The Warmth of a Person
Breaking news, the latest new program and hero training program is……
-A-class hero and the white fox hero known as Baekyeou appeared to give advice to junior heroes and showcased various abilities. Let's look at each of those scenes one by one.
In the morning, I turned on the TV and slowly flipped through the channels when I came across a familiar face on the news channel and decided to watch for a moment.
She always told me to take it easy with work, but it was still quite difficult to change quickly.
“Just hope the new heroes grow up well. The more good heroes there are, the safer the citizens will be.”
“Haha, what a nice thing to say. Baekyeou-nim has been appearing in various media outlets and visiting events for the past two years while continuing to actively engage in hero activities. Isn't this lifestyle tough?”
“It's a job I chose, and if I have the ability, I have to use it.”
“Oh my… What a nice thing to say!”
“……Just barely holding on.”
It felt like I had attached a very thick iron plate to my face.
Since I knew Baek Eun-hwa's daily routine and schedule well, I thought that even more, and naturally let out a sigh at such an interview.
Just thinking about the last counseling session…
“Sigh.”
To solve Baek Eun-hwa's condition, I would have to work even harder.
Since I was the one providing that help, I just thought I'd help her even harder from now on.
In the cases of Batori and Saran, it was already going smoothly and I felt it clearly, and excluding them… only Baek Eun-hwa remained.
Recently, the weight of my concerns had increased, focusing mainly on Baek Eun-hwa.
“Hmm…. Until next week.”
I wondered how Baek Eun-hwa was doing.
In a situation where worry came first, I slowly prepared the regular schedule for next week.
*
Usually, I would create a quiet and atmospheric situation to talk.
After all, my role was to listen to sincere stories and reveal inner thoughts comfortably, and through that, provide advice and solutions.
It was inevitable that I did that often.
With Batori, with Saran, and with Baek Eun-hwa as well.
In most situations, instead of creating a noisy feeling, I would create a quiet situation and talk, or use hypnosis… but that was just how it was.
Recently, for Baek Eun-hwa, that preparation after had become slightly different.
“You worked hard this week too, Eunhwa-yang.”
“…It's not like I'm a child, do I have to do this much….”
“Fufu, it might not seem like much now, but it will definitely help Eunhwa-yang, right? And Eunhwa-yang doesn't really hate it, does she? Just lying comfortably like this and listening to me talk.”
“…….”
On the sofa, instead of something else, Baek Eun-hwa was lying down using my thigh as a pillow.
And I was supporting her white fox ears with my thigh.
The reason I did this was not anything else… if I created an atmosphere like this, in this way, it seemed like it would help her mental state even a little.
“You worked hard this week too, helping and supporting so many people. Really amazing.”
“…Just ordinary.”
“Being able to do something ordinary, and using it only for such good things is amazing.”
“…….”
The warmth of a person was something that had a much greater impact than one might think.
Just thinking about it, a baby crying loudly suddenly calms down when put in the mother's arms and patted on the back.
Someone who is mentally struggling and throwing a tantrum, just by being gently hugged, would sob and complain.
A young man crying alone on the subway, somehow comforted by an old man, feeling a bit lighter.
There were quite a few of them, and it was a common occurrence from the past.
A body temperature just a little over 36 degrees was a temperature that was both the most familiar and the least familiar, and thus had an even stronger impact.
“I think the various things Eunhwa-yang does while being a hero are wonderful.”
“…….”
“If I had combat-type abilities like Eunhwa-yang, I would have just lived by protecting my own body. Eunhwa-yang instead uses those abilities to save people and help them. Isn't that wonderful?”
“It's something I can do.”
“Just because I can do it doesn't mean I have to do it.”
“…I think I can.”
“Hmm…. Is that so?”
…Was it because of my mother's gaslighting?
Ever since, Baek Eun-hwa had always talked about things like this, that it's only natural to do now, that it's something to be done, that it's something that must be done.
If you have abilities, you must use them to do something.
You must never refuse requests from people.
Because Baek Eun-hwa thought that way, she kept doing worrying actions, and probably would continue to do so in the future.
I continued to adjust her schedule.
