Chapter 5: Convenience Store Red (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 5: Convenience Store Red (4)
Red didn’t contact me constantly. Usually, a single text would arrive around evening, and I would reply to it.
There wasn't much other contact to speak of, and since I was already prepared for a long-term engagement, waiting a bit longer wasn't an issue. I decided to take my time monitoring Red while we exchanged messages.
The day of the duel finally dawned. Today’s battlefield: Namsan Park.
“Luche-nim.”
The back of the van was packed with guys wearing identical black suits and black helmets. Even if I recognized a voice, it was impossible to tell who was who.
“Yeah?”
Luche, sitting in the passenger seat, turned her head, but she couldn't figure out which of the guys in the back had spoken.
“Who called me?”
“Never mind that. Can’t we use just one more car? Seriously, this is way too cramped.”
Luche frowned as the hellish stench of sweat wafted forward from the back seat.
“It can’t be helped. Our performance stats are at the bottom of the rankings.”
Luche also desperately wanted another car so we could move more comfortably. However, our team wasn't the only one using vehicles from the Seoul Branch, and there weren't enough cars for every team to have their own, so we had to rotate days.
“We have a new weapon today, so let’s all do our best.”
While she was trying to boost morale up front, those of us in the very back, out of Luche’s line of sight, were whispering among ourselves.
“Luche-nim seems really down today, doesn't she?”
“Don’t mess with her today. I heard she got chewed out by the Branch Manager before we deployed.”
“He rarely calls for her... I wonder what happened.”
Luche was our direct superior, and there were several other executives above her in the Seoul Branch. It was quite surprising that the Branch Manager, who usually didn't say harsh words to subordinates, had given Luche a piece of his mind.
Since she’d been scolded by someone who usually didn't nag, it was understandable that the atmosphere was heavy.
Though we were conversing like people familiar with one another, the corporate culture of Spacetro’s Seoul Branch wasn't exactly what you'd call "good."
We were only familiar with each other because we’d seen each other for a long time. Basically, work was led by the executives, and subordinates like me only showed up when called, so there wasn't much reason to cross paths otherwise.
“How’s the surveillance on Red going?”
Surprisingly, one of the guys struck up a conversation. Since he was wearing a helmet, I couldn't tell who he was, but he clearly knew I was the one monitoring Red.
“It’s a bust. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve been grilled by Luche-nim for having nothing to report.”
It wasn't that there were no results. To be precise, there were no "official" results, but there had been a change. A change in the relationship between Red and me. We had shifted from being total enemies keeping our distance to a relationship where we were gradually getting closer—though only Red was unaware that I was an enemy.
I was biding my time, waiting for this change in relationship to yield a result so I could drop one massive, heavy report.
“You guys back there! You were talking about me just now, weren't you?!”
I thought we were speaking softly, but she must have sharp ears because Luche’s loud voice rang out from the front.
“Yes, we were.”
“What?!”
Since I was hidden by the crowd anyway, I just threw out whatever came to mind.
“A. Let’s talk once we get out.”
How did she know it was me?
Exchanging meaningless banter, we parked the car at the Namsan parking lot. A swarm of strange men in black poured out of the van, which didn't even feel spacious anymore.
“It’s hot!”
Even though it was a weekday morning, Namsan was crowded. As usual, the people there just whispered among themselves as they watched us.
When a child walking at a distance holding their mother's hand waved at us, one of the guys waved back, accepting the greeting.
“Luche-nim, is it far from here?”
“No. It’s that open lot back there.”
There was a wide open space right next to the parking lot, and we moved there one by one.
“Don’t go into the restricted areas! We’ll have to pay a fine.”
Luche, who was sensitive about fines, shouted at the guys standing in front of a flower bed where entry was prohibited. The guys, who had been admiring the flowers for a moment, immediately rejoined the line.
If she’s so scared of fines, why does she pack the car past its capacity?
“I said it’s hot!”
The black suits and helmets we wore had no special functions other than protection. They looked like thin material, but they were incredibly tough—hardly anything could leave a scratch on them. The problem was that they had no other features. When we weren't fighting, they were just black suits.
The helmets didn't even have separate ventilation holes. You could basically think of them as motorcycle helmets.
Kindergarteners on a field trip were watching us, and a few of our guys were putting on a show to make them laugh. Honestly, switching careers to a circus troupe might not be a bad idea.
Perhaps because we were in the middle of Seoul, there were actually reporters with cameras. There were only two of them, but the fact that I felt glad to see them after so long made me realize I definitely have some issues.
“Luche-nim, put on your cloak. It’s not good for the kids to see.”
Luche was wearing a full-body tights suit that exposed her chest and abdomen. Since her outfit was much higher quality than ours, she didn't seem to feel the heat.
Because there were kindergarteners around, she was told to cover up her suggestive attire. She glanced around self-consciously and wrapped herself in the cloak she had been carrying.
