ALL NOVEL Chapter 52: You're Gonna Kill Me, Aren't You?
You're Gonna Kill Me, Aren't You?
"So, you're saying you rescued Kim Minsoo from falling for temptation?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Student Kim Minsoo! Is that really true?"
"Yes, it is…"
The unplanned Wonderland press conference was moving swiftly. This was because there were no casualties, and the building damage was minimal. With no injuries and only slight destruction, the atmosphere remained relaxed. Consequently, the reporters' questions had a more laid-back tone.
"At the time Hunter Baek Taeyang cleared the hallucination dungeon, what was the monster that was lying on the floor?"
"It was the succubus queen. Kim Minsoo fell victim to the queen."
"Thanks for the answer. Also, is it true the queen confessed her love at the end? Did you really seduce the queen in return?"
"Oh… Oh…!"
It was a cliché response, but it had an impact. In reality, my response was avoiding the question to some extent.
Minsoo's erection was hidden by his pants, but my junior wasn't so fortunate. After having sex with Shael, I felt like it had grown larger than before. Claiming that nothing happened while having a visibly stiff serpent inside the thigh – no one would buy that. Even a passing dog would laugh at such a statement. Moreover, being hunter-specific reporters, they knew what a succubus was. Despite this, they believed my words because of Kim Minsoo. He confirmed he had fallen for the temptation. As a result, it became a fact that he was the one who got screwed by the succubus.
My image probably played a part too.
Being the top S-rank gate contributor and having charm, no one would easily believe I fell for a Succubus Queen. The idea of a strong male hunter succumbing to a succubus queen would be an unbelievable story.
"Then let's wrap it up."
"Ah…" Sighs could be heard, but I stayed unfazed. I thought I had addressed enough questions about the hallucination dungeon. Taking more questions here could lead to personal inquiries about my relationships with So Yoomin, Melanie, and others. One could say not answering would be fine, but the problem was asking such questions in the first place. Once a topic was brought up, it wouldn't settle until I gave a precise answer.
That's the worst-case scenario. I suddenly felt sorry for hitting Minsoo back then when he cheated. But in a way, if Minsoo can't handle face-to-face confrontation and I can, isn't that alright?
"Alright, let's call it a day."
The reporters seemed disappointed, yet they managed to keep within bounds. If, by some rare chance, they did overstep and trigger the awakener's anger? Those who weren't awakened could never handle it, given there had been real cases before. Hence, they were extra careful about setting boundaries.
Now, onto the second round of questions. Formal questions had come to an end. Ideally, I wanted to finish everything here and head home, but it wasn't possible because Yoo Minhyuk was approaching me. Judging by his expression, he had a lot to say. The moment I caught sight of his face, I promptly stepped back. It was a retreat from the force and aura he exuded.
Come, Yoo Minhyuk. I am Baek Taeyang.
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I'm no stranger to these kinds of situations. And I can only imagine what Kim Minsoo would've done in my position – he'd fumble and stumble. Fortunately, I'm skilled enough to navigate through it.
"You've already built quite a reputation for a freshman."
"Thank you for the compliment."
"I've never really thought highly of you."
"I see."
The Wonderland VIP room had an atmosphere where coziness meets tackiness. There were large teddy bear dolls and even dinosaurs hung from the ceiling.
It's supposed to be a comfortable space for conversation but…
It regressed grown-ups into oversized toddlers. The wallpapers exuded a vibe straight out of a princess-themed anime, complemented by a dash of stardust. The highlight was the dragon-shaped sofa. Two men, appearing twice the average adult's size, claimed their spots on the attention-grabbing hot pink couch. Not to mention, two cute mugs on the table held cocoa, complete with floating marshmallows, making quite a statement.
That fatty bastard. It's undoubtedly the influence of the comedy chapter he created.
"I thought you were dating my daughter." Yoo Minhyuk said, paying absolutely zero attention to the atmosphere. He was like a beast solely fixated on finding the right angle to pounce on and rip me apart. "But lately… judging by your actions… there seem to be many women."
This was news to me. My puzzled look prompted Yoo Minhyuk to quickly show an article on his phone, featuring me exiting Melanie's limousine with a bright smile. My expression unmistakably conveyed sheer enjoyment.
All we did was play tic-tac-toe though…
Convincing him would be as fruitless as explaining color to the blind, so I chose to stay silent.
"There's also an academy student named So Yoomin. Her look at you today was something else… I've been in a relationship too, so I know it well."
"They're just good friends. It seems there's a misunderstanding."
"Then, strolling around town with my daughter in the morning – a misunderstanding too?"
The expected question finally came out. It would be a natural question for any father with a daughter.