I couldn't change it as much as when I borrowed the first week, and since there were already many contracts in progress, it was even more impossible.
So, at least gradually, one by one, to allow her to improve.
Not to prepare an excessive schedule.
Helping her is my job.
“You worked hard this week too.”
“…Ugh.”
“Other people don't even try to know how Eunhwa-yang is doing or how hard she's struggling. They don't know, but I will always comfort and support you like this.”
“……Is that so.”
“Yes, after all, I'm Eunhwa-yang's manager, right?”
I gently stroked the white fox's hair lying on my thigh.
“You worked hard.”
“…….”
“If Eunhwa-yang feels heavy and difficult, I will help you like this. I can't fully understand Eunhwa-yang's heaviness, but just stroking her head and lending my thigh is really not a big deal, right?”
At least, it probably didn't have a bad effect.
After all, humans are social animals, and as long as there's something to lean on or a small thing to support oneself, one can live.
Of course, if that breaks, it would be a bit dangerous.
But since I believe Baek Eun-hwa can improve.
“In front of me, you can be at ease, sigh as much as you want, and say whatever you want.”
“…Really?”
“Yes, I've always said it until now? Just use me as an emotional trash can, like that. There's no problem at all.”
“……Isn't that strange talk. You're not a trash can at all.”
“Fufuh.”
Looking at the continuing reactions, at least it felt like this way wasn't entirely wrong.
At least… she wouldn't break down in an instant.
Even if Baek Eun-hwa had endured with a strong body so far, the human mind is more fragile than thought, so it could really break in an instant.
If I was positive towards her, making her heart comfortable.
And slowly allowing her actions to change.
I believed she would definitely improve.
Although she had quite a complicated past, I believed she would improve, and I wanted that to be the case.
The fox who was expected to have had a difficult childhood.
Even though she was much taller than me at 149.9 cm, she grew up to be a really well-behaved, pretty, and cool fox, right?
So, I wanted her to grow up as an even better person, not only kind to others but also kind to herself.
Like a flower that blooms late, a flower that blooms after many twists and turns.
Just like her name, a white, sparkling flower.
“Eunhwa-yang, Eunhwa-yang, how have you been this week?”
“…Just like usual.”
“You overworked again, huh?”
“…….”
“This week, only 4 advertising shoots, and then 5 programs or interviews…. Ah, and in between activities, attending the association, and after attending, doing annoying things too?”
“…I didn't say everything, did I?”
“I'm an association staff member, so gathering information about it is simple.”
“…That's mean.”
“Fufu.”
Of course.
After all, after the carrot, there had to be a bit of whipping.
Correcting Baek Eun-hwa's behavior and thoughts was my job, and if I didn't do that and just stroked her head, it wouldn't change the fact that she would overwork.
“But I can't cancel the already contracted things….”
“That's right?”
“…Then why are you scolding me all the time?”
“Hmm…. If I keep scolding, when the next contract comes, won't the probability of refusal increase?”
After all, after telling her many stories to make her heart comfortable, I had to scold her like this.
It couldn't be changed 180 degrees with just one hypnosis.
Just looking at the baby goblin resting at home or the lazy snake now, I could tell, and with so many materials in my head, this process was necessary.
“Eunhwa-yang's difficulty is ultimately something she brought upon herself, but the situation where the workload doesn't decrease.”
“…I know.”
“Fufu, I'm glad you at least know.”
Especially in the case of Baek Eun-hwa, since I was helping with a tendency to use hypnosis less.
Even if it felt a bit slow.
I was feeling that she was changing little by little.
Right now, she was saying that she brought her own problems upon herself.
In the past, when she was drinking alone, complaining that she was a person, a fox, and lamenting, she never acknowledged that she had created her current situation at all.
Just looking at her acknowledging that part now…
“Hah.”
“…You, you're smiling strangely again.”
“Haha, is that so?”
“Yes.”
A smile came out.
Even if it wasn't to the point of solving, at least it felt like I was having an impact on her.
And now, it seemed like I had found the best way to help Baek Eun-hwa.
It took a lot of time in many ways, but I was really happy to be able to think of ways to help the heroes under my charge one by one.