Kim Heejin
Kim Heejin.
A high-ranking Superhuman with the Hero rank at her fingertips. The second-highest rank in our living quarter.
Even though we were the same Superhuman, she had a higher position than me—clear even when you looked at the entire base.
The unusual thing was her teeth that had sharpened from the side effects of her Awakening. That was why her expression looked even harsher.
She had one older sister. From time to time, she looked annoyed when she took calls, so I guess the two of them weren’t on good terms.
And then,
“Hey, Harang-ah.”
“Superhuman Seo Harang.”
“You told me the protocol for seniors, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
She was looking at me as if I were a new recruit.
“You know I don’t like saying things like that, right?”
Pfft! You’ve said that exact line at least ten times, you damn brat!
…In other words, I’ve screwed up in front of this woman’s eyes at least ten times already.
…Wait a second. Am I really a new recruit?
“I understand. I’m sorry. I’ll try harder from now on.”
“…”
“What’s with that tone? Your sister isn’t scary like that. You even backed down when you called the other kids?”
Backed down? No, she really is scary. If you’ve actually seen her fighting monsters—covered in blood and gore—you’d know. Not to mention how brutally she fights. She uses her bare fists, after all. Against those monsters?
Of course, I awakened a strength-and-speed-focused ability too, so I had to fight similarly. But Kim Heejin was just built differently from the start.
“You look like you could kill a few people with your eyes, but you still freak out easily.”
“Ah, that’s…”
“Never mind.”
Click. Kim Heejin lit a cigarette. It was weird seeing a woman with a figure like that smoking—both here and there.
“Here.”
Kim Heejin handed me the pack with her usual casual gesture. I nodded, thinking she was offering.
“Ah, don’t you smoke?”
“Yes, I do.”
“With a look like you’re ready to do alcohol and cigarettes, too… Ah, is this swearing? I’m complimenting you.”
I didn’t become this way because I wanted to.
“Anyway, keep your eyes open. Got it? I expect a lot from you, after all.”
“…”
“Understood.”
“Come in.”
“Understood.”
I turned my foot back slightly, and Kim Heejin let out a sigh.
“You really leave when I say go?”
“I’ll wait for Superhuman Kim Heejin until you finish smoking.”
“No, that was a joke. You can go for real.”
I stayed still for a moment, and Kim Heejin waved her hand. Only then did I turn my foot back—
“Wait… you really leave when I say go?”
Yeah, this entire base was full of lunatics. Or maybe it was just that she enjoyed messing with people.
…
“Harang-ah.”
Han Jihye called me.
“Superhuman Seo Harang.”
“Come over here by your sister.”
“Understood.”
We still used the old military barracks, so the beds were long and connected like beds. My spot was right in line with Han Jihye’s.
But skipping ahead like I owned the senior spot? That was way above my pay grade—I wasn’t allowed.
“Three…”
I’d barely finished buttoning my uniform when Han Jihye started counting under her breath.
I’m full even though I haven’t eaten anything. I really wanted to cry.
I crumpled the uniform, buttoned it up, and rushed over to Han Jihye.
“Sit.”
“Understood.”
I sat.
“Lie down.”
“Understood.”
I lay down.
“Harang-ah, are you comfortable in our unit? You look comfy lying there, don’t you?”
“Superhuman Seo Harang. No, I’ll get up.”
At Kim Heejin’s words, I jumped up quickly.
“Not comfortable? Does that upset you, Harang-ah?”
I sulked.
Damn it. I wasn’t the type to cry over something like this.
Still, I kept a poker face. Better than when I worked under that shitty boss—
Wait, why did it hit my chest so hard right now? The tears were coming out now? Would my little sister even know I’m living like this?
If not for the insane monthly salary from the contract, I might have quit and run away long ago. Thanks to the money, I could at least smile.
“Laugh?”
“No.”
I couldn’t laugh. Damn it.
Even in situations like that, time kept passing.
Time passing meant I never knew when or where some weird gate would open.
The reason wasn’t clear, but gates kept appearing in the front lines more often. In other words, we got deployed a lot lately.
Knock, knock. A polite knock. Han Jihye said to come in, and the person at the door opened it carefully. So… the junior… her name was…
“Who is it?”
“Apprentice Awakener! Lee Jeonghui!”
Right. That was her name.
“So what’s up? Did you get deployed again?”
“T-that’s… yes.”
“Why us again? What are the other girls doing?”
“T-that’s, the higher-ups pointed here…”
“…”
Many emotions were hidden in that. Lee Jeonghui, who noticed, rolled her eyes in panic.
“Jeonghui. Did your sister ask you for something difficult?”
“Ah… no.”
