Noah blinked his eyes widely. The man’s expression was so flustered, something he had never seen before. What was this situation called again?
Ah.
A mouse in front of a cat.
Noah felt like a little mouse waiting to be eaten right now. Of course, the predator was that man over there.
I’ve never seen such a sly smile in my life.
“…Whose kiss were you thinking about when you wrote this?”
His heart wavered at the question.
‘Why is he asking this?’
Noah’s pupils shook violently.
“Well…just someone I know.”
“Really?”
“…Yeah.”
“Hmm…”
For a few minutes, Noah was stared at intently. A thought crossed his mind.
‘Could he already know?’
Did he know everything from the start? Did he know who I was thinking about while writing this?
“…Is it all over my face?”
Noah was confident in his poker face.
Her classmates used to call her ‘Snow Princess’. It was partly because of her snow-white hair, but mainly because she walked around with an icy expression.
She didn’t want people to easily read her emotions, nor did she want them to. She didn’t want pity from others by showing her sadness.
Therefore, she was confident in hiding her feelings better than anyone else.
“So, who is it?”
“Huh?”
“Who is it? The person you were thinking about while writing this. Judging by your reaction, you must really like them.”
At the man’s question, Noah’s face turned an unnatural shade of red.
It was worrying how close it was to catching fire.
‘He thinks I like him?’
Me, liking this uncle?
“…Ugh…”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s natural to like someone, especially at your age.”
Upon hearing those words and seeing his understanding expression, Noah eventually admitted it.
‘This uncle already knows everything.’
From then on, Noah began searching for excuses. What should he say?
Should he call him the usual pervert uncle and snap at him? Or should he stomp his feet and run away? Numerous thoughts and methods flashed through his mind but soon proved useless.
Slowly.
When the man reached out his hand toward Noah, it felt like everything broke down.
‘Eh?’
He’s reaching out to me. His smiling face disappeared, replaced with a serious expression. Could it be…
My list, specifically the very last item on it.
[Experience a romance novel-style kiss.]
Why did this come to mind right now? A scene from a comic I used to watch also flashed through my mind.
The female lead closing her eyes slightly, the male lead grabbing her cheek and kissing her. Their lips meeting like overlapping flower petals-
‘!!!’
Could it be?
Right here?
My first kiss in life?
Was it because of his strange aura or my foolish imagination?
Normally, I would have moved away.
But now, I didn’t want to.
The warmth rising in my chest was saying that maybe it would be okay with this man.
Noah’s heart raced as she gently closed her eyes.
Thud thud, the sound of approaching footsteps.
I could feel the man’s hand slowly moving up my hair, like tracing neat calligraphy strokes.
And finally reaching the ends of my hair.
“Our Noah has grown up!”
Soon after, my head was affectionately patted along with his laughter-laced voice.
“Already liking someone, huh?”
“…”
“Do I know him? Hmm…oh right, I don’t even know your friends.”
“…Haa.”
Of course. What did I expect?
The other party is a stubborn and perverted uncle. And I still don’t know if I truly like this uncle.
As a friend, is it good?
Or maybe…
‘No more of these strange thoughts!’
Shaking his head, Noah looked at the man.
The uncle had returned to his usual expression and started lecturing like a typical older person.
“I don’t know who you’re thinking about…but at least they’re not weird, right?”
“Don’t think about weird people.”
“Yeah, no weirdos. Life gets tough otherwise.”
“…Then I’ve already failed.”
The excitement fizzled out like opening a carbonated drink.
What did I expect? Isn’t this who he always is?
…Clueless.
“Haa…”
“Why the sudden sigh?”
“Just…for some reason, I feel like an idiot.”
Noah sighed and resumed washing dishes. The chores finished quickly with swift hand movements.
After finishing everything, Noah tidied up the apron and prepared to leave.
“Leaving already?”
Shin Hyun looked at Noah.
“Yes. There’s nothing else to do, and I’ve already eaten. Uncle, you should rest too.”
“Alright. I need to rest too.”
For some reason, despite being disappointed just moments ago, it felt a bit sad to leave.
‘Maybe I’m losing my mind. Let’s go hunt monsters and relieve stress.’
This is the best time to move my body.
