Half Hero, Lee Hayun 7

"…Thank you. It feels like you've lifted this huge rock off my head."

"No big deal. It's my job."

The treatment was over. Lee Jiyoon, who had stayed perfectly still ever since I grabbed her head, finally bowed repeatedly in gratitude. Judging by how profusely she was apologizing, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the stress from those headaches must have been no joke all this time.

Lucky I racked up some major points this time…

…or so I thought.

"……."

The moment the healing ended, she hopped off the bed and scurried straight to Lee Hayun. Looked like she still hadn't fully opened her heart to me.

Well, a little disappointing, sure. But I hadn't expected to stuff myself on the first bite anyway.

A tiny bit of gratitude toward me. For now, that was enough.

"By the way, Lee Jiyoon. Why are you talking all formal and awkward with her? You call me casually whenever you're bored…."

"…Shut up. Just close your mouth and get out. It's embarrassing."

"Embarrassing for unnie?!"

"Yeah. Super embarrassing."

Lee Hayun clamped both hands over her mouth like in a drama, pulling a teary face. So used to her reactions by now, Lee Jiyoon poked mercilessly at her defenseless sister's waist with her fingers.

Hard enough to crumple the T-shirt inside her loosely worn uniform.

Poke, poke.

Hayun just squealed and giggled—that was all she could manage….

But that had to hurt. Good thing she was a tad taller than Jiyoon; if she were shorter too, who knows what kind of treatment she'd get.

"Get out. Hurry up and get out. You going or not?"

"Stop, stop…! Fine, I'll go!"

I would've loved to stick around longer, of course, but she clearly hated sharing space with a stranger for too long. At least she bowed politely on her way out….

"Thank you, sir. Oh, wait, no."

"Call me whatever's comfortable. I'm a bit confused myself."

"…Got it. I'll head out first, then."

"Come back if anything hurts again. I'll heal you anytime."

Painful spots. You'll have some soon enough.

"……."

But she just bowed once more without a word. I returned her thanks with a light smile, and with a heavy swish, the door closed, bringing silence back.

The infirmary, dyed in the dimming sunset glow.

My raised lips slowly settled back into place.

The sister: outgoing with everyone, wagging her tail like an energetic country puppy.

The younger sis: walls up against the world, fur bristled, hard to approach.

I pulled out my phone and checked today's date again.

February 19th. About ten days until the first-year entrance ceremony in March.

I could see Hayun easily in the meantime, but whether Jiyoon would show up at the academy again was anyone's guess.

So I'd have to deal with Hayun during her makeup classes… and prepare some things for the next time I saw Jiyoon.

Something she'd like… or whatever.

Right on cue, the infirmary door slid open again.

Did she forget something? I turned off my phone screen, where I'd been jotting notes about Lee Jiyoon. Tok, tok.

"…Who is it?"

"Huh? Oh, uh. Baek Jinho, Class A, third year."

But it was a guy.

"……."

"I saw a door here I hadn't noticed before. Got curious and… sorry for barging in."

Third year meant student, not teacher. The massive sword sheath on his back screamed evolution type or mutation type.

And that weird teddy bear keychain dangling from the end… girlfriend? Or his taste?

…Whatever.

Heroes weren't just for girls, after all.

But no need to remember him. Guy.

"So this is the infirmary, huh."

"Yep. As you can see."

"And you're…."

"That's right."

It was getting pretty late. I pocketed my phone in my puffer jacket and flashed the same smile I'd given Jiyoon earlier.

"Health teacher…."

"Health committee member."

"…Not the health teacher?"

"……."

Tricky.

*****

Dinner was tonkotsu curry ramen. Not quite villain-era levels, but the academy's promised salary was hefty enough for a little splurge.

Money doesn't have that "too much of a good thing" saying. Just "the more, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠better."

Still, having grown up dirt poor, I never went overboard no matter how much I made.

I sorted the dishes for recycling and sat at my desk, fiddling with the computer some more.

