A Plan That Would Make Even the Devil Weep

Baek Seungha had realized her talent early on and left for the United States, where she now operated as a fairly big-name hero. However, because the stage she performed on was the 'underworld' rather than the 'sunlight,' her public recognition was lower than that of most rookie heroes.

But those in the know, knew.

She was the real deal.

Perhaps that was why.

In the United States, the birthplace of heroes, Baek Seungha had endured every kind of hardship imaginable to reach her current position. She was the type of person who could laugh off a blade pressed against her throat or a gun barrel shoved into her brow.

If there was anything that had surprised her recently... well, maybe the world-famous Twin Towers incident, perhaps?

And yet, that same Baek Seungha was currently dripping with sweat in front of a simple cup of coffee.

"Hehe... Um, 'Master'~ I brewed some coffee, would you like to try it?"

"I, I don't need—!"

Sparkle.

"Ugh...! J-just leave it there... will you?"

"Hehe. Yes~!"

Miso Orphanage in Korea.

She had returned after a very long time, intending to forget about hero work for a while and just get some rest. But on her way in, a certain 'talented hunk' had caught her eye. She hadn't seriously intended to raise him as a sidekick; he was just a fledgling she could carry around to show off to the Hero Association. That was all.

...But she hadn't expected that boy to be a 'man.'

And not just any man, but a dangerously obsessed one who even seemed to have a taste for hero work.

Baek Seungha, whose heart had been swayed by Hyunwoo, was now facing the greatest crisis of her life. No matter how much of a loose cannon she was known to be in the hero world, she wasn't crazy enough to drag a 'male sidekick' around. That was something not even villains, let alone heroes, would do!

Yet, oblivious to her inner turmoil, the boy was bringing her coffee in the guest room at the perfect time, as if he were desperate for her affection. He even insisted on sitting in the seat directly across from her during meals and greeted her with the utmost politeness whenever they crossed paths.

Of course, from Baek Seungha's perspective, this kind of treatment was nothing new. People trying to get on her good side? There had been countless numbers of them. And she had kicked them all to the curb. Why? Because it was annoying. That was all.

Wealth, honor, power... she hadn't been interested in those from the start. As long as she could eat well, sleep well, and play comfortably for a day, that was enough. Herself and the people around her. If they were happy, that was sufficient. That was her own clever way of living.

So, under normal circumstances, she should have just waved her hand and chased him away, but she couldn't bring herself to do it this time. There was only one reason: it was the 'first time in her life' that a 'man,' and a voluntary one at that, had shown her such kindness.

'Don't drink it, don't drink it, you shouldn't drink it, nooooooo!!'

Though she screamed it in her mind every time, her mouth was faithful to instinct.

Slurp.

To be honest, the coffee Hyunwoo brewed tasted terrible. It wasn't that he couldn't brew it... it just fell far short of Baek Seungha's standards. She was a bit of a gourmet, and she only ever drank high-end brandy coffee. Cheap instant coffee from an orphanage? Under normal circumstances, she might have taken one sip and thrown the cup.

But the face of the boy who handed her the coffee. At that moment, her vision blurred slightly.

He was handsome. Truly, absurdly so. With features that looked like they’d been plucked from a manga, and those solid shoulders and necklines. Moreover, his muscular physique didn't look awkward; it was natural. A man like that... at least as far as she knew, didn't exist in this world.

And such a boy was smiling at her.

That smile was... to use a metaphor, 'heaven.'

From that moment on, this place was no longer an orphanage. To use a metaphor, Venice in Italy? No, that wasn't enough. For that moment, it was simply the café of a god who had descended to earth.

"It's already been a week... I wonder if he's been feeling discouraged because of me?"

Slap!

...Why am I thinking things like that?! I'm the one who decides whether to take him as a sidekick or not! Why am I trying to gauge his feelings!?

The battle with herself that had started like that had somehow become a daily routine. Now, Baek Seungha herself had reached the point of worrying about Hyunwoo. She, who used to pull out villains' entrails to make necklaces when she was bored in the American slums, was now slapping her own cheeks to keep her head straight.

"Ugh...! Men always ran away the moment they saw me... but he's the first one to smile at me... He, hehe... honestly, could I be happy about this...?"

Slap, slap, slap!

"Damn it, get a grip! Are you planning to make that boy a sidekick?! If he gets hurt... how are you going to take responsibility for it?!"

One day, while she was struggling with herself, shouting all sorts of things internally:

"No, in the first place, what kind of man becomes a hero?! Most men get panic attacks just looking at a crime scene!"

Her limit was slowly approaching. Living a life where she encountered a tall, handsome, kind-hearted man with what looked like a sturdy lower body every single day. Honestly, it was a crisis now. She didn't think she could last ten days.

So, eventually.

"Haa... since it's come to this, I have no choice but to show him the 'cold reality'."

