Regurgitating Hatred (2)
Claire was one of the most famous people in the world. What would happen if she and Kang Shin-hyuk walked down the street? Not only would Shinyoung riot right away, but Shin Eunah would also be dispatched to end their lives. Therefore, the two met with appropriate disguises. In the Hero Universe, there was an item called ‘Shadow of Leaves’ that subtly changed one’s appearance to avoid attention naturally. It was a bit pricey, but it was a must-have item for those who wanted to avoid people knowing their identity. Of course, if you engaged in vigorous activities, the effect would disappear, but there was no problem when enjoying a normal date. The moment he met Claire at the appointed meeting place, Kang Shin-hyuk realized that no one was really paying attention to them.
“Ah, why haven’t I used such a thing?”
“Ah, for your work as Shin Eun-hyuk?”
“Well, I was also thinking as a bartender.” Claire shook a finger at him, her red-hair tired into a side tail fluttering cutely behind her ear.
“Who do you think our bar guests are? They’re superhumans. The Shadow of Leaves is perfect to deceive those who pass you by, but it won’t work well against those who stay around you for hours at a time. It’s just a matter of compatibility. So… were you deceived?”
“I’m stuck wearing a mask.” Kang Shin-hyuk was staring at Claire, who began to swear and avoid his gaze. With a smile, he reached out his arm for her.
“Actually, I think the mask is cool.”
“Of course, it is!” Claire snapped at his words but having her cling to his arm felt the best.
“Marry me, sister.”
“Do I look deceived?” The two exchanged jokes and headed for dinner first. They were going to the restaurant on the 20th floor of the five-star Lubron hotel where the artifact contest was previously held.
“Wow, Shin-hyuk is so capable.”
“I wanted to go with you, so I saved it.”
“…” Claire flinched momentarily at the natural comment but soon recovered with a smile when she realized he had said it without expecting a reaction.
“Yes, then, should I be thankful? But I’ll save it for next time.”
“Thank you.” The mood between the two was pretty good, as Kang Shin-hyuk wasn’t acting needlessly nervous or unreasonable. Claire held up the wine the waiter poured for her as she regarded him.
“Is it Anvil’s influence?”
“The way I am now?”
“Huh.”
“I’m not really sure. It must be affecting me, otherwise, I wouldn’t be so calm with you in front of me.”
“Another hard attempt.”
“It doesn’t feel bad to hear, though, right?”
“Yes. It’s a pretty good skill, so cherish it.”
“It’s all because I really mean it.”
“Again, again.” A light smile appeared on her face, and Kang Shin-hyuk was glad it had worked. He let out a laugh as he faced her, but then his face stiffened.
“Hm? What?”
“Jesus.” At a table far from there, there were two women Kang Shin-hyuk knew. One was Eleanor R. Algiers, who he had seen a little while ago when they cleared the gate, and the other was Lee Na-hee.
“Yes, my senior also had a ticket to come here…” He didn’t know they would be coming on the same day. It would’ve been fine if she was alone or with her boyfriend, but instead, the two had arrived together!
“Oh, definitely…” Claire also noticed the two where his gaze was directed. Fortunately, it seemed like they hadn’t noticed them yet.
“One is your club senior.”
“The other is the same. She’s the head of the Wyvern Knights.”
“Wow, how nice. There is a lot of beauty surrounding you.”
“Out of all of them, you are the prettiest.” But what should they do? Wouldn’t they be caught? Would the Shadow of Leaves be enough to hide them? Thinking about it, it didn’t really matter if he was caught. In the first place, Lee Na-hee already knew Kang Shin-hyuk liked Claire.
“Well, okay?”
“Yeah, yes. I’m on a date, so I’m going to focus on you.”
“Yeah.”
“Sheesh.” They both forgot the presence of those outsiders and enjoyed their meal. They were enjoying cake for dessert and drinking tea when Claire snuck a question in.
“Where are we going next?”
“Are you the type who likes to move, or the type who doesn’t?”
“I’m on the moving side.”
“Then, let’s go bowling.” However, it wasn’t ordinary bowling he referred to, but rather the bowling found at the special sports center for superhumans. The ball’s weight and size were different; the pins were different, and even the floor was different. It was a facility designed to be enjoyed by superhumans who had strength and stamina above and beyond ordinary people. From the point they had decided to go on a date, it was unavoidable that they ended up going to the Choin Shopping center.
“Wow, they have a lot to do aside from bowling.”
“Haven’t you been here before?” Kang Shin-hyuk had come along with Baek In-ha once before when he had said he would go flirt with some older ladies. In the end, however, they had both concentrated too much on the game to do so.
