The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 340

338. Nice to Meet You (2)

I would have preferred a more presentable location, but I ended up sitting across from Seo Kyung-hoon in the rooftop休息 area [resting area]. There wasn’t really a quiet place to talk nearby, and Hyung-nim [term of endearment, like ‘bro’ or ‘older brother’] seemed uncomfortable going too far. It was all so sudden, after all.

The rooftop休息 area [resting area] in the corner of the building had a few trees planted in a 화단 [flower bed]. It had gotten much cooler, but a few air conditioner compressors were still humming. The ashtray next to the table was half full, suggesting it was mainly used for smoking breaks.

Since Noah was an S-Rank, even suppressing his aura, he would be overwhelming for an unawakened person. So, I asked him to block anyone from entering at the rooftop entrance. He was worried about my safety, but it was a short distance, and I could handle an unawakened person on my own. Seo Kyung-hoon had higher stats than me, but he wasn’t awakened yet.

“I am Han Yoojin, the director of the Growth Support Center.”

I formally reintroduced myself, handing over my business card. I first met Hyung-nim [term of endearment, like ‘bro’ or ‘older brother’] in the irregular dungeon raid team. It was a mess from start to finish, and we ended up fighting. We even drank together with bruises on our faces, so handing over a business card like this felt strange.

“To be honest, I don’t understand why you came all the way here to find me,” Seo Kyung-hoon said, unable to hide his bewilderment. He was just an ordinary office worker with nothing particularly special about him, so it was natural for him to think that way. I used the Seed Leaf skill just in case, but the status window didn’t show up properly, probably because the system wasn’t fully restored yet.

“I also question how I even got recommended.”

“To be honest, I’m not looking for someone outstanding.”

To put it coldly, it was like saying, ‘I didn’t come to find you because you’re so great.’ Seo Kyung-hoon actually looked relieved.

“The position that’s currently vacant is just a simple administrative job. The people you’ll be dealing with are not ordinary, but the basic tasks aren’t difficult.”

When you think about it, it’s just like an animal care and training center. A small one at that. The amount of money involved is large, but the number of transactions is small.

“But more than anything, I need someone I can trust. In some ways, that’s a harder condition to meet than finding a talented person. Because it’s not a visible ability.”

It’s not hard to find someone who’s good at their job. I can meet any conditions they want. But how can I find someone I can trust, someone who won’t betray me? The only answer was time. It’s an advantage that you can only grasp after experiencing and spending a long time together.

“…You can trust me?”

“I trust the person who recommended Seo Kyung-hoon, Daeri-nim [Assistant Manager].”

Seo Kyung-hoon stroked the back of his neck, looking like he had no idea who could have recommended him. *That’s me. I recommended you.*

“Anyway, I want to hire Seo Kyung-hoon, Daeri-nim [Assistant Manager], so let me tell you the conditions first. First of all, the base salary is ₩2,000,000 [approximately $1,500 USD] per month.”

Seo Kyung-hoon tried hard to hide his surprise. Coming all this way for ₩2,000,000 [approximately $1,500 USD] a month must seem absurd. Especially since anything related to high-level hunters is known to be lucrative.

“And the hazard pay is ₩10,000,000 [approximately $7,500 USD] per month.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Is that too little?”

I gave him an apologetic look, and Seo Kyung-hoon shook his head, saying it wasn’t.

“Since high-level monsters and high-level hunters reside and come and go, it may seem insufficient, but we plan to pay utmost attention to the safety of ordinary employees. You will never have to face high-level monsters one-on-one, and we will thoroughly warn the high-level hunters.”

After all, the office will be located in a building, not in the Growth Support Center. So, the only people you’ll actually encounter are high-level hunters.

“Still, accidents can happen, so there will of course be compensation for that. If you are unfairly threatened by a high-level hunter, you will receive a consolation payment of ₩50,000,000 [approximately $37,500 USD] for an A-Rank and ₩200,000,000 [approximately $150,000 USD] for an S-Rank. If you suffer injuries beyond simple threats, we will cover all medical expenses, and you will receive a consolation payment of ₩50,000,000 [approximately $37,500 USD] for an A-Rank and ₩200,000,000 [approximately $150,000 USD] for an S-Rank. Of course, the offending hunter will also be sanctioned. In the event of death, well. That should never happen, but of course, we will provide thorough compensation.”

Whether they’re A-Rank or S-Rank, no one can touch my employees. Seo Kyung-hoon stared blankly at me, unable to say anything at the rapidly increasing amounts of money.

“The four major insurances are basic, of course. Ah, if you work in a job where you frequently encounter high-level hunters, your insurance enrollment may be rejected. So, we will also cover all medical expenses. In addition, the meal allowance is separate, at ₩100,000 [approximately $75 USD] per day.”

“Per day, you said? Not per week?”

