Minjun's Perspective
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I dealt with the man treating the mother and her child. I ensured the criminal was still alive, even after receiving my punches. If I didn't, I would've already killed every criminal I had faced. Luckily, the man didn't hurt me with his bat, thanks to my powers. However, I only had a few seconds before this ability could go into a cooldown once more. I could only hope that I had saved enough energy for me to use it later.
And when I confirmed the robber was down, I turned to the people I saved. It was the two people behind my back.
"Everything's going to be alright, okay? The cops are already on their way here," I said in a hurried tone.
Seok, my roommate, came to my aid, called the cops, and took pictures of the scene. I could only imagine those photographs she had captured on his device would be used for her journalism career. It was nice that she had a dream. But she shouldn't risk her life by joining forces with me in a dangerous situation.
I rocketed straight at Seok's location, where a robber was chasing her down. It was the man who went for Seok, since she was the one who called the cops. That criminal also held a gun in his hand, which could threaten Seok's life. Seok's vital organs would only take one shot to kill her.
"I'm coming, Seok," I uttered to myself, and gritted my teeth.
Within a few seconds, I finally reached a dead-end. Luckily, Seok and the robber were also there on the wall. I wasn't too late.
Just before the thug could pull the trigger, I used my power and transformed into a liquified slime. It was my favourite ability. It allowed me to transform into a liquid form and travel through different places with ease. However, there was also a downside to using this spell. Since I had not efficiently used my powers yet, activating this spell devoured most of my energy.
My body moved on its own. Before the bullet could even hit Seok, I swam in front of her and took the shell right across my abdomen. I transformed back to myself and watched the lead pierce my body. I made it in time. However, there was a cost when I protected her.
The pain immediately greeted me, which almost rendered me unconscious. But thanks to my ability to absorb the metal coming from the bullet, I could still feel and think. My body could also absorb metal entering my body, which was why my organs survived. If I didn't have my powers, I would've died without putting up a fight.
After taking the bullet, I knocked out the man who tried killing Seok unconscious. I needed to react fast if I wanted to save her from this mess. Fortunately, I cleaned up the thugs and defeated them for the time being.
However, it cost me my stomach. The bullet that the thief shot projected straight towards my abdomen. It hurt like hell. Unfortunately, my organs got themselves ruptured from the incident, leaving me with a bitter taste and an excruciating pain radiating all over my body.
"W-What are you doing? W-Why would you do that for me?" Seok asked.
"I don't know. My body just moved on its own," I answered in return.
It was the truth. My body launched itself in front of the vulnerable girl and saved Seok from taking the shell. I had superpowers that could protect me. And even though my ability had a cooldown, my gift was still with me.
I wanted nothing in return. As long as I have this power, I will save everyone in front of me…. Everyone that I can. It was my promise. My father had taught me that moral.
Blood finally dropped from my stomach. It came from a hole that got itself imprinted on my body. The pain continued seeping it constantly, as if stretching every cell inside my body that begged for mercy. A pool of crimson liquid drenched my feet as the scene happened. Seok was behind me amidst all of it all and watched everything.
"Can you move?" Seok asked, and offered me her shoulder. "Oh my god, you're bleeding!"
"Thankfully, yes. I'm still alive. Don't sweat it."
I accepted her help and rested my weight over to her petite body. Even though Seok didn't have a broad shoulder, I could use it to balance myself. It looked like she didn't know any first-aid about gunshots, which was the extent of her knowledge. I couldn't blame Seok. After all, she wanted to become a journalist, not a medical staff.
"The cops are going to be here any minute. We should leave the criminals to them and focus on treating your wounds. They might call an ambulance for you if we wait for them. We need to-,"
"No! No ambulance. I don't trust them," I interrupted Seok before she could even finish her sentence.
"Why not? Can't you see yourself in the mirror? You're even worse than a drunk guy on the streets!"
"I-I don't want them to know…. My identity. If those people would know, they might experiment on me, or the criminals would come after…. My father. I don't want that…. to happen."
The mask protected the people surrounding you, not yourself. If word came out about my identity, those businessmen, corrupted people, and criminals would hunt everyone I love down. It was my only protection.
"Okay. But what do you suggest we do, hm? I can't bring you inside the apartment with or without your mask. The guy behind the desk would definitely tell the school about it. I don't have any powers compared to you," Seok said, and showed me a face brimming with ideas. I even saw a light bulb illuminating above her head. "Why can't you just use your liquid form and go back to the apartment? That's our only option if you don't want those cops to interrogate you."
As we spoke, sirens down the streets notified our eardrums. It only told us that the cops and some reporters were heading towards this alley and would place it on the news.
"I could for a short while…. But how about you? You're going to be in the middle of this trouble," I asked, still worrying about her safety.
"Why do you care about me when you took a bullet right through your stomach? I'm the one who should be worried about you! What if you die from blood loss?! You're the one who saved me, so this is at least what I could do for you." Seok cried, while gripping my clothes with her fingers.
"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine. Trust me, okay? And don't…. tell them about my identity."
Seok had no other choice but to nod at my proposal and agree with my terms. After confirming her decision, I turned into a slimy liquid and travelled away from the site, with Seok watching my behind. She would be the one who would communicate with the people arriving at this post. If Seok wanted to become a journalist, now was the time for her to shine.
Despite the cooldown, I could still use my ability to an extent. However, when the time comes, I will regret it. But I needed to use this spell and escape the scene. If I didn't, those cops would send me to the Cell, where supernatural beings and unknown species were being held.
...…
After some time, I finally arrived inside my room. It was on the tenth floor. I slid the window open- even in my liquified form and hurriedly transformed back to my humanoid appearance. The spell took control and forced me to revert to this form, even without instructing for it. If my ability had done this outside, I would have been screwed. Fortunately, that didn't happen.
I groaned in pain as the bullet inside of me circled through my organs and passed through my intestine. It was a nightmare. Luckily, the shell slowly evaporated through the use of my special cells. It was my power coursing through me that altered the bullet's shape and absorbed it as if it was food.
But I can't sit still and do nothing! There may be other crimes out there that need my help. What would happen if I idle around this cage and injure my body for the rest of my life? The best thing to do was wait for it to heal, no matter how it would take. It will heal…
I grabbed my snacks and my notes for tomorrow's school day. Even though I was a superhero, I was still a student living in this room. And soon, someone will arrive. It was Seok. She was my new roommate who would live with me for the rest of her academic life. Did she know that there was a quiz happening tomorrow? We weren't classmates, since I was a second-year student. However, Seok would also suffer from the surprise quizzes offered by the university.
Seok finally came home at evening. And when she entered my room, all she found out was me, my snacks, and the notes I used to study. I had already changed into my comfortable clothes but hid my wound from her.
I didn't want to worry Seok. She was my roommate, not my sidekick. I wished for her to stay out of my superhero life if there was anything I wanted. It was a dangerous job, after all.
"Hm? Ah, thanks for your help a while ago. I really appreciate it. If it weren't for you, the mother and her child would be dead by now," I answered, while still focused on the notebook in front of me.
"Oh, that. Thanks. Don't mention it. But aren't you shot? And tomorrow's just the first day of classes, right? Why are you studying right now?" Seok answered.
It was better this way. She didn't have any reason to help. However, after a few minutes, the girl shouted. It was the loudest voice I ever heard, incomparable from when my father first scolded me.
"I've made dinner," Seok said, with a plate of cooked burger and noodles on the side. "Actually, this is the lunch box that I have when I arrive here. I ovened it. You don't have to worry about the food being cold. Here, you can have it."
Maybe for a little while, she could enter my life. Seok might be the girl of my dreams.