“Huff... Soo-ah, what happened to your face?”

Passing colleagues stared at Lee Soo-ah in shock. Her cheeks were swollen and red from all the slapping she had done to try and snap herself out of her strange behavior.

“Haha... It’s... nothing,” Soo-ah responded awkwardly, trying to avoid their gaze as she hurried away, her hands covering her cheeks.

‘What’s wrong with me... why am I like this...’

She had tried everything—slapping her cheeks, pinching her thighs, anything to bring herself back to her senses—but nothing seemed to work.

‘Huff... huff... Ji-hoon... I’m getting... excited just thinking about him... This doesn’t make any sense...’

Her body trembled as she struggled to control the overwhelming feelings that kept bubbling up inside her.

The image of Baek Ji-hoon refused to leave her mind, and she could feel her body heating up in response.

‘I need to get closer to Ji-hoon... Maybe then this feeling will ease...’

Knock, knock, knock.

“Yes?”

“Ji-hoon...”

“Yes?”

“Can I... can I just sit here for a while?”

“What?”

Lee Soo-ah suddenly appeared at my office door, asking if she could sit down. She looked tense and nervous.

“Why?”

“I... I was just passing by and needed to rest.”

“But why here?”

“Just because.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

I didn’t think much of it.

‘What’s going on?’

Soo-ah sat down at a desk in my office, looking noticeably shaky.

“Soo-ah...?”

“Yes...?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes... I’m... fine.”

“You don’t seem fine...”

“I-I am...”

She was definitely trembling, though she seemed to be calming down a bit compared to when she first came in.

‘Huff... huff... What’s happening to me... Why am I like this?’

Soo-ah placed a hand on her chest, trying to make sense of what she was feeling.

‘I’m sure of it... Ji-hoon must have done something to me... Soo-ah, pull yourself together. You need to resist this, okay?’

She was doing her best to fight off whatever was happening to her, but it wasn’t easy.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Ji-hoon? Oh? Soo-ah, what are you doing here?”

Yoo Hana had come to talk to me but stopped in her tracks when she saw Soo-ah. Her expression quickly turned to one of annoyance.

“I... I was just resting for a bit.”

“Why are you resting in someone else’s office?”

“I was just passing by...”

“Hmmm...”

Yoo Hana gave her a suspicious look.

“Well, then I’ll rest here too.”

“Why?”

“Because Soo-ah is resting here.”

“Ugh...”

I let out a small sigh, feeling a bit annoyed by the interruption.

“Both of you, out.”

“What?”

Both Soo-ah and Yoo Hana were unceremoniously kicked out of my office.

“This is your fault, Yoo Hana! I got kicked out because of you.”

“Why were you even sitting in there, Soo-ah? Don’t you have work to do? And what’s up with your cheeks?”

“None of your business... Anyway, you weren’t any help at all.”

Soo-ah shot Yoo Hana a glare before walking off.

“What’s her problem... She was the one hanging around in Ji-hoon’s office...”

Yoo Hana muttered to herself, watching Soo-ah leave with an exasperated expression.

Back in her office, Lee Soo-ah let out a deep sigh.

‘What’s wrong with me... Why can’t I get a grip... I know I need to hold it together, but I just can’t...’

‘What about Yoo Hana? Is she feeling the same way? Or is it just me?’

Soo-ah couldn’t shake her curiosity, so she went to find Yoo Hana.

“Hey, Yoo Hana.”

“Yes?”

“There’s something I want to ask you...”

“What is it?”

Yoo Hana looked at her, puzzled by the sudden question.

“Have you ever felt like... you can’t stop thinking about someone? Like, they’re constantly on your mind, and you just want to be near them?”

“What?”

Yoo Hana’s expression turned a bit strange as she processed the question.

‘What is Soo-ah talking about...’

Yoo Hana briefly thought of Baek Ji-hoon. The feelings Soo-ah described were vaguely familiar, but not overwhelming.

“No, I haven’t.”

Yoo Hana responded firmly.

‘What? Is it just me...’

Soo-ah scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

“Why? Is that how you feel, Soo-ah?”

“No! Of course not!”

Startled, Soo-ah quickly retreated back to her office.

“Whew... Soo-ah, why is your face like that?”

Staff members were again surprised by Soo-ah’s appearance as she walked through the office. Her cheeks were still red and swollen.

‘Why can’t I stop thinking about Ji-hoon... I need to do something...’

