Breaking Up with the Heroine of the Female-Oriented Game - Chapter 171

Chapter 171

Afterword: A Date With Yoo Seolhyun? (1)

***

It was a slightly late Saturday evening.

I had stopped by a convenience store near a certain restaurant.

But what was this?

I ran into someone I never expected to meet.

“Ah, Senior.”

A girl greeted me cheerfully with a voice as clear as the sky and as pure as spring water.

I stood there, dumbfounded, staring at a girl with smooth hair that fell gently like moonlight and lightly waving her hand.

It was none other than Ha Yua, showing a shy smile.

She had the look of a fervent fan who had unexpectedly run into her favorite celebrity on the street. Well, Ha Yua did claim to be my fan.

“Fancy running into you here, huh?”

“Yeah, right.”

Even though I had tried to hide my face by pulling my hat low, Ha Yua recognized me at once.

Is this what being a fan means?

I gave a light response, then glanced sideways at the person next to her.

“……”

There stood Lee Cheong, staring blankly at me with her usual sleepy eyes.

Her eyelids were half-closed as if she had just woken up, and her hair was sticking out in all directions, yet it didn’t seem too messy on her.

She looked a bit like a character from a side fiction, all wrapped up in a pretty knitted sweater or something.

“……Hello, Senior.”

Lee Cheong greeted me with a polite nod.

But unlike Ha Yua, she didn’t seem particularly happy to see me.

Well, considering how much Lee Cheong cherished Ha Yua, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she found me somewhat bothersome.

“Senior.”

“Hm?”

“I hope you’ll guide me again next time.”

“Uh, well… if I have time.”

Aside from that, Lee Cheong seemed to fan her competitive spirit even more, probably due to the memory of her defeat.

I still clearly remember the look on Lee Cheong’s face when she came to her senses after our duel. She had worn an expression of utter shock.

For someone like Lee Cheong, who was rumored to be a genius, losing in a single strike to a peer trainee must have been a first-time experience.

It probably dealt quite a blow to her pride.

“By the way, Senior.”

“What?”

“You’re all dressed up so smartly. What’s going on?”

Ha Yua scanned my outfit from top to bottom, making a bit of a fuss.

“Could it be… a date?”

“Not exactly a date.”

“Oh, but you’re meeting a girl, right?”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

I gave a slight nod, confirming it.

Lying wouldn’t have worked anyway.

“So, so. Can I ask who you’re meeting? Oh, wait. Sorry! I shouldn’t ask. That’s kind of a dumb question.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Actually, I had plans to meet Yoo Seolhyun today.

Like Ha Yua said, it wasn’t exactly a date but more of a business-related meeting.

You could call it a meeting.

The plan was simply to have a meal at a nice restaurant and chat about various things.

However, I arrived at the location way too early, so I ended up wandering around in the convenience store to kill some time.

“Well then, Senior, we’ll be off.”

“……Take care.”

Ha Yua and Lee Cheong gave their goodbyes and were about to leave the convenience store when it happened.

-Ding.

“Welcome to CE Convenience Store.”

Just then, a stranger entered as the automatic door chimed.

But something seemed off.

He looked suspicious—nervous, maybe even anxious.

The moment he entered, he quickly scanned the store, stirring an unsettling feeling.

He briefly glanced at me, Ha Yua, and Lee Cheong, then promptly turned his head towards the cashier.

“Hey, you jerk.”

“Huh?”

In his hand, a small ball of fire suddenly appeared, threatening the cashier.

“If you don’t wanna die, hand over the money! Now!”

“H-huh?!”

What the heck? A robbery?

Startled, I stared at the man.

Judging by the flames burning in his hand, he seemed to possess fire-related abilities.

Usually, fire-type abilities had quite the destructive power, so caution was necessary.

He didn’t look like a major villain, though.

“Stay still! Unless you wanna end up as charcoal!”

He turned towards us, shouting loudly.

If they were ordinary girls, they might have started trembling, hoping for the police or a hero to come.

But Ha Yua and Lee Cheong only blinked, remaining as calm as ever.

They were hero trainees.

And not just any trainees—they were among the best at Korea’s top academy.

Such threats from a petty criminal obviously weren’t enough to faze them.

‘Well, with Ha Yua and Lee Cheong here, I don’t have to step in.’

The guy didn’t seem all that dangerous; if he was desperate enough to rob a convenience store, he probably wasn’t a high-level threat.

Ha Yua and Lee Cheong could likely take him down easily.

This time, I could just sit back and watch, right?

At least that’s what I thought.

‘……?’

The two girls were now looking at me, waiting expectantly.

W-wait.

Don’t tell me you two…

Are you assuming I’m going to step in?

“Senior.”

“Senior.”

Ha Yua’s gaze clearly conveyed her anticipation for my heroic action, while Lee Cheong’s expression seemed to say, “Let’s see what you’re capable of.”

Ah, come on.

Honestly, using my ability tires me out, so I was hoping they’d take care of it…

Can’t you guys handle this?

But to them, I was a seasoned veteran with abundant combat experience—the same guy who brought down Yoo Dahee. I figured they thought it was better for me to step forward than for them to make a move.

They were probably also curious about how I would deal with the villain.

‘Well, no choice then.’

I let out a quiet sigh.

Given the situation, I couldn’t just back out.

Any misstep could lead to casualties.

‘First, I’ll use my ability to take that robber down… huh?’

“A-ah?!”

Just as I was about to activate my ability, the cashier suddenly pointed at me, his face full of shock.

“Are-are you Hero Lee Jinhyuk?!”

“What?”

Did he just recognize me now?

As he stared at my face beneath the pressed-down hat, shock spread across his features, and the robber followed suit, his eyes widening.

“L-Lee Jinhyuk?! The hero who took down Yoo Dahee?!”

