I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 160

160.

“Red Dragon….”

“I experienced that gate in my first and third lives. The first time, I went in without fire resistance and went berserk. Jackson saw that.”

“Could it be that Oscar Jackson tried to kill Hunter Yoo Ji-an after seeing you go berserk….”

Seo-ah’s guess made Yoo Ji-an nod silently.

“Yes, that’s right.”

He turned his gaze back to the window.

“That day, he felt threatened. Not just by me, but also by the fact that the skills of Korean hunters were better than known.”

“Even so… didn’t he know that his choice would ultimately destroy the Earth?”

“He wouldn’t have done it if he knew. Or he thought the remaining hunters could handle it. If he had known that so many S-class monsters would come out of the Legend Gate, he would have thought differently. At least by dealing with the gate and getting rid of us.”

“Then this time….”

What if Jackson makes that choice again this time?

“It will be different this time.”

Yoo Ji-an said with conviction, turning to Seo-ah.

“Because when I didn’t go berserk in my third life, he didn’t make that choice. We got fire resistance in advance.”

“Ah, that’s right! Ignis gave it to us in the Village of Fire!”

Yoo Ji-an nodded.

“And, there’s you as a variable too.”

Rustle.

Yoo Ji-an gently brushed Seo-ah’s side hair. Seo-ah was about to say something more, but closed her mouth at the strange feeling.

A moment of silence flowed.

Yoo Ji-an silently continued to stroke the ends of Seo-ah’s side hair with restrained gestures. While she was conscious of his touch, Yoo Ji-an said in a low voice.

“Seo-ah, you said you can feel other people’s emotions.”

“…Yes.”

Yoo Ji-an slowly lowered his hand. And he looked at Seo-ah straight on.

“Then can you feel my emotions now?”

“…That’s.”

Of course, she could feel it.

Even now, she was 정신이 하나도 없었다 [completely out of it] because of his emotional transference that was washing over her like a wave.

Thump, thump.

Seo-ah’s heartbeat also quickened slightly. Seo-ah met Yoo Ji-an’s eyes with trembling pupils.

Whether it was because of the night sky in Seoul, or because of the closer relationship between the two yesterday, Yoo Ji-an’s eyes looked different.

No, in fact, she knew that Yoo Ji-an had always looked at Seo-ah with those eyes.

‘Maybe he can hear my heartbeat right now.’

Because he has exceptionally good hearing.

Seo-ah hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth in a clear tone.

“Yes, I can feel it.”

“Then tell me, what am I feeling?”

Seo-ah stared at him as if dumbfounded and replied in a subdued voice.

“…Why are you asking me that?”

How could she say that herself? Like, I think you like me.

“Honestly, it’s an unfamiliar feeling to me.”

“…Even after living four lives?”

“Yes, even after living four lives.”

At Seo-ah’s question, the corners of Yoo Ji-an’s lips curved smoothly. Seo-ah stared blankly at his smile for a moment.

Maybe it was because of the background, but Yoo Ji-an was a beautiful person today.

“So tell me, what is my feeling?”

Seo-ah blinked at him. Then, without realizing it, she took a step closer to Yoo Ji-an.

“Isn’t it… something like this.”

“Like what?”

Yoo Ji-an watched her quietly, maintaining his smile.

Even while Seo-ah was slightly raising her tiptoes, he remained still. Then, only after their lips touched slightly, Yoo Ji-an’s eyes widened.

Peck-

“Something like this. The feeling of wanting to do this.”

Seo-ah was embarrassed even after she did it, and tried to back away with a flushed face. But Yoo Ji-an was faster.

“Park Seo-ah.”

Yoo Ji-an wrapped his arms around her back so she couldn’t get away.

“You did it first.”

He kissed her.

Yoo Ji-an didn’t stop, even though he felt Seo-ah flinching in surprise. No, he couldn’t stop.

Feeling the soft and supple touch, he slowly opened the space between Seo-ah’s lips and delved in.

Seo-ah trembled and grabbed Yoo Ji-an’s collar tightly. Even that was cute.

As he was about to delve in a little more, suddenly there was the sound of pattering footsteps.

“Noona!” [Older sister/term of endearment for an older female]

As soon as the sound was heard, Seo-ah was startled and fell back. Seo-ah’s face turned bright red.

Yoo Ji-an also cleared his throat slightly and turned his gaze to the window.

“Oh, uh?”

As Seo-ah belatedly answered in embarrassment, Geon-woo strode out.

“Can I pay for a backpack? It’s not expensive. I’m going to use it when I go to school.”

Seo-ah 탁하고 [with a thud] let out a breath and 짚었다 [supported] her forehead with her palm.

