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"Yes. Shall we go to our usual skewer place?"

"Sure, let\'s go."

Exiting the Association, we made our way straight to the skewer restaurant.

Team Leader 1 put her arm around me, chuckling.

"Finally, the hectic work is done. We can enjoy more drinks together, Hye-Rim."

"I do cherish our usual outings."

"By the way, Hye-Rim, do you always cover your face like that when you leave work?"

She asked, glancing back at my face. Right now, I was wearing sunglasses and a hat pulled down low.

It\'s become a habit to cover up like this whenever I\'m commuting to work these days.

"With so many people recognizing me, it\'s a bit awkward."

"You\'ve become quite the celebrity, Hye-Rim."

"To be honest, it\'s a bit uncomfortable. I did this the other day at our team dinner too."

"But isn\'t it a good thing that people like you now?"

Team Leader 1 smiled warmly, genuinely happy for me.

"People used to be terrified of you. Maybe this will change their perception of you. Even the Heroes seem to have relaxed around you."

"Perhaps."

I suppose it can be considered a positive that Kim Min-Seok, who was crying and losing his mind whenever he saw me, now treats me as a noonim. However, even now that the Monster Association\'s affairs are over, there are still many Heroes who are startled at my mere presence.

But I\'m not going to force a change in how they view me. I\'ll continue doing things my way. And if any Heroes give me trouble, well, I won\'t hesitate to give them a piece of my mind.

As we chatted, we reached the skewer restaurant and settled in to order our usual fare and some beers.

"It\'s been a while since we\'ve had some one-on-one time, Hye-Rim. We should drink and make the most of it tonight."

"There is no need to go overboard. We can always catch up over drinks, Team Leader 1. Don\'t push yourself."

"...Yeah, you\'re right."

Team Leader 1\'s expression softened at my words, and I detected a hint of color in her cheeks.

"Since we\'re so close, Hye-Rim, we can always grab a drink together, right?"

"Absolutely. You\'re the only person I drink with privately, after all."

"Hehe, really?"

Even though I essentially admitted to being a loner, Team Leader 1 laughed heartily, finding humor in the situation.

If she were my mom, she\'d probably scold me, \'Oh, you introvert! You need to make more friends!\'

As we continued to drink beer after beer, the alcohol started to take its toll, and both the team leader and I found ourselves a bit flushed.

While some people might exhibit typical drunken behavior as they become intoxicated, neither of us were prone to such antics. Yet today, Team Leader 1 seemed to be an exception.

"Hye-Rim."

"What?"

"I\'d like to sit next to you; is that okay?"

She wanted to sit beside me rather than across from me. It didn\'t make much difference to me, so I agreed.

Team Leader 1 slid in next to me, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Feeling tired?"

I wondered if she was nodding off due to the alcohol, in which case I\'d have to walk her home, but Team Leader 1 shook her head.

"A hardworking employee deserves a reward."

"A reward?"

"Yes. After all the hard work, don\'t you think I deserve something?"

I understood what she meant, but what could I do for her? Should I foot the bill for our meal today?

As I pondered this, Team Leader 1 pulled away from me and stretched out her arms.

"Give me a hug, just once."

"...What?"

I was taken aback by Team Leader 1\'s request. A grown woman asking for a hug like a child would naturally catch anyone off guard.

Is this typical behavior for her when she\'s drunk?

While some people may regress to childlike behavior when drunk, Team Leader 1 hadn\'t exhibited such tendencies before. But I suppose everyone has their moments, especially after enduring a lot. Perhaps she just needed to let loose a little.

Come to think of it, I\'ve heard that even adults who lead independent lives sometimes yearn to act childishly.

I don\'t feel that way because I\'ve never had a family, but even adults sometimes want to be children again.

"Alright."

I embraced Team Leader 1 tightly.

The Awakened Criminal Division is undoubtedly a challenging environment to work in, especially with the recent troubles caused by the Monster Association, which must have been driving her crazy lately. I\'ve been going crazy too.

As I gently patted her back, I could hear her contented sigh in my ear.

"Hng~ Getting Hye-Rim to agree to this is the best reward."