“Uh-huh.”

Sorry pal, I’m not a hero, just a trainee.

But because of my previous actions, the public had started treating me like a full-fledged hero.

“W-why… why you? Of all people, Lee Jinhyuk?!”

“I was just passing time, visiting the convenience store.”

The robber darted his eyes around in panic, as if he had just heard the most absurd news.

It was like a thief breaking into a house only to discover a swarm of police officers waiting inside.

“W-wait, no way… ugh?!”

“Huh?”

In a panic, the man stumbled backward, only to trip over his own feet and land flat on his back.

He even slammed his head into the shelf while falling, twitching slightly before going limp.

Did… did he give himself a concussion?

“Huh.”

I stared blankly at the scene, thinking to myself.

‘…What an idiot.’

Why was he so scared he made a fool of himself?

“That’s amazing, Senior!”

“Huh? What is?”

“To think you subdued him just with your killing intent!”

Suddenly, Ha Yua came out with a ridiculous comment that caught me completely off guard.

Killing intent? Me?

What nonsense is this?

You saw it just now. He knocked himself out like an idiot.

“Wait, didn’t he just trip while trying to run away?”

The cashier, who had been watching the whole thing unfold, voiced the obvious question.

But Ha Yua wiggled her finger confidently and explained with a smug voice.

“An ordinary person might think that. But that’s not it.”

“Huh?”

“Heroes who have reached a certain level can control their killing intent with great precision. Senior likely directed a powerful killing intent at that robber.”

What the…?

Controlling killing intent?

I don’t even remotely have that kind of skill.

“Exposed to such a severe killing intent for the first time, the robber wouldn’t have been able to breathe properly. Didn’t you see him? His face turned pale, and he was trembling.”

“Y-yes, that did happen…”

No, the guy just freaked out because he realized I was the one who took down Yoo Dahee. The fact that he was a pretty cowardly robber didn’t help.

“In a state where his body froze from the killing intent, he clumsily tried to escape, which is why this happened.”

“I see…”

“Everything happened exactly as Senior planned. Isn’t that right, Senior?”

What the hell are you talking about, Yua?

Ha Yua turned to me, waiting for confirmation with a sparkle in her eyes.

I honestly wanted to say, “No, the guy is just an idiot,” but I couldn’t bring myself to dismiss her with that expectant gaze locked on me.

Anyway, it’s not like I needed to explain myself. Lee Cheong, being the genius trainee with her sharp judgment, would definitely straighten out this misunderstanding.

Right, Cheong?

“…His killing intent was so finely controlled that I couldn’t even notice it? How much control must he have had…”

“Huh, Lee Cheong?”

“…Is this the kind of difference in skill between us? His strength, not to mention how easily he took me down before… I wonder if I’ll ever catch up.”

Lee Cheong muttered to herself, her face serious.

…Even you, Lee Cheong?

Why are you suddenly overestimating me?

Is this because of last time when I took you down? Do you not want to lower your evaluation of me, lest it reflect poorly on you?

“Anyway, let’s call the police. We can’t just keep standing around.”

“Ah, right.”

At my words, the cashier called the police immediately.

Though Ha Yua and Lee Cheong continued to stare at me like I was some kind of living legend, I tried my best to ignore their gazes.

They seemed to have developed quite a distorted perception of me.

Honestly, it was getting a little uncomfortable.

Especially because it felt like I was lying, even though I hadn’t actually said anything.

***

“Thank you for your cooperation, Hero Lee Jinhyuk. We’ll take it from here.”

A while later, the police arrived, responding to the cashier’s call.

After handing over the unconscious robber, the officers gave me a sharp salute before driving away with him in the back of their patrol car.

Wait. Did they just call me a hero, too?

Sure, I have a hero’s license, but it’s only a temporary one…

“Phew, I feel like I’ve wasted too much time here.”

“Oh my, Lee Jinhyuk, is that you?”

“Huh?”

Just as I was about to head to the agreed meeting place, I heard a familiar voice.

Yoo Seolhyun walked towards me, smiling brightly, accompanied by her attendants.

Her wavy blonde hair fluttered in the breeze, and she gave it a quick brush back as she strutted toward me, heels clicking on the pavement.

Dressed in a professional outfit and walking with her entourage, Yoo Seolhyun certainly gave off the impression of a young CEO.

Compared to the kids I’ve seen around, she always had a more mature aura to her.

But why was she acting so casual in front of all these bystanders?

Doesn’t she realize that triggering any unnecessary rumors could become troublesome for both of us?

“Yoo Seolhyun, what brings you here?”

“Hehe, I was heading to the restaurant, but then I saw your back and noticed the police cars. I figured I’d check what was going on, and it turns out you caught a robber?”

“Well, something like that…”

To be honest, it was more like the robber caught himself than anything else.

“By the way, Yoo Seolhyun, don’t you think it’s a little…”

“Haha, why so shy? It’s fine. We haven’t done anything wrong.”

Doesn’t she care at all about unnecessary rumors?

Yoo Seolhyun, being one of the heirs to Gaon Nuri, really can’t afford to deal with dumb gossip.

If people found out that we were meeting on the weekend, they’d all start getting funny ideas.

That’s why we agreed to meet in a restaurant with a private room in the first place.

“But anyway… who are these two?”

“Oh! Hello, Senior Yoo Seolhyun! My name is Ha Yua, a first-year student. This here is my friend, Lee Cheong.”

“……Hello.”

“Ah, I see. Nice to meet you.”

Yoo Seolhyun, now noticing Ha Yua and Lee Cheong by my side, greeted them, but she didn’t seem particularly thrilled.

“I heard the rumors. They say you’re a die-hard fan of Lee Jinhyuk, right?”

Her gaze seemed to have cooled somewhat.

End of Chapter