Chapter 17: Pink, But Not a Slut (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17: Pink, But Not a Slut (3)
Superhumans. This concept didn't exist until we first visited Earth twenty years ago.
At that time, Earth lacked the physical capabilities to face Spacetro head-on and instead relied on large-scale military weaponry. While Earth's weapons were powerful, they were no match for Spacetro, which possessed deep space navigation technology.
Just as humanity was losing all hope, Spacetro miraculously proposed a fair fight under equal conditions. Earth countered with a proposal for duels to be held in various regions, strictly under a no-kill rule.
At the time, the reason for such a proposal was unknown, but it didn't take long to find out.
Earth had been planning to create "Superhumans"—beings with physical capabilities far beyond those of normal humans—through genetic modification experiments. However, these plans had been stalled due to opposition from various institutions and groups. The reasons ranged from human rights concerns to the fear of upsetting the global balance of power.
But faced with the desperate situation of an alien invasion backed by overwhelming technology, the Earth Defense Union pushed forward with the Superhuman experiments. As a result, individuals emerged with abilities that surpassed normal humans and rivaled Spacetro’s executive-level officers. We are currently locked in combat with them.
Public perception has softened significantly now, but the reaction was quite negative when Superhumans first appeared. Even though they were created through artificial experiments to protect the planet and fought for Earth’s sake, ordinary humans couldn't easily accept these alien, heterogeneous beings.
Currently, most Superhumans hide their identities in their daily lives, conscious of Spacetro’s watchful eyes.
In Yubin’s case, she never breathed a word to me about anything related to Superhumans, let alone Spacetro. Pink, however, was a bit different.
“Boss. We’re good, right?”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
She was openly revealing her status as a Superhuman, and the Boss clearly knew it too. Even the part-timer at the counter didn't seem flustered, suggesting she was also in the loop.
“What? You surprised? Let’s get to work.”
Throwing a comment my way as I stood there dazed, she headed into the kitchen. I followed her inside, cautiously reading the room.
I knew that Superhumans hid their identities because of Spacetro. However, even if they chose to reveal themselves, we had no real way of tracking them all down.
The current situation was proof of that. Pink was showing off strength that could easily overpower a grown man right in her workplace, making no effort to hide her Superhuman nature. Yet, until just a moment ago, I had no idea she was being so open about it.
“Were you surprised?”
“Of course I was. You just tossed a customer like that.”
Setting aside the Superhuman aspect, I’ve lived in Korea for quite a while since coming to Earth. I’ve visited many shops and seen plenty of "Karens," but I’d never seen someone just hurl a customer out the door.
“? No, I mean about me being a Superhuman.”
“That’s none of my business.”
I already knew she was a Superhuman. If anything surprised me, it was the fact that she was using that power so blatantly without hiding it.
“You’re a weird one, aren't you? Usually, people are amazed when they see a Superhuman.”
Was my reaction too nonchalant? It seemed I came across as someone who didn't find Superhumans impressive at all.
“I saw them a lot when I was abroad. I’ve seen them fight, too.”
“When you were a kid?”
“Yeah.”
She nodded, seemingly convinced by my explanation. As Pink would know from being on the front lines herself, duels usually take place in the middle of busy streets rather than secluded areas.
One might wonder if they don't care about safety, but apparently, it’s because of the no-kill rule; they fight in public so everyone can see what’s happening and ensure nothing goes wrong.
Spacetro accepted the no-kill rule, and since we have to follow orders from above, we strictly adhere to it. We do our best to ensure no civilians are harmed when duels break out in the city.
Unlike Team Hunter Killer, whom we fight, the bodies of civilians are just at the level of average Earthlings. Even an attack from a low-level grunt like me could be fatal to them.
“But is it okay? Don't the customers get scared?”
This was a place of business, after all. Even if it was a slow weekend, there were still people around. Rumors could spread easily.
“It’s fine. The Boss is good at keeping people quiet. And since the shop stays peaceful because of it, I don't think anyone complains.”
It seemed Pink was able to be herself thanks to the Boss’s open-mindedness and consideration.
“Still, it’s not great to keep standing out, so just stay in the kitchen and work.”
I didn't really want to admit it because of her narcissism, but Pink is on the pretty side. Yubin is my girlfriend, but if I were to judge objectively based on visuals alone, Pink is a little... just a tiny bit prettier.
Working at the counter would probably be better for attracting male customers, but even if she revealed her identity for the sake of the shop, it seemed staying in the public eye constantly was still a burden.
“How is it? Working in a kitchen with a beauty like me... feels like a dream, doesn't it?”
The moment I started washing dishes again, that narcissistic nonsense drifted over from right beside me. A sigh escaped my lips automatically.
“Sigh...”
“Sighing on your first day?”
I glanced at Pink, who had started washing dishes alongside me. She didn't seem to realize the sigh was because of her.
The first day was a blur. Between Pink’s surveillance and the sudden rush of customers, I had to focus on the work while keeping an eye on her.
I initially thought kitchen work would just be washing dishes and organizing supplies, but there was more to it than I imagined. Since it was my first day, they couldn't leave the heavy lifting to me, so Pink handled most of the tasks while I stuck to the sink.
“Afternoon team. You’re dismissed.”
Just as it was time for a break, our shift ended. The Boss poked her head into the kitchen to let us know. The evening staff filed in, greeting Pink familiarly, while I just exchanged awkward nods.
“Off work!”
Pink apparently only worked from the morning opening until the afternoon, just like me. When I came out of the storage room after changing, I ran into her coming out of the breakroom.
Seeing her outfit, I finally understood the difference between Pink in her suit and Pink at work.
When she was working, she wore an oversized jumpsuit that completely hid her figure. But now that she had changed, a tight black dress emphasized her curves to the fullest.