Just as Noah was about to open the door,
“Noah.”
The man’s voice calling out stopped him.
He was already nearby, extending his hand.
It was a fruit-flavored candy.
“Take it.”
“Ah…thank you.”
“It’ll help when you’re stressed. Keep going today.”
“…”
“Take care of yourself. Don’t lose to any strange villains. I’ve specially prepared plenty of strawberry-flavored ones for you.”
After saying that, he patted Noah’s head for quite a while. His tired face showed clearly. He gave Noah a pat on the shoulder and went back inside.
“…Haa…”
Staring at the closed door, Noah thought.
Trying to clear my head by moving my body wasn’t working at all.
“Haaaaa…”
My head was filled with pink thoughts.
To calm this down, I needed something bigger, something that would give a greater shock.
“…Ah.”
Come to think of it, there was someone.
Someone who could provide a greater shock.
“QQQ.”
“QQQ…It was exhausting hiding. Kuuu…Why are you doing this?”
“Starting now, we’re going on a monster hunting expedition for a week.”
“QQQ!? All of a sudden!?”
“Yeah. If I don’t beat that guy, this melancholic mood won’t go away.”
+++++
As soon as Noah left and lay down on the bed, Kkomkmu immediately scolded him.
“Mr. Shin Hyun.”
“What.”
“Aren’t you playing with Miss Noah?”
“…I did have the intention to tease her a bit.”
“You’re a bad man, Mr. Shin Hyun.”
“Rather, I’m closer to trash.”
A bitter smile formed.
Kkomkmu probably sees me as a bad person playing with Noah. But I do have a slight counterargument.
“…Hey, Kkomkmu.”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t Noah seem kind of serious earlier?”
“Yes. She seemed like she wouldn’t have said anything even if you kissed her. Moreover, you noticed pretty well.”
“I’m not an idiot. You can tell that much by looking.”
Having lived in society for quite some time, I have a certain level of perceptiveness. Reading Noah’s feelings wasn’t difficult either.
The girl was clearly seeking a kiss.
Not just anyone’s kiss, but mine. I understood that from her behavior.
When she made that list, who was she thinking about?
“…Probably me.”
I felt a little sorry. It showed how lonely she was to fall for a man she’d only known for a few weeks.
Anyway, it was dangerously close.
“Hmm…If I had known she’d take it this far, I shouldn’t have teased her.”
Had I almost…
“…Almost really done it.”
I recalled Noah’s appearance from just a moment ago.
Tightly closed eyes, trembling eyebrows, flushed cheeks. Her lips were cherry-like, and her skin was as white as jade.
Coupled with the innocence of a young girl experiencing her first love and the somewhat endearing awkwardness.
I restrained myself at the moment I was about to grab her head and kiss her, instead opting to pat her head.
“Why didn’t you do it?”
There are many reasons.
We don’t know each other well enough yet, and I’m unsure if I can take responsibility. The fact that she’s still a middle school student played a significant role.
And most importantly…
“…I’m a villain.”
One day, Noah might discover this secret of mine. How will she feel knowing her first love was a villain trying to kill her?
“It might hurt her quite a bit.”
“But Mr. Shin Hyun is doing it for Miss Noah’s sake.”
“People’s hearts are unpredictable. Moreover…”
I swallowed the next words.
Noah grew up under a father with strong sense of justice and is quite sincere about justice herself.
That’s why she doesn’t have many friends. Once, she tried to help a victim of school bullying and ended up becoming the victim herself.
Despite all that, she chose to help the victim. That’s how strong her sense of justice is.
So, imagine this: if we ever became lovers and one day she discovers I’m a villain.
“She’d be torn, wouldn’t she?”
To follow her father’s sense of justice or to follow the love for her partner.
Knowing how fragile Noah’s mental state is, it’s a risky future.
A fairly kind but strange uncle.
A fleeting childhood infatuation.
This is just the right amount.
There’s nothing I can do. I don’t know how to manipulate someone else’s heart, nor do I want to.
I guess I’ll just have to go along with whatever judgment Noah makes.
Thinking about this, I sensed Kkomkmu’s gaze. He seemed to have something to say.
“What?”
“Weren’t you trying to seduce Miss Noah?”
“That wasn’t my intention.”
