Chapter 441 - Side Story. Lily Of The Valley (15)

After stopping the broadcasting station terror attack.

We returned to our daily lives, knowing only the unsettling fact that the Han-Eun Group was preparing something, until we could mobilize all of South Korea's advanced GPS capabilities to find their headquarters.

Of course, during that time my broadcast and Han-Eun Group's new ability users became issues, but the flames didn't spread too far.

Perhaps it was because we defeated them too easily twice in a row. The atmosphere was shifting as people gradually thought, "Huh? Is the Han-Eun Group not that big of a deal?"

And truthfully, that was the trend we wanted. With Han-Eun Group plotting something, it would be safer if the public didn't pay much attention to them.

If there was another issue, it was that a few days after the broadcasting station terror attack, Seo-eun, who had become less talkative and seemed to be quietly contemplating something for a while...

One night...

...finally approached me and spoke.

"Oppa... I have something to confess."

"Yes, Seo-eun. What is it?"

After hesitating before speaking to me, Seo-eun finally spoke with difficulty.

That story, as expected.

She said she also knew about the electrical ability of the Han-Eun Group that we saw at the broadcasting station.

"...To be precise, it was the ability of an older sister who was a test subject with me..."

"Oppa. You know, right? That I was experimented on at the Han-Eun Group... Experiments to artificially create ability users."

"In that experiment, there were four more test subjects besides me..."

And so Seo-eun.

She painfully told me the story of her past at the Han-Eun Group, which she had never shared with me before.

The abilities that the Han-Eun Group was researching at that time were four in total.

The flame ability to spew fire from hands.

The electrical ability that allows one to run as fast as lightning.

Body enhancement that makes the body as hard as rock.

Super intelligence that gives one the mind of a genius.

Four children were selected as test subjects to artificially implant each ability.

And Seo-eun was, naturally, the child corresponding to super intelligence.

"...So. I think the remaining ability user probably has the body enhancement ability."

If that experiment truly succeeded.

In the living room on a dark night.

Sitting with her knees together next to the softly glowing living room light, Seo-eun mumbled to me.

And to those words, I nodded in agreement.

"...Yes. Seo-eun. Thank you for telling me."

That's what I said.

In fact, I knew somewhat about Seo-eun's past circumstances through the original work, but since it was only briefly shown in flashbacks from the villain 'White Witch's' perspective, hearing it directly from Seo-eun's lips was still something new.

Before I could say anything more at that moment.

Seo-eun spoke first with a sad expression.

"Oppa... You're not asking what happened to the other test subjects besides me?"

"...."

"That's right. They all died. Everyone... while trying to escape together. At the end, they were all caught..."

"Without them... I would never have been able to endure back then..."

As she mumbled these words, Seo-eun didn't cry.

Rather than crying, she had a pained expression. As if just speaking this fact aloud was difficult.

So I didn't ask for more details.

Following those words, Seo-eun then spoke to me with a slightly tearful voice.

"So... Oppa. I have a request."

"...Yes, Seo-eun. What is it?"

"I... want to kill Dr. Kim Sun-woo of the Han-Eun Group... the one who orchestrated everything, with my own hands."

With reddened eyes, she raised her face from her knees and spoke to me directly.

Six years since Han Seo-eun escaped from the Han-Eun Group.

It seems her nightmare still hasn't ended.

After hearing that story, I thought briefly.

In fact, giving Seo-eun the opportunity to take down that guy is quite dangerous.

It's more efficient to handle any enemy quickly and decisively, striking them all at once when they're off guard.

But.

'.....'

In the end, this is for Seo-eun's sake.

And ultimately, everything I do is for Seo-eun.

"Alright."

I nodded.

Thinking that I would have to watch over her more thoroughly from behind.

To my answer.

"...Thank you, Oppa."

Seo-eun gave me a smile with her reddened eyes for the first time today.

A smile that made me feel my decision was meaningful, just for that one smile.

Anyway, after the broadcasting station incident was settled.

As I mentioned earlier, until the tracking was complete, we returned to our daily lives.

"Now, Seo-eun. Try to dodge!"

"Yes...! Hap!!"

Of course, even after returning to daily life, combat training between me and Seo-eun continued for the next battle. Since we never know when another fight might occur.

