episode_0041
by fnovelpiaThe four of them gathered together and headed straight to the fancy restaurant that Si-eun had mentioned.
The interior wasn’t that big, but the atmosphere was very old-fashioned.
“Oh… … .”
Ruina exclaimed in admiration as she looked around the dark brown wooden interior.
Sitting next to her, I also found myself looking around.
“There was a restaurant like this near my commute. I had no idea.”
“This place is pretty famous. It hasn’t been open for long, but influencers come here often.”
Si-eun, sitting across from me, took out a paper coupon from her handbag and chuckled.
“The price is a little high, but if you have these guys, everything will be fine.”
◦There are only two more than that. So, isn’t that only two people getting the discount?”
There are two coupons in Si-eun’s hand.
And there were four people in our group.
“Tsk tsk tsk. Don’t worry about that part. Who is this older sister?”
A hero ranked 10th in popularity polls, who proudly points at himself with his good arm.
Yeah, yeah. I worried for nothing.
When I was wrestling with stacks of papers in the office.
Even if Si-eun just breathes, she will still be receiving the same amount of salary.
But I am also an unknown hero who will soon receive a large sum of money.
Later, when I have time, I should buy Si-eun a meal.
“By the way… … .”
Exactly 10cm from the smiling Si-eun.
I rolled my eyes to the side.
There, sitting, was Kyungtae, stiff and rigid, in a military-style posture.
“Hey, Mr. Yoo Kyung-tae.”
“Huh, huh?”
“You’re the only one who’s really nervous right now. Are you okay?”
“Uh… … . I… … . Uh… … .”
It looks like you’re not okay at all, since you can’t even answer properly.
First of all, Ruina and I had no choice but to sit in the same line.
Not only are we not on good terms with Si-eun, but Ruina would never give up her seat next to me.
Then, naturally, the remaining seats had to be occupied by Si-eun and Gyeong-tae.
Wasn’t this guy even thinking about that?
“Ahaha. Mr. Kyungtae. It’s a bit expensive here, but don’t be too stiff. I’ll pay today.”
chuck!
A bright follow from a woman who seems completely unaware that she is the reason why Kyung-tae is frozen now.
“Ah… . Ha. Ha. Ha… … .”
Kyungtae could only barely accept that brightness with a robotic, stiff voice.
To begin with, today’s meeting wasn’t a blind date or a matchmaking meeting.
I really don’t know if that guy is okay…
* * *
Soon, the food was placed on the table one by one.
Starting with simple appetizers, toasted bread, salad mixed with organic vegetables, sirloin steak with appetizing colors, and seafood pasta plated in a circle.
It was an authentic Western-style meal that could be called the entry-level class of fine dining, not overly fancy but not completely commonplace either.
“The sheep are all small… … .”
It was Ruina’s confident remark as she looked down at the food on the table.
Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do.
Because high-end restaurants tend to focus on quality rather than quantity.
“But if you actually eat it all, you’ll feel full? Yuri-ssi must be a picky eater to begin with. Haha.”
“Oh my. Thank you. Haha.”
Ruina nodded in response to Si-eun’s words, which were neither a compliment nor a sarcastic remark.
When I see them laughing together even though it’s not a situation to laugh at all, I wonder if it’s a fight between women…
“Honey. Aang~♡”
Until just now, Ruina had an expression on her face as if she had chewed on a bug, but as she thrust her fork at me, holding a piece of meat in it, her appearance had completely changed.
“Here?”
“Yeah. Here.”
As if telling me to eat it quickly.
The silent pressure of Ruina poking her fork.
Where did that tense look go?
I carefully observed Kyungtae’s expression, who had become the embodiment of jealousy with twinkles in his eyes, and I put the fork in my mouth.
“Hehe. Is it tasty?”
“Ugh… … .”
The texture of the tender sirloin is chewy and elastic.
I found myself nodding in agreement with the taste and texture that I couldn’t find in ordinary meat dishes.
“Whew. Thank goodness. I was worried it wouldn’t suit my taste.”
Was Ruina watching me feed her meat?
Si-eun let out a sigh of relief and dug into the piece of meat she had cut with her fork.
“Well, we can’t lose either. Right?”
“Of course─ huh??”
Kyungtae let out a dumbfounded voice, as if he didn’t understand for a moment what was happening to him.
Well, it made sense since the woman next to me was thrusting her fork into my mouth just like Ruina had done to me.
“There he goes again.”
He shook his head and frowned at Si-eun’s actions that could easily confuse the man.
During my time as an academy cadet.
Many men’s noses were pierced by that vixen’s behavior, which she was completely unaware of.
However, when someone actually confessed their feelings, Si-eun would not only deny it but also act like she wasn’t interested at all.
Maybe it’s because I, too, fell into that trap when I was in the midst of my fiery teenage years.
Right now, that rascal’s behavior just seemed unpleasant.
“Eat it quickly. This is a rare opportunity, right?”
“Uh, uh… … .”
At my words, Kyungtae’s mouth slowly moves towards the fork.
And then soon, quickly.
I put the steak that Si-eun handed me, who I could confidently say was not thinking about anything, into my mouth.
“Is it delicious?”
“Ugh… … !”
“Oh, oh? Is it not tasty?”
Si-eun was quite surprised by Kyung-tae’s reaction, which was tearful rather than answering.
“No. That’s because it’s so delicious.”