“I generally don’t do more exercise than what I need to, but it’s good sometimes.” Claire retied her hair back in a ponytail. When Kang Shin-hyuk gave her the thumbs up, she laughed and slapped his arm. The mood around them was particularly good. Or at least, it would’ve been if Eleanor and Lee Na-hee hadn’t come to the lane next to theirs.
“What a coincidence, junior.”
“Ah, hello, Shin-hyuk.” Lee Na-hee was smiling while Eleanor looked between Shin-hyuk and Claire with an expression of disbelief. It became clear that the Shadow of leaves didn’t work well against one’s acquaintances.
“…”
“Why do you look like that? Think I look pretty today?”
“This is the first time we’ve seen each other since the gate. How are you…?” Kang Shin-hyuk wordlessly stared at them, but once they confessed it was a coincidence, he finally sighed.
“What a coincidence… you were at the restaurant too…”
“What, you saw us and pretended not to? That makes me sad.”
“It’s against the law to interfere with someone’s date.”
“Really? Isn’t our sister just playing with you?” When did Claire become Lee Na-hee’s older sister? Kang Shin-hyuk, feeling a bit upset, tried to retort, but Claire came up to hug him from behind.
“Ah…” Not only Kang Shin-hyuk but also Eleanor and Lee Na-hee also stiffened in response. Claire playfully placed her chin on his shoulder.
“Is it wrong that we’re dating? Oh, keep it a secret from others.”
“Oh, oh…”
“That is… excuse me…”
“Should we bowl together?”
“Uh, no. We’ll just bowl by the side.”
“It was an honor to meet you, Alchemist.” The two quietly stepped back, overwhelmed by Claire. Kang Shin-hyuk felt his face heating up. It was a complete defeat; he couldn’t beat her.
“Uh?”
“Yes? Did I go too far?”
“No, not at all. Absolutely not.”
“Are you sure?” Claire had a small smile on her face as Kang Shin-hyuk felt like he was dying.
“Then, let’s play.”
“Yeah.” They grabbed drinks and enjoyed bowling. The two women, defeated by Claire, were playing in the lane next to them. Perhaps they wanted to observe, or perhaps they didn’t want to waste the money they had already spent.
[Lee Na-hee: Junior, I’m sorry.]
A message came from Lee Na-hee as he watched Claire throw the ball. He was sitting on the sofa nearby and raised his head to meet Lee Na-hee’s gaze.
[Lee Na-hee: I was joking about making fun of it, but you two go well together.]
[Why are you being so kind all of a sudden?]
[Lee Na-hee: No, I’m truly sorry if I disturbed your date.]
[Well, you were roughly right. We’re not dating, not really. I feel like I’ve barely won a chance to do so.]
He could see Lee Na-hee laughing at his message.
[Lee Na-hee: It’s still far away.]
[You’re making fun of me again.]
[Lee Na-hee: That’s not it.]
[Lee Na-hee: No, that’s it. Should we make one before the semester starts?]
[I’ll think about it tomorrow and contact you.]
Claire was returning to her seat as he finished messaging her. Meanwhile, he could see Lee Na-hee whispering with Eleanor.
“What happened?”
“I’m sorry that my seniors interfered.”
“Good boy. Tell them you’re not angry. Rather, I felt like I benefited from it.” Claire giggled and sipped at her drink. Shin-hyuk was confused about what she meant and watched her quietly. Her thick lips were biting at her straw, making him fidget uncomfortably in his seat. As he stood up, his stick began to vibrate. Didn’t he already finish talking to Lee Na-hee? As soon as he thought so, a siren rang out through the building, and Lee Na-hee’s phone also began to vibrate.
[An irregular gate is occurring.]
“Ah.” He faced Claire, who let out a laugh.
“Somehow, this is to be expected…”
“You didn’t need to be right about that expectation.”
“Wasn’t it like this the day we first met?”
“It was. I’m still afraid to die before we could finish our date.” As Kang Shin-hyuk threw out a joke, Claire tilted her head in contemplation.
“We can finish our date next time.”
“Really?”
“Yes, instead…” Claire’s phone was flooded with messages. She was a top ranker staying in Korea, after all. She was their first line of defense when it came to superhumans.
“I don’t want to go alone today. Fight with me.” Kang Shin-hyuk felt like he had been hit with lightning. Before, he had no choice but to send her alone because he was weak. But not now. There was no need to hide anymore.
“Like that…”
“What do you think?” Claire asked with a smile, and in response, Kang Shin-hyuk put on the mask of Shin Eun-hyuk.