S-Rank is My Side Character (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12

“Ru~deu~ssi~!”

“Alright. Stop calling me already.”

Several days later, that night. From across the traffic light, Lee Hyeon came running toward Rude with both arms wide open.

He ran hard, then suddenly stopped with a “Huh?” expression, stomping his feet up and down like a puppy that needed to pee. Rude sighed and spoke.

“What now? What’s wrong with you, seriously?”

“I-I just want to hug you and share this joy! Is that okay?!”

“No.”

Huhh… Lee Hyeon lowered his head. For a moment, it felt as if dog ears and a tail drooped behind his back… Rude fell briefly into thought.

Normally, he’d flatly reject anything like this… but today, he was the one asking for a favor. Realizing this, Rude sighed and merely shrugged.

“Haa… Fine… Do it. Just once.”

“Yes!! Thank you!!”

The moment he finished speaking, Lee Hyeon tightly embraced Rude. Warmth and the scent of fabric softener washed over him. Ignoring Rude’s stiff posture, Lee Hyeon bounced up and down excitedly a few times before beaming with joy.

“I’m so happy… that you’re joining the Temple, Rude-ssi…”

“It’s a contract position. Only for one year. Not permanent.”

“But still… If you get along well during the year, you could stay longer, right? I’ll assist you well—I’ll do my absolute best to make sure you stay here for a long, long time!”

Lee Hyeon released his hug, clasped his hands together like in prayer, and looked up at Rude. His blue eyes sparkled brightly. His cheeks were flushed red—whether from the cold or excitement, it was hard to tell.

‘Why on earth does he like me this much…?’

Ever since the day he’d asked to be friends, Lee Hyeon had messaged him faithfully every single day. He seemed like a social butterfly—so was he actually friendless? Or was that just how popular people were, casually texting anyone and everyone…?

“Then, here! These are the first items to help you, Rude-ssi!”

Lee Hyeon pulled a tablet out of his eco-bag. Rude stared at the tablet, then back at Lee Hyeon—repeating this a few times—before finally taking it in both hands and asking,

“Is this a welcome gift?”

“No way! This is mine!”

“Then what is it?”

Rude looked up at him with an expression that clearly asked, ‘What does this have to do with joining the Temple?’ Lee Hyeon beamed as he answered,

“It’s a list of predicted Temple interview questions!”

“…Huh?”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Hey. Let’s talk for a sec…”

“Yeah, y-yes…”

A 24-hour café. Rude buried his face in his hands and let out a deep sigh. He lifted his head slightly and glanced at Lee Hyeon.

“So you’re saying I have to do an interview.”

“Yeah… Since you’re entering through my recommendation, you automatically pass the document screening. You just need to prepare for the second interview and the third-stage mock combat…”

“No, seriously! I’m Rank 1! You’re bringing me in yourself! Then why do I have to do an interview?!”

“Well… The Temple is like a corporation… Even if you’re high-ranked and well-connected, you can’t just waltz right in.”

Insisting that at least the interview or internal testing procedures had to be followed, Lee Hyeon patted Rude’s shoulder.

Rude had thought he’d breeze into one of the Big Four Guilds with a free pass, grind hard for a year, and cash out—but now, against his will, he’d become a job-seeking applicant. Sighing deeply again, Rude muttered to himself about how nothing in this world was easy.

[Let’s see… Last year, the Temple’s first-half open recruitment for Hunters: 250 openings… with approximately 198,700 applicants, the Ruler of Chaos shows you a statistics file.] [Even passing the first round is impressive, our Na Ri. The Ruler of Chaos shrugs.]

‘Of course I passed the first round—I’m Rank 1… Do I really have to write a cover letter too?!’

Rude buried his face in his hands once more, a groan escaping his lips.

“I told the convenience store I was quitting today, thinking I’d get scouted by the Temple right away—that’s why I came dressed in my avatar!”

“O-oh no! Did I forget to mention that? But even if you receive a scouting offer, interviews are usually still required. I assumed you knew… I’m so sorry!”

“But still! The Rank 1 is entering! I’m Rank 1, okay?! And you’re Rank 2—did you have to do an interview too?!”

“I came in through the hire-conversion intern program… I wrote a cover letter, did interviews, mock combat…”

“Damn… You worked your ass off, huh?”

Lee Hyeon’s face darkened, as if recalling those gloomy days. Seeing that expression, Rude groaned and grabbed his head again.

‘So even the Archangel’s avatar had to start as an intern in a place infamous for sweeping up all the Light-aligned Hunters.’

It really seemed he had no choice but to go through with the interview. This would be only Rude’s second interview ever—since his part-time job days. With a grave expression, he suddenly stood up.

“I’m not doing it.”

“Eek! No, Rude-ssi! Please come back! Please… I’ll do my absolute best to help you!”

[Now now, if you say you’ll do it, you’ve got to follow through, our Na Ri. That’s what a promise is, the Ruler of Chaos crosses his arms.]

Lee Hyeon clung desperately to Rude’s waist as he tried to leave, shaking his head frantically. The Ruler of Chaos was also sternly scolding Na Ri through indirect messages. Rude finally sat back down, resting his face in his palms.

“Yeah, I know… I get it… But it’s an interview. I really, really suck at interviews… I’m honestly terrible with people…”

Na Ri suffered from the debuff ‘Social Phobia’—a curse he himself had cast. This condition affected not only combat but every aspect of his life.

He was still terrified of people—especially gazes that coldly, clinically assessed him, like in an interview… He didn’t think he could bear it.

