“So it’s about a 7:3 ratio? Maybe?” A senior hero with far more experience than her joked.

It meant that when she went out and resumed activities, the ratio of those who would throw eggs at her versus those who would support her would be 7 to 3.

Even that 3 was thanks to a livestreamer whom Seo Hee Won had saved diligently defending her, slowly changing public opinion.

In any case, since she didn’t start this job to be treated well by others, no one at the Center was shaken by such misunderstandings and criticisms.

It was a bit disheartening when the very people they saved looked at them with suspicious eyes, but that was all.

Work was work. You have to do it even if you don’t like it or find it difficult.

Today, the site that needed to be handled was a school building. Lee Sun Jin was deployed alone to an incident where an intruder had already caused many injuries by firing a gun indiscriminately inside.

Fitting the description of the biggest manpower shortage since the establishment of the Center, they were in a situation where they were fortunate to be able to deploy even one hero per incident.

After calmly evacuating the students hiding in the classroom, Sun Jin walked down the long second-floor corridor following the continued gunshots.

And at the end of it, in an empty classroom where everyone had already evacuated, there was a brown-haired woman firing a machine gun indiscriminately.

Casually deflecting the bullets flying in all directions, Sun Jin slowly entered the classroom.

“Shooting a video? What are you doing alone?”

At Sun Jin’s question, laden with a sense of pathetic disdain, the gunshots stopped.

Seol Ah lowered the gun she had been firing anywhere, took off the goggles she was wearing to check her opponent, and frowned.

“What the. Where’s K?”

I was waiting for K to come. Sun Jin shrugged at the grumbling tone.

“He’s dead.”

Bang! A bullet headed towards her forehead, and Sun Jin caught it and tossed it aside.

Seol Ah, who had been pointing the smoking gun barrel at Sun Jin, glared at her with fierce eyes.

“Don’t say that so carelessly. You want to die?”

“You guys are the ones who should know your place. Going so far as to mess with a school?”

When Sun Jin reprimanded her, saying they shouldn’t touch kids in school uniforms at least, Seol Ah laughed as if it was funny.

“You and K used to fight well with us even when you were wearing school uniforms. Do you want to protect others’ school days like true heroes?”

“Yeah.”

“…What. That actually sounds kind of cool when you say it like that.”

I’m a bit swooned. Seol Ah widened her eyes and placed a hand on her chest.

“Where’s Han Jae Kyung. Call him.”

Desks and chairs began to float in the air as if they were not subject to gravity.

Seol Ah frowned deeply. Ah, this is why I didn’t like her.

“But why Jae Kyung? Not Yoon Na Eun?”

“Han Jae Kyung will be with Na Eun anyway.”

“No? I killed her?”

Echoing what Sun Jin had just said, Seol Ah stuck out her tongue.

“Our boss said he didn’t even want to see her corpse, so we disposed of it at the crematorium.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Sun Jin chuckled. This won’t do. Since you don’t seem to have any intention of telling the truth…

“…Let’s start by taking a few hits first.”

A soft jelly inside a transparent glass jar. If Na Eun’s emotions were to be compared to a snack, she would be that type.

She was so honest that you could see right through her, and endlessly sweet. Jae Kyung was realizing that fact again recently.

“Ah, sorry!”

Forgetting to knock, Na Eun opened the door and entered abruptly, then quickly closed the door again after seeing Jae Kyung’s bare upper body.

Jae Kyung slipped his arms into his shirt and laughed softly as he finished getting dressed and opened the bedroom door.

Na Eun, who had been standing in front of the door still covering her eyes with both hands, slowly lowered her arms.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

Of course, I did imagine for a very brief moment what would have happened if I had opened it a little faster, but I only thought about it for a few seconds. Really!

Finding her innermost thoughts that she spouted out without any intention to hide amusing, Jae Kyung laughed again.

Since high school, Na Eun never had any qualms about being honest whenever she came to like someone.

He tapped her cheek with his finger, saying it was okay, and asked what the matter was. Na Eun then brought up her reason with an “oops” look.

“I wanted to get some of the books or materials I had been studying with.”

Jae Kyung made a troubled face at Na Eun, who said she wanted to bring at least those from the house she used to live in.

“I prepared everything in the room… Is that not enough?”

The room Na Eun was staying in was perfectly furnished with all the furniture and devices.

Knowing what exams she was preparing for and what lectures she had been taking, he had prepared the necessary study materials as well as tablets, laptops, etc. in advance.

In addition, he had prepared the bed and desk she used to use in high school, all from the same brands.

Cost was not an issue.

He wanted to give her at least a small compensation for taking away the things she should have rightfully enjoyed over the past 3 years.

If it had been a request to buy her something no matter the cost, he would have gladly obliged.

When Jae Kyung spoke with a sad face, saying he wished she had asked for something he could buy, she quickly shook her head.

