“Everyone, please don’t be surprised! Today, we have an incredible guest visiting us!”
A terrestrial variety show set. As one segment wrapped up, the host gathered everyone’s attention to move on to the next.
“Now, let me introduce! The rising star of the moment! Arna Kristin Dotir from Han-yul Military Academy!”
The main host extended a hand toward the distance.
Ooooh─!
A burst of enthusiastic cheers filled the studio as a young girl stepped onto the stage.
Her face was more heavily made-up than usual, her hair curled elaborately, and she wore splendid hair accessories.
The decorated blonde girl beamed as she faced the camera.
“Hello. I am Arna Kristin Dotir, from the Combat Division of Han-yul Military Academy.”
Clap clap clap.
On cue, all the audience gave a loud round of applause.
The host continued.
“Wow. Your Korean is really fluent. I heard you’re from Iceland, right, Arna?”
“Yes, that’s correct. But in reality, I’ve spent much more time in South Korea.”
“Ah, is that so? Then did you attend a junior military academy here, perhaps?”
“Yes, I spent all of my time in South Korea.”
Waaah─
The audience collectively expressed their admiration.
The host then started reading from the script.
“So, is there any particular reason you decided to live in Korea after leaving your hometown, Iceland?”
“….”
In any show she appeared on, this question invariably came up. It was almost a fixed query.
With her usual earnest expression, Arna looked straight into the main camera.
“The reason I left my homeland and came to South Korea was mainly due to the influence of the one-time world hero, Kang Yuri.”
Ooooh─!
When the name “Kang Yuri” was mentioned, all the audience members perked up their ears.
The world’s first S-rank Awakened being, a pride not only of South Korea but of the entire world.
In this perilous world overrun by Monsters and Lesser Monsters, she had become hope for everyone.
“Oh, it’s a nostalgic name! Kang Yuri was truly an extraordinary Hunter. So, how did Kang Yuri influence you?”
“I had a small encounter with Kang Yuri a long time ago. Specifically, when I was little and living in Iceland.”
15 years ago, the A-Rank Monster that shook all of Iceland, where Arna lost her family, and the world hero Kang Yuri who miraculously appeared and defeated the Monster.
Arna recounted every detail of her past without missing a single part.
“I was saved thanks to Kang Yuri. Even amidst the despair of losing my family, I was able to gain hope.”
This wasn’t a scripted line for the broadcast. It wasn’t lip service to elevate the reputation of Kang Yuri or the country of South Korea either.
The respect Arna held for Kang Yuri was genuine. That one-hearted sentiment remained unchanged, even now in her adulthood.
Kang Yuri wasn’t just a dream or an object of admiration for Arna. She was an ideal.
“So I came to this country, South Korea. To become a hero like Kang Yuri, and to become hope for everyone.”
*
–I recently heard you faced a Monster! You single-handedly defeated that massive Monster, as expected from Arna!
–Me, alone? No, that’s a misunderstanding. At that time, I received help from another student in the Combat Division…
–That’s enough! Thank you for sharing your wonderful story, Arna. Let’s watch a short video before we continue!
“Look at that cake-face makeup she’s got on.”
Han-yul Military Academy’s Education Hospital, private room.
I was sitting on a patient bed, leisurely watching a variety show.
Squeak.
With a 500ml can of beer in hand.
Glug glug—
But that didn’t last long. The moment I opened the beer can, the door of the room opened.
A female student with navy-blue long hair neatly secured with a hairnet, the emergency room guardian Choi Soo-eun, walked in.
“What are you doing…?”
Choi Soo-eun frowned as soon as she entered and noticed the beer can in my hand.
“Uh….”
Incidentally, drinking during hospitalization is prohibited. If caught, there’s a possibility of forced discharge depending on the situation.
And to be caught at this timing… I haven’t even taken a sip yet.
Let me attempt a bit of an excuse first.
“This was just given to me by a friend.”
“You don’t have friends.”
“…”
Why must you salt this wound? One sentence, and I was left speechless.
Isn’t this against the ethics for a nurse to treat me like this? What happened to warm love and the spirit of service?
“Is that your drink?”
“No, I haven’t touched it yet.”
“Then, let me borrow it for a second.”
Glug glug.
Choi Soo-eun snatched the beer I had bought and started drinking it herself.
Drinking alcohol while working—she could be considered worse than me in a way. The red cross armband on her arm felt especially inappropriate at this moment.
“Ah, finally, I feel a little more alive.”
“Will you be okay? The alcohol smell will linger.”
“I’ll just lie and say I used Listerine.”
