VIKI, for some reason, ended up in a conference room where an emergency meeting with the PR Team of the Kaleidoscope Guild was taking place.
Kim Nuri introduced her to the people at the long table, but she didn't remember a name.
It was pretty dark there, but it was no problem since she had sharp eyes. Having said that, she was too lazy to remember the faces of the people around them. Moreover, she had this bad habit of seeing people she wasn't interested in as bread.
And, so, only Won Yiwon and Kim Nuri's faces were clear in Viki's eyes.
The others were all loaves of bread to her.
"Guildmaster, this video is currently going viral on all social media platforms…"
The head of the PR Team said before playing a video on the huge projector.
"Our children are suffering from PTSD because of Hunter Won Yiwon's extreme punishment!"
Oho?
It was a video of a middle-aged woman.
There were also other ahjummas[1] behind the one who seemed to be the spokesperson of the group.
They are all crying.
Viki also noticed that the video was taken in front of a school year.
She then read the news ticker moving horizontally in the lower third of the screen space:
Ah, last week?
Viki and her alien babies weren't in Seoul yet when the incident happened then.
"We understand that our children made a mistake by insulting the late Hunter Ahn Navi on their social media posts. But receiving Butterfly Marks for a single mistake is unfair…"
Viki tilted her head to one side and whispered to herself: "Butterfly Marks?"
She was talking to herself, so she didn't expect the person sitting next to her to respond.
And, yes— Won Yiwon pulled a chair next to him earlier and asked Viki to sit there.
"This," Won Yiwon whispered back, opening his left hand until a black and orange butterfly— a monarch butterfly, to be precise— materialized above his palm. "I send this to people proven to have insulted Ahn Navi more than three times. When people who have received those Butterfly Marks somehow end up in a dungeon, the butterfly will be visible on their skin like a tattoo."
"What does the tattoo mean?"
"It's a message for Hunters who are in charge of rescuing the Civilians: 'Save this person last.'"
"Oh."
Won Yiwon opened his other hand.
This time, a completely black butterfly materialized above his palm.
"This one means 'do not save this person.'"
"Ohh." Viki paused for a moment after reacting enthusiastically, blinking quite rapidly. "You didn't send that one to the students, did you?"
Won Yiwon shook his head. "They only got the orange butterflies."
"Guildmaster, this isn't the right time to show off," Kim Nuri said sternly. "When the students fell into a Sinkhole last week, the Butterfly Marks that you sent the kids glowed. And, so, the Hunters were forced to rescue them last. Quite a lot of students fell into the Sinkhole, so the rescue mission took time. And since it took longer than usual, a second wave of monsters hit them."
Ah, sometimes monsters in Sinkholes would come in waves.
Sinkholes usually don't have a final boss, unlike other dungeons. But they are often inhabited by monsters who just appear out of nowhere.
"None of the students were physically harmed since the Hunters took care of the monsters," Kim Nuri continued with his explanation. "But they got traumatized since it was their first time seeing monsters. Plus, the Hunters were in a hurry. So, the way they killed the monsters was, uh, pretty gore for kids."
Oh.
Now Viki understood why the parents of the students who received the Butterfly Marks were holding a protest.
Not that she cared.
But she was curious about one thing.
"Nuri-ssi, may I know what those kids said about Ahn Navi?"
Kim Nuri turned to Won Yiwon as if he were asking for his Guildmaster's permission to answer Viki's question.
"No, we're not going to repeat what those kids posted," Won Yiwon said sternly. "Just know that if those little bastards weren't minors, I would have sent them the black butterflies."
Viki already got the answer she wanted to hear just from Won Yiwon's response.
That bad, huh?
"Ahn Navi has long been dead, though. And if those students are still in high school, then they must be young when Ahn Navi was active as a Hunter," Viki commented. Kim Nuri and the others looked at her nervously, but she didn't stop. "So, why did the kids talk about her?"
Kim Nuri glanced at Won Yiwon first, and when Won Yiwon nodded, only then did he speak: "The students were upset because their favorite variety show was replaced by the late Hunter Ahn Navi-nim's documentary series."
Pfft.
Viki just leaned against the chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "So, what's the problem?"
Kim Nuri blinked rapidly as if he were confused. "Excuse me?"
"Those students are minors, but they aren't toddlers. They know what's right from wrong, and yet they still chose to insult the person who saved the world twice— all because their favorite variety show was replaced. I say they deserve what they got as punishment," Viki said casually. "So, again, what's the problem?"
Kim Nuri looked too stunned to respond.
Even the PR Team was left speechless and could only look at each other nervously.
Only one sound echoed in the room— and it was Won Yiwon's soft laugh.
Oh, he's laughing?
Viki immediately turned to Won Yiwon, but it was already too late.
His stoic face is back.
"Uhm, Miss Young, more and more people are starting to protest against the 'Won Yiwon Law' and its extreme punishment to those who break it," Kim Nuri explained nervously. "At first, people didn't mind. They even thought that it was romantic of Guildmaster Won Yiwon-nim to protect his deceased wife. But almost a decade has passed now. The voices of the victims of the Butterfly Marks are starting to get loud. If this continues, then Guildmaster Won Yiwon's reputation will hit rock bottom…"
"So what?" Viki asked bluntly. "As long as the Civilians and the country itself can't survive without Won Yiwon and your guild's protection, why do you have to worry about your image? It's not like Hunters get their strength from people's love and support. Plus, what's so hard about respecting the Hunter who saved the world twice? If they can't do something that simple, then that's on them."