“…Do as you please.”

“Okay, thanks!”

Geon-woo went back excitedly, and silence flowed between the remaining two.

It was Yoo Ji-an who broke the silence first.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Ah, yes, yes!”

Yoo Ji-an walked to the front door, and Seo-ah followed him.

Just before leaving through the door, Yoo Ji-an glanced back. Seo-ah was still looking up at him with a slightly red face.

“…Lock the door well.”

“Yes….”

Yoo Ji-an was about to move his feet, which were particularly reluctant to leave, when Seo-ah grabbed the hem of his coat.

“Um….”

“Huh?”

“Th-the answer is still….”

Yoo Ji-an thought she meant the answer to his question earlier.

“That was enough, the answer.”

But he realized it was his misunderstanding at Seo-ah’s following question.

“Yes? So how much is it?”

“…The monthly rent for this house.”

“Ah.”

Yoo Ji-an’s pupils wavered.

The story about the monthly rent was something he said impulsively because he was afraid Seo-ah would refuse the house, but he didn’t really intend to receive it. But if he said it was free here, it was obvious that Seo-ah’s personality would feel burdened.

The problem was that Yoo Ji-an didn’t know the appropriate market price here. He didn’t really intend to do business with this, so he just called out a rough price.

“1 million won per month?” [Approximately $750 USD]

Seo-ah tilted her head and stared at Yoo Ji-an.

“1 million won…?”

“Is it too expensive? Then 50.”

“…….”

“30?”

It was getting lower and lower. Seo-ah didn’t know how much the monthly rent for this R Tower was, but she knew that it wasn’t at least 300,000 won [Approximately $225 USD].

Because the monthly rent for the dilapidated house Seo-ah used to live in was 500,000 won [Approximately $375 USD].

“20?”

“Pfft!”

Seo-ah couldn’t help but burst into laughter, and Yoo Ji-an looked down with a puzzled face.

“It’s ridiculous that such a nice place is 200,000 won [Approximately $150 USD].”

“Then give it to me as you please.”

“What if I cheat you?”

Seo-ah asked with a playful smile, and Yoo Ji-an answered seriously.

“If you cheat me, I’ll come find you myself.”

“…….”

This time, Seo-ah’s laughter subsided, and Yoo Ji-an smiled slyly.

“…I’ll give you 700,000 won [Approximately $525 USD].”

It was obvious that it would exceed the 1 million won that Yoo Ji-an had initially called, but Seo-ah pretended not to know and called out a price that was not burdensome.

“As you please.”

With those words, Yoo Ji-an went out the front door.

Thump-

The door closed, and Seo-ah leaned against the wall as she was. And then she put her legs together and buried her face there.

“I’m crazy, I’m really crazy.”

What she had just done was replayed in Seo-ah’s head.

“Something like this. The feeling of wanting to do this.”

As soon as it came to mind, Seo-ah tore at her hair and rolled around on the floor.

“Ughhhhh.”

It was clear that she wasn’t in her right mind. I, I, I kissed Yoo Ji-an first.

Was it just a kiss?

What about after that?

Didn’t Yoo Ji-an kiss Seo-ah as it was?

His tongue, his tongue definitely came in. And I liked it, so I stuck to him more.

“Ughhhhh.”

Seo-ah screamed a strange onomatopoeia that was neither a scream nor joy, and rolled around, then picked up her cell phone as she was lying on the floor.

And she searched for the R Tower real estate price as it was. It was purely out of curiosity.

Seo-ah’s mouth dropped open as she looked at the cell phone screen without thinking.

The average house price of this R Tower was 8 billion won [Approximately $6 million USD], and the monthly rent was about 10 million won [Approximately $7,500 USD].

Seo-ah, who had been 쭈굴대던 [cowering] on the floor, 벌떡 [suddenly] stood up.

Then, she belatedly bowed 90 degrees toward the front door that Yoo Ji-an had left a long time ago.

“Landlord, thank you.”

At 8 billion won, Seo-ah would only have to risk her life and 뛰면 [run/raid] about 80 times, based on her current income.

Thinking about it that way, it’s a simple task.

‘But why do my eyes feel like they’re watering.’

Seo-ah sniffled once and turned around and went inside.

Her heart was still pounding and 싱숭생숭 [fluttering/restless]. How should she treat Yoo Ji-an now?

“Ughhhhh.”

Seo-ah tore at her hair again and 철퍽 [thump] collapsed on the sofa. Geon-woo, who heard the sound, 빼꼼 [peeking] poked his head out and 중얼거렸다 [muttered].

“Why is she being like that since earlier.”