“…Yes, I suppose so.”Ha Uichan didn’t particularly like heroes. The world was overflowing with villains wearing the skin of heroes, exploiting their title for profit. During the Seolhyang Village tragedy, he had witnessed those °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° so-called heroes filling their own pockets while turning away from the suffering right in front of them. As a child, he had learned firsthand that there were no real heroes in this world.But when he looked at Noa, that conviction sometimes felt as if it were being quietly overturned. Watching him, Uichan was beginning to realize that maybe, somewhere, there really were heroes who helped others with no conditions, no reasons, nothing to gain.“You’re heading to the Non-Hero office, right? Mind if I come with you?”“Yes, but…”“But?”“I’d rather we… went a little slower.”As soon as Uichan took a step from where he stood, his body tilted to one side. Noa, startled, reached out quickly, but Uichan caught himself, taking another step to steady his balance.Thud—limp.“……”He limped forward, stopping right in front of Noa. The bone wasn’t broken, but every time he stretched his leg, the pressure on the bandaged area drained his strength. There was no helping it.Wiping the sweat from his brow, Uichan lifted his head and studied Noa. His usually calm green eyes had widened, the pupils dilated until they almost looked black. Just as Uichan noticed that strange heaviness in them, Noa’s expression suddenly shifted.Crash—A scream tore through the street. Uichan’s head snapped toward the sound. Nearby storefront signs were crumpling like empty cans. People clutched their heads and began to flee in panic.Despite the chaos, Noa stood frozen, eyes wide, unmoving. Seeing him like that, Uichan reached out and grabbed his arm.“Noa.”Crack—“Noa!”He showed no sign of snapping out of it. Uichan had no choice but to cup his face between his hands and yank him closer.“Min Noa, get a grip!”Noa’s contracting pupils suddenly dilated. His face went blank. In that instant, everything fell silent.The violent wind that had been raging died at once, the crushing pressure on objects disappeared, and even the air seemed to hold its breath. Noa stood there in bewilderment, unable to believe what he had done. Uichan quickly glanced around and tugged him by the arm to lead him away.They slipped into a narrow alley nearby. The bystanders on the street merely looked around in confusion; no one seemed to connect the sudden disturbance to Noatis. Turning back, Uichan saw Noa crouched against the wall, his forehead resting on clasped hands as he caught his breath.“…Who… who did that to you?”The question made Uichan’s stomach tighten. Did Noa think he’d lost control of his power because of Uichan’s injury? When he didn’t answer right away, Noa seemed to take it as confirmation and stood, stepping closer.“Is it someone you can’t talk about? Who is it? I’ll handle it. Just tell me the name.”“No, that’s not what you think. I just… slipped a bit on the stairs.”“…That doesn’t look like a slip.”Noa’s gaze went straight to Uichan’s thigh. When Uichan stepped back to hide it, Noa’s eyes shifted to his gloved hand. Uichan tucked that behind his back too.A siren wailed somewhere nearby; it seemed the Association or the police had arrived. A child, carried in a parent’s arms, was being rushed from the scene. As they passed the alley, the kid dropped something—an ice-cream bar landed right in front of Uichan’s feet. The sweet smell made his stomach clench with hunger.Before his belly could growl, he hurriedly spoke up.“I… think it’s getting late. I should get to the office.”Noa frowned, lines cutting across his forehead. Even with his face drawn like that, he didn’t look frightening—perhaps because his green eyes had gone dull and subdued.Closing his eyes tightly, Noa pressed his palm to his forehead, breathing deeply to steady himself. After a few slow exhales, he reached out a hand toward Uichan. Uichan flinched, thinking he meant to grab his arm and check the wound—but the touch that came was gentle.“…Let’s go. I said I have business there too. You look hungry, so let’s eat something together.”His large hand softly closed around Uichan’s ungloved one. There was no force in the grip, only warmth. He nodded toward the end of the alley. Uichan glanced between their joined hands and Noa’s face before finally answering.“Could we… maybe eat something else instead?”