dungeon in Australia yesterday. You all know how incredible Hunter Kim Se-hyun is. I trust you are aware that he cannot be moved for just any meager amount?”

“And?”

“You mentioned that the world treats talented hunters with respect. Shouldn’t he receive treatment befitting his status?”

Realizing that logic wouldn’t work, he played his ace: Kim Se-hyun. Seeing them use an S-Rank hunter as a shield to demand more money was beyond absurd. I thought I couldn’t be more disappointed in them, but it seemed there was still a basement below the floor. I blinked as the Team Leader suddenly burst into loud laughter.

“Puhaha! Kim Se-hyun is indeed amazing!”

“Of course! Our Se-hyun has certainly changed!”

“Our Se-hyun, who used to care only about money… he hasn’t even mentioned wanting the cooperation fee for the dungeon he cleared recently.”

“Who would have guessed our Se-hyun, of all people, would move for free! Isn’t that right?”

…Kim Se-hyun moved for free?

The Team Leader spoke as if Kim Se-hyun had no intention of charging for the Chimera variant dungeon. That couldn’t be right. I looked at the Association representative, whose voice was trembling with as much confusion as I felt.

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about. There is no way Hunter Kim Se-hyun would refuse his cooperation fee.”

“That’s his personal business! Deputy Team Leader, it’s true that we don’t force the money on a hunter if they refuse it, right?”

“That is correct.”

“There you have it.”

“…That’s impossible.”

“If you want details, ask Kim Se-hyun when he gets here! My goodness, you call yourselves the same Association, yet you don’t even know what choice your own hunter made.”

“What an impressive Association. It’s truly fascinating how you can claim to work for your hunters while failing to grasp even the basic decisions they make,” the Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader tagged-teamed, making the man’s face turn beet red. His fists were clenched so hard they had lost all color.

“I’ve delivered the message. Pass the proposal to your superiors.”

Giving up on his soft persona, the man barked out his final word with a cold face and stormed out of the office. Once the door clicked shut, I looked around.

“Ah, that was refreshing!”

“Did you see his face? He was shocked.”

“Of course! Who wouldn’t be shocked to hear that a money-grubber cleared a dungeon for free?”

“…Actually, I was a bit surprised too.”

“Wait a moment.”

I realized the team really believed Kim Se-hyun was refusing the money. I urgently raised my hand, drawing their attention.

“Isn’t the cooperation fee being paid out?”

“Hmm?”

“Didn’t he go because you asked him a favor?”

“Well, yes.”

It was true that Kim Se-hyun went to the dungeon because I asked him. But I didn’t see what the favor had to do with the money.

“Among hunters, ‘asking a favor’ is slang for ‘help me out for free’.”

“…Pardon?”

“The Chick might not have known, but it’s slang that Kim Se-hyun definitely knows. So don’t you dare put that request through the books, understood?”

“…….”

I had no idea that “asking a favor” meant working for free.

Moreover, even for a Rank B dungeon, the fee would be in the hundreds of millions. To think he agreed so readily just because I asked. No wonder he kept double-checking during the request. My throat went dry as I remembered him heading toward the dungeon saying he understood after just a few words.

“He did it because he wanted to. Well, if you feel bad, just make him a cup of coffee. Don’t do anything else.”

“He’ll probably love it even if it’s just a cup of coffee.”

A cup of coffee was too little compared to the amount of money involved. Even if I sold the house I lived in with my parents, I wouldn’t be able to cover that fee. A surge of guilt and gratitude washed over me, but I steeled my heart, remembering what Kim Se-hyun had said yesterday.

“Well, even without doing anything special, he seems to like it here. Why don’t we just let him use the office comfortably for a while? We saved a lot of tax money, after all.”

“That’s why I’m just letting him be.”

“Aha.”

Right. Yesterday, before his interview, Kim Se-hyun had mentioned ramen. Since he used a double entendre, I was a bit confused, but since he loved eating so much, he must have meant the actual food.

Deciding this time to use my own money instead of billing the Association, I vowed to buy and cook it for him myself. I raised my hand again.

“Can I step out for a moment?”

“Where to?”

“Just to the nearby mart.”

“The mart?”

“Oh, the mart sounds great! Get me a Coke while you’re at it.”

“Yes, sir!”

“…….”

