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“Oh my god! An S-Class Hero! Kyaaaah!”

“Ugh—”

The moment the staff member screamed, the Jeong sisters, who had been frozen, snapped back to their senses.

Covering the mouth of the employee who was about to spread the news all over the neighborhood, they dragged her into the staff room.

Fortunately, there were no customers in the hall, or else things would have gone south right from the start.

“Wow! You’re real fans! I love you!”

“…Please be a little quieter.”

The employee, still not fully grasping the situation, kept expressing her joy at meeting Jeong Ha-yul and Jeong Gyeoul.

Jeong Ha-yul dealt with the employee who had recognized them during their mission.

Jeong Gyeoul kept an eye out, worried someone outside might hear.

No matter what the two were doing, the employee was just happy to meet them.

It was a total mess.

“Yes! I’ll be quiet. Can I just get an autograph and a photo? Oh, and both of you, if possible!”

“Are you not aware of the situation right now?”

“Huh? The situation where an S-Class Hero came to our shop and ate a hotdog? That unbelievable, incredible situation?”

They couldn’t kill or lock up the employee who was just excited to see them.

And she seemed completely oblivious, which was giving them a headache.

“Never mind that. Why do you think we’re wearing masks, hats, and hiding our identities?”

“Ah… to avoid paparazzi, right? I heard there’s a super paparazzi named Shining Kim in Korea. Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret!”

Shining Kim.

Kim Bit-na’s fame spread far and wide.

Even as far as Los Angeles.

“No photos, just an autograph. But it’s a real secret. Just for a week.”

Instead of Jeong Ha-yul, who was stunned by Kim Bit-na’s global fame, Jeong Gyeoul made a deal with the employee.

The offer was to give an autograph in exchange for keeping it a secret for a week.

“Okay! You must have your reasons. I’ll keep it a secret from even my mom and dad for a week!”

While the employee went to find paper for the autograph, Jeong Ha-yul asked worriedly.

“Will this be okay?”

“As long as the secret holds until we meet Serena. Surely she can keep it for a day?”

“I feel like she’ll put up a placard in front of the shop as soon as we leave.”

“…No way.”

The employee returned with paper and a pen, handing them to the Jeong sisters.

“You really have to keep it a secret. I won’t ask for long, just a week.”

“Hey, don’t you trust me? Don’t worry.”

“…”

What do you say when someone you just met asks if you don’t trust them? You can’t exactly say no.

While Jeong Ha-yul was at a loss for words, Jeong Gyeoul stepped in.

“We trust you. Emma Swinton of Red Hotdog.”

“Kyaaa! You remember my name too?”

“Of course.”

She didn’t realize that them remembering her name wasn’t a good sign, she was just happy.

‘…If things go wrong, we know where to go first.’

Whether it would be a story to share with friends over drinks or with the dead in hell, it was up to Emma.

“Then… can you pack two more for us?”

“…Eating again?”

“I burned calories dealing with the situation just now.”

After one last reminder, they left the shop with two hotdogs in hand.

“Wait, we got caught earlier because we took off our masks to eat. Let’s eat somewhere with no people and then move.”

“…Right, let’s go that way.”

Feeling like stowaways eating in hiding in a foreign land, they devoured their hotdogs.

‘…I want to quit being an instructor and all this.’

Jeong Ha-yul took out a wet wipe from the shop and naturally wiped Jeong Gyeoul’s mouth.

As if she knew sauce would get on her.

This scene was like…

“Mom?”

“Stop talking nonsense and let’s go.”

Leaving Jeong Gyeoul, who was blinking innocently, they started to move.

Ring ring—

The phone they received from Deputy Ha Jun-seok rang.

Jeong Gyeoul had already opened the satellite phone’s antenna in the taxi heading to LA from Long Beach, so they could receive Deputy Ha’s call.

“Oh, this really works.”

“But it’s a bit awkward to use, you have to open it and wait in advance.”

Satellite phones aren’t as convenient as they seem in movies or dramas.

[Can you hear me?]

[Yes, what’s the matter?]

[Serena Olson’s location has changed. I’ll give you the new coordinates.]

The information that Serena Olson, who had been staying in downtown LA, had moved to the outskirts.

The distance had increased, but the area had fewer people.

‘Actually, this is better.’

In the outskirts of LA, there was less worry about civilian casualties compared to the city center.

They didn’t care if buildings got destroyed; they were probably safe houses for US government agencies anyway.

[Got it. We’re moving now.]

[Yes, good luck.]

They immediately hailed a taxi and headed to Garden Grove in the south of LA.

