Chapter BONUS - Side Story: Return Of The Stars (7)

A café in Seoul.

Two people, a man and a woman, were sitting across from each other.

"Haha, hello. This is the first time we've met since that day."

"Yes. Hello."

A man greeting with a smile, and a woman responding politely with a small smile.

Would you believe that one of them is an A-class villain, and the other is currently the hottest A-class hero?

...Yes, and among them, I'm the A-class villain.

'Sigh...'

With a smile fixed on my face, I was trying hard to manage my expression while looking at Stardus, who appeared even more beautiful in casual clothes as we faced each other.

Right. How did it end up like this?

* * *

"Oppa. Are you seriously insane???"

"Ughhhh. I'm not insane... Stop shaking me and try to calm down, Seo-eun."

"How can I calm down! You're hitting on Stardus right in front of me!! And why did you ask her for coffee in that situation? Seriously!"

Right. This would be the normal reaction.

After hurriedly returning home from the ice cream festival, I gave a bitter smile as I looked at Seo-eun shaking me.

"Ahem. Seo-eun. First, don't worry too much. I have a plan."

"Haah... I'll listen first."

"Yes... Ms. Su-bin, please don't worry too much either and have a seat."

"Ah, yes..."

After reassuring everyone, I began to convince them.

"Well, the reason I did that is... I thought it might be an opportunity."

"An opportunity?"

"Yes. An opportunity to find out why Stardus is acting so differently from before."

Afterward, I gave another long explanation about the current questions about Stardus, her changed abilities, and attitude.

"...Well, I understand. But you think a guy who first met her because he spilled something on her clothes can figure this out?"

To Seo-eun, who was giving me a skeptical look, I bowed my head and began to explain again.

"Listen. I have a plan..."

* * *

And so, back to the present.

I handed a business card to Stardus... no, to the woman who introduced herself as college student Shin Ha-ru.

"What's this?"

"Ah, yes. I think I didn't properly introduce myself last time because I was flustered."

What I handed to Ha-ru was:

[HBM Magazine Hero Section Senior Reporter - Da-in]

...a reporter business card from somewhere that Seo-eun had made for me.

"Haha. I don't think I properly introduced myself last time. I'm Da-in, a reporter specializing in hero and villain coverage."

"Ah, I see."

"Yes, so the thing is..."

I explained that I asked her for coffee not with any other intention, but because if she wanted to repay me somehow, rather than financially, would she mind helping me with an interview. I even offered to pay for the coffee.

This was my plan. Approach her pretending to be a hero section reporter, ask about Stardus and Egostic, and hear her true thoughts...!

Anyway, Ha-ru readily accepted my request.

"Yes, that's fine with me."

"Ahaha... Thank you. I've been having a hard time lately because my superiors have been on my case about not getting interviews. I feel like I've met a savior."

I responded with my best acting to Ha-ru, who answered with a pretty smile, unable to take my eyes off her smile.

'...Wait, I can't be enchanted.'

I tried to gather my resolve internally.

In truth, the current situation is extremely dangerous. The risk is very high.

...Even as we're talking now, she could notice my identity with her super intuition.

'In the worst case...'

What if she's already figured it out? Is that why she so persistently asked for my phone number? She readily accepted the coffee invitation too. The original Ha-ru would never have done that with men.

...No. In a situation that's already so different from the original, such worries might be meaningless. Maybe she's just being nice.

Thinking about it that way, I doubt she's noticed my identity. Even if she showed mysteriously favorable reactions to Egostic, she would have arrested me immediately since I'm still a villain.

'...I'm overthinking. Let's focus on the present.'

I shook off these useless thoughts and regained my focus.

Before her intuition raises any suspicions, I need to get the information I want quickly and efficiently.

Still, to avoid suspicion...

"Yes. First, about Icicle, the hero in charge of Busan..."

After that, I asked some irrelevant questions about Icicle and Shadow Walker. Like what Seoul citizens think about Icicle's contributions to Busan... that sort of thing.

The reason for this is obvious... if I ask about Stardus or myself right after meeting her, it would seem suspicious...

Fortunately, Ha-ru answered all my questions without showing any signs of suspicion.

In fact, she answered so sincerely and beautifully that I felt... she truly was the hero I admired. Maybe it's because she looks so pretty in casual clothes, but even without her suit, as an ordinary person, she seems to shine...

'No, I keep getting distracted.'

Is a one-on-one meeting with my favorite character still too much for my weak heart?

Anyway, after finishing the preliminary questions, I took a small breath and prepared to ask the most important question.

"Haha. Thank you for your answers, Ms. Ha-ru. They're very helpful. Ah, please drink your beverage too."

"Yes. I'm glad to be of help. This is my first time doing something like this, so it's fun. Feel free to ask more questions."

As she smiled slightly while drinking her mango smoothie... why mango of all things? Anyway, I smiled contentedly at her.

Then, I asked the question I was curious about.