The new "Lee Jiyoon" folder next to the "Puppy" wallpaper got covered by the Chrome window I'd just opened.

Reincarnation after death, regression, time-manipulating transcendent.

No one on the internet took that shit seriously.

Posts yapping about future events were just clickbait garbage.

Dead end. No point digging further.

Bored of searching, I leaned back in my chair with a creak, lost in thought.

Is the future I know even accurate anymore?

"Hmm…."

The company—back in my villain days, weren't we pulling off edgier crimes thanks to my healing?

Without me, they'd probably stick to petty shit now. So of course the future changes.

I retraced past events.

Of course, my group wasn't the only villain outfit. We weren't even top-tier.

From no-name small-timers I'd never heard of, to the single-digit blacklist monsters of Most Wanted.

Ours was somewhat known thanks to that psycho bitch Hato Yojora.

But compared to the daily terrorist headlines from Most Wanted, we were kinda boring.

Hmm. Come to think of it, didn't she get to run wild because of me too?

Lost in thought, my phone buzzed wildly on the desk. Bzzz, bzzz.

"…What."

Almost no one had my number. A few active villains, and the principal I'd met today.

And the name on the screen was.

"Fuck…."

Of course, I hadn't honored her as "sunbae." I'd change it to [Crazy Bitch] later, but at this point, I had no idea she'd turn out that insane.

I'd just been thrilled to see in person the infamous villain floating around online as "direct shot" pics, and when she looked at me and said to call this number if needed, punching it in herself—that was the novelty.

Her personality? No clue….

But in my memory, she never called this early.

It was like half a year later when she showed up drunk, scraped from a fight, telling me to clear out any girls at home before she came for healing….

"…Ah."

Pick up? Or not.

While I agonized, the vibration stopped.

1 second.

2 seconds.

3 seconds.

Black screen with just the calendar and clock.

The red phone icon lit up pretty.

And then.

"……."

If I hadn't put my real address on that fucking job app….

Fuck it.

"…Hello."

"Heeeyyy… Woojiiin…."

Her voice reeked of booze. A soft, drawn-out tone, calmer and more languid than Hayun's.

"Yes, sunbae-nim."

"Pfft, sunbae-nim? What kinda talk is that, Woojin… You ran away, huh."

"……."

"Namho-hyung told me to drag your ass back."

So that's how it was.

I let out a sigh into the phone.

"I've decided to live a clean life starting today."

"Nooo. There's so much free booze on the line…."

"The lady who gets tipsy off one bottle sure loves her drinks."

"That's 'cause getting wasted feels goood… Head goes all floaty…."

"Plus, for someone like you, sunbae-nim, a few bottles are pocket change anyway."

"Free booze hits different…? Kid's only twenty, no idea…."

Was I really taking booze advice from a woman just two years older?

Hell, by my old timeline, she was eight years my senior.

Sensing things getting annoying, I snorted softly and replied.

"So, seduction mission?"

"…Maybe~?"

"Sorry. You're not my type."

"Ehh. That hurts… Didn't even confess and I'm rejected…?"

Is it 'cause my tits are too big and I look dumb? Is it 'cause my hair reaches my ass and looks messy? Is it 'cause I'm only 160cm? Yeah, 160's too short. Men say they don't care about height, liars. Small's cute, tall's slim, but strict with me.

I let her drunken ramble wash over one ear and out the other, then carefully cut in.

"Yes. Keep coming—you might have a chance if you do."

"Nooo~… My hibiki at 30cm…."

A clatter of bottles—something collapsing. Followed by a tiny moan, kyang—nyang from her speakers.

She often tripped 'em out.

Like clockwork every week.

"Wooojin~.

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Something she'd like… or whatever. Right on cue—wait, no, the infirmary door slid open again. Forgot something? I blanked my phone, mid-note on Lee Jiyoon. Tok, tok. "…Who are you?" "Huh? Oh, right. Baek Jinho, third year."

