Chapter 215: What I Want to Do (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 215: What I Want to Do (4)
After Seira finished speaking, a heavy silence descended upon the room.
It was a story told in haste, likely omitting many details, but even so, it was incredibly shocking.
A never showed his problems on the surface, so Red had never imagined he had a past where he lost his parents right before his eyes.
Like Red, the other members of Hunter Killer weren't exactly close to the concept of "parents," but they knew well enough how much of an impact parents had on ordinary people.
"So... Oppa is continuing these invasion activities just to find those pirates and get his revenge?"
"Yes."
"But he doesn't look like..."
He certainly didn't look like someone living solely for revenge. Normally, you’d expect to see some kind of madness or simmering rage in a person driven by such a goal, but he showed none of that.
It wasn't that he seemed to have no thoughts of revenge at all; it was just that he didn't seem like the kind of person who would harbor such a dark purpose.
"A lot of time has passed. For years after it happened, A was obsessed with revenge, consumed by rage."
"Are you saying those feelings faded over time?"
"Exactly. Captain Angelica’s influence was a big part of what kept A’s head on straight back then."
Angelica. It was the name of another Team Leader Red had encountered only once at the beach last summer. She knew nothing about her other than her name.
"I was pretty shocked too. Not as much as A, but my mental state was in bad shape. You probably don't need to know this part, but we were ordered to transfer units back then. Things were so bad, though, that we stayed with our old unit for a while."
And the current 2nd Team Leader, Angelica—who was A’s direct superior at the time—took care of both A and Seira.
"Wait a second. I get how you and Oppa were feeling, and I understand the existence of space pirates. But what exactly is a 'Predator'?"
When Red first heard the name "Predator," the first thing that came to mind was the space monster from the old movies.
Since names can overlap by coincidence, she quickly brushed the movie aside and figured it was just some kind of alien creature. However, listening to Seira’s story about the invasion, she couldn't even begin to guess what kind of creature it actually was.
"They are mindless predatory lifeforms found in space."
"Predatory lifeforms?"
"Yes. They all vary in appearance, characteristics, and nature, but they all share one common trait: they prey on living organisms."
"…Does that mean Earth could be invaded by them one day?"
The universe contained lifeforms beyond imagination. Upon learning of their existence for the first time, Red’s first thought was the threat to Earth.
Perhaps these "Predators" would come to Earth, and if they did, the Superhumans would have to stop them. But even Spacetro, with technology far surpassing Earth's, couldn't defeat the Predators and was driven out into space.
She worried whether they could actually stop them if that moment ever came.
"That won't happen."
"Huh?"
Despite having been invaded by them herself, Seira gave a firm "no" to the question of whether Predators might come to Earth.
"Predators are certainly formidable creatures. Some can travel between stars despite being biological organisms, and countless others are immune to all sorts of firearms."
Seira’s explanation only served to emphasize the danger of the Predators, despite her firm denial.
"They search for life in the universe, but they don't react to regular movements."
"What does that mean?"
"Everything in the universe moves with regularity. Even things that seem irregular have a pattern. And there is only one thing in the universe that creates true irregularity."
"Is it humans?"
"To be precise, sapient life."
It wasn't a long explanation, but Seira’s words allowed Red to understand the nature of the Predators to some extent.
Predators detect irregularity. And the ones who create that irregularity are sapient beings.
In other words, Predators move by tracking the irregularity created by intelligent life.
"No matter how much life moves within a planet, that presence can't be detected from space. There are civilizations that have been destroyed by Predators despite their regular movements, but looking at the universe as a whole, those cases are practically non-existent."
"Then why did it happen to you?"
"It was called a Predator invasion, but in reality, it should be seen as an invasion by space pirates. Those bastards used the Predators to systematically invade our planet."
Humans using mindless creatures that prey on living things. One didn't have to look far to find cases of humans exploiting other lifeforms.
Still, while she found the idea of utilizing such a unique creature as a Predator impressive in a way, she also felt disgusted that humans would go to such lengths just to attack their own kind.
"Is it actually possible to control Predators?"
"It’s not that it never happens. However, I’ve never seen a single instance where a human who tried to use the Predators met a good end."
No human who tried to use the Predators ever met a good end.
For some reason, those words stuck deep in Red’s mind.
"I understand the Predators now. So, what you're saying is that because Oppa has this goal of revenge, there's no chance of him settling down on Earth?"
"Right. It’s true that A’s rage has lessened over time, but his goal has never changed."
These words were more persuasive than anything else Seira had said.
Red didn't like Seira. But it was a fact that she had been by A’s side for a long time, and Red had to admit that Seira likely knew more about him than she did.
"I’ll ask you one more time. What will you do if A leaves Earth with Spacetro?"
Red loved A. A loved Red as well.
She knew it without having to say it, and Red herself knew it better than anyone.
