Symbol of Peace (2)
-Last night, a monster attacked an apartment in D City. A magical girl was dispatched immediately upon receiving the report, but regrettably, most of the residents went missing....
A mass disappearance that happened in this city last night. Jo Ah-yoon clicked her tongue as she watched the news. Lately, it was nothing but grim tidings.
“Even here, I can hear the sound of customers’ footsteps dying away....”
She’d secretly hoped this place would become a hidden gem known only to those in the know, but that didn’t mean she wanted it to become a desolate spot that no one ever visited. Opening day was just a few days away, yet the only rumors that dominated this city were the endless cycles of disappearances and death.
“Wouldn’t it be better to talk about that sort of thing after the shop is open?”
Jingle. The door chime rang as a figure stepped inside. Brushing the white particles off his shoulders with a bitter smile, he shook off the snow that was fluttering outside.
“What’s with the lack of enthusiasm even before opening? You need to be prepared to launch a franchise.”
“My goal is a hip, hidden spot. I have no intention of becoming famous.”
“You shouldn’t be planning to fail, either.”
Han Jae-jung chuckled, pulling up a chair at the bar table. In return for his reconnaissance, Jo Ah-yoon handed a pre-brewed coffee to the returned Han Jae-jung, acknowledging his hard work.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll think positively. Thanks for the patrol. So... did you find anything?”
Han Jae-jung, who had taken a sip of coffee, let out an admiring ‘Oh’ before answering the question.
“As expected, nothing.”
“Haah....”
Merely seconds after mentioning positive thinking, Jo Ah-yoon let out a deep sigh. Having power but being unable to find a target for it was understandably frustrating.
It was clear that the culprit behind the recent murders and disappearances was a monster. A human would have definitely left a trace. Take last night’s mass disappearance. Could anyone but a monster make that many people vanish without a trace?
The problem was that while the circumstantial evidence for a monster was certain, the monster itself was never found. This was the same even for the two transforming humans who possessed monster-tracking functions, which was driving them crazy.
If it were near D5 City, the Belt’s reaction would catch it. If it invaded from outside, it would be reported before that, and a magical girl would be dispatched. Of course, if the culprit was an S-rank monster capable of disguise, there was a possibility of it going unreported until the disguise was dropped. Nevertheless, during its escape, it should still get caught by the two transforming humans or a magical girl.
If only it could be found, dealing with it would be simple. But that discovery was impossible.
“Cockroach-like bastards... hiding so damn well!!!”
A crisis of going under before even opening. In a fit of anger, Jo Ah-yoon gulped down her coffee. The rage burning in her chest was hotter than the hot coffee. Hot enough, she thought, to cool her insides down in turn....
“Ack, hot! Shit.”
It didn’t cool her down. The steaming coffee attacked the tender flesh inside Jo Ah-yoon’s mouth. Far from cooling her insides, it only inflamed them further. Startled, Jo Ah-yoon spat the coffee right out.
“Good grief, girl, try to curb that temper. You okay? Are you hurt?”
Han Jae-jung hurriedly pulled out a tissue and wiped her mouth. At his gentle touch, Jo Ah-yoon pretended to cry and leaned her body against him.
“Uheuheuheuk, oppa....”
“Well, you should have chosen more carefully.”
“I had a feeling about it... that this shop, no other, was my destiny... just like when I saw you or Seol-hwa-unnie....”
Originally, it had been simple interest and liking. But as time passed, an intuition had grown in Jo Ah-yoon that it had to be this shop. More of a blind faith than a conviction. Like Romeo and Juliet, who fell into a love that burned their lives away in a mere few days, she was inflamed with the resolve to put down roots in this place.
It was a fateful encounter, truly.
However, just as a blazing decision must also bear its acrid smoke, Jo Ah-yoon felt the responsibility keenly as she watched people leave D5 City day by day. It was the classic mistake of a young entrepreneur: the delusion that ‘someone like me will surely succeed.’
‘What am I going to do....’
Han Jae-jung patted the back of Jo Ah-yoon, who was nuzzling her cheek against his chest, and suppressed a sigh. The boss was Jo Ah-yoon, after all. He knew he couldn’t meddle in a decision she made for herself.
He knew that, but it was inevitable that he felt complicated, seeing someone who’d said they wanted to enjoy a happy slow life voluntarily walk into a path of hardship.
“Let’s take one more look around later. Okay? You can’t collapse already. My dear Jo Ah-yoon. You can pull through, right?”
“Yeah....”
Jo Ah-yoon kept rubbing her cheek against his broad chest. It was a movement like a kitten rubbing itself against its mother.
