Chapter 306 - Meal

After we had dinner, it was time to go to bed.

Actually, I didn't know this from looking outside, but I just happened to notice the time on the TV hanging on the wall and saw it was already night.

After somehow managing to shower (?) and coming out, I saw Stardus also emerging from another shower room, drying her wet hair with a towel.

"...Phew."

I caught myself staring at her for a moment before slightly turning my head away.

Her body was slightly damp, making her shirt cling to her figure, and her long hair was still a bit wet. Seeing Stardus so defenseless after showering was a first for me, and I felt my heart beating in a strange way. Right. Let's just go to sleep.

After I sat down leaning against the headboard of the suspiciously comfortable bed, I sighed deeply when I saw Stardus finish drying her hair and sit down on the bed right next to mine.

"...Are you really going to sleep here?"

"Of course. I don't know what you might try to do, isn't it obvious?"

Despite her stern voice, she said this with a grin.

...Her cheeks were flushed, but I couldn't tell if it was from the shower or if she was embarrassed by what she'd just said.

Meanwhile, she'd reverted back to her usual stiff way of speaking. Was she joking earlier?

Anyway, after turning off the lights, Stardus and I lay down side by side.

"..."

"..."

The beds were so close together that I could reach her just by stretching out my arm, which gave me a strange feeling.

...Still, I was feeling sleepy after everything that had happened today. Despite the situation.

As I lay there staring at the ceiling, listening to her breathing.

"...Egostic."

Suddenly, Stardus called out to me from her bed.

"What?"

"...Nothing."

In the bedroom of Karkaeas.

Stardus, lying next to me, spoke in a murmur.

"...Being like this, doesn't it remind you of when we were trapped together under the Han-eun Group?"

"Ah..."

I remained silent for a moment, thinking back to what she mentioned.

...It was right after I had finished the terrorist incident at the bridge. Stardus and I had coincidentally met when she went down to the underground lab during the Han-eun Group's Behemoth incident. We ended up trapped together in a room that suppressed our abilities. Come to think of it, this prison also somewhat suppresses abilities, so there are similarities.

Back then, she had kept her distance from me. She had stayed on one side, cautiously glancing at me.

But now...

"Hmm? What?"

We were so close that despite being on separate beds, it was essentially like one bed.

We were close enough that we could touch if either of us moved slightly.

...What's the difference between then and now?

Why were we so distant back then, but now we're so close?

As I pondered this, scenes of all the moments I'd spent with her flashed before my eyes.

...Me throwing myself toward Stardus. Us working together to defeat other villains. Holding hands with her to solve the labyrinth...

Right.

I just realized how much we've been through together.

"...Yes, I remember."

"Really? Back then, when you offered me snacks, I actually found it kind of funny... yawn"

Listening to her words as she lay beside me, yawning, I closed my eyes and thought to myself.

...Yes.

We've been through so much together.

With Stardus too. Somehow we've reached a point where we can talk so comfortably with each other.

Our connection has deepened.

...Too much, perhaps.

More than I had realized. Far too deep.

Thinking about it this way.

Considering how close we've become—perhaps too close for a hero and villain—as I reflected on our relationship,

I suddenly realized something.

Ah.

It's about time for me to leave.

"...Good night, Stardus."

With that thought, I quietly said goodnight to her.

"...Yeah. yawn You too."

Hearing her reply, I gradually drifted off to sleep.

With one last thought.

'...Still.'

If we're going to part ways soon.

Maybe just this once, it's okay to be comfortable around her.

***

The next morning.

"...Are you going to stay here today too?"

"Of course. Who knows what you might do?"

I gave a wry smile looking at Stardus, still in the prison with her golden hair shining.

...This morning when I woke up, I was first startled to find her sleeping right in front of my face, probably due to her sleeping habits. Then I realized for the second time how breathtakingly beautiful she looked in the morning, which wasn't good for my heart.