That was why she thought there was a possibility that A might choose to stay on Earth instead of leaving when the day came for Spacetro to depart.
However, A had a goal that existed long before he ever met Red.
After hearing Seira’s story, Red felt that the day would eventually come when A would leave Earth.
If so, would she be able to follow him and leave Earth behind?
It wasn't that she didn't want to be with him.
But she had never once considered leaving Earth. She couldn't possibly give an immediate answer to whether she could venture out into the unknown world of space.
Yet, the reason she hesitated—the reason she felt she might actually go—was none other than A.
"Think about it some more."
Seira had come to confirm Red’s sincerity, but she hadn't expected to get answers to all her questions today.
She understood that Red needed time to process everything she had just learned.
"Wait a minute."
As Seira tried to wrap up after dropping that heavy dilemma, Red caught her.
"Are you just going to say what you want and leave?"
Red had plenty to say to Seira as well. She had only been waiting for Seira to finish because she was the one who had come with something to say. She had no intention of letting the situation end just because Seira was done.
"What are you going to do about Oppa?"
Coming to find her enemy and romantic rival just to say she had no intention of giving up was clearly a calculated move.
Certain that Seira was planning something, Red glared at her with sharp eyes, but Seira merely shrugged as if it were no big deal.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I told you before, I don't know. I said confidently that I have no intention of giving up, but I’ve maintained this current relationship with A for a long time—longer than you can imagine. It’s true that I’m feeling anxious, but it feels strange to suddenly do something to change our relationship..."
She spoke plainly, but her words were steeped in conflict. She seemed to regret staying "just friends" for so long, yet also seemed to despise herself for being complacent in that relationship.
"That’s why I wanted to check your feelings. Maybe then my own thoughts would become a bit more certain."
Red could understand Seira’s dilemma a little.
It was a different kind of worry than her own, but they shared the commonality of being troubled over the person they loved.
Red, worrying about what to do after seeing A’s harem, and Seira, worrying after finding out A had a girlfriend—they were different, yet similar.
"I came here to hear something, but I feel like I’m the only one who did any talking."
"Wait."
When Seira stood up to leave, her business concluded, Red called her back again.
"What? Is there more to talk about?"
"……Stay for a meal."
"What?"
At the sudden mention of food, Seira frowned as if it were the most nonsensical thing she’d ever heard. She hadn't come here to eat, nor did she feel comfortable sharing a meal with Red, given their relationship.
However, from Red’s perspective—having watched Seira stand outside waiting for her work to finish—she felt a bit bad.
Emotionally and practically, they were enemies, but since Seira had come today without any overt hostility, Red didn't want to send her back like this.
"Forget it. Why would you and I eat together—"
Seira started to decline the offer, but her stomach, having waited outside for quite a while, didn't lie.
As if on cue, a loud growl echoed from her stomach.
"……Just eat before you go."
"……."
Unable to refuse Red’s second offer, Seira nodded slowly.
"By the way, what does Oppa like? Whenever I ask, he just says anything is fine."
Red prepared the meal in the kitchen while Seira sat on the living room floor and waited.
Finding the silence more uncomfortable, Red asked one of the things she had been curious about.
"He really does eat anything. The concept of being a picky eater doesn't exist in his head. We actually used to fight a lot about that in the past."
Red had thought A saying "anything is fine" was just a polite gesture, but seeing Seira—who had experienced so many different sides of him—confirm it, Red realized he meant it literally. She let out a hollow laugh.
"When you have to pick something to eat, just choose what you want. It’s faster and less stressful."
"Thanks for the advice."
"……What do you do on dates?"
Seira also had many questions about their private life. When she asked hesitantly, Red recalled their numerous past dates.
"Hmm… It’s normal. We eat, look around at things. We haven't been able to go on a long trip yet, but I think what we do is the same as any other couple."
"That sounds like A."
Seira, who had gone out with A many times, wondered if he was the same with his girlfriend as he was with her. Hearing Red’s words, she felt there wasn't much of a difference.
"Because he’s so ordinary, I didn't have a single clue that he was from Spacetro."
"It’s not really my place to say this to you guys, but you’ve got it rough."
"It is rough. Making five women—and all of them members of the same team—his girlfriends."
"Huh?"
Seeing Red express her frustration over A’s harem, Seira tilted her head in confusion. Hearing her puzzled sound, Red turned her head and their eyes met.
"What’s wrong with five?"
"He has five girlfriends, doesn't he?"
"……What’s the problem with five?"
It hit Red then. What Seira was concerned about wasn't the fact that A had five girlfriends. Her problem was that he had found girlfriends before her, and that they were Earthlings who were currently enemies.
To Seira, the fact that A had five girlfriends didn't matter at all. Looking at Seira, who genuinely wondered what the issue was with the number five, Red thought, 'Ah, she’s an alien just like him,' and was reminded once again that extraterrestrial culture was very different from Earth's.