Holy B-Class Life

#020

Dan Joo-hyuk’s unreadable gaze pierced Yoon Pa-ran’s face.

The suffocating tension that had persisted was shattered by his ridiculously relaxed voice.

“Hmm, I’m disappointed. To misunderstand someone like that.”

It made Yoon Pa-ran’s hostility seem almost laughable. As he unconsciously frowned, Dan Joo-hyuk smiled even more, his eyes crinkling.

“Is what I’d like to say. But you’re right.”

“Damn it, who do you think you are…”

Anger flared as what he had suspected turned out to be true. Such an absurd threat was rare even in Yoon Pa-ran’s life.

“We have things to do, so why are you scurrying around?”

Dan Joo-hyuk blurted out and stood up. Then, still relaxed, he slowly approached Yoon Pa-ran.

With each step he took closer, Yoon Pa-ran felt increasingly overwhelmed. It felt as if an invisible force was squeezing his lungs.

“If you die in a gate, I’d be too heartbroken.”

Dan Joo-hyuk, now right in front of him, spoke with a still chilling smile. Despite his words, the aura was nothing short of murderous.

Even Yoon Pa-ran’s fingertips trembled facing the killing intent of an S-rank hunter head-on.

Bastard. I feel like I’m about to die right now, and he’s talking about being heartbroken. His sense of decency must be rotten.

Over the past few years, Yoon Pa-ran had clashed with Dan Joo-hyuk several times, but this was the first time he’d faced such direct killing intent. It was rather humiliating to realize that Dan Joo-hyuk had been going easy on him until now.

However, Yoon Pa-ran had a crucial reason why he couldn’t back down right now. He mustered all his strength, barely moving his stiffening fingertips.

With a gritting sound, he tasted a faint trace of blood in his mouth.

“Damn it, then were you the one messing with our orphanage…”

“Ah.”

At the mention of the orphanage, Dan Joo-hyuk let out a small exclamation as if realizing something. So that’s why he seemed especially determined today, as if he had two lives to spare. That minor question was answered.

Yoon Pa-ran’s demeanor was alarming, as if he was ready to draw his blade. Was he this on edge because it involved the orphanage?

Dan Joo-hyuk looked with interest at Yoon Pa-ran, who still had the energy to grit his teeth despite being overwhelmed by killing intent.

He was aware of the recent events surrounding Yoon Pa-ran. A follow-up report had been submitted due to some unusual circumstances.

To expose such a weakness…

Information about Yoon Pa-ran kept accumulating in a corner of his mind. Winding that subtle interest around his fingertip like a thread, Dan Joo-hyuk smiled.

“That wasn’t me.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Is there a reason not to?”

“…”

Yoon Pa-ran reflexively clenched his fist at Dan Joo-hyuk’s irritatingly casual voice.

However, the more he thought about it calmly, the more he realized Dan Joo-hyuk was right. He wasn’t the type to hide his actions unnecessarily.

Of course, that didn’t make it any less infuriating.

“It seems a congressman has been investing in land in that area under a borrowed name.”

“What…?”

But then came some unexpected information. Dan Joo-hyuk casually dropped a hint about something Yoon Pa-ran hadn’t yet discovered.

It was an odd act, given that he was still oppressing Yoon Pa-ran with sharp killing intent. Yoon Pa-ran’s teeth gritted again at this behavior, reminiscent of a large beast toying with its prey.

However, his mind turned cold and analytical even faster.

“Then the designation as a safety special zone…”

“You’ve figured out quite a lot.”

The drawling tone, as if impressed, was irritating. But even more so was the disgust at the gradually clarifying reality.

So it’s true that the area near the orphanage will be designated as a safety special zone.

It meant the land would become incredibly valuable in the future. And someone didn’t like that the orphanage was there.

“This scheme has been going on for over two years now.”

At the mention of two years, the memory of the cut subsidies flashed through Yoon Pa-ran’s mind. There had been good reason for his vague sense of unease.

What a shitty situation. His teeth gritted again.

“So, as I said, it wasn’t me.”

Dan Joo-hyuk found it amusing to observe the changing expressions on Yoon Pa-ran’s small face as he seemed lost in thought. He hadn’t expected him to believe so easily; it was quite a simple reaction.

Of course, he didn’t bother mentioning that he would have done something similar if necessary.

Yoon Pa-ran’s gaze, deep in thought, shifted away from Dan Joo-hyuk. The diverted gaze suddenly irritated him.

Before he could consciously consider this, Dan Joo-hyuk moved.

He took one big step closer. Yoon Pa-ran recoiled in disgust, taking a step back as if there was a set distance he wanted to maintain.

“The solution is simple, isn’t it?”

“Solution?”

With a slight smirk, Dan Joo-hyuk shattered that distance in an instant.

He trampled the line Yoon Pa-ran had drawn, naturally tangling their legs and disrupting Yoon Pa-ran’s balance. Staggering, Yoon Pa-ran gripped his sword handle with one hand as he was pushed back.

“Ugh.”

He barely maintained his balance, but his back hit the passenger door of the car roughly.

“Just make a contract with me, lend me some power, and hold out with the money. That’s all.”

“Kuk…”

“Is that so difficult?”

In truth, even Dan Joo-hyuk couldn’t guarantee that simply holding out would solve the orphanage’s problems. But he didn’t care about the distant future, so he just mentioned it casually.