Kyungtae nodded his head vigorously in agreement with my assistance.
“Ahaha. Then that’s good.”
“Haa… … .”
I could already guess roughly what was going on in Gyeongtae’s mind.
It would be better to warn him in advance so he doesn’t get hurt later.
It was while we were continuing our meal and chatting like that for a long time.
Booo …
The vibration of a new cell phone in your pocket.
I slowly lifted my head under the table and looked down at the screen.
For some reason, it was Team Leader Lee Tae-seok who sent the text message first.
The fact that this guy suddenly sent me a text message must have something to do with Ruina.
“Excuse me, I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Oh, me too.”
As I quietly got up, Si-eun got up too.
“Eww!? Ewww!!”
And as she got up, Ruina, who had been munching on pasta, also got up from her seat as if in a chain reaction.
“It’s okay. Just sit down. I see that the restrooms here are separated into men’s and women’s.”
“Wow… … .”
Ruina pouted her lips, as if she was really displeased that Si-eun and I were leaving together.
“Please send it to Yuri. Do you think Sunghoon would have his eyes on another woman when he obviously has Yuri?”
As Ruina hesitated and fidgeted, Kyungtae, who had relaxed a little, readily opened his mouth.
This guy.
I don’t know what his intentions are, but thank you for mediating.
Ruina just glared at Si-eun, who seemed to be thoughtless.
“If you do something weird to us… … .You know?”
“Haha. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything. Let’s go.”
“Uh uh… … .”
We struggled to escape Ruina’s sharp gaze that was firmly planted on the back of our heads, and soon entered a curved hallway in the corner of the store.
“Hiya. Yuri-ssi is really scary. I told you I was really surprised when you called last time.”
As soon as Ruina disappeared from sight, Si-eun sighed as if she had been waiting for it.
“It’s not because you act in such a way that it could be misunderstood.”
“That’s true. I heard it so often that I was scolded not to live like that even when I was a student.”
“Did you even get a reprimand?”
“Yeah. When I apologized for a third-year senior confessing to me out of the blue, he scolded me not to do anything that could cause misunderstandings.”
I let out a hollow laugh at her shameless words.
It’s really surprising that he lived like that without getting hit by anyone.
“Of course, I had someone I liked too.”
“Oh, really? Why didn’t things work out with that guy?”
“That’s right. I was embarrassed at the time. I hesitated and then we lost contact.”
“You reap what you sow.”
As I said that coldly, Si-eun let out a low moan as if mocking herself.
“Oh, anyway! I’m here. You’re there.”
In front of the bathroom we just arrived at.
Unlike the meat restaurant a week ago, this time it was a really great place with a clear distinction between men and women.
Si-eun waved at me and stepped into the bathroom first.
After I checked that no one else was coming.
I immediately sent a text message to Team Leader Lee Tae-seok.
“Isn’t that Ruina’s story…?”
Looking down at the text from Team Leader Lee Tae-seok that came back as big as a bowl of rice, a question mark naturally appeared in my head.
If it’s the Supernatural Ability Research Society, then it’s definitely the organization that Pale Rider, who was barely caught after Shi-eun blew everything up a while ago, belongs to.
Could it be that he is trying to get revenge on Si-eun for catching his colleague?
“I’ll pass… … .”
“Ah, yes yes.”
In the meantime.
I barely gave space to a woman with her hood pulled over her head as she stepped into the hallway.
A woman with sullen, droopy eyes that could be seen slightly from inside her hood passed me and opened the door to the women’s restroom.
“Research group… … .”
For a moment, a thought occurred to me.
It was a list of villains that the Hero Nation always checked.
The table of contents is the Portrait Ability Research Association.
Starting with Pale Rider, a list of villains belonging to the group was listed in the brain.
And among them.
The details of the only female villain soon unfolded in my mind.
“A-class villain Stabber… … . Ability: claws that can turn into blades… … . Appearance: droopy eyes and a gloomy atmosphere… … .”
Thump!
no way…….
“That girl just now─.”
It was a moment when I couldn’t even finish speaking.
Tata-tat!!
Urgent footsteps came rushing from inside the bathroom.
“Get out!!”
“!!?”
An unexpected situation that happened in an instant.
Unlike before, the villain Stabber with blood splattered on his face rushed deep into me blocking the passage.
“Huh!?”
I was hit by the villain’s full-power body slam and fell over as if I was being bounced.
“Tch! That one thing that runs away is freaking fast… … !”
Then, Si-eun, whose shoulder was covered in blood, appeared, holding the wounded area.
“Seonghoon. The girl who just ran away──.”
Si-eun, who had been talking while looking down at me as I fell, suddenly stood up and shut her mouth.
“Hey, hey. Jo Seong-hoon… .”
“Ugh. Why are you doing that?”
“Are you okay…?”
Si-eun’s trembling gaze glances down at me.
As I lowered my head to follow her, I saw that for some reason my stomach was turning bright red.
And only then.
“Wait… . Me. What is this… .”
A terrible pain that could not be expressed in words slowly began to consume my body.
“Seonghoon!!!”
Si-eun shouts my name so loudly that her eardrums feel like they’re going to fall off.
“Ah, no! No! Nononononononono!!!!!”
And behind me.
Ruina’s scream was heard, much more desperate than Si-eun’s.
There my consciousness suddenly snapped.
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