"Kitten?"
Yeon Yujun repeated as he stared dead at the man before him, he was thinking of grabbing something under the counter, but the wolf masked man was watching him closely.
He can't afford to be caught by this dangerous man now, he can't let his guard down.
This man… is no other than the one who cleared the vortex days ago.
"Who the hell are you calling, kitten?"
"Is that a proper way to serve a customer?"
"Cut the crap, you're not a customer — you're here for something else." Yeon Yujun could see right through the man even with that mask on.
The man tilted his head before letting out a seemingly amused chuckle beneath his disguise. He leaned in closely, "Playing smart, aren't we?"
"Who the hell are you? What are you–"
"Now's not the time for interviews, kitten." he sighed, leaning back once more as he took out his dagger and started playing with it between his gloved fingers.
Yeon Yujun watched him, those daggers were pulsating with power but he still couldn't quite figure out who the man was.
"It hurts that you couldn't remember me,"
Even when he gets back to his most painful memories, he couldn't recall a single thing about the man.
"Take off your mask."
"What?"
"Maybe if I know what you look like, I could guess who you are. Not by just how you sound and speak."
"All I know is that you're an unregistered hunter who cleared out the vortex at the museum." Yeon Yujun added.
The man reached up to touch his own mask, but he made no move to remove it. "I don't think that's possible, kitten."
What's the big deal behind that mask anyway? Yeon Yujun glared at him as he grabbed a whisk from under the counter while the man was distracted at playing with his daggers.
"How are you going to beat a man with a whisk, kitten?"
Yeon Yujun froze as he gripped the handle of the whisk tightly. How'd he know what he's holding under the counter without even glancing at him?
"I'm not…"
"I could sense it from you."
"Sir, if you don't leave soon — I'll call the hunters to arrest you." Before Yeon Yujun could grab his phone, a dagger was thrown in his way and he halted.
The dagger missed, hitting the wall instead of his neck. But he knew that this was a warning.
"It'll be just a struggle to arrest me,"
Right. Yeon Yujun almost forgot that this man could turn invisible, he could get away easily.
"What do you want?" Yeon Yujun finally asked the question he'd been itching to ask as he turned around, looking up at the man with his deadpan expression.
The man snapped his fingers, causing the daggers to disappear into black smoke that smelled like metallic ashes. It almost smelled like arsenic or poison.
Is he a poison user too? Yeon Yujun thought before shaking it off his mind to focus on the threat.
"You, of course. I want you,"
Those words sent shivers down Yeon Yujun's spine — not only is this man dangerous… he's also a creep? No wonder why he keeps receiving those creepy notes.
"That's… direct."
"I like being straightforward sometimes." he let out a playful giggle.
Now that Yeon Yujun thinks about it, he doesn't know what his name is at all.
( "[S] The Mind's Eye" is passively activated! )
Yeon Yujun focused on the man before him as the man just stared back at him, even with his mask on, Yeon Yujun could feel the man staring back at him.
( "[L] Eden's Eyes" is staring back at you. )
Yeon Yujun felt stiff in his place as he stumbled slightly from the immense power he felt from staring at him — not only could he not see his full profile details, but that man's ability is stronger than his..!
( "Conflict Judgement" activated! )
That notification almost stopped his heart, conflict judgement? It has been a while since he had gotten that, the first and last time was when he first met the former strongest hunter from all the way to the US.
Yeon Yujun felt suffocated under the man's gaze and then —
"Pupu!!!"
Pouch's screech filled the air as it crawled out of Yeon Yujun's pocket and up to his shoulder. The man tore his gaze from Yeon Yujun, ending the [Conflict Judgement] with Yeon Yujun panting for breath.
Yeon Yujun leaned against the counter, panting as he sweat from that single encounter. He looked up at the man before him, still glaring with flames.
Pouch on the other hand, did the same, angrily looking at the man.
"Bubu!!! Pupu!!" it squirmed from Yeon Yujun's shoulder, jumping as if yelling at the man.
The man just shrugged in amusement, "Now, Pouch is mad at me huh?"
