The First Target, Trust

‘As long as Jaeyul isn’t my lover, no matter what I do, no matter who I sleep with, he doesn’t interfere with my choices.’

To preserve that state, I felt it was necessary not to deepen my relationship with Hyeon Jaeyul until I had conquered the others.

‘So Jaeyul goes last.’

‘Childhood friend Jaeyul’ is safe.

But ‘lover Jaeyul’ is still an unknown variable.

Without hesitation, I assigned Hyeon Jaeyul to fourth place in the conquest order.

Deciding the first among the remaining three wasn’t difficult either.

‘The easiest one to control is obviously him….’

I slowly lifted the corners of my mouth as I stared at Ju Noeul’s face, his hand clasped with mine for ability training.

At some point, I’d started smiling whenever I looked at him.

“…Why are you smiling again all of a sudden…?”

It wasn’t exactly a warm smile.

More like a crooked half-smirk—borderline mocking.

Still, it counted as a smile.

“Watching you makes me think you’d have a hard time surviving in the world. In a different way than Jaeyul.”

Resting my chin on my free hand atop the table, I spoke casually.

In Jaeyul’s world, everyone except me seems blurred out, like background noise.

Because of that, he can’t build smooth relationships.

And he has no intention of letting anyone except me inside his boundary.

Thankfully, his abilities are strong enough that his personality doesn’t hinder his social standing.

Even if he behaves that way, his power is always needed.

His temperament doesn’t affect his capability.

‘But Ju Noeul….’

When I met his gaze head-on, I watched the tips of his ears slowly turn red.

He always looks like he’s bristling with thorns.

But the moment someone presses against them, he retracts them himself.

Worried that the person touching him might get hurt.

He’s nothing like me.

He acts prickly.

Always irritated.

And yet not selfish at all.

‘He’s comfortable.’

He’s a conquest target.

A massive man.

Loud voice.

An S-class Hunter strong enough to subdue me instantly.

And still, standing beside him doesn’t make me uneasy.

“You think I’d have a hard time surviving?”

Ju Noeul rubbed the back of his reddened ear and furrowed his brow sharply.

His incredulous laugh made it sound like I’d said something utterly absurd.

“I don’t know what kind of delusion that is, but I’ve never had a hard time in this world.”

“No, that can’t be true.”

“Be objective.”

“What about me looks like I struggle?”

“Hmm. Everything.”

“And call me Doya, Noeul.”

“…Unbelievable.”

As the conversation continued, the hand that had been rubbing his ear moved up to rake roughly through his soft cream-colored hair.

The fluffy strands fell messily under his rough fingers.

“Fine.”

“Then tell me.”

“What exactly about me gives you that impression?”

“First, that question just now.”

“How am I supposed to argue if I don’t even know what you mean?”

“That too.”

“What, that too?!”

“You’re just saying random stuff because you want to see me get irritated, aren’t you?”

“The fact that you get irritated by something this trivial.”

“Ah, seriously!”

His face scrunched up in frustration.

Yet even then, he didn’t apply any pressure to the hand he was holding.

‘This is why Ju Noeul has to be first.’

Even if we grow closer after conquest, he’ll never become a threat to me.

I let out a small laugh and leaned forward until my upper body rested on the table, cheek pressed down.

From below, I looked up at him.

Ju Noeul, who had been knocking his forehead in exasperation, sighed when he saw me sprawled out.

After sighing, he turned his head toward the living room.

More precisely, toward Won-gyeong sitting on the sofa.

Watching his gaze move, I saw his lips part.

“Hey. Toss me that cushion.”

Won-gyeong, still focused on drawing his spell circle, didn’t even look up.

He grabbed the cushion beside him and tossed it one-handed without glancing.

It flew straight toward Ju Noeul’s head with absurd accuracy.

How does he do that without looking?

Ju Noeul caught it effortlessly with one hand.

‘Lucky.’

If it were me, I’d struggle even with both hands.

We’re both Hunters, yet the gap in ability feels unfair.

I pouted slightly—until Ju Noeul noticed.

He clicked his tongue.

“If it’s uncomfortable, why’d you slam your head down there?”

He must’ve mistaken my expression for discomfort.

Letting go of my hand, he placed the cushion on the table.

Then, with both large hands, he carefully lifted my head.

‘Is he defusing a bomb?’

His touch was cautious, almost trembling.

I could predict what he’d do next.

‘He definitely had a hard time surviving in this world.’

He held my head steady with one palm and slid the cushion beneath it.

I stayed still while he moved with unnecessary caution.

When he slowly withdrew his hand, my cheek sank into the cushion.

My hair shifted slightly.

He examined me carefully.

Then stared at the strands that had fallen across my face, conflicted.

Whether to touch them or not.

‘Interesting.’

He had no issue lifting my head.

But touching my hair?

That required serious deliberation.

I glanced at Won-gyeong.

Still immersed in his spell circle.

Not looking our way.

Once I confirmed that, I moved.

I placed my hand over the back of Ju Noeul’s and guided it to my fallen hair.

The moment my fingers touched his skin, his shoulders flinched and his lips pressed tight.

‘It’s a 19+ romance simulation. Physical contact should help with conquest.’

We’re only holding hands now.

But if given the chance, deeper intimacy would likely accelerate progress.

When I placed his hand over my hair, his Adam’s apple bobbed visibly.

His caramel-colored eyes burned with heat.

After blinking twice, he stopped blinking altogether and brushed my hair back.

As the strands slid away from my neck, cool air touched exposed skin.

I wasn’t wearing my Association suit—just light indoor clothes with an open neckline.

His gaze dropped to my neck.

‘He looks like he wants to touch it.’

‘But since it’s Ju Noeul… he probably won’t.’

He hesitated.

Then began to withdraw his hand.

As he did, his fingers barely grazed my neck—so lightly it could be dismissed as accidental.

No one with even minimal awareness could mistake the affection in that touch.

He clenched his hand afterward, as if regretting it.

His face looked dazed.

We’ve slept together before.

Yet he’s this shaken by brushing my neck?

I let him linger in his thoughts.

‘Ju Noeul’s sub-scenario… Trust.’

Trust means firm belief and reliance.

We successfully completed the ‘Silent Manor’ scenario together.

So I can assume Sub Scenario ‘1 – Trust’ is already complete.

If that’s the case, then Ju Noeul already trusts me.

But why?

‘Why did he trust me?’

Even when I acted without explanation, he allowed me to attack him.

That goes beyond simple attraction.

What comes after trust?

To answer that, I need to know when and where his trust began.

‘How did affection like that turn toward me?’

If you asked Ju Noeul when he first met Go Doya, he wouldn’t be able to answer.

Not because he wasn’t interested.

But because he doesn’t know how to define the moment of “first meeting.”

‘It’s all because of Go Doya.’