Trying It Out? What Do You Mean? Are You Making That Proposal to Me?
"What do you mean by trying it out? What is this proposal you're making to me?"
"By proposal, you mean this?"
"Even holding hands... I don't have that kind of taste."
"Eh."
Does she usually think along those lines? I couldn't quite grasp the depths of a woman's mind.
No, it must be just a joke.
To be safe and avoid making the misunderstanding worse, I pulled my hand away.
Yeon Byeori, who had been staring alternately between my hand and her own, spoke up.
"Still, the enthusiasm is nice. Since you're showing that much, I should at least ask how you'd like to proceed. What exactly are we doing?"
In truth, there hadn't been any proper plan.
Setting up a flawless strategy on the spot would suit a genius or a monster, wouldn't it?
I was the type who had no technique or flair—only blind effort, no matter what. The same had applied this time too.
"I plan to tackle it with whatever comes to mind."
"With whatever comes to mind?"
"Yes. First, we should look for parts that feel more interesting than just gambling."
"Haa, I've already tried everything. I've probably tried pretty much anything that existed. I've been here for so long, after all—what else would I have not tried? If I hadn't tried it, that'd mean I lack resolve."
"That may be true, but... did you ever do it with someone else?"
"No? Not really anyone. Apart from the occasional workouts with Kim Heejin Superhuman, I've always been alone."
So I had been alone. That changed things. The feeling was simply different.
"With me, it'll be completely different!"
I said it with conviction, pouring all my confidence into the words.
"Quite the confidence. So, what was the first thing you had in mind? Since we'll have no missions, we could just relax. Maybe we should follow along and give it a try?"
"I understand. Then—"
Wi-ing!
The siren blared exactly on cue, as if it had been waiting for this. Beyond the terrible timing, the sudden appearance of multiple monsters in quick succession from nearby startled me.
It hadn't been unheard of, but how could this happen at just the right moment? It felt like someone was deliberately blocking whatever plan I had.
"They're here!! Time to earn money!!"
Yeon Byeori sprang up like a spring. The fatigue I had seen in her earlier was nowhere to be found; she was brimming with energy.
It reminded me of that time I had spent my combat break with Han Jihye. I had realized my voice, which had sounded oddly cute and alarming, didn't suit her at all.
Yeon Byeori felt the same way.
Seeing her, usually so drained and sluggish, bouncing around like that created an undeniable sense of wrongness.
Wrongness, not ugliness. Since it was her appearance, nothing she did could ever look bad.
"Both of you were here? What were you up to? Yeon Byeori, you're not the type to talk trash, are you?"
Kim Heejin asked that the moment she found us alone. Judging by her tone, others knew Yeon Byeori's personality well too.
"I wasn't talking trash! I'm going to report for the mission prep right away!"
"...Tension's sky-high. Harang, is it true?"
"Yes. I've been praised for it."
"Praised?"
Kim Heejin muttered with a puzzled expression, as if something felt off.
I knew I couldn't be that confident myself, yet the way she openly doubted me stung.
Mission prep, mission prep. While humming a self-composed tune, Yeon Byeori dashed off.
In the quiet of the living quarter, Kim Heejin gave me a sidelong glance and asked softly.
"...Does being praised bother you? Or you?"
I could sense the teasing in her words. I had already grown used to reading the flow.
"I'm sorry."
"Eh? What?"
"Eh... no? You seem angry."
Kim Heejin brushed her lips once, as if checking their position.
"Sorry. My expression and face just are what they are."
"No! It's not like that! I adore Kim Heejin Superhuman's face!"
"...You say you adore it?"
Kim Heejin asked as if she had been waiting for that point to be addressed, concerned as she was.
The words were sincere. Of course, the age gap made it difficult to handle, but I knew she was a caring person beyond her looks.
That very imbalance only made her more attractive in my eyes.
"I do adore it."
"...Sigh."
"Kim Heejin Superhuman?"
"You say things like that so casually? Here and there?"
"Am I worrying you?"
With a hint of mischief in my voice, I said it that way.
"Eh, I'm worried. Why?"
"Oh..."
"Oh is casual speech. Anyway, don't say things like that so freely. You might end up in big trouble."
Now that I thought about it, Kim Heejin's words made sense.
If I had been a man and someone looked like me had said "I like you" so comfortably, I would have immediately launched a full confession attack.
...What was I just thinking? Did I really just assume "if I were male"?
It was absurd. The beast-hearted Seo Harang thinking she's completely a woman!
I decided to chalk it up to a summer mistake and quietly absorbed Kim Heejin's advice.
"Anyway, it's okay for you to say that to me."
"What exactly? About adoring it?"
"...You knew I was asking and still asked? You're impossible. I wouldn't say that."
Kim Heejin gently twirled her hair and spoke.
I kept quiet, but no other words came. Was she waiting for something? Was she starved for affection?
It wasn't an impossible possibility. After all, Kim Heejin had built the image of the demon senior within the unit.
Even if it suited her nature, overeating eventually led to trouble. Sometimes you just wanted to hear good words.
And most likely, I was the perfect person to deliver those compliments. Someone who knew Kim Heejin's insecurities.
Reaching that conclusion brought a twinge of melancholy. At the same time, my heart gave a sharp flutter.
What emotion had caused that flutter? I recognized it instantly.
It was joy at the thought that Kim Heejin relied on me.
"Anyway, let's save this conversation for later. Let's head out for the mission first."
"I understand."
With lighter steps, I equipped myself and set out for the mission.
...
