Transformation or Death

Chapter 50

Call My Name (1)

“Ta-da! Mr. Jae-jung, please try this. It’s a glow candy.” 

Holding up a fluorescent-colored candy of unknown origin in front of him, Baek Ah-hee smiled brightly. The restlessly moving candy reached him as expected.

Feeling a sticky sensation on his cheek, Han Jae-jung flinched and lowered his face.

“I’ll pass, it doesn’t seem good for the body.”

“Aw, but it’s passed safety standards.”

“That’s the bare minimum.”

Baek Ah-hee pouted and popped the candy into her mouth. Han Jae-jung looked at her with an incredulous expression. 

“Doesn’t the nurse scold you?”

“Ah, is that so…? I envy that.”

In fact, though dressed in a patient’s gown, Red Vega didn’t appear particularly frail.

Even with a cast on her arm and bandages wrapped around various parts of her body, she moved about energetically here and there.

“Right? Envious?”

“…Yes.”

Of course, his own recovery speed was no less rapid than a magic girl’s. Still, he didn’t bother mentioning that.

“But Vega.”

Han Jae-jung asked, grasping his throbbing head. “Haven’t you ever found it strange for a patient to visit another patient’s room?”

Red Vega.

Now going by Baek Ah-hee, the girl nearing adulthood had been visiting his sickroom unfailingly since the first day she was admitted.

It was an odd sight for one patient to visit another, but thanks to their unusually fast recoveries, the medical staff didn’t voice any particular complaints.

“…Do you dislike it?”

“No, it’s not that I dislike it.”

“Of course, I’ll come in without your permission. I’m paying the hospital bills.”

“The Magic Girl Association, I assume.”

Those involved in magic girl-related disasters receive special compensation, mostly in the form of medical expense support.

“I pay the rest myself!”

…But that support doesn’t cover the full cost of treatment, so the unlucky ones attacked by a psychopath have to open their wallets through tears.

However, the fact that they ended up in the hospital after facing a psychopath itself means they were fortunate.

Either nothing happens, or they die. Those are usually the only two outcomes when encountering psychopaths.

Being in the hospital is proof that they survived an attack by a psychopath.

During treatment, Han Jae-jung even heard a nurse say, “It’s hard to tell if you’re lucky or unlucky.” And she was right.  

He had been attacked by psychopaths quite frequently, yet managed to barely make it to this hospital alive.

“That’s… true.”

“Right? It’s my rightful privilege.”  

“No, that’s not it. Are you saying that just because you provided financial support, you think you’ve bought the right to violate a person’s freedom, Vega?”

“No? It’s just you I see that way as special.”

“Wow, I’m so honored.”

A few years ago, psychopath death insurance was also abolished, with insurers claiming they couldn’t afford it.

That’s how common it is for people to be killed by psychopaths in this world.  

Yet the fact that so many people still go outside means it’s not a matter of safety ignorance, but of having become accustomed to the danger.

‘A pseudo-post-apocalypse world is scary…’

Being a world that had once nearly perished and been revived, the averages were quite different from what Han Jae-jung was used to.

It was likely due to the memories of the parallel world passed down through the Belt.

While the details were hazy like a dream if he tried to recall them, his mind had grown accustomed to them.

‘If I have no memories of either world, then who am I?’

He keenly realized once again the need to recover his memories.

“By the way, when will you be discharged?”

“If they’d just let me, right away would be best. I’m being a nuisance to you, Vega.”

The method was quite simple. Defeat a psychopath and collect starlight. Or complete quests to increase the potency of the starlight.

The two were often used interchangeably. 

Some time had passed since activating the first star. He was starting to want to activate the next star.

‘It would help with interpersonal relationships.’  

Most of the acquaintances he had in this world were people with connections to his pre-amnesia self.  

He was physically accustomed to the gazes of those old connections, but his mind found them unfamiliar. That dissonance was incredibly uncomfortable. It even triggered trauma.

In that sense, the Red Vega before him now was a relatively comfortable presence.

While their positions as a magic girl and psychopath were somewhat awkward, she posed no particular issue as just another person.

‘…Well, not anymore.’  

She too had become uncomfortable after a few days ago.  

“Don’t you have any other visitors?”  

“Is the counselor attacking me personally?”  

“I’m just genuinely curious.”

Han Jae-jung let out a sigh.

“You heard about my family situation.”

Of course, he didn’t go into any complicated romantic history.  

“What about friends?”

Han Jae-jung thought of Jason, then shook his head.

‘That bastard doesn’t count.’

Then, thinking of Seol-hwa and Ah-yoon, he heaved a deep sigh.

There seemed to be other acquaintances, but he couldn’t recall them with his current memories.  

“None.”  

In the end, he didn’t have a single acquaintance he could properly introduce to someone.

“Then…”  

Baek Ah-hee firmly grasped his hand. It was burdensome.  

