Chapter BONUS - Side Story: Return Of The Stars (11)

"...How long have you known?"

When everything is finally exposed, the person has nothing more to say.

With a sense of resignation and all strength drained from my body, I asked her. She didn't seem surprised at all and gazed into empty space with a somewhat wistful look as she replied.

"Well... I've suspected for quite a while. I just... took too long to be certain. Yes, too long..."

"...Hmm, but we haven't known each other that long, have we?"

"True... Heh, anyway, you asked how I knew? Let's just say... it was intuition. No matter how I looked at it, you were too kind a person. It seemed strange that you'd be committing acts of terrorism... So I thought about it and realized. Ah, you must have some reason for pretending..."

She smiled brightly as she answered my question.

...That damn supernatural intuition.

I'd heard her powers were much stronger than in the original story, but her intuition was enhanced too?

Anyway, after speaking in that cheerful voice, she continued in a somewhat playful tone.

"Oh, and there's one more reason besides that... but I'll tell you about that later."

"How considerate of you..."

I replied in a dejected voice.

...Sigh. Is this the end?

Still, I guess this lasted... quite a while. Hmm.

While I was lost in thought, Stardus tilted her head and asked me.

"What's wrong? You look spaced out."

"...Well, when you've been playing a role and suddenly get caught by the person involved, wouldn't you feel a bit crushed too?"

I muttered weakly.

But still, come on.

"...But even if I had some kind of intention, I still actually took hostages, committed terrorism, and did many bad things, right? Good intentions don't justify a villain's wrongdoings."

I made that last argument.

Honestly, I tried to blow up a ship, tied people up on a train, and crashed planes... Can she really be so confident I'm on her side just because her intuition says I seem nice? Couldn't she come to her senses even now?

To my words, Stardus...

"Yes, that's true. For anyone else, they'd just be a villain regardless of intention."

"Then...!"

"But, didn't I tell you before?"

With those words, Stardus smiled and said:

"Egostic, you're the exception. I feel like only you would have a real reason for doing such things to save the world, not just an excuse."

"Haah..."

It's over. There's no getting through to her.

...I don't know how strong her intuition is, but I can tell she's seen through my intentions one hundred percent. But can intuition alone read someone's mind? There seems to be something more...

As I was lost in these thoughts.

Swoosh

I was slightly startled by the shadow cast over me and looked up.

And there.

"So... Egostic. I have a proposal for you."

Before I knew it, she had approached me, placed her hand on the wall, and was half-kneeling in front of me, looking down at me with a smile.

"Let's work together."

"...What?"

Suddenly cornered against the wall by a woman, I needed a moment to understand the situation.

As if unwilling to give me that time, Stardus moved her face closer to mine and whispered:

"Anyway... I know you're acting as a villain on purpose. Honestly, I'm pretty strong, you know. I might be even stronger than you think, Egostic.

"..."

"So... is there really any reason for you to keep being a villain? Whatever your plan is, why not just do everything with me from the start? With your intelligence and my power... we could prevent the end of the world. And honestly... I like you. Hmm?"

She spoke to me in an almost seductive, sticky voice.

...Perhaps because she was practically clinging to me as she spoke, or because of the illusion of a nice fragrance, I felt slightly dizzy and lightheaded, but...

"..."

After briefly averting my eyes, I looked at her face as she spoke to me like that.

'...Haha.'

Somehow, the tension from this surreal situation dissipated, and I felt my body relax.

Because...

The face of Stardus, who was whispering to me so confidently like some mastermind, was...

'...Bright red.'

Her face was flushed crimson...

She seemed to be trying to imitate something she'd seen somewhere, but it was clearly too much for Stardus. Despite her composed voice, her bright red face revealed her embarrassment.

And now that I noticed, I could hear her heart beating loudly.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"...Why aren't you saying anything? Don't tell me you're refusing...? You just said good intentions don't justify a villain's actions. Then you can do hero work with me as atonement, right...?"

When I remained silent for a moment, she quickly spoke with trembling eyes.

...Seeing her like that, I couldn't help but smile.

'...That's right.'

Even if she showed differences from the original story.

Looking at her like this, she was still the Stardus I knew.

Righteous, always caring about the world, and despite her strong exterior, actually like a young girl inside...

