The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 529

527. Nap

Han Yoohyun carefully stroked Han Yoojin’s forehead as he lay with his head on his lap, a gesture reminiscent of when his older brother would soothe him during childhood colds. The sofa was much larger than before, yet it felt cramped with the two of them. Lost in their own world, Han Yoohyun’s gaze remained solely on his brother.

“Yes, that’s why I couldn’t answer the Guild Leader’s call,” Yerim said in a lowered voice, Bbyak perched atop her head.

“I don’t want to wake Ahjussi either.”

[Understood. It seems like things will be alright for a while. The reaction isn’t bad either. If Han Yoojin Hunter does well, it might even be beneficial…]

Seok Simyeong’s voice trailed off on the other end of the phone. He, like many who watched the broadcast, found it difficult to believe in Han Yoojin’s abilities. Most accepted that he possessed the qualifications to participate in the party. While some insisted the claims of obtaining or snatching the invitation were false, they were relatively few.

However, hardly anyone expected Han Yoojin to perform well. Even those well-disposed toward him considered it reckless. Some even argued he should be prevented from participating out of concern, citing the dangers of competing among S-ranks, regardless of safety guarantees.

[Then I will contact Hunter Park Yerim if any issues arise.]

“Yes. I’ll text you when Ahjussi wakes up.”

Park Yerim hung up and looked at Han Yoojin, then at Han Yoohyun.

“I’m only letting it go because of Ahjussi.”

“Our Yerim has grown up so much.”

“Seriously, I’m indispensable, you know, Unnie [older sister or female friend]. When it comes to Ahjussi’s affairs, I’ll abandon Haeyeon and everything else.”

Since the very purpose of creating Haeyeon was to protect Han Yoojin, it wouldn’t be surprising if he suddenly abandoned everything and disappeared. Some might wonder about the people left behind, but Han Yoohyun wasn’t one to concern himself with such matters.

Moon Hyuna looked down at Park Yerim affectionately.

“When I first saw Han Yoohyun, I thought he was a bit peculiar, but he was still quite neat for a high school student, so his image was okay. But ever since Hyung-nim [older brother or respected male figure] accepted him, he’s been giving off a strange vibe.”

Before, even though he was unsociable and blunt, she hadn’t found him that strange. Even his clumsy attempts at relationships seemed like youthful awkwardness. But now, especially Han Yoohyun next to Han Yoojin, he made little effort to conceal his abnormal side. For Han Yoohyun, that was probably normal behavior.

“I didn’t really know Do-ryeon-nim [young master] properly either.”

Sung Hyunjae also agreed with Moon Hyuna. He had only scratched the surface as well.

“The only one who created the human Han Yoohyun and fully accepted the non-human Han Yoohyun is Han Yoojin.”

“When you put it that way, Hyung-nim sounds strange too.”

“To be honest, Ahjussi is a little strange too. That’s why Han Yoohyun is even more like that. Seeing that makes me speechless ten times a day.”

“Yerim, you’re going through a lot.”

“I thought I could get involved with foreigners, but I never dreamed I’d be living with other races.”

Just thinking of them as different races made it okay, Park Yerim said.

“After multiculturalism, multi-racialism might come next. When my spirit is born, I think I’ll be able to take better care of it thanks to experiencing Han Yoohyun.”

“Irin is unique too.”

“That’s right. The way she thinks is so different from us.”

“When is the spirit supposed to be born?”

“The egg is almost translucent. I think it will hatch when it turns completely into a water droplet.”

Park Yerim smiled, saying she hoped it would be born soon. Then she turned to Noah.

“Noah Oppa [older brother or male friend], about Riet Unnie… is it okay to talk about it?”

“Yes. My sister and I are also very different. I haven’t understood her well since I was young. It felt like living with a lion or a tiger.”

“That’s right, Riet is a bit like a wild beast. And the Seseong Guild Leader.”

Moon Hyuna spun around, turning halfway to look at Sung Hyunjae. He wore an elegant smile, like a model in a photograph.

“He’s like that because he’s old.”

“That’s too much.”

“He’s old enough to act like a perfectly normal person. Seeing Dali, the difference is clear. Ugh, how disgusting.”

“The face is the same, though.”

“Dali is more vibrant. More cute. Have some conscience, you’re almost forty.”

“That’s right. Dali… Oppa? felt younger.”

“I think so too. He was also more comfortable than the Seseong Guild Leader.”