“Should I introduce you to some magic girl friends of mine? With your personality, I think you could become really good friends…”

He understood the implication behind this question. 

The reason she visited him so frequently in the hospital.  

During Libra’s surprise attack, she had conveyed the same words to him that he had previously spoken as Watcher.  

That wasn’t all. When he had been prepared to transform at the cost of his life, she had turned back.  

Han Jae-jung remembered how when Red Vega tended to his injuries, she had spent noticeably more time examining the Belt around his waist than other areas.  

She had already caught on to a great deal.

“No, thank you.”  

“…! Oh, is it uncomfortable for you? In what way?”

Baek Ah-hee seemed to have seized on something, her eyes sparkling with interest as she leaned her face closer.

Han Jae-jung shifted his body slightly to the side, increasing the distance between them once more.

“Then wouldn’t it be uncomfortable to meet a celebrity you don’t know? It’s uncomfortable meeting strangers in general, let alone famous strangers. I dislike that.”

“Ah… So you’re uncomfortable in that way…” 

She probably thought something like, ‘Of course he’d feel awkward facing magic girls after the unsavory things he did to them!’

Han Jae-jung’s thinking was correct. Red Vega was going over the things she had previously discussed with Han Jae-jung and feeling that what she was saying now rang true.

“And you’d attract a lot of attention too.”

“Yes, I’d attract a lot of unwanted attention, so I decline.”  

“Then… What about a private autograph session…”

“Oh, I can’t accept special favors just for myself. I’ll have to politely refuse out of consideration for the other fans.”

“What about meeting the magic girls who came to visit me at the hospital…”

“No thank you. If you bring them into my room, be prepared for me to jump out the window.”

“Jae-jung, you’re getting increasingly unreasonable.”

“Have you looked in a mirror lately?”

It was hard to tell who was saying what to whom now. 

For a relationship that had ostensibly begun as a business-like consultation, they had become remarkably casual with each other.

It was due to the sense of intimacy that had grown from overcoming a life-threatening crisis together.

“Really, you have no interest in meeting them…? Most people would jump at the chance… How strange… Is something pricking you or…”

“The only thing that pricked me was you burning me with flames, Vega.”

“I, I didn’t do that!”

Han Jae-jung’s head hurt. It would have been far easier if she had just confronted him directly, gotten angry, or hit him instead. 

‘Well, not hit me… I’d be in trouble if she burned me with flames again.’

It had been the most painful experience of his life. Recalling how he had nearly gone into shock and died, Han Jae-jung shuddered.

In any case, during this hospital stay, Han Jae-jung had been experiencing various discomforts caused by Baek Ah-hee.  

He felt suffocated and extremely awkward.

“And, and speaking of burns, Jae-jung, you too… Ah, it’s nothing.”

Right, like this.

Baek Ah-hee spoke in roundabout ways, continuing to cautiously probe Han Jae-jung.

Han Jae-jung deliberately pretended not to hear. If he answered, it would just lead to more circuitous, tangled responses.

Of course, on the inside, he was burning up completely.

If that incident was brought up, Han Jae-jung would inevitably be the one to put on the defensive.

He was amazed by Baek Ah-hee’s political maneuvering, using the facts of her victimization to gain the upper hand in their relationship.

Humans could be so cunning. Even knowing it was the victim’s right to use past events in such a way, he couldn’t help feeling a tinge of resentment.

Still, as long as that incident hung over them, Han Jae-jung couldn’t boldly defy her.

He looked at Baek Ah-hee with a complicated gaze. She was smiling awkwardly, trying to hide her cold sweat.

It was due to tension, but also embarrassment. 

She too felt a sense of discomfort in her own way.

“Oh, that’s right Jae-jung.”

Baek Ah-hee placed her hand over his once more.  

“Doesn’t it feel strange for me to be using honorifics with you now?”

“Please don’t say things like that. I’m a civilized person who knows propriety.”  

Another probing question. She was likely referring to the arrogant, casual tone Watcher had used.

This time too, Han Jae-jung evaded the roundabout query.

“Courtesy… Civilization…” 

Baek Ah-hee muttered absentmindedly and tilted her head. She pulled Han Jae-jung’s hand and made him touch her stomach.

Through the thin patient’s gown, she felt the soft yet firm flesh unique to a well-trained person. A body temperature even hotter than others.

Allowing him to feel that, Baek Ah-hee muttered, “Courtesy… civilization…?”

‘Shit.’

Han Jae-jung tightly closed his eyes.

He didn’t feel any particular scar, but the memories contained in that stomach felt vividly.

Red Vega eventually made him move his hand up and down, rubbing her stomach.

“Here… It hurt… without a word…”

It would be absurd for the one who acted barbarically to mention courtesy and civilization.

He had nothing to say.

Baek Ah-hee let go of his hand. He quickly withdrew it and hid it under the blanket.