“We work to live, so we need to eat well. More than anything, the quality of meals must be high to stay healthy, and if you’re healthy, your work efficiency will increase, right? If you have any meal allowance left over, you can use it for nutritional supplements or herbal medicine. Anyway, eating is what’s left.”

What else is there? Ah, that.

“However, transportation expenses are not provided.”

“That much is…”

“Instead, we provide company housing. If your home is far from work, it’s hard to commute. No matter what, a job close to home is the best. Look around the neighborhood and choose a property you like, and we’ll take care of it right away. But not a penthouse or anything like that. Depending on the number of family members, you can choose from 20 to 40 pyeong [approximately 710 to 1,420 square feet].”

“Yes? That, that, so…”

“Since renting or leasing is a hassle, try to find a purchase if possible.”

Those are roughly the conditions.

“The base salary will of course increase. Please keep the conditions other than the base salary and company housing confidential.”

In fact, I deliberately set the base salary low. Since I’m providing company housing for free, it’s not a small amount, or so I thought. Even if it’s a general office job, it’s bound to attract attention because of the nature of the job. Especially since people will be curious about the salary. If you say you get ₩2,000,000 [approximately $1,500 USD] a month, it’s ambiguous. From Seo Kyung-hoon’s point of view, it was also on the low side. But if you add that it will increase soon and that company housing is free, it becomes, ‘Oh, that’s not bad?’

That was about right. Real estate prices near large guilds are expensive, but if you don’t give it directly in cash, it will inevitably be devalued. If you suddenly get an annual salary of hundreds of millions of won without any special abilities, weird people are bound to flock to you. Besides, if you get paid a lot, people will assume it’s an important position, which will make things even more troublesome.

Also, even if the hazard pay or consolation money is revealed, if you explain it well, it’s a justifiable amount. Monsters that haven’t been fully trained roam around, so you deserve to get paid a lot. Your life is at stake! If you say that, people will think, ‘Oh, I guess so.’ In reality, there’s no such danger, though.

“Rejecting this would be… an absurd condition,” Seo Kyung-hoon said, looking dumbfounded.

“Even if it looks good at first glance, it might be surprisingly hard to endure. Constantly encountering high-level hunters can be quite stressful for an unawakened person. Plus, since it’s a special job, you’ll get a lot of attention at first.”

Of course, Hyung-nim [term of endearment, like ‘bro’ or ‘older brother’] would have no problem. He adapted to the hunter life relatively easily, and more than anything, he was someone who took my side. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be threatened while we were together. Some of them were even mid-level and high-level hunters.

Even so, he never left my side until the end. So, he was more than proven.

“As long as I don’t get fired, there’s nothing I can’t endure,” Seo Kyung-hoon said with a smile, his tension somewhat relieved. It was a joke, but knowing that he had actually been fired, it was hard for me to laugh. To be exact, it was because the company had half collapsed.

Seo Kyung-hoon had a mother and a much younger sister. As the head of the household, he lost his job suddenly, and while looking for a new one, he went to the Awakening Center just in case and was judged to be an E-Rank Awakener. Not even F-Rank, but E-Rank, so he started working as a hunter.

And.

“Does the company housing… have to be near the Growth Support Center? I have a younger sister who is still in high school because she was born late. She’s going to college next year. I’d like to move near her school if possible. And the university too.”

“Yes, of course, that’s fine. But even if the university is a bit far, it’s better to move near a large guild. Even if the dungeons have become safer, you never know. Of course, near the Growth Support Center is the best. After all, if you have a relationship, they’ll take better care of you in case of an emergency.”

“Ah, that’s true too.”

“You seem to be very close to your sister.”

“Yes. It’s even more so because my father passed away early.”

Seo Kyung-hoon said a little awkwardly. I had seen his sister, Kyung-ha, a few times too.

“I’ve heard that Director Han is also very close to his brother.”

“…Yes? Th, that’s right.”

I unconsciously stammered. The inside of my throat felt hot. He had worked so hard to raise me, and the voice that took my side, saying it was too much, vividly came to mind. He told me to forget about Yoohyun, but he understood. He said he would have done the same.

“…We’re close, really.”

He would get angry if I worried about my brother or tried to cover for him, telling me to think about my situation, but he was also sympathetic. I was now able to say that we were close in front of the Hyung-nim [term of endearment, like ‘bro’ or ‘older brother’] who had been like that. …My eyes also turned red for no reason.

“My brother has been living apart from me for over three years because he was worried about me being harmed. You’ve probably heard about it.”

“Yes, I saw it on TV.”

“I didn’t know anything about it, so I resented him a bit, but he’s a brother I raised with so much care. When he said he was going to become a hunter, it was really, hard. He’s still young, not even an adult, and he’s doing dangerous work, so it was really…”

“…I would have done the same. Even if my brother was an adult, I would have stopped him no matter what.”