Actually, since it’s late at night, nothing major will happen. There are no lectures, and it’s not regular working hours.
“So, what brings you here at this time?”
“I’m here to check your vitals.”
Choi Soo-eun pulled out a thermometer from the medical cart she brought along.
Click.
She shoved the thermometer into my ear canal—it hurt a lot.
“How many degrees?”
“41 degrees.”
“Real?”
“Lie. It’s 37 degrees.”
Do you dare deceive a patient? Not an ounce of ethical consciousness was to be found in her as a nurse.
This girl even recited the Nightingale Pledge at the grand hall. The Medical Division is really turning out some interesting characters.
“I don’t act this way to everyone. I do have limits I stick to while living my life.”
“For someone who ends up on community boards full of hate comments, that’s impressive.”
A popular community app used by Han-yul Military Academy students, Every Hunter.
If you look closely at the trending posts, you’ll find her name repeatedly. Choi Soo-eun from the Medical Division.
All posts related to her are filled with criticism—claims about her lack of care, how she lacks compassion, how she only relies on her father’s connections, and so on. Nothing but slander.
“As if you’re not also a trending topic.”
For reference, I too am a regular on these trending posts.
Primarily, for pictures or clips of me getting beaten up by Arna.
“Let’s not put us in the same category. I’m being mocked, not cursed out like you are.”
“Ah, well… That’s great for you…”
With a sigh, Choi Soo-eun plopped herself onto the edge of the bed.
What is this? Without permission, sitting on someone else’s bed?
Where did she learn this kind of etiquette?
Oh, wait. It’s a hospital bed, not my personal bed. So, acceptable.
“Hey, I have one question for you.”
“What is it?”
What could she be asking? From her expression alone, it was hard to tell. Her face was expressionless.
“You…”
Suddenly, Choi Soo-eun’s gaze shifted to the TV.
On the screen, a past interview of Arna was playing.
“By any chance, do you… like Arna?”
“…”
What kind of absurd question is this? That I like Arna? What possible misunderstanding has led her to this conclusion?
In fact, wouldn’t it be more normal for her to ask if I dislike Arna?
I’ve always been the third-rate Villain who gave Arna trouble.
Let me answer her question first.
“I do not like her.”
“Really?”
“Why do you think I like her?”
This time, I wanted to ask in return—what made her see me liking Arna?
“…”
Choi Soo-eun couldn’t provide an exact answer to my question. Her face was a little complicated. She seemed unsure herself.
“Are you jealous?”
“Huh…?”
“In this situation, that’s the only possible answer, isn’t it?”
When creating Shin Yoon-seong’s character, the designer had established relationships not just with Arna but also with other characters.
The most notable one among them was Choi Soo-eun right here.
Shin Yoon-seong had long secretly admired Choi Soo-eun, but she never opened her heart to him, not even a little.
In short, their relationship involved unrequited love.
Of course, they had recently settled their relationship.
Since there was no longer any reason to cling to Choi Soo-eun, he decided to give up on her cleanly.
But as a result, an unintended situation unfolded.
This time, Choi Soo-eun was the one trying to understand his feelings, whereas before she never had any interest.
Is this jealousy?
“Jealousy… probably not.”
“Not?”
“Yeah, I can prove it.”
Choi Soo-eun slowly slid closer, her buttocks inching towards me.
“…”
“…”
A very close distance, where our noses might almost touch. All we could do was stare into each other’s indifferent eyes with expressionless faces.
Then…
Swoosh—
Choi Soo-eun extended her arms and wrapped them around my shoulders. A blend of alcohol scent and sweet blueberry fragrance wafted into my nose.
“See? It’s definitely not jealousy. There’s no heart racing at all.”
Up until that moment Choi Soo-eun hugged me, her body didn’t flinch even once. There was no trembling in her voice. No detectable change in her breathing either.
I was no different. My heartbeat remained the same. I couldn’t feel any increase in body heat either. If I measured my temperature now, it would probably still be 37 degrees.
Ultimately, neither of us felt any emotion for each other. We couldn’t find any trace of romantic sentiment or yearning towards one another.
We were just like any other stranger.
Glug glug—
“Uh….”
As we quietly hugged each other, the door of the room opened. A visitor had arrived.
“Huh…?”
The person at the door was a blonde girl, Arna Kristin Dotir who had just appeared on the TV moments ago.
“Kyaaaahh…! I’m so, so sorry…! I shouldn’t have rudely walked in…”
Arna covered her face with both hands and fled out of the room.
How could she run off like that just because she saw a man and woman hugging?
Isn’t Arna a foreigner?
Where’s that open-minded American attitude she’s supposed to have?