Come to think of it, what she had done with her increased power compared to the original story was...

...save even more people than in the original.

I don't know why she wants me like this, but...

"...Egostic? You can hear me, right? So, what I want to say is..."

"Alright."

"From now on, let's work together... What did you say?"

"Haha, I said alright."

After all, this was a life I had already dedicated to you.

In this life, I'll live by your side, for you.

I smiled at Stardus, who had a blank expression after hearing my words.

"Eek...!"

I grabbed her arm that was braced against the wall beside me, causing her to lose balance, and pulled her toward me as I said:

"If that's what you want. Let's try working together. Us."

"Uh... huh?"

"Egostic and Stardus. We're forming a team starting today."

Even though I didn't understand why she was different from the original story.

If she had changed for the better.

Then I, who had lost my way, should change in that direction too.

Anyway, in response to my action, Stardus, whose arm I was still holding and whose face was somehow flushed.

Soon, unlike her initial demeanor, she nodded slightly with a shy expression while facing me and answered:

"Yes..."

And so,

From that day on, the villain Egostic began collaborating with a hero.

* * *

"Say hello. This is Hero Stardus who's agreed to join us from today."

After a long time, I returned to the big house.

There, Da-in introduced Shin Ha-ru to Han Seo-eun, Lee Su-bin, and Lee Ha-yul.

"..."

"...Uh."

"What...?"

Their reactions to seeing a villain return home with a hero were... pure shock.

Especially Seo-eun, who even spilled the juice she was drinking, which looked like something out of a cartoon and made me laugh.

"Hello. So you're Egostic's colleagues? I'm Stardus, my real name is Shin Ha-ru. Nice to meet you all."

And despite their reactions, Ha-ru greeted them with a radiant smile.

She was genuinely happy. After defeating the Sun God, they were finally meeting again while living in the same house and becoming close. Of course, she had no intention of sharing Da-in in this timeline where relationships had been reset...

Anyway, unlike Ha-ru who was internally delighted, the others' reactions weren't so positive.

"Oppa, are you crazy? How can you trust this person..."

Especially middle school student Seo-eun was making a fuss. Had she always been jealous of her since childhood? It was something the adult Seo-eun had confessed during various conversations when they lived together before.

"Haha, Seo-eun. Do you think your oppa is stupid? I'll explain everything. First..."

"I don't care! I won't listen to you, oppa. I absolutely cannot accept this!!"

With those words, Seo-eun crossed her arms and sharply turned her head away.

While Da-in looked troubled by her behavior.

Ha-ru, on the contrary, was quietly smiling as she watched her.

...Having lived with Seo-eun for quite some time in the previous timeline.

Ha-ru already knew everything that Seo-eun liked.

She just quietly smiled, and...

Exactly one month later.

"Ha-ru unnie! Why didn't you come yesterday?"

"Hello Seo-eun~ I was busy yesterday so I couldn't come. Sorry. But I bought an ice cream cake they were selling, would you like some?"

"Really? Hehe. Unnie is the best!"

Just one month.

For Ha-ru, exactly one month was enough to win over middle school student Seo-eun.

"Oh my, Seo-eun. Wasn't it you who said you'd never accept Stardus? Now you're saying Ha-ru unnie is the best?"

"...When did I ever say that? Hmph. Oppa, don't make things up."

"Haha, really..."

Watching Seo-eun happily eating ice cream, Da-in shook his head as if he couldn't believe it, and then.

When Ha-ru arrived, he greeted her with a caring smile.

"Ms. Ha-ru, you're here?"

"Yes. Have you been well, Da-in?"

"Haha, I've been fine. Would you like something to drink?"

Da-in naturally took out some tea as he spoke.

Looking at him, Ha-ru smiled with a grateful greeting.

...Finally, she had achieved it.

She had created a possibility she had never even imagined before—being with Da-in from the beginning.

They say well begun is half done.

'Now, let's move forward without any more hesitation.'

Ha-ru made that resolution.

Now truly, nothing could stand in her way.

* * *

[Today's Hot Issue]

<Egostic and Stardus appear simultaneously at a third villain's terror scene and stop it... What's going on? Hero Association Director states "Currently investigating." Dating rumors reignite among netizens>

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