Chapter 83: Birthday Date (6)
TL/Editor: Raei
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"Who are you meeting?"
Until just moments ago, Song Soo-yeon radiated a tender atmosphere, but now, she turned icy cold.
Lying down, she propped herself up to give me a frosty look.
...Well, I somewhat expected this.
I knew she would be hurt.
Perhaps because we were each other's first friends.
Though unspoken, there was an implicit rule that we should spend special days together.
She likely felt the same way.
It was natural for her to feel let down.
But this time, I had no choice.
I couldn't be with her.
Date or whatever...
I had to hear the name of the control-type villain from Solace.
If, by any chance, the villain's name turned out to be 'Luna'... well, I'd rather not think beyond that.
In any case, it was an occasion she couldn't join.
"I'm sorry, Soo-yeon."
"Did I ask for an apology? Who did you make plans with?"
Soo-yeon's emotions flared up.
I stood up as well, facing her, responding to those blazing eyes.
There was no point in hiding it.
She probably had her suspicions already.
"...Bom."
"........."
Soo-yeon's eyelids trembled, her face gradually reddened.
Irregular, ragged breaths escaped her lips intermittently.
She moistened her lips as if searching for words, her gaze wandering aimlessly.
"...Ha."
She was too taken aback to say anything.
I felt sorry.
There was no reason to be, but I was.
We weren't bound by any promise, but that didn't mean we should exclude each other without discussion.
Perhaps we were closer than friends but not close like lovers.
Trying to calm her breathing, Soo-yeon suddenly inhaled sharply and confronted me.
"You didn't say anything to me...! But you made plans with Bom?"
"..."
I couldn't explain the reason.
How could I tell her that I suspected her?
To someone who was hurt enough to consider jumping off a rooftop.
To my first friend.
All I felt was regret.
My lack of trust had led to this.
If she had nothing to do with the control-type villain, then I was just giving her an unpleasant experience.
Being each other's first friends, and yet, I was pushing her away.
I blurted out what I could.
"...I might not be available that day, but maybe the next-"
"-It only means something if we meet on the birthday!"
She shouted, eyes brimming with sorrow.
For the first time, her fiery gaze wavered, beginning to sparkle as if tears were welling up.
I couldn't bear to meet her eyes.
Frowning, I turned away.
The issue of meeting on a birthday might seem trivial, but as our bond deepened, even the smallest things became significant problems.
I guess I would feel left out if she excluded me from her birthday.
"Cancel it, mister."
She declared.
"What?"
"Stay with me. Why is Bom suddenly intruding? You're supposed to spend at least your first birthday celebration with me."
Hearing her say that stirred emotions.
"I'll take you to a hotel buffet. It costs 200,000 won per meal. I'll pay for it...? And I've even thought of a gift for you, mister. What am I supposed to do with that, huh?"
"...Soo-yeon."
"Or what, the grand hero has somewhere better to take you? Where did you plan to go that's so important?"
"...It's not like that. Calm down."
"How is it not like that, right now...!"
Unable to contain her anger, she abruptly got up from the bed.
She wiped her eyes with her long fingers, taking deep breaths.
I reached out to her, then... withdrew my hand.
Nothing would change anyway. I had to meet Solace.
Comforting her now would only be deceitful.
"...Am I really important to you, mister?"
She asked in a whisper, then turned to leave the one-room apartment.
I couldn't stop her.
All I could do was watch her retreating back in silence.
---
---
"Sh*t...! Sh*t...!"
Song Soo-yeon cursed as she returned to her own one-room apartment.
Tears streamed endlessly from her eyes.
She felt an intense mixture of indignation and sadness, as if Jung-gyeom had been taken from her.
While her ideal dreams were filled by Stella... reality kept moving in the opposite direction.
They're going to meet up.
Jung-gyeom never even asked her.
As if she was a nuisance to him.
They were going on a date.
She felt utterly helpless. There was no stopping them.
