I Tamed the First Rank Chapter 27

HoshiMiya
May 17, 2024
7 min read

Updated: May 8

In Yoo-shin was shocked and shook his head. I shouldn’t find out. Not finding out is better for my mental health.

“It’s okay. I think I’ll understand even if I don’t learn why.”

“Don’t be like that—just listen to me. If I say you’re my boyfriend, lots of people will target you, so I’ll make an example of one of them for Master……”

Fortunately, Lee Hye-yeon, who had immediately understood Kwon Seong-gil’s explanation, looked back at In Yoo-shin with admiration and interrupted Hyeon Gyu-ha.

“I’m late to say hello, right? I didn’t even see you because you were hidden by Gyu-ha’s size. Nice to meet you, Master-ssi!”

“Hello, Hunter-nim. My name is In Yoo-shin, though……”

“Ah, isn’t your name Master?”

Lee Hye-yeon’s gaze on Hyeon Gyu-ha became a little strange, but she soon understood—because it was something Hyeon Gyu-ha did.

“Anyway, nice to meet you. If that guy, Gyu-ha, is bothering you, don’t feel pressured by him and tell me right away. Even if I can’t kill that bastard, if we mobilize all of our hunters, we can grab him by the ankles and give Yoo-shin-ssi time to run away.”

As soon as they got acquainted with him, the couple told him to seek counseling if he were troubled. Just as In Yoo-shin took a moment to reevaluate Hyeon Gyu-ha’s personality, Team Leader Noh amiably joined them. Next to him was also Ohana, who was filming everything with a camcorder for now.

“Thanks to you hunters, I saved myself a lot of trouble today. I think the video will come out very nicely. You guys get along well, just as I’ve heard.”

“We’re not close.”

“I don’t know this couple.”

These were the words that came out of Lee Hye-yeon’s and Hyeon Gyu-ha’s mouths at the same time. Team Leader Noh smiled.

“Haha, it’s nice to see that you two get along so well like siblings. By the way, Hunter Hyeon Gyu-ha is also a talented member of our Ministry of Ability, just like Hunter Lee Hye-yeon……”

“……”

“Oh no, of course, that was just a joke, a joke! Hahahaha!”

When Hyeon Gyu-ha’s face hardened, Team Leader Noh quickly laughed and said he was joking, but his expression never softened. The air became stiff and awkward, and sweat began to run down Team Leader Noh’s face.

Worried about the unusual atmosphere, In Yoo-shin looked up and pulled his coat slightly.

“Gyu-ha-ssi?”

Hyeon Gyu-ha was muttering softly to himself.

“That’s a really good idea. Why haven’t I thought of this until now? It’s a way to be by Yoo-shin’s side without being noticed.”

“Are you saying you were being mindful of others until now?”

“Of course.”

His tone was confident.

“Why do you think I deliver coffee and desserts to the office every morning?”

Did you mean you didn’t mean to exploit Team Leader Hong as a coffee shuttle?

“Even when bothered by things like setting up a photo zone, they patiently took pictures for us.”

It was a tribute that the employees voluntarily offered to the Karen-fighting totem.

“I didn’t say anything even though my date was interrupted by some vlog filming.”

In the first place, I wanted to point out that the basis of having a date at someone else’s workplace was wrong.

“Yoo-shin is busy working during office hours and doesn’t pay any attention to me, so I just quietly sit on the sofa without disturbing him.”

“You were… definitely being mindful of others.”

In Yoo-shin nodded repeatedly. It’s true that he was being mindful of others. Kwon Seong-gil and Lee Hye-yeon, who were listening to their conversation with expressions of disbelief, also agreed.

“That guy…… There’s even a time when he's mindful of other people?”

“What kind of love can change even a person who used to live with arrogance? Ew, that’s gross. Seong-gil-ah, look at the goosebumps on my forearms.”

Meanwhile, Team Leader Noh and Oh Ha-na were speechless. Given that rumors about the abuse of power Hyeon Gyu-ha committed in the Department of Public Welfare had spread widely, even to other departments, his being mindful of others, you say? If that were his being mindful of others, what would he intend to do when he wasn’t……?

Team Leader Noh relaxed his shoulders and cleared his mind. That wasn’t what mattered now.

“Hunter-nim. Can I take it as a serious thing, and not a joke, that you want to become a hunter belonging to the Ministry of Ability? Do you need more time to think about it?”

Hunters who signed a contract with the Ministry of Ability were considered public officials in a broad sense. This meant that the annual salary was low compared to hunter guilds, which were private companies. No matter how many tax benefits and welfare provisions were provided, they could not beat the salaries of private companies.

However, this did not mean that they could enjoy power.

Decades ago, the government, which had barely suppressed a coup d’état led by government officials, changed its policy. Official hunters in field positions were prohibited from exercising any form of power, including military power.

For this reason, only some of the top rankers like Lee Hye-yeon, who had noblesse oblige or a sense of mission because of their privileged status as hunters, worked for the government. Other than that, most of them were mediocre hunters. Or perhaps they had ambitions to rise to a high-ranking government position.

“My only condition is permitted office dating with Yoo-shin-ssi.”