Meanwhile, after waking up, I realized there was a major problem.

"...Looks like they don't serve breakfast here."

The prison doesn't provide breakfast.

Of course, this wasn't a hotel and expecting breakfast service might be asking too much, but honestly, I thought they would provide something, especially with Stardus here.

"...Huh?"

Looking at Stardus sitting there staring blankly at me,

I shook my head slightly and headed toward the other side of the prison.

...Right. I might go hungry, but I can't let our Stardus skip breakfast. It must be tough enough for her running around catching villains all day.

So I headed to a room I had noticed yesterday while exploring the prison interior.

"...As expected."

I found a kitchen in one corner of the prison.

I have no idea why there's a kitchen inside a cell. I'm starting to reasonably suspect this place isn't actually a cell but rather quarters that were previously used by staff. It's much better than my old studio apartment, easily surpassing a motel and approaching hotel quality.

I opened the refrigerator.

"...This is ridiculous.."

Seeing eggs and other ingredients inside, I could only marvel.

So the prison guards deliberately stocked this place with ingredients from the kitchen area? Maybe in case Stardus wanted to cook?

'...But that doesn't make sense.'

Though confused, I took out eggs and oil from the drawer. There was even a frying pan... and rice? They had everything here.

As I was busily preparing something,

Stardus appeared near the kitchen, peering at me like a cat circling its owner, and asked:

"What are you doing?"

"Ah. Just making some breakfast. Even in prison, we need to eat properly, right?"

"Oh... right. So there were ingredients here. Hahaha..."

Leaving her to her awkward laughter, I focused on cooking.

She asked if she could help, but I declined.

...Is this situation even normal? A villain cooking for a hero, and the hero offering to help? No, if we're questioning normality, a hero sleeping in the same prison cell as a villain isn't normal to begin with.

Anyway, I used the ingredients from the refrigerator to make simple dishes like butter-toasted bread and omurice.

After plating everything, I came out.

"Here you go, Ms. Stardus. Please eat."

After I brought out the simple breakfast I had prepared,

Stardus approached me with sparkling eyes.

"...Thank you for the meal."

As we sat across from each other at the table,

I started eating without much thought after hearing her thanks.

As Stardus carefully ate her food across from me.

"...It's delicious."

She murmured, seemingly unconsciously, with a smile on her face.

...It's kind of embarrassing when she compliments me like that. Actually, I learned everything from Ms. Su-bin.

"...Next time, I'll cook for you too."

"Uh... okay."

After finishing our meal, Stardus insisted on doing the dishes herself and took the plates away. I could only nod in agreement.

...A hero and villain cooking meals for each other.

This isn't some variety show.

I smiled wryly at this absurd situation.

...It was a secret how happy I felt seeing Stardus enjoy the food I made.

And so,

Time in prison passed quite quickly.

***

Meanwhile, at that very moment.

While Egostic and Stardus were setting up house and living happily in prison.

"Director Lee Seol-ah! The protests are growing larger!"

"Foreign media is spreading conspiracy theories about Egostic! Major weekly magazines are publishing stories about how Stardus disappeared right after Egostic was captured..."

"Director Lee Seol-ah, the President's office keeps complaining that approval ratings dropped 10 percent in just one day! They're threatening to issue a special pardon if this continues..."

"Director, there's been a terrorist attack in Busan...!"

"...Haha."

In the president's office at the top floor of Yu-seong Group.

Lee Seol-ah, the shadow ruler of South Korea who had devoured the economic world, sat there with a haggard face, looking dazed at the flood of reports.

"...Egostic. Stardus. Please, won't you come out soon...?"

Her words remained a hollow cry.

And then.

[Han Seo-eun -Egostream]

[Sister Seol-ah. What is Stardus doing right now?]

...More than anything, she dreaded how the Egostream members would react when they found out that Egostic and Stardus were essentially living together.

"...Ahaha. Haha."

Lee Seol-ah just wanted to go home.