I Became a Raid Boss

At a time when, for some, having an early dinner wouldn’t be strange,

Shin Da-eun, who had left the house earlier in the day before noon, returned home well past lunchtime.

She brought Yuki along with her.

As soon as Da-eun returned home, she let out a deep sigh and headed straight for the kitchen.

“Did you eat well while I was gone?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, our Kana is all grown up.”

“….”

As if concerned someone might doubt her Korean identity, the first thing Da-eun did was ask about the meal. Then, she opened the fridge and took out three bottles of juice.

Gulp, gulp—

“Phew…!”

She quickly emptied the bottle.

Seeing me still holding my unopened bottle, she spoke.

“Want me to open it for you?”

“No.”

Click!

I twisted the cap off my bottle, just like the other two, and brought it to my lips. The scent of oranges wafted up.

Unlike Da-eun, I didn’t gulp it all down but sipped slowly. Seeing this, Da-eun smiled faintly at me.

What’s so funny?

“Why are you smiling?”

Even when I pouted and asked, Da-eun didn’t answer—she just kept smiling.

Even Yuki was now staring at me.

“Is it funny?”

“Oh no, it’s the delinquent mode Kana…! My school PTSD is kicking in…”

“Tremble, tremble. So scary.”

“…Yuki, you should never take up acting.”

“….”

After hearing Da-eun’s words, Yuki looked a little crestfallen.

It wasn’t like she was genuinely trying to act, so it was probably just my imagination.

Even textbooks would’ve been read with more enthusiasm than that, so there’s no way she was serious about acting.

“….”

As I murmured this, Yuki’s expression darkened even further.

“…Kana, that was too much.”

“…Me?”

What did I even do?

As Da-eun pointed at me, her expression was more serious than ever.

She said I should apologize to Yuki.

“Well, uh… sorry?”

Under Da-eun’s strict gaze, I apologized without even knowing what I was apologizing for.

But seriously, what did I do wrong?

Da-eun never told me the answer.

I gave up and went back to sipping my juice. By the time the bottle was almost empty, I spoke up.

“So, how did it go?”

I knew it wasn’t a major issue, but that’s about all I knew.

“We resolved it smoothly. Though I’m not sure the other person would call it ‘smooth.’”

“I think it was too smooth. If we’d shown them what a fist tastes like, they wouldn’t have dared to come near again.”

“That’s too violent… Isn’t it better for civilized people to use the law instead of fists?”

“….”

“Don’t even think ‘Really?’ in your head.”

Da-eun could read Yuki’s thoughts just by looking at her expressions.

After bickering with Yuki for a bit, Da-eun noticed my gaze and cleared her throat.

She started explaining what had happened downstairs.

“…That’s how it went.”

“Hm.”

I let out a small hum and fiddled with the empty bottle.

Even though it had long been empty, the surface was still faintly cold.

It did seem like it was resolved smoothly.

That was my impression after hearing everything.

According to Da-eun, here’s what happened.

That night, the man who had taken our photos and posted them online confessed under the pressure of the residents’ criticism and Da-eun’s confrontation… specifically, stalking us.

However, since he had also been caught taking photos of Yuki and other residents, his confession didn’t absolve him of the residents’ anger.

Da-eun said she forgave him on the condition that he delete the controversial post and write another admitting it was fabricated.

When I asked why she forgave him, Da-eun replied:

“I wanted to handle it quietly. …Does it sound strange, coming from someone who caused such a fuss?”

Apparently, she wanted things to remain quiet in real life, even if they caused a stir online.

So, on the spot, she made him write the post and sign an agreement never to do such things again.

“If things go south, I’ve got the recordings.”

Da-eun shook her phone.

“And I was the only one who forgave him. The others didn’t, so he’ll be too busy dealing with them to cause any more trouble.”

“Yeah. The residents were furious enough to tear him apart.”

“When you say it like that, it doesn’t sound like a joke.”

“It wasn’t a joke.”

“Anyway, Kana. Resolving everything through extreme measures isn’t always the answer. Have you heard of the saying ‘gentle overcomes strong’? It means that softness can triumph over hardness. Sometimes, coaxing and reforming someone is better than punishing them harshly. Our laws are based on rehabilitation, after all.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“You seemed like you were dissatisfied.”

“I’m not. Not really.”

At most, I’d had a few small questions, but those were cleared up during the explanation.

Seeing my expression soften, Da-eun’s face brightened.

“Well, that’s good, then!”

“Then, does this mean you’ll be coming back to the gym now?”