Without any major incidents, the mission ended safely, and I returned to the living quarter. I roughly tidied my messy hair and turned to look at Yeon Byeori.
"Hmm..."
She sat at her spot, furiously tapping her phone. Her focus was far too intense.
If that had been all, I might have tried to talk to her.
I could have warned her not to get hooked on gambling.
But my instincts had stopped me. The plea "Don't touch this right now or you'll be in danger" had clamped shut my throat.
She had gone deep into it. Once she had entered that site and started concentrating, there was no room for me to interfere.
Touching it would mean being cut off—not just cut off, but severed like an artery. Anger from a good person was far scarier.
Don't step on the obvious landmine. The unfinished training with Kim Heejin would have to wait.
"Kim Heejin Superhuman."
"Eh? What?"
Kim Heejin, who had answered my call, seemed to have an idea and rose from her seat.
She took one step toward me, as if intending to come over. The look in her eyes suggested she might leap.
It was enviable. Being able to casually jump over the senior's spot and the central corridor without permission.
"No, no. Wait. Why should I come over?"
Whether it was due to cognitive dissonance, Kim Heejin halted and returned to her own spot.
"You came. That's right."
"I understand."
It was true that she could have heard me from afar, but I naturally had no right to refuse.
After reporting the mission, Kim Heejin said,
"Just come over."
Come over. Jump right over the bed and the space between beds.
"Is it really okay?"
I asked sincerely.
Of course! Skipping silently over the senior's spot was a bigger deal, but... could I truly do something like that?
I felt strangely happy about it. Was this what a small joy felt like?
I couldn't keep Kim Heejin waiting, so I prepared to cross.
"Harang is taking her first step? Be careful? When Heejin crossed for the first time, I was in a huge mess because she gave it so much strength."
"Ah, Han Jihye Hero. Why would you say something so embarrassing?"
"What do you mean?"
"Yo! Jeong Seung-ah!"
"Superhuman Jeong Seung-ah. I'm curious."
"Aw, she won't even pretend to listen anymore. I've been eaten, I've been eaten."
"This is Heejin's flavor..."
"People who can be eaten don't talk like that. Anyway, Harang. Come over without any burden, just casually. Can you control your body?"
"Perfectly."
Amid all the chatter, Yeon Byeori sat quietly, staring only at her phone. Her concentration was terrifying.
"Harang, since you're not as sturdy as Heejin, you have to be careful. When she uses her abilities, her body becomes sturdy too. Do you know what happened when she first crossed?"
"Don't say that, please."
"Where did that 'show' come from?"
"Are you thinking about that now? We weren't even months apart."
"You're all grown up. Our Heejin. Anyway, when she first jumped across the corridor, she ran so hard she smashed the wall."
It had been an incredible blunder. Kim Heejin had had such moments too.
"Don't laugh? I'm not laughing now. And originally, my ability to control strength is hard to master. It took years just to get used to it. Anyway, Harang."
"Superhuman Seo Harang."
"Calm your strength a little? You might get hurt."
"I understand."
I probably needed to be more careful about how much force I used.
Of course, because I had trained hard, there was no need to worry about such mistakes. I was confident in my control!
Feeling everyone's gazes as I prepared to cross, I finished readying myself when I suddenly recalled something. Han Jihye spoke up.
"...Hey, Heejin-ah."
"Superhuman Kim Heejin. What? Another embarrassing memory?"
"Did you always call Harang that way with such sweet tones?"
"Peep!!"
"Ehehe!?"
I was startled by the cute scream that couldn't possibly come from Kim Heejin's mouth.
The confidence I had boasted about my control had vanished in an instant, and the force had destroyed my body's balance.
I crossed over, but my posture was off.
"Waaah!? Waah!!?"
The half-turned body sank into something soft.
A fluffy, pleasant warmth. It was far from the hazy memory of my mother's arms.
The touch was soft and yielding, but in one corner, a siren-like beeping continued.
The awakening from these contradictory sensations came only after several seconds of silence.
I realized. I was being held in Kim Heejin's arms.
Once I realized that, the next natural step followed.
"Aaaah!! I'm so sorry! It wasn't intentional! I startled and my leg wobbled! Ah! It's not that Kim Heejin Superhuman did anything wrong—it's entirely my fault! I'm so sorry!"
─Crash!
"Ack!"
Startled, I jumped from my spot and bashed my head on the ceiling.
A scene like this was too rare, even in sitcoms or gag comics.
An awkward cliché: being held by a woman while being a woman.
The silence of the living quarter seemed to seep into my bones. The gazes felt like arrows piercing me.
It might have been better to just get scolded as a failure.
Realizing how strong the anxiety summoned by silence was, I heard giggles.
"Ah! Sister Jihye!"
"Eh, it's Jihye unnie. Finally no Hero title. So? Being hugged by Heejin feels good? Well, Heejin's figure is pretty toned, after all."
From Han Jihye's usual reaction, I felt relief. It hadn't been a real mistake!
I sighed inwardly, but in the end, it was the person's heart that mattered.
Even though my body had fallen, Kim Heejin remained stunned in place. The total silence was terrifying.
"...I'll go to the bathroom for a bit."
She left without a word. It made it hard to imagine what would come next.
I decided not to follow immediately. If I stuck around out of guilt, I might get into even bigger trouble.
...
A dozen or so minutes later, Kim Heejin returned with an odd expression—satisfied yet burdened by guilt—and I apologized.
Instead, I received the reply that she was the one who should apologize. What was she sorry for?
I had no idea what the seniors were thinking.
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