“If you say no, does that mean your life as an Awakener ends? Think about the reason and draw the right conclusion, okay? Won’t we all be happier that way? You were just called in, weren’t you?”
“T-that’s… yes.”
“I don’t want to do that again. I was dreaming of a one-hit jackpot while living as an Awakener, but I didn’t want to get kicked around like a soccer ball. Right?”
“T-that’s… right.”
“Then you’d better do well on your own.”
I could tell how strict Han Jihye was when she was against us and how reliable she was when she was with us.
Everyone in the living quarter looked relieved—’it’s not deployment again…’. Even as an Awakener, they were still human. No matter how much money they paid, hating it was just part of the job.
“We should binge-watch that drama.”
“We should read that webtoon.”
“Ah~ Nice~ Anyone want to go get frozen food?”
Just as I thought. It was just a farm full of heavy-hipped humans. From a distance, their pretty faces made it look like a flower field.
Lee Jeonghui, sulking and stacking one more layer of tears. And the person who reached out to her was…
“Jihye.”
“…”
“What is it?”
One of the few people who could call Han Jihye by name. In the base, one of the few who could get away with it.
The executive in charge of the base’s resources and deployments. She was the one who appeared.
Tired eyes and dark circles. Even while her round glasses slid down her nose, her smile never left.
“I’m really sorry. Could you just do this one time? Just for my face.”
“Why us? There are other living quarters.”
“The requester asked for you specifically…”
“Us? What the hell? There’s a gate, right? Or monsters appeared.”
“Monsters. Not a gate.”
“If it’s monsters, wouldn’t it be faster to just pick anyone to deploy right away? Why point at us when you could pick anyone? It’s ridiculous.”
Han Jihye kept pushing, and the executive’s smile was cracking.
She knew she looked bad either way, so she couldn’t be too harsh.
“Tomorrow! Tomorrow we have a combat break!”
“For real?”
Han Jihye’s eyes sparkled. It seemed the combat break meant a lot to her. What was so special about it?
Before I could even blink, the conversation was over. The staff nodded quickly, and Han Jihye turned to us.
“Hey! Let’s go!”
When someone as high-ranked as her pushed, there was no choice but to follow.
I stood up. My shoulder-length hair sliding down my back as I stood felt like it would never get used to it.
“Ugh.”
To get ready faster, I tried to tie my hair back with a rubber band.
My clumsy hands made the senior next to me step closer.
“Harang-ah.”
Her voice was slow and relaxed. I turned, and the person standing there matched her gentle vibe perfectly.
My direct senior and role model. The person who made me want to become just like her.
She was also an angel who didn’t belong in this chaotic place. The only bright spot in base life—Jeong Seung-ah. Her smiling eyes were striking.
“Superhuman Seo Harang!”
I called out without thinking. Han Jihye and Kim Heejin both looked at me. Unfair.
“Can’t tie your hair properly?”
“N-no, I’m not very confident.”
Not confident? What the hell. I didn’t know how at all. In dramas they tied it in a second, but I couldn’t.
“Want me to help?”
“Hey! Hurry up and get ready!”
“Ah! Please! Thank you so much! You saved my life!”
Three thank-yous in a row, and Jeong Seung-ah smiled brightly.
“It’s nothing. Just a moment…”
Jeong Seung-ah touched my hair. Letting someone touch my hair and having long hair wrapped around another’s hand were both new feelings.
“Your hair is really pretty. What shampoo do you use?”
“U-um… I just bought it at the convenience store.”
“For real? Even like this? Must be in the blood. Your skin is so white, and your eyes are sharp—like a cat.”
Hehe. Complimenting my looks.
“…”
I felt a complicated mix of male pride being crushed as I leaned back. My hair was neatly combed without pulling. Insane hand skills.
“Thank you!”
“No need. Anytime you want.”
“Hey.”
“Superhuman Seo Harang.”
“Superhuman Jeong Seung-ah?”
“Looking lively. What’s the matter? Hey, stop messing around and finish getting ready. You’re the only ones still doing that.”
Eh? For real? When I looked around, yes, it was true.
Was this another call to the smoking area?
No, this wasn’t the smoking area. This was the barracks behind us, where seniors like before tossed the newbies around!
“I’m sorry. I’ll hurry.”
“And Harang.”
“Superhuman Seo Harang.”
“…”
“No. Hurry up and get ready.”
“Understood.”
Why did talking like that make me more nervous?
Was it that thing? The one where if you cut someone off in the middle, they’d figure out why you were mad on their own?
Well, I definitely got caught. How many times had it happened already, I didn’t know.
My life was in hard mode. I didn’t install any mods.
If the sky was listening, I wanted to beg and cry. Please turn off the hard mode.