I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 151

151.

Stepping out of the elevator on the first floor, Seo-ah paused, noticing the man standing in front of the building.

She knew Yoo Ji-ahn was tall and handsome, but he looked different today.

Usually, he favored a leather jacket and black jeans, ready for action. That look was undeniably dashing.

But today, he wore a gray knit sweater with black slacks and a long black coat.

It was a common outfit for men this season, but his physique made it remarkable.

The long coat accentuated his long legs, and his face was, needless to say, devastatingly handsome.

Yoo Ji-ahn possessed unparalleled beauty, even among the good-looking and beautiful S-Class Hunters. If she didn’t know he was a Hunter, she would have mistaken him for a model.

It was fortunate that few people were passing by due to the cold weather; otherwise, the area might have descended into chaos.

As Seo-ah approached him, she instinctively pulled out her phone, as if spotting a celebrity.

The moment she secretly snapped a photo, Yoo Ji-ahn turned to look at her.

“Park Seo-ah?”

Thump.

“Ah… Yes!”

Seo-ah quickly shoved her phone into her pocket and approached him, feigning a casual expression.

“Did you wait long?”

“Not really, get in.”

Seo-ah headed towards the black sedan that Yoo Ji-ahn indicated.

Seeing him open the passenger door for her, Seo-ah glanced at him, surprised, before getting into the seat.

Seo-ah fastened her seatbelt and stared at Yoo Ji-ahn as he naturally got into the driver’s seat.

“Are you going to drive?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Do you… know how to?”

Yoo Ji-ahn started the engine instead of answering. The car started smoothly, so he seemed to know what he was doing.

“Ooh….”

Yoo Ji-ahn chuckled as if Seo-ah’s exclamation was absurd.

“Are you surprised that I’m driving?”

“Yes, I had this image of you always being driven by a chauffeur….”

“I often drive when I’m alone. Besides, it’s my fourth life, so naturally, there are many things I know how to do.”

“Ah….”

Fourth life.

Seo-ah fidgeted with her hands on her lap before finally speaking.

“Um, can I ask you something? How… no, why… how did it happen?”

Seo-ah had many questions, but she couldn’t find the right words. What should she ask first?

“If you’re asking how or why I regressed [reincarnated/returned to the past], I don’t know either.”

“You don’t know?”

“Right, I can guess that some being is causing me to regress. But I don’t know why or how it happens. Finding out and eliminating that being is my ultimate goal.”

Although there was a hint of anger, Yoo Ji-ahn’s tone was generally calm. And like his tone, his driving was smoother than expected.

‘Some being.’

Seo-ah had occasionally wondered if someone had intervened in the process of unlocking her S-Class Support abilities.

Could it be the same being that caused Yoo Ji-ahn to regress?

The year had changed while they were on the raid. Christmas decorations that hadn’t been taken down yet were still scattered throughout the streets.

As Seo-ah silently watched them, she realized that she hadn’t asked him the most important question.

“Oh, by the way, where are we going?”

“I thought we should go somewhere we can talk.”

Yoo Ji-ahn smoothly turned the steering wheel as the light turned green.

“Ah… That’s true.”

Seo-ah replied, glancing at Yoo Ji-ahn’s profile.

They had seen each other quite often, but perhaps it was because they were in a confined space, or because she rarely saw him like this, but she was constantly aware of him.

Seo-ah tried to look away and looked around the car.

Like Han Seok-hyun’s car, there were many control buttons that seemed to be modifications, but otherwise, it was clean.

However, his unique scent lingered in the air, making her even more conscious of him.

Fortunately, her voice didn’t tremble.

She was awkwardly wiggling her feet in her shoes when-

Grumble-

Seo-ah grabbed her stomach in surprise.

Well, she hadn’t eaten since last night, so her stomach was empty. But she didn’t expect it to protest so loudly.

Oh, well. A person has to eat to live.

“Um… would you like to eat first?”

Yoo Ji-ahn turned to look at Seo-ah, and Seo-ah smiled brightly as their eyes met.

***

She only meant to have a meal, but how did it end up like this?

Seo-ah felt dizzy from the overwhelming attention and the approaching phone cameras.

Amidst all this, Yoo Ji-ahn quickly put his arm around her shoulder to protect her from the crowd and led her into a back alley. Then, he pointed to the roof of a rather tall building nearby.

