Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Ordinary Date-2
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"How does it feel to breathe fresh outdoor air after so long? Refreshing, right?"
Lee Ha-seon flashed a bright smile while holding my hand.
"It really is nice."
Honestly, just stepping outside didn't bring any special sensations on its own.
But Lee Ha-seon was with me. That alone made the scenery around us feel extraordinary.
The lodging provided by Humanity's Shield was perfect. It was loaded with cutting-edge tech, and there were even people to clean my room or cook for me in my stead.
That place felt 'naturally' special to me. The space itself was disconnected from my daily life—or more precisely, from my past daily life.
The bus stop I'd just arrived at was utterly ordinary. People passed by beside us. I'd ridden buses from stops like this countless times.
And into that peaceful, everyday, boring moment, Lee Ha-seon had slipped in.
"It's amazing. No one recognizes you at all, Ha-seon."
"Of course not! Do you know how much preparation Nafre put into this moment?"
She shrugged her shoulders.
"It's all artifacts. No one will recognize my face or notice my voice. Even if you call me 'Ha-seon,' others will hear it differently."
"That's incredible. Is it okay to use something like this for a date?"
"It's not like it wears out from use... As long as it's not abused for crime. No need for that with you around."
"True enough."
If Lee Ha-seon walked into a bank and said 'Hand over the money!', no one would need to empty their vaults for her.
"I'm looking forward to this..."
Lee Ha-seon sat quietly at the bus stop.
"By the way, couldn't we just take a car? Is there a reason we have to ride the bus?"
"I wanted to."
"Pardon?"
"After I properly awakened my abilities, I've hardly ever ridden a bus, subway, or even a car."
"For real? How do you get around then?"
"I fly."
"Ah."
Her flight speed was terrifyingly fast. That was how she could roam the world like it was her backyard all by herself.
"No need for cars, then."
"I've ridden in nice ones occasionally. For welcoming foreign dignitaries or when I needed to for public service ads."
"Oh, like that drunk driving PSA you did before?"
"You remember that? It was important too. Villains and monsters can kill people, but the cars we drive are plenty deadly themselves."
Unless it was one of those special occasions, there was no need to use a car as transportation. It made Lee Ha-seon seem even more impressive.
"Normally it'd be a waste of time, but... riding the bus with you feels nice. I want to sit side by side."
"Not sure if there'll be seats. One of us might have to stand."
"You sit first, then. I'll sit on your lap."
"On the bus?"
"Why not?"
I scratched my head.
"People usually don't... It'd look kinda tacky. Like showing off our affection."
"They do it in dramas though?"
"No!"
We exchanged perfectly ordinary banter. Doing this really made it feel like I had a girlfriend.
Of course, I'd already thought of us as lovers, but even that was a bit removed from the normal relationship I had in mind.
'Too much sex in the mix.'
Instead of casual chats or going out somewhere, we'd jump straight into sex the moment we met. It was our way of showing affection, but it didn't feel like a typical couple.
We arrived in the bustling district.
"Alright, let's hit up a photo booth first!"
Lee Ha-seon giggled like a high school girl and tugged me along by the hand.
"Is this something you've always wanted to do?"
"Obviously! Especially now! Come on!"
I half-stumbled after her.
We paid, donned cute headbands and silly sunglasses. Holding hands, she and I snapped a few shots.
"So cute... Seong-ha, I had no idea you were this adorable."
"Eh, whatever."
I was seeing not the usual hero Lee Ha-seon, but an ordinary girl version of her. My heart raced.
"Kinda wish we could take some naughty pics too?"
Lee Ha-seon whispered to me inside the booth.
"Probably not."
"Why not?"
"I know these booth photos aren't just for us. The staff managing this place will see them."
The booth was a sealed space, but someone had to print and handle the photos. They weren't here in the shop right now, but still.
"I don't want anyone else seeing you stripped down, Ha-seon."
"Hnnng... You're thinking of me. Thanks."
"Got it?"
"Nope! Hurry up and take 'em!"
"Why though!"
Lee Ha-seon burst into giggles.
