As soon as Yeo Dohyung finished the talk show, he headed toward a place he had scouted beforehand.
The woman he had clearly spotted from afar seemed to have already left, as she was nowhere to be seen.
‘Hmm...’
He pulled his cap lower and slowly glanced around.
After taking in his surroundings, he started walking again.
Reaching the far end of the night market, where the crowd thinned out, he sighed in disappointment.
Just then, he happened to spot a lone woman at a quiet stall at the very end of the market.
Yeo Dohyung quickly moved toward her and stood beside her.
He casually ordered a beer and glanced over at her.
His eyes met Si-Hyun’s.
‘...Hmm?’
Her expressions were incredibly vivid.
At first, her face was blank, but then her brows furrowed slightly, only to soften with a playful gleam moments later.
“Mister, one more beer, please.”
“Sure thing! Thanks!”
Si-Hyun refilled her beer.
Meanwhile, Yeo Dohyung looked at the menu to order something to snack on.
After a moment of deliberation, he decided on spicy skewers, figuring they’d be moderately spicy and flavorful based on the description.
Once his food arrived, Yeo Dohyung removed his mask and spoke naturally to Si-Hyun.
“Hello. You’re Professor Jeong Si-Hyun, correct?”
“...Yes.”
“I’ve heard about you from my younger sister. She says your Monster Studies lectures at the academy are her favorite. Out of curiosity, I saw a photo of you once. I didn’t expect to meet you here like this.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Ahem, I’m Yeo Dohyung.”
“Yes, I just watched your talk show. Eunbyul also mentioned you.”
Si-Hyun and Dohyung exchanged a light handshake.
Afterward, they quietly enjoyed their respective drinks and snacks.
They didn’t bother with a toast.
As Yeo Dohyung set his glass down, Si-Hyun slowly spoke, her gaze fixed on his spicy skewers.
“...Do you like spicy food?”
“Oh, yes. I’d say I do.”
“Hmm, is that so.”
Si-Hyun’s eyes curved gently as she smiled.
The faint blush on her cheeks, likely from the alcohol, combined with her delicate expression, captured Dohyung’s attention.
“Then how about trying this as well?”
Si-Hyun pointed at the menu with her finger.
The item she indicated was called Bomb Skewers, described as extremely spicy.
“Since this feels like fate, it’s on me. Mister, one Bomb Skewer, please!”
“Coming right up!”
Caught off guard as he admired Si-Hyun’s appearance, Dohyung suddenly found himself being treated to an additional snack.
As the new skewers arrived, he let out a wry smile.
“Well, I suppose I should order something for you too.”
“...Let’s finish what we have first.”
Si-Hyun picked up her last piece of fish cake and took a sip of beer, as if signaling him to dig in.
Dohyung hesitated briefly, then took a bite of the Bomb Skewer.
It was quite spicy.
He quickly gulped down his beer.
However, the spiciness refused to fade, clinging stubbornly to his tongue.
‘...So this is why they call it Bomb Skewer?’
The name lived up to its reputation.
It felt like eating fiery noodles, leaving his tongue tingling.
Dohyung took another sip of beer on his own.
When he turned his head, he was greeted by Si-Hyun’s radiant smile.
Her cheerful expression was so beautiful that it lifted his spirits just by looking at her.
He found himself smiling back without even realizing it.
Yet, his tongue still burned.
“Mister, another beer for me too, please.”
After finishing the rest of his beer in one go, Dohyung ordered a refill.
Reaching for his original spicy skewer instead of the Bomb Skewer, he suddenly felt Si-Hyun’s gaze on him.
‘...Hmm?’
Feigning indecision, he hovered his hand over both types of skewers.
Each time his hand approached the Bomb Skewer, Si-Hyun’s smile grew wider.
Drawn to that enchanting smile, Dohyung ultimately picked up another Bomb Skewer and took a bite.
The second bite felt like his mouth was ablaze.
“Whew...”
“Here’s your beer!”
Without thinking, Dohyung stuck his tongue out slightly before grabbing the new beer and chugging it.
...It was spicy. Way too spicy.
Even for something called Bomb Skewer, this was absurd.
‘Hngh...’
He struggled to maintain his composure.
Frankly, it felt like the stall owner was trying to assassinate him with these skewers.
No matter how much beer he drank, the pain in his tongue didn’t subside.
“Ugh. This reminds me of the instant noodles I shot a commercial for.”
“...The spicy noodles?”
“Yes, you’ve tried them, haven’t you?”
“The bright smile of Hunter Yeo Dohyung on the lid caught my eye.”
“Hahaha!”
Even amidst the torment, Dohyung laughed.
He was reaching his limit, but he endured.
He wanted to get to know her better, especially since they were seated together.
Forcing himself to suppress his discomfort, he managed his expression as best he could.
“My mother loves those noodles. That’s why I suggested becoming their model.”
“...!”
“We have boxes of them at home, but I don’t eat them often. My mom finishes most of them herself.”
“Oh...”
Si-Hyun’s eyes widened in surprise.
She looked like a startled kitten, her round eyes frozen for a moment.
