Chapter 120: A Fleeting Spring Dream (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 120: A Fleeting Spring Dream (3)
Time flowed by relentlessly without me finding a clear answer to my predicament. The next day, I met Hayoung on a rare weekday outing. I had seen Eunha during lunch and Su-ah afterward, and I was set to meet Hayoung around the time most office workers head home.
It wasn't for anything special. Hayoung mentioned she was going grocery shopping at a large supermarket, and I was simply tagging along.
While we often met at each other's places, we rarely wandered around outside together, so it felt a bit different from our usual routine.
The main reason we avoided meeting in public was the concern that someone might recognize them as Superhumans. Since they were sensitive to the gaze of others, I had to be mindful. Even when I asked if there was anything they wanted to do, they rarely mentioned wanting to do something out in the open.
The only ones who didn't care about public attention were Su-ah and Yubin. Since we started dating, Su-ah and I mostly played games at her place, but that didn't mean we never went to the arcade. Seeing how she often went to the arcade even on days we didn't meet, I couldn't imagine her being self-conscious about anyone's gaze.
Yubin was the type who didn't give a damn about being seen as a superhuman. Yura was the same, though she was more the type who simply didn't see the point in going out if she didn't have to.
While Yubin also spent most of her time indoors with me, she generally had no qualms about shopping or going out.
There was another reason involving public attention, but it concerned me rather than the members of Hunter Killer. If someone were to spot me with them and recognize me, it would be incredibly dangerous.
While my identity as a member of Spacetro might not be revealed, rumors of me being seen could lead to the discovery that I was seeing all the members of Hunter Killer.
As the years passed, public interest in Superhumans had waned compared to the past, but it hadn't vanished entirely. With many Superhumans causing incidents—including Indigo’s Team Guerrilla—and various negative perceptions lingering in society, there was always a chance someone might recognize a superhuman who had been exposed to the media.
But I couldn't just spend my life hiding out of caution, nor could I stay cooped up forever just because someone might recognize us. So, I decided to go grocery shopping with Hayoung.
On the other hand, I also wanted to recapture the feeling of when we went furniture shopping together while she was preparing to move.
Lately, I’d been losing sleep and feeling exhausted for various reasons, so I wanted a moment to feel some peace of mind.
"Honey!"
When I arrived at the supermarket, Hayoung spotted me from a distance and waved.
She had her hair, which she usually wore in a bun, tied in a half-up style with braids. She wore a crisp sky-blue dress over a white T-shirt, a look that complemented her hairstyle perfectly.
"You're early."
Even though I arrived ten minutes before our scheduled time, Hayoung was already there. She approached me, gave me a tight hug, and looked up at me with a smile.
"Yeah. I was so excited to see you on a weekday that I rushed out."
I gave her a warm hug back as she smiled cutely, then took her hand and headed inside. Since Hayoung had experience coming here with her nephews, she grabbed a cart without hesitation. I took over pushing the cart as we moved further in.
"This is our first time grocery shopping together, isn't it?"
"I guess so."
Hayoung was excited at the prospect of shopping together. It occurred to me that, aside from looking at furniture when she moved, we hadn't really gone on a proper date.
Calling a grocery run in the evening a "date" felt a bit lacking. I should probably set aside a day for a real date sometime.
"What do you need to buy?"
"I wrote a list."
She pulled a slip of paper from her small handbag, covered in a dense list of items to buy.
"That's a lot of stuff."
"Yeah. I'm planning to invite the members over soon and cook something delicious for them."
The reason I hadn't met anyone yesterday was that the Hunter Killer members had gathered to hang out. I didn't know exactly what they did, but judging by the atmosphere, they seemed to have had a great time.
Between the trip to the sea and this, it was a massive improvement compared to the days when I’d get tongue-tied just talking about the other members. It made me smile to see them all getting along so well.
"Did you have fun yesterday?"
When I asked about her time with the members, Hayoung nodded enthusiastically. I could tell from the wide smile on her face that she truly enjoyed herself.
"We chatted at a cafe and took so many pictures. Look at this."
She pulled her smartphone out of her bag and showed me several photos they took together. They must have taken a ton; even as I kept swiping, more photos of the members appeared. Seeing them looking so happy in the pictures lifted my mood as well.
"These are the photo booth stickers."
The screen showed digital versions of sticker photos decorated with various effects. There were shots of them making funny faces and others where they posed prettily.
Perhaps because their hair colors were all so distinct, every photo looked vibrant and full.
"...Come to think of it, I don't have any photos with you, Honey."
"Ah..."
I avoided Hayoung's gaze as she stared at me with an awkward expression. It was clear she wanted to take pictures together, but taking photos was... complicated.
I had intentionally avoided taking photos until now, fearing that if she shared them with the other members, it would cause problems. Of course, there was another reason. I simply didn't like having my picture taken.
My face always went stiff and awkward the moment a camera was pointed at me, so I’d never liked it. Aside from official photos used for work, I could count the number of times I'd been photographed on one hand.
If it were just a matter of me disliking it, I would have agreed to take a photo if my girlfriend asked. Disliking something is one thing, but there's no reason not to do it if your girlfriend wants to.
However, because of the risk of the photos being shared, I was in a position where I couldn't agree even if she asked.
"I'm just not very fond of taking pictures..."
