NOVEL NEXT chapter 52
52 – The Past (5)
A messy Han Su-jeong stared at the situation.
I couldn’t understand what had happened to the battle that ended in an instant.
A lot of questions popped up in my head, but I just looked at them.
After opening his mouth a few times, he pointed at Sandman and asked Lee Seo-jin.
“…Can I just leave that alone?”
“Have you ever seen a superhuman die with a knife?”
“No. That’s not… it’s not…”
I deny it, but Han Su-jeong somehow felt that it would be so.
Even knowing how useless long weapons are in a superhuman society.
Lee Seo-jin took a quick glance and spoke to Han Su-jeong.
“Wake up.”
“Yes?”
“I wonder if you’ve been dazed and hesitant all along.”
“Oh no…”
There were wounds here and there, but fortunately they weren’t fatal.
It’s just that I’m a bit weak and need help if I need it…
I just look at you with cold eyes.
As soon as Han Su-jeong sighed and stood up, she showed her will to never help.
Just like that, the first villain eradication was over.
※
The two went to the clinic.
It wasn’t a fatal injury enough to go inside the capsule, so we started talking while receiving treatment such as applying medicine and bandaging.
“It’s pitiful. Having skills is only at this level.”
“Ugh… I’m just off guard this time!”
“Careless?”
Lee Seo-jin snorted at her as if she was dumbfounded.
“Don’t be careless bullsh*t. Careless in defeating villains? If it wasn’t for me, you could have died.”
“That’s… I know. But.”
“But? Do you have something to say? With such a funny look? I don’t know what to say when I haven’t properly grasped even the basics like compatibility. What did you learn from being the head of the academy?”
“No. I…”
“To be honest, what I learned at the academy is not the same as playing in the field. Even if I had a good match, I would have collapsed on my own if I pressed down with force or did a few tricks. Did you think that was the same as a villain?”
“…”
“No matter what you say, what’s important now is that you were slick and what you showed was horrible. Even a passing dog would laugh at you. To think you applied for a hero with just that kind of ability. It’s absurd.”
Han Sujeong couldn’t say anything at the series of vicious remarks.
She obviously had a lot of hard work before she became a hero.
She developed her skills by sending a thorough schedule such as studying and training without sleeping.
But when she stupidly faced the villain herself, everything she had done so far was useless.
She was only thinking of showing off herself somehow to get recognized.
She didn’t come up with a strategy, she just pushed through with force.
I was caught in a dangerous situation without even thinking about it.
Obviously, there was a lot of effort in advance, but I felt desperately that the efforts of the past had disappeared and I had fallen into arrogance as I was arguing with the man in front of me.
“Stop it. If you become a hero with that skill, you’ll die.”
“Yes? Ah. No! I…”
“I struggled against a B rank lower than you, but do you think you would win against an A rank like you? That sounds funny. You’ll probably lose to a C or D, too.”
“…”
“Besides, when you face off against a villain, you’ll work as a team, but do you know how big a hole can be? If you know that a hero isn’t a normal team play, stop playing.”
Sujeong Han was speechless.
I should have said something.
I also had something to say.
As I continued to hear vicious words in front of my eyes, my mind gradually became clearer.
The decision she made in the end.
“…What are you so good at?”
It was a forced rebuttal.
“What?”
“Why are you so good at it that you say such vicious words? You said you only had a C rank, and you said you caught a lot of villains!”
“Ha… you now…”
“I know! It’s unsightly to say things like that! But just because you made one mistake doesn’t mean you deserve such harsh words!”
“…”
Han Soo-jung avoided her gaze.
She came out with the anger that had been sitting in her heart growing out of control.
She knew how embarrassing it was to behaving like this, but she wanted to say it nonetheless.
She said that she has put in a lot of effort.
Don’t belittle her own efforts so much.
Although she is the top graduate of the academy and she seemed like a competent hero who received an A rank from the start.
She was now a 20-year-old girl who was just starting out and was still struggling to shoulder the weighty responsibilities of being a hero.
Lee Seo-jin stared at Han Soo-jung with her arms crossed, and she spoke to her in a low voice.
“Do you know how many villains I caught?”
“…I don’t know.”
“You don’t even know how many times I defeated an A rank by myself.”
“Yes.”
“Well, there are very few people in Team 1 that I know.”
Lee Seo-jin gave her a short laugh and shook her head slightly.
“The average number of villains I catch per day is two, at most three. The number of villains I’ve caught so far is three digits. Of course, rank doesn’t matter… No one can do this alone.”
“Are you proud?”
“No. Do you think this is bragging?”
“…Then what do you want to say?”
“It means you know the villain better than anyone else.”
At Lee Seo-jin’s words, Han Soo-jung shut her mouth.
She could be lying, or it could just be a bluff to continue her current prestige.