"Thank you. Well, my next question is: I've heard that among young people these days, the villain Egostic is popular despite being a villain. I heard there are even fan cafés. Of course, many people still dislike him because he's a villain."

"Ah, yes. I've heard that often too."

"...Yes. What do you think about Egostic, Ms. Ha-ru? I'm curious about your personal opinion."

I took my gamble.

Come on, tell me.

What does Shin Ha-ru, Stardus, really think of me?

And then.

"Ah, Egostic? Hmm..."

Finally, what I had been wondering about. What I kept thinking couldn't be true...

"I think positively of him. Egostic."

That answer came from her.

From Stardus.

* * *

'Hehe. Look at Da-in's face freezing for a moment.'

At a café in Seoul.

Shin Ha-ru, seated there, smiled at the self-proclaimed "reporter" who momentarily froze at her answer.

Today was the historic day when their date took place in this timeline...!

She had spent hours choosing her prettiest outfit. More precisely, the outfit that Da-in liked best. The one that matched his taste.

Of course, when she arrived, for some reason the villain Egostic had become a reporter, but she wasn't too disappointed. Rather, playing along with his intentions was an opportunity to convey her thoughts.

That's why she answered honestly.

That she doesn't dislike Egostic.

"...Why is that?"

"Pardon?"

An A-class hero and villain of the Republic of Korea. The two of them meeting at a café pretending not to know each other's identities—a bizarre situation.

In that context, Da-in asked her with a somewhat stiff face.

"...Egostic is clearly a villain. Although there were no casualties thanks to Stardus, he definitely tried to kill civilians. He also killed other villains outright."

"Yes. That's true."

"Then... why do you think positively of him?"

After saying that, Da-in seemed to realize he was being too interrogative and continued in a more relaxed voice.

"...I'm sorry. I got too immersed. Please just consider it the curiosity of a reporter."

"Oh, it's fine. You asked why I think positively of him, right?"

Ha-ru answered with a smile, then took a moment to think.

What should she answer here?

'Well, you see... I actually went back in time, and Egostic turned out to be a hero who cared for Stardus and tried to protect the world.'

...She couldn't answer like that.

So, she needed to give another answer that Egostic would find acceptable...

For that, Ha-ru already had a prepared answer.

"It's just, how should I put it... intuition?"

"...Intuition."

"Yes, intuition."

After saying that, she smiled and stirred her drink with the straw before answering.

"I have pretty good intuition. And... when I see Egostic on TV, I feel it. That person doesn't seem bad? Rather, he seems like a good person... Maybe there's a reason he commits terrorism. That's what I think."

"I see..."

"So, I don't necessarily view him negatively just because he's a villain. Since Stardus also finds Egostic's terrorism unusual, I think she might develop while dealing with him. Especially Egostic, well... he might even be my type?"

"cough Um... you have unusual taste..."

Seeing Da-in flustered at what she had thrown out as a joke, Ha-ru felt her smile growing.

...Of course, the intuition part would make Egostic think deeply. Because he also knows that she has abilities like super-sensing. Plausibility... or whatever you call it? Anyway, he would understand that it makes sense.

She also didn't praise terrorism as motivating Egostic to continue his attacks. In reality, she had only experienced it twice here...

Anyway, Da-in, who had been a bit flustered, calmed down and continued with his questions.

"Lastly, a question about the hero Stardus. There are rumors that she seems stronger than before these days. What do you think?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm not sure about that. Wasn't she always like that?"

She deflected the disadvantageous question that she couldn't answer.

"What do you think about Egostic's terrorism?"

"Hmm, I'm not worried because I think Stardus can easily stop it."

"Ah... I see..."

Oops. She didn't intend to deflate Da-in.

Anyway, that's how the conversation ended that day.

"Thank you so much for today. I think it was very helpful."

"Hehe. I enjoyed it, actually. If you need to interview again in the future, feel free to contact me, Mr. Reporter~"

"Hahaha... yes."

After the interview ended, Ha-ru coolly sent Da-in off. She had achieved her goal for today. Being too greedy might have adverse effects.

'Well, I've told Da-in why I don't dislike Egostic...'

That should help avoid his suspicion.

Also, the Behemoth incident is approaching soon.

"...I still remember."

She murmured, looking up at the sky.

...In the previous timeline, the place where Egostic was stabbed instead of me.

That day was an important day when my thoughts about Egostic changed.

'In this timeline...'

I need to make it a day when our relationship completely changes.

With that resolve, she thought about what a good day it had been.

...Of course.

Her comment at the end about how easy Egostic's terrorism was, which seemed to slightly hurt Da-in...

That bothered her a tiny, tiny bit...

'Well, it shouldn't be a problem...?'

That's what she thought at the time.

* * *

A few weeks later.

"Can you see this, Stardus! This is the requiem I dedicate to you! Hahahahaha!"

"Stardus, planes are falling from the sky like meteors!! What should we do...!!!"

"Haha..."

Stardus, who had always been composed after going back in time, was flustered for the first time...!