There was an old saying that there existed a beauty so extraordinary that she could topple a nation. Although the world was full of beautiful women, Ae-Kyung was considered a rare gem even among them—her beauty was something that might only appear once in a thousand years. An article introducing S-rank Hunters once said this about Ae-Kyung: “The gods granted her everything.” Her allure wasn’t limited to her looks. She was the daughter of the chairman of the SG Group and an S-rank Hunter belonging to the world-renowned Behemoth Guild. Her credentials were nearly flawless; in fact, they couldn’t get any better. Jun-Yeol rested his chin on his hand, scrolling through the article. The more he read about Ae-Kyung, the more respect he gained for her. She truly was an exceptional person. Then, he had a sudden thought: she and Do-Jun would make a good match. The idea made him chuckle. “I’ll be heading out now, senior,” Ae-Kyung said. She was at Behemoth Guild’s office inside the Hunter’s Bureau, giving a brief report to Kang-Hyun. The S-rank Hunters had been taking turns assisting Do-Jun with his Fissure exploration, and today, Saturday, was Ae-Kyung’s turn. They do suit each other, but... Jun-Yeol’s gaze lingered on Ae-Kyung. As the automatic doors opened and she started to leave, she suddenly stopped in the hallway. Jun-Yeol’s intense gaze had been bothering her. “Do you have something to say?” she asked, somewhat aggressively. “Nope.” Jun-Yeol shook his head and turned back to his newspaper. Ae-Kyung walked into the hallway, but Jun-Yeol raised his head again, watching the direction she’d gone. He commented, “Senior, they really do look good together, but nothing seems to be happening, right? Ae-Kyung clearly likes Supervisor Lee, but looking at him, it’s as if he has no feelings at all. Do you think he just has no interest in dating? Or maybe he’s just completely clueless when it comes to romance?” Kang-Hyun silently read his book. Frustrated by the lack of response, Jun-Yeol crossed his legs and leaned in closer to Kang-Hyun, and said angrily, “Look, relationships need someone to take the initiative. If you hesitate too much, you end up with nothing.” When Kang-Hyun didn’t respond, Jun-Yeol clicked his tongue in boredom and pulled out his smartphone to launch “Love Love! Fantasy!” ⌜Love Love! Fantasy!⌟ ⌜Oppa, where should we go today?⌟ A voice actress’ cheerful lines filled the office as Jun-Yeol started playing his favorite dating simulation game. He, who had never experienced romance in real life, once again dove into the world of 2D simulation. An A-rank Great Fissure had appeared in Seongbuk-dong. While such Fissures were usually managed by the Hunter’s Bureau, the boundaries between the Bureau and the Seoul City Government had been gradually blurring due to new agreements. Thus, on this Saturday morning, Do-Jun was heading out to investigate the Great Fissure. When he stepped out of his apartment at 9 AM, a pregnant woman in her late twenties, a resident of Changshin Villa who had moved in three months ago, greeted him. “Good morning, Mr. Lee! Going to work on a weekend?” “Yes, unfortunately. How are you?” “I’m doing well, thank you. You’re working so hard for the country! Thanks to people like you, ordinary citizens like us can sleep soundly. I’m always grateful!” Most residents of Changshin Villa knew that Do-Jun worked as a civil servant managing Fissures. It has been ten years since the first appearance of Fissures, and the robust safety infrastructure protecting them was a testament to the efforts of the Hunter’s Bureau and local governments. Public trust in them was high. “I’m just doing my job. By the way, how’s everything with the baby?” Do-Jun asked her. “It’s going good! The baby’s due in about two months.” “I hope everything keeps going well for you. Have you picked a name yet?” “No, we’re still thinking about it. It’s so hard to pick one! I’ve considered going to a naming center, but I thought it might be better to choose a pretty name first and then pick the characters for the meaning afterward. If you think of a good name, let me know. I’d love to hear your suggestions.”[1] Do-Jun smiled. “I’ll be sure to do that.” Although it was challenging for even an S-rank Hunter to subjugate an A-rank Great Fissure alone, assisting a civil servant with mapping work was surprisingly straightforward. While Do-Jun focused on mapping, Ae-Kyung handled the monsters trying to sneak up on him. Although Do-Jun could have easily completed the mapping by himself, he preferred to follow proper procedures and always brought along an S-rank Hunter. Do-Jun paused briefly while scrolling through his SpacePad as if thinking of something, then continued walking. When he repeated this three more times, Ae-Kyung tilted her head, puzzled. “Supervisor Lee, what are you so lost in thought about?” she asked. “I was trying to think of some good names for a baby.” Ae-Kyung choked in surprise, her disbelief evident on her face. “Yes.” Do-Jun’s answer was short and simple. Ae-Kyung tried to regain her composure, glancing at him nervously. “S-Supervisor Lee.” “I’ve actually... thought of a few.” “Really? Would you mind sharing them?” Do-Jun asked. “I’ll take them into consideration.” In truth, Ae-Kyung sometimes fantasized about marrying Do-Jun before falling asleep. Although Do-Jun already had Byeol, whom he met in the Core, and who also saw her as a mother figure, Ae-Kyung occasionally imagined them as a married couple. When a couple in love shared a bed, who knew what might happen? A baby, perhaps? Considering that possibility, she had jotted down potential baby names in a notebook she kept. “Let’s start with the baby’s prenatal name...” Ae-Kyung said.