Chapter BONUS - Side Story. Return Of The Stars (4)

How should I approach Da-in when I meet him again?

That was a question Shin Ha-ru had been pondering for quite some time since regaining her senses after the regression.

She had considered acting hostile toward Egostic like before, but that idea was quickly dismissed.

After the regression, her goal was to save the lives she couldn't save before, and equally important was to connect with Egostic faster than before.

Shin Ha-ru decided to just be herself.

For the sake of the bigger picture she was envisioning.

Therefore.

"Hello, Egostic. You guys again. What are you doing?"

On the cliff overlooking the railroad tracks.

She arrived where Egostic was broadcasting and asked him in a refreshing voice.

"Ah! Here comes today's protagonist, Ms. Stardus!"

As soon as Ha-ru arrived, Egostic welcomed her with applause as if he had been waiting for her.

Meeting her face to face, he smiled his characteristic smile and spoke cheerfully.

"You asked just in time! I simply want to see what moral choice Stardus will make. What will you choose? Oh! And don't think about capturing me here. I have a detonator in my hand, just like last time."

"Ah, is this the trolley dilemma thing? Well..."

Stardus pretended to think for a moment.

Then, grinning like Egostic, she made the declaration she couldn't make in the previous timeline.

"Can't I just stop the train with my body?"

"Oh..."

* * *

[Pfft hahahahaha]

['Brains are only used by those who lack strength']

[She's seriously so cool hahaha]

[Stardus << I like this person more and more]

[Egostic and Stardus... this combination might work?]

[But staying calm in front of a villain really seems first-class? Why hasn't this hero been well-known until now?]

[Her thinking is totally different from ordinary people lol]

[Stardus! Stardus! Stardus! Stardus!]

[If she succeeds at this too, I'm joining Team Stardust starting today...]

* * *

And, though Stardus couldn't see it.

The public reaction in the chat and elsewhere to her attitude was very positive.

Even better than before the regression.

In the previous timeline, when the public already had a favorable impression of Egostic, Stardus's hostile attitude toward him had actually created a negative reaction...

But now, responding with a smile and composure like this, combined with her previous achievements, was causing Stardus's popularity to rise alongside Egostic's.

Meanwhile, regardless of the viewers' reactions, Egostic's expression was ambiguous.

More precisely, it was half satisfaction that things were going according to his plan, and half uneasiness because Stardus had made such a natural decision without any hesitation, contrary to his expectations.

Anyway, like the professional villain he was, he ended those complicated feelings with a shake of his head, then smiled broadly and shouted at Stardus.

"Good! Then show me! Stardus, your power! The train is coming now. There's no time!!"

In response to Egostic, Stardus nodded and turned her back, but still said to him.

"Ah... but I've never stopped a train before in my life, so I'm not confident."

"..."

"So, Egostic..."

After standing on the cliff.

Just before leaping off, Stardus turned her head slightly to look at Egostic, smiled, and said to him.

"Watch me. Okay?"

"...Haha."

With Egostic's faint laughter behind her, she flew off.

Her target was the train that was just coming in, tearing through the gravel path.

Honestly, at her current level, she could stop it with just one finger, but...

'If I did that, the same situation as before wouldn't happen, right?'

Shin Ha-ru thought as she flew toward the front of the train, her golden hair fluttering.

Her goal was to receive Egostic's sincere encouragement like before.

For that, she needed to at least pretend to struggle and collapse after stopping the train.

So that's what she did.

"Hnngh...!"

Screeeeeech...!

She stopped the oncoming train with her whole body, slowing its speed...!

And so Stardus "acted"...?

After stopping the train, she collapsed with a thud as if she had barely managed to stop the train with all her might.

"Huff..."

She fell onto the sandy ground.

Thud- as if completely exhausted. As if all strength had left her body and she couldn't move at all. As if she was about to lose consciousness.

...In other words, as if it was okay for someone to approach her...!

How long did she wait like that?

"..."

Her ears perked up.

Finally, her enhanced senses detected someone approaching nearby.

Opening her eyes slightly, just enough that no one would notice, she saw Egostic's blurry figure in the distance.

But he wasn't immediately striding over; he seemed to be hesitating.

'...Hmm, was the impression I gave during the ship terrorist attack too strong?'

Was he afraid she might suddenly jump up and grab him? That's what Ha-ru wondered.

...Thinking about it, that really seemed to be the case. No, I won't hurt you...

Anyway, after what felt like a long, long time of endurance.

"Ahem..."

