Chapter 11: Fall Incident (1)

Chapter 11: Fall Incident (1)

TL/Editor: Raei

Schedule: N/A

Illustrations: Here

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The more I watched the video, the more convinced I became.

It was him, that man.

".....No..."

As I watched, new questions emerged in my mind.

Why is he going to such lengths for me?

Out of pity for my suffering?

Because he promised to help?

Or... because he loves me?

But can anyone really do this much?

How deeply must he love me to act like this?

How can he go to such extremes?

There he was, a harmless, foolish-looking man, furiously lashing out.

And he wasn't doing it to just anyone.

The number one hero in the rankings.

A hero even the most heinous villains fear.

He was confronting 'Shake' without any hesitation.

Shake speaks in the video.

"Our duty is to fight villains. We prepare for situations that could result in thousands of casualties. We don't have time for other tasks."

Despite the pressure emanating from Shake through the screen, the man stood firm.

"Don't have time? Then what is the top-ranked hero doing here then? You're so busy. Don't lie to me. Heroes have plenty of free time."

Even as Shake's expression twisted uncomfortably, he didn't back down.

"Why do heroes only fight villains! Shouldn't heroes unconditionally help those in need? Is it heroic to pick and choose as you like?"

He boldly conveyed the thoughts Song Soo-yeon had once harbored about heroes.

He had told me that he didn't hate heroes.

You view heroes negatively because you haven't met a true hero, he had reprimanded me.

But the man in the video was different.

He was voicing refreshing words Song Soo-yeon had longed to say.

Without stepping back from Shake, he expressed his anger.

And at that sight, Song Soo-yeon's emotions stirred.

".....Uh.."

A long-forgotten memory surfaced.

She remembered how she was lying on the ground like a broken doll, unable to receive help from a hero.

Her eyes followed the man in the video, pointing at Shake.

Her ears caught his voice through the video, and her mind reminisced about her past self.

All these elements merged, making it seem like the man was expressing anger on behalf of her past self.

It felt like he was addressing the injustice she had felt back then.

Like he was rebuking the hero who had abandoned her.

Unknowingly, Song Soo-yeon bit her lip.

The knot of resentment that had settled in her heart warmed up again.

Her breathing quickened.

Her hand holding the phone trembled slightly.

Standing there, she murmured to herself without realizing.

"......Aren't you scared...?"

Isn't he afraid?

No matter how much heroes claim to be on the side of citizens, there's no other group with as much power as them.

They are beings capable of erasing someone without anyone knowing.

Isn't he at least a little scared?

How can he confront things so directly?

Actually, thinking back, it was the same when he saved me from the bullies.

Was he not afraid then?

How does such a naive person find such courage?

..........

Or maybe, that's what being an adult is really about.

Not looking at someone with lecherous eyes, but acting when action is needed.

Song Soo-yeon had never met an adult she could truly respect.

Her parents were just as bad, and her teachers were all worthless.

But with this man, she couldn't help but feel that he was different.

.....Ah.

Song Soo-yeon shook her head.

When she felt her resolve weakening, she reminded herself.

Relying on others only leads to disappointment.

After all, you have to live in this world alone, and everything becomes the past once you're an adult.

She shouldn't depend on him; she should use him.

Song Soo-yeon turned off her phone.

She calmed her restless heart.

Yet, even as time passed, the warmth that had blossomed in her heart refused to leave.

---

---

Song Soo-yeon visited his shop again today and ordered food.

She sneakily watched him, pretending to be indifferent, waiting for him to say something.

Given the major incident he caused at the Hero Association, she expected him to mention something about his actions for her sake, or ask if she was aware of what he had done.

"Here, enjoy your meal."

But he only showed a friendly smile and said nothing about the incident.

Unable to hold back, Song Soo-yeon spoke first.

".....Mister. I saw everything."

"....Huh? Saw what?"

".....What you did at the Hero Association. It's all over the internet and TV."

"Oh, that?"

He seemed to ponder for a moment, stroking his chin.

"....Well. Maybe a hero will be dispatched to your school in the next few days. That's good news, right?"

"......."

He smiled sincerely, without any hint of boasting, and didnt speak of any expectations in return.

Song Soo-yeon couldn't understand how he could be so nonchalant.

Just as Song Soo-yeon, still feeling unsettled about leaving the matter unresolved, was about to speak again, he said.

"If you feel uncomfortable just receiving, I do have a wish."

Song Soo-yeon's heart sank at his words.

She braced herself, fearing what he might ask for.

Amidst her anxiety, he said gently,

".......Just be grateful."