As the conversation wrapped up, Yuki, who had been fidgeting impatiently, suddenly chimed in with urgency.

“I’ve been so bored being by myself. There are so many things I wanted to ask.”

“You really are…”

“Da-eun, you should learn from her.”

“…Huh? Am I the weird one here?!”

Da-eun, who had been staring at Yuki with a fatigued expression, flinched in surprise at my words.

“When it comes to dedication to training, Yuki does have the upper hand.”

“Mm-hmm!”

“Well… really?”

“It’s not ‘really,’ it’s just the truth. …Though, you’ve improved a lot compared to before.”

“It feels like you’re giving me poison and medicine at the same time… But it’s a compliment, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s fine.”

Stretch—!

Da-eun spoke cheerfully as she stretched her body.

Her stiff joints let out a chorus of cracks, and Da-eun herself groaned in pain.

“That’s because you don’t exercise enough.”

“I exercise plenty…!”

Da-eun, flustered by Yuki’s remark, suddenly averted her gaze.

She looked at me, then at Yuki.

Back at me, and then at Yuki again, before finally lowering her head in defeat.

“I’d like to say I do enough, but standing between you two, I just can’t. Is this how a normal person feels stuck between gods?”

“Hang in there.”

“Don’t comfort me… If I were to be comforted, I’d prefer it to be Kana who comforts me.”

Glance.

A subtle, hopeful gaze landed on me.

Naturally, I didn’t respond to that gaze.

There’s no need for comfort over something that doesn’t require it.

Instead, I ignored Da-eun’s pouting and fell into my own thoughts.

‘…I feel like I’m forgetting something.’

It wasn’t something terribly important, but not something trivial enough to just forget either.

A vague feeling like that.

“Kana?”

“….”

“Hello~ Kana? Can you hear me?”

“….”

“Do you want a snack? Some chocolate?”

“…You’re sure you don’t think of her as a dog?”

“I told you earlier, I don’t.”

“For someone who doesn’t, the way you treat her…”

“This is just how I show affection.”

While the two whispered to each other about me, I continued mulling over my thoughts.

“…Ah.”

Finally remembering what I’d forgotten, I couldn’t hold back and tugged on Da-eun’s sleeve, interrupting her playful bickering with Yuki.

“Da-eun, Da-eun.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s go out.”

“…What?”

Even I thought it was a random suggestion, so how must Da-eun have felt hearing it?

She blinked her round eyes in silence, unable to respond.

Then, she suddenly tugged at her own cheek—

“Ow, ow…!”

She winced as she cradled her now-reddened cheek.

“…Am I dreaming?”

“If you wanted to check, you should’ve told me. I could’ve done it for you.”

“Why would I ask you to do that? Maybe Kana, but not you.”

Huh. Didn’t I hear a similar exchange earlier?

Tilting my head, I threw out another question.

“…Don’t want to?”

“It’s not that! It’s just… I didn’t expect you to suggest it first, so I’m a bit taken aback. …You must’ve been feeling really cooped up.”

“…?”

Suddenly, Da-eun began stroking my head.

To be honest, Da-eun stroking my head was nothing new, so I didn’t mind.

It wasn’t like she ruffled it carelessly. Her gentle fingers running through my hair always had a soothing effect on me.

But looking down at me with eyes filled with both guilt and pity while stroking my head—that was something I wasn’t used to.

“I wasn’t that frustrated, though.”

“Sure, sure. I get it, Kana.”

“…Just so we’re clear, no matter what you’re imagining, Da-eun, that’s definitely not it.”

“Okay, okay. I get it. Your big sister is just useless and only makes you suffer. I’m sorry.”

What does she mean, “I get it”?

If she was going to say something like that, she shouldn’t have done it with those sad eyes.

Before I knew it, my body was lifted into the air, my legs dangling helplessly.

“Kana.”

“…Yes.”

Did she really need to say this while holding me like this?

Without a word, Da-eun hugged me close and chuckled softly.

“Should we move? To a house with a garden in a place with fresh air and clean water.”

“…Huh?”

“Let’s do that. Sounds good, right? Okay, decided!”

“…Wait, hold on.”

Da-eun looked as if she was ready to rush out and find a real estate agent right then and there.

I had no idea what led her to this conclusion.

Unable to understand her thought process, I stood in her way as she headed toward the front door.

‘Is this how Da-eun felt when I suggested going out?’

Reflecting on my actions, I quickly shook my head.

…No, it’s definitely not the same.

There’s no way Da-eun and I are on the same level.

—

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