The Monster Aspires to Be a Hero!

As mid-May arrived, people’s clothing became lighter.
Now it’s confusing whether this weather is spring or summer.
While the Korean education system oddly emphasizes four distinct seasons, is this really four seasons?
It’s only been 2 weeks since I took out my spring clothes hung in my studio apartment, but I already need to put them away.
Spring and fall last only 2-3 weeks, while summer and winter are longer.
Such is mid-May in this essentially subtropical region of South Korea.
Whether due to the heat driving people mad or the light clothing, ‘those’ types of crimes began increasing.
Voyeurism, sexual assault, sexual harassment – sex crimes.

Humans are truly incomprehensible beings.
Greed, being genderless, claimed ignorance of human sexual and reproductive desires as he clicked his tongue.
I’m honestly unsure myself too.
If they want it, can’t they just go to a motel with their lover?

…You’re truly a monster ignorant of human feelings.
What do you mean?

…Nevermind.
I felt vexingly dismissed.
“That’s why it’s become like this recently.”
Jieun sighed while using a portable fan to cool herself.
This mid-May was hotter than usual, leading people to wear lighter clothes – Jieun was no exception.
That… in many ways, the formidable Jieun becomes even more formidable in summer.
The more formidable she becomes, the more male gazes are inevitably drawn.
It’s said women are more sensitive to gazes than men, so she must feel quite stressed.
“Wouldn’t winter be better after all? You agree, Sunbae?”
“Winter is better since there are no mosquitoes at least.”
“Ah, that too. Those damn mosquitoes!”
Jieun extended her wrist toward me, claiming mosquitoes had already started biting.
There was indeed a reddened area near her wrist that seemed to be a mosquito bite.
But um…
“Perfume…”
“Ah, I changed it after running out. How is it?”
“It has a refreshing, citrus-like scent.”
“It’s called a citrus note apparently…”
Even amidst our casual conversation, I could feel surrounding gazes.
Those gazes initially headed towards Jieun’s chest and rear before shifting towards me.
Too blatant – I could probably notice them too at this point.
However, Jieun didn’t seem particularly different from usual.
“It’s so hot that I’m going to clean the AC filter this time.”
Our conversation continued about having to put away spring clothes after less than a month and the annoying mosquitoes.
In any case, I thought she was quite formidable.

While occasionally glancing at her swaying chest, ‘I’ thought that.
What is this brat saying?
I’ve never had such thoughts.

Hand on your heart?
…
Even while interning at the hero office, I didn’t neglect training.
Thanks to that, I can now step on the ladder while dodging balls flung at me, catching them without looking while observing the screen in front of me.
My developed physique has become more dexterous than before, with expanded field of vision.
So what? I’m not looking because I want to, it’s just entering my vision.
I’m different from those drooling friends whose litmus paper would turn red from just looking!
I’m not the kind of man who leers at women with lecherous eyes!

The very act of getting so riled up means you’re already aware of it yourself.
…Then what do you propose?
Whether I want to or not, my enhanced eyes from training keep catching movements ‘there’ on Jieun.
It’s like gravity is making ‘it’ sway, testing my peripheral vision.

Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve relieved myself properly. I should do so promptly.
Gulp.
As Greed pointed out, I haven’t had time for ‘that’ lately, so it’s pent up.
I too seem to have fallen victim to this peculiar weather.

“Just watching the news these days makes it feel like summer has arrived~”
“Huh?”
“With ‘those’ crimes rampant, you know.”
“Ah, that’s true. That’s why I’ve been observant of my surroundings too.”

She was just having such thoughts, shut up already!
Phew.
Not everyone who awakens abilities dreams of becoming a hero.
Heroism is an unexpectedly public occupation that subjects one to considerable stress.
So there are countless heroes who quit despite passing the ability certification exam, deeming it not their path.
Then what about ordinary citizens who awaken abilities but don’t become heroes? Most simply live ordinarily.
Like how I was preparing for a public corporation job despite having abilities.
However, there are occasionally those who engage in outrageous antics.
For instance, there’s a decently popular YouTube channel called “Frame Wingman” run by a flight ability user.
Featuring various methods of flight, each video inevitably ends with a superhero landing using CG effects.
Channels like this treat abilities as a form of entertainment.
“Does the electrokinetic really get electrocuted?” “Does the pyrokinetic not get burned?”
There are truly countless YouTube channels conducting such bizarre experiments.
On the other hand…
“It’s nice you live nearby, Sunbae. Ah, just thinking about it is so annoying!”
“Seems I made the right choice moving.”
“Exactly!”
During seasons with lighter clothing, people start emerging who use abilities for sexual assault.
Sexual assault involving abilities is an aggravated felony that almost always leads to heavier punishment.
Yet it’s said the number of perpetrators increases yearly, as abilities make avoiding arrest easier.
Our country is no exception to this either.
Perhaps due to Confucian values, it’s said to be less prevalent here than elsewhere… but I’m honestly unsure.
Bizarre cases of arrested perpetrators constantly appear in the news.