“Park Seo-ah, focus and jump up there.”

“Ugh, yes.”

This was their chance, a brief moment out of people’s sight.

Seo-ah identified the building and leaped, nimbly stepping on the signs and bouncing upwards.

“Where did they go?”

“There, over there!”

“Ah, we missed them!”

Only after seeing her safely reach the rooftop did Yoo Ji-ahn follow.

“Isn’t that Yoo Ji-ahn and Park Seo-ah?”

“They’re getting away! Let’s chase them!”

Leaving behind the crowd’s attention, they jumped between rooftops several times.

The crowd was quite persistent, but they couldn’t keep up with the speed of the S-Class Hunters, who were practically flying.

She never thought she would use her Hunter abilities for something like this, but Seo-ah was more afraid of these people than monsters.

Seo-ah stopped only after changing neighborhoods entirely.

“Haa….”

Seo-ah bent over, holding her knees as if exhausted.

Yoo Ji-ahn chuckled and looked at her.

“That’s the fastest I’ve seen you move.”

“Ugh… Was it?”

But it was really scary.

Just three steps after getting out of the car, someone shouted, ‘It’s Park Seo-ah!’ and someone else said, ‘It’s Park Seo-ah and Yoo Ji-ahn!’ After that, the situation spiraled out of control.

She had never received this much attention in her life.

Seo-ah straightened up and looked at Yoo Ji-ahn with a troubled expression.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think this through.”

The place Seo-ah had chosen for the meal was just a normal family restaurant that she had wanted to go to.

“No, I should have anticipated this.”

“…….”

That was true.

Seo-ah might not have known this would happen, but Yoo Ji-ahn, who had lived as a celebrity, should have known.

“But why did you just say let’s go?”

“That’s because you-”

Yoo Ji-ahn stopped talking abruptly. He seemed to be thinking about something, then sighed and said.

“You said going there was your wish. I didn’t know there would be this many people at this time on a weekday either. I don’t come out often.”

“…Ah.”

Seo-ah smiled awkwardly.

It was a place she wanted to go, but saying it was her wish was just a figure of speech.

“It’s okay… let’s just go somewhere else….”

Yoo Ji-ahn’s expression wasn’t good. Well, even if they went somewhere else, unless they had booked a private room from the start, a similar situation would unfold.

Fortunately, the car was in a secluded underground parking lot, and there was no one around.

Yoo Ji-ahn, after putting Seo-ah in the car, stood a little away and made a call.

Seo-ah sat in the passenger seat, watching Yoo Ji-ahn’s face as he talked.

‘Did something important suddenly come up?’

Is this the end of the date?

Feeling disappointed, Seo-ah was startled and slapped her cheeks with both hands.

“What date?”

Clunk.

At that moment, the car door opened, and Seo-ah quickly put her hands together neatly.

Fortunately, Yoo Ji-ahn didn’t see her like this, and he didn’t say anything as he got into the driver’s seat.

“It’s resolved, let’s go.”

“Resolved? What’s resolved? Is something wrong?”

Yoo Ji-ahn looked at Seo-ah with an expression as if he had something to say, then chuckled.

“Let’s go, let’s eat. If you don’t eat right now, you’ll devour me.”

“…Ah.”

She had been trying to ignore it, but Seo-ah’s stomach was rumbling louder and louder.

Seo-ah’s face turned bright red.

“Yes… but where to?”

“There’s a place, I don’t go there often, though.”

She didn’t know where it was, but if Yoo Ji-ahn recommended it, it would be fine.

Seo-ah nodded and looked at Yoo Ji-ahn. But Yoo Ji-ahn was just staring at Seo-ah without any intention of leaving.

“Why?”

It wasn’t the first time she had received Yoo Ji-ahn’s gaze, but facing him in such a confined space was a little embarrassing.

Thump, thump.

At this rate, her heartbeat would be louder than her stomach.

“Park Seo-ah.”

“Yes, yes?”

The low voice calling her name was so attractive it was almost sexy.

She had to admit it now.

‘I’m already done for.’

She had been liking Yoo Ji-ahn romantically for a long time.

But she was confident she wouldn’t show it. If it weren’t for this situation.