TO BE honest, Navi wanted to get the hell out of that place already.
But she couldn't.
I can't because I like watching Won Yiwon. It doesn't matter what he does. I'll still stare at him like he's the only person in the world, even if he's just breathing.
"Hunter Ahn Navi, watch Hunter Cha Hyein and not Hunter Won Yiwon."
Tsk.
Navi forced herself to look at Cha Hyein.
The kid finally opened the thick book she was hugging since earlier, and…
Hmm?
Navi tilted her head to one side because the Item piqued her curiosity. "A pop-up book?"
When Cha Hyein opened the book, a three-dimensional structure rose up.
Oh, skyscrapers.
It seemed like the page Cha Hyein opened had an illustration of Seoul City.
A moment later, the magic began.
The three-dimensional structure of the skyscrapers popping up from the pages of the book suddenly got torn.
And when the torn pages hit the floor…
Oh.
Navi got a chill down her spine as she watched the arena turn into a small city with skyscrapers that almost touched the ceiling— all of that happening in just the blink of an eye.
Just like when I break the Glass Jar that contains my Terrarium…
"Yiwon Oppa, please release the monsters now."
Won Yiwon didn't respond to Cha Hyein's request verbally, but he pulled the chains attached to the dire wolf monsters.
And then Won Yiwon threw the monsters in the air.
The dire wolf monsters were already half-dead, so even their growls sounded weak.
THUD.
Navi got a bit distracted when Cha Hyein suddenly closed the book.
Another magic happened then.
The mini city with skyscrapers as tall as the ceiling suddenly turned into a drawing on a huge piece of paper.
Then that massive piece of paper folded on its own.
After that, it flew towards the book and disappeared when it touched the cover.
And when Cha Hyein opened the book again…
Wow.
Navi was amazed when the pop-up book showed the same three-dimensional structure of Seoul City as earlier.
Only this time, there were two dire wolf monsters included in the "drawing."
Ah.
Cha Hyein trapped the monsters inside that pop-up book.
Just like how I trap monsters and their lairs in my Glass Jars, Cha Hyein can do the same using her magical pop-up book.
No wonder Cha Hyein was dubbed by the Hunters Association as the 'Second Ahn Navi.'
"I did it!" Cha Hyein said cheerfully while jumping up and down. "Yiwon Oppa, I did it!"
"You did well, Hyein-ah."
Haaah.
Navi unclenched her hands when she heard Won Yiwon address Cha Hyein in a friendly way rather than call the kid by her full name.
He calls me by my full name all the time.
"Hunter Ahn Navi, what do you think of Hunter Cha Hyein's new skill?"
"It's great," Navi said monotonously, and then she turned to her mother with a sarcastic smile on her face. "Congratulations, Eomma. You found a new brilliant student you can be proud of."
"Navi, don't be immature," Ahn Sunja, now switching to "mom mode," scolded Navi. "Having another Hunter who has the same ability as you do is a good thing."
"Well, I don't really care about that."
"You seem upset for someone who doesn't care."
"I don't care if Cha Hyein has the same ability as I do. She can even have my title as the Fortress Goddess for all I care," Navi said, looking up at the ceiling because she didn't want to see Won Yiwon with Cha Hyein. She didn't want to look at her mother either. "I'm just upset that I failed to protect my spot next to Won Yiwon."
***
"NAVI UNNIE[1], hello."
"Yes, hello," Navi greeted Cha Hyein back indifferently. "Good work."
Cha Hyein, who bowed earlier when she greeted Navi, lifted her head and looked at Navi with sparkling eyes. "Unnie, did you see my new skill?"
No, the kid wasn't bragging about her new skill that was similar to Navi's Terrarium.
But, even if she did, it wasn't like it was a problem.
It just simply wasn't the case.
As someone who has similar skills to Cha Hyein, my mother assigned me to guide the kid. So, I'm technically Cha Hyein's supervisor.
That was why Navi and Cha Hyein were having a one-on-one consultation in her private office.
Yes, all Elites members have their own private offices in the Hunters Association HQ.
"Should we start with your evaluation, Hyein-ssi?"
Navi didn't want to sound lifeless, but she felt lethargic whenever Won Yiwon was out of her sight.
Eomma dragged him somewhere after Cha Hyein approached me.
"Please speak comfortably, Unnie."
"I don't do that with people I'm not close to."
Cha Hyein quickly lowered her head. "I see. I'm sorry for making you feel uncomfortable, Unnie."
"No, you didn't make me uncomfortable," Navi said while shaking her head. "We just really don't click, that's all."
"I understand, Unnie."
Haaah.
Seeing Cha Hyein's slouched shoulders made Navi remember one of Lee Hansol's nagging:
"Navi-ya, can't you be nicer to Cha Hyein when there are other people around? The reporters are already writing bullshit about you bullying Cha Hyein because, apparently, you feel jealous of her. If someone with loose lips sees how indifferent you are towards Cha Hyein, then the reporters will have a field day. What's next? You're going to pick a fight with the media? Haaah. I'm saying this for your sake. If we get rid of all the reporters who piss you off, we'll get backlash from the general public."
"Hyein-ssi, I don't hate you."
Cha Hyein raised her head, obviously intrigued by what Navi said.