"Miss Young, even if Guildmaster Won Yiwon-nim is the #1 Hunter at the moment, if all the remaining Hunters in the country join forces to bring him down, then—"
"Are you going to lose if that happens?" Viki asked, turning to Won Yiwon while raising an eyebrow at him, and cutting off Kim Nuri. "Is that why your Vice Guildmaster is scared?"
Won Yiwon scoffed. "The only Hunter who could take me down is no longer here."
"Don't listen to me, though," Viki said, obviously confusing Won Yiwon. "I'm a bitter person who holds grudges, so my advice is actually harmful. You should listen to your Vice Guildmaster and your PR Team instead of a stranger like me."
Won Yiwon just raised an eyebrow.
Ah, I yapped too much.
In Viki's defense, she couldn't help it.
I'm a hypocrite. I told Won Yiwon and his guild not to care about their image. And, yet, here I am— I care too much about what random people say about Ahn Navi on the internet.
Was it because she hated bashers and trolls with a passion?
They killed my father, after all.
Ah, whatever.
The more time I spend with Won Yiwon, the more I act like Ahn Navi.
It was a bummer.
"I'm tired," Viki said, sighing. "I wanna go home."
"Alright," Won Yiwon said, clapping his hands once. "Meeting adjourned."
***
VIKI thought Won Yiwon would finally let her leave.
But, to her surprise, he just brought her to the building's 15th floor.
It was where the big dining hall was.
And the place looked even bigger than it was because it was practically empty.
Aside from the staff, only Viki and Won Yiwon were there.
"Our cafeteria is known for the delicious and healthy meals we serve here," Won Yiwon said. Despite sounding smug, he only got himself a sandwich. "How's the pyongyang naengmyeon?"
Yep, that was what Viki ordered.
Thankfully, pyongyang naengmyeon was on the menu.
Maybe it's because it's a staple winter dish in most places.
"It's good," Viki said, and then she smirked haughtily. "But mine is better."
Won Yiwon knitted his eyebrows, obviously half-confused and half-surprised. "You can cook?"
"I'm the main cook of my own restaurant."
"What kind of restaurant is it?"
"Well, it depends on what I crave," Viki said, shrugging. "For this month, it's pyongyang naengmyeon."
"You hyper-fixate on a certain food monthly?"
Oops.
I said too much.
"Yes," Viki answered dully, and then she quickly changed the topic. "So, why did you summon me here?"
"To show your face to my guild members."
"And you did that because…?"
"I'll be entering a Special Grade Dungeon tonight," Won Yiwon said in a serious tone. "And I'll be gone for a few days, one week max."
"So what?"
"If something happens— anything— just contact Hunter Bianca-ssi or Kim Nuri. You got their business cards, right?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Good. I already told them to pick up when you call. But, in case they miss your call, you can go straight here. I'll notify everything in the reception team to welcome you here anytime."
"But why would you do that?"
"Just listen to me."
"I don't want to listen to someone who can't even explain what's going on."
"I'll explain everything once I return."
"Then I'll decide whether to listen to you or not after I hear your explanation later."
Won Yiwon pressed the bridge of his nose as if he were getting stressed because of Viki's stubbornness. "If you do as I say, I'll tell you some good news."
"Let's hear it first."
"Remember the audition program your foster siblings are trying to join?"
"What about Idol Chemistry?"
"The show will be postponed because they'll be holding a new audition," Won Yiwon said. "The majority of the original production staff have been replaced already. So, you can trust me when I say the audition will be fair this time."
"How is that fair when my kids shouldn't have lost their spot in the first place?"
"Are you saying you're not confident that your foster siblings will pass the audition again?"
Won Yiwon was obviously provoking Viki— and it was working.
Tsk.
"My kids will pass the audition again because they're that good."
"Very well," Won Yiwon said, obviously satisfied by the result of their conversation. "The producer and the other production staff involved in the unpleasant incident will personally apologize to you and your foster siblings later. Look forward to it."
"I'm looking forward to it, and they're dead if they don't apologize properly," Viki said, raising an eyebrow. "But why are you doing this? Are you trying to impress me or something?"
"Just because."
"What kind of reason is that?"
Won Yiwon just shrugged.
Aigoo.
Viki was starting to feel the result of her carelessness.
I have a feeling that Won Yiwon really sees Ahn Navi in me.
***
WHEN Viki reached the VIP basement parking of the Kaleidoscope Guild Base, it was as if she suddenly returned to her senses.
Why did I eat twice with Won Yiwon?
"I have a meeting with my team regarding our raid tonight, so Hunter Bianca-ssi will drive you home," Won Yiwon said while holding the backseat door open for Viki. Hunter Bianca was already in the driver's seat. "I'll see you after I come out."
"You really don't have to."
"I insist," Won Yiwon said, pausing for a moment. "Let me ask you one thing before you leave, Miss Young."
"What is it?"
"If you were Ahn Navi, would you be happy to know that I'm punishing everyone who insults you online? You see, Ahn Navi hated online haters and trolls the most."
Viki knew she shouldn't answer that question.
But, before she knew it, she already heard herself talking.
"You know, the way you treat Ahn Navi after she died, it's as if you've turned her into someone people should worship."
"I was told I've put her on a pedestal, yes."
"If I were Ahn Navi, I'd be sad after knowing that you've put me on a pedestal."
Won Yiwon knitted his eyebrows, obviously confused. "Why would you be sad about that? Isn't devotion a good thing?"
"How can you embrace someone you put on a pedestal? When you put someone on a pedestal, you look up at them. You watch them from afar because the closer you are to a person, the more you see their flaws," Viki asked, smiling bitterly. "If I were Ahn Navi, I'd want you next to me— not anywhere else."
***
Please ADD
[1] Ajumma= middle-aged woman