episode_0028

“It was definitely here…”

I glance at the cold watch on my wrist.

The time precisely points to noon.

Below in the upscale family restaurant, someone is waiting.

Before long, I spot a chubby man and a guy in sunglasses.

“Mr. Jaehee-.”

It was quite a distance away.

Yet, the chubby man seems to recognize me just by my silhouette.

Even though he approaches slowly, he reaches out for a handshake, panting.

As our hands meet, a damp and clammy sensation is felt on my palm.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No, I just arrived.”

“Let’s go inside; it’s hot outside.”

He gestures for me to follow him.

Then, he leads me to a table by the window.

I feel uneasy about the exposed view from outside, but I have no choice.

I’m in a position where I need to ask him for a favor.

“I’m Jiho, as contacted.”

“Yes, I’m Jaehee.”

I scan my surroundings as if meeting a broker.

It feels like someone is watching me.

“In fact, I’m a big fan of Mr. Jaehee. Normally, I avoid such spontaneous meetings, but I made an exception for you.”

“Thank you…”

Jiho.

He is a famous journalist who covers entertainment industry issues.

His articles have the power to make or break celebrities’ careers.

However, despite that influence, I never imagined he would look so plain.

His face is marked with acne scars, and his black hair hangs limply on his forehead.

Clearly, he’s not conventionally handsome.

Instead, my gaze shifts to the man beside me.

The man in sunglasses calmly sips his coffee while wearing a sword on his back.

Probably a bodyguard.

“Oh, this is Jack. He’s an A-class hunter from the U.S., responsible for my security.”

Jiho introduces him as he notices my gaze.

Jack nods slowly and then focuses back on his coffee.

“Can we handle what I mentioned…?”

“You’re talking about the collusion between the legislator and the CEO, and even the sexual favors at the salon.”

As I explain the request, Jiho’s expression changes.

He taps his fingers on the calculator.

“With this kind of case, it could significantly impact the company. However, it will require a lot of effort to prove it.”

A lot of effort…

I mull over those words in my mind.

Gradually, Jiho’s thick eyes narrow slightly.

His gaze slowly travels up and down me.

“It might cost a lot.”

“I’ll try to prepare the money somehow.”

I hurriedly respond, wanting to seek his help.

But it seems he’s not satisfied with such a perfunctory response, as he waves it off.

“We don’t need money. Isn’t exposing societal injustices my role?”

He smiles and picks up the menu.

And he orders steak in broad daylight.

Although Jiho suggests meat for me as well, I order only salad, feeling queasy.

But I can hardly eat even that.

My mind is filled with anxiety about betraying the CEO.

Soon, the steak plate is placed on the table.

Jiho sniffs the aroma of the meat buried in fat.

“Don’t you like the smell? This place only uses veal.”

I remain silent.

I just stare blankly at the juicy piece of meat.

“Veal has its unique fresh scent.”

He chews the meat noisily.

“And the texture is very tender.”

In a low voice, Jiho whispers.

Then, as if choking, he gulps down some cola.

“There’s one thing I want from you, Jaehee.”

Perhaps due to the full stomach, he slowly starts to get to the point.

His demand is straightforward.

“Just spend one night with me.”

…

Jiho smiles as if stating the obvious.

But upon hearing his words, I couldn’t control my expression.

My lower eyelids tremble, and my heart pounds.

“Don’t worry too much. Besides Ms. Jaehui, many other singers have slept with me. They’ve been doing very well even after that.”

He nods as if he made a reasonable suggestion.

“To be honest, Ms. Jaehui’s appearance is not exceptional compared to those people.”

Jiho lowers his gaze and observes my chest, stomach, and thighs.

“But the peculiar scent that comes out every time she moves. I think that’s a really great charm.”

Jack, who was listening nearby, silently empties his coffee cup.

Then he turns his head as if avoiding the employer’s words.

“How about it, isn’t it really nice? Everything that bothers Ms. Jaehui will disappear in just one night, right?”

Jiho laughs heartily.

In the process of laughing, his saliva inadvertently stains my face.

The droplet of saliva slowly trickles down my chin.

The murky droplet, mixed with the blood of a young calf, soon falls onto my collarbone.

And it solidifies.

“…”

It’s strange.