Besides that, I also made several other preparations.

"Seo-eun. Just in case, let's install a dating app."

"Yes... What?! D-d-dating app? No, that's, oh my, Oppa..."

"I heard dating apps have location tracking features? Since we don't know what might happen, let's install them in advance."

"....."

Seo-eun, who had momentarily frozen with a reddened face at my words, soon turned pale and glared at me coldly before saying:

"Sigh... Oppa. If that's what you want, there are better methods than installing some app... Leave it to me."

'...I already know Oppa's location anyway... really...'

Watching Seo-eun mumble something and start making something, I scratched my cheek.

I was just trying to tease her a bit, but I didn't expect such a strong reaction.

Anyway, days passed like this.

And soon it became autumn.

"Oppa. I'm off to school~"

"Okay. Take care."

I was able to see Seo-eun off as she returned to school.

And until then, I didn't know.

What would happen today.

***

School.

"So Han Seo-eun, tell us! What happened while you weren't coming to school? Were you sick? Did you have cancer or something?"

"Stop it, Yeon-ji. Seo-eun said she has circumstances she can't tell us about."

"....."

"Of course, I don't know what circumstances could be so serious that she can't even tell us. Sob. I guess we weren't Seo-eun's true friends."

"Ah! Is that really it? Oh my, Do-yeon, we've lived our lives in vain. Let's just die. Oh my..."

"...Oh really!"

After returning to school.

For days, Seo-eun had been getting annoyed at friends asking why she hadn't been at school for weeks.

...Because she didn't have anything to say. Could she really tell them, "Actually, my brother is Egostic, and I was late because I was fighting alongside him in a suit"? There was no way she could say that...

So she gave vague answers, and this was the result.

"...Sigh. I just had some issues with my brother. That's all you need to know."

When she finally said that to her persistently questioning friends.

They suddenly gasped and exchanged glances with each other.

"...Issues... with... your brother?"

"Seo-eun. Did you finally confess to your brother?"

"Oh my. Although you're legally an adult now, Seo-eun..."

"No!! You guys are just imagining things...!"

...In the end, one statement only brought more misunderstandings.

Anyway, school passed by in this chaotic manner.

And on the way home.

"Bye, Seo-eun. See you tomorrow~"

"Have a good time with your brother, hehe~"

After waving goodbye to friends who were either saying farewell or teasing her.

Han Seo-eun trudged along the alleyway.

"....Sigh."

Though it was just an ordinary alley on her way home from school.

From some point, whenever she walked this path, one memory always came to mind.

'Let's go like this. When I'm separated from Oppa, the umbrella is too small and my shoulder gets wet.'

The recent memory of sharing an umbrella with her brother, holding hands as they walked.

Whenever that memory surfaced, her mood automatically improved while walking through this alley.

'Even in these troubled times with the Han-Eun Group, memories with Oppa make me feel good just by recalling them...'

As she was walking with such complicated thoughts.

Suddenly.

She felt a chilling sensation as if the surrounding temperature had dropped.

'...What is this?'

An instinctive sense of unease.

With that strange feeling, Seo-eun unconsciously turned her head back.

"Mmph...!"

Suddenly, a white cloth covered her face.

Before she could take out the defense device she had prepared in her pocket, she was suddenly attacked by mysterious helmet-wearing individuals.

'O... ppa...'

And so Han Seo-eun.

After mumbling her last word, she lost consciousness.

"Right. This is Han-Eun Protector Team. Target capture complete. We're returning to the branch base immediately."

Carrying Han Seo-eun.

They soon disappeared quietly.

***

"......"

Home, living room table.

Sitting in front of it, I looked at the clock and quietly mumbled.

"Seo-eun is late."

Yes. Seo-eun is late.

A girl who had never been late since she started attending school.

A girl who always sent messages hours in advance when going out with friends.

She's late without a single message.

"....."

After realizing this, I looked at the clock again and quietly stood up from my seat.

It would be pathetic if I couldn't get my act together at this point.

Once I understood the situation, I needed to take immediate action.

"And..."

I will definitely make them pay.

As I mumbled that, my reflection in the glass.

Was frozen in an expression colder than ever before.