“She could just not wear it in the first place.”
“What am I supposed to do when the design came out like this?!”
I muttered to myself about how she was bringing trouble on herself by wearing that, but Luche, who had somehow heard me from a distance, shouted at me.
“That’s right! A, you said you were badmouthing me, didn't you?!”
Remembering that I’d admitted to badmouthing her in the car, a huffing Luche marched toward me. Knowing all too well that a hit from her hurts, I started running through the park to escape.
“Get back here!”
The sight of Luche chasing me was funnier than I expected. Because she was trying to be mindful of the children, she had wrapped the cloak tightly around herself, making her look like a waddling penguin as she ran.
“Be careful. If you run around like that, you’ll trip and—whoops.”
Just as I was about to warn her that she might fall, Luche stepped on the hem of her cloak and went face-first into the ground.
Thud! At the sound of her falling, everyone who had been distracted turned their gaze toward her.
“Ugh, uuuugh...”
Luche crying was a frequent occurrence, and while we were used to it, it was still essentially an emergency for us. Once she started, she didn't stop easily, so it took a considerable amount of time to comfort her. To make matters worse, we were about to start a duel.
“Luche-nim! It’s this guy’s fault, right?!”
Two guys who noticed first approached me, grabbed my arms, and dragged me in front of Luche. Realizing the situation, I didn't resist and let myself be dragged along.
“Ah! It’s all A’s fault. Why did you have to badmouth Luche-nim?!”
“That’s right! A is bad!”
“A is a bad bastard! A total jerk!”
“Hey! You guys are just insulting me now, aren't you?!”
Watching us bicker, Luche swallowed back the tears that were about to fall, stood up, and dusted off her cloak.
“I’m sorry, Luche-nim! I won’t talk behind your back again!”
I’ll probably do it plenty in the future, but I’m not stupid enough to say "I'm going to keep doing it" right to her face.
Fortunately, Luche didn't cry, and just as the situation was settled, Team Hunter Killer arrived.
All five of them arrived on motorcycles. Already wearing the suits corresponding to their codenames, they approached us.
“You’re on time again today.”
“Hmph! Punctuality is the foundation of any organization.”
Luche tried to puff out her chest proudly, but remembering she was wrapped in her cloak, she unfurled it.
“The adults have to work now, so you kids shouldn't come any closer.”
Pink and Green from Team Hunter Killer made sure the gathered children stayed back, and we also moved the kids—who were excitedly watching the spectacle—to safety so they wouldn't get hurt.
“You guys claim to be here to invade, so why do you care so much about laws and safety? Do you even have any intention of invading?”
Red’s familiar voice echoed from behind her suit.
“We do not harm the elderly or children! We only compete within the opponent's rules to make them taste absolute defeat. That is the policy of Spacetro!”
From an Earthling's perspective, we were invaders and villains, so hearing such words must be ridiculous. But from Spacetro’s perspective, we weren't evil, and we had no intention of becoming evil. The reason we plundered was simply our way of life; in a universe governed by the law of the jungle, it was only natural for the strong to survive.
The representative of Spacetro—the one who was our Sovereign back when we lived on our homeworld—had always pushed this policy. And indeed, when we achieved total victory within the rules set by the opponent, we often saw them lose their will to fight.
Normally, the invasion should have ended long ago and we should have moved on, but Earth... this planet was taking an unusually long time.
“I hope you can keep those rules until the very end.”
The five members of Hunter Killer drew their respective weapons, and we drew ours as well.
Luche, who had boasted about having a new weapon today, pulled out a long staff instead of the large scythe she usually used.
“Here I come!”
With Red’s shout, Team Hunter Killer charged toward us, and we rushed at them with a roar.
It felt surreal that I was facing Red, whom I had been texting until yesterday and would be texting again today and tomorrow.
But an enemy is an enemy. The reason I was in contact with Red was to gather information through her. There was no need to get hung up on the fact that we’d grown a bit closer; I simply attacked her with everything I had, just like always.
And then, I was sent flying a dozen meters by a single kick from Red and slammed into the ground.
Luche attacked Red with her long staff. Red blocked it with her sword, but the moment they collided, a secondary shockwave erupted, pushing Red back.
“How do you like that? This is the power of the new weapon given to us, even though our support funds are practically non-existent!”
Luche spoke with such pride, but why did those words sound so sad to me?
“Bringing a strange weapon like that! Blue!”
Blue, who had been attacking the grunts with her gun from the rear, aimed her barrel at Luche and immediately pulled the trigger.
A beam of light streaked toward Luche, but she swung her staff hard, and the resulting shockwave deflected the beam's trajectory, sending it into the sky.
“Team Hunter Killer! Today is the day we finish you off!”
We lost.
No need to say it twice; it was a perfect defeat, just like always.
