111 – Symbol of Peace (8)
“Kisaaa!!! “A lively morning today!”
“aaah!”
7 O’clock in the morning. I woke up one day as soon as the sunlight that came through the window tickled my eyelids. As soon as I opened my eyes, Haru screamed so hard that even Baek A-hee next to me woke up.
“What, what! Enemy attack? “Has a monster come in?!”
“hahahahaha! Jiknyeo is also really cute! “It’s safe here!”
Baek A-hee, who had been struggling, soon sighed as if she was relieved.
“Huh… Haru, don’t wake up like that. “You were surprised.”
“I see! All right! “I will be careful!”
Even though he had just woken up, his voice was clear and his throat was completely closed. One day, I smiled brightly and started getting ready to start the day.
None other than the Internet. Her routine was to pick up her smartphone as soon as she woke up and browse all kinds of social media and internet communities. When I open my eyes in the morning, I wonder about last night, what kind of event will call me today? I sang this song and searched for interesting events.
But that wasn’t the case today. The first thing I reached for before adding it to my favorites was the contacts app.
“Jiknyeo, come here too! “Let’s let people know that we are healthy!”
“Huh?”
A video call icon appeared on Haru’s smartphone screen. Three consecutive ringtones. The call was connected and the screen switched to the camera. The screen was completely black, as if they didn’t know it was a video call.
“Hello!”
[Oh… Yes.]
“Did you sleep well?! I slept well! “I’m healthy!”
She waved her bandaged arm around to show off her joy. A laughing sound was heard from beyond the screen, and Han Jaejoong answered with difficulty.
[I couldn’t sleep well because I was so worried about Haru. Mr. Haru, did you sleep well?]
“hahahahaha! Okay! “I slept well!”
[That’s a good thing. What’s going on? I’m calling you in the morning.]
“Aniki! This is a video call! “Please show your face on camera!”
[Video call? Ah… I’m sorry. I think it would be bad for my heart to see a beauty like Haru in the morning, so I will just hold back with my voice.]
“Eh~? I’m calling to show off my health! “What good is it if you don’t look at the camera!”
Baek A-hee, who was quietly listening to the conversation, intervened.
“Mr. Jaejoong.”
[…Vega was there too.]
“One day, you called me by my name and I was being a bit stiff, right? Do it too much. Besides, Haru is a minor. Do it in moderation. And if you really don’t want to show your face, Jaejoong, cover the camera and only look at our faces.”
Knowing Han Jaejoong’s fear of cameras, she guessed his intentions and came up with a compromise. A slight rustling sound was heard beyond the screen, and the voice became slightly distant while the screen remained black.
[Ah, I can see it now.]
“We are healthy! Don’t worry too much! “I think I could be discharged from the hospital today!”
[It looks like that.]
He was so healthy that he did not look like someone who had been taken to the hospital with serious injuries yesterday. It almost felt like the bandage or gauze wrapped around it was makeup.
“Come on, Jiknyeo too! “Appeal that you are healthy!”
“Uh, um… Well, Jaejoong. “I haven’t even washed my face yet. Don’t look at my face.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
[I told you to watch it earlier, but now I’m telling you not to watch it, so I don’t know which melody to set it to. Seeing as he knows how to take care of his face, Vega seems to be fine too.]
“Yes! “We are healthy, don’t worry!”
Haru smiled brightly and answered.
“I have no regrets about protecting Aniki! So don’t think too much about Aniki!”
That was the reason why I found him in the first place today. Even though I couldn’t be considerate enough to call early in the morning, I was able to convey my regards to someone.
[…Yes. Thank you for your consideration. You make such amazing sounds. I have to praise the person who taught me.]
“This is Jiknyeo! “Jiknyeo was worried, wondering what if Aniki was worried about us…”
“Ugh! “Don’t waste your day, Jaejoong. I’m sorry for the morning. I’ll hang up now.”
[Oh, that’s right, Mr. Vega.]
A sound that seemed to be suppressing laughter was heard from beyond the screen.
[When you come back, would you like me to ride a wooden horse?]
Baek Ah-hee ended the call. He then put his hand on his head and complained of a headache.
“Ah… Hangover….”
“Ah! Come to think of it, Jiknyeo drank alcohol yesterday, right? She says water is the best for hangovers! Now, bottled water!”
“Thank you Haru….”
Baek A-hee, who emptied the bottled water Haru gave her in one go, continued speaking hastily.
“Getting drunk is so scary. “I never thought I could remember anything like this.”
“Oh! Then let me tell you! “Jiknyeo…”
“Oh no! Are you okay. Really. Really really really.”