With her mask off and her hair, which had been tied up for work, now flowing freely, her aura was completely different. That was my only takeaway. So that’s why she didn't feel like the 'Pink' I saw in the suit during our duels.
“What? Do I look even prettier now that you’re seeing me like this?”
Looking at her outfit—a sleeveless sundress meant to beat the midsummer heat—I could somewhat understand why that man had been chasing her this morning. But her nonsense made me knit my brows again. How many times was she going to repeat the same thing? Did she really crave being called pretty that much?
“Sure, sure.”
I gave a half-hearted reply and walked out of the kitchen. Pink threw on a thin cardigan she was holding and followed me out. After saying goodbye to the Boss, we walked toward the subway without much conversation.
“See you tomorrow!”
I turned around at the sound of Pink’s voice. Since she was heading in a different direction, she was walking backward and waving at me. She had a surprisingly bright personality.
“Yeah.”
I gave a curt reply and waved back dismissively.
Passing the convenience store where Yubin would have already finished her shift, I entered my building and found her crouching in front of my door.
“What are you doing here?”
“…….”
Yubin, still crouching, glared up at me with narrowed, dissatisfied eyes. I wondered if I had done something terribly wrong, then belatedly checked my phone.
93 texts. 15 missed calls. All from Yubin.
“Where have you been?”
Hearing the edge in her voice, I knew I had to answer quickly. But I couldn't exactly say, "I was working part-time at a cafe where Pink from your rival team works."
“Let’s go inside first.”
I reached out a hand to the crouching Yubin, trying to buy time to think of a lie. She didn't take my hand, though; she just stood up on her own. I carefully opened the door and let her in.
Without even glancing at me, Yubin walked inside and sat on the sofa. Feeling like I should be by her side, I sat down next to her.
“I’m sorry.”
Better to apologize first. Whatever explanation I gave would have to be a lie, but being unreachable for that long without a word was definitely my mistake.
Since Yubin had plenty of time to text or call while working at the convenience store, we usually exchanged messages several times throughout her shift. For me to suddenly go silent all afternoon and not pick up the phone... it was understandable that she was angry.
“I thought you were busy with work, so I came to your place, but you weren't here either.”
Her tone was pure pout. I didn't know what to say first. Adding more apologies right now might just fan the flames.
“I had to meet someone for work. It was a last-minute thing, and it was so hectic I couldn't check my phone.”
Yubin, who had been staring at the floor, turned her head to look at me.
“I feel like there’s so much I don't know about you, Oppa.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean, I don't even know exactly what kind of work you do.”
If she knew exactly what I did, I’d probably die right here, so I couldn't tell her. Even with the no-kill rule, I wouldn't be able to complain if she actually killed me.
“You aren't hiding anything from me, right?”
“Of course not. I’m doing freelance work for deep space technology program design. I was meeting with a client today.”
It was a lie I’d scrambled to put together, but it sounded plausible. It aligned with the fake information I’d given her before, and there was no way for her to verify it even if she wanted to.
“You aren't hiding anything from me either, right, Yubin?”
“I’m not.”
……Of course, I knew. Both I and she were in situations where we couldn't reveal our true identities to each other.
However, knowing her secret as I did, I felt a strange emotion when she denied it so firmly.
It was a feeling I couldn't quite describe, but it wasn't a particularly pleasant one.
“I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to stay in touch next time.”
To shake off the uncomfortable feeling, I apologized again and pulled her into a hug. Her sulky expression melted away instantly as she leaned into me.
“Okay. I’ll forgive you.”
“I’ll probably be out every weekend for a while. I won't be able to answer much in the afternoons.”
“Yeah. It’s fine now that you told me.”
The fact that I’d been unreachable without a word was the reason she was upset. Once I explained and gave her a brief heads-up about the future, Yubin smiled and nodded.
“Did you come here because I wasn't answering?”
“Even if you had, I was going to stop by before going home. But then you weren't answering...”
The distance from the convenience store where Yubin worked to my place was a three or four-minute walk. If you ran, you could get there in under a minute. It was only natural for her to stop by after work.
“I’ll text you the door code. You can come in and wait even if I’m not home.”
“Okay.”
Seeing her satisfied face gave me the confidence that I’d handled this correctly. I felt like giving myself a pat on the back.
Since Yubin didn't have a change of clothes or toiletries ready today, she decided to head home after dinner. After she left, I called Luche.
— Hello?
“What are you doing?”
— About to shower. Why?
“I just finished work and called to report.”
Since Yubin might be at my place when I get home from now on, I figured I should report over the phone on my way back.
— Go ahead.
Since it was the first day, there wasn't much progress, so I only reported things that could serve as intel.
The only real piece of information was that Pink wasn't hiding the fact that she was a Superhuman. It wasn't immediately useful, but knowing her style might help Luche give me advice on how to monitor her.
— So, basically, you just worked all day?
“It couldn't be helped. Since I went in as a part-timer, I had to actually work.”
— Fine. You’re going tomorrow too, right?
This afternoon part-time gig was only for Saturdays and Sundays, so I had to go in tomorrow as well to keep an eye on Pink.
“Yes. Please wait a bit until I get used to the atmosphere there.”
— I’m not planning on rushing you right from the start. Work hard, and call me if you find anything else.
“Understood.”
Luche hung up first, and I was finally left with the silence of being alone.
I really wanted to hold Yubin again, but I decided to restrain myself when I had work the next day. Besides, now that I had a job to go to, it was better not to overexert my body.
Just as I was about to get up to wash, my smartphone rang. It was Yubin.
“Hello?”
She had called because she was bored on her way home. And so, the first day of monitoring Pink ended without any major breakthroughs, spent chatting with my girlfriend on the phone.