Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Adaptation (2)
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"...W-what do I do...? Should I wash up first? Haaah...!"
In about 30 minutes, she would meet Do Ji-hyeok, whom she'd mindlessly agreed to see.
She'd been lounging around in just her underwear and a T-shirt when panic hit her.
"C-calm down, Bang Han-na...! Just take it easy, take it easy...!"
Despite her self-soothing words, she couldn't find any calm at all.
"First, my hair... Just tie it up...!"
Truth be told, 30 minutes was more than enough—overflowing, even—for getting ready for a quick outing.
She'd already showered, and since she wasn't going far, she didn't need to fuss over her outfit.
Of course, some people obsessed even over casual looks, but Bang Han-na was far from that type.
Yet...
Bang Han-na found herself starting to care about her clothes anyway.
"...D-does this look weird...?"
She looked down at the dress on her bed.
It was pretty, but it felt a bit too much.
'The producer might think I look strange...'
She could have gone overboard on purpose to show her interest, but that hadn't crossed her mind. With no choice, she put the dress away and picked a plain T-shirt and pants.
Nothing fancy, but it didn't look sloppy either.
"...This should be better, right?"
Bang Han-na glanced regretfully at the dress, shook her head to shake off the lingering thought, and hurriedly shoved her toothbrush into her mouth.
A small playground somewhere.
I sat on the bench waiting for Bang Han-na, gazing at the deep silence under the streetlamp.
"......"
Long ago—right after I'd first fallen into this world.
Unable to believe I was in a novel, wandering the streets aimlessly, I'd sat alone in a dark playground just like this one.
Back then, with everything piling up, I'd even thought it might be better to die before the world ended...
Looking back now, I'm really glad I didn't.
'A-rin played a huge role there.'
The first novel character I met after arriving here was Im A-rin.
Well, technically, I didn't know she was Im A-rin at the time.
While I was moping on the playground, I happened to run into her and had a short chat.
Nothing special, no big help, but it was a good wake-up call that this world was another reality...
Im A-rin still had no idea she'd met me as a kid.
It took me a while to realize it myself, and I was too embarrassed about my pathetic state back then to mention it.
She'd probably never know unless I told her.
"Producer!"
Right on cue, Bang Han-na arrived, waving as she approached.
She wore a plain T-shirt and training pants, but her killer figure made it look oddly alluring.
'Feels just like looking at Yu-ra.'
A strange sense of familiarity made me smirk unconsciously, but I played it cool and returned her greeting.
"Thanks so much for coming. I feel bad for dragging you out like this."
She sat beside me on the bench and waved it off like it was no big deal.
"No way! It's totally fine! Hehe..."
Her face was a bit flushed, and she kept grinning—had she been drinking? It wasn't my place to pry, so I let it slide.
"So, what's this about...?"
Bang Han-na's eyes sparkled with curious anticipation.
She seemed to want something, but it probably wasn't what she expected.
"Actually... I have a favor to ask."
"From me?"
"I want you to lead the team from now on."
"...Me?"
I asked Bang Han-na to take over as team leader.
No one else in the team fit the role better.
Jin Seo-won went without saying, and Kim Na-rae wasn't the leadership type either.
"I've been thinking about this since Su-in was around, but she was older, so I hesitated. Then Su-in left, and Seo-won joined right after... Now I want to officially hand it to you."
"...M-me...?"
Bang Han-na blinked in disbelief.
"Just so you know, this isn't me dumping it on you because no one else fits. You're sociable, great personality, and you have leadership. If you didn't, I wouldn't have picked anyone."
"...Uh..."
She averted her gaze, looking a bit guilty at the praise right in front of me.
It seemed embarrassing to hear it face-to-face.
"I'm not saying start right away, of course. Take your time to adjust. Try it out, and if it doesn't work, just tell me."
Bang Han-na frowned thoughtfully, lowering her head in silence.
After a long pause, she seemed to sort her thoughts and flashed a lighter smile.
"...I'll give it a shot...!"
Finally getting her positive reply, I grinned in satisfaction, thanked her, and moved to the second point.
"Mm... And this is a personal request..."
"What is it? It's fine—just say anything!"
"I want you to get closer to Seo-won."
"...Me?"
Bang Han-na's beaming smile vanished into a stiff expression as she asked again.
"Uh... With Seo-won...?"
Seo-won was tough to talk to, so things were still awkward.