I sighed deeply and scratched my head.
“Haru, you said earlier that it was okay to be discharged today, right?”
“Yes!”
“Then let’s be discharged from the hospital right away.”
“…Yes?”
It is common for a magical girl who is hospitalized after being attacked by a monster to rest for at least three days, and usually about a week. However, depending on the individual’s discretion, the patient may be discharged immediately after hospitalization.
“I have to repay the favor to the extent of the inconvenience I caused.”
“…! “I agree!”
“According to the conversation between monsters yesterday, the incident that occurred at D5 was a dispute between monsters! As many monsters are coming, we will also need to respond in large numbers…! “There’s probably a lot of meetings going on at headquarters right now.”
Baek A-hee, who remembered the truth that happened yesterday, remembered someone with burning eyes.
‘That damn monster… I could have made fun of him more! How dare you take this fun opportunity…!’
[…Guardian.]
Baek A-hee’s mascot is a cat doll-shaped creature. Her nickname, Ribbon, stared at her with her cold eyes.
“Of course! It’s more important that the citizens were attacked! But I read in a counseling note before that if you have this kind of personal motivation, your efficiency will increase!”
“Jiknyeo? “Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”
“Ugh. “I just had a quick chat with Ribbon.”
Baek Ah-hee muttered in a determined voice as she unwrapped the bandage wrapped around her head.
“Then, let’s go to headquarters.”
Despite the dissuasion from nurses and doctors, they quickly went through the discharge process. It was a process I went through so often that I was now able to handle it skillfully.
And then went straight to the headquarters.
-Today’s meeting is not here.
Immediately after moving to the Magical Girl Headquarters. The unicorn delivered a shocking announcement through speakers located anywhere in the building.
“Yes? Then where…”
-Didn’t you guys get it yesterday? There it is. There. Pink Deneb… No, the cafe run by Jo Ayun.
A place where you never know when a conflict between monsters will break out again.
-There it is.
**
Orange Altair and Ara were just staring at one person in the cafe.
‘Han Jae-joong… I will reveal your evil identity…!’
Unfortunately, I did not get the reward of having the mascot monitor me all night. He stayed at the cafe for a while and then returned home. He washed up and went to sleep. It was the life of an ordinary person. There was no particular movement seen.
But she knows. The ugly identity of a man named Han Jae-joong. A wicked evil that despises humans.
‘Let’s see how long it can stay like that.’
Ara gritted her teeth as she watched him calmly brewing coffee.
“Altarimu. What’s the matter?”
“Don’t call me that. I am Altair! Altair!”
“I understand. “Ra, the sun god.”
“I really need to change my name or something…!”
Besides, the magical girl Black Sadr simultaneously used the nickname Jo Ayun had given her and the nickname she had been teased with since childhood.
After Jo Ayun mentioned that vulgar nickname, several people have been using it accordingly. Black Sadr was one of them.
“Why are you like this? It’s a pretty name.”
The image shown to the media is a cold and boyish beauty, but on the inside, she is just like an old man. I like s*xual harassment, I like puns, and there are a lot of things that bother me.
Well, since you can portray yourself like that, you could probably do something like acting as a side job.
“It’s better than Altarimu.”
“Shut up.”
As expected, Jo Ayun was painfully aware of the fact that it was not helpful to her life.
“But isn’t it a really unusual name? Usually, my name is Ara, but you just have a last name of ‘A’ and a first name of ‘Ra’. Hey, isn’t this the rule of thumb? Ana? hahahahaha! Oh my~”
“Please leave that mouth alone…!”
Ara was indignant and glared at Han Jaejoong even harder. He now decided to blame all the stress he was feeling on him.
‘Look, your eyes are already not looking good. I’ve often heard that a person’s psychology is revealed through his eyes…! That means his true nature is gradually being revealed…!’
Han Jaejoong thought to himself as he felt the strong scent of coffee rising.
‘You f*cking sleepy.’
He couldn’t sleep well last night because he received a report from the belt that he was being watched. He tried laying down under a blanket to keep it from looking unnatural, but he was literally just pretending to sleep.
‘That guy was really hooked. I was chased. Since he is a sniper, he must have a lot of patience. No, is he stubborn and stubborn?’
I haven’t been able to sleep properly for a while. Han Jaejoong clicked his tongue. The gaze still gives him great repulsion. Should I say that it feels like a centipede or a cockroach is tickling my back all the time? Unpleasant goosebumps spread across your body, making you feel nervous and hyperventilating.
From noble mtl dot com
‘Ah, I hope all these f*cking monsters die.’