No, that's not it. No system messages here. This is narration and dialogue.

The [ 요조라 선배님 ] is the text on the phone screen. It's like a notification on his phone.

In the input, it's formatted as [ 요조라 선배님 ] in the message, but that's Woojin's thought.

In the story: "[ 요조라 선배님 ] 이었다." and later "[ 미친 년 ]" when he changes it.

That's the phone screen displaying the contact. So yes, style the phone screens.

He sees: [ 요조라 선배님 ] – incoming call from saved contact.

Style incoming call screens using the Phone / Voice or appropriate drama template. But it's not the call content yet; it's his thought on the name.

No, it's the text: [ 요조라 선배님 ] – translate to [Yojora Senior]. But adapt.

Later he changes: [ 요조라 선배님 ] 을 다시 [ 미친 년 ] 으로 바꿔둔 나는 – that's him changing the name in his contacts.

So when the phone buzzes: Describe, then style the name div.

I used a custom phone screen for the contact name display. Good, since it's the phone screen in his mind? No, it's narrative: the name was [Yojora Sunbae-nim]. But he thinks of her as crazy bitch, changed it later.

In text, it's shown as [ 요조라 선배님 ] – that's in-universe phone screen text, so style it.

Yes, I did two: one for the first buzz (incoming), then after it stops and rings again for the missed one, then it rings a third time? No, the reminder is the instruction, not source.

In input: [ 요조라 선배님 ] – but translate ZERO Korean, so replace with English equivalent, but it's a phone screen, so styled div with [Yojora Sunbae-nim] or stylized "Yojora Sunbae-nim". Glossary has **Yojora** (요조라), so use

for the phone screen showing the contact.

He recalls changing to [ 미친 년 ] later, so [Crazy Bitch] or something fitting her personality: alcoholic, masochistic, etc. But translate faithfully, no censor. "Crazy Bitch" is strong, but genre adult/ecchi, so okay. Actually, "미친 년" is vulgar, like "Psycho" or "Psycho Bitch". From context, it's derogatory. Glossary: Yojora, so [Yojora CrazySenior] or keep as [Yojora Sunbae-nim] but since it's contact, style it.

No Korean, so contact name: Translate to [Yojora Senior] but adapt usernames? This is phone contact in narration, but when it shows the name, style the notification.

In my draft above, I put the div for the phone screen showing the name.

Yes.

During the call, Yojora's speech: slurred when drunk – so in dialogue, slur it in English: "Wooojinniee…" etc., reflect slurred, teasing, casual. Slurred like elongated vowels: "Woojiiin…"

She uses childish/slurred drunk speech: "푸핫" -> "Pfft", "우진아아……." slurred.

"푸핫, 선배님래." -> "Pfft, sunbae-nim. Cute how Woojinniee… no idea what to say." Adapt to natural slurred drunk English.

Glossary has speech style: slurred when drunk, teasing, casual 반말, archaic when roleplaying, numerous typos in text (e.g. 괜챃다니가) – but this input has no ㅋㅎ or such; it's narrative with some onomatopoeia like 토독, 톡 – translate sounds naturally: e.g. phone bzzz or buzzed.

No ㅋㅎ in this text, good.

Yojora's full name appears: 하토 요조라 羽透 夜空 – but glossary is **Yojora**, so use Yojora. The hanja is probably stylistic for her name, but since ZERO Korean, output only English. Translate the name display? No, character names from glossary: **Yojora** — keep as Yojora.

In text it's her name with what looks like artistic kanji, but rule 6: ZERO CJK. The reminder says translate EVERYWHERE, including inside brackets. But [ 요조라 선배님 ] is the contact name in the story. It's narrative description of the phone screen.

He sees the name [ 요조라 선배님 ] – translate to [Yojora Senior]

Done. I didn't expect her to stick to calling me "Woojinnie" or whatever. Not like I expected her to call me that, anyway. I had no idea she'd be that crazy yet.