No matter how much she tried to focus, her thoughts kept drifting back to Ji-hoon. It was as if her mind was working against her.

Soo-ah paced around her office, struggling with the inexplicable pull she felt toward Ji-hoon. It was a feeling that had only grown stronger over the past week.

‘I can’t... I need to resist this... I have to...’

She sat down, trying to steady her breathing and clear her mind, but her resolve quickly faltered. Her body trembled, and she felt herself losing control.

‘I can’t take this...’

She realized she was on the brink of giving in to something she couldn’t fully understand.

Knock, knock, knock.

Before I could even respond, the door swung open.

Creeeak. Click.

Soo-ah quickly entered and shut the door behind her, then rushed toward me.

“Soo-ah, what—”

Before I could finish my sentence, she wrapped her arms around me again.

“Ji-hoon... I don’t like you, okay? Don’t get the wrong idea. I just... I just have to do this... I’m sorry!”

Just like yesterday, she hugged me tightly for about 30 seconds, then ran out, her face bright red.

“Huh...? What just happened?”

Once again, I was left standing there, completely baffled by the situation.

“Soo-ah, what are you doing!?”

Back in her office, Soo-ah banged her head on her desk. She had been unable to resist the overwhelming urge to be close to Ji-hoon.

She felt like she needed physical contact with Ji-hoon to calm down. After hugging him, she did feel a bit more in control, as if the storm inside her had quieted.

‘What... what is this? Do I really need to hug Ji-hoon to feel better? What kind of spell has he cast on me? I need to confront him about this.’

Now that she was thinking more clearly, her confusion was giving way to anger.

‘He must have done something to me. That has to be it.’

Knock, knock, knock.

“Ji-hoon, I need to talk to you.”

Not long after, Soo-ah burst through the door again.

“Ji-hoon, I’m going to be direct. What have you done to me?”

“What?”

“What did you do that’s making me act like this? Why do I keep making mistakes around you!?”

“I didn’t do anything... You’re the one who keeps hugging me. If anything, that could be considered harassment, don’t you think?”

“What...?”

Soo-ah’s frustration was clear, but she hesitated, looking a bit flustered.

“Yesterday you hugged me, and today you did it again. You’re the one behaving strangely.”

“No... I just... Did you really not do anything to me? Are you sure you haven’t used some kind of ability on me?”

“I haven’t done anything.”

‘How am I supposed to explain this... “Actually, I’ve developed an Incubus trait...”’

I couldn’t exactly say that. She’d think I was completely insane, although it seemed she was already leaning that way.

‘She’s definitely resisting the Incubus trait...’

“Soo-ah, didn’t you say you don’t like me?”

“Yes, that’s right!”

“Then why do you keep hugging me? You’re sending mixed signals.”

“What? No! That’s not it...”

“If you keep doing that, I’ll have to assume you do like me.”

“No, I don’t!!!”

She had come in to confront me but ended up leaving, red-faced and flustered.

‘What am I supposed to do about this?’

This situation was getting complicated.

On one hand, I was gathering S-rank Hunters to clear S-rank dungeons and amass wealth. But on the other hand, it seemed that using my points on them was causing them to become increasingly attached to me.

Even if I used all my points to become an SSS-rank Hunter, it wouldn’t mean much if I had to do it alone. The scenarios had time limits, after all.

‘What am I supposed to do...?’

I couldn’t help but feel conflicted.

I was beginning to worry that Soo-ah’s obsession would only grow stronger.

“Hah...”

Back in her office, Soo-ah let out a deep sigh.

‘What’s happening to me... I need to resist this... I know I have to... but why can’t I get a grip...’

‘What about Yoo Hana? Is she feeling the same way, or is it just me?’

Soo-ah’s curiosity got the better of her, and she went to find Yoo Hana.

“Hey, Yoo Hana.”

“Yes?”

“There’s something I want to ask you...”

“What is it?”

Yoo Hana gave her a curious look.

“Have you ever felt like... you can’t stop thinking about someone? Like they’re always on your mind, and you just want to be near them?”

“What...?”

Yoo Hana looked at her, puzzled.

‘What is Soo-ah talking about...’

Yoo Hana thought briefly of Baek Ji-hoon. There were some moments when she felt a slight pull, but nothing overwhelming.

“No, I haven’t.”

Yoo Hana responded firmly.

‘Is it just me...’

Soo-ah scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

“Why? Is that how you feel, Soo-ah?”

“No! Of course not!”

Startled, Soo-ah quickly retreated to her office.