“I really don’t understand why they do such things.”
“You’re absolutely right.”
Villains who commit sexual assault with abilities are difficult to catch.
However, if the trail is long enough, they inevitably get caught – almost all villains are eventually apprehended.
Of course, there are dangerous ones who evade capture, but still.
The season is approaching for those lunatics committing sexual assault right in the heart of Seoul, despite the many CCTVs installed due to villain threats.
As the weather grows hotter, it will slowly become their active season.

“From now until Thursday, just talk.”
“You won’t keep that promise on Fridays?”
“You’re free on Fridays anyway, aren’t you?”
“Tch, isn’t that too cold? Is the hero office really that busy nowadays?”
“Not that busy. It’s mostly just patrolling. You can visit sometime later.”
“Really? I thought you’d say something like refraining due to being on duty as a Sunbae.”
“Ah, I guess not then. Don’t come.”
“You’re really being arbitrary.”
Despite saying that, Jieun had a bright smile on her face.
“Ah, but Sunbae.”
“What is it?”
“Where is this hero office you’re working at? You said it was the exact kind of office you wanted – one where you could patrol freely without strict oversight, right?”
“Uh, uhh…”
“There’s no way such an office exists in our country…”
Saying that, Jieun stood up and stared intently at me.
“…What’s the name of the office?”
“H, Hawk Eye Hero Office.”
“Hmm?”

That’s why sharp kids are good, you see?
I dislike this.
Jieun already seemed to be catching on to the facts I hadn’t explicitly stated.
“Sunbae.”
“Yes?”
“Why don’t we grab a drink and you can tell me about it? I’ll treat.”
“…Alright.”
I ended up having no choice but to recount the recent events to her.
She had suggested a brief drink, but after telling her everything, over an hour had passed.
Truly, sharp kids are…

Jinwoo confided everything to Jieun.
As Jieun had expected, an unpleasant bullying incident had arisen in Korea, creating victims.
The perpetrator Jinwoo had recently apprehended was also a victim of such an unpleasant situation.
Despite escalating beyond bullying into direct assault, the media only reported it as an incident of uncontrolled abilities.
An impossibility in reality.
Abilities are special powers transcending human cognition.
In an era where even clues undetectable by science and technology can be found, it’s impossible to find no clues at all.
So the more likely scenario is that clues existed but weren’t revealed.
Past or present, this society seems to have changed yet remained entirely unchanged.
In any case, for that reason, the details of why it happened and the perpetrator’s characteristics were forgotten by the public.
Instead, Jinwoo was criticized for responding too leniently, nearly causing additional harm.
It took roughly a week for such criticism to subside.
Ever since that news emerged, Jieun had felt something was amiss.
She had judged this phenomenon as a result of power distorting the truth.
But for such a flow to form here implied the incident had been twisted by an even greater power.
With the news constantly mentioning resignations and plunging stock prices, she had initially thought a conflicting political party or corporation had created this flow.
However, that wasn’t the case.
Seo Yuna.
The heiress of the GB Group who had been bedridden for over a year due to the Ability Syndrome.
She had resolved Jinwoo’s incident.
No matter how Jieun thought about it, it was clear Yuna felt romantic interest towards Jinwoo.
Jieun bit her lip as she roughly undressed and entered the bathroom.
Under the lukewarm shower, Jieun became lost in thought.
Most women who approached Jinwoo at university were from the same club.
Jinwoo wasn’t just someone with a good appearance and grades.
Anyone who got to know Jinwoo even slightly knew.
Just how diligent and warmhearted Jinwoo was.
Even when that wench Yuna’s name left Jinwoo’s lips, Jieun honestly felt uneasy.
Jinwoo possessed an unconscious charm that drew people in.
Jieun had never felt jealous of other women before.
At 165cm, she was neither too tall nor short, with an incredible F-cup bust size.
Constantly subjected to unpleasant gazes, her underboob sweat required perfume to avoid awkwardness, and her shoulders often ached necessitating regular massages.
Yet she definitely attracted male attention, and Jinwoo was a man too.
While too upright to openly leer, he did occasionally sneak glances.
Each time, Jieun felt a peculiar sense of superiority.
But now the GB Group’s heiress was showing interest in Jinwoo.
From Jinwoo’s accounts, her appearance seemed decent too.
It was complicated.
While aware Jinwoo wasn’t the calculative type, one could never be too sure.
As a mere student, there was little Jieun could do for Jinwoo.
Should she brazenly try seducing him with her body instead?
Such thoughts arose, but Jieun shook her head.
Jinwoo was rather gentlemanly, disliking overt approaches.
Jieun knew Jinwoo well.
He didn’t easily dislike or cut others off.
So he likely wouldn’t push that Yuna woman away either.
The more time they spent getting to know each other, the more Yuna might become infatuated with Jinwoo.
But I liked him first…
A line from a novel she had once read resurfaced.
An unpleasant feeling.
Jieun blankly gazed at the large corkboard hung on one wall.
Photos she had taken with Jinwoo were pinned to that corkboard.
I’ve spent so much time with him… he’s the only one for me.
She needed to increase points of contact with Jinwoo.
Jieun stroked a photo of Jinwoo’s bright smile as she thought that.