“Garden Grove? You’re going to Koreatown, huh?”

“…Oh, right.”

Jeong Gyeoul, who had never been to the US, let alone LA, didn’t even know there was a Koreatown in Garden Grove.

Jeong Ha-yul, who had visited the US a few times, didn’t know either.

“It’s a great place. Korean food is really delicious.”

“Hahaha, right.”

They felt like the taxi driver had already figured out they were Korean.

Afraid that the hotdog shop incident might repeat, they gave vague answers and didn’t continue the conversation.

Eventually, the taxi driver also gave up and stayed silent.

After a long, silent taxi ride, the Jeong sisters got out and moved according to the coordinates Deputy Ha had given them.

“…Is this the right way? I thought it wasn’t this way when I glanced earlier.”

“Don’t you trust me? I’m following the map and GPS.”

“Yeah, I don’t trust you. Give me those.”

Jeong Gyeoul, with a pouty face, had everything in her hands taken away.

Jeong Ha-yul, who took the map and GPS, soon started walking in the opposite direction.

“…Where are you going!”

“This way, you directionally challenged.”

“That, that can’t be right?”

Jeong Gyeoul, who didn’t want to believe she was bad with directions, was in denial.

***

It was definitely this way… Deputy Ha must have given me the wrong information.

Otherwise, how could it be the complete opposite direction?

This is sabotage, a conspiracy.

“How much longer?”

“Should we run? I think we can use our magic power now.”

“Let’s do it. I don’t see any weird detectors here.”

“Let’s suit up, Gyeoul.”

“Okay!”

Finally, they put on their Hero Suits and followed human GPS Jeong Ha-yul.

Using their magic power to run, they finally felt relieved of all the frustration they had felt since arriving in LA.

‘People should run like this, not crawl like turtles.’

In less than five minutes, they arrived at the coordinates.

“…At this point, I don’t think she’s planning to go to Korea.”

“…At least it doesn’t seem fake. No one would go this far for a fake.”

The scene made them doubt if her intention to seek asylum was genuine.

A mansion that could be introduced as the home of Hollywood stars, super-rich, or rap stars.

The kind of place where extravagant parties with people of unknown nationalities would be held daily.

They couldn’t just keep sightseeing.

They decided to buy a mansion like this soon by selling some items and entered.

“Kyaaaah! It’s really the Demon King!”

“…How did you recognize me in this suit?”

“Ghost oppa said the Demon King would come to pick me up.”

“…Ghost oppa?”

They didn’t care how or when she became friends with Ghost, a secret agent of the Association.

There’s a certain vibe from Koreans who have lived in the US.

How to describe it? That vibe from expats or students.

Anyway, Serena Olson was like that.

A pretty expat, you could say.

Though they didn’t know why every woman they met was pretty.

Their eyes were always feasting.

If Jeong Ha-yul and I walked with her without our Hero Suits, it would be an amazing sight.

“Enough of this, come in. Tea? Coffee?”

“We should really get going…”

“I prepared some delicious snacks…”

At Jeong Ha-yul’s words to hurry, Serena looked at me with a sad expression.

That, that fox-like girl.

Does she think I’ll fall for that kind of temptation…

I don’t know how she knows me so well.

Lately, it feels like more people are tempting me with food.

The tension of espionage operations has long been thrown to the dogs.

I couldn’t help but be drawn in by the snacks… no, by the enchanting Serena.

“…Sigh, I didn’t expect this when I brought Gyeoul.”

“It’s okay, it’s just you and me. What could go wrong?”

They didn’t know what could happen, but Deputy Ha had told them to prepare the necessary documents for asylum as soon as they met Serena, so Jeong Ha-yul was convinced.

Whether she was convinced or just gave up, they didn’t know.

“Just a quick bite, then we’ll leave, okay?”

“Yeah, I can finish eating while we fill out the documents.”

While Serena and Jeong Ha-yul filled out the documents.

I enjoyed a leisurely tea time.

While quickly devouring the prepared Americano and snacks.

I sensed numerous energies approaching the mansion.

They were still a bit away, but judging by their speed, they would arrive soon.

“Sis.”

“What? Need more?”

“No, it’s not that… We have a problem.”

“…?”

Jeong Ha-yul, who hadn’t sensed the energies yet, asked if I needed more snacks.

More snacks would be great, but… we’re screwed!

“There’s one energy as strong as you, sis, and dozens of A-Class…”

“…What?”

“Well, it seems like the operation’s blown.”

When I read the approaching energies and told them about it, Serena and Jeong Ha-yul both looked at me.

What. It’s not my fault.

Really.

 

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