Luche had been swinging her staff with great momentum, but once the rest of us were wiped out, she had to take all of Team Hunter Killer’s attacks alone. In the end, unable to withstand the pressure, Luche’s new weapon shattered.
“Ugh, hic! Waaaaah!”
She was already in a bad mood, and now the new weapon that was supposed to help her was trashed. The result was the same as usual. Luche sat in the passenger seat crying her eyes out, while those of us in the back remained silent, as was our custom.
Still, seeing Luche fight so hard, I had managed to get back up and charge again, only to get clocked in the jaw by Red and knocked out once more. Thanks to the suit’s incredible defense, I didn't die, but my face felt stinging and numb.
“Is... is everyone, hic, okay?”
“Yes.”
Luche, still crying, glanced back to check on our safety. There were injuries, but no matter how much they hurt, it couldn't be as painful as Luche’s heart right now, so everyone kept their mouths shut.
After arriving at headquarters, I washed my sweat-soaked body and headed straight home.
On my way back, I decided to stop by the mart to pick up some groceries. While I was heading there...
“Oppa?”
“Oh, hey.”
I ran into Red, who had delivered a kick to my gut and a punch to my face barely an hour ago.
“What a coincidence, running into you on the street like this.”
“I just finished work and thought I’d buy a few things.”
Neither Red nor I could text as usual because of the duel, so we had both engaged in the fight without any prior contact. There was no need to leave a message like "I'll be busy with work today, so it might be hard to talk," and it would have been weird to do so anyway.
In the first place, I never initiated contact, so saying something like that would have been laughable.
“Aren't you going to the convenience store today?”
“Why would I go if you’re not there?”
There was no reason to go to the convenience store if Red wasn't there. Because of the surveillance mission, I had to go back and forth buying lunchboxes on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays whether I liked it or not, so I had no desire to do that on weekdays too.
Red looked at me after I spoke the plain truth, then averted her eyes. I wondered if I’d said something strange and replayed my words in my head, but I didn't feel anything was particularly off.
“...If you have time, do you want to grab dinner?”
We’d lost the duel anyway, and even if it was a coincidence, since I’d run into Red, wouldn't seeing her one more time and looking for anything I could find out count as some kind of result for this losing day?
“Yes. I’d love to.”
Since I never contacted her first and had certainly never asked her to eat, it was natural for Red to be a bit surprised. Her flustered expression quickly brightened, and she answered with a smile. Was she really hungry? Fortunately, I was familiar with this area since I came here to eat often.
“My treat. Let’s go.”
I took Red to a plain Korean restaurant. With our respective meals ordered, we sat facing each other. Since the cheek I’d been hit on earlier was throbbing, I was gently rubbing it when I noticed Red staring at me.
“Are you hurt?”
It felt a bit strange to receive sincere concern about an injury from the very person who caused the pain.
“Yeah. I bumped into something while I was spacing out.”
“How do you even bump into something there?”
Since a cheek isn't exactly a place you'd normally hit while spacing out, Red chuckled at my excuse and rummaged through the bag she was holding.
What Red pulled out of her bag was an ice pack.
“You carry things like that around?”
“It’s a disposable one. I brought it to use but didn't end up needing it. Hold it against the sore spot.”
I’m probably the only guy in the world who gets sincere concern and an ice pack from the person who beat him up.
“? Yubin-ah. Next to your eye.”
“Huh?”
There was a small cut next to her eye. At my words, Red pulled a hand mirror from her bag to check.
“Oh? When did I get hurt?”
“Hold on.”
The food hadn't come out yet, so I stood up and approached the owner at the counter.
“Excuse me. Do you have any ointment?”
“Yes. Just a moment.”
I received some wound ointment from the owner and returned to the table to give it to Red.
“Put this on the cut. And this.”
What I pulled out of my pocket and set down was an unopened flesh-colored bandage.
“You carry things like this around?”
“I’m clumsy, so I get hurt a lot.”
I couldn't exactly say, "I usually get hurt because of you guys," so I just brushed it off as being clumsy.
Red let out a little laugh as she applied the ointment and took the bandage. She kept giggling until she finished putting it on.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. It’s just, I feel like I can see why you’d say you’re clumsy and get hurt a lot.”
“Huh? Is that how I’m perceived?”
I didn't remember doing anything in particular, but it seemed that perception had taken root in Red’s mind without me knowing.
“Well, Oppa, whenever you come to the convenience store, you’re always fumbling and hesitating when you pick things out.”
That was just to buy time to monitor you inside the store... Apparently, those actions made me look like a clumsy person to Red.
“I don't think I’m a clumsy person, though.”
“Sure, sure. Let’s say you’re not.”
I felt like I was being teased, but it didn't feel bad, so I didn't argue.
The food arrived soon after, and in a slightly brighter atmosphere, Red and I continued our conversation as we shared dinner.