Chapter 325: Story from the past

Egostream.

This alliance of villains was founded by Han Seo-eun and Lee Soobin at the initiative of Egostic, and over the years has seen a wide variety of villains join.

Han Seo-eun, Lee Soobin, Lee Ha-yul, Choi Se-hee, Baek Eun-woo, Death Knight, Seo Ja-young…

What they all had in common was that they all lived in the same house, centered around Egostic, and were close as a family.

Of course, it was good to have more powerful allies in the group.

“…Ugh.”

Han Seo-Eun didn’t like it.

Han Seo-Eun, sophomore in high school.  Dressed in a wide-brimmed hoodie, her white hair glistening in the sunlight, Han Seo-eun covered her head with a hooded hat.

‘…There’s too much competition.’

That is, there are too many women in the house.

For some reason, most of the villains brought in by Egostic were women.

That fact was enough to make Han Seo-Eun uneasy.

Her keen intuition told her that they must all be in love with Da-in. …Which makes sense, since the way he recruited them in the first place was by solving their biggest problems and saving them.

Add to that Lee Seola, Da-in’s coworker, and Stardus, his greatest enemy, and you’ve got a recipe for trouble.

Even worse, Da-in didn’t even look back at her because she was underage.

“…No, what am I?”

Han Seo-Eun muttered to herself as she went to her room and stood in front of the mirror.

Her silver hair was down to her ears, and she was wearing a hoodie, showing off her cute charm.

As one of the main villains in the original, her beauty was so radiant that when she walked down the street, some people thought she was cute. Now that she is in high school and has grown taller, she could be mistaken for an adult by strangers.

Unless, of course, she let it be known, Han Seo-eun would stand in front of the mirror, take a look around, and seriously think, “Do I look like a child?” The truth was, she still looked like a child.

“Ugh… Sucks.”

As she pushed her hooded hat down, she couldn’t help but smile.

High school. Hormones running wild….And the stress of having to deal with an incredibly difficult man in that situation only increased.

As a result, her stomach was churning.

“…Seo-eun, what’s wrong? Does your stomach hurt?”

“Hmph. I don’t know.”

Just like that, it was mealtime.

With Da-in looking at her worriedly, Han Seo-eun took this opportunity to whine to Egostic as she was not eating well with a dark look on her face.

“….”

Lee Soobin, who was watching her with troubled eyes, called her later that night.

“Seo-eun, are you worried about anything these days?”

“No, not really…”

“Tell your sister. Okay?”

Lee Soobin stood in the room with her long brown hair hanging down, holding her hands in front of her.

After Da-in, she’s the closest sister, probably because they’ve been together for a long time.

…The woman who sometimes felt like a mother to her, and when she asked that, Han Seo-eun’s heart was finally shaken.

Soon, she revealed the thoughts in her heart to Soobin herself.

“Sister, I like Da-in.”

Han Seo-eun said that with an unwavering voice but before Lee Soo-bin could even open her mouth, Han Seo-eun continued.

“You know I have a crush on Da-in. Since forever. Ever.”

“Well… I know, Seo-eun, but the age difference between you and Da-in…”

“What’s the big deal about a six-year age difference? I heard that it’s common for people to get married even if they’re 12 years apart these days…!”

Han Seo-Eun, who had just finished speaking, sighed, looked at the ground, and muttered.

“…I know how the other sisters feel about Da-in… I want to hate them, but…”

I couldn’t.

We’ve been together for so long, we’re so close.

After years of living together in the same house, we felt like family, so I couldn’t hate them even if I wanted to.

Soo-bin, who sometimes feels like my mom, Se-hee, who takes care of me despite her tics, Eun-woo, who is my best friend, and Ha-yul, who is so sweet.

I liked everyone because they were like family.

And because I liked Da-in, too, I was confused and didn’t know what to do.

Lee Soobin looked down at Han Seo Eun, who was so confused, in silence.

Soon, she quietly opened her mouth.

“So, Seo-eun, you don’t know what to do because you like your sisters, and you like Da-in, right?”

“Yeah…”

“…Well. Then, how about this?”

Lee Soobin hesitated for a moment, then calmly opened her mouth and said.

“Actually, Seo-Eun, it’s not the members of the Egostream that you should be worried about, it’s Stardus.”

“Oh…”

“You know how much Da-in likes Stardus, and frankly… I think Stardus has feelings for Da-in, even if he doesn’t realize it. If they get together, do you think we can stop it?”

“Yeah…”

Faced with the reality of the situation, Han Seo-eun froze even more, and Lee Soobin spoke calmly and soothingly.

“That’s why we shouldn’t fight. We should stick together.”

“What do you mean?”

“…Well. First of all, Seo-eun, you do realize that Da-in is doing something very important, right?”