“One of my allies is asleep…”

Sung Hyunjae looked at Song Taewon, who was standing silently near the entrance. Song Taewon quietly avoided his gaze. Moon Hyuna, chuckling, swept back her hair.

“We can’t help Hyung-nim.”

At her words, the light atmosphere turned heavy in an instant.

“We can only clean up after him; we can’t directly lend a hand. Because that would be pointless. It reminds me of when Hyung-nim said he would help me before.”

The situation was reversed from then. Moon Hyuna gave a bitter smile.

“In the end, Hyung-nim has become something like a representative of F-ranks. Whether he wants it or not.”

If Han Yoojin succeeds, it will be ‘even F-ranks can do it,’ and if Han Yoojin fails, it will be ‘F-ranks are still F-ranks.’

“Discrimination based on rank is really severe, isn’t it? I don’t know the details yet, but even just looking at Ahjussi, there are many people who look down on him.”

“Yes. But this gets complicated if you go deeper. With the emergence of Awakened Ones and ranks, other forms of discrimination have actually been alleviated.”

It had only been about four years since Awakened Ones appeared, but related research was active in various fields.

“There are many forms of discrimination, such as race, nationality, gender, and class. And once something is fixed, it’s not easy to reverse. Once you belong to a lower group, you are at a socially disadvantaged position. To move from a lower group to a higher one, you have to work much harder than someone in a higher group.”

Ordinary levels of education and living standards in developed countries can be considered upper class in developing countries.

“But Awakening doesn’t have that kind of discrimination. You can be in the top 1% of the world overnight. There is still some social discrimination, but in the future, it is likely that people will only look at the simple rank.”

Moon Hyuna shrugged slightly.

“So there are quite a few people who are interested in Awakened Ones and social equality…”

“It’s almost impossible for discrimination itself to disappear completely.”

Sung Hyunjae said.

“Just like how the caste system disappeared and wealth became a new hereditary rank. Unless people’s abilities become the same and the distribution of resources becomes perfectly equal.”

“It’s a difficult problem. However, Awakening ranks are not fixed to a specific group or inherited, so many people think that rank discrimination is better.”

An S-rank can emerge from an F-rank family, or vice versa. Even now, there are often cases where family members have different ranks.

“…Anyway, we can’t do anything but support Ahjussi, right?”

Park Yerim said glumly.

“Even if we can help, we have to be careful.”

“That’s right. As long as we’re S-ranks.”

“It would be nice if we didn’t have to worry about all that! I still don’t really understand. It’s not that I don’t know at all, but I don’t understand. We also ostracized people, compared where their houses were and what their parents did, and I was also teased for not having parents.”

“Who was it?”

“I fought and won! Anyway, I don’t know why people do that. I’m an S-rank now and living very well, but I have no intention of discriminating against people who aren’t.”

Moon Hyuna opened her arms wide and hugged Park Yerim tightly. At that, Bbyak, the baby bird, floated up, and Moon Hyuna’s hand roughly stroked Park Yerim’s head.

“Our Yerim is so-o right!”

“Unnie, it hurts!”

– Bbyak.

Bbyak, who had been floating around, landed on Sung Hyunjae’s head.

“It’s an ideal story. But change also arises because of all sorts of problems. A perfect world would just stop.”

“Look at that twisted guy. Is it just because it’s not fun?”

“It must be boring too.”

Sung Hyunjae turned his gaze to Han Yoojin. It was a very affectionate look.

“Sleeping isn’t bad either. But still, isn’t his moving figure the most beautiful?”

“Someone sew up Sung Hyunjae’s mouth. You just like it when you’re having fun, don’t you?”

“That’s not true. Of course, Han Yoojin amuses me, but…”

Sung Hyunjae approached the sofa and reached out to Han Yoojin. Han Yoohyun, still fixed on his brother, swatted away Sung Hyunjae’s hand as if it were a mosquito. Sung Hyunjae reached out again, but the result was the same.

“Hunter Sung Hyunjae, let him rest.”

Unable to watch any longer, Song Taewon stopped him.

“Of course, I have no intention of waking him, but I’m jealous of Do-ryeon-nim.”

“Don’t pretend to be jealous.”

Sung Hyunjae approached Song Taewon with a mischievous look. Song Taewon looked at Moon Hyuna, who reached out and grabbed the back of Sung Hyunjae’s neck.

After that, light and occasionally heavy conversations took place. They were all S-rank Hunters, and each minute was as valuable as gold. Nevertheless, they waited, letting the time pass, as if willing to give up not just today, but two days, three days, or even more.