More than anyone, she knew she had no right to lecture Jung-gyeom.
She had told him several times that she hated men and was adamant about not wanting to date.
So, if Jung-gyeom did something to find a partner, she had no place to complain.
But now, she was acting as if she was his lover, spewing irritation and anger.
She despised her ugly self for this... frustrated that this was all she could do.
"...Sh*t...really..."
Why is it that all men seem desperate to have her, but only Jung-gyeom doesnt?
Could this be another curse?
Able to have everything in the world but not what she most desires.
Tears kept welling up a little more, driving her to frustration.
She felt foolish for having spent the whole day running around, looking up hotels.
It seemed pointless now.
...And the thought that Solace, not her, would be in all those exciting scenarios she imagined elicited an incredibly intense reaction.
Song Soo-yeon called Min-Bom.
After several issues with communication, she had saved her number at some point.
"Hello?"
That detestable voice soon came through.
Song Soo-yeon couldn't hide her emotions as she asked,
"...Unni, what the hell are you planning to do with mister...?"
"...Is that you, Soo-yeon?"
"What's with meeting just the two of you-"
Min-Bom cut off such intense emotions effortlessly with her cold reply.
"-I'm going to confess, Soo-yeon."
Soo-yeon's throat tightened instantly.
Quiet strength flowed into her fists.
She felt Jung-gyeom drifting further away from her.
A soft chuckle flowed through the phone.
"...You know? I invited oppa to my place... and he accepted."
"...What?"
"...Maybe he'll accept my confession too?"
"........."
The date location was her home.
Reality hit her hard.
Their relationship became clearer.
It was incomparable to a movie theater date or an amusement park date.
"......"
Soo-yeon unwittingly imagined Min-Bom and Jung-gyeom as a couple.
All his laughter and kindness would belong to Min-Bom.
Without Min-Bom's permission, Jung-gyeom wouldn't show her even the slightest kindness.
Pinching her cheeks.
The smiles he gave.
The comforting pats on the back.
The food filled with warm affection.
Visiting the one-room apartment.
Even interlocking fingers, all of it.
She could envision Jung-gyeom awkwardly smiling and pushing her away even if she mustered the courage to approach him.
Anger cooled into a cold realization.
Maybe Soo-yeon knew to some extent.
If Min-Bom confessed, Jung-gyeom would accept it.
There was no reason for him to refuse.
They tenderly cared for each other, not in a relationship that started with curses and bad nicknames like hers did.
They smiled and became close as if they were best friends from the start.
And there's no woman more successful than Min-Bom.
Beautiful, with a great figure, and a hero admired by many.
Rich, with a nice house... and power.
Jung-gyeom would be a fool to reject her.
In contrast, Soo-yeon was a villain.
That alone concluded everything.
Jung-gyeom hated villains, she had no right to be by his side.
The more Soo-yeon thought about it, the more her mind turned blank.
She wasn't someone who didn't know the basics.
Even Soo-yeon could predict the outcome of Min-Bom's confession.
Soo-yeon blinked.
She didn't want to believe the current situation.
Min-Bom laughed again.
Then, with a voice slightly embarrassed, she said,
"......If oppa accepts my confession... then, since it's my house... well..."
It was a taunt directed at Soo-yeon, but she no longer had the strength to get angry.
Her fighting spirit was completely broken.
The loser has nothing to say.
"...So don't wait for oppa. You'll have to figure out dinner and breakfast the next day on your own."
Min-Bom blatantly insinuated they would have s*x.
And at that possibility, Soo-yeon's heart, which she thought had stopped, felt like it was about to burst.
If they became a couple, what kind of love would Jung-gyeom whisper?
Pain rushed in all at once.
...Damin and Jun would just be a dream.
Soo-yeon hadn't forgotten how much their presence had filled her heart.
"And if I end up dating oppa, I hope you'll keep your distance. You know that, right?"
Everything would turn into a mirage and disappear.
Not just the kids... but Jung-gyeom too.
