Serin's Confession ①
"Jinseok-ah. Were you exercising?"
"Yeah. Serin-ah. Sleep well?"
"Yeah. Good morning."
Han Serin lived in the same apartment complex. She'd headed out for her workout a little later than Jinseok and Miyeon, already breaking a sweat, when she ran into Jinseok.
The moment she spotted him, Serin's face lit up with delight as she hurried over to greet him. Like Miyeon, she was dressed in a skin-tight tank top and leggings that clung to her body. The form-fitting workout gear highlighted her adorable figure, damp with a light sheen of sweat from her run. Her breasts and hips were pert and perfectly shaped in that cute way of hers.
Her beautiful pink hair—reminiscent of cherry blossoms—was pulled back into a tight ponytail for exercise, and when she smiled, her pale ruby eyes sparkled like stars. Serin's joyful grin seemed to brighten the whole area, as if cherry blossoms were blooming all around her.
"Where's Miyeon unnie? Didn't she come work out with you?"
"Noona's at the dojo. Said she'd do a quick kendo session and head back."
Miyeon didn't just train her physical fitness—she practiced kendo every single day. Geoseong Heights' commercial facilities included a dedicated dojo, originally built almost exclusively for Miyeon's private use, with no real commercial intent. But word got out that she dropped in occasionally for sessions, and now it was packed with registrants.
"What're you up to? Weight training again?"
When Serin approached, Jinseok happened to be at a weight machine near the jogging path. He had the bench press loaded up with near-max weights for him and was pumping them out effortlessly.
Jinseok hit the weights often.
"Yeah. My ability gets stronger the more I train my body—basic physical stats go up, so I end up powering up overall."
He flexed his bicep in front of her as he explained. Jinseok had a solidly muscled build. It was the result of relentless training to maximize his Physical Enhancement ability. Those sturdy muscles were hard-earned proof of his dedication.
"Jinseok-ah, mind if I touch for a sec?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
"Whoa, your muscles are rock hard."
Her eyes sparkling with curiosity, Serin reached out to feel his arm and chest. Her soft fingers brushed over his firm muscles, sending an unexpected thrill through him. Jinseok felt his heart skip a beat without warning.
"W-well, that's what comes from all the training. Haha."
"I can tell you've put in so much effort. Hehe."
Her touch made his chest pound; he let out an awkward laugh. Serin beamed, praising his hard work, and just like that, his mood lifted. Getting compliments from someone as cute as her was impossible to resist.
"I've worked hard to become a hero. Even if I'm just scraping by as a B-rank."
"No way, you're amazing, Jinseok. I could never push myself like that."
The praise felt great, but a hint of frustration crept in—he'd never break past B-rank no matter how hard he tried. Still, Serin kept cheering him on, genuinely impressed by his efforts.
"Hehe, thanks."
Her continued encouragement melted away his doubts, leaving him in high spirits. Who wouldn't feel better with a smile and kind words from sweet little Serin?
"Ah, running made me thirsty. Wanna grab a drink?"
"Sure. My treat."
"For real? Yay!"
"Haha, what'll it be?"
"Hmm... umm..."
Thirsty from her run, Serin headed to the vending machine with him. They grabbed their drinks, found a spot to sit, and chatted away, enjoying a cozy moment just the two of them.
......
As Jinseok and Serin sipped their sports drinks from the vending machine, a man suddenly approached her. It was Baek Yeong-gun, the same guy Miyeon had shot down earlier.
(That one's Han Serin, right? Oh yeah, she's on Team Valkyrie too—an S-rank hero. Might as well give her a shot. Not as big a name as Miyeon, but she's pretty damn cute.)
Serin's hero career was still short, and her shy, low-key personality kept her less in the spotlight than Miyeon. But as a Team Valkyrie member with her own unique charm, fans were already buzzing about her potential.
(Heh heh heh. What a tasty little thing.)
Yeong-gun eyed her up and down with a sleazy leer, like he was licking her body with his gaze. From a short distance behind, he ogled her perky breasts and cute ass without shame. Jinseok, sitting right beside her, didn't even register in his field of view.
Jinseok was too wrapped up in their fun conversation to notice the approach either.
(Miyeon shot me down, but hey—chicken instead of pheasant. Let's reel this one in.)
"Hey there. Han Serin from Team Valkyrie, right?"
"E-eh? Y-yes."
Yeong-gun swooped in out of nowhere with a greeting. It was a casual "pheasant or chicken" mentality—he'd settle for her after striking out with Miyeon.
Serin's eyes went wide; she was caught off guard. For someone as bashful as her, a strange guy approaching out of the blue was straight-up embarrassing.
"Y-you're... Yeong-gun-ssi?"
"Haha, you know me?"
"Y-yeah, I saw you on TV."
"Just TV? You live here too—we must've bumped into each other a few times. Hehe."
As Serin stammered, Yeong-gun flashed an overly bright, unnatural smile and leaned in way too close—close enough to feel each other's breath.
It was intensely uncomfortable for her.
"Wh-what do you want? All of a sudden..."
She ducked her head, cheeks flushing peach-pink. The blush only made her look cuter. Yeong-gun's proximity added a crushing pressure.
(Kekeke. Great reaction. Little more push and...)
He smirked inwardly, pleased. To him, her shyness looked like she was falling for his charm.
All he wanted was a quick hookup.
"So, I had a restaurant reservation, but my date bailed—schedule conflict. Hate to waste it. Wanna grab dinner with me?"
They barely knew each other, but he chatted like old pals. It was the same spot he'd bragged about to Miyeon earlier. Rejected there, now pivoting to Serin.
"Um, w-well..."
Serin had zero interest in dining with a stranger. Unfamiliar with guys hitting on her, though, she hesitated instead of shutting him down outright.
(Jackpot. One more nudge and she's mine. Easy.)
"Hehe, that's a yes, right? You'll come meet up?"
Grinning sleazily at her fumbling, he pressed harder, convinced he'd already won.
(This asshole's not just after noona—he's targeting Serin too?)
Jinseok's blood boiled as he watched. He could barely contain his rage. A serious confession might've been one thing, but this flippant playboy routine with both of them? Unforgivable.
His face twisted in fury.
"H-hold on."
(Can't let him toy with noona or Serin like that.)
They were both precious to him. Unable to stand by, Jinseok stepped between them. Seeing Serin in distress was too much.
She quickly ducked behind his sturdy back for cover.
"And who the hell are you?"
Yeong-gun scowled, annoyed at the interruption.