"Truth is, Humanity's Shield is temporarily managing this place. No leaks, and no guys will see the pics."
"Huh?"
"Duh. The perception-altering artifact only works on people around me. Even innocent couple pics with you could leak otherwise."
"Ah!"
I hadn't considered that.
"Everything's been handled from the start, huh."
"Naturally."
No reason to refuse, then.
"What kind should we start with?"
"A bit... more intimate than usual."
She cautiously slipped off her top and unhooked her bra, then draped a thin white blouse over herself.
Her cleavage was boldly exposed in the middle. Her nipples were barely covered, but the fabric was so sheer that their pink hue peeked through faintly.
"Like this?"
"...Looks good."
I'd seen her naked dozens of times. But memories of her 'partially undressed' were fewer.
Lee Ha-seon usually rushed to my lodging in her hero costume. It looked sexy, but as battle gear, it wasn't easy to partially strip and thrust into.
"Okay, snap it!"
I lightly embraced her and took the shot.
The next one: roughly kneading her breasts.
Then it got rougher. I stripped off her panties and gripped her ass tight for the photo.
Finally, with all her clothes off, we kissed for the last pic.
"Haaa... This is great..."
Her body was flushed red.
"Can you hold out?"
My dick was rock-hard and aching. I was struggling.
And if I was having a hard time reining in my lust, she had to be even worse off.
"Just... a little longer. I still have stuff I want to do."
"Alright?"
"Yeah. If you really can't hold back, just do me... but..."
I handed her clothes back.
"Guess I'll wait. Plenty of time today, right?"
"Mmm..."
Both of us knew how this date would end.
Not exactly where or how, but what would happen? Crystal clear.
We might end up in some love hotel like any couple, or she might crack midway and beg for my cock.
But the endgame was sex. We'd devour each other until free time ran out.
So I could wait.
"Finally!"
Lee Ha-seon and I lined up at the famous cafe and waited. We successfully ordered and got our desserts.
"Looks delicious..."
She gulped, then lightly bit into the Dubai chewy cookie.
"Mmm, so gooood..."
"That good?"
"Yeah! Try yours quick!"
I popped the dessert into my mouth—something called Dubai chewy cookie, though it felt more like the Holy Roman Empire: complicated and not quite what it claimed.
"Not bad."
"Right?"
Maybe because my expectations were low, it tasted way better than I'd thought. Worth the long wait, sort of.
Still, I couldn't shake the 'For this price...' thought. I knew worrying about Lee Ha-seon's wallet was pointless, but my past self wouldn't have splurged on this.
"Even as a hero, you never tried this? It's been trending for a while."
"...Huh?"
Lee Ha-seon's face stiffened as realization dawned.
"Yeah, I could've if I wanted."
"Silly?"
"No, I couldn't help it! I first wanted to try it after seeing SNS hype about this shop's Dubai chewy cookies!"
"..."
"I can't stand in line, and with all those people waiting, I can't just go 'Hey, I'm Lee Ha-seon, gimme a cookie!' Common sense says buy it elsewhere, but..."
"You got fixated on this shop's version."
She could've had Humanity's Shield stand in line for her or asked their chefs to make it.
Lee Ha-seon just hadn't thought of that.
"Exactly!"
I could understand. I let out a hollow chuckle.
"Even if not... Honestly, I probably wouldn't have eaten it."
"Why?"
"Not used to asking others."
Silence hung for a moment.
"I see."
"Official duties or things that absolutely need delegating? Fine. But asking for my own selfish desires feels awkward."
"Wild. People would line up to grant any request from you."
"Don't wanna hear that from you. You'd block Nafre too if she offered, going 'Why would you even...'"
"How'd you know?"
"Obvious!"
She grinned.
"Truth is, until recently, saving the world was my top priority. I had wants—like doing or eating stuff—but compared to what else I could do in that time, I couldn't act on them."
"Still the same now, though."
"Nope."
Lee Ha-seon shrugged.
"Now, I just want to be happy. By your side."
A faint chill ran down my spine.
Everyone's hero, Lee Ha-seon, seemed a little different.
Changed in a way I didn't know.