“Do Minjung? Is this really Do Minjung?”
Even as I looked directly at her, the situation felt surreal.
Standing before me was a woman holding out her phone, asking for my number. It was strange enough that she approached me out of nowhere, but her beauty was almost otherworldly.
She had a petite face on a tall, 170 cm frame, shimmering eyes that looked as if they held stars, and soft pink lips glowing with vitality.
Is this what being a celebrity is about?
Not only were her proportions stunning, but her face seemed to pull all attention toward it like a magnet.
“Her beauty is overwhelming, Master. I think this is the highest Charm stat we’ve seen,” Swallow murmured in awe, circling around her.
But while I appreciated her beauty, I was unsure how to respond.
Should I acknowledge her as a celebrity? Or pretend not to recognize her?
Her fame aside, I also wasn’t sure if giving her my number would count as completing the quest. The task was to receive the number of a stranger, not to give mine away.
While I hesitated, she tilted her head, pulling her phone back slightly.
“Do you not want to?”
“Oh, no, not at all.”
I didn’t know why she wanted my number, but this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
Taking her phone, I quickly entered my number.
Buzz, buzz—
A call came through on my phone, displaying the number:
<010-7654-3XXX>
I held up the screen for confirmation.
“Is this correct?”
“Yes, that’s me,” she said, nodding.
At that moment, a notification appeared before my eyes.
[You have received the number of a stranger of the opposite sex.]
[Number Received: 1/1]
[You have completed Absolute Beauty Quest 8.]
[Rewards]
‘I did it!’
Relief washed over me as I glanced at the messages floating in the air. What I thought would take hours had resolved far more easily than anticipated.
But my relief was short-lived.
[You cannot proceed to Absolute Beauty Quest 9 due to the low grade of your Eloquence skill.]
[A supplementary quest has been assigned to increase your Charm.]
[Supplementary Beauty Quest 14]
[Speak with the person whose number you received for at least 60 minutes (0/60).]
[Time Limit: 3 days.]
[Failure to complete the quest will result in resetting Absolute Beauty Quest 8.]
It wasn’t over.
Now I had to hold a conversation with Do Minjung for an hour.
“Excuse me...”
I decided to seize the moment and try /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ to complete the supplementary quest while I had the chance.
But just as I opened my mouth, someone else interrupted.
“Do Minjung! What are you doing wandering around alone? Do you know how many stalker fans are out there these days?!”
A woman in a hoodie and thick black-rimmed glasses ran up, grabbing Do Minjung by the arm. She spoke in a scolding tone as she began pulling the idol away.
Minjung turned back to glance at me briefly, but she didn’t say a word and followed the woman without protest.
The café returned to an eerie calm, as if nothing had happened.
“What just happened...?”
“I have no idea,” Swallow replied, just as dumbfounded.
We both stared blankly at Minjung’s retreating figure.
***
"Minjung, why did you go to the café alone earlier?"
Inside a hair salon located in the department store, a woman in a hoodie and thick-rimmed glasses crossed her arms and looked into the mirror.
Do Minjung, seated before the mirror and receiving her makeup, lowered her gaze to the floor.
"I just wanted some coffee."
"You could’ve asked me to get it for you. It’s dangerous to go out alone. Promise me you won’t do it again."
"Okay."
The sound of brushes and tools filled the silence that followed.
“Iced Americano, right? Wait here; I’ll get it for you,” the woman said, dropping her arms and heading out of the salon.
The makeup artists working on Minjung smiled faintly at the retreating figure.
"Your manager’s amazing. I’ve never seen someone so hands-on in this industry."
"She’s so thoughtful. You’re lucky to have her, Minjung."
"Am I?" Minjung replied, her voice lukewarm.
The stylists spoke with admiration, but Minjung's response lacked warmth.
Telling the truth felt meaningless, and pretending to agree only deepened her melancholy.
A suffocating pressure weighed on her chest.
She wanted to let out a long sigh but knew her image wouldn’t allow it. Instead, Minjung distracted herself in another way.
She picked up her phone mid-makeup session and opened YouTube to play a video.
A faint smile touched her lips.
The stylists noticed too.
"Oh, isn’t that the Paju Hunter Shorts?"
"You know about it?"
"Of course! It’s trending everywhere on InOnStar. That hunter who fought the terrorists!"
"I’ve seen it too. He’s really handsome! Honestly, I think he could rival Han Sungbin."
The room’s mood lightened instantly as they began chatting about the viral hunter.
Minjung’s faint smile grew into a softer, more contented expression.
‘Could this man... save me?’
The moment she first saw him, a strange sense of hope had flickered within her.
And just moments ago, she had even met him and gotten his number.
At first, she’d been skeptical.
The man who had been trending online was sitting in a department store café? It seemed too coincidental.
But they say coincidences can turn into fate.
She didn’t know his name, but watching the man sip his coffee, she’d felt that their meeting was destined.
His sharp features, athletic build, and the image of him wielding two swords against terrorists—
A man with dual swords. He’ll be the one to save you.
