That Face Is the Problem - vanish into fiction

Seo Da-sol’s frown deepened as he realized he had inadvertently become the target of workplace bullying, like someone older asserting dominance over younger colleagues.

The hunter who approached Da-sol was a tamer from Team 2. He had previously admired Da-sol from afar and had once boldly confessed, only to get beaten mercilessly and give up. Even so, he kept trying to talk to Da-sol whenever he could, and that persistence disgusted Da-sol. That was why his expression was even more sour.

“Hunter Seo Da-sol, this person was the ace of the JK Guild, wasn’t he? Don’t kick him out this time. Take good care of him~”

The tamer grinned mischievously as he continued talking to Da-sol. Even though he had given up on his feelings, as soon as he had an opportunity to interact, he behaved like an overexcited dog, which was the hallmark of obnoxious people. Da-sol replied vaguely with eyes glazed over.

“Nuh-uh.”

Reacting with “No! I didn’t harass anyone, really!” was amateurish. That would only encourage the other person to poke and prod even more, pretending to be friendly. There was also a 100% chance he would continue to act mischievously as a “joke” whenever they met, claiming it was fun.

As expected, the tamer chuckled awkwardly at Da-sol’s lukewarm response. He realized that Da-sol no longer had the patience to entertain his words.

At that moment, Jeong Jae-gyeong, who had been pressing his forehead to the floor, suddenly stood up. He glared at the tamer and shouted.

“Se-Seo Da-sol did nothing wrong…! I made a mistake and was apologizing…! It’s not bullying or anything like that…”

Jae-gyeong stood taller than the tamer. His build was sturdier, and his bloodshot eyes glistened with drops that looked like tears of remorse. The tamer stepped back a few paces in surprise. The face of a man taller and stronger than him appeared unexpectedly pure.

“Oh… okay…”

The tamer blushed and hurriedly moved in the opposite direction. Jae-gyeong bit his lip tightly and bowed 90 degrees to Da-sol again.

“I’m sorry… for causing this misunderstanding because of me… truly… I… I am really sorry…”

He looked like he could burst into tears at any moment. Da-sol glanced down at his dark, fluffy hair and rolled his eyes.

“…It’s fine.”

“No, really…”

“Okay, okay.”

Da-sol cut him off without listening properly, grabbed his water bottle, gloves, and towel, and left. Jae-gyeong slumped.

Such an apology was not enough. He knew that accepting a half-hearted apology just to end an awkward situation, and the forgiveness that came with it, would mean nothing.

With a face full of sorrow, Jae-gyeong approached the Smith Machine. Today, he decided he would lift weights and reflect on himself.

1. The Man Named Seo Da-sol

For hunters, especially male ones, getting healed could sometimes cause arousal. In fact, nine out of ten new hunters would experience this during their first session.

Even so, when Jae-gyeong got aroused while being healed, Da-sol felt disgusted as if his heart was plunging into mud. Perhaps he had subconsciously believed that Jae-gyeong would not behave like that.

Jae-gyeong’s first impression was similar to others’. Just a regular guy with eyes, nose, and mouth. At least his round, drooping eyes looked gentle and tolerable… that was it.

When Da-sol first saw him, it was fine to see someone’s eyes widen, mouth open, and cheeks flush. Many people reacted that way.

From his earliest memories, Da-sol had seen such expressions frequently. Especially when accompanied by his older sister, Seo Da-in, people would marvel, “How can two sisters be this beautiful?”

Being mistaken for a girl was commonplace. During school, clueless boys confessed to Da-sol, only to curse him with “Hey, are you gay?” when they realized he was male. They confessed, but Da-sol was labeled as gay. He was young, and ignorance, shame, and pride made insulting easy.

The problem began after Da-sol underwent secondary sexual development. The angelic, adorable boy became slightly broader in the shoulders, and his Adam’s apple became more prominent. He grew taller, his voice deepened, and he experienced growing pains.

“Hahaha! Wow, you’re fully grown? Ahaha!”

Da-in, who had returned from studying abroad, laughed uncontrollably when she saw Da-sol as a proper high school student. After completing his growth, Da-sol had become a man with sharper jaws, a deeper voice, and large hands… a 168cm androgynous beauty.

His combination of beautiful, delicate features and subtly masculine traits created a unique aura. Now not only men but also women would ask Da-sol to meet, give letters, or exchange numbers. Even men who didn’t mistake him for a woman increasingly confessed. Some incidents became rather scandalous to recount.