[2] “The prenatal name is Sarang,” Do-Jun informed her.[3] Ae-Kyung thought to herself that Do-Jun seemed quite determined about the prenatal name. She decided to move on. “For a boy, how about Ye-Jun?” she suggested. “That sounds good. What about for a girl?” Do-Jun repeated the names aloud. They sounded pleasant. However, he knew that the combination of a name and surname was also crucial. What’s her husband’s last name again? As he pondered briefly, Ae-Kyung asked, “How many children would you like to have, Supervisor Lee?” “What?” Caught off guard, Do-Jun looked at her. Seeing his reaction, Ae-Kyung fiddled with her fingers and cautiously added, “Well, since we already have Byeol, wouldn’t two more be enough?” At that moment, Do-Jun understood what she meant. The “baby names” she mentioned were the names of the children they would have together. “Hunter Ae-Kyung...” he said. Do-Jun hesitated for a moment. When there was a misunderstanding , he decided it was better to clear things up immediately. “The reason I was considering baby names... I’m sorry, but someone else asked me to suggest names for them,” he clarified. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ N()velFire.net Ae-Kyung stopped dead in her tracks. Her face instantly flushed red as she realized she had jumped to a conclusion—an overly long jump, at that. Her mind spun in confusion, unsure how to salvage the situation. She couldn’t even lift her head to meet Do-Jun’s gaze, overwhelmed with embarrassment. “I-I misunderstood,” she mumbled. Do-Jun didn’t say anything. “I’m sorry if I upset you,” Ae-Kyung apologized, still unable to look up. But there was no need for her to apologize. Do-Jun wasn’t particularly upset or offended. If anything, he acknowledged that he was partly to blame for the misunderstanding because of his incomplete explanation earlier. “I see...” he muttered. Ae-Kyung was too embarrassed to say anything more. “Ye-Jun and Yu-Jin, huh,” Do-Jun mused, repeating the names. “If we were to get married, Hunter Ae-Kyung, we would have children named Ye-Jun and Yu-Jin. If they took my surname, they’d be Lee Ye-Jun and Lee Yu-Jin.” Only then did Ae-Kyung cautiously lift her head. “You’re not mad...?” “I don’t see why I should be upset. If anything, I feel thankful. It just shows that you thought of me enough to imagine a future together and even consider baby names. While I can’t fully understand what’s in your heart, the fact that someone is thinking of me is something I find precious and am very grateful for.” Hearing his words, Ae-Kyung hesitated, repeatedly opening and closing her mouth. She could speak freely around other men, so why was it so difficult in front of Do-Jun? Perhaps it was fear—fear that he might not have any feelings for her at all. “May I ask you something?” she asked, and Do-Jun nodded. “Do you ever... think about me?” “I do,” Do-Jun answered without hesitation. “But it’s not the feeling of love you’re thinking of—it’s probably closer to concern. And that applies not just to you but to all the S-rank Hunters and those around me.” “I-I see...” Ae-Kyung gave a bittersweet smile. Do-Jun elaborated, “But, if I may add, among the S-rank Hunters, you’re special to me. I find myself worrying about you more than the others.” “I hope that answers your question,” Do-Jun said. It more than sufficed. In fact, it was almost overwhelming. Of all the things he said, what lingered in her mind the most was: “You’re special to me.” Those words weren’t a misunderstanding or just a polite response—they were his genuine feelings. It wasn’t love just yet, but Ae-Kyung was determined to do her best to turn it into love. ⌜Love Love! Fantasy!⌟ Jun-Yeol stared at his smartphone screen. On it, the protagonist and heroine sat side by side on swings at a playground. ⌜Oppa, what’s this important thing you wanted to tell me?⌟ Three dialogue options appeared at the bottom of the screen: [Will you have my child?] [I like you! Be my girlfriend!] [Are you free this weekend?] Jun-Yeol examined the choices. The male protagonist liked the heroine, but the heroine wasn’t particularly interested in him. He picked the second option. [I like you! Be my girlfriend!] The heroine shook her head. ⌜Sorry, let’s just stay friends.⌟ And just like that, it was game over. Jun-Yeol scratched his head in frustration. After checking an online walkthrough, he realized the correct answer was the third option. 1. The characters in Korean names are full of meaning. Unlike Western names, parents choose baby names with care. Female names often symbolize beauty or kindness, while male names may highlight strength or ambition. ☜ 2. In Korea, babies are often given a prenatal name that they go by until they are born! ☜ 3. Sarang means “love.” ☜