Even though it’s always been a dog-like phrase I heard from the doctor, now it doesn’t make me feel bad.

Rather, it feels refreshing because it’s simple and clear.

In the end, everyone sees me in this light.

The public has zero interest in the person ‘I’ am.

They are simply fixated on this disgusting pheromone.

The ability I acquired to seek attention from people all my life.

In the end, it didn’t save me.

Instead, it only made me miserable.

“Ms. Jaehui, are you okay?”

Jiho asks me with concern.

I couldn’t respond to his words.

Because I had imagined accepting his proposal and going to the hotel.

Jiho clinging to my frail body like a cicada appears.

If I touch his skin, pimples will burst on that skin.

And that yellowish liquid will stick all over my body.

His thick hands will freely roam my breasts and stomach.

Then the dirty hands will gradually move down from my belly button.

As I recall that scene.

Just one word escapes my lips.

“I hate it so much.”

Jiho’s eyes widen at my words.

Thinking he misheard, he asks again.

“W-what did you say…?”

His eyes buried in flesh flicker.

I smirk.

And firmly grasp the collar of my shirt.

Slowly undoing the buttons that constrained my chest.

The man who was staring at me as if to kill me is taken aback by this sight.

“Is this what you want?”

I proudly display my sternum to them.

Soon, a strong fragrance begins to permeate the air.

Jiho looks at me and shakes his head as if in disbelief.

“That’s right. Our thoughts really align well.”

His chubby face inches closer to my chest.

Until one finger’s length away.

At that moment, Jack’s eyebrows twitch.

He immediately grabs Jiho’s shoulders and forcefully pushes him away.

The plump man ends up sprawled on the restaurant floor.

“J-Jack! What are you doing right now!”

The annoyed man who interrupted our happy time squeals.

But Hunter ignores his words and instead rises from his seat.

He rushes towards me at a rapid pace.

He pins me to the couch and points a knife at my throat.

“Stop.”

“What do you mean?”

“That thing you’re emitting right now.”

“Why? Your master wants this…”

I said with a resigned tone.

Hunter shakes his head at my attitude.

“It seems there’s no reasoning with you.”

The blade against my neck gradually digs into the flesh.

It was the executioner’s final consideration.

A signal to stop before the knife completely cuts through the throat.

As the pain intensifies, my heart pounds.

I would need to use more power here to overpower the executioner.

But the courage to unleash it doesn’t come.

If I do, and everyone ends up dead…

It would be irreversible.

Blood flows profusely, staining the chair.

I tightly shut my eyes.

And as Hunter instructed, I begin to inhale the scent once again.

But soon, I halt that action.

Before I could gather my pheromones, his blade stopped.

‘—.’

Someone enters the restaurant.

Judging by the current atmosphere, it’s unlikely for someone to boldly enter the restaurant.

However, he approaches our table very naturally.

Who is this…?

Who dares to confidently approach an A-rank hunter?

“Jaehui.”

That voice…

The moment I realized who he was, my whole body froze.

A very familiar yet fearsome person.

It was the boss.

“Just stay quiet in my embrace. Why did you go looking for trouble like this? Getting yourself hurt…”

The boss with long hair takes off his sunglasses.

He gazes at Jack, who is on top of me, intently.

“So, you hired quite an expensive hunter for a mere journalist?”

Jack chuckles as if surprised.

Then he immediately points his sword at the boss.

‘—.’

It was the moment his blade drew close to the man with long hair.

The twin bodyguards who usually gave me orders appeared and intercepted his sword barehanded.

But Jack is not to be underestimated.

He swiftly twists the sword, slashing the twin’s arm with its sharp edge.

Thanks to that move, they lost their grip on the sword, allowing Jack to step back and create some distance.

The twins struggle to hold onto their arms.

“Let’s deal with these small fries first.”

The boss lazily remarks as he takes out an e-cigarette.

Exhaling smoke deeply, he looks down at me.

“You better prepare yourself. Are you planning to repay the favor I granted you with enmity?”

His sharp eyes flicker.

I tremble as if pierced by his gaze.

Even when facing a sword coming towards me, I could withstand it, but with one look from the boss, fear runs through my entire body.

Eventually, I realized.

