Episode 39: I Don’t Believe, I Don’t Buy, I Don’t Do (10)

Two weeks before the original plot began to unravel, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

The Australian government urgently contacted South Korea regarding the appearance of an S-class creature near a popular tourist destination. They claimed that the matter was so critical, they couldn’t afford even a moment of hesitation before deciding on Juyul’s deployment abroad. Or so the association said.

“What a joke. They probably just wanted to get me out of the way because I was about to announce my leave of absence.”

While the creature in question was S-class and undoubtedly dangerous, it wasn’t such a terrifying threat that they would need to call for international help. In fact, Juyul had heard that Australia’s high-ranking hunters had been preparing for underwater combat for over a month.

In other words, the Australian government had no reason to disrupt their carefully laid plans by summoning Baek Juyul.

‘The real reason must be…’

It was likely Korea’s overreach. Ever since acquiring the “Baek Juyul card,” the country hadn’t stepped down from its position as a leading hunter nation. Now, all he felt was the discomfort of being an unwanted joker in a forced trade.

As always, his SSS-class title was more of a burden than a blessing. Half a lifetime of living with it hadn’t changed that.

The crashing waves echoed his mood, slamming against the shore relentlessly.

Swoosh.

The Gold Coast lived up to its name with its golden sand and emerald waters stretching as far as the eye could see, yet Juyul found himself thinking of a very different sea.

‘Gunsan Subjugation. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone there.’

He remembered the spectators, standing near the fences as if watching animals in a zoo, too afraid to approach. He recalled the civilians who hid at the sound of his name, terrified of the reputation they had only heard about.

On that deserted beach, the only footprints left around him were his own. It felt fitting—until something faint and nearly imperceptible had approached him.

‘Right. That’s when everything started going wrong.’

That woman. She had babbled on endlessly as she guided him, then passed out before she could even make sense of half the things he said. Her foolishly fearless behavior reminded him of someone he knew all too well.

‘And her rank’s the same, too. If she’s a spy, the first thing I need to do is find out where she got her intel.’

Though the association had decided on this overseas trip, it wouldn’t have happened without Juyul’s consent. He had agreed for one reason only: he wanted to observe her actions while he was gone.

This was his final test.

‘She’s cautious, so she’ll probably take at least two months before making a serious move. I left Seonghwa behind to keep an eye on her, so she won’t slip through the cracks.’

Seonghwa might be a bit too soft for a hunter, but if there was even a trace of espionage, he’d be the first to act. With his S-class title and the weight of being the association president’s only son, there wasn’t a better choice for this job.

For now, the only thing Juyul needed to focus on was—

Screech!

“…This damn creature.”

A massive beast made of debris—empty bottles, deflated tubes, shattered surfboards—emerged from the sea, splitting the water as it roared.

Around Juyul, the scattered shards of ice that had been lying in wait instantly turned their sharp points toward the monster. An icy blade grew from his hand, its target unmistakable. As always.

When it was all over, the Gold Coast was left riddled with craters, with only Juyul and the shattered remains of the creature left standing unscathed.

Unlike his stone-like stillness during the Gunsan subjugation, Juyul’s steps were swift as he tried to leave the scene. He knew all too well that lingering would only invite trouble, but no matter how fast he moved, it seemed he couldn’t fully shake off the people waiting for him.

“Excuse me, Hunter Baek Juyul! Do you need Guiding?”

“……”

“I may be F-class, but I’ll do my best! I’ll do anything for you, Hunter Baek Juyul!”

The word F-class, which he’d been hearing far too often lately, instantly clued him in on the scheme unfolding behind the scenes. Her jet-black hair, save for the golden roots starting to peek through at her crown, was all too telling.

It was laughable—her desperate attempts to mimic someone he’d tried to forget, the way she’d been pushed forward in this moment when no one else dared approach him. It all painted a pitiful picture.

Juyul brushed back his damp hair, still wet from the seawater, and ignored her entirely, resuming his pace.

“Hunter Baek Juyul! Please, just one moment—just let me hold your hand!”

Her futile attempts to keep up, even breaking into a run to grab his hand, failed to amuse him. If anything, the situation was aggravating. He could imagine someone at the Australian association—or someone higher up—promising her some extravagant reward for the mere act of touching him.

Had it not been for that woman, he wouldn’t have to deal with such ridiculous nuisances.

‘Before her, the idea of attaching a Guide to me was deemed impossible. She’s nothing but a liability in so many ways.’