Song Soo-yeon was dumbfounded.

"......What?"

"Just show me gratitude. And, don't go astray. Specifically, don't become a villain. That's not too much to ask, right? I've put in a lot of effort, after all."

"......"

His words, thrown in almost jokingly, wasn't funny at all.

How could she become a villain without any powers?

She just mulled over what he had said earlier.

Song Soo-yeon alternated her gaze between the table and him.

"......Is that really all you want?"

"I promise you, that's all I need. It's okay if you don't love me back."

Song Soo-yeon was at a loss for words.

Was he implying that unrequited love was okay for him?

It was clear he had feelings for her.

Everything he had done for her couldn't be explained otherwise.

Who would cook free meals for a stranger, risk their life to save her from bullies, apply medicine to her lips, keep coming back despite being insulted and humiliated, laugh off being called a pervert, a fool, a loser, and even confront the top-ranked hero at the Hero Association?

.......But, selfishly, just hearing his words seemed to lighten a great burden in Song Soo-yeon's heart.

"....You have to keep that promise."

Song Soo-yeon, setting aside her pride, sealed his words with her approval.

The man just smiled.

---

---

As Song Soo-yeon entered the school, she felt an unprecedented lightness in her heart.

She felt a sense of reassurance she had never known before.

Having a comfortable place to return to was a new and pleasant feeling.

While most people would find this comfort in their homes, Song Soo-yeon had never felt safe at hers.

Moreover, even the bullies didn't bother her today.

It was a quiet start.

"......?"

But it wasn't that they weren't calling her.

The atmosphere at the school had changed.

She recalled the video that had gone viral yesterday.

Could that man's video already be having such a strong impact?

"........"

Pondering what to do, Song Soo-yeon awkwardly conveyed her gratitude to the man in her thoughts.

Even if she couldn't be sure that the change was due to him, sending silent thanks to him was not a difficult thing to do.

---

---

Upon entering her classroom, the changed atmosphere was even more apparent.

The looks from the male students remained, but the girls didnt even glance at her.

It felt as if she had suddenly escaped the harassment overnight.

Unable to adapt to this dramatic change, Song Soo-yeon's mind was filled with countless questions.

Could a video about school violence really bring about such a change?

The bullies who tormented her never cared about anyone's opinion.

As she pondered, the homeroom teacher entered.

"Everyone, take your seats."

The noisy classroom settled down.

The teacher addressed the calm class.

"....I don't know if you've seen it, but there was an incident at the Hero Association yesterday."

"We saw it, teacher."

Someone from the class responded.

"Yes. A brave man questioned why the heroes can't solve school violence, right? There was quite a reaction, and it seems the Hero Association responded immediately."

The class began to buzz with chatter.

Song Soo-yeon turned to look at the bullies.

Judging by their reactions, they seemed to already know.

That's why they had smartly hidden their bullying of her.

"To eradicate school violence, heroes will be stationed in schools for a trial period, and our school is included. They will be joining us from today."

It made sense.

Since the man had confronted them with Song Soo-yeon's photo, it was inevitable that heroes would be assigned to her school.

Song Soo-yeon, witnessing the growing impact the man had on her life, felt a warm emotion bubbling up in her heart again.

Was this really happening?

Would the harassment truly disappear?

She still couldn't fully grasp the reality.

"So, the hero assigned to our school will start by visiting our class first. Come in, please."

In sync with the teacher's invitation, the door opened.

A hero confidently walked into the classroom.

Her beauty was undeniable, even with her mouth and nose covered.

The tight hero costume highlighted her artistic figure.

A bright aura emanated from her every step.

She seemed to be the complete opposite of Song Soo-yeon.

Song Soo-yeon was learning for the first time that a person could exude such freshness.

The entire classroom seemed to brighten up in her presence.

With a loud and cheerful voice, she greeted everyone.

"Hello, everyone! You're all in 3rd grade, right? Theres not much time left until your graduation, so we wont have long together, but I look forward to it. There's only a year's age difference between us! So, feel free to call me an older sister or 'noona'. I havent been a hero for long, so I might be a bit clumsy, but please help me out!"

She smiled with her eyes while placing her hand on her waist.

The homeroom teacher, who had been watching her, spoke up.

"...Um... could you tell the students your name first..."

"Oh! Right, silly me."

Her gaze swept across the class, then settled on Song Soo-yeon.

Song Soo-yeon felt as if her breath had stopped for a moment.

The hero, beaming a bright smile as if speaking directly to Song Soo-yeon, exclaimed.

"Solace! That's my name!"