Chapter 91: Just Like Everyone Else (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 91: Just Like Everyone Else (2)
Time does not wait, no matter how anxious one feels. The heart grows impatient and thoughts multiply, but a cluttered mind does not complicate the simple flow of time. Time merely passes as it is, and there are moments when one feels resentful of its refusal to wait for an answer to life’s dilemmas.
Such was Green’s situation. Even though it was just a matter of reaching out and meeting him, seeing A required a great deal of resolve, and reaching that resolve required agonizing deliberation.
It hadn't always been this way. From their first meeting to the moments she got to know him better, and even when he helped her, Green had simply enjoyed being with A. It was fun. But as time passed, a seed of anxiety that she could tell no one was beginning to sprout within her.
"……Sigh."
Arriving first in the meeting room on Monday morning, Green did nothing but stare at her smartphone screen—the same screen she had spent all weekend just looking at. She didn't know exactly what A did for a living, but she knew he was an office worker who spent busy days regardless of whether it was a weekday or the weekend.
Their occasional lunch meetings had eventually become a recurring habit, leading to regular encounters. Ironically, the source of Green’s current distress was these very meetings.
She was happy to keep seeing him; there wasn't a single reason for her to dislike it. However, she began to wonder if it was right for her—someone who was only ever on the receiving end of his help—to harbor such wavering feelings while continuing to meet him. And the reality that she was a Superhuman only served to magnify that worry.
"You're here early."
Red, the next to arrive, greeted Green, who was already seated. Green gave a brief "Yeah" in response. As Red pulled out a chair and sat down, her expression looked bright—even more cheerful than usual.
"Did something happen?"
"Huh? Why?"
Not realizing her expression was so easy to read, Red looked at Green with wide eyes, wondering if something serious had occurred.
"No, just... you look like you're in a good mood."
"Ah."
Red knew she was in a good mood, but only then did she realize her face was bright enough for others to notice.
"I went on a date with him after the duel last week."
"Did you go somewhere fun?"
"Nowhere special. We just watched a movie and went shopping."
Recently, the number of dates Red had with A had decreased significantly. Though she hadn't expressed it to him, she had felt a secret sense of disappointment. He had been working frantically lately due to an increase in freelance projects, and she couldn't complain about him being busy after a period of relative leisure. She knew that being busy now meant he would have more freedom when they eventually spent time together.
However, understanding the situation and knowing what the future held didn't stop other emotions from surfacing. For Red, who had been counting down the days until their next date, the time they spent together after work on the day of the duel was incredibly precious.
Even the day after the date, A was so buried in work that they had almost no time to relax together, but Red had enjoyed the date so much that her good mood lasted throughout the entire weekend. And today, Monday, her happiness was doubled at the thought of sharing the news with the members.
"Good morning."
Pink and Blue walked in together, offering greetings.
"Hey. Did you two come in together?"
"No, we ran into each other downstairs."
As they exchanged small talk and the conversation began to bloom, Yellow arrived, completing the group. The meeting commenced.
During the meeting, everyone set aside their romantic thoughts and approached their work with professional gravity. But the moment it ended, they all let their guards down and began talking about what they had done with their boyfriends over the weekend.
"We played games together all day Friday."
"We had some pretty intense fun over drinks after my part-time job."
"He came to my place after work and we had dinner together..."
Starting with Red’s date, stories from each member poured out. Yellow’s complexion seemed better despite saying they only played games; Pink was dropping hints about what happened after the drinks; and Blue trailed off shyly at the end of her sentences.
To Green, whose worries were spiraling, it felt as if everyone else had spent a special few days. While they spoke freely about what they did, they were tight-lipped about their boyfriends' personal details—likely a habit from their long years in Hunter Killer, where leaking personal information was strictly avoided.
However, even with limited information, Green could deduce a few things about their boyfriends. It wasn't anything groundbreaking: they were ordinary office workers or freelancers, and they were people without prejudices against Superhumans.
Green noted that Red didn't mention the topic of Superhumans when talking about her boyfriend, suggesting they hadn't discussed it yet.
"Red, are you going to tell your boyfriend that you're a Superhuman?"
This was the issue currently weighing most heavily on Green. Of course, A already knew she was a Superhuman and held no prejudice. But that was when they were just acquaintances; it would be a different story if they became a couple. Green wasn't yet thinking as far as becoming lovers, but she was leaving the possibility open, so she asked Red—who hadn't yet revealed her identity to her boyfriend—point-blank.
Red was momentarily speechless. It was a dilemma she had to face eventually, but because she wasn't yet mentally prepared, she hadn't brought it up to A. She knew it would only get harder as time passed, but knowing that didn't make the act of telling him any easier.
"I think I'll tell him eventually. But I can't do it yet."
"What if... just what if you tell him, and he hates that you're a Superhuman? What will you do then?"
Red stared at Green for a moment without answering. The other members also looked at Green, who was asking such pointed questions, but Green met Red’s gaze with unwavering eyes.
Red took a moment to imagine it.
If he hates me because he finds out I'm a Superhuman...
Just the thought of it made a corner of her chest ache, and she couldn't lift her head. If that gentle gaze, those playful but considerate actions, and that kind voice suddenly turned into their polar opposites...
"……."
Red let out a hollow laugh.
"Wouldn't it be sad?"
Her answer was a question. But it wasn't a question directed at Green. It was a question she threw at herself, unable to truly fathom the depth of the emotion she would feel if that moment ever came.
