CH 194

Since Da-in left after many twists and turns, that night.

The four members of the PMC gathered in the room and were sunk in gloom.

“….Did Da-in really leave…?”

No. 2, with her face buried in his lap, muttered like that.

Covering her face with her beige hair, No. 2 muttering like that.

Red bobbed hair No. 3, who was sitting with her legs crossed, soon tried to speak in a bright voice.

“…Still! He said he’d come to see us a few times a week. Let’s not be too sad!”

“No… I’ll miss him every day. Teacher Da-in…”

But such No. 3’s words were stopped by the tiny No. 4, who was drooping on the floor and whining.

“…Actually, I’ll miss him, too.”

Soon, even No. 3 acknowledged his inner thoughts with such a drooping voice, and dropped his head on the wall.

So the three fell down again.

This PMC who volunteered to grab a straw after they lost everything, friends, and family.

And it was only Da-in, him, who cheered, comforted, and acknowledged all the wounded girls.

For the first time, they felt the warmth from an actual guardian that they had never felt before.

Therefore, the shock when he left was as great as they relied and leaned mentally on Da-in.

At a time when everyone was so depressed.

No. 1, the boy with gray hair with his back against the wall and his eyes closed, laughed and opened his mouth.

“…Are you all idiots!”

“What? Hey Lee Se-gum, aren’t you sad that Da-in left like this?”

“Of course, I also feel bad, but being down and whiny wouldn’t make it different.”

Having said so far, he opened his eyes and grabbed his sword and said.

“…Have you already forgotten what Da-in told us? There will be a big crisis in the world ahead, and that’s when we have to step up. Are you going to betray Da-in’s will?”

“What does that have to do with Da-in leaving us now?”

“It doesn’t matter. If we work harder and rise to a stronger level, won’t he look at us again?”

When No. 1 said it with passionate eyes, everyone started to get persuaded with the  ‘…Is that so?’ look. 

And No. 1, who felt the sign, made a wedge more definitely.

“Yes. He explained something about why he had no choice but to leave us. Didn’t he say he couldn’t help it because he had more important work in the company? So if we grow further and become that ‘important business’, won’t he come back to us, too?”

He said so, and muttered, looking out the window at the starlight in the dark night sky.

“Yeah… if you become strong like that hero, Stardus… Won’t he look back at us again?”

No.1

He’s the youngest of these four, after No.4.

Although he was young, he was precocious compared to kids of his age, who had been rolling as a hound in a criminal organization since childhood.

But no matter how mature he is, he’s still a child. Having lived as a hound at a young age, he was living with a big wound inside, although he pretended to be calm on the outside.

And it was Da-in who recognized his mind for the first time.

‘…It’s okay to cry. It’s nothing to be ashamed of crying.’

That night, after a heart-to-heart conversation with Da-in, No.1 decided.

I will regard him as my true teacher, and I will live as his sword in the future.

After a brief flashback, No.1 told the other three who were scattered.

“So, we have no choice but to train like we’re going to die and move forward. Eventually, when the crisis or whatever he said comes, eventually he’ll find us again.”

“…But still.”

“And anyway, Da-in always said he would come to us every week. If we don’t improve and show signs of stagnation, wouldn’t he be disappointed in us?”

“You think so?”

As such, the three showed their own conviction. Yeah, that sounded right, too. If they continues to grow, won’t he look back at them again?

As everyone is thinking about that and getting hopeful.

No.2, who was listening quietly, raised her finger and said to everyone.

“And, there’s something else we need to do.”

“…What is it?”

In response to such an answer from No.1, No.2 was quietly lost in thought.

She with beige hair, No.2.

She was angry at her classmates who teased and bullied her as a child that she had no parents, and unknowingly shot an arrow of light with her ability.

Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the child’s parents were furious because they were injured. As the story was misrepresented, she concluded as if she had committed some stabbing, and in an instant, she left school as if she were running away.

A basic personality has developed since then.