“That…… um, um. Perhaps, if we make Yoo-shin-ssi a manager in charge of Hunter-nim, u-um, it’ll work out! I’ll make it happen!”

“It’s good that we can communicate, unlike Team Leader Hong.”

“I’ll report this directly to my superiors, so please wait just a moment, just a moment!”

Team Leader Noh grabbed his cell phone and rushed off. Lee Hye-yeon frowned slightly.

“Hey, Hyeon Gyu-ha. It’s all good, but your method……”

“Yoo-shin-ssi, is it okay if you change from Department of Public Welfare? If you want to stay at this department, I’ll cancel.”

Lee Hye-yeon was about to point out something like, ‘Are you going to decide the treatment of Yoo-shin-ssi on your own without listening to his opinion?’ but she shut her mouth. Instead, she muttered to herself.

“Oh my god, has Gyu-ha become a human……?”

In Yoo-shin pretended not to hear what she was saying to herself and answered Hyeon Gyu-ha.

“Well, I’m a contract worker anyway, so I can go wherever you want. But do you really plan on canceling if I say no?”

“No way. If I’m away from you, I feel like I’ll die from anxiety, so how could I give up office dating? I was trying to persuade Master.”

“……”

It seemed likely that Yoo-shin would have been persuaded semi-forcibly, whether through Gyu-ha’s looks, his sophistry, or some other means.

Thus, Hyeon Gyu-ha’s bombshell announcement turned the Ministry of Ability upside-down once again, and Hyeon Gyu-ha did indeed sign the contract. He did it less than an hour after his bombshell announcement.

This was the recruitment of an S-class hunter, not just another mere hunter. Normal procedures would have started with a press conference, but for the Ministry of Ability, it was urgent to get the seal of approval before Hyeon Gyu-ha changed his mind. The minister, who had missed an opportunity the previous day, not only succeeded in taking a promotional photo standing side-by-side with Hyeon Gyu-ha, but also got an autograph to give to his son.

The head of the Ministry of Ability even sent a government car to try and escort him to the office building, but Hyeon Gyu-ha flatly refused and rode his motorcycle. Thanks to that, In Yoo-shin somewhat involuntarily also ended up having to follow along, clinging to his back.

And for some reason, I was even present at the signing of the contract, and even exchanged greetings with Attorney Yoo, whom I had only heard of.

“Ah, I see this is In Yoo-shin-ssi.”

What was actually going on among Hyeon Gyu-ha’s acquaintances?

Uh, the contract was finished while In Yoo-shin was occupied, and when he came to his senses, he realized he was going to the parking lot side-by-side with Hyeon Gyu-ha. Just like his usual way home from work.

Hyeon Gyu-ha’s thumb gently scratched the back of his hand.

“What are you thinking?”

It was as if faint electricity sparked from where their fingertips brushed, making In Yoo-shin flinch his shoulder. He tried to subtly pull his caught hand away, but Hyeon Gyu-ha didn’t let go. Instead, he pulled on his arm.

“Uwagh.”

Suddenly pulled forward in an instant, In Yoo-shin hit his chest. His heart pounded once. I felt it every time I unintentionally got close to him, but he had a really solid body. It didn’t look like he had enormous muscles, but how could his body be so strong?

Having lifted his head, this time In Yoo-shin was startled and quickly stepped back. He was too close to Hyeon Gyu-ha—that is to say, his face, which was harmful to the heart.

Hyeon Gyu-ha bent down as much as In Yoo-shin stepped back. From a distance close enough to see the texture of his long eyelashes, his amber gaze, narrowed into a smile, persistently followed him. In Yoo-shin tried hard to avoid that gaze by shifting his eyes to the side.

“There is also CCTV here.”

“Yes.”

“It’s past work hours, but I don’t know if there are people going home after working overtime……”

“Yes.”

“Uh, can you move away a little bit?”

“Don’t want to. Even though I’m right next to you, you’re thinking about something else. The only other thing I can forgive you for thinking about is my sister, Henry Raymond Charles Francois VI.”

In Yoo-shin opened and closed his lips slightly. And after thinking about it, he opened them again.

“I was wondering if I could ask you this now that everything is over.”

HM: GH and Lee Hye-yeon remind me of our 2 editors currently

PA: He actually making Yoo-shin promote HAHHAHAHA ( ๑‾̀◡‾́)✨

Hye-yeon girl is funny too.

Editor M: Hyeon Gyu-ha is one minor inconvenience away from straight-up handcuffing himself to In Yoo-shin.

Chapter Summary: In Yoo-shin finally meets Lee Hye-yeon, another A-ranked hunter who knows Hyeon Gyu-ha. Hyeon Gyu-ha realises that if he joins the same workplace as In Yoo-shin, they can go on dates during work-hours (though only because everyone lets Hyeon Gyu-ha do whatever he wants) so he signs a contract with the Ministry of Ability.

Editor’s Daily Entries: PA

Feb 05/24: I feel someone’s gaze…. Not hostile but it felt weird. I thought it was just the usual company observer.

Feb 09/24: I got caught editing ITTFR, but was dismissed cause I did it during my break.

Feb 12/24: I noticed my workmate staring at me, I was eating. I stared back.◉‿◉

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