“No, it’s definitely enough! It’s just that I think it would be nice to have the notes I took myself. Everything in the room is new…”

She made an apologetic expression. Na Eun, who only knew that her parents were being threatened and that she was indebted to Jae Kyung for safety, felt sorry for making such a request while receiving help.

“Do you like studying like that?”

When Jae Kyung jokingly threw out those words to ease the burden on her apologetic heart, she found her smile again and answered vigorously.

“I don’t like it, but I have to do it! But it’s such a waste. I must have studied hard even after becoming a college student, but I forgot it all. It feels like I lost out.”

Jae Kyung kindly comforted her gloomy expression.

“Don’t be too impatient. You’re smart, so you’ll catch up in no time.”

“…The biggest waste is that I forgot all the memories I had with you too.”

Jae Kyung fell silent at Na Eun’s next words.

Without checking Jae Kyung’s expression, Na Eun spoke with downcast eyes and pouting lips.

“The time we spent together will never come back no matter what. It won’t change either. That’s why it’s precious, but I forgot it all.”

“…”

“So I feel regretful and frustrated. And sorry to you.”

After watching Na Eun genuinely distressed, Jae Kyung didn’t say anything. It was more accurate to say he couldn’t.

Jae Kyung pondered for a moment before speaking.

“You said you needed the books you took notes in? I’ll bring them to you by tomorrow.”

“No, can’t we just go together?”

“…”

“I’m getting a bit stuffy staying here all the time too.”

Na Eun, who had been staying here for the third day since waking up, said with a smile.

Jae Kyung paused for a moment before gently stroking her hair.

“It’s too dangerous outside, so no.”

I’m sorry I can’t take you out. As he muttered like that, Na Eun asked,

“But if it’s dangerous for me, isn’t it dangerous for you too, Jae Kyung?”

“…”

“Jae Kyung, what if we just go to the police and request personal protection or something? You can’t take care of me forever… When I think about it, this kind of problem should be solved with the help of public authority! My mom and dad will be worried if they can’t see me for too long…”

“…Na Eun, what are you talking about.”

Jae Kyung, who had been keeping silent, widened his eyes in surprise.

Just as Na Eun was about to be startled by Jae Kyung’s unexpected reaction, he hurriedly cupped her cheeks with both hands and made her look up at him. His gaze filled with worry was directed at her.

“They passed away 3 years ago.”

“…”

“You don’t remember?”

What do you mean? Na Eun furrowed her brows in bewilderment.

“Passed away… You said it yourself, Jae Kyung. That we’re living apart right now because it’s dangerous…”

“I never said that, Na Eun.”

Jae Kyung worriedly caressed her cheek with his thumb.

“I’m sure I told you the truth after you woke up, but you don’t remember?”

“…No, I’m sure I remember everything…”

Remember… and… do I? Am I remembering everything correctly?

As Na Eun’s answer slowed down and her focus blurred, Jae Kyung’s black eyes scanned her face.

She squeezed her eyes shut and lowered her head from the sudden headache.

Jae Kyung hurriedly embraced Na Eun from above as she sank to the floor, clutching her head.

“Na Eun, are you okay?”

“Jae Kyung, my head hurts so much… What’s wrong with me.”

“It’s probably an aftereffect of the accident. You need to rest for a bit.”

Jae Kyung slid his arms under her back and knees and picked Na Eun up.

Crossing the wide living room and entering Na Eun’s room, Jae Kyung laid her on the soft bed.

After meticulously pulling the covers up to her chest, he gently placed a hand on her forehead.

“Don’t think about anything and rest today. I’ll bring what you mentioned earlier tomorrow.”

“…Did my mom and dad pass away? Why?”

“…I’ll tell you the reason later. Let’s calm down for now.”

Unable to accept the situation, Na Eun became confused and soon burst into tears.

“That can’t be… Why would my mom and dad…”

“Na Eun, calm down.”

“No. It’s a lie. Jae Kyung, why…”

As she complained of pain from the intense headache that came amid it all, Jae Kyung hesitated for a moment before taking out a pill from the drawer.

When he made her swallow it with water, Na Eun obediently took the medicine and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Jae Kyung silently looked down at Na Eun for a while as she lay with her eyes closed, as if she had fainted from the intensely strong desire to sleep.

His gaze darkened as he wiped her sweaty forehead with the back of his hand.

He was trying to calm himself down as well, feeling his already dark heart sinking further into the abyss.

Beep beep-.

Noticing his phone ringing, he picked it up and looked at the screen, his brow furrowing nicely.

It wasn’t the good news he had been hearing frequently recently. It was that Seol Ah had been seriously injured in a battle with L.

Although it was not uncommon for life and death to be at stake in this line of work, what annoyed Jae Kyung was for a different reason.

If Seol Ah, who was currently fighting on the frontlines, became incapacitated, the next in line among the current executive-level personnel to take action was Jae Kyung.

His short vacation had come to an end.