Finally, Egostic approached her.

Even after coming close, he seemed reassured by her still collapsed state, and ultimately came right beside her.

At the end of that long process, Stardus was able to hear the words she wanted to hear.

"...Well done, Stardus. Stardus? Yes, you did well. I, um... never imagined that method. Saving everyone in that way, I really didn't... expect it. This is your victory. I'll be going now, so rest well. Other heroes will be here soon."

* * *

[What's with the atmosphere between these two lol]

* * *

It seemed like there were more pauses than she remembered hearing before, but basically it was the same. Seeing this, does Egostic prepare his lines in advance?

Anyway, having achieved her goal, Stardus sensed Egostic leaving and finally relaxed her body and exhaled.

Good. The childish act is over now.

'Now I should start... acting differently.'

She muttered that to herself.

Until this incident, she had tried to follow the previous timeline as much as possible.

...Of course, there were differences like revealing her power and changing the atmosphere toward Egostic. But she hadn't been too proactive.

But now, things would be different.

'I need to let Da-in know.'

That the Stardus he thought he knew and her real self were very different.

There are many opportunities ahead. During that time, she would slowly plant seeds of doubt in Da-in's mind. More accurately, she would germinate the seeds she had already planted.

Why Stardus was favorable toward him, why his perception of Stardus differed from her actual behavior... by making him question these things.

Eventually, Egostic would have no choice but to think only of her.

And as that process continued.

By the time of the Behemoth incident at the latest. Finally, the completion of the big picture she had been envisioning would approach.

There are many opportunities ahead.

Because she knows the future.

'Heheh...'

Having thought that far, Shin Ha-ru unconsciously smiled quietly to herself.

'...They say you become like the one you love.'

Drawing a big picture and making grand plans...

That's exactly what Egostic usually does, isn't it?

Is this how Da-in normally feels?

Thinking that to herself, she closed her eyes.

...But, by the way.

'Pretending to be collapsed is surprisingly hard work...'

Shin Ha-ru fidgeted, keeping her eyes closed and breaking into a cold sweat.

How long do I have to keep doing this...

Isn't anyone coming?

* * *

Anyway, time passed.

And that night after Stardus was "rescued"...?

[Egostic-Stardus Dating Rumor]

A dating rumor about her and Egostic broke on an entertainment show.

Just like in the previous timeline, exactly the same.

"That's nice."

And Shin Ha-ru was watching that scene from her sofa, drinking tea and smiling.

-Look at Egostic's words, everyone.

-"Well done, Stardus. You did well. In a way I never imagined. I really didn't expect you could save everyone like that." This is what Egostic said.

-Look at this!!! And Stardus didn't seem to mind at all. If this isn't love, then what is it?!!!

"That's right, that's right."

She nodded as she watched the panelists getting excited, just like before.

...How did I react when I heard this before? Didn't I throw the remote control and make a fuss?

But looking at it now, there really isn't a better show than this. A real cupid of love.

After continuing to watch the broadcast with a smile, Shin Ha-ru finally turned off the TV when the channel ended with a "Broadcast Check in Progress" message, and lay down on the sofa.

The thought that always came to her when left alone in silence.

"I wonder what Da-in is doing now..."

She looked up at the ceiling with her blue eyes, unconsciously reaching out her hand and muttering.

After the regression, the time without seeing Da-in somehow felt empty. A feeling of hollowness and meaningless waiting.

Of course, there were interesting aspects too. Like the Association Director's reaction when he was shocked by her power and desperately asked how she had gotten so strong, or the reactions of Shadow Walker and Lee Seol-ah.

Certainly, regressing with this power was meaningful because it meant she could save many more people, but...

"Still..."

I miss him...

With that thought, she slowly closed her eyes.

* * *

At that same time.

"I don't know."

In Egostic's underground base.

I boldly declared.

I don't know. The more I think about Stardus, the more confused I get. ...I'm not even sure if I need to help her grow stronger anymore.

So...

"Let's just do the usual villain hunting."

"Oppa. You mean Teleporter, right? Catching him would be perfect. But do something about Su-bin unni."

"Ugh... I was so scared..."

"...It's okay, Su-bin. You should rest."

I helped Su-bin, who was suffering from PTSD after seeing Stardus stop the train she was driving, to lie down on the bed, then came out and reaffirmed.

...Right, let's just do what we can!

And at that time, I didn't know.

That during the villain hunt I embarked on to forget my worries about Stardus, I would end up becoming even more preoccupied with thoughts of her.