The words of a shaman she had visited in a moment of desperation came to mind. The description of her savior matched him exactly.
Her thoughts were a whirlwind of curiosity and anticipation.
But reaching out to him now wasn’t possible.
For one, too many eyes were on her.
Click.
"I’m back with the coffee. Here’s yours," her manager said, returning with a handful of cups.
"Wow, thank you so much! You’re the best, ma’am!"
"Thanks for thinking of us too, Manager!"
"It’s nothing. Minjung, if your makeup’s done, let’s head out. The signing event is about to start."
"Alright."
Her makeup complete, Minjung stood and bowed politely to the stylists before leaving the salon.
Clutching her phone tightly to her chest, she stepped out into the hallway, her heart filled with questions about the man she had just met.
***
Under the clear sky, Kang Hyunsoo and Swallow sat at a table under a parasol in front of a convenience store, staring intently at Hyunsoo’s phone.
After a long silence, Swallow finally spoke.
"Are you sure Do Minjung has your number?"
"Of course. You were there; you saw me give it to her. She even called me right then. It’s probably still in my missed calls."
"Then why hasn’t she contacted you yet? And why did she even ask for your number in the first place?"
"How would I know?"
"I’ve searched my memory, and I can’t find any connection. Did you know her in your past life?"
"No, I’ve never even met her."
Hyunsoo shook his head, puzzled.
It was strange enough that Do Minjung had approached him first and asked for his number. But what was even more perplexing was that she had left such a strong impression on him.
In his previous life, Kang Hyunsoo had no connection to Do Minjung.
If there had been any kind of interaction, it would’ve made sense, but there was none.
So why had she asked for his number? Was it because he caught her interest? Or just out of boredom?
Considering she was a celebrity, even with a cap hiding her face, someone at the department store could’ve recognized her and started rumors. Yet she had approached him regardless.
Her actions were as baffling as they were memorable.
But Hyunsoo had another reason for being preoccupied.
“This quest... if I don’t clear it in time, I have to start over, right?”
"Yes, Master. According to the information I’ve received, you’ll have to start from scratch, beginning with receiving a stranger’s number again."
[Supplementary Beauty Quest 14]
[Speak with the person whose number you received for at least 60 minutes (0/60).]
[Time Remaining: 2 days 2 hours.]
[Failure to complete the quest will result in restarting Absolute Beauty Quest 8.]
This supplementary quest was directly linked to Absolute Beauty Quest 8, requiring Hyunsoo to hold a conversation with Do Minjung for an hour.
Without her, the quest couldn’t proceed.
Hours passed.
One hour, then four, then twelve...
Even after an entire day, there was no response from Do Minjung.
"What about sending her a message first?" Swallow suggested.
This chapter is updated by freēwēbnovel.com.
"Wouldn’t that be pointless? Feels like she’d just leave me on read..."
"Then at least you’d know where you stand and could prepare for the next step. And remember, Master, the thirsty person digs the well."
"I’m not thirsty, and I’m not interested in women."
"But you have to complete the quest. This is a hurdle you’ll need to overcome eventually."
“Fine... fine, I’ll do it.”
Reluctantly, Hyunsoo picked up his phone and composed a message.
Kang Hyunsoo: Hello.
The simplicity of the text caught Swallow’s attention, and he adjusted his sunglasses as he admired Hyunsoo’s effort.
"Oh, surprisingly concise! Based on your personality, I thought you’d write something like, ‘Hello, I’m the guy you met at the department store café yesterday. Did you have breakfast?’ But this is much better."
"...I was going to write that, but my fingers froze up."
The truth was, Hyunsoo had intended to write a longer message, but something had stopped him.
As it turned out, the new Eloquence (D) trait he had acquired from the quest had activated.
[Eloquence (D) has detected excessive phrasing.]
[Auto-correction engaged.]
Apparently, texting also counted as a form of conversation. Whenever Hyunsoo tried to overcomplicate his message, the trait intervened to simplify it.
Additionally:
[TIP: A conversation is a two-way exchange. Start with a simple greeting to give the other person an opportunity to reply.]
Accepting the advice, Hyunsoo settled for a straightforward greeting. If Do Minjung was interested, she would respond; if not, she wouldn’t.
Thirty minutes passed without a reply.
"She’s probably busy," Swallow said, attempting to console him.
"Whatever. I’ll just check again after I clear a dungeon."
While Hyunsoo had heard that waiting two days before contacting someone was standard etiquette in dating, waiting wasn’t his style.
That’s why he had come to Han River Park. If he couldn’t move forward with Do Minjung, he wouldn’t waste time sitting idly. Instead, he planned to train and grow stronger in the meantime.
With his phone tucked into his pocket, Hyunsoo approached a gate set up in the park.
Showing his hunter license to the guards, he entered the portal.
The scenery that unfolded before him was vast and perilous.
[You have entered an A-rank dungeon.]
[Objective: Defeat the boss monster and clear the dungeon (0/1).]
Jagged ice spikes filled the landscape, glinting ominously in the frozen terrain.