He also decided to channel all the stress he was feeling onto something else.
[In fact, the reason Orange Altair watches over the Guardians is largely due to the Argo Family. I think this is a correct point.]
‘Thank you so much.’
Belts are more friendly these days. There are fewer unexpected quests, and I am more mindful of the burden on my body than before. How many times has he been at risk of death, so did he feel a sense of alarm?
‘Ah, it’s like this again.’
His left eye hurt again. The symptoms have gotten worse recently. As the belt becomes quieter, the body starts to cause trouble. Still, it was much better than the belt causing trouble.
If a quest occurred in a situation like this, it would be dizzying just to imagine it.
“What, why are you looking at me like that?!”
Orange Altair.
“Hey handsome oppa~ Come here and let’s play together.”
Black Sadr.
“Sadr. “We are not playing now.”
Golden Aldebaran.
“That’s right. Have a proper meeting. And then you get scolded?”
Green Dube.
“To whom?”
Purple Capella.
All kinds of magical girls gathered together in this cafe. Each and every one of them is a force equivalent to that of an army. In the center.
“…Because I will scold you. “Stay still.”
There is Blue Sirius.
“Don’t burden Jaejoong or Ayun. “In principle, you two are talking about something you shouldn’t hear.”
Yun Seol-hwa, who made eye contact with him for a moment, smiled kindly.
“Thank you so much for that. “If it’s something I can’t hear, it’s okay for me to leave.”
“No. “It’s dangerous.”
After placing the finished coffee in front of her, Han Jaejoong returned to the counter seat.
“Are you getting used to it now?”
“Okay, in moderation….”
Ayun Jo, who was sitting at the counter, asked playfully. It was a complicated question asking ‘Have you gotten used to drip coffee?’ And ‘Are you getting used to having so many magical girls around you?’
To tell the truth, neither of them could adapt. Drip coffee was hard work that required delicate handling for a tired mind, and considering who I was, this position was extremely uncomfortable.
“Don’t be so uncomfortable. “They are all the same.”
Jo Ayun encouraged him, but it was of no use.
I know very well that they were ordinary humans before magical girls, but the problem is that they are not ordinary humans.
“…You feel a little uncomfortable.”
Do you even know that you are in the same situation? Han Jae-joong did not understand Jo Ah-yoon’s peaceful attitude.
“Hey, I know everyone. What’s the inconvenience?”
Contrary to what he said, his hands and legs were shaking. Being calm now is just bravado. Jaejoong Han realized this and laughed.
This is the Jo Ah-yoon I know. Of course, he was in no position to say anything.
“The biggest problem right now is the group called Argo Family that is hiding in this city. “If they weren’t here, Libra wouldn’t attack either.”
A polite yet calm voice. The magical girl’s mind, which had been distracted just a moment ago, was focused on her.
“The most convenient way is to move the people and destroy the entire city…”
Blue Sirius sighed and laughed mischievously.
“Because we can’t burn down all the thatch just to get rid of bed bugs. “We are already facing a shortage of places to live.”
“However, it is difficult for us to pull that side out. He probably used his abilities to create a special hiding place. If we just take action and run away right away, there’s nothing we can do. No matter how quickly you arrive at the reporting location, they will run away first.”
“How about we ambush them and attack them? By releasing manpower throughout this city….”
“It’s not like problems don’t arise in other cities. “I can’t stay in this city forever.”
“Using CCTV real-time surveillance….”
“So you’re saying it’s faster to run away than that?”
“Then move faster, f*ck!”
“Write! “Someone cursed me!”
“Why don’t we invite a tactical expert and get advice?!”
“Did you know that more than one operation failed due to acting like a tactical expert? “Ordinary people don’t understand the magic of magical girls!”
“Aren’t there any highly educated people here?! “Let’s unify our opinions based on what that person said!”
“…I am attending college, though.”
“Oh, was there Golden? “I didn’t know.”
“….”
Amid the endless discussion, Orange Altair quietly rolled his eyes and glared somewhere. Of course she was Han Jaejoong.
‘All of our operations are being exposed to the enemy…!’
I couldn’t understand. Why are we discussing operations over civilians? I kept picking at my fingernails out of nervousness.
“Now, wait a minute!”
First, you have to stop talking. These people have no sense of vigilance. Even though Blue Sirius is a recognized figure at the top of the industry, he is only a civilian. How can he talk so thoughtlessly?