Only then did Yoon Pa-ran’s gaze, which had been looking elsewhere, snap back fiercely.

“You…”

Meeting those sharp eyes wasn’t as unpleasant as expected. If it were someone else, he’d gouge their eyes out.

Well, Hunter Yoon Pa-ran’s reactions have been quite interesting all along.

Smiling with his eyes again, Dan Joo-hyuk suddenly withdrew his killing intent. Beads of cold sweat had formed on Yoon Pa-ran’s forehead.

To try to withstand killing intent head-on for so long, how foolish.

If you push, you should know when to ease up. With his unique skill, Dan Joo-hyuk had never failed to get what he wanted in life.

He spoke in a seemingly kind voice again, as if he hadn’t just been exuding killing intent. Cleverly hiding that he was just waiting for a chance to grab Yoon Pa-ran’s throat.

“I’m being so kind, yet you’re still hesitating. I didn’t know you were the type to care about such things.”

“What?”

“Could it be that I’m your first kiss?”

He had only said this to change the subject.

But Yoon Pa-ran’s reaction was once again a bit fresh.

“…”

“…”

Dan Joo-hyuk’s keen gaze briefly caught the slight reddening of Yoon Pa-ran’s cheeks.

He’s not denying it.

“Get lost.”

As soon as the pressure eased a bit, Yoon Pa-ran’s face flushed with anger.

His body, which had been stiff enough to reach out and try to push Dan Joo-hyuk’s shoulder away, seemed to loosen. Though the touch wouldn’t have tickled, Dan Joo-hyuk swatted the hand away before it could make contact.

Then he slammed his hand against the upper frame of the passenger seat with a loud bang. Yoon Pa-ran’s body stiffened at the violent sound so close to his face.

Dan Joo-hyuk’s gaze fell again on the white cheek that trembled slightly.

“Ugh.”

“What…”

Dan Joo-hyuk brazenly reached out his hand. Though Yoon Pa-ran shot him a wary glance, he ignored it and reached inside the open passenger window.

He then picked up a paper that had been placed on the dashboard.

“You seem to understand, so read this.”

“…”

Yoon Pa-ran felt his pride wounded at not being able to react to his speed. Moreover, he belatedly realized that for a very brief moment, he had been in Dan Joo-hyuk’s embrace.

His mood worsened even more.

“What is this?”

“The contract terms.”

That damn contract again.

With a disgusted expression, Yoon Pa-ran snatched the paper from his hand. He hoped Dan Joo-hyuk’s fingers would get badly cut by the paper, but true to his S-rank status, even his skin was tough.

Did he actually write down that nonsense about kissing? Prepared to mock this ridiculous act, Yoon Pa-ran unfolded the paper.

“…”

However, the contents were rather surprising.

Article 1: Purpose of the Contract

This contract exclusively and exclusively provides ‘Dan Joo-hyuk’ with ‘Yoon Pa-ran’s’ skill [Sacred Energy]…

The most complicated document Yoon Pa-ran had seen in his life was the real estate contract when he got a studio apartment. Even then, an older girl from the orphanage who had found a place nearby had looked it over for him.

This contract, written in even more formal and difficult language than that time, was a full ten pages long.

Damn. What does all this mean?

“You can read, right?”

“Shut up.”

Yoon Pa-ran was slightly taken aback by the more formal-than-expected content of the contract. Of course he could read it, but whether he fully understood the meaning was another question.

Then suddenly, a particular clause caught Yoon Pa-ran’s eye.

Dan Joo-hyuk shall strive not to harm Yoon Pa-ran.

If circumstances arise that make it impossible for Yoon Pa-ran to fulfill the contract, Dan Joo-hyuk shall endeavor to resolve them.

Could this be used to his advantage?

“It’s a useful clause, isn’t it?”

At that moment, Dan Joo-hyuk whispered lowly in Yoon Pa-ran’s ear.

Dan Joo-hyuk, hissing like a snake, had somehow gotten too close again. Yoon Pa-ran’s grip on the document tightened.

Startled, he backed away, rubbing the ear Dan Joo-hyuk had whispered into.

“Stop getting so close.”

“Take that with you and look it over carefully. We have something to do now.”

“What?”

Dan Joo-hyuk blurted out, completely ignoring Yoon Pa-ran’s warning.

Feeling like he was talking to a wall, Yoon Pa-ran suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.

“We need to test if that ability is a one-time thing.”

Dan Joo-hyuk’s gaze moved to Yoon Pa-ran’s ear, which had turned red from rough rubbing.

Seeing the fine hairs there, he suddenly felt an urge to tease him thoroughly. Especially remembering how his cheeks had flushed slightly at the question about his first kiss earlier.

“Huh…?”

Yoon Pa-ran was already being manipulated by Dan Joo-hyuk. The fact that he had unconsciously let go of his sword handle was proof of that.

Others couldn’t do this just because I eased up on the killing intent a bit. How interesting.

Dan Joo-hyuk slowly lowered his head towards Yoon Pa-ran, who seemed utterly clueless about what was happening. As the distance closed, there was a crinkling sound from the document Yoon Pa-ran was holding.

As Dan Joo-hyuk’s hands gripped the metal frame of the passenger seat, his large body completely covered Yoon Pa-ran.

“For now, let’s try a kiss.”