His daughter didn't make it home that night, and the next day she's casually strutting the streets with a guy? And they're hitting it off like long-lost friends? It's pretty evident they shared the night. Given Soojin's personality nature, any attempt at lying she made would be a dead giveaway. In other words, Yoo Minhyuk was privy to the entire ordeal.
"I know what's on your mind, sir. However, I want to assure you that there's absolutely nothing to worry about."
In situations like this, sticking to the conventional approach is always the best move. I've experienced countless similar scenarios in my previous world, and it would be the most likely route to success. Floundering responses would be the worst, and I have to present myself as a reliable and trustworthy man.
"Honestly, I understand this might seem inappropriate, meddling in my daughter's love life."
Yoo Minhyuk is remarkably rational.
"But I hope you also understand that it comes with the territory of being a parent. If the man my daughter is seeing… doesn't value her the way he should…"
He was on the verge of an emotional outburst, comparable to a slowly warming kettle, not yet at the boiling point. I had no idea how strong of an awakener he was, but the clenched fist suggested brewing anger beneath the surface and it created a slight tremor in the surroundings.
"That won't happ—"
"Be honest, how far have you gone?"
He cut me off before I could spit out the whole sentence. Perhaps this was the question he'd been itching to ask all along. Everything leading up to this point was merely laying the groundwork for that specific question.
Saying the truth might get me killed.
Our first experience was in the guidance room. There, like a dog, I pierced through your daughter's hymen from behind. The second was in a love hotel's VIP suite, where we washed each other and mixed each other's bodily fluids. That's the whole story. Hunter Yoo Minhyuk, if you have no more burning questions, I'll be on my way.
I don't think that's what Yoo Minhyuk wants to hear. If he genuinely wanted the truth, he wouldn't have brought up such a topic. Someone who had experienced dating and marriage would definitely know these things. At this point, playing along with the expected narrative is the key.
"After the department store gate incident, we developed a deeper bond, and we just had a comforting hug."
"Oh, you're saying all you did was just hug… I see…"
Huh? I never expected Yoo Minhyuk to be this naive. Did he try dating and end up marrying his first love? What on earth is he hoping for? Now I understood why ‘pure' is in the novel title.
"No, I might have overreacted… Well, it happens… They say the younger generation is different these days."
"I can completely understand."
"Really? You understand?" Suddenly, Yoo Minhyuk's eyes flickered, staring at me. It was like the pupil of an eagle spotting its prey.
"Yes."
"Then you understand if I invite you to dinner at our place, right?"
I was caught off guard; it was a diversion, a plan set in motion from the beginning. Parents sticking their noses into their kids' love lives has its limits. People come together because they like each other, and parents can only do so much. But tossing out a dinner invite is like playing the best card in the parent deck. It has a dual nature of showing kindness while also imposing a certain level of pressure. Yoo Minhyuk just tossed that card my way.
I need to avoid confirming our relationship.
If I drop by and confirm that I'm dating Soojin, I won't be able to handle what comes my way next. The most ideal way for me to live in this novel is to maintain smooth relations with everyone. In other words, I have to build a harem where they all have to put up with it because they're all in love with me.
"Of course, sir. Whenever it's convenient for you, just let me know, and I'll come."
Rejecting here wouldn't be good. I'll have to sync up the script with Soojin. I don't know about the invite timing, but there must be time flexibility. As her "boyfriend," there should be no pressing need to rush over hastily.
"Then, let's plan to meet this weekend. I'll let Soojin know about the rest… See you then."
"Yes, I'll see you then."
With those words, Yoo Minhyuk stood up. On the table, there were two untouched cups of marshmallow cocoa and a business card.
Yoo Minhyuk… He's not an easy opponent. This weekend's just four days away. My original plan is to break up Yoomin and Minsoo within this week. I wanted to take it as slow as possible to avoid making it look forced, but now… I need to prepare right after leaving this room.
How to handle two women at the same time? It's easier than eating cake.
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There were traces of the Cleanup skill being used.
Even though subskills could be similar, they were not exactly the same.
Too identical.
It was an F-rank skill, so no one really paid attention, but Yoo Minhyuk himself noticed.
Cleanup was a skill he picked up during his difficult times, working crazy hours – 15 hours a day, 7 days a week, doing part-time cleaning jobs. The skill was basically born out of Yoo Minhyuk's cleaning habits.
When Baek Taeyang successfully cleared the hallucination dungeon, the surroundings were tidied up as if Yoo Minhyuk had cleaned the area.
I've got a bunch of questions lined up for you this weekend.
From his relationship with his daughter to how he ended up with that skill. Yoo Minhyuk was so looking forward to this weekend that his excitement was palpable.