"You're good, Hyein-ssi. I know you may find this hard to believe, that I'm okay with the fact that we have the same skills," Navi said. She sounded chill, so she hoped it was enough to convince Cha Hyein that she was speaking the truth. "A country that depends on only one Hunter is bound to fall, just like what almost happened when I lost half of my power. So, I'm relieved that you appeared when the country needed someone like you the most."
"Because I'm the 'Second Ahn Navi?'"
"That's bullshit. You're not the second me, and I wouldn't wish that to happen to anyone— not even on my worst enemy. Carrying the entire country on your shoulders when you're still very young sucks, you know?"
"Unnie, you sound like you care about me," Cha Hyein commented, her voice sounded hopeful for some reason. "And I know you do. You've been guiding me ever since I awakened as a Hunter. Even though you put a wall between us, I can tell that you don't hate me."
"I'm glad you know that."
"But why do you push me away, Unnie?"
"We don't need to be friends, do we? The distance between us is comfortable for me. And, trust me, you wouldn't want me as a friend."
"Unnie, that's not true."
"Hyein-ssi, I'm bitter and unkind," Navi said bluntly. "I actually feel a little bitter towards you, but it's a 'me problem.' But it's not your fault that you got what I want, so don't worry about it. I'll just work harder to get it back later."
"Wait, Unnie." Cha Hyein pointed towards herself in disbelief. "I have something that Unnie wants?"
"Yes— the spot next to Won Yiwon."
"Is this about me accompanying Yiwon Oppa[2] to the Expedition?"
"Yes, but it's not your fault that you were chosen over me."
"Unnie will still be joining the Expedition, though?"
"Huh?"
"Unnie, please talk to Yiwon Oppa for the details," Cha Hyein said encouragingly. "Yiwon Oppa fought tooth and nail for you."
Okay, now Navi was flabbergasted.
But she knew her questions would be answered if she asked Won Yiwon later, so she didn't bother pressing Cha Hyein for details.
"Unnie, I really like you."
"Thank you, but I don't swing that way."
Cha Hyein laughed softly. "Unnie has treated me with sincerity since day one. I like that you don't pretend to like me, and you don't hide the fact that you're uncomfortable with me either. But despite your personal feelings towards me, you still do your best as my sunbae[3] to raise me not as the 'Second Ahn Navi,' but as a proper Hunter."
"Hyein-ssi, please stop. I'm not good with compliments."
Cha Hyein just laughed again, and then she continued with her "praise attack." "Even if Unnie claims that you're bitter and unkind, I know that you're working with your emotions. You may treat me indifferently, but you never acted superior to me, unlike the other sunbaes I've met. In fact, you've treated me as an equal even when I was just a rookie Hunter. And that's why I like you, Unnie."
Navi just covered her ears with her hands because she really didn't like being showered with compliments.
Well, more like she wasn't used to.
Not anymore, at least.
People stopped singing me praises when I lost half of my power.
"Unnie, I don't want to be the 'Second Ahn Navi.' But I aim to be a legendary Hunter like you," Cha Hyein said cheerfully. "That doesn't mean I want the spot next to Yiwon Oppa, though."
Aigoo.
It was embarrassing to be comforted by a hoobae[4] that way.
Well, everyone knows I'm crazy about Won Yiwon.
Even so, Navi was relieved.
And then she felt pathetic.
Do I really deserve to like Won Yiwon when I feel threatened by a kid who isn't even interested in him?
***
AWKWARD.
It had been a while since Navi and her fellow Elites members gathered together in the HQ's Grand Conference Room.
Only members of the Elites could use that place.
Usually, they would be rowdy.
But not this time.
"Ahn Navi, you'll still join the Expedition," Won Yiwon said indifferently. "But instead of accompanying me to kill the Strays and destroy their lair, you'll be leading the new team that the Hunters Association created for the sole purpose of supporting me and Cha Hyein."
Oh.
The Expedition had been exclusive to Navi and Won Yiwon all this time.
But they created a support team this time, and I'm going to be the leader.
Kwon Junghwan, Lee Hansol, and Park Seokjin threw nervous glances at Navi.
I can also see the pity in their eyes.
After all, being assigned to a support team— despite Navi's position as the leader— was no different from being demoted.
Yes, it sucks, but…
"Ahn Navi, don't look down on being the leader of a support team," Won Yiwon said as if he was trying to convince Navi that the position he offered wasn't as bad as it sounded. "Plus, you always say that a country shouldn't solely depend on a select few Hunters. So, let's use this opportunity to raise the most promising Hunters of this generation."
"Okay, I'll do it."
Kwon Junghwan, Lee Hansol, and Park Seokjin all gasped when Navi accepted the job without a single complaint.
But Won Yiwon looked the most shocked out of all of them.
Pfft.
What a funny reaction.
"I don't care as long as I get to join the Expedition," Navi said, getting up without breaking eye contact with Won Yiwon. "Just you wait, Won Yiwon— I'll reclaim my spot next to you."
***
Please ADD
[1] A term used by girls to address older females, blood-related or not.
[2] A term used by guys to address older males, blood-related or not.
[3] Upperclassman/senior.
[4] Underclassman.