"This isn't for Seo-won—it's for you."
"For me...?"
She looked utterly confused...
But truthfully, Bang Han-na had to get close to Jin Seo-won. It was essential.
As a tanker, Bang Han-na lacked offensive power.
Even if she eventually wielded shield techniques, she wouldn't have the destructive force to lead attacks.
Conversely, main dealer Jin Seo-won lacked defense.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art prioritized overwhelming power over balance, and in the original story, the Heavenly Demon fell due to weak defense.
In that sense, Jin Seo-won and Bang Han-na were inseparable—they complemented each other perfectly.
"You two will have to cover each other's weaknesses in battle from now on. But... Seo-won is pretty introverted, right? I want you to draw her out. I'll talk to her too, but your role is more crucial."
Listening, Bang Han-na slowly nodded in understanding.
She met my eyes cautiously and spoke up.
"Um... Do you really think... I can do it...?"
Her eyes held subtle hope, like a kid waiting for praise.
"That's why I'm asking you. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't have brought it up."
"...R-really?"
"Of course! I told you— you're our team's ace, the core pillar. No matter how talented Jin Seo-won is, that doesn't change. If I thought you couldn't, I wouldn't ask. You know I don't give impossible orders."
I pumped her full of confidence.
This time, it wasn't even a lie—no shame at all.
"R-right...! You're that kind of person...!"
Delighted by the praise, she grinned nonstop, then set her jaw with resolve.
"Got it...! Just trust me...!"
A broadcasting studio in central Seoul.
"Date Night with Queens! Part 2 has begun. Hope everyone's enjoying it!"
The three Queens members were guests on a popular talk show.
"Alright, as we mentioned in Part 1! Let's dive into the Queens members' private lives."
It started off light.
"Ju-hee, I heard you enjoy working out normally?"
"I like using my body. Feels itchy if I don't move."
"A-rin, you're a big movie fan?"
"Yes! I love going to theaters, so I go a lot!"
Topics were casual: what they do on days off, hobbies, etc.
"Oh! Rumor has it Yu-ra's place has Pilates equipment?"
"Yeah. I used to like yoga, but switched to Pilates lately."
Hong Yu-ra had started Pilates to be with Do Ji-hyeok.
Under the pretense of teaching him, she'd flaunted her charms, made plenty of physical contact, and scored meaningful progress.
Of course...
Now it was all for nothing.
"Alright. Time to go deeper!"
Mid-interview, the MC tossed out a new topic.
"The world's strongest three...! I'm curious about your ideal types!"
Ideal types.
All three thought of the same person instantly.
"Ju-hee first! What's your ideal type?"
"...Well..."
Seol Ju-hee naturally thought of Do Ji-hyeok first but recalled his betrayal and gave a different answer.
"Just someone stronger than me."
"Whoa... Stronger than you? Might be no candidates!"
The MC sensed no juice from Seol Ju-hee and pivoted to Hong Yu-ra.
"Yu-ra, what's yours?"
"Hm... Me..."
Hong Yu-ra also thought of Do Ji-hyeok first.
She was a bit hurt by the betrayal, but unlike Seol Ju-hee, she focused on the good times and spun a story.
"Someone considerate. Looks don't matter if personalities clash."
"Ah, personality first for Yu-ra? What about looks?"
"I'm tall, so taller than me would be nice."
"Huh? Any short guys in your past...?"
"Hm... Doesn't seem like it..."
Hong Yu-ra smiled leisurely, lying boldly.
Aside from Do Ji-hyeok, she'd never dated.
The clueless MC and audience cheered at this peek into her private life.
"Finally! A-rin's ideal type?"
"Uh... Mine..."
Im A-rin thought of Do Ji-hyeok, just like the others.
And rattled off details about him eagerly.
"Deep eyes, manly face. 182cm tall, looks cool but warm inside, great cook... Oh, big hands, doesn't get mad easily, caring, secretly playful!"
"Wow..."
The MC caught the vibe and probed slyly, sensing a scoop.
"Wait, A-rin! That's not an ideal type—that's just your boyfriend!"
And then.
"I'd have no regrets if it was!"
Im A-rin joked playfully with a shy laugh, and the MC and audience laughed along, wrapping it up naturally...
"......"
Seol Ju-hee and Hong Yu-ra couldn't join the laughter.
They knew it was Do Ji-hyeok—and that her wish was sincere.