Chapter 15 – Shadow of the Hero Association

After some time, the two memories combined together and my mind entered a stabilization phase.

Han Sijoon from the game and Han Sijoon from reality.

The feeling of deja vu and awkwardness between the two vanished, and the stronger sense of self remained.

Such was common in the synchronization process.

If I were asked who I am between the two, I can’t answer.

But if there’s one thing I can clearly say, it’s…

I’m just Han Sijoon.

The same man as Yoo Hayeon’s childhood friend, her family.

That was an unalterable law.

My memory wasn’t fabricated, this place was a real space.

My existence in the world of V. AGE.

This fact had never changed.

“Hey! Han Sijoon!”

As I was having such thoughts, Hayeon approached me where I was sitting quietly and peering out the window.

“What’re you doing, idiot? Aren’t you going to eat lunch?”

“It’s already that time?”

“Pay attention to class. Is it right for the VP to behave like this?”

Hayeon looked at me, displeased.

It was true that I didn’t take the lessons seriously, but I didn’t need to listen to them.

They’re telling me stuff that I already know, how can it be fun…

The Hero Academy classes taught how to apply actual combat methods as well as how to respond to monsters.

But I had memories of clearing V. AGE numerous times, and enjoying it.

All that knowledge was already in my head.

They were explanations close to tutorials.

It was natural for the class to be boring to me.

I got up from my seat and followed Hayeon to the restaurant.

There were many students on our way there. There was even a student who looked exactly like the illustration art that I saw in the game.

This world was real, but still a world within a game.

Hayeon playfully asked me.

“Are you interested in any of the students?”

“…No. I haven’t talked to them much in the first place.”

“Huh? You haven’t even talked to them?”

Hayeon’s eyes widened in shock.

She couldn’t relate with me since she was always chatting with her female schoolmates every time I saw her.

I decided to break the uncomfortable truth to her.

“There’s no one who comes up to me for a talk. Whenever I make eye contact, they avoid me.”

“Ah, that’s…”

She had a subtle look on her face, as if she had some idea about it.

After chatting with several students, talks about me should come up too.

The rumors which spread everywhere.

It looked like she recognized that since she was also included in the rumors about me.

She began to explain with a confident expression.

“R-Rumors are just rumors! Misunderstandings can be quickly cleared up if you have a conversation! I’ve also been telling our classmates that they’re lies! So, I did well, right?”

“…Yeah, thanks.”

She’s not being annoying today.

Even when we attended different schools, she paid a lot of attention to me since I only had her as a friend.

As we walked and talked about the rumors, we managed to arrive at the Hero Academy’s restaurant, where there was a fragrant smell.

After I fell into this world, this became my favorite place. They served a variety of food with medium flavors.

I chose curry at the kiosk and waited for the food to come out.

Since most of the academy’s students came to this restaurant, regardless of what grade they’re in, it was very busy in here.

Yoona’s not here today either.

I always checked to see if she was here whenever I came, but I’ve never seen Yoona at the restaurant.

I’ll have to bring her later and feed her Tteokbokki.

The gift that increased Yoona’s affection level in V. AGE was ironically a type of street food snack, Tteokbokki.

Her tastebuds was closer to the ordinary people.

Ring.

I heard the sound which indicated my curry was ready.

I took the curry, and sat back in my seat again.

“Curry again? Don’t you get sick of it?”

“The curry here is tasty. Wanna try?”

“N-No…it’s spicy…”

A good-for-nothing who can’t eat spicy food.

Hayeon, who couldn’t handle spice, shook her head, refusing the curry.

If there was a hint of spiciness, she wouldn’t even touch the food. 

I wonder what’s up with her tongue.

She was so intolerable to spice that she could be a study for a research.

She could only eat the white broth Seolleongtang1, which wasn’t spicy at all.

Sensing my gaze on her, Hayeon wore an uncomfortable expression as she said, “W-What’re you looking at? You know even dogs shouldn’t be bothered during mealtimes2.”

“No, I was just curious.”

The curiosity suddenly struck me as I was eating curry.

Her question about if I was interested in any girl.

Did that mean Hayeon was interested in a male student?

From what I remember, according to the game’s description, Hayeon was more likely to be forever alone.

“Is there a guy you’re interested in?”

“Mmph!! Cough. Cough…”

Was she taken aback by the sudden question?

She seemed like she was choking.

Hayeon answered, breaking up every beat.

“H-Han Sijoon! You… That… Cough! Why are you…asking all of a sudden?!”

“Just because. I was curious.”

The question had actually been more of a joke, but I didn’t expect her to show such an interesting reaction.

After catching her breath for 30 seconds, she regained her composure and gave me a reply.

“I’m the same as you. I don’t either.”

“Hmm…”

“…What’s up with your reaction? Did you want me to have one?”

No, that’s not it.

I felt like I knew why neither one of us was not interested in anyone.

“Tsk, you can’t get married.”

“Why’re you suddenly picking a fight? Wanna die, Sijoon?”