Hearing the low, heavy tone in Red’s voice, Green realized she had been too persistent and quickly apologized.
"I'm sorry. I pushed too hard, didn't I?"
"No. It's okay."
Though Green’s question had left her with much to think about, Red wasn't hurt or angry. As Green said, the time to reveal the truth would come eventually. It wasn't something she could avoid just by trying to hide it.
Furthermore, as the first person to be informed of Green’s situation, Red knew that Green was currently agonizing over the person who had helped her. She couldn't say she knew everything, but as someone who had joined Hunter Killer around the same time and faced her most often in meetings, she felt she understood at least a little.
"You're anxious, aren't you?"
"Yeah."
"Then wouldn't it be better to just meet him?"
"I feel a bit awkward being the one to contact him first..."
Given the circumstances Green had been in, the members couldn't give advice lightly. If it were a simple story of a man and a woman meeting, they would have added plenty of commentary, but the relationship between Green and that man was set against the backdrop of Green’s turbulent family environment.
That painful environment would gradually fade and cease to be a problem, but that was a matter of time. And there was no guarantee that the man would still be by Green’s side when that much time had passed.
"Doesn't he text you first?"
When Pink asked out of frustration while listening from behind, Green nodded.
"Is it possible he actually has a girlfriend or something?"
"That... I don't know."
Pink also felt grateful to the man who had helped Green. However, having experienced as much of the world's variety as anyone else, Pink harbored a suspicion that he might just be a smooth talker trying to get with Green.
The fact that there had been no contact after Green’s situation had stabilized and she had even returned from a vacation—something she had never taken before—began to fuel Pink’s suspicions.
"It's strange that there's been no contact since you got back from the trip."
"I think it's probably because he's busy. Even before, we only met briefly during his lunch breaks while he was working."
Once again, Green felt a pang of guilt at the thought that she had been stealing his precious lunch hours.
"I don't think that's it. You two met by chance when you were total strangers; it would be even weirder if he met you every time despite having a girlfriend."
Red didn't want to think of the worst-case scenario, so she countered Pink’s point as logically as possible. Pink didn't want to believe her own theory either. But whether they were moving forward or backward, someone had to speak up to create a choice.
"Is there nothing you want to do together? You could use that as an excuse to meet."
Blue, remembering how she had called A when she needed to look at furniture before moving, offered her advice. At the time, she truly needed help and he was the only one she could ask, but looking back, it was true that she had called him because she wanted to do something with him. And the effect had been significant.
"Something I want to do..."
Green thought of A.
Unable to control her growing feelings for him, Green had found herself consuming media related to romance.
'The person who comes to mind first when you want to do something.'
That was the first phrase Green had encountered. And just as the words said, whenever Green saw something interesting on TV, A was the first person she thought of. But when she tried to think of what exactly she wanted to do with him, nothing specific came to mind.
"Ah."
Suddenly, a story she had seen before flashed through her mind.
She had been envious of the members spending special time with their boyfriends, and she wished she could have such special moments with A. But she believed that "specialness" required a catalyst, and she felt she had nothing that could serve as one.
However, as she talked with the members, asked questions, listened, and thought, something occurred to her. Green took a deep breath and exhaled.
"I'm sorry. Can I head out first?"
Green’s time was limited. The only time she could meet him was during his lunch hour, which was only about an hour long. Sensing intuitively that Green had thought of something that gave her courage, the members encouraged her to hurry. Green immediately left the headquarters and headed toward her home.
More accurately, she headed toward the park in front of her house. She pulled her smartphone from her pocket, took another breath to steady herself, and sent him a text.
[Are you at the office?]
There was no reply for a short while after the message was sent. She knew A wouldn't be able to reply immediately since he would be working, but her heart was uneasy.
What if it's over?
It was a thought she couldn't entirely rule out. She didn't know with what heart A had helped and looked after her until now, but there was a limit to showing kindness without expecting anything in return. And if A’s heart had completely turned away from her...
Green shook her head.
As she walked toward the park, clutching her phone with bated breath, she felt a vibration in her hand. She checked the screen immediately.
[Yes. Is your meeting over?]
A proper reply had arrived from A. The anxious expression Green had been wearing vanished instantly, replaced by a bright smile as she typed back.
[It just finished.]
She was about to follow up by asking if they could meet during lunch, but her hand hesitated the moment she started typing.
Just because he replied didn't mean his heart hadn't changed.
I hope I'm not being a nuisance. What if he doesn't want to see me?
Just once. Driven by the desire for a slightly special experience, she had rushed out of the headquarters and sent a text, but now that it was time to ask to meet, her head cooled rapidly and the hand poised to press the keys froze like stone.
Maybe it's better to just exchange greetings like this?
If it were true that A no longer wanted to see her, it might be better to maintain this awkward distance without ever confirming that fact.
Thinking that, Green gave up on sending the message.
[Can I see you for a bit at lunch?]
Just before she could turn off the screen, a text arrived from A. The hollow look in Green’s eyes, which had been cast toward the ground, regained its spark. She replied instantly.
[Yes. I can see you.]
[Then I'll head to the park at lunchtime.]
Even though it wasn't Green who had initiated the meeting, her small desire for something special was leading to another encounter with A. Green resolved to find just a little more courage.
Soon, after getting off at the station, Green headed toward a nearby convenience store, unable to contain her excitement.