“This story… Is it okay if I tell that person? No matter how dangerous it is outside, that person is a civilian now! It must be top secret…”
She pointed a finger at Han Jaejoong. Everyone’s eyes turned to Han Jaejoong. Han Jae-joong, who became the recipient of attention, nodded his head without the slightest hesitation.
“I was waiting to see when you would say something, but I’m glad you said it first. I think that’s true. Even though I signed a confidentiality document today, I remain a civilian. “It’s better to discuss these issues when I am away…”
“Sign confidentiality papers?! Have you done anything like that? “I didn’t hear it…!”
Somehow, no one thought it was a problem. The contract was signed on paper. Why haven’t I heard this important story?
“…I told you earlier. As for Jaejoong, I vouched for it and he also signed a confidentiality document. If a problem arises because of this, I will take full responsibility… Judging by the look on his face, it looks like he didn’t listen. Are you okay. “You can just assume what you heard now.”
“Altarimu, you should have paid more attention.”
I was scolded by Blue Sirius and even ridiculed by Jo Ayun. Orange Altair lowered his head, his face turning red.
‘It’s all that man’s fault…!’
Inside her, she burned a grudge against Han Jae-joong, who tricked them.
“Anyway, let’s continue the discussion…”
“Wait a minute.”
“Jaejoong, I told you. You can stay. “If you come out like this, even my trust in you will fall…”
“No, that’s not it. Something just occurred to me during a strategy meeting. “If I can hear the story, isn’t it okay to express my opinion?”
He finished the last part with a sly polite expression and smiled brightly. Orange Altair even found that laugh disgusting.
It is a world of beauty. He is plotting a trick using his appearance as a resource.
“Oh, it’s okay. “The handsome guy over there has a nice voice, so please try pampering my ears.”
“Sadr. Be careful with what you say… Ha, yeah. “What are you thinking, Jaejoong?”
As soon as I was allowed to speak, I opened my lips without hesitation.
“If we can’t chase them down there, shouldn’t we just pull them out here… right? “If they run away before we arrive, we can hide first and catch them.”
“…How?”
“You said those monsters target civilians and make them disappear, right? Then we can call them using civilians as bait.”
Orange Altair understood his intentions and was astonished.
“And. Is it here? “Decoy civilians.”
Han Jaejoong pointed at himself and laughed shamelessly. The magical girls were speechless. Even Black Sadr, who was laughing hahahaha, lost his laughter. Orange Altair was the same. But the emotions mixed with that astonishment were quite different.
She was frightened and her hands were shaking.
‘How shameless is this man? ‘It’s so scary.’
That is not the spirit of sacrifice. It is an evil deception.
‘A monster will appear when he sees you!’
But it won’t be the number of monsters that the magical girls can catch. It is clear that there will be a wave of monsters that will kill all the magical girls who ambushed them to catch them.
That man plans to gather all the magical girls together and strike them down once and for all…!
“Absolutely not!”
Orange Altair stood up, banging on her desk.
Blue Sirius was slightly moved here. A great heroism that will not put civilians in danger. She is truly an example of a magical girl.
“What guarantee is there that you are not a member of the Argo Family? “There’s no guarantee that we won’t lure all of these people into a trap!”
Blue Sirius instantly became cold. He is a suspicious person who rather than protects civilians, he is suspicious of them. Ugly distrust. Truly a crumb of a magical girl.
Other magical girls were also astonished. It had a different meaning than before.
‘…Is he crazy?’
I looked at Orange Altair with those eyes. Then he looked at Blue Sirius. Most of these people knew about his relationship with Blue Sirius in advance.
I prayed in my heart. Please move on gently. Please be as kind as usual Tyler.
“Altaïr. “What are we going to do?”
“Oh, no. That, no. Excuse me….”
This cold voice betrayed everyone’s expectations. A sharp fear, colder than a sub-zero snow field, ran up their spines.
“How many times have I told you this? He’s someone I recognize. I’m in charge. And just now, he went so far as to say he would sacrifice himself.”
Orange Altair realized her own mistake at this point. It was too fast. Her mind began to spit out disbelief without logic.
“Should I accept this as a complaint against me? Or should I accept it as a challenge to myself? “Altaïr, you choose.”
I swallowed my saliva. I felt the pain of thorns tearing my throat.
“Do you just want to talk nonsense? Or, do you want to fight me?”
At that time, the cafe door opened and two lively girls came in.
“Sorry I’m late!”
“Have you been waiting for us, Senpai! Pretty and cute White is here….”
A more thrilling atmosphere than when confronting the monster greeted them. Blue Sirius’ cool gaze swept over the latecomers.
“…Why did you guys come?”
“I’m going out!”
And then he closed the door again.