The adorable reaction made Dohyung chuckle softly as he downed the rest of his beer.
‘...Hmm?’
Finally, the burning sensation on his tongue began to subside.
He could breathe a little easier now.
“This is cheating...”
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A small murmur came from beside him.
“Cheating?”
“No, it’s nothing...”
Si-Hyun shook her head, her long hair swaying gently.
The motion resembled a tiny bird fluffing its feathers, delicate and endearing.
Dohyung smiled quietly as he watched.
Afterward, Dohyung and Si-Hyun exchanged brief conversation until she finished her drink and got up to leave.
In the end, he successfully exchanged numbers with her.
He thought Eunbyul being his younger sister had significantly helped his chances.
With that in mind, he picked up some snacks for his sister and headed home.
***
Inside an Academy Conference Room
While the students were enjoying the festival, the faculty had gathered in a meeting room to discuss various matters.
The official agenda had just concluded, leaving the professors to engage in casual, unofficial conversations.
“Are the preparations for the students’ practical training going well?”
“Ha-ha, of course. With so many passionate students lately, it’s been rewarding to prepare for them.”
“I agree. This year, we might even see a student reach D-rank before the first semester ends. Ha-ha!”
They exchanged updates on recent developments and future plans. Naturally, the topic of assignments came up.
“I recently came across a rather fascinating group project.”
“Oh? What kind of project?”
“It was prepared by four students from the magic department. The content was excellent. Honestly, as their professor, I couldn’t help but be impressed.”
“Hmm, do you mean to say students prepared something that outstanding on their own?”
“That’s what I thought too, so I asked them about it, and they said, ‘Professor Jeong Si-Hyun helped us.’”
“Wait, you mean the part-time instructor who’s a close-combat hunter?”
The professor listening couldn’t hide his surprise and asked again.
The one who had brought it up chuckled wryly and replied.
“I found it curious as well, but... well, I didn’t dwell on it. I don’t know him personally.”
“Hmm... Ah, Professor Noh, what do you think? You share a general education course with him, don’t you?”
All eyes turned to a middle-aged man.
Professor Noh, a B-rank magic hunter, was responsible for not only specialized lectures but also the Understanding and Exploration of Monsters course.
“Hmm. I don’t really care.”
Professor Noh answered indifferently.
The only connection he had with Jeong Si-Hyun was granting permission to reference materials for a newly established lecture. Even that had been handled through the dean, not directly.
“By the way, have you heard? The Introduction to Monster Studies course is said to be of very high quality.”
“...Hmm?”
At this sudden remark, Professor Noh turned his attention to the speaker.
The professor who had brought it up smiled slyly, pleased to have drawn attention.
“Some even say the part-time instructor’s lectures are better than Understanding and Exploration of Monsters.”
“...What is that supposed to mean?”
“Well, it seems he used materials from your course. Isn’t it amusing that his lectures are receiving such praise? Not to mention how a close-combat hunter helped magic students with their group project.”
“...”
Professor Noh’s brows furrowed.
The sly professor, having intentionally provoked him, shrugged nonchalantly and stopped talking.
‘Perfect timing.’
Professor Noh had already been irritated by Jeong Si-Hyun’s attitude during Hunter Kang Cheol-min’s special lecture.
With his notoriously strict and irritable personality, even a small spark like this was enough to ignite a fire.
As expected, Professor Noh left with a stiff expression.
The instigating professor watched him leave with a smirk.
***
A Few Days After the Academy Festival
Areum, who only had morning lectures that day, headed straight to the academy’s main gate after class.
Today was the day she had promised to meet Professor Jeong Si-Hyun.
They were supposed to visit a dungeon in the provinces together if it hadn’t already been cleared.
‘He’s not here yet?’
Arriving at the gate, Areum checked the time and glanced around.
Professor Jeong Si-Hyun was someone whose appearance naturally stood out.
Since she couldn’t spot him, he had likely arrived earlier and was waiting somewhere nearby.
Areum looked around again. That’s when a familiar voice called out to her.
“Areum, over here!”
“Ah!”
So he was waiting in the car!
Areum quickly walked over to the parked car.
“Ah, hello, Professor!”
“Hi. Get in.”
Once Areum sat in the back seat, Si-Hyun introduced the man in the driver’s seat.
“This is Jang Han-Soo, a department chief from the Hunter Management Bureau. He happened to have business in the provinces today, so he offered to drive us.”
“Nice to meet you, Areum.”
“Oh, yes. Thank you very much.”
Jang Han-Soo exchanged polite greetings with Areum before starting the car.
Meanwhile, Si-Hyun casually chatted with Areum.
“What novels have you been reading lately?”
“Oh... um, would you like me to recommend something new?”
“Sure. I finished one over the weekend.”
“Ah! In that case...”
The department chief, focused on driving, perked up his ears.
He thought he might catch some useful information.
“Um, Professor, can I ask you something I’ve been curious about for a while?”
“Sure, what is it?”
“Well... I’ve always wondered—what’s that mark on the back of your hand?”
“Ah, this?”
Si-Hyun raised his hand so Areum could see it clearly.
Areum’s gaze landed on the stigmata etched on his skin.