episode_0173

173.

“I should be the one thanking you. I’ve received a lot of help from you. If it weren’t for you, I might have struggled a lot.”

It felt awkward to just sit there and listen to the words of gratitude, so I also expressed my thanks to Yoo Seolhyun.

I didn’t make up empty words.

I really received a lot of help from Yoo Seolhyun.

Equipment and items that are not easily obtainable. Money, troops, information, and more. I was able to obtain a lot through Yoo Seolhyun.

If I were to choose the person who has been the biggest help to me, excluding Soyeon, it would definitely be Yoo Seolhyun.

To me, Yoo Seolhyun was a good business partner, a comrade in the rebellion, and a reliable friend.

“And since we’re on the topic, I have something to give you… Take it.”

“Huh? What are these documents?”

I took out the documents I had brought and handed them to Yoo Seolhyun.

Yoo Seolhyun raised an eyebrow slightly, but she accepted the documents and read through them carefully.

“This is…”

“Information I obtained through my future foresight ability. Of course, since I saw it a long time ago, the future may have changed a lot, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared, right?”

Originally, one of Yoo Seolhyun’s closest aides would have betrayed her and prepared to strike her from behind.

This incident would have caused Yoo Seolhyun to fall even further into ruin, but now, things have changed a lot from the original, so this incident may not occur.

But as I mentioned earlier, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.

“Betrayal from this person? I can’t believe they have ties with the other siblings.”

“It’s not 100% certain, so just be aware of it.”

“Anyway, you wouldn’t give away this kind of information for free. What do you want from me, Lee Jinhyuk?”

“Well, what should I ask for this time?”

It was very valuable information.

It included the weaknesses of Yoo Seolhyun’s competitors, her other siblings, which she couldn’t obtain even by paying.

So, Yoo Seolhyun was a bit nervous, wondering what I would demand.

“As for what I want…”

I chuckled as I watched Yoo Seolhyun’s tense expression.

“I don’t want anything.”

“What?”

“I mean it. I’m just giving it to you. It’s not even definite information anyway.”

“Ah, well…”

Yoo Seolhyun looked a bit puzzled when I said I would give it for free.

I shrugged my shoulders and continued.

“Well, sometimes friends can give things for free. But of course, from now on, you’ll have to pay the full price, so don’t expect too much.”

Yoo Seolhyun had gone through a lot for me in the past, helping me with various things despite my unreasonable requests during the kidnapping of Soyeon, the raid on Busan Ouroboros, the Gwanghwamun tragedy, and more.

Of course, I had paid a fair price, but I still felt grateful to Yoo Seolhyun.

“Friends, huh.”

Suddenly, Yoo Seolhyun pondered my words, then quickly looked at her glass and gulped down her drink in one go.

“Phew… Yeah. We are friends, after all.”

She placed the empty glass on the table with a thud.

“Lee Jinhyuk.”

“What’s up? Why are you acting like that?”

She smiled faintly and let out a cool sigh.

“This information, I’m really thankful for it, but it contains detailed information about our clan that outsiders shouldn’t know. Even things that shouldn’t be known.”

“Uh, yeah.”

Hey, hey. You’re not really going to bring that up, are you?

I gave you helpful information for free.

Isn’t that going too far?

“I’m in a bit of a bind as a clan member, you know? Hmm… What should I do about this…?”

“If it bothers you, I can take it back.”

I offered to take it back, but Yoo Seolhyun looked a bit puzzled.

I continued, “Well, friends sometimes give things for free. But of course, from now on, you’ll have to pay the full price, so don’t expect too much.”

Yoo Seolhyun had gone through a lot for me in the past, helping me with various things despite my unreasonable requests during the kidnapping of Soyeon, the raid on Busan Ouroboros, the Gwanghwamun tragedy, and more.

Of course, I had paid a fair price, but I still felt grateful to Yoo Seolhyun.

“Friends, huh.”

Suddenly, Yoo Seolhyun pondered my words, then quickly looked at her glass and gulped down her drink in one go.

“Phew… Yeah. We are friends, after all.”

She placed the empty glass on the table with a thud.

“Lee Jinhyuk.”

“What’s up? Why are you acting like that?”

She smiled faintly and let out a cool sigh.

“This information, I’m really thankful for it, but it contains detailed information about our clan that outsiders shouldn’t know. Even things that shouldn’t be known.”

“Uh, yeah.”

Hey, hey. You’re not really going to bring that up, are you?

I gave you helpful information for free.

Isn’t that going too far?

“I’m in a bit of a bind as a clan member, you know? Hmm… What should I do about this…?”

“If it bothers you, I can take it back.”

Playfully scanning me up and down, Yoo Seolhyun.

It seems like she’s just joking around.

In any case, her personality.

“Oh, I see.”

As if a good idea had just come to her, she lightly claps her hands.

“It would be better if you weren’t an outsider anymore, right?”

“….?”

Wait?

What does that mean?

To not be an outsider anymore?