“Yerim, you froze the gaps in the Jenga blocks.”

“No, I didn’t. It’s the civil servant Ahjussi’s turn.”

“…”

“As expected, even Chief Song Taewon couldn’t do it.”

“Look at this, there’s a wet mark here.”

“I really didn’t do it. Right, Noah Oppa?”

“In my opinion… it was a strange structure to withstand.”

“The little miss’s control skills are getting more dazzling day by day. It was very natural.”

“Even Han Yoohyun sometimes doesn’t notice—ah, I didn’t do it. It’s unfair.”

Park Yerim grumbled but still puffed out her shoulders. She was freezing the moisture in the air very slightly and delicately, so even the most sensitive S-rank would have a hard time noticing. As such, the power was only enough to temporarily fix light wooden blocks.

“How is Ahjussi?”

At Park Yerim’s question, Han Yoohyun, still gazing at his brother, answered quietly without raising his head.

“He seems like he’ll wake up soon. He stirred a little.”

“When Ahjussi wakes up, let’s eat a lot of delicious things today. Ice cream, macarons, anything.”

“Okay.”

After a little more time passed, Han Yoojin opened his eyes. Seeing his softly smiling younger brother, he smiled along in his sleep.

“Hyung, you’re awake?”

“…Yeah. Just now.”

Han Yoojin’s expression stiffened for a moment, then he abruptly raised his upper body. He panicked, met the gazes of the people looking at him, and stopped moving with a flinch.

“That, before I fell asleep…”

“Ahjussi, is there anything you want to eat?”

“…Huh?”

“Aren’t you hungry, Hyung-nim? Let’s go to the villa and eat. Sung Hyunjae is cooking.”

“Breaker Guild Leader is also helping.”

“I’ll help too. Should we call Myungwoo Hyung? He’ll definitely come. He even called.”

Han Yoojin blinked blankly. Han Yoohyun reached out and wrapped his arm around his brother’s shoulder.

“Perhaps, did it go wrong? So…”

“No, not at all! Everyone accepted Hyung-nim’s participation.”

“Team Leader Seok said there’s nothing wrong. He said he’d contact us if there was anything, but it’s quiet.”

“The Awakened Management Office and the Hunter Association also have no problems. The Association has accepted it positively.”

Han Yoojin tilted his head. He couldn’t tell if it was real or if they were trying to comfort him. Still, seeing even Song Taewon say that, it seemed like the former.

“Then, so, that means…”

– Bbyak!

“Yes, Bbyak-ah. Noah-ssi, if it’s okay with you, could you also bring our kids while you’re bringing Myungwoo?”

“I’ll go with you, Noah Oppa. I’m going to bring Maru too. Unnie said there’s a swimming pool at the villa, right?”

“Yeah. A big one.”

“Then I’ll be back.”

Park Yerim walked towards the door with Noah, then stopped and turned back.

“Ahjussi, you were cool.”

“Huh? Th, thanks.”

“Me too, Yoojin-ssi. You were cool.”

“…Yes, thank you.”

The two left, and Han Yoojin rolled his eyes, thinking, ‘No, it wasn’t at all.’ Han Yoojin’s fist, which had been clenched unconsciously, loosened slightly. Moon Hyuna took out her phone, saying she would have the food ingredients prepared.

“I’ll make everything Hyung-nim wants to eat. Just say the word.”

“Well, I… Yerim likes meat.”

“Barbecue is a must! I mean Hyung-nim, Hyung-nim. Not Yerim or Do-ryeon-nim, but Hyung-nim.”

“I’m really okay with anything.”

“Hyung can’t eat fishy things well. He prefers Korean food to Western food, but he likes bakery items.”

“No, I don’t really like bread… I just eat it because it’s there.”

“Okay, non-fishy Korean food.”

“Ah, Chief Song likes things like sashimi! Chief Song is coming too, right?”

“…Yes. I think it would be better to attend.”

“Hey, don’t do that, just relax.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me?”

“Sung Hyunjae-ssi is cooking, right? Of course, you have to come.”

With a brighter face, Han Yoojin got up. He reached for his phone, then put it back.

“Let’s turn off our phones today.”

Sung Hyunjae opened the door, and Moon Hyuna stepped forward as if guiding him. Han Yoohyun followed behind Han Yoojin as he walked out. Everyone left the room, and Song Taewon closed the door last.