Hayeon balled up her hand to a fist and glared at me.

If you actually hit me with that, I’ll die.

Calm down, calm down.

There was just one reason why we were not interested in anyone else: it was because our dating standards had increased having grown up together.

Having gotten used to Hayeon’s appearance, it didn’t occur to me that the other female students were pretty whenever I saw them.

The same reason probably applied to Hayeon too.

If not, whatever.

I had such thoughts as I looked at Hayeon. 

“You can’t get married either? Who will accept your personality? There’s probably no one in this world. Idiot.”

This time, I came in from the side with a counterattack.

“…Painfully enough, you’re hitting me with straight facts. Then, if I can’t get married, you take me in.”

“W-What are you saying…”

The money that the future S-Rank Hayeon would earn.

Living a happy life at home whilst having all these bad fates.

Wasn’t this everyone’s dream life?

Flustered by the abrupt marriage proposal, Hayeon said, “I-If you say it like that, I’ll think about it…”

“I was kidding though.”

“…I’m seriously going to kill you.”

“Let me off the hook just once.”

Hayeon’s face was turning red.

If I’m still alive by then, it’d be nice if you take me.

We continued our meal like that as we made insignificant jokes.

I wonder if happy days will continue to come to us.

While I questioned it a lot.

 ***

Huu.

At a Hero Association’s office, there was a middle-aged man smoking as he looked through several documents.

Without putting out his cigarette, he dropped it into the ashtray and spoke in an uneasy tone.

“It doesn’t sit well with me.”

Among the many papers, he had one in his hand.

The name printed on there was Yoo Hayeon. 

She had possessed a remarkable innate ability at a young age, and was now a student attending the Hero Academy, faring well in school.

The man spoke to his secretary who was in front of him.

“Approximately how long would it take for her to build up her track record, and turn into a fully-grown S-Rank?”

“Taking into account her current growth rate, roughly three years. If not, then about four.”

“…That’s too late.”

He felt that Hayeon’s talent was being wasted.

She was extraordinarily talented ever since she was young, yet there were many factors that inhibited her growth.

One time, he had tried to clear those obstacles.

Unfortunately, she had found a new home.

“Effort. Effort. Why is she satisfied with the way things are and not putting in the effort when she possesses that kind of talent.”

How could they wait three or four years when they were lacking in manpower right now?

Time was precious.

He put the document back in the paper pile, and posed another question to the secretary.

“Is there any good way? I’d like her to hit S-Rank within two years.”

He knew how to make Hayeon put in the effort. But he didn’t want to say it with his own mouth.

He was the type of character to believe once the words are spoken it becomes one’s “responsibility.”

The secretary reluctantly spoke up.

“…There is one way.”

“Alright, do tell me.”

The middle-aged man, who was sitting cross-legged, checked the picture that his secretary handed him.

In the photo, there was a scrawny, feminine-looking male staring straight ahead with an empty expression.

His name was Han Sijoon.

He was a student at the Hero Academy and Yoo Hayeon’s childhood friend.

The secretary explained the “way” to the middle-aged man.

“If you use a villain to dispose of this male student, it might have an effect on her.”

Losing her most precious childhood friend to a villain.

Foster a hatred towards villains, and make Hayeon grow up.

It was a method to create the association’s own hero, who wanted the bud to sprout well.

There was no hero without a tragic past after all.

A hero was an existence who always rose from the bottom up.

“…This child.”

That student named Han Sijoon reminded him of someone from the middle-aged man’s memory…

A long time ago, there was a child referred to as the boy of wonders. He cracked an unresolvable case with his own innate ability, but had vanished and was buried in the far past.

Information about the student, Han Sijoon was kept as top secret.

With a serious expression, the middle-aged man confirmed with the secretary.

“I heard he lost his power.”

“…They said his body has gotten a lot weaker. He’s attending the academy right now.”

He fell into deep thought for a moment.

According to the “prophecy,” he was supposed to be a redemption figure.

It was the prophecy about a hero bringing light upon the world.

But the middle-aged man was someone who didn’t believe in prophecies and the like.

What. How. When. Where.

Words of promise were completely useless to him.

He was a character who focused on the present.

The middle-aged man gave the secretary the picture and whispered, “I entrust this matter to you. Take it from here.”

“…I understand. I’ll put in a request.”

After his secretary said that, the man stroked his throbbing headache as he exhaled the cigarette smoke.

“…If someone gets in the way, eliminate them. We only did what was right for the world.”

Huu.

There was a thick cloud of smoke in the office.

It momentarily reflected in his eyes before losing its shape and disappearing.

The goal of the middle-aged man was only for world peace. If they came across anyone who obstructed their path, they got rid of them.

The Hero Association.

They slowly began to make their appearance.

Footnotes

1Seolleongtang is a mild Korean ox bone soup.

2This is an idiom. Just like how dogs get sensitive when someone touches them when they’re eating, it can also apply to people. It means you shouldn’t bother someone while they’re having a meal.