While it was true that I didn't like it, I had to use it as an excuse because I needed a reason to refuse even though it was technically possible. I felt bad for Hayoung, but there was no other way for now.
Even if someone else asked to take a photo, I would tell them the same thing.
"Why?"
Hayoung tilted her head, curious about why I disliked it so much.
"...I have a disease where I die if I take a photo."
I couldn't bring myself to say it was because I hated how awkward my expression became. Saying that felt strangely embarrassing. After blurting out such nonsense, I wondered if it would have been better to just tell her the truth.
"I see."
Hayoung nodded, accepting the ridiculous excuse. She probably didn't actually believe me, but rather figured I must have a reason I hated it enough to say something so absurd.
"Anyway, shall we find what we need first?"
"Let's do that."
I quickly changed the subject. Since the photos didn't matter right now, Hayoung walked alongside me, helping me push the cart as we navigated the aisles.
Ingredients began to pile up in the cart. Hayoung busily inspected various items, checking them off her list and tossing them in. Looking at the growing pile, I wondered if they really ate this much.
Yura and Su-ah had quite the appetites, but even so, this seemed like a lot for a single meal together.
I stood in one spot for a moment, waiting for Hayoung as she inspected items further down the aisle.
"!"
A sudden headache made me knit my brows. It didn't last long, vanishing almost instantly, but it left behind an unpleasant sensation that made my expression sour for a moment.
Worried that someone might have recognized Hayoung, I looked around, but no one was paying her any special attention. Was I being too paranoid thinking people would recognize her as a superhuman?
I should try to coordinate our schedules so we can have a proper date in the future. Adding dates to the mix would make scheduling even more difficult than it already was, but if I planned it well, I could make everyone happy.
What kind of date would be good? I wasn't sure. I realized I still had a mountain of things to learn about the five of them. Thinking this, I slowly approached Hayoung, who was agonizing over her choices.
"Please, give this a try."
Turning toward the voice, I saw a store employee at a tasting corner. A delicious-looking piece of browned meat sat on the griddle in front of them.
"It's a free sample. Would you like a taste?"
"Oh, sure."
Since I hadn't eaten dinner yet, I was a bit hungry. Enticed by the employee's words, I picked up a piece of meat with a toothpick and popped it into my mouth.
The tender meat yielded to my teeth, and the savory aroma of the juices spread through my mouth. I chewed enthusiastically.
"Honey, what are you doing?"
Hayoung, who had been carefully comparing two products from the same company before finally choosing one, found me eating and came over to link her arm with mine.
"They said it was a sample, so I was trying it."
"Please, try some if you like. The meat is very tender and high quality."
"Here."
Taking the employee's cue, I picked up a piece of meat with a toothpick and fed it to Hayoung. Her eyes lit up as she tasted it.
"It's delicious. Should we get some for home?"
"I'm down."
"Ma'am, give us two packs, please."
"Certainly. Are you two newlyweds?"
As the employee packed two containers of meat into the cart, they asked with a smile. Hayoung’s face flushed.
"N-newlyweds?"
We had been mistaken for a married couple when we were furniture shopping, too, but hearing it again after a while clearly made Hayoung happy, and she couldn't hide it.
She stole a glance at me, checking my reaction. Since I was happy if she was happy, I simply replied with a silent smile.
"Yes, that's right. We're married."
Finally, with a bright smile, Hayoung told the employee we were a couple. The employee added, "You look so good together," and we thanked them before pushing the cart toward the next item.
Seemingly in an even better mood after the "married" comment, Hayoung hummed to herself as she looked for the remaining items.
"Did you like being called a married couple that much?"
I asked with a smile, watching her enjoy herself. She turned her blue-tinted eyes toward me, holding a carton of milk in each hand as she deliberated.
"Yeah. It's because they think we look good together."
"I suppose so. Anyone would take us for a married couple, shopping together like this and calling each other 'Honey'."
I let go of the cart and stepped closer, leaning my chin on Hayoung's shoulder as I bent down slightly.
"Do you really need to buy milk?"
I spoke with a playful tone, trying to tease a shy reaction out of her, but Hayoung shook her head and spoke firmly.
"I have to. My milk is yours, after all."
"I'm honored. Did you not produce much today?"
"I woke up this morning and squeezed out plenty, so it's fine."
My gaze naturally drifted toward her chest. Sensing my eyes on her, she looked at me while I was still leaning on her shoulder.
"Not here. This is a public place."
"I have at least that much discretion."
Responding to her tone, which sounded like she was scolding a child, I wondered for a moment if Hayoung saw me as someone who'd go into heat regardless of time or place.
Of course, she probably didn't actually think that, so I let it slide as a joke. After a light kiss, we continued our shopping.
We spent over an hour wandering the supermarket, picking out everything we needed and browsing the aisles. Finally, we stepped outside, carrying bags full of groceries.
"There are so many people. I wonder if we can catch a taxi."
Even for a weekday evening, the area outside the market was crowded with shoppers. Since we didn't have a car, I was worried about whether we could snag a taxi with all these bags.
"It's because of the weekday sale this week. The taxis are over there."
Hayoung, who was still linked to my arm, led me toward the taxi stand. We walked together and climbed into a waiting taxi.
Hayoung gave the driver her address, and we soon set off for her place. Perhaps because I was on edge from exhaustion, I stared blankly out the window, unable to shake the sense of dissonance I’d felt just before getting into the cab.