But somehow, I had a hunch that those words weren’t a lie.
Without meeting her eyes, she glanced at Lee Seo-jin.
“I’m saying this because I think I know better than anyone and I can give you at least one piece of advice. Do I just seem like I’m persecuting you recklessly?”
“…I think it’s too unfair to say that after just one look.”
“Well. I’ve had so many life-and-death experiences with just one shot. How did I catch so many villains by myself in the first place?”
“…”
“I’m not an idiot who goes in blindly. Situational understanding, enemy force analysis, ability destruction… I’ve been able to win because I’ve learned and memorized everything.”
“…So.”
“You’re not ready to be a hero right now. You may be good at handling abilities, but you can’t grasp the basics, and you don’t have a strategy. Am I wrong?”
“…No”
“Besides, if today was an S-class big guy, it would have killed several of my teammates by now. Because of you alone! I had a good grasp, and if he hadn’t caught his guard, we could both have died.”
Sujeong Han couldn’t say anything.
If what has been said so far is true, Seojin Lee is a veteran among veterans.
It is clear that he met numerous superhumans and obtained information about his abilities.
And it is the most powerful weapon and advantage in battle.
There must be no superhuman with the same ability, so I definitely looked at it and came to a conclusion.
“Okay. If you don’t intend to quit being a hero, quit being a partner.”
“Yes?”
“Because traveling with me will only get you hurt. I prefer walking alone in the first place. I don’t have the energy to carry a load like you.”
“…”
Partners are not decided right away.
Basically, I go with the most promising team members, but if the sum doesn’t match, I can replace with someone else.
However, there was a point that it could be changed 3 days after the first dispatch.
But that wasn’t what was important to Han Soo-jung right now.
I expected that I would be recognized for my pure efforts so far and proudly become a hero.
I felt miserable in the world when I came back because it was a release that was stained with vitriol and defeat from the beginning.
It’s all the more so when you reminisce about what you’ve been through.
“Think about it and go talk to the manager.”
“…Yes.”
Lee Seo-jin turned his back.
She tried to move her steps as if she was about to leave.
I had the last words before leaving.
“And one piece of advice. Admit it.”
“…Acknowledge…?”
“Acknowledge that I am weak, admit that the enemy is stronger. The most basic thing is to have it. But you don’t seem to have any.”
“…I see. Advice from firsthand experience?”
“Sounds obvious. I…”
Seojin Lee stopped talking about her.
What was she trying to say?
After thinking about it several times, he shook his head.
“When the treatment is over, go home on your own. It’s not a black company that just rolls rookies.”
Lee Seo-jin left the place after giving one last word.
※
Han Sujeong sat quietly and thought.
Even after treatment is over.
Even after people leave.
As I sat in one corner of the clinic, I thought and thought quietly.
That’s until the clinic closes.
I trudged out only after the sun had set.
Then someone was happy and called Han Su-jeong.
“Sujeong-ah!”
“…Senior Donghyun?”
Seo Dong-hyun smiled, waved his hand, and approached him.
I immediately grasped the condition and spoke to him worried.
“Are you okay? Are you seriously hurt?”
“Ah. No. It’s all better. But how could senpai be here…”
“Ah. It’s nothing special. I got a call from the association. The clinic said it was still there, so I came to pick it up.”
“Uh… So you’ve been waiting all this time?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“…No.”
I was about to say something, but Han Su-jeong shook her head.
Seo Dong-Hyun smiled a little and pointed to his car that was placed near him.
“Take it. I’ll take it to you.”
“Yes? Ah…”
It was Han Soo-jung, whom I would have rejected normally.
However, it may have been because he was broken mercilessly and his heart was devastated by vicious words.
He hesitated for a moment, then nodded, and the two got into the car.
“Where are you going?”
“Ah ◆□ officetel.”
“Oh. It’s nice, but is he living there? Father… No. He seems to have taken care of his daughter’s stay at home.”
“Yes? Yes… I am.”
Han Soo-jung smiled faintly and nodded her head.
Without grasping the meaning of the words I just said.
A quiet silence flowed and the car started to run.
“…What happened?”
“Yes? No. No. I didn’t.”
“Really? Then it’s fortunate. I thought something else was going on. That idiot and partner. I don’t think it will happen even if nothing special happens.”
“…”
Han Soo-jeong chewed on the words silently.
She wanted to talk about what she had been through and ask for her advice.
She received vicious words and criticism from powerful people just once.
Because she felt painfully that she had been trying her best but that she had been in vain because of her mistake.
So, after she thought about it, Han Soo-jung spoke to Seo Dong-hyeon in a low voice.
“…This happened.”
Slowly, quietly.
Sujeong Han talked to Donghyun Seo.
How much time has passed.
After the story was over, Seo Dong-hyun replied.
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.”