The girl had always become feisty and hostile to others. But deep down, she also wants to be close to others. That’s how she felt.

It was Da-in who brought it up to the surface and comforted his wounds.

‘You can make a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. Even if other people speak ill of you for one mistake… I’ll trust you, just me.’

She pushed him away at first. She thought he was just like other adults, so she thought he was just pretending.

But he treated her constantly and sincerely despite her ticiness.

She, who opened her heart only to Da-in like that, had no intention of ending only in an official relationship with him, the teacher, and his student.

With that thought, No.2 opened her mouth.

“Then let’s do the training like that, and in our spare time, let’s investigate Da-in teacher.”

“Investigate… teacher Da-in…?”

“Yes, think about it. How can such a talented person have never been exposed to the public? I’m sure he’s hiding his identity and stepping out of nowhere. Hero or whatever.”

No.2, Seo Chae-young, who said so far, raised the corners of her mouth and said.

“That’s how you find out the true side of him… Then he’ll tell us everything, so we can get closer. What do you think?”

“Oh, that’s not bad?”

“…I think you’re right. From now on, I’ll look up the old heroes.”

As they were so motivated to do a background check on another person..

No.1, who should stop it, was quietly thinking with his back against the wall.

‘…I’m sure he’s hiding his identity, yeah. That’s possible.’

Even in his organization, it was hard to see a man like Da-in. And what he’s shown when he’s helping them with their training, it doesn’t make sense if he has no combat experience.

So what Da-in told them about, “Working as a documentary at the Yuseong Group,” is likely just an excuse. He might be doing something really different.

Especially considering that he’s involved with Yuseong Enterprise…

‘In the past, the organization definitely told me not to touch anything related to Yuseong Enterprise no matter what.’

Although it pretends to be a clean company on the outside, it’s actually a dark secret that controls South Korea.

Come to think of it, Da-in is pretty quiet.

He could be working as a villain in the dark.

Thus, No.1 conveyed his view to the other three, and everyone listened to it and nodded that they would refer to it.

“Well, there’s no big problem whether he’s a villain or a hero.”

No.2 just said that much.

As of this day, PMC members had two big tasks.

One is to repeat training every day, to grow to a higher level.

The second is to do a background check on Da-in and uncover his hidden identity.

There were only these two.

***

“Something, I feel like the siege is narrowing…”

“What do you mean, Da-in?”

“No, I just had a bad feeling…”

In the original, Stardus had two abilities.

The ability to strengthen and fly with the power of starlight.

And another ability that she has, though not recognized as a formal ability, is a super sense.

But these days, I’ve been thinking about this, too.

In fact, Stardus and I seem to be the roots of strength… Maybe I have a super sense, too?

Or else I can’t explain the strange feeling I feel sometimes.

Well, I don’t think so. It’s just a matter of mood and condition.

But more than that…

“Guys, why don’t you get off me for now?”

“No, I don’t know where you’re going to run off again.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s right.”

“That’s right~ Endure it~”

Seo-eun holding my arm from my right, Eun-wol holding my left arm, and Seo Jayoung, who is completely hanging on my legs.

“No… I’m back now, and I don’t think I’m going anywhere. I’m hot…”

“I’ll turn on the air conditioner.”

“It’s almost autumn. What kind of air conditioner…”

Beep. With that sound, the air conditioner was turned on.

I sighed despondently in the meantime.

“Hmm. Didn’t you know this would happen after you came back in two months?”

“Da-in, eat some fruit.”

“Oh, thank you Soobin. Seo-eun, please let me eat some fruit, my hand…”

“No, I’ll just feed you.”

“Wait… hmph.”

Chewing on the orange that Soobin gave me, I rested. My arms and legs are numb, but…

Anyway, I invested as much as two months in growing PMC and successfully finished it.

So, what about now?

I’m gonna do another terror.

No matter how much Stardus has grown, it’s just not enough.

That’s how I started making my next plan.

Let’s take a break first…