The Prince Who Rides a Tico
There were girls who'd been together with him since childhood. As if God had decreed they'd be lifelong friends, they stayed in the same class from kindergarten all the way through high school graduation—twelve years straight.
Having spent more than half their lives together, the girls had grown into proper adults, each going their separate ways. The one passionate about studies headed to university. The one who loved drawing started sketching on the streets. The fashion enthusiast landed an internship at a clothing company. And the girl interested in volunteering graduated from a two-year nursing school to become the nurse she'd always dreamed of being.
"Eek! It's been forever!"
"We've talked every day!"
"So what? It's not the same as seeing each other face-to-face!"
"Waaah~ I missed you all so much~"
Now full-fledged adults, the girls threw themselves into hugs, making a huge fuss over how long it had been. They'd checked in daily by phone, but this was their first in-person meetup in nearly two months.
The four women settled into a restaurant for a meal, then chattered away like they were kids again.
"Hey, what happened with you and Mark? Hasn't he proposed yet?"
"Well... sigh..."
At Yua's question, Becca let out a heavy sigh. Her darkening expression soured the mood for her three friends too. Soon, the other two turned on Yua.
"Why'd you bring up something like that?!"
"You're as clueless as ever!"
"Hey, how was I supposed to know?!"
"Mark, well... sigh..."
Just then, the downcast Becca slowly raised a finger. On her left ring finger gleamed a simple silver band.
Her face lighting up as if the gloom had never been, Becca grinned wide. "We're~ get~ ting~ mar~ ried~"
"What?! For real?!"
"Oh my god! Oh my god! When? When did you decide?!"
"See? I told you they had good vibes! I'm not clueless!"
The three friends celebrated Becca's news like it was their own. Questions flew—when was the wedding, where's the honeymoon, have you booked the venue?—and their girls' talk stretched a full hour on the topic before they moved to a nearby bar.
This round's subject: each other's boyfriends. And eventually, it was Sujung's turn to speak.
"Sujung, you seeing anyone these days?"
"Oh, well..."
Becca was getting married soon, and Yua and Audrey had boyfriends. Sujung was the only single one there. So Audrey asked carefully, catching the flicker in Sujung's eyes.
"Huh? What's that? My intuition's spot on, huh? You are seeing someone!"
"N-no! I'm swamped at the hospital—where would I find time for a boyfriend?!"
"So you do have someone you're interested in~?"
"..."
The image of a masked man flashed in her mind, leaving Sujung silent. And silence was as good as yes.
"Eek! Our eternal singleton's finally dating?!"
"Kyarruk! Kyarruk! Whee, this is exciting!"
"What's he like? Job? Rich? Hot?"
"One at a time! One at a time!"
Their faces crowding in felt overwhelming today. "Me first! What does he do?"
"Uh..."
Sujung pondered Steel Armor's occupation. S-rank villain? Tell them that straight, and they'd smack her upside the head and tell her to snap out of it. So what could pass for a job?
'I've only got 50 grand on me right now. I'll pay this and settle the remaining 200 grand later when the drug money rolls in.'
Selling drugs?
"Uh... CEO...? Probably?"
"Eek! A CEO?! He's loaded then! No more money worries for our Sujung!"
"Next me! Tall? And hot?"
Sujung pictured Steel Armor. Height? Towering. A solid 190cm! Why wasn't a guy that tall playing pro basketball instead of villain work? Face? Never seen it... but his voice was nice, so probably fine.
"Super tall. Like 190cm? Face... I haven't seen it, but it's fine."
"Yiil~ Bae Sujung! Bae Sujung! Bae Sujung! Next question. When'd you two first meet?"
"First meeting?"
Sujung recalled her first encounter with Steel Armor.
"It was... at the hospital."
"Eek! Hospital! Patient-nurse love story?! So romantic~"
"Hey, could've been a doctor!"
"Shh, quiet! Let Sujung talk! So? What happened next?"
Becca looked dying of curiosity, so Sujung continued.
"He burst through the ER doors. I thought the door was gonna shatter—I was terrified."
"What? Kicking down the door? That's violent!"
"Right? Total asshole. Hands weren't enough, so he goes for the feet?"
"He was carrying a gunshot victim. Critical—if no surgery right then, he could've died."
"Eek! So he couldn't just walk past an injured guy?"
"Right?"
"Whoa... so cool..."
"..."
Sujung was dumbfounded. They'd just called him violent seconds ago, and now they flipped.
Anyway, she pressed on. "Oh yeah, he even covered the patient's surgery and hospital bills. Then vanished."
"For real? Real rich guy? Surgery bills are insane!"
"Yeah. What was it... 250 grand?"
"Eeeeek?! 250 grand?!"
The friends freaked at the number. In Korean won, over 270 million—a fortune. Only someone seriously wealthy could front that.
"Whoa, Sujung. We're soul sisters. Together forever, right?"