Usually, the Team Leader would have answered by now, but he remained silent. He stared at me for a long time with an unreadable expression before finally nodding. Once I got permission, I hurried out of the office.

“…Whew.”

I didn’t know which brand he liked, so I planned to buy a few different cases and let him choose. A whole case should be enough to fill him up.

Buying the ramen meant my extra cash for the month was basically gone. But compared to the help he’d given me, this was nothing.

“…….”

I hoped Kim Se-hyun would appreciate the gesture. If it wasn’t enough, I’d dip into my emergency savings to stock even more. I quickened my pace.

“Hyung!”

I expected him soon, but he arrived earlier than I thought.

The door swung open with a call for me, and Kim Se-hyun appeared. I looked toward the small pantry area, feeling a sense of pride. It was a good thing I went to the mart early. If I hadn’t, I might not have had the chance.

“Hyung, have you been well?”

Naturally pulling a chair from the round table to my side, he sat down with a grin. I nodded.

“Yes. Are you okay, Se-hyun?”

“Of course. I’m the world’s strongest hunter.”

“Haha.”

He was mentioning the “world’s strongest” bit again. I nodded and smiled.

“By the way, Ha-neul Hyung.”

“Yes.”

“Did you see the Australia interview?”

“…I saw it live.”

“Really?”

Hearing that I watched it live, his expression became brighter than ever. I could easily read the anticipation in his sparkling blue eyes. I pointed to the boxes stacked by the water purifier.

“Actually, I spent the morning looking up recipes.”

Since work was light today, I could spare some time. I nodded, recalling a simple but delicious ramen recipe.

“…Are you really going to cook me ramen?” Kim Se-hyun asked, following my gaze to the boxes.

“Yes.”

While I was at the mart, I had also bought vegetables and eggs. Since I had watched the video and practiced it in my head several times, it was bound to taste good.

“…….”

He looked like he wanted to say something, but no words came out. He just sat there with his mouth agape, staring at the ramen boxes. I stared back in confusion, then looked around as I heard noises from the desks nearby and behind me.

“Pffft— cough!”

The team members, every single one of them, were burying their faces in their desks, their shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. I didn’t understand why they were laughing so hard just because I mentioned ramen. I looked back at Kim Se-hyun.

The way he was looking at those boxes was intense. I wondered if that was how he looked at monsters. I asked tentatively:

“…Should I go back and exchange them for something else?”

Since I didn’t know his preference, I had picked a variety: spicy red broth, mild white broth, and even cold bibim-men. It seemed I had made a terrible choice. I had the receipt and the boxes were unopened, so I could exchange them. As I started to get up, he grabbed my wrist.

“It’s fine. Those are the kinds I like.”

…For someone who said he liked them, his expression was still quite strange. I gave him a suspicious look. Only after he insisted a second time did I finally feel at ease.

“I spent a lot of time picking them out. I’m glad.”

“…Yeah.”

I hadn’t expected to nail his taste on the first try. I felt a bit embarrassed by how much I was grinning, but I felt great. As I fidgeted with my fingers, I felt a hand tap my cheek.

“Ha-neul Hyung.”

“Yes.”

A gaze full of unidentifiable emotions swept over my face. I stared back at him.

“I’ll let it slide because you’re cute.”

“…….”

“But there won’t be a next time.”

The finger that had been tapping my cheek slid down to stroke my jawline. It was a faint touch, but goosebumps erupted wherever his finger passed. Not only that, but a ticklish, inexplicable sensation seemed to spread from my jaw to every corner of my body. I quickly pulled my head back.

“…….”

It was just a light touch, so why was my heart racing like this?

I pressed the back of my hand against my jaw several times to shake off the ticklish feeling. At the sound of him calling me again, I slowly looked up.

“Hyung, I’m hungry. Cook me some ramen.”

“I’ll get it ready right away.”

Unlike other days, the look in his eyes as he said he was hungry was strange. His pupils, appearing almost glazed yet burning with intensity, urged me on. He must have been incredibly hungry. I quickly stood up.

“I’ll try to make it delicious.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Crossing his legs and clasping his knees, Kim Se-hyun watched me. I blankly stared at his slightly curved eyes for a second before snapping out of it—now was not the time to admire his looks.

Right. Now was the time to focus on the ramen.

I could look at that face later.