"Is that all? I'm going to hang up now."
So, without realizing it, Soo-yeon said,
".....I, I'm...."
"...What?"
"............Sorry......I'm sorry...."
Soo-yeon blinked absentmindedly.
Her heart began to roll in the mud.
There was nothing more humiliating.
But there was no other way.
She had to struggle like this.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
With trembling hands holding the phone, Soo-yeon slowly knelt down.
"........Sorry....I'm sorry....unni....for being so rude all this time....I'm really sorry...."
After a moment of silence, Min-Bom, too, spoke in confusion.
"....Soo-yeon, what's this all of a sudden?"
But Soo-yeon didn't stop.
The apologies that burst out swelled up, crushing Soo-yeon into a submissive position.
".....I...I was wrong...."
"....What are you talking about?"
Soo-yeon mumbled numbly.
She couldn't stop the humiliating apologies.
"I'm sorry......please.....so, don't take him away from me....."
".........."
"......Don't confess to him.....please don't do it.....please....unni......please...."
Soo-yeon's waist bent to touch the floor.
She wrapped her arms around her chest, soothing the pain, as sobs broke out.
"...He's all I have....sob.....I have nothing else.....he's the only one for me....."
"........."
"Unni, you have so much already....so, please....just this once....let me have this....please...."
"..........."
A long silence followed from Min-Bom's side.
But Soo-yeon kept apologizing.
Her ugly crying sound was transmitted through the phone.
It was the first time she had admitted defeat like this.
Not when beaten up by bullies, harassed by boys, discriminated against by teachers, or abused verbally and physically by parents had she ever given in.
...But not this time.
This was the first time she had begged like this.
There was no other feeling but desperation.
If this would make Min-Bom retract her confession and leave Jung-gyeom alone...she could kneel hundreds more times.
"...Please...sob....please....."
A long sigh came through the phone, making Soo-yeon flinch.
The response that came back was chillingly cold.
"..................Sorry."
There was a hint of guilt in the voice.
-Click.
The call ended.
Song Soo-yeon stared blankly at her phone screen until it went dark.
---
---
Tryno swallowed a pill, then asked Stella,
"....Is Luna still not ready?"
His voice was filled with suppressed anger, as if it might explode like his powers at any moment.
However, Stella just shrugged, feigning nonchalance.
"...Not yet."
Fortunately, Tryno didn't erupt in anger this time.
He firmly believed in Stella's words that Luna needed more time.
But Stella was anxious too.
She could tell that Tryno's anger was nearing its breaking point.
Every time he asked about Luna's whereabouts, she had to answer with bated breath, like pushing a toy pirate's sword back into its sheath.
-Crunch.
Tryno swallowed another pill.
"....Tryno. Don't take too many."
Stella advised quietly, but only a cold glance was Tryno's response.
What he was consuming was a drug provided by Liquid.
It could be considered a steroid for ability users.
It promised overwhelming power, but at the cost of unpredictable side effects.
It could lead to heart attacks or strokes.
It was a drug that traded lifespan for power.
Perhaps it was this drug that had kept Tryno calm and enduring up to now.
Providing the power he craved might also have calmed his mind.
Stella sighed inwardly.
...If only Dice were here, all of this could be resolved.
They could wipe out all those heroes.
-Bang!
Suddenly, the door to Luna's room burst open.
Naturally, Luna walked out.
Her steps and breathing were heavy. Even a fool could tell she was agitated.
Tryno and Stella quietly watched as Luna approached.
Luna said,
"............Let's destroy Solace....haah...haah.."
"....That's it."
Tryno smiled, apparently satisfied with Luna's decision.
But Luna didn't stop there.
Breathing heavily, she set a condition.
"....Haah...haah...It has to be April 20th."
"April 20th?"
Stella asked back. Her eyes moved to Luna's clenched fist.
Tightly clenched, it was slightly trembling.
Luna stated, anger seeping through her voice,
"....It can't be any day but that."
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