"Huh?" Yeon Yujun's wide eyes shifted to his own shoulder where Pouch was yelling.
How'd he know Pouch?
"How did you…?"
"You know, you can't have a peaceful life here forever, Eight."
Yeon Yujun then stared at the hologram screen displayed in front of him, he barely registered the man's words —
[ Name: UNKNOWN ]
[ Age: 23 ]
[ SKILLS & LUMINARIES CANNOT BE VIEWED ]
'He… locked his entire profile?' Yeon Yujun thought.
[ WARNING! [L] "Eden's Eyes" viewed right through your fake profile, real details may be exposed! ]
"Unawakened? Pft…" the man shook his head as he crossed his arms against his chest, looking down at Yeon Yujun like he's observing his prey.
"You… I'm… I'm not Eight…" Yeon Yujun tried to lie between his teeth, but it was obvious and strained. This man is truly dangerous, someone not to be trifled with.
The man lifted his mask just slightly, revealing only his mouth. He has a burnt scar on his bottom lip that seemed to have healed but didn't disappear.
"Call me Hwigeon," he paused, grinning playfully.
"Seo Hwigeon." the man finally introduced himself as Yeon Yujun just scowled at him in distrust.
"I've never met anyone with that name, so why the hell are you saying –"
"You'll know soon, one way or another, kitten." Seo Hwigeon pulled down his wolf mask back on, he put both of his hands to his pockets as he slowly stepped back.
"We'll meet again, Yeon Yujun."
"W-wait! Hey! Get back here!" Yeon Yujun called out for him.
"Seo Hwigeon!!!"
Before he knew it, Seo Hwigeon became invisible as the café door opened by itself — The man left him here, shocked and clueless for the first time on what to do.
Not only that… Seo Hwigeon knows that Yeon Yujun is Eight. He's completely done, he can't let Seo Hwigeon spread that information!
But he knew, surprisingly, that Seo Hwigeon… doesn't seem to be the type to do such thing.
That dagger had been a warning, not an attempt. Seo Hwigeon could have exposed him right then and there, could have used it against him — but he didn't. He just said it like it was something that only mattered to himself. Like knowing Yeon Yujun was 8 was never a weapon to him.
That unsettled him more than any threat could have.
Pouch whimpered on Yeon Yujun's shoulder, nuzzling onto his cheek as if an attempt to comfort Yeon Yujun's distress.
Yeon Yujun reached up to gently pat the small fluffy creature.
"I'm fine… Don't worry," he assured in a soft whisper while his mind kept repeating their encounter and he tried to strategize what to do next.
He couldn't bring Kim Misook, Shin Jongsu, and Lee Seolji in this situation… He cannot put them in danger now.
Yeon Yujun has to handle this by himself, he cannot include anybody else.
"Damn it…" Yeon Yujun cursed under his breath as he covered his face with both of his hands, breathing in then letting out a muffled frustrated yell.
Yeon Yujun shifted his grey eyes to the damaged wall where the dagger had been, there were still traces of the dagger's material — he reached out of curiosity, tracing the cracked pattern.
"Pupu…?"
"I'm going to find him and take that man down." Yeon Yujun vowed to himself as he grabbed Pouch, putting it down the counter.
"Bubu!"
"I know it's dangerous, but…" he trailed off, opening the cabinet and taking his bag. He took his usual pills, he opened the cap and took a handful before shoving it to his mouth without even drinking water.
Yeon Yujun almost suffocated, but he swallowed them altogether in the end.
His unwanted memories were starting to come back, he had to drown them with the pills.
He took a deep breath to relax himself, despite the threat looming before him.
"I swear I'm going to hunt down that man…!" Yeon Yujun said between his gritted teeth, clenching his fists as he grabbed the keys to the café and stared at the unfinished list.
'I'll deal with it later.' Yeon Yujun noted to himself, he's going to close the shop for now. His eyes went back to the cracked wall.
Of course, that stupid Seo Hwigeon had to leave some trace of him so that Yeon Yujun wouldn't be able to relax or not think about him… Yeon Yujun was annoyed by that thought.
"I'll just tell Grandma that I accidentally punched it…"