Chapter 90

### 89: How to Steal a Hero's Woman (1-9)

“...I can't see him. Is the timing bad?”

Seongsu-a looked around the cafeteria early in the morning, dressed in her usual casual suit.

But the person she was looking for was nowhere to be seen.

“Or maybe he doesn't eat breakfast?”

As she thought, Seongsu-ho often skipped breakfast.

And indeed, the cafeteria was usually the most relaxed in the morning.

The restaurant, which was usually packed during lunch, was quiet in the morning.

This was evidence that more people skipped breakfast than expected.

Seongsu-a, judging that Seongsu-ho was not there, decided to find a seat for herself.

However, she noticed a presence that stood out from the relaxed morning atmosphere.

A cadet who was happily putting twice the amount of food into his mouth compared to others.

It was Songara.

Songara was particularly noticeable because there was no one around him.

‘Alone again today...’

Seongsu-a smiled wryly and sat next to Songara.

“Can I sit with you?”

“Gulp! Teacher! Of course!”

Songara covered his mouth, worried that food might fly out as he spoke.

“Teacher... Is Ji-eun really coming next week?”

“...She is scheduled to return next week, but it's not confirmed yet.”

“Ah...”

Songara, hearing her words, bit the tip of his spoon and looked dejected.

Seongsu-a smiled at her and said, “Don't worry. She will definitely come back.”

“Hehe...”

Songara said this and started eating his rice.

Seongsu-a asked Songara about something she had been pondering since yesterday.

“Ara.”

“Mm.”

“Do you know what men like?”

“Men?”

Songara tilted his head and looked up at the ceiling.

After a few seconds of thought, he lightly tapped the table and said, “VR devices.”

“...Isn't that what you like?”

“Hehe... Yes, but boys always buy it first when they become heroes and make money.”

“What about you?”

“...It's definitely my top priority. Hehe...”

The VR headset, even though it was a standard model of the VR system, was priced at around 500 million won.

There were more expensive capsule models, but even Seongsu-a, who was a current hero, found it difficult to purchase one.

It was similar to the one used in the consulate.

‘Ara would definitely be able to buy it quickly.’

If asked who the top graduate of this year would be, all the instructors would point to one person.

Songara.

A child who received high evaluations in skill, talent, and character.

However, the only problem with her was...

‘If she were a bit more flexible, everyone would like her...’

Despite her outstanding skills and recognition as a cadet, other cadets did not approach her easily.

It wasn't that they disliked her, but they were wary of her.

Her lack of flexibility at a young age had become a flaw.

But Seongsu-a, seeing Songara eating happily, put her worries aside.

‘Well, I shouldn't be worried about this child... But VR devices...’

She remembered that Seongsu-ho seemed to enjoy virtual reality yesterday.

However, considering the price of the VR headset, even if she considered their friendship, it seemed too extravagant to give it as a gift to a colleague.

‘...Should I give him mine?’

She thought it wasn't a bad idea.

The VR headset Seongsu-a owned had been purchased a long time ago, and she had never used it.

Although it was expensive when she bought it, keeping an unused item was not a good choice.

‘Yes, that sounds good.’

Seongsu-a, scooping a spoonful of rice from her tray, worried.

‘...He won't be upset that it's used, right?’

***

“You don't need to give it to me.”

“...What?”

I tried to return the card key to Choseohyun for the VR training room, but she refused to accept it.

Choseohyun, with her arms crossed, glanced at me and said, “Anyway, during VR training, assistant instructors must always accompany. So, don't lose it and use it as you like.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Then, have a good day. Go on.”

“Yes.”

I briefly replied to Choseohyun and tried to leave the office.

But I heard whispers from the side.

(That's surprising, I didn't know Choseohyun treated assistant instructors so well.)

(That's right, she would usually yell and blame them for non-existent mistakes.)

(He must have made a good impression on the first day.)

(…Did she call him a kid?)

(No, not that. They finished the weapon handover ceremony really quickly. I heard that the assistant instructor is very efficient.)

(Ah...)

I listened to their conversation and felt relieved.

‘Choseohyun... What kind of behavior does she usually have...’

[The temperament assessment on the first day was really helpful.]

‘Really... If it weren't for that, it would be terrifying just to imagine.’

I pretended not to hear the whispers and headed to the cafeteria for lunch.

Upon arriving at the cafeteria, I saw cadets and staff bustling about to have lunch.

“I wonder what the side dishes are today~”

“Today, it's Korean cuisine with beef, egg rolls, and seaweed soup as the main dishes.”

“Oh, great... Wait?”

I answered without thinking and turned around.

Seongsu-a was holding a tray and smiling.

..

..

“I'm really sorry about that...”

“Don't feel too pressured. ...Do you not like it?”

I listened to Seongsu-a's explanation.

Due to the events of the previous day and the fact that she had a VR headset she didn't use, she wanted to give it to me.

I could guess what kind of person Seongsu-a was.

‘She seems like someone who feels guilty and can't buy things...’

[But the problem is that this applies to her boyfriend as well.]

‘...So, I want to play virtual reality games with her.’

From what I saw of Seongsu-a yesterday, I felt that if we were in a place where no one could see us, she would gradually open up.

That's why I wanted to get the VR device...

“Of course not. If I had the money, I would have bought it long ago.”

“That's a relief. Then, I'll ask the dorm to send it to you this evening.”

“Ah... But it's quite expensive, so...”

In truth, I had no intention of refusing.

I really wanted it, and there was no reason to stop her from giving it to me.