“Something else? Sure. What do you want?”After a brief hesitation, Uichan nodded firmly, as if steeling himself. The babies must have been craving sweets again—he discreetly pressed his palm over his churning stomach. That sugary scent still lingered faintly in the air.I’ll get you ice cream, so stay calm in there.***Before leaving the area, Noa approached the Hero Association staff who had responded to the call and confessed that the incident had been his fault. He promised compensation and handed them his office card before bowing deeply at the waist to apologize.Then he quickly took Uichan’s hand and led him toward Non-Hero. Uichan thought they would go upstairs to the office, but instead Noa guided him to a bench in the park across the street.“Please wait here a moment. I’ll be right back.”“I haven’t even said what I want to eat ye—”Before he could finish, Noa had already dashed off. Uichan blinked, watching the young man’s retreating figure disappear. Moments later, Noa came sprinting back, breathless, with a drink carrier in one hand and a white plastic bag from a convenience store in the other. Inside the bag were all kinds of ice cream.“I saw earlier—you seemed like you wanted some of these.”How was that even possible? Uichan blinked in disbelief, his lips parting slightly. Unless Noa could read minds, there was no way he could have known what Uichan—no, what the little ones—had been craving.Noticing his stunned face, Noa smiled and carefully set the drinks and ice creams beside him.“These are good. Try this one first.”“…Huh? Ah, yes.”He offered a drink with a straw already in it. Uichan accepted it reflexively and took a sip. Of all things, it was the babies’ favorite—sweet chocolate milk. Was this real? The rich chocolate flavor danced on his tongue, and before he knew it, his toes were wiggling. Noa noticed and chuckled.A few more sips later, Uichan recognized the logo—one of those big franchise cafés along the main road. Maybe he’d start stopping by there. While he was thinking that, Noa peeled open an ice cream and asked suddenly,“You’re really not going to tell me?”“Tell you what?”Holding a red-bean bar between his teeth, Noa bit off a chunk.“About your injury. Who did it. I could find out myself, but I’d rather hear it from you.”“I told you, I just fell.”“You said earlier you twisted it on the stairs.”“……”Yes, he was definitely meticulous, persistent, and curious by nature. Uichan coughed lightly and took another sip of his drink before murmuring,“I tripped on the stairs, tried to grab the railing, and twisted my foot. That’s all.”“…Hah. You’re really not giving in, huh. Then let me ask this—can I look into it myself?”“How would you, when there’s no suspect?”“Well… if I search, I’ll find one. I think I already have an idea.”By the time he said that, Noa had already finished one ice cream and unwrapped another—this time, matcha flavored. Maybe it was because he’d grown up without siblings under older parents, but his tastes seemed oddly mature for his age.While Uichan drained his drink, Noa ate six bars in total. He offered a milk-flavored one to Uichan too, but Uichan refused, thinking it would only make the babies picky later.Do kids really eat this much?At twenty, Noa was young even among heroes. Most became certified only after graduating from university, around twenty-five, then started as sidekicks at major offices. Noa was an exception—he’d begun before eighteen. He must’ve seen every kind of ugliness in this field.And yet… how could he still be this bright, this pure?Uichan liked righteous heroes. Everyone probably did. The image of Noa handing a balloon to a child flashed through his mind—a moment so perfect it looked like a painting. For an instant, the smiling child seemed to overlap with his own unborn babies.Without thinking, he asked,“I saw earlier—you’re good with kids.”“Earlier? Ah, you mean the balloon thing?”Having finished even the milk bar that Uichan refused, Noa sighed as he rummaged through the now-empty bag. Finding nothing left, he set it aside and turned toward Uichan.“Why do you ask about kids?”“Do you… like them?”“Yeah. They’re cute, full of light. Maybe because I grew up an only child, I used to wish I had siblings. So yeah, I like kids. They’re our future—how could anyone hate them?”The gentle smile on his face made it clear that he meant every word. Uichan’s palms suddenly felt damp.“…Then if you ever had a child yourself?”

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