Shopping
“Jua?”
On her way out after visiting her little sister in the hospital, Lee Seoha unexpectedly ran into Han Jua. As if she'd been waiting, Han Jua approached her immediately upon spotting her and bowed politely.
“I'm sorry for saying such harsh things last time, Seoha.”
“Pardon? Oh……”
Caught off guard by the sudden apology, Lee Seoha waved her hands frantically.
“N-no, it's fine! You must have had your reasons… If anything, I'm the one who should apologize for speaking out of turn without knowing the full situation.”
In truth, a corner of Lee Seoha's heart had been uneasy ever since their last encounter. As they talked and grew closer, she worried she'd overstepped by meddling, or pushed her own views too forcefully. Regret had come crashing in late, just like when Stella had pointed out how terrible she was at social interactions. She really did seem hopeless at dealing with people.
But Han Jua slowly shook her head, a wry smile on her lips.
“No. After what that bastard did to me, I took your words to heart and really thought them over.”
“That bastard……”
“Yes, exactly. Sigma.”
At the mention of that name, Lee Seoha's face stiffened for a moment. But she quickly scanned Han Jua's complexion with a worried look.
“Speaking of which, are you okay? I heard on the news you took a serious hit from Sigma, and I was really worried.”
“Heh, not enough for you to worry like that, Seoha. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine.”
Seeing the genuine relief in Lee Seoha's clear eyes, Han Jua's own eyes softened into a gentle curve. She hesitated for a bit before cautiously opening her mouth.
“Do you have time tomorrow, by any chance?”
“Time? Well, as long as no villains pop up out of nowhere……”
“Then after I get discharged tomorrow, want to go shopping with me?”
“Shopping?”
Lee Seoha's eyes widened at the out-of-the-blue suggestion.
“Seoha, school starts next month, right? You'll need all sorts of things once classes begin. As a way to apologize, I'd like to buy everything for you.”
“No, you don't have to go that far.”
The shopping invite was surprising enough, but her offering to pay for it all made Lee Seoha feel burdened. As she fumbled for words to decline, Han Jua suddenly grabbed both of her hands tightly.
“I'm just so sorry for what I said to you. I promise I won't make it burdensome, so please come with me?”
“Um……”
Lee Seoha couldn't bring herself to pull away from those pleading eyes brimming with sincerity. Thinking it over, her clothes were getting a bit worn, and it was about time to stock up on new stationery and notebooks. More than that, juggling school and hero work lately meant she hadn't hung out with peers her age in forever, so honestly, a small part of her was tempted.
…Yeah, if it's just something like an S-brand clothing store or a D-stationery shop, it won't be too much.
She wasn't sure if she could even consider an S-rank hero like Han Jua a friend, but in the end, Lee Seoha shyly nodded.
“Okay… I'll go.”
The next day, as promised, Lee Seoha found herself being led by the hand to a certain place by Han Jua. But it wasn't the affordable brand store she'd imagined.
“Um, excuse me… Jua? This place is…?”
“Yeah, L City Tower.”
“Eek……!?”
Overwhelmed by the towering majesty of the 123-story skyscraper right in front of her, Lee Seoha swallowed a scream in stunned silence.
@
She'd figured it'd be something casual like an S-brand clothing store or D-stationery shop, but she never dreamed Han Jua would drag her to the L City Tower mall. Up until they'd met at Jamsil Station, she hadn't thought much of it. But the moment Han Jua led her into the luxury goods floor, Lee Seoha felt like the air was being squeezed out of her lungs.
She was overwhelmed by the dazzling lights pouring from every direction and the polished marble floors. When she sneakily checked the price tag on a single bag in the display window, dizziness hit her so hard she nearly had to lean on the wall.
“Um… you said you wouldn't make it burdensome……”
“? Yeah, L Tower mall is a place anyone can come shop comfortably, right?”
Han Jua tilted her head innocently, as if she truly believed that. Only then did Lee Seoha realize it: for an S-rank hero whose operating budget and sponsors were on another level, this place was literally just a neighborhood stroll.
The gap in their worlds hit her like a vertigo-inducing chasm.
“Eek……”
After being dragged around like a doll for what felt like ages, looping the luxury floor several times, Lee Seoha finally made it to the tower's aquarium cafe. She slumped over in her chair the moment she sat down.
Her body was fine thanks to her physical enhancement ability, but her mental stamina had hit rock bottom from counting all those zeros on price tags.
“Seriously, you're tired already? We still have so many places left to check out.”
Han Jua, back from placing the orders ahead of time, sat lightly across from her.
“Eugh, but it's just so overwhelming……”
Lee Seoha made a pouty face as she glanced at the shopping bags piled by her feet. Just the world-famous brand logos on the paper bags had her back already slick with cold sweat.
Her face pale, she stammered, “H-how can I accept something this expensive……”
“Is it? It's not that pricey.”