Is she simply asking me to join the clan? But her gaze and expression seem rather serious for that. Could it be…?

“Jinhyuk. I mean, I think we can have a good synergy together. We already do. And in the future, even more so.”

Isn’t it a bit of a waste if it just ends as business partners? Yoo Seolhyun adds with a seductive smile.

“You may be a great hero, but you don’t have a strong support system that unconditionally backs you up, do you? And those who dislike you will relentlessly exploit your weaknesses. Positive media and public opinion can change in an instant.”

No matter how powerful an individual may be, ultimately, an individual cannot defeat an organization.

“If you start your hero activities in earnest, many people will try to tear you apart. You know how dirty this hero industry can be, right?”

“That’s true.”

I nodded.

Just looking at how Yudahee’s parents were murdered by the powerful figures in the hero industry when she was young, I could see how despicable it could be.

“The privileged are conservative, and conservative people are always closed-minded. They don’t want another strong contender who could take away their meal.”

Yoo Seolhyun stares directly into my eyes.

“It’s quite common for promising young heroes to disappear without a trace.”

“Right.”

“If you were to be attacked by others for various reasons, who do you think would be able to help you properly?”

Finally, she smiles slyly.

“Just the strong Jin Soyeon? Or the neutral Rock Sanne, who must maintain her neutrality as a saint candidate?”

Yoo Seolhyun says that those two alone are not enough.

“I am already in a strong position as the successor of Gaon Nuri, one of the leading clans in Korea. If I set my mind to it, I can even manipulate the media. And I have connections in politics, entertainment, and the hero industry. I have a lot of influence and resources. I can protect you from external threats.”

If Yoo Seolhyun becomes the leader of Gaon Nuri Clan in the future, her power will be truly immense.

“Of course, if you have precognition, connections, and power, you can handle it yourself.”

Yoo Seolhyun reaches out her hand casually.

“But do you really need to take the difficult path? There is a simple solution right in front of you, isn’t there?”

She lightly places her hand on the back of mine.

“Jinhyuk. I believe we can help each other. You as a hero and me as the leader of the clan.”

“You?”

She gently caresses the back of my hand.

“So, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to deepen our relationship… Jinhyuk, what do you think?”

A deeper relationship.

There was no need to think about what that meant.

I fell into a sudden silence.

Swallowing my dry saliva, I hesitated.

I was unsure how to respond to such a sudden statement.

“…I…”

“Oh, of course, you don’t have to answer right away. It might be sudden. So, you can take your time to think and then answer.”

Interrupting my words, Yoo Seolhyun stood up from her seat.

“Well then, should I start heading out? I’ve finished my meal and it’s getting late.”

“…Sure.”

Yoo Seolhyun walks towards the door.

Throughout the day, she had been leisurely laughing and making confessions, but seeing her cheeks slightly flushed, it seemed like she was subtly embarrassed.

“Hmm. This is something.”

Soon, Yoo Seol-hyun and I parted ways, each turning our steps in different directions.

As I walked through the night streets, I pondered.

Is this really the prime of my life?

I knew that Yoo Seol-hyun had a crush on me, but I never expected her to confess (?) like she did today.

No, she even said before that she didn’t like my face.

“Seriously. Haah.”

I scratched the back of my neck nervously.

What should I do about this?

Well, it’s not a bad feeling, of course. I just didn’t expect to hear such words from someone like Yoo Seol-hyun, so I feel a bit dazed, I guess?

Feeling a bit disconnected from reality, I couldn’t help but walk home with a slightly blank expression until I arrived.

And after reaching home,

Seeing my disheveled face, So-yeon immediately started complaining, “Why do you look like that? Did something happen with Yoo Seol-hyun?” mixed with jealousy, but anyway, my mind was filled with Yoo Seol-hyun’s confession.

***

“……Uh, uh. Really.”

Arriving in the bedroom, Yoo Seol-hyun, trembling with embarrassment, shook her shoulders and forcefully hit the pillow.

The mature and relaxed demeanor she showed to Lee Jin-hyuk earlier was nowhere to be found.

Now, she was just a young lady blushing with embarrassment.

“I must be crazy. I didn’t mean to do this. What? I should just not be an outsider anymore? You don’t have any intention of deepening our relationship? I must be crazy. Why did I say such things.”

She tried to come up with a plausible line after analyzing the atmosphere a bit more, but what’s this foolish comment?

It’s cringeworthy.

Lee Jin-hyuk wouldn’t be laughing inside, right?

“Haah, really… Suddenly having a meltdown like this….”

Yoo Seol-hyun slumped onto the bed.

“Was it this difficult to express sincerity….”

It didn’t seem like a big deal when she thought about it in her head.

But when she tried to say it directly to Lee Jin-hyuk, various emotions surged, and she doesn’t even remember what she said.

But it can’t be helped, right?

Because Yoo Seol-hyun had never liked someone romantically or confessed or dated anyone before in her life.

In the end, Yoo Seol-hyun was just a naive and inexperienced young lady when it came to love and relationships.