It was the first time he was seeing me today, but he said the same thing as before the regression. I knew it was weird to be pouring out my heart and even showing tears in front of someone I had just met. Even so, it was hard to hold back. If I had told him before the regression that it was all a misunderstanding and that I had reconciled with my brother, he would have been as happy as if it were his own business. He would have filled my glass, saying I had suffered a lot.

“You must have suffered a lot.”

“…Yes.”

Stains appeared on the wooden table. It was a ridiculous sight, and he must have been wondering what I was doing. He must have been embarrassed and flustered.

“…Here.”

A handkerchief was handed over. It was familiar. Kyung-ha had said it was a gift she bought with her first part-time job money. I had said I would wash it and return it, but instead, it was returned to his sister, not him. At the funeral.

“…Thank you. I’ll wash it and give it back, so please make sure to receive it in person.”

“You’re saying I should come to work at the Growth Support Center.”

I somehow smiled back at his smiling words. The inside of my throat was still tight and hot, but I felt relieved, as if one of the knots that had been tied and twisted inside me had been untied.

“This is really embarrassing. I’m sorry for showing you such a pathetic sight when I came to hire you.”

“No, it’s okay. It can happen.”

“Well, you can contact the Haeyeon Guild’s HR team for more details. The Haeyeon Guild is currently in charge of the Growth Support Center’s operations, so you’ll receive basic training there. Here’s the HR team’s number. Please feel free to contact them whenever it’s convenient for you.”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll be waiting for good news.”

“I want to contact them right now.”

I smiled, saying that would be welcome. I gave him the prepared gift and left. I still had several people to meet, but I wondered if there were tear stains left. Should I go somewhere and wash my face?

“…Are you okay?”

Noah asked worriedly as I returned to the car. Come to think of it, he must have heard. Ugh, how embarrassing!

“I, I’m okay. It’s just that I got a little emotional because our family situations are similar.”

It was very different except for taking care of a young sibling, but anyway. I was embarrassed, so I hugged Peace and stroked him for no reason. Anyway, the start was good. It didn’t seem too strange. …It was strange, though.

The second place I headed to was also a small company. When Lee Yooshin heard my offer to bring in new recruits, he wrote ‘Resignation’ in large letters with a magic marker on a plastic file and threw it at the boss’s face. He said he was tired of seeing his crap and wanted to quit a long time ago, but he was worried about leaving his kids behind, and he even gave him the middle finger.

I had worked with that new recruit, Kim Hyewon, when I was a hunter. He had also taken good care of the other people. I remembered him saying, ‘Your name is similar to mine, so forget about the brother who abandoned you and let’s be siblings.’

The next place I visited was a pet cafe. Choi Sooryun, who was working part-time, was very surprised to hear my words, but then asked if he could see Peace. When I showed him Peace, who was waiting in the car, he was overjoyed. Choi Sooryun, who was two years younger than me, was on leave from school after serving in the military.

He was an F-Rank support type who had rolled around in the dirt with me, and he could have easily joined a small guild after obtaining a C-Rank healing skill, but he said he couldn’t leave Hyung [term of endearment, like ‘bro’ or ‘older brother’] behind. With just one C-Rank healing skill, he couldn’t even become a low-level healer, but it was a very welcome ability in low-level dungeons. So, in the end, I forced him to leave.

…I couldn’t get him to leave with ordinary methods, so we didn’t part on good terms. But that won’t happen now.

“This is the right place.”

I parked the car near an old corridor-style apartment. I apologized to Peace, who had to keep waiting in the car, and got out. At first, I was tearful, but my heart grew lighter each time I encountered a familiar face.

The fact that things would be different this time and that I could make it so was what mattered most.

“It’s on the fourth floor. There’s no elevator here either.”

I’m walking a lot today. I don’t need to exercise. The area around the small apartment, which was close to a studio apartment, was quiet during the weekday daytime. I heard he didn’t have class, but I don’t know if he’s home.

“Yoojin-ssi [term of address, like ‘Mr.’ or ‘Ms.’].”

Noah called out to me as I was standing in the hallway, counting the doors with missing numbers. I reflexively turned around, and his face was shadowed.

“What’s wrong?”

Noah hesitated, bit his lip tightly, and then opened his mouth.

“I shouldn’t have come with you.”

“…Excuse me?”

Uh, what’s going on? We walked a bit, but it couldn’t have been that hard. Did I make Noah-ssi [term of address, like ‘Mr.’ or ‘Ms.’] drive too much? But I don’t have a driver’s license. If I did, I would have taken turns driving. Or is there some other problem…

“I thought I couldn’t keep avoiding it like Myungwoo Hyung [term of endearment, like ‘bro’ or ‘older brother’] said, so that’s why I came.”

Noah continued, half-sobbing.

“I just feel more and more pathetic.”