Baek Ah-hee, who had been absentmindedly caressing her stomach, suddenly came to her senses.

“Ah, not that. Whew, ah, not that!”

She smiled awkwardly and kicked his legs under the blanket with a thud. It didn’t hurt because of the cast.

Why do people hit others to vent their awkwardness? Han Jae-jung still couldn’t understand that habit.

“Yes, I am the sinner.”

“No, really not that. I wasn’t talking about being polite, but… When I fought with Libra before, I spoke informally.”

Baek Ah-hee covered her mouth and shyly shrank her body. After looking around, her eyes met Han Jae-jung’s.

“So… You can speak informally if it’s comfortable. You can also… Just call me by my real name.”

She averted her gaze again, then muttered in a trembling voice.

“Uh, uhh… Ah, you can call me Ah-hee… like that.”

Her ears turned red, as if she felt embarrassed even though she suggested it herself.

Han Jae-jung let out an empty laugh.

“No, thanks.”

“Huh?! Why not! It’s a precious opportunity to form a new bond by breaking down the wall of formalities between us!”

That was the problem.

“Isn’t it a precious opportunity to become a secret friend with a magical girl? It’s something I often dreamed of in the old days! Me, who’s close with a magical girl, though no one else knows!”

“You have a rather indecent mind.”

“I, indecent!”

Perhaps it was an unexpected remark. Baek Ah-hee’s expression froze.

Me, who knows the other side of a famous celebrity loved by all and has a secret friendship with her… It’s quite an appealing fantasy.

However, the appeal comes from a kind of sense of superiority that I have a secret that you don’t know, which is the problem.

A secret relationship is unethical, and that’s why it’s appealing.

“It seems like you still want that kind of relationship now, not just in the old days, Vega.”

Baek Ah-hee’s body flinched.

“Be honest, Vega, that’s the relationship you want, not one that benefits me.”

It hit the mark. Looking at Baek Ah-hee trembling with embarrassment, Han Jae-jung shook his head.

‘The hidden side of everyday life that no one else knows, the truth that my handsome client is actually the villain who beat me up?! …That’s probably the kind of fantasy she’s having.’

The reason for the adjective handsome is simple. Han Jae-jung had a subtly high self-esteem, especially regarding his outward appearance.

He didn’t remember, but the self-esteem he gained from dating a magical girl in the past seemed to have carried over to the present.

‘There are other purposes for getting closer too. She wants a relationship where she doesn’t have to ask the truth.’

A relationship based solely on an unspoken agreement.

He looked at Baek Ah-hee seriously. She turned her head and averted her eyes.

“Look me in the eye.”

But she refused. With her eyes tightly closed, she turned her head with a stiff movement.

“Hngh… whew….”

After taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes wide.

“Yes! I looked!”

“Now ask me what you really want to know.”

Again, the sound of her inhaling could be heard. Han Jae-jung conveyed his heart in a low, solemn voice.

“You have the right to ask me the truth. It’s a legitimate curiosity and an inquisitive spirit without rudeness. Conversely, I have an obligation to answer your questions faithfully. It’s a responsibility imposed for hiding the truth and deceiving you all this time.”

His calm voice reverberated in Baek Ah-hee’s eardrums.

“What… do you want to ask me?”

Her heartbeat pounded in her eardrums along with his voice. The huge sound, that throbbing, made her mind vibrate. It was excitement and tension.

“Then…”

Han Jae-jung calmly waited without taking his eyes off her, ready to humbly acknowledge whatever came out of her mouth.

He had been prepared to reveal the truth for a long time. Ever since the day he was ready to die.

“Then…”

The girl’s lips moved a few times, her tongue moistening her trembling lips. After a brief pause with her mouth closed, her lips parted again.

“…Really, you have no intention of calling me Ah-hee? Or getting closer to me…”

“…”

“…”

“Sorry. Can, can you give me another chance to ask a question…”

In the end, she circled back to the same evasive question. Han Jae-jung sighed deeply again.

“Vega.”

“Yes, yes!”

Finally, Han Jae-jung made up his mind on what to do.

“In an hour, a villain will appear on the hospital rooftop.”

“Huh? You’re not supposed to tell Ribbon that… Oh.”

Baek Ah-hee glanced at the mascot beside her, then immediately turned her gaze back to him, seeming to realize something.

Han Jae-jung silently nodded.

If she was reluctant to ask him the truth, then he would create an opportunity for her to ask another thing.

“I thought it would be good to let you prepare in advance.”

“…I see.”

Baek Ah-hee stood up from her seat, her expression more resolute.

“I’ll be prepared. You be careful too, Jae-jung.”

“You too, Vega.”

With a nod, she left the hospital room. Han Jae-jung stared at her empty seat for a long time.

“She’ll avoid it…”

A sigh filled the empty space.  

The hand where her body heat lingered grabbed a cold metal object.

The mechanical device that was the cause of all this conflict.

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