I'd been excited to meet the infamous villain only known from "direct shot" pics online, and when she eyed me and said to hit this number if I needed her for something, inputting it herself—that was the thrill.

Her personality? Zero intel.

But she never called this soon in my memory.

Didn't she hold off for about half a year, only crawling to me after getting wasted and brawling her face into scrapes… telling me to kick out any chicks before she came for treatment….

…Right.

*****

I wouldn't say I was thrilled she had my number. But I sure as hell hadn't expected her to call this soon.

Like, half a year later in my memory, she finally called half a year later, drunk and beat up from fights, slurring that I better not have girls around when she came for treatment….

…Right.

That was the thrill of meeting the infamous villain who only circulated in "direct shot" pics online, and when she eyed me and said to hit this number if I needed her, inputting it herself—that was the novelty.

Her personality? No clue back then.

But whatever. In my memory, she never hit me up this early.

It was months later—about half a year—before she called, drunk, beat to hell from brawls, slurring to make sure no bitches were lounging around the house when she came for healing….

…Oh.

*****

I'd have to wait half a year or so for the next one, huh.

Wouldn't have to deal with her drunk ass otherwise.

But with company business up in the air, what to mull over: the movements of other villain groups like Most Wanted.

One minor incident around the day I signed the contract popped into mind. Perfect place to start verifying.

That robbery? Or simple theft? I vaguely remembered some small-time crook intimidating a part-timer into grabbing the cash box and bolting.

Not sure. But I remembered it was at a convenience store not too far from here. Cops had sirens blaring all beep-beep like crazy.

Whatever happened or not, I just needed to confirm.

Petty crime that had nothing to do with me anyway.

Might as well grab a light workout on the way out. Ground'd be slick after the daytime rain; wouldn't wanna end up like Yojora if I slipped.

She was a week-to-new-iPhone kinda casualty.

I could've jogged to check road conditions before sprinting, make sure I didn't slip into her state either.

Route: the usual 3km to get the blood pumping. Better scout the path first to avoid a Yojora encounter.

Delete all the bars and roads near her haunts from my head.

Residential neighborhoods. Convenience stores. That sort. Pull up the neck warmer and run, and even if one in a million, she wouldn't recognize my face.

Decision made, I mapped the route in my mind and headed out, visualizing as I went.

Hey! You live around here? Never seen you before~

I hadn't expected to run into Lee Hayun blowing bubbles at the convenience store.

Figures. No wonder that star earring's been missing lately.

Lee Hayun, tapping away at her phone under the convenience store uniform that didn't suit her at all. She blew a bubble that popped all sugary on her lips, then let out a frustrated groan as she screamed.

No way. Not her too.

I hadn't figured on Hayun working the counter.

Whatever, figured. Star-shaped piercing nowhere in sight.

Oh right—no wonder Hayun's star earring was missing today.

Hayun in her baggy hoodie, blowing bubblegum balloons. Buu, blew up a wad of cash, threatening part-timer to grab the cash box and bolt.

I had a vague memory of some small-time crook doing exactly that around the day I signed that contract.

Robbery? Theft? Whatever. Just check if it went down or not.

Not like it concerned me.

Maybe hit the pavement for a jog too. Rain from earlier made the ground slick, so to avoid Yojora's fate, I'd scout the route before running.

Routes that might cross paths with Yojora's possible bars? All mentally deleted.

Residential area. Convenience stores. Around there, hood up over my neckwarmer, odds were a million-to-one she'd spot me anyway.

Decision made, I sketched a mental map and stepped outside.

Oh, hey. You live around here? Never caught you before~

Not expecting to bump into Lee Hayun blowing bubblegum at the convenience store.

Figures. No wonder Hayun's star earring was missing today.

Oh right—no wonder Hayun was poking out of her usual baggy clothes.

She popped her gum on her lips and let out a frustrated groooan, screaming like a banshee.