Even wearing Rude’s avatar wouldn’t change that. Just imagining the interview room made him want to bolt out of the café right now.

“I appreciate your help, and I’m sorry—but I really can’t do it. Being evaluated by someone else like that…”

“Why not? You seem like you’d do great, Rude-ssi.”

“That’s just your opinion. Are you me? I know myself best. I can’t do it.”

His words came out cold and blunt. Suddenly, Kang I Hyeon grabbed Rude’s hand. Rude lifted his bowed head. Their eyes met—and Lee Hyeon gave him a bright, gentle smile. He nodded firmly, his face lighting up again.

“Don’t worry, Rude-ssi. It’ll really be okay! I’ll help you!”

“How can you be so recklessly confident… I told you I can’t do it.”

Lee Hyeon gave Rude’s hand a few gentle shakes and looked straight into his eyes. Seeing Rude still sighing deeply in uncertainty, Lee Hyeon suddenly laughed aloud.

“Then trust me!”

“Trust you?”

“Yes! My judgment of people is always spot-on. You’ll do great, Rude-ssi!”

Rude let out another heavy sigh. He’d never seen someone so utterly convinced before. Rubbing his head roughly, he sighed deeply once more.

“…Fine, then.”

“Yes!”

Watching Lee Hyeon’s bright smile, Rude glanced sideways for a moment. Noticing his own ears had turned slightly red, he spoke in a tiny, hesitant voice.

“If… if I get hurt, you have to take responsibility. Uh, got it? If you… if you abandon me… uh, that’s not allowed.”

“Kyaaah…”

Arrogant yet insecure, prickly yet shy—this confession from the person he admired, implying Rude was the only one he could trust in the world, made Kang I Hyeon bury his face into the chair.

“Hey, hey! You’re the one forcing me into this even though I said I can’t do it—so you have to take responsibility! I-I know I probably look pathetic, but still… I…”

Caught off guard by this unexpected vulnerability, Rude panicked, thinking Lee Hyeon might be mocking him, and started blurting out frantic excuses. Lee Hyeon sighed deeply, then murmured softly,

“I… Every time Rude-ssi acts like this, it feels like dopamine explodes in my brain…”

“Eh… Huh?”

His voice trembled as it slipped out. Rude’s mind went blank.

‘What kind of metaphor is that? Is that a good thing… or does he think I’m weird?’

[It means extremely good… The Ruler of Chaos begins eyeing Kang I Hyeon like a father inspecting a future son-in-law.]

‘T-That’s seriously strange.’

What even happened for him to freak out like that? Rude thought Lee Hyeon might be the weirdest person he’d ever met. He stared oddly at Lee Hyeon, who was still buried in his chair.

‘…But at least he doesn’t seem to dislike me.’

Lee Hyeon was squeezing his large body into the chair, taking slow, deep breaths. Rude, who hadn’t seen someone this sincere and energetic in ten years, briefly chuckled to himself.

“You really are weird.”

At those words, Lee Hyeon peeked through his fingers to look at Rude. Confirming Rude was smiling, he covered his eyes again and mumbled in a weak voice,

“Hah. It’s not that I’m weird—it’s just that Rude-ssi was born like this.”

“What are you talking about.”

“A-Anyway!!”

Kang I Hyeon slapped his cheeks a few times, shook his head firmly to calm himself, then pointed his index finger forward with confident flair.

“Anyway, don’t worry about the interview! I can help you!”

His index finger remained extended toward Rude—clearly asking for a fist bump. Rude looked skeptical, but he raised his own finger and pressed it firmly against Lee Hyeon’s.

*Ding!* A golden system window appeared before Rude.

[An Awakening user ‘Kang I Hyeon’ has proposed a temporary sharing of personal traits.

Shared Trait – Master of Social Life (Passive)

Duration: 30 minutes

Accept the proposal?] [Y/N] [This is the timeline separator]

“Now then, Rude-ssi. Shall we start with a self-introduction?”

“World Rank 1, King of Madness, the only solo-capable Illusionist in the world, the miracle with zero casualties… Need more…? Huh, wait, what is this?”

The mock interview began abruptly in the café. Rude hadn’t prepared at all, yet the arrogant answers flowed effortlessly from his lips. He touched his own mouth in surprise. In front of him, Kang I Hyeon was grinning smugly.

“See? If you’re scared of being evaluated by interviewers, just flip it—you evaluate them instead. And Rude-ssi, you’ve absolutely got the credentials for that!”

It actually made sense. Though his attitude was incredibly brash and conceited… it perfectly matched his grandiose title of World Rank 1. In a real interview, it would likely turn into a ‘reverse-pressure interview,’ where the interviewers themselves would feel intimidated.

“How about it? Do you think it’ll help?”

“You had this kind of overpowered skill all along?”

“Haha… I guess it appeared because I worked hard at socializing… Maybe I practiced it so much it became a passive skill.”

Now Rude understood why everyone—men, women, young, and old—liked Kang I Hyeon. Of course they did—he literally had the ‘Master of Social Life’ passive.

“Anyway, you can’t use skills during the actual interview, so just remember this feeling! Which means—starting now! We’ll meet once a day for special training!”

Hearing Lee Hyeon say that practice would definitely improve things, Rude hesitated for a moment. If he got used to it, answering questions might actually become manageable.

“T-Thanks.”

If he practiced hard… Lee Hyeon was beaming right in front of him. After all this help, he couldn’t back out now.

O-Okay, just once… Just this one time. Rude steeled his resolve—and asked,

“But is it really okay for you to do this?”

“I’m not in HR, so it’s fine.”

And so, their interview special training began.