"If this brings you satisfaction, then I\'m glad. It\'s the least I can do."

Seemingly pleased with my response, Team Leader 1 squeezed me a little tighter.

After a brief moment, she pulled away and turned to me.

"Is there anything you want, Hye-Rim?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You\'ve put in more effort than any of us, so you deserve a reward!"

"Haha... I\'m not sure."

While I appreciate her sentiment, there isn\'t really anything I desire. Anything I do want can only be fulfilled by the main characters.

There\'s just one thing I seek: a comfortable life with a steady income.

"I don\'t really want anything, and I don\'t expect any rewards, so you don\'t have to worry about me."

"Hye-Rim, you\'re always like that."

I tried to be as polite as possible, but Team Leader 1 didn\'t seem to appreciate it.

"You never ask for anything from others, and you never speak your mind. It\'s okay to be a little childish in front of me!"

With her hands on her hips, Team Leader 1 spoke. Today, she seemed quite different from her usual self, perhaps due to the alcohol.

I genuinely didn\'t have any specific desires. Well, if I had to think of something...

"Then just buy me a highball."

I craved a highball because of its sweetness.

"Really? Is that all you want?"

"If it means I get a drink, then it\'s enough."

If a hug is the price for a glass of highball, I\'ll gladly accept it anytime.

And so, I continued to drink with Team Leader 1. Today, she seemed a bit out of character, so I decided to call it a night after a few more glasses.

She appeared disappointed, but agreed when I suggested we could drink together again next time.

"Well, shall we wrap it up for today?"

"Shall we? I have another appointment tomorrow, so I can\'t drink too much."

"Really? What\'s the plan?"

I didn\'t mention that I was going to the aquarium with Alice. I didn\'t want to alarm Team Leader 1 by revealing I was meeting a superstar idol.

"Just meeting up with an acquaintance."

"Really? Hye-Rim, you are?"

"...Yes."

Team Leader 1\'s surprised question stung a bit. Because it sounded like, \'You have a friend? Really? You actually have a friend to hang out with?\'

Haha, I know I\'m a loner, but to think she\'s surprised when I just mentioned I\'m hanging out with a friend.

"Oh, that\'s wonderful!"

But her reaction wasn\'t what I expected. Team Leader 1 beamed.

"Hye-Rim, you\'ve made a friend besides me, huh?"

"...What?"

"Our little Hye-Rim is finally making friends... That\'s great!"

"Uh, yes. I suppose."

"Then you should call it a night. You have plans to meet a friend tomorrow, so get some rest."

Team Leader 1\'s overly caring attitude felt odd.

It felt a bit like a parent\'s reaction when their reclusive child suddenly decides to go out.

Suddenly, I felt even more hurt by Team Leader 1\'s caring behavior.

---

"It\'s finally tomorrow," Alice murmured, her chest swelling with excitement.

"Tomorrow is my date with Ms. Hye-Rim."

She had waited an eternity for Saturday, eagerly anticipating her reunion with Hye-Rim.

After their tutoring session ended, Alice felt a twinge of disappointment.

Despite being intimidated by Hye-Rim\'s strictness, she hadn\'t found their time together unpleasant. In fact, she enjoyed it.

There was an empathetic connection between them, one that only magical girls like them could understand. Alice appreciated that, contrary to rumors, Hye-Rim was very human and kind.

But her heart sank when Hye-Rim mentioned that she wouldn\'t be teaching her anymore after that day.

"You don\'t have to call me \'Producer\' anymore. After today, I won\'t be teaching you anymore."

Alice realized that Hye-Rim had no intention of meeting her again after the Monster Association\'s terrorist attack was over. So she proposed meeting again, but this time for leisure, not business.

"Ms. Hye-Rim may not think much of me now, but all relationships take time to develop."

Looking at the aquarium tickets she had bought, Alice reflected on her conversation with Hye-Rim. She had claimed to have acquired the tickets by chance, but in reality, she had purchased them herself.

"Perhaps from now on, instead of just being a producer and an idol, we can walk together in a different kind of relationship, right?"