With a face possessed by a villain, Baek Seungha sat at her desk, smiled wickedly, and began to carefully write down a 'List to Make Lee Hyunwoo Give Up Being a Hero' like a nanny.

***

The tenth day of treating Baek Seungha with the utmost care to become a hero. Perhaps Hyunwoo's efforts had finally borne fruit. It was when he visited her room to greet her as soon as the morning sun rose, just like always.

"...You, did you say your name was Lee Hyunwoo?"

"Yes? Ah, yes, yes!! My name is Lee Hyunwoo!"

"Right... well, since you're working this hard and asking me to look after you, it wouldn't be polite to keep pretending I don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠know."

Watching Baek Seungha speak to him for the first time, Hyunwoo wore an expression so moved he looked like he might cry. Even though her gaze still wasn't directed at him, it didn't matter. Heroes were supposed to start from a position of being ignored, after all.

...In truth, Baek Seungha was deliberately avoiding his gaze and pretending to be chic because she was afraid her heart would soften if she looked at his face.

Anyway, Baek Seungha rose from her seat, leaving behind a word that sounded like she was acknowledging Hyunwoo.

"Then, I intend to 'test' you from now on."

"...! You mean a test?"

"Yes. You don't even have an official hero license yet, do you? You want to be used ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as a sidekick without such qualifications? Then... I'll have to verify you much more strictly."

"O-of course!"

Guilt washed over her once more as she looked at Hyunwoo, who was staring at her with sparkling eyes. But this was a necessary operation for the boy's sake, if nothing else.

'Baek Seungha. Get a grip. This is all for you and this innocent boy...!'

Steeling herself, Baek Seungha led Hyunwoo away. And it was just as the two of them were about to step out the front gate of the orphanage.

"...? Hyunwoo? Where are you going?"

"Ah, Hayeon-noona."

Yoo Hayeon, whom they encountered in front of the entrance. Instinctive worry surfaced on her face, clad in a nun's habit. Whether child or adult, men ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in this world were always objects of protection. And such a man... a younger brother she knew, was walking alone with some 'suspicious woman.' And that wasn't all.

"It's nothing special. It's just that Ms. Baek Seungha said she would test me."

"...A test?"

That word struck Yoo Hayeon's brain hard.

"Then, I'll be back~"

"W-wait a minute! W-wait for meeee!!"

She didn't understand at all what he was saying. But by the time she reached out her hand, it was already too late. Hyunwoo smiled lightly, passed through the front gate, and disappeared with Baek Seungha.

Her mind went blank.

'...What did he just say? A test?'

Unable to react to the nonsensical words, by the time she came to her senses, the boy's figure was nowhere to be seen. It was at that moment. A strange chill ran down her spine, as if someone had grabbed her by the scruff of the neck.

Yoo Hayeon gasped and turned around. Her heart was beating abnormally fast. This wasn't just simple anxiety. Her body was reacting first. She began to run madly toward the guest room where Hyunwoo had come from.

'A nun shouldn't rummage through someone else's room, but...'

This was an emergency situation where a man might be in danger.

'Lord... please, just for today, turn a blind eye...!'

Praying like that, Yoo Hayeon, who finally arrived in the room and searched everywhere, discovered a piece of paper left on the desk.

"...List to Make Lee Hyunwoo Give Up Being a Hero?"

The moment she muttered it and unfolded it. Her eyes widened. Her mouth fell open. And.

"Whaaaaaaaaat?!"

It wasn't an exaggeration or a joke. Her eyes really looked like they were going to pop out, and she fell backward in that state. A thud! sound echoed in the room, and silence followed. But a few seconds later.

"Ugh... No, now is not the time to collapse!"

Yoo Hayeon pulled herself together, jumped up, and ran toward the director's office at a speed as if someone ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were chasing her.

Clatter!

"Di-director!!"

"Oh my?! Hayeon...? You rascal! You scared me! No, why is a grown girl entering without knocking..."

"More than that, look at this! We're in big trouble now!! Seriously!"

"What's so urgent... Huh? Your hands are trembling... Let me see..."

The director, who was handling work leisurely while drinking sujeonggwa as usual today, glanced down at the paper she was handed.

"...What is this, what kind of strange prank did you write again... Hm?"

Her gaze fixed on the paper. Gradually, her reading speed slowed. Her eyes widened, and the corners of her mouth trembled.

"Pu, pufufuf?! What is this? What is this!!"

Holding the paper in her hand, the director's small shoulders trembled violently.

"Cruel, heartless, terrible...! What, what kind of, what kind of test is this, you rascal!!!"

Her voice rose, and the cane in her arm began to vibrate.

"...Convenience store errands? Alone? And you're making a man do this... right now...?!"

This wasn't just a simple prank. It was a 'social execution' limited to men, the kind only a villain would commit.