Han Li didn’t call the cops.

As much as he wished he could, he already knew that the cops would be of little use. Not only was Graham obviously rich and seemed well-connected, but the police rarely took harassment reports from men seriously.

So that was out of the picture. Han Li had to think of another way.

He was fuming internally, picking up the letter and didn’t even bother opening it up as he stomped to the nearest trashcan and tossed it inside.

He really needed to calm down. With an angry grumble, he collapsed into his welcoming beanbag and turned on Anime Network, allowing it to turn his brain to goo. The series currently playing was kind of annoying because the main character was an obnoxious chuuni but whatever, better than nothing. Han Li sighed and let the anime turn into background noise, lulling him to a state of calm.

He was still thinking about that Graham Assholely.

After about twenty minutes he was a bit more relaxed. Less angry but still unwilling to forgive. The more he thought about it though, the more mysteries surrounding Graham Assholely seemed to appear.

There were many things that didn’t add up, not just the reason why he seemed oddly obsessed with having Han Li return to hunting.

First of all, he was rich. Like rich, rich. There weren’t many people in the hunting community that boasted that kind of money, especially not supervisors or operators. Graham didn’t even look like an operator. Sure, maybe the guy just really liked to bench press or something, but there was something dangerous about him, something that told Han Li this guy excelled on the field.

Maybe he’s a hunter that recently retired due to an injury and was now doing jobs that weren’t as physically demanding?

But that didn’t explain the copious amounts of money. Even the top operators and supervisors didn’t make THAT much, right?

Maybe it was inherited wealth. That wasn’t too far-fetched if his parents were very renowned hunters or even people that were on the Board.

Hmm…that should mean that his name should be traceable. Han Li leaped up from the beanbag as realization dawned. He pulled out his laptop from his backpack and set it in his lap. But when he tried to access the Hunter’s Network it wouldn’t connect, saying that his login had expired and wasn’t valid anymore.

He cursed, slamming his laptop shut. Dammit, he totally forgot that handing his license in meant he couldn’t access the Network anymore.

There should be one more connection that he still had with the hunting world though. Han Li frowned at the thought and reached for his phone, flipping it over to look at the contact list. His thumb stopped at the name Laura Redwood.

She was his only real hunter friend, probably just because they’ve known each other the longest. She was from the same batch of kids at the orphanage as he was.

Laura was already enrolled in the Hunter’s Academy, being a year older than Han Li. There was a time he used to look up to her, back when still gave a damn about hunting the supernatural. After some hesitation, he clicked her name. The last message they sent to each other had been months ago.

Would it be awkward to only message her now to ask about Graham…? Probably.

But she was his only source… With a sigh, he typed out a message.

[ hey laura, what’s up? How u been? Was wondering if you could help me out with something >.< ]

There. That wasn’t too bad, right? Feeling a bit embarrassed, he put his phone away and went to make some dinner.

Later that evening, when Han Li was already nestled in bed he received a reply.

[ lol. Hey kiddo. I’ve been good, how about you? What do you need? ]

He blinked. That meant she wasn’t pissed at him for not messaging her for so long, right? Licking his lips, Han Li felt optimistic. He typed out a message:

[ heeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy im fine. Erm this is going to sound kinda weird but do you know any hunters named graham? :/ ]

Han Li frowned after he pressed send. Had that question been a bit too broad?

[ Lololol. There are at least 3 grahams in my year alone, you’ll have to be more specific with that. ]

Huh? Was Graham always that popular of a name?

[ a pro hunter, not someone still in school. Erm, he’s like, super rich? Maybe he’s a top hunter or someone from a renown family, I don’t know :'( ]

[ Ohhhh. I can’t think of any off the top of my head but I can search it up in the directory at the library here. Unless you’re just pulling my leg and talking about Saint Graham lololol. ]

Saint Graham…? Wait a moment. Han Li felt like he should know something about Saint Graham. It was something akin to common knowledge. But he couldn’t check the Hunter’s Wiki to save himself from embarrassment without access to the Network…

Since he was spending so long thinking, he hadn’t replied to Laura. She must have thought it meant something because another message appeared:

[  The more I think about it, the more I think you're trolling me and you’re just talking about Saint Graham. ]

Uhhhhh…oh fuck it, Han Li didn’t care if it would make him seem stupid anymore. He bit back any potential embarrassment and typed.

[ who’s saint graham? ]

It wasn’t long before his phone exploded with messages.

Most of it was a string of absurd rumors, from claims of Saint Graham being immortal, or that he slew a whole herd of angry dragons in one night or he had bathed in the blood of a virgin demi-god. And that his sainthood was granted by a real seraph. There was even one that assumed that he was an elder one. Yeah, right, as if!

What was true was the fact that Graham Astley was indeed Saint Graham, also known as the Saint of Eternity. He was an S-rank hunter, not retired and on active duty. And just when Han Li thought that maybe his assassin pizza man guy might have just taken the real Graham Astley’s name, Laura just had to go and ruin his hopes and dreams by sending him a picture of the one and only Saint of Eternity.

Annnddd yup. That was most definitely Graham Assholely, in all his dark, emo, hitman aesthetic glory.

Erm…Maybe it was just a lookalike?

Han Li was getting dizzy from the thought.

…

The next day, Han Li was exhausted. Laura kept him up almost the entire night, that damned she-demon.

Which was why when he saw Kevin chatting with a tall figure that was dressed in black from head to toe, he thought he might have been hallucinating. There was no overcoat. The sleek fitted pants were replaced with sweatpants and he wore a thin jumper on top. There was a black face mask over the bottom half of his face and a black cap on top.

“…” and yet, it was unmistakably, undeniably, one hundred and fifty-eight percent, Graham Assholely who was standing there, speaking softly with Kevin just by the entrance to the school.

Han Li had to do a double-take. He rubbed his eyes and Graham was still there, that bastard.

What was he doing, talking to sweet, innocent Kevin!? Kevin, whose face was entirely red as he spoke.

Screaming internally, Han Li stomped towards them and forcefully stepped in between. He needed something that would get Graham off his back, and fast. Before this asshole started ruining his social and school life because of some weird stalkerish obsession.

“What is going on here!?” he announced his presence loudly.

“Oh, hi Li,” Kevin said sheepishly.

“Ah. Han Li, we were just—”

“Shhh.” Han Li pressed an index finger to each of their lips, effectively silencing them. “Don’t say a word and let me talk.” He eyed them both, waiting for someone to challenge him. When no one did, Han Li first turned to Kevin.

He sighed, eyes soft and pitying. “Please be more careful when speaking to strangers… Don’t believe a word they say! This world is full of tricksters and evil people like this guy here,” he gestured to Graham, which made the man frown.

Kevin just stared, wide-eyed and confused, “Uh. Um. O-okay…?”

“I am not—” Graham started but Han Li cut him off.

Come to think of it, Han Li was damned good at cutting Graham off. It was probably because he spoke so slowly in comparison. “And you! You damned plague. I think we need a word. In private.”

For once, Graham looked kind of troubled, with his brows slightly furrowed. Han Li imagined that his thin lips would just be slightly pulled downward. Wonderful.

Han Li decided this was a good look on him and was better than the static robot blank stare that Graham was so good at. “…Alright. I understand. Then let us find a place without disturbance.”