"Yeah, buzz off."
As Yua clung arm-in-arm disgustingly, Sujung shoved her face away with her palm.
"Dates? Been on dates?"
"Not yet..."
"What? Hey! Why no dates? If he won't ask, you ask first! Bold girls snag the hotties! Don't you know?"
"B-busy! You know how packed the hospital is?"
"You bitch! Excuses are a sin!"
"Waaah!"
Sujung made a tearful face as her cheek got pinched.
'Steel Armor... come to think, I don't even know his name.'
Sujung mulled over Steel Armor. Villain or not, he didn't seem like the monster from online rumors. Saved lives, paid bills, rescued kidnapped kids...
'Yeah. Half those internet rumors are fake news anyway, right?'
Ignoring the chatter, she'd trust her own eyes. Mask aside, Steel Armor was a decent guy.
'Should I ask him out first...?'
Sujung seriously considered making the first move.
*****
The booze-fueled chatter dragged late. And with four beautiful flowers gathered, bees were bound to buzz.
As Sujung and her friends stepped out, some guys approached.
"Girls' night? Cool dudes over there—wanna join?"
"No thanks. We're good on our own."
Becca shut it down firm—wedding on the horizon. And minus Sujung, they all had boyfriends; no interest in randoms.
Had the guys shrugged "have fun" and left, no "bees" mention. But nah.
"What, too good for us? I ain't asking to date or fuck—just hang!"
Becca's firm no brought out their true colors. They surrounded the girls, fists itching.
"Kyaaah!"
"Becca!"
"Kuhuhu... this bitch got some meat on her. Hold still!"
"Let go! Let go, you fucker!"
Becca fought back fierce, but the guys didn't hold back. They groped her chest freely. Yua and Audrey got grabbed and molested too.
"Becca! Yua! Audrey! Help! Somebody help!"
Sujung begged bystanders—no takers. These thugs were infamous local gangsters. Step up for strangers, end up a corpse tomorrow.
"Shut it, bitch! I'll send you to heaven with this."
"Kyaaah!"
The villains' claws reached Sujung. Dragged to a dark alley, she could lose her virginity—life-or-death peril!
Vroooom—!
"Hold still!"
"N-no!"
They tore at Sujung's clothes. White skin and plain white bra exposed. Their lips curled at the sight.
Vroooooom—!
"Where... huh?"
Before hands met flesh, a tiny car barreled at full speed toward the guys.
Screeech—!
"Aaaah! What the fuck?!"
It braked right in front. "You fucking dogshit!"
"Who the hell are you? Know who you're messing with?!"
"Drag that fucker out! See what idiot's dumb enough to fuck with Bad Gang!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Hiding their scare at the puny car, they kicked it wild. Door dented, side mirror shattered. (Note: not superpowers—the car was just flimsy.)
"Come out! Come out, you fuck... huh?"
Peering through the battered window, one guy's eyes bulged saucer-wide.
Clunk!
Driver door swung open. Out stepped a hulking brute towering over them.
The gang gawked. Black suit, skull mask—Dark City's most infamous man's signature look.
Crack! Creak!
He cracked his neck, bones grinding loud—befitting his massive build.
The masked giant snatched a guy's collar one-handed, hoisting the strapping thug effortlessly. Monster strength!
Steel Armor eyed the stunned quartet—Sujung specifically.
"Close your eyes. From here on, no under-30s allowed."
*****
"I'm off. See you tomorrow. Wait, you're not pulling another all-nighter, right?"
"Tomorrow? Depends. Might decide based on the situation."
"Heh heh... yeah?"
Jina's words sparked a grin—tomorrow overtime? My laugh gave me away; she recoiled in horror.
"Don't come tomorrow. Seriously, don't. I'll make you regret it!"
"They say strong denial means strong yes... you sure...?"
"Fucking asshole..."
"Okay, okay..."
Her denial seemed genuine. Eyeing onlookers, she chilled her hand with her power, frost wafting off. Goosebumps from afar.
"Anyway, heading out. Overtime or not, sleep some. No sleep ruins your skin."
"I'll manage. Don't worry. Get home safe. Oh wait, you don't need to. But seriously, what's with this car? You've got tons of nice ones at home. Buy me one?"
Jina grimaced at my ride.
Ooh... badass. Buying me a car.
"Just for a mood boost. Plus, it draws assholes. Fun teaching 'em manners."
"Such a bully. Stop picking on the weak and get home."
"Got it. But Jina."
"Yeah?"
"Weak doesn't mean good, right?"
"I know. So don't worry and get going."
"Yes'm."
With her send-off, I headed home. But not straight there, per her words.
Because...
"Huh? Isn't that our Sujung? And those fuckers..."
Nurse Bae Sujung, getting harassed by thug-lookalikes.
"Those fucking bastards?"
Vroooooom!
I floored it.