“A~ Do people who aren’t trying to seduce someone randomly pat their heads?”
“That’s because she feels like a younger sister…”
“Most relationships start that way. A younger sister becomes a girlfriend, and a girlfriend becomes a wife.”
No, no.
“That’s taking it too far.”
“We’ll see. Who knows, maybe one day Miss Noah will make the first move.”
Pfft. As if Noah would.
“…Nah, that won’t happen.”
“Didn’t you say it yourself?”
“What?”
“People’s hearts are unpredictable.”
“Uh…uh…” My voice came out. No way. That kind of future couldn’t possibly happen.
“…I don’t know. I’ll deal with it when it comes.”
“Are you running away?”
“You should get some sleep too. We’re going villain hunting tomorrow morning.”
“…Che.”
“Don’t click your tongue. It looks like a bad habit.”
“Miss Noah was right.”
“About what?”
“Good night, old man Shin Hyun.”
…These guys.
Suppressing the urge to retort, I simply closed my eyes.
Honestly, I don’t understand the minds of today’s youth.
+++++
Reporter Jang Hyun sighed.
“Mr. H…Where on earth are you hiding…”
He was aimlessly searching for a story in the dark alleys where everyone was asleep.
What he was looking for was…
“Kraken…the name sounds cheesy but it’s reliable. This guy supposedly wreaks havoc around here. If I find him…”
The villain known as Kraken. Lately, he’s been smashing up all the villains in this area.
People always crave new stimulation. A villain who destroys other villains sounds like a pretty cool anti-hero from a manga.
Definitely, if I can capture it, it’ll be a huge hit.
With that thought, Jang Hyun cautiously wandered around the alleyways.
A little later, a smile spread across his face.
“…Are you challenging me again after a week?”
“Yeah! I’ve powered up incredibly in a week!”
“For us mortals, a week is merely a fleeting moment.”
“Your tone is so cringeworthy! Just hurry up and attack! I need to beat you up and clear my head!”
“…”
“Revenge is the best!”
Jang Hyun kept pressing the camera shutter non-stop while scribbling notes simultaneously.
Jackpot.
“The recently popular villain…and isn’t that the newly emerged magical girl Iris over there?”
After bickering for a while, the two soon started fighting.
Tentacles swinging and fists blocking them.
Their fierce exchange of attacks lit up the dawn sky.
“Amazing…”
Monopolies inevitably become boring over time. People get tired of seeing one person dominating everything.
However, when two people create a rivalry and gain popularity, like Messi and Ronaldo, people argue over who’s better and keep adding fuel to the fire.
People naturally flock to such situations. People are more interested in fires breaking out in others’ homes than small campfires.
“…The title for this article will be…”
[The New Villain Kraken Faces Off Against Magical Girl Iris! Who Are These Mysterious Figures?]
“This will blow up!”
This marked the beginning of a heated rivalry that would captivate the public.
+++++
“Ow, I’m dying…”
I slumped onto the bench, feeling utterly exhausted. I was ready to drop dead.
For a 22-year-old uncle, mornings are brutal.
“Haaa…”
“Are you dying?”
“Mr. Shin Hyun seems the same…”
“Yeah, pretty much…”
I talked with Kkomkmu while lying on the bench.
“Has it been a year since we started this?”
“Still, the results are definitely clear, right?”
“That’s true. Though I feel like I’m going to collapse.”
I turned on my phone and accessed the website.
The headline of the most-clicked article read:
[S-Class Villain Kraken Clashes with Iris Again. Continues battle despite police intervention.]
S-Class Villain. That part particularly caught my eye.
“In a year, I’ve reached S-Class. Guess the biased one is getting ahead, though he’s still biased.”
“Is this good?”
“It’s good. After all, I’ve managed to minimize civilian damage while achieving this.”
It’s probably just noise pollution in the early morning. For a villain, it’s quite clean, but having caused so much trouble lately, I’ve somehow become an S-Class villain.
Time really flies.
Leaning against the bench, I reminisced about the past.
Especially the time spent with Noah.
Looking back, it was a year full of both joy and hardship.
Spring.
“Noah, are you returning to school now?”
“Yes…I’m exhausted…”
“Hey! Snap out of it! I’ll give you Bokkase, take it and cheer up.”