Jingle. The moment the doorbell rang, Jo Ah-yoon released the embrace as swiftly as a butterfly and struck the easygoing pose of a lady of the house. Han Jae-jung shot her a dumbfounded glance before turning his body to offer some sharp words to the uninvited guest.
“We haven’t opened yet—“
“What, you really did open a cafe?”
“I said we haven’t opened yet.”
Utterly ignoring his words, the uninvited guest brashly stepped into the shop, her gaze fixed on Jo Ah-yoon.
“It’s been a while, Pink Deneb.”
“...What. How did you even know to come here?”
The two appeared to know each other. As Han Jae-jung studied her face, recognition flashed through his mind. He knew of this uninvited guest as well, though they had never met.
“Altarimu.”
Orange Altair. A long-range specialist magical girl who wielded bow magic, capable of sniping from several kilometers away. He knew her from her decent performance in the original story. Above all, her distinct characterization made her unforgettable.
“...How long are you going to call me by that ridiculous nickname?”
“Why not? Altarimu just rolls off the tongue.”
“Hoo... forget it.”
After all, she used to pick fights with Pink Deneb, Jo Ah-yoon, at every turn. She was that rare person who felt an inferiority complex toward Pink Deneb, who, as the magical girl with the lowest win rate, was the number one target for anti-fans.
“Whatever. What could I even say to someone who’s not even a magical girl anymore.”
“Wow, you’ve gotten even more rude since I last saw you, Altarimu.”
“Shut up...!”
Han Jae-jung was impressed by Jo Ah-yoon. In the past, that nerve-grating tone would have had her throwing the cup in her hand immediately. Whether it was maturity or simply growing used to it, she was now brushing it off nonchalantly.
Han Jae-jung was moved by Jo Ah-yoon’s more thoughtful way of speaking. Our kid has already grown up so much. Getting along well with friends, too.
“So, what. How did you know to come here?”
“That’s none of your business.”
She cut off with a sneer and slowly looked around the interior of the shop.
“So this is what you’ve been up to since quitting as a magical girl... you were thinking of this? Meaning you’re cutting ties with this world entirely?”
He’d thought he’d cut ties, but he kept getting entangled one way or another. ‘You ever transformed with a Belt before? Wanna get beaten up like a butterfly?’ He severed the rage boiling deep inside with the blade-like edge of reason.
Jo Ah-yoon smiled brightly and addressed the kind customer who had given her an early-access experience of a troublesome patron before business even began.
“No, ma’am, stop being a nuisance... if you’re not going to drink anything, please leave.”
“What are you selling?”
“We’re not open for business yet. We’re not selling anything.”
“So what do you want me to do about it?”
“I’m telling you to leave.”
Hah, really. Letting out a few incredulous, hollow laughs, Orange Altair swept her hair back. She roughly tore off the sunglasses she wore as a disguise and fixed her burning eyes on Jo Ah-yoon.
“Fine, I’ll leave then. A boring shop like this!”
“Oh, the interior is hella fun! It’s hip, you know? YOUNG, you know? Omoshiroi....”
Jingle. Following behind, another uninvited guest came in. This time, it was someone Han Jae-jung also knew.
“Dabih....”
“Hey, don’t be so formal! Please, call me Haru! I grant you the right to speak my name!”
It was White Dabih, Haru Otonashi. Then, from behind her, grabbing her shoulders, a new uninvited guest peeked her face out.
“And the right to speak my name, too! You used to call me by it just fine back then!”
Red Vega. Baek A-hee. Both Han Jae-jung and Jo Ah-yoon instantly understood how that first uninvited guest, Orange Altair, had found this place.
“So you two told her...?”
“Eh? Nani-ga (What do you mean)? Aha. Yep! I spread the word everywhere!”
Haru, who had looked back at Jo Ah-yoon and Altair, affirmed it proudly.
“When I heard senpai was opening a shop, there’s no way I could stay still! I promoted it to every magical girl I met! So! Boku, erai (Am I not amazing)?”
“’Erai’ my ass, you bitch.”
Unable to hold back in the end, Jo Ah-yoon threw a coffee bean. It was a rough and unhesitating action, like scattering beans to drive away an oni. Han Jae-jung briefly wondered if coffee beans could repel an oni before nodding in acceptance, figuring they’d probably work well on a Western demon.
“There’s a difference between people you tell and people you don’t. Why did you tell her of all people?”
“Eh, senpai. Ijime wa, dame. Bullying, is not okay. Violence, stop! Telling only some people and not others is ostracism, you know!”
“That’s not ostracism, that’s consideration, you idiot.”
