Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Stop the Report!
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Hero Time, the online community favored by current and former heroes.
From heroes' unique struggles that ordinary people could never understand, to complaints about the government and tips on villains.
One day, a rather unusual post appeared in this hub of diverse information.
After a somewhat chaotic morning, Ji-ah and I headed to the shop a bit earlier than opening time.
"Mister, there's someone lurking around in front of the shop."
"Hm?"
It was true. One person wearing a hood, pacing back and forth in front of the shop.
In their right hand, they held a box wrapped in fancy packaging.
"Maybe they're waiting for us to open?"
"Looks like it..."
The hood looked familiar. The silhouette too... It was obviously Yoon Seol.
'Not many people wrap themselves up that tightly.'
But wasn't she supposed to be a popular hero? I felt like I'd seen her around more often lately.
"Okay, Seol-ah. As soon as you see the boss, apologize right away. You caused him a lot of trouble last time. Yeah, you can do this..."
"Excuse me?"
"Kyaa?!"
As I approached cautiously and spoke, Yoon Seol let out a sharp scream.
"Wh-who... Oh, Boss."
Fortunately, she seemed to recognize me afterward, letting out a sigh of relief.
"We're not open yet, but do you want to come in?"
I said to her, who looked extremely tense.
"Pardon? Uh, that... Just a sec."
Hm?
She hesitated for a moment.
"..."
Her lips twitched slightly, like she had something to say to me.
Finally, she took a deep breath and...
"I'mreallysorryforthelasttime!Pleaseacceptthisasmytinyapology!"
"Pardon?"
...bowed at a perfect right angle and thrust the packaged box at me.
'Why is she talking so fast?'
In a daze, I accepted the item she offered.
'Ugh, it's heavy.'
It had some serious weight. What was inside?
"This is..."
"It'shotoutside,soIcoughthtwatermelonwouldbecool...Ow...Bitmytongue..."
...It seemed the events from last time had left her pretty embarrassed.
Like a robot spitting out pre-programmed lines that suddenly glitched.
It was a fresh side of her, anyway.
'Oh.'
As I unwrapped the outer packaging, a watermelon revealed its grandeur.
...The gold foil decorations on it hinted at its price tag.
'Must be insanely expensive.'
But that wasn't the end of it.
As I admired the clearly pricey watermelon...
"Ugh... I swear I'll never do it again... Please forgive me if you accept this..."
...Yoon Seol, thoroughly embarrassed, began begging forgiveness with a flushed face.
Her eyes glistened with little tears, probably from biting her tongue.
That sight, combined with her plea, stirred a strange sense of deviance.
'Wait, is this a misunderstanding?'
Come to think of it, I wasn't here alone today.
Realizing that, I hurriedly turned toward where Ji-ah was...
"...Um, police? There's a pervert here threatening a woman..."
"Come on in for now."
"Y-yeah..."
After a bit of commotion, things settled down somehow, and the three of us entered the shop side by side.
"Ow, my tongue still stings."
"Yeah, you should've spoken more calmly. Anyway, I took it on impulse, but... what's up with this watermelon?"
A watermelon loudly proclaiming, I'm expensive.
Where on earth do you even buy something like this? If the ones at the market were commoners, this one was royalty.
"It's... an apology for last time... The internet... no, my friends said a watermelon would be good..."
An apology for last time, huh...
"Boss... this is weird... The ground's shaking. Must be an earthquake..."
"Pfft."
Hearing that brought back Yoon Seol's state from then, and a laugh slipped out involuntarily.
"Ugh, th-that was because I was drunk, so please forget it..."
While Yoon Seol and I chatted lightly like this, Ji-ah had her eyes elsewhere.
"H-how much does a watermelon like this even cost...?"
...Clearly captivated by the expensive-looking watermelon.
"Ah... Could I sell this packaging...?"
Ji-ah mumbling that quietly was... oddly tempting to tease.
"Ji-ah, that packaging isn't real gold."
"I know that!!!"
She snapped back like an angry cat at my joke.
"Anyway, giving something this pricey to you, mister... Huh? Wait, what?!"
Then, upon seeing Yoon Seol without her hood, Ji-ah's expression changed in real time.
"Mister, that person... she's not Hero Yoon Seol, is she...?"
After that, she poked my side repeatedly with an incredulous look.
'...Forgot about that.'
The fact that the customer shyly sitting at the bar counter right now was the popular hero Yoon Seol, who's been making waves lately.
Ji-ah's reaction made sense. For Yoon Seol to visit this rundown, out-of-the-way shop with a luxury watermelon.
Even I felt a bit detached from reality.
"Mister, are you secretly a retired hero or something amazing like that?"
Nope, nothing like that...
As I tried to correct Ji-ah's misconception that I was some big shot,
Yoon Seol, watching Ji-ah and me from the bar counter, spoke up.
"That girl, she's part-time here? I don't remember seeing her last time..."
"Yeah, due to some circumstances this time, I hired some part-time help."
"Hmm..."
She made a subtly odd expression at my answer.
...I could guess what she wanted to say.
'Wondering if a shop with no customers really needs part-time help.'
Yoon Seol was surprisingly the type whose thoughts showed on her face.
...The Yoon Seol on TV didn't seem like that.
'She had more of a cool image, actually.'
Maybe the hero the public sees is different from the hero as a person.
...Speaking of which, I just turned on the AC, but the shop still felt pretty warm.
It was almost evening, so cranking it lower might be overkill...
'Oh, right.'
...We just got that watermelon as a gift.
Thinking about it, eating such an expensive-looking watermelon just among ourselves at home felt a bit wasteful.
Better to do it here...
"Yoon Seol, do you like fruit punch?"
"Sure, I guess..."
"Then how about we make some fruit punch? It's hot out. Ji-ah, what do you think?"
"W-with that?"
"Yeah."
Can't just run to the mart and buy a new one now.
"Alright, hang on a sec. We have milk and soda anyway, so I'll whip it up quick."
With that to Ji-ah and Yoon Seol, I grabbed the watermelon and headed to the kitchen.
'...He just called me Yoon Seol.'
Well, after causing that drunken scene, it's no surprise he figured out who I am.
'Ugh.'
Still, the relief was that his attitude hadn't changed much from the first time.
...Even knowing I'm that Yoon Seol.
'Is he the type not interested in heroes or celebrities?'
Not sure. But that attitude felt like it affirmed me as human Yoon Seol, not the hero.
'...Not bad.'
As Yoon Seol felt a subtle flutter in her chest,
"Um, excuse me."
the girl next to the boss approached timidly.