“Bokkase…? Yuck…my stomach…”
“…Got tricked?”
“Not those guys…why are they spraying spam everywhere…?”
“How would I know. Anyway…cheer up.”
“Ugh…I wish it would erase from my mind soon…”
“Bokka-”
“Aaaah! Stop! The world…is too scary…!”
Summer.
“…I feel like I’m dying.”
“Uncle, are you okay?”
“So hot…I feel like I’m drying up…even standing still is hot…”
“…Let’s have cold noodles. I’ll make them for you.”
“…Noah is the best…”
“Don’t…don’t cling to me! It’s already hot enough!”
“Uhhe…”
“This uncle…has gone crazy from the heat!”
Autumn.
“Noah.”
“Yes?”
“Have you gained some weight recently?”
“…!?”
“They say it’s the season of high skies and fat horses. But in your case, it’s not about horses, is it? Why do I see signs of weight gain?”
“…It’s all…Uncle’s fault! Feeding me delicious food every day!”
“Will your transformation suit not fit anymore?”
“Uaaaa! I’ll diet!”
Winter.
“…Uncle…hello…”
“Noah came-…are you sick?”
“Yes…”
“Let me check…hmm…you have quite a fever.”
“A…Uncle…! Why are you touching my forehead!”
“It’s natural to check your temperature.”
“B…but…”
“Is head-petting okay but this isn’t?”
“Th…that…”
“Ah, kid. Wait here. I’ll bring you some medicine and honey water.”
“…Thank you.”
“Once you recover, shall we make a snowman together?”
“…Suddenly? …Well, it might be fun.”
“Then get well soon. Don’t make me worry by getting sick.”
“…Yes.”
And once again, Spring.
“Uncle!”
A distant voice called out to me.
Turning my head, I saw a bright-haired girl smiling happily.
“It’s you?”
It was Noah.
Time had passed, and Noah had grown into a high school student wearing a new uniform and heading to a new school.
“I was just watching you.”
“Really?”
“…Lying.”
“Tch, I knew it.”
Giggling Noah looked quite cheerful.
There must be another reason besides going to a new school.
“Uncle, have you seen this?”
Noah pointed her phone to an article.
The headline read:
[Magical Girl Iris Joins the Hero Association. Newcomer reveals her aspirations.]
“Oh, you joined?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, I won’t have to worry about Dad’s medical expenses.”
“That’s great.”
“Hehe, right?”
After saying that, she looked at me expectantly.
“Uncle.”
“Yes?”
“How about some cuddling? I did well, you should praise me.”
“…Uh…uh…”
Extending my hand to pat her head, she looked pleased. Last year, she would have shown signs of embarrassment.
Now, she doesn’t even try to hide it.
Could she purr if I scratch under her chin?
Maybe I should try?
Considering it, I soon dismissed the thought.
I was scared of how Noah might react if I did that.
This is my limit.
…Right? Right…
After a while, she realized she had school to attend and that she would be late if she stayed any longer.
“Tsk, I wanted to stay longer.”
“No…Noah, you should hurry to school. You’ll be late.”
“Alright. I’ll stop by the convenience store later. Let’s eat something tasty.”
“But I’ll be working then.”
“Eh, I’ll inform the manager.”
“When did you get so close to the manager?”
“Long ago.”
Waving goodbye, she headed to school.
Her posture seemed quite mature now.
Over the past year, Noah has grown significantly. Physically and mentally, she appears much more stable.
‘The first plan can be considered a success.’
Before the main story begins, Noah has grown splendidly during this leisure time.
However, I am aware.
Today, the day the enrollment ceremony starts, is also the day the real main story begins.
“Sigh…”
‘I’m going home now, right? I’m sleepy…’
“No, let’s go to Noah’s school.”
‘Why there?’
“It’s the enrollment ceremony.”
At my words, Kkomkmu showed confusion.
It’s understandable. An enrollment ceremony is just that, not a special event, and there’s no particular need to attend.
But if this were a game world, things would be different.
“Kkomkmu, don’t you know?”
‘Know what?’
“Enrollment ceremonies are notorious for chaos breaking loose.”
The main story is about to begin soon.