A deep rift, impossible to fully express in words, existed between Orange Altair and Pink Deneb.
Both operated by supporting magical girls dispatched to the field from a long distance. If they had grown close due to their similar range of activity, things would have been much smoother, but their personalities wouldn’t allow it.
The divide only deepened between Pink Deneb, who prioritized civilian rescue, and Orange Altair, who prioritized overthrowing monsters. What’s more, among Red, Pink, and Orange, who were often grouped together as the Summer Triangle, Altair frequently snapped at Pink, who had the worst performance, causing their relationship to steadily worsen.
You’re even dulling our light. Orange Altair’s verbal abuse had no particular effect on Jo Ah-yoon’s defeatism, which only made Altair more heated and critical each time, demanding to know if she was just trash with no ambition.
“This grade-obsessed bitch....”
The stare-down between Altair and Jo Ah-yoon, locked like cats and dogs, ended with Jo Ah-yoon backing down first.
“Haah... fine. Sure, having more people who know is good for me, anyway. Since you came to hang out, I’ll make you something. Do you even drink coffee?”
“I don’t like bitter things!”
“Ehehe, um... me neither.”
“Driving me crazy.”
After looking at the two, Jo Ah-yoon then glared at Orange Altair.
“For the record, none for you.”
“I know! I wouldn’t drink it even if you gave it to me!”
Bam! She slammed the door shut fiercely as she left.
“Close it gently, you bitch!”
“...Is she going to be okay? She seemed upset.”
“She’s not my friend. Whether she’s upset or not, that’s not my problem.”
Han Jae-jung worried about Jo Ah-yoon, but her voice was utterly cold.
Jo Ah-yoon placed her elbows on the bar table and rested her chin on her arms, looking at the remaining two uninvited guests.
“So, what did you two come for? You can’t even drink coffee.”
“To hang out!”
“Because I missed you... ah, was I... a bother?”
Baek A-hee’s gaze curved like a more ominous crescent moon as she faltered and clutched her stomach. The subject of her stare was Han Jae-jung.
“Jae-jung ssi?”
“No, not at all. Relax and enjoy yourselves.”
“Oppa. You think this place is a playground?”
“I-I’m a legal adult now, you know!”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re still a brat.”
“Weaver Girl is taller than you!”
“You’re dead meat later.”
A fierce dropkick slammed into the back of White Dabih’s head as she fled, giggling with a shriek.
Han Jae-jung watched the scene with satisfaction before approaching Baek A-hee to ask,
“So? If not coffee, what should I make you?”
“Ah. It’s okay. I brought something for myself to drink.”
Baek A-hee rummaged through her bag and pulled out a large bottle of vodka.
“...What’s this?”
“I couldn’t drink alcohol last time. So.”
“But why this?”
“...? Because it’s cool...?”
Han Jae-jung let out a deep sigh and examined the vodka bottle from all angles.
“Look here, Vega ssi. This is really strong. It’s 40 proof, you know?”
“St-still. I really want to try and challenge myself....”
Baek A-hee looked at Han Jae-jung with sparkling eyes. It was a gaze full of earnest longing.
“I wanted my first drink in life to be with you, Jae-jung ssi... was it a bother?”
She subtly pressed her stomach against his hip and pushed. Han Jae-jung, not unaware of the threat contained in her words, grimaced and stepped back.
“Okay, fine.”
He then headed to the refrigerator.
“But instead, I’ll mix something for you. Is that okay? If you drink this straight from the start, it’ll upset your stomach.”
“Okay~!”
“P-please, a little for me too...!”
“You’ll be sipping gruel in the ER tonight.”
“Kyaaaak! My joints... don’t bend them!”
The gloomy atmosphere from earlier had become bright and cheerful. Seeing Jo Ah-yoon’s noticeably elevated mood, Han Jae-jung smiled contentedly. Uninvited guests they may be, but when it was like this, it wasn’t so bad.
As he took out ice and juice, Baek A-hee spoke up in front of him.
“Ah, and this is really just a minor story.”
“Yes. What is it?”
“Dabih said she promoted this shop to her seniors, right?”
“Yes. What about it?”
“It seems that news made its way to Headquarters.”
“Okay.”
“They said they’d like to use this cafe as a base of operations for this D5 City Incident.”
“Okay... wait, what?”
How is that a minor story? When he shot her a look that said exactly that, Baek A-hee merely smiled shamelessly.
“Compared to me and Jae-jung ssi sharing a glass together... it’s a minor story, right? Why are you looking at me like that?”
What a fox. Han Jae-jung swallowed a curse deep inside.