Escaping from him was impossible…

The twins rush towards the black hunter simultaneously.

As if they had practiced for a long time, they strike different areas at the same time.

One aims for the side, the other for the leg.

One for the face, the other for the knee.

Jack faces their tremendous attacks.

He skillfully blocks their arms, which are three times larger than his, with the sharp edge of his sword.

“Jack! Struggling at this level only? Do you know how much money I spent to see this sight?”

Jiho writhes on the floor.

On the other hand, the boss looks somewhat serious.

“You guys step aside. Even among A-ranks, I’m exceptional.”

The boss gestures as if annoyed.

Upon this, the twins, wearing apologetic expressions, slowly relax their stance and step back.

“No need to stain our hands with blood unnecessarily, right?”

The boss smiles as if he trusts something.

Then he casually flicks his finger.

‘—?’

As if time had frozen, the shop fell silent.

It was eerily quiet.

Sensing something amiss, Jiho looks around.

Then, without realizing the situation, he shouts, “What, everyone’s watching? Not turning away?”

‘—.’

All customers stare at us.

With lifeless eyes.

“You clueless reporter. Still don’t get it?”

The boss bursts into laughter.

Laughing so much that he claps his hands on his knees.

“W-what do you mean?”

Soon Jiho understood why the boss was laughing.

It was because all the customers were staggering towards him.

His ability is “Mass Hypnosis.”

Group hypnosis.

The boss used to be an S-rank hunter in the mental field.

If he smokes and stays in the same place for an hour…

Everyone loses their senses.

And they move according to his command.

Except for us, who arrived late at the shop, all guests are already addicted to the smoke.

In other words, the boss had pre-released the smoke before I arrived here.

“Shall we see the skills of the renowned American hunter?”

He gestures leisurely.

‘—.’

People under the spell walk towards him calmly.

Then, with one gesture from the boss, they start rushing towards him, twisting their bodies grotesquely.

Jack hesitates for a moment to strike them.

No matter how skilled a hunter he is, he couldn’t harm innocent people.

But eventually, he made up his mind.

To survive, I realized that I had to kill them in the end.

However, his momentary sense of morality led him into danger.

Soon, the distance between the guests and the inspector narrowed to the point where he couldn’t kill everyone with a single stroke.

From the head chef to the serving part-timers, the son celebrating his birthday, and even his mother.

Everyone rushed towards the Chairman like moths to a flame at a single gesture from him.

Eventually, as Jack began to tire, a human wave engulfed him.

He soon found himself completely submerged within it.

The S-rank Hunter slowly approached Jiho.

And like capturing a beast, firmly grasped his neck.

The sound of pigs squealing filled the shop.

But no one came to his aid.

There were only the loyal puppets of the Chairman in the shop.

He threw the captured pig to the livestock like feeding cattle.

As Jiho fell to the ground with a heavy thud, the guests rushed towards him.

They trampled on the pig mechanically.

Soon, just like the beef he enjoyed, he became tender.

The sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing pierced my ears.

“Now, shall we have our little chat?”

The Chairman stared fixedly at me with his shirt unbuttoned.

I know exactly where his gaze is fixed.

“Now that things have escalated like this, idol activities will be difficult in the future, won’t they?”

He grabbed my collar.

And whispered.

“So, what should we do? Should we go see the doctor first?”

His fidgeting hand slipped into my clothes.

And like a bug, slid into my chest.

“But before that, we need to touch up the merchandise a bit. It’s good to feel touched, isn’t it?”

His cold hand gripped my flesh.

I screamed at the disgusting sensation.

Then the Chairman stuffed my mouth shut as if performing a familiar task.

And wanted to continue what he was doing.

Unjust.

I wish I had the power too.

I don’t want to be controlled by anyone anymore.

I want a different ability, not this repulsive smell.

An overwhelmingly strong power…

“—.”

Was that the moment?

When God showed me the ability I had longed for.

The Chairman, who acted as if the world belonged to him, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

His posture resembled that of a sinner caught by an angel while engaging in illicit acts.

He gazed at the broken window where a black silhouette sat quietly.

Beautiful silver hair.

Clear and white features.

And hazy white eyes that coldly surveyed everything.

A woman in a black jacket was staring intently at the Chairman.