“…Yes. He’s saving the world or something…”

“So. Until then, don’t confuse him too much. We’re here because we want us to help him, not hinder him.”

“Well, right…?”

“So, for now, don’t worry too much. Stardus… it’ll be impossible for them to get together for years anyway, considering Da-in’s personality.”

“…Uh, sis, what are you trying to say…?”

“I’m trying to make a rule between us.”

“Rules?”

So, Lee Soobin’s words were summarized as follows.

Number one. Until he retires, no one approaches him first.

He’s dealing with some very important things right now, and we don’t want to interfere with that.

This means no flirting and no heretical behavior such as confession.

Second. After Egostic retires, do as you please.

“…”

“What do you think?”

“Well…”

Han Seo-Eun listened for a moment, her eyes narrowing, but then she thought for a moment.

…It wasn’t bad. Especially since she was still a minor, she would still need some time to get Da-in to open up to her, and she could buy that time.

It also made sense logically. It’s an important time for him, and it would be more stressful for him if they fought about liking him and ruined the atmosphere. It’s better to wait until he retires.

So, for now, Han Seo-eun agreed.

“I think it’s a good idea…”

“Isn’t it?”

Except…

Han Seo-Eun glanced over and saw Soobin smiling at her.

…She didn’t expect to hear these words from Soobin’s mouth.

I knew she liked Da-in, but I didn’t expect her to make such a radical claim. The whole premise of this treaty is that they both have to admit that they like Da-in in the first place, right?

It’s hard to believe that these words came out of the mouth of Soobin, who always seems to be so kind and sweet.

Still, I know that Soobin said this after a lot of thought, so… Han Seo-Eun nodded in agreement.

“…Okay. I’ll gather the other sisters and see what they think.”

“Will you do that? Thank you, Seo-eun.”

“Okay… I’ll go now.”

After that, Han Seo-eun left the room.

Lee Soobin watched Seo-eun leave the room, smiling quietly.

“…..”

After she left, she wiped the smile off her face and came back with a cold expression.

“Hah…..”

Lee Soobin.

She, unlike the others, had no special abilities.

She didn’t have the hacking genius of Seo-Eun.

She didn’t have the ability to heal everything like Ha-yul.

She couldn’t shoot lightning like Se-hee, summon flames like Ja-young, use magic like Eun-woo, or make ice like Lee Seola.

She’s just an ordinary person who graduated from Seoul National University’s computer science department.

However, that only made her see the situation more calmly.

‘…At this rate.’

There isn’t a single one of us who can connect with Egostic. He’ll go the Stardus route, no matter what.

She, too, was fond of Da-in.

She had given up on everything, and he had miraculously found her and given her a new life. How could she not love a man who had given her a new family when she had none?

But it was impossible for her to connect with him.

It’s impossible to fight Stardus and win, and then have him fall in love with both her and Stardus? It’s just not in Da-in’s character.

That is, for it to be even remotely possible.

She’d have to change his standards in the first place.

She’d have to turn the game upside down to make it possible.

Not Stardus + a.

It’s as if he’s embracing everyone in the first place, and one of them is herself.

“…..”

She’d always been quietly supportive of Da-in behind the scenes, so she had no intention of getting in his way.

Until he retired, that is.

It’s only right to stop the fight and see what happens afterward.

With Da-in, who never thought Stardus would like him anyway… and a frustrated Stardus that would make her stomach explode if a third party were to see it, is unlikely to last that long.

Therefore, she decided to create a new appointment inside the Egostream with Seo-Eun, whose interests align with her own.

After all, it would be right to go with everyone.

“…Ha.”

Just like that.

Inside the dark room, Lee Soobin sighed to herself and checked her thoughts.

…It was two years ago.

*

Just like that a lot of time has passed, and a lot has happened until Seo-Eun and I gathered everyone together and made that treaty.

There were many objections, many complaints…but in the end, everyone agreed to it.

Lee Ha-yul and Baek Eun-woo, who were clearly in love with Da-in from the beginning, quietly agreed.

Choi Se-hee was embarrassed and denied it at first, then finally admitted it, even though she asked why she should.

“…What? You’re saying you like Da-in too?”

“Yeah. I liked him from the beginning.”

Seo Ja-young shockingly confessed that she likes Da-in too.

“…Well. Do as you please. It’s always been common for heroes to have three wives.”

Except for Shinryong, who played it cool.

Anyway, after gathering everyone together, Han Seo-Eun opened her mouth.

Until Egostic retires, everyone should restrain themselves.

After telling them what Lee Soobin had told her, Lee Soobin also opened his mouth and said.

“…And… we all need to stick together now, after all, Stardus is the biggest enemy.”

And with that, she helped Seo-eun to speak.

After that, nearly three years later.

“We’re calling for the third meeting of the Egostream.”

Finally, just as Egostic was nearing retirement.

The final meeting began.