However, the reason I wanted the VR device was not to play games.

I needed a medium to connect with Seongsu-a.

If I just accepted it, I would only get a good game console.

Seongsu-a looked disappointed.

“You don't have to feel pressured...”

There's nothing more disappointing than when someone you carefully chose a gift for feels uncomfortable.

Despite Seongsu-a's continued persuasion, I maintained a defensive stance.

I put on a troubled expression and tried to persuade her.

“Well... even if I accept it, I'll have to play alone.”

“Ah...”

Originally, online mode should have been possible, but due to server issues at the consulate, the internet was completely blocked except for the basic communication network.

The VR headset could be used, but only on the internal network.

While people within the consulate could use it, it was unlikely that anyone other than official instructors had a VR headset.

Without a close relationship with an instructor, I could only use it alone.

Seongsu-a closed her eyes for a moment, then smiled brightly and said, “How about playing with me?”

***

“Phew... Is the installation complete?”

As soon as Seongsu-a arrived at the dorm, she asked to have the VR headset in her room transferred to Seongsu-ho's room and installed the new device she received today.

While considering other gifts after hearing Seongsu-ho's reason for refusing, she remembered something she heard when she first entered the consulate.

(The instructors at the consulate are provided with VR headsets for free during their tenure. Most already have them, so there are few requests for loans.)

Seongsu-a remembered this and immediately explained the situation to Seongsu-ho, suggesting they play together.

Seongsu-ho, hearing her explanation, smiled and readily agreed.

Seongsu-a, as soon as her class ended, went to the equipment room to borrow a headset.

The headset was easy to install, so Seongsu-a could do it easily.

“Who would have thought I'd end up playing with someone else... But if I get bored, we can use the online mode again, right?”

She wasn't particularly interested in games.

However, the feeling she experienced in the virtual reality yesterday was good, and she wanted to try it a bit more.

“First, I need to link my phone information...”

This VR device, unlike the capsule type, registered personal information rather than biometric data.

She saw a message on her phone confirming that the information and contacts were linked to the device, then put on the headset and lay on the bed.

“And pressing this button... Ah! It works!”

Pressing the button on the device, a screen appeared with warnings and important messages.

-Connecting in 15 seconds.-

-Please turn off all devices that could cause a fire hazard in your home before connecting...-

Seongsu-a, while reading the warnings carefully, noticed her vision going dark.

..

..

“I'm in. Let me check my clothes... Phew... This time, everything is normal.”

Seongsu-a immediately checked her attire upon connecting.

If there were any issues like yesterday, she wouldn't be able to face him again.

“First, I need to find Seongsu-ho in my contacts...”

Seongsu-a brought up the contact list as a hologram and found Seongsu-ho right away.

She always organized her contacts meticulously, so even with many people registered, she could quickly find and remember the ones she needed.

“Wait! First... let's set it to private...”

There was a reason why Seongsu-a, despite having the VR headset, didn't use it much.

When she bought it to meet Choseohyun, she kept getting calls from unexpected people.

Men, mistaking her for someone who liked games because she couldn't refuse requests, kept contacting her.

As a result, she could play various games like RPGs and fighting games, but she didn't enjoy them.

Eventually, the headset ended up in a box in a corner of her room, like a neglected shrine.

“At that time, I didn't set it to private because I thought Choseohyun might come in, but now, if I play with Seongsu-ho, it might cause misunderstandings. Let's set it to private.”

Seongsu-a set the connection to private and requested a voice chat with Seongsu-ho.

“Can you hear me?”

(Oh! You scared me!)

“Pfft... Did I surprise you?”

Seongsu-a smiled and thought.

‘I seem to laugh more with this person.’

Seongsu-ho, unable to see Seongsu-a's smile, explained in a flustered voice.

(Ah... Instructor Seongsu-a? I'm a bit confused since it's my first time...)

“It's okay. I'll guide you step by step.”

Seongsu-a, though it had been a while since she last connected, decided to choose a game and connect.

“I think it's important to meet in person. It would be easier to explain while we're together.”

(Yes, that makes sense.)

“First, press the game list on the screen and tell me which game you want to play.”

(Ah... I...)

Seongsu-a thought to herself.

‘If he's a guy, he probably likes fighting games or FPS games, right?’

Although the environment was limited because it wasn't online, most games were available in the headset.

However, to play them officially, you would need to buy chips from outside or purchase and download the games online.

‘If it's a fighting game or RPG, he should be able to enjoy it for 1-2 weeks without any issues.’

Seongsu-ho, who seemed to be thinking carefully, told Seongsu-a the title of the game he wanted to play.

“Animal Village? This sounds good.”

“...Animal Village?”

Seongsu-a knew about this game.

It was a game where you live in a rural village and enjoy a slow life while decorating it.

Seongsu-a had played it briefly and enjoyed it.

The game was originally designed as a slow life game but became famous for other reasons.

It became a popular game for long-distance couples to meet and enjoy.

However, due to the high cost of the VR device and the passage of time, the number of users had drastically decreased.

‘I suggested this to my brother, but he refused. Let's try it...’

Seongsu-a, hiding her disappointment, said to Seongsu-ho via voice chat.

“Let's play this. I'll connect as the host. Connect now.”

(Yes.)

As soon as Seongsu-a started the game, her view was filled with a vast plain and mountains, creating a beautiful landscape.

‘...I remember feeling this way last time. It was really nice.’

Seongsu-a, captivated by the natural scenery, looked at the sun in the sky.

Lost in the scenery, she suddenly snapped back to reality and looked for Seongs