Han Jua's utterly casual response made Lee Seoha's mind flash white.
“Hehe, just kidding. I totally get why you're feeling burdened, Seoha.”
“Then why'd you bring me here if you understood?”
If it were anything else, she might've laughed it off, but this time even Lee Seoha couldn't help sounding a bit sharp. No matter how kind the person, this felt straight-up like being teased.
But Han Jua's next words were more serious than expected.
“Sorry. But you need to get used to places like this now, Seoha.”
“Get used to them…?”
Places that felt like they'd never cross her path in a lifetime—what was there to get used to?
“You know the Association officially designated Sigma as an S-rank villain this time, right?”
“Y-yeah…… of course.”
The news and every internet community were buzzing about that man; there was no way she hadn't heard.
“Against that Sigma and the Deviants, you actually won—unlike me. In recognition of that, the Association's discussing a special promotion for you. Not quite S-rank yet, but at least to A-rank.”
“T-to A-rank?!”
Too shocked, Lee Seoha shot to her feet without thinking, only to blush furiously as nearby customers turned to stare, and plop back down.
“No way, a promotion? My abilities are barely lower-end B-rank……”
“Is that bracelet on your arm just for show?”
Han Jua's gaze drifted to the bracelet on Lee Seoha's wrist—the Core Relic Stella.
“But Stella just lends me power; it's not truly mine.”
“Still, it's a power only you can wield.”
“True, but……”
Stella only responded to Lee Seoha, the chosen wielder. She claimed she'd leave for a better one if one came along, but she never explained the criteria or what kind of person she wanted, so for now, Lee Seoha was the relic's sole master.
“Then it's fair to call it your power. The Association's officially recognized your ownership too.”
Han Jua's logic was sound, but Lee Seoha couldn't readily agree. Could she really claim a borrowed power as her own? And if a superior wielder appeared, like Stella had hinted? What if she up and left without a second glance?
It might be extreme, but even without that, ever since accepting Stella, Lee Seoha had felt an odd disconnect. It didn't feel like Stella had chosen her as a true wielder—more like something else had selected her? She couldn't pinpoint it, but that nagging unease made it hard to see Stella as truly hers.
“……You look like you've got some circumstances you can't talk about.”
Whether from sharp intuition or her face giving it all away, Han Jua stood up to lighten the mood.
“Looks like our orders are ready. Excuse me for a sec.”
“Ah, I'll come with……”
“It's fine. Stay put.”
Lee Seoha let out a long sigh as she watched Han Jua's retreating figure head to the counter.
“Haa…… Stella. Am I really your true wielder?”
She whispered so low no one else could hear, but no answer came. Unlike her usual snappy replies to every question, Stella's silence only deepened the doubt in Lee Seoha's heart.
“That villain rampaging by the riverside yesterday? Nova took 'em down.”
“Oh, that pretty and badass big sis?”
“Shut up, asshole. No way she's older than me.”
“Quiet. Pretty and strong means big sis.”
It was a bit embarrassing, but hearing people around the cafe talk about her had become routine. Praise for Nova, her transformed self powered by Stella, of course—but just recently, such recognition had been unimaginable.
Before Stella, all she'd gotten were cold stares, jeers calling her incompetent or a nuisance.
Ah, still……
There was one person. Not for the flashy brilliance borrowed from Stella's power, but for the worthless B-rank hero Lee Seoha—he'd offered warm encouragement and true recognition.
—You're my hero.
After the brutal fight with the Deviants, media and crowds showered her with all sorts of acclaim, but the words etched deepest in her heart remained that man's from that day.
I really want to thank him properly somehow. Is there no way to find him?
His rugged features made him look more villainous than any she'd faced, but recalling that moment still made her heart flutter.
A man with long black hair for a guy, sharp red eyes, shark-like pointed teeth…… Yeah, just like that guy passing by the window right now, with that fierce look—
“Huh?”
Spotting a man flash by her vision, Lee Seoha pressed her face to the window. He'd already moved on, but his back was unmistakable.
It was the person she'd been searching for.
“W-wait!”
Before he vanished from sight, she bolted from her seat.
“S-Seoha?! Where are you going all of a sudden?!”
Han Jua's panicked voice called from behind, but Lee Seoha's eyes were fixed on one person alone.
“C-citizen……!”
Running at full speed, she finally grabbed the hem of his sleeve.
“……Pardon?”
The man turned. No doubt about it. The man she'd longed to meet was right there before her.
Questions piled up—did you heal me back then? Are you hiding abilities?—but the first thing she had to say was already decided.
“Th-those words you said then, I was so grate……”
“Seoha!”
But before she could finish, Han Jua's voice rang out as she caught up. Snapping to her senses, Lee Seoha realized too late.
Oh no, I'm not in my hero suit right now.