Despite this, Juyul harbored a certain sense of loyalty toward the association head, who had taken him in like a father figure after he’d lost both his parents. For Juyul, no amount of money or influence from abroad could outweigh his ties to Korea.

This was reflected in his history of accepting matches solely through the Korean association, no matter how many Guides existed elsewhere in the world. Even though all his assigned Guides had fled, leaving him in an unthinkable position, he had endured—even accepting Guiding from an F-class Guide he would have otherwise avoided.

Over time, word of Juyul’s approach had spread, and the world eventually concluded that attempts to manipulate him with underhanded tricks were futile. That is, until rumors began circulating that he’d been regularly requesting Guiding from one particular F-class Guide, as though struck by lightning.

‘God, I hope the rest of the countries don’t pull stunts like this from now on…’

The thought made his brow furrow slightly as he continued walking, utterly indifferent to the persistent F-class Guide trailing behind him.

* * *

Without exception, every single country he visited employed the same tactics. In London, they even brought out someone fluent in Korean.

“This is starting to seriously piss me off.”

“But Hunter Baek Juyul, it’s not like it’s a bad deal for you. You could just get the Guiding and leave. No one would blame you.”

“That’s… not entirely wrong.”

“Right? You just need to extend your hand for a moment, and I’ll handle the rest. Come on…”

The Guide prattled on endlessly, even following him into the elevator. She boldly held out her hand, smiling confidently as if her words had already won him over. Juyul glanced at her hand and then stepped closer.

Unlike the dyed hair of every other Guide he’d encountered on this trip, this woman’s hair and eye color bore an uncanny resemblance to Sodam’s. It sparked a sudden desire to test something.

When he moved toward her, the Guide flinched slightly but quickly recovered, putting on a brave smile and closing the distance again. She likely had no idea how forced her expression looked compared to Sodam’s natural, if annoyed, demeanor.

‘…Thinking about her again.’

Juyul clicked his tongue softly and moved before the Guide could notice his hesitation. Gripping her sharp chin, he pulled her face closer. She opened her mouth slightly and closed her eyes, almost as if expecting a kiss. It was laughable. If this had been Sodam, she would’ve stubbornly glared at him until the last moment before reluctantly closing her eyes.

Comparing this woman to Sodam felt absurd, but the bigger issue was elsewhere. Objectively, this woman was attractive. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he felt nothing. If anything, the mere thought of Sodam’s disheveled state stirred something far deeper than the presence of the Guide before him.

When the Guide finally peeked one eye open after his inaction, Juyul released her chin with a sharp movement. He pulled out a handkerchief and meticulously wiped his hand where they’d touched.

“I thought I’d check, but no, you don’t interest me at all.”

“W-what did you just say?”

“If you’re this lacking in allure, maybe you should consider quitting as a Guide. Just some advice, out of pity.”

“W-who the hell do you think you are?! Do you think I want to be stuck dealing with a monster like you?!”

The moment she used the word monster, Juyul felt a wave of irritation and a flicker of regret for indulging this test in the first place. He left the Guide behind, stomping and fuming in the elevator, and stepped out. From behind him, the sound of her repeatedly jamming the “close” button filled the air until the doors finally shut.

Alone at last, Juyul leaned back against the wall and let out a silent sigh.

“…This is exhausting.”

Over the past two weeks, he had visited ten countries. The constant travel was tiring enough, but the lack of Guiding was what truly drained him.

Before, he would’ve found the effort taxing but bearable. He’d grown accustomed to suppressing his emotions, numbing himself to the strain.

But now? Now it was different.

“Sodam… that woman has ruined me.”

It was laughable, really. Not the desperate Guides throwing themselves at him, but the fact that he kept unconsciously searching for her slight figure after every subjugation. How many times had he stopped himself from demanding her presence outright, like a child throwing a tantrum?

He even found himself missing her ridiculous antics—her terrified reaction whenever she accidentally glanced at his body, or the way she babbled nonsense while performing Guiding with trembling hands.

The deadline he’d set for himself was another month.

“Can I… even hold out that long?”

Even just recalling her Guiding made his throat ache with a parched dryness. Could he truly endure the time remaining without breaking?

Every time he justified those stolen kisses as necessary for survival, he had to summon superhuman restraint to stop his hands from wandering further. And when Sodam pressed closer, muttering about “proper Guiding,” resistance was never an option.

 

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