“…Really? Donghyun sunbaenim also said that I don’t suit him well—”
“No. That’s not it. It’s not wrong, but that doesn’t mean it’s right.”
“…Yes?”
Han Soo-jung tilted her head as she did not understand Seo Dong-hyun’s words.
Then Seo Dong-hyun smiled and replied.
“Your actions might be like that, but it’s not something that can be decided after seeing it once. Besides, those situations weren’t critical. So I… I think I’ll do well in the future.”
“Forward…”
“Yeah. So… um. It’s kind of a stretch to say this, but why don’t you try partnering with me? At least I… Won’t treat you so contemptuously.”
“…”
Han Su-jeong thought.
About Donghyun Seo’s suggestion.
And about yourself in the future.
I thought about what to do and how to make it better.
“…I’ll think about it.”
“…Yes.”
A night to deepen your thoughts.
The day passed just like that.
※
After returning home, Sujeong Han immediately lay down on the bed.
I didn’t want to do anything right now.
I was hungry, my head hurt, and I was tired, so I just wanted to lay down and sleep.
But she kept her conflict in her mind and was hindering her.
“Haa…”
Turning her head to the side, she let out a deep sigh.
Then, her cell phone rang and she answered her call with a weak movement of her hand.
[Daughter!]
“…Dad.”
When Han Soo-jung answered the phone helplessly, Han Yoo-seong asked in a panic.
[Why. Why?! What happened today?]
As usual, nothing happened.
It was Sujeong Han to say that, but I wonder if her heart was hurt today.
“…Yes.”
Just like she said while riding in the car earlier.
She started talking slowly about what happened to her today.
When the story ended, Han Yuseong got angry.
[You mean that bastard dared to do that to my daughter?! She immediately… !]
“No. I’m not saying it’s wrong. It’s my fault for not trying hard enough.”
[…] Daughter.]
Han Yuseong felt sorry for him.
I wanted to hug you if you were by my side right now, but now I’m out of your arms.
That’s why I wanted to give advice and comfort in any way possible.
[So what do you want to do? Are you going to stay under that venom? Or are you going to do something new under a guy named Seo Dong-hyun?]
“…Well, I’m not sure. What do you think, Dad?’
[…] I am… ]
Han Yuseong was worried.
What kind of answer should be given to Han Soo-jung?
Should I wrap up my words and offer words of comfort?
Or should I use this time as an opportunity to give you advice so that I can grow to the next level?
A job like this one was difficult, but Han Yoo-seong had a vague intuition that it was a job that allowed him to grow.
He thought.
And the answer you came up with.
[In my mind, I want to tell you to change your partner right away. Because Sujeong doesn’t want you to be offended.]
“…Really?”
[But Sujeong-ah. If that happens, the stuffiness won’t go away in one place in your heart.]
“Stuffiness?”
[Yes. Heaviness. In a way, it could be a desire.]
“Desire…”
Han Soo-jung pursed her lips.
In a way, it seemed like he was right, so I started to listen to what Yoosung Han was saying.
[Sujeongah. I know how hard you’ve been working so far. Because it’s family. It’s not because I’m a father. Just because that effort went wrong once doesn’t mean it’s gone in vain.]
“…”
[So it was his fault for saying that. However, I think you must have heard and felt it too. Ah. I think there is something wrong And I think that maybe it could have been a sense of victory.]
“…Doesn’t it matter?”
[Of course it is. It could be dismissed as nonsense spouted by a madman. But… If that bothers you… If you admit it like he said, it will continue to linger in your heart. And if you miss that, it will never be solved.]
“…So?”
At Sujeong Han’s question, Yuseong Han paused for a moment.
After a moment of silence, he spoke slowly.
[…] Why don’t you try it once to be recognized by that poisonous species?]
“Is it necessary?”
[Of course not. Admit it to that guy? If it was like before, I would have told you never to do it! What kind of ignorant bastard dares to evaluate my daughter?]
“But why…?”
[…] But it’s because my heart is that I can’t forget even if I try to forget, and I can’t ignore it even if I try to ignore it. Besides, Sujeong knows what kind of child you are.]
“Heart…”
[I can’t see it right now… Because I can see you’re still conflicting. Because I think you can grow one step further… It hurts as a father, but I hope you think of it as advice.]
“…”
Sujeong Han slowly raised herself.
Then she quietly closed her eyes.
Very short. But she thought and thought very long.
When Han Soo-jung opened her eyes again.
Unlike before, his face was much brighter.
“Yes. Thanks, Dad.”
[…] No. I’m sorry I can’t help. If it were a company… ]
“All right, Dad. You know why I went to the Hero Association.”
[…] Okay. Yes]
Han Yuseong smiled bitterly.
However, on the contrary, Han Soo-jung had a lively smile.
The night was gradually deepening, and morning was approaching little by little.
Three days passed like that.