On the day New York was attacked by aliens, everyone was watching the Avengers. I, Lisa Takahashi, was working at Starbucks when I looked out the window. Iron Man flew across the sky, Captain America threw his shield. Everyone cheered. But I noticed something. In the shadow of a building, a man was moving quietly. He wasn't fighting. Yet he was placing small devices here and there. What was that? I dropped my register and followed him. Because at that moment, my heart was pounding so hard. Just
After the Hero Left - On a stormy night, he disappears.
The sound of rain was beating against the apartment window.
Takahashi Lisa lay curled up on her bed, blanket pulled over her head. She had barely slept since last night. The moment she closed her eyes, the words that had appeared on her phone screen resurfaced on the back of her eyelids.
*"We're targeting you. Extract information about the Remnants from Kyle O'Connor. If you don't cooperate, next time it won't just be a steel beam."*
She had reread it countless times since then. An unknown number. Even when she replied, it never even showed as read.
*(I'm being targeted.)*
Her heart raced in an unpleasant way. Her breathing grew shallow. The area around her stomach ached, as if being squeezed tight.
She rushed to the toilet. Clinging to the bowl, she retched. Nothing came out. It just hurt.
"...It's okay. I'm okay."
Her face in the mirror was terribly pale, the corners of her lips dry.
*(I need to tell Kyle soon.)*
She thought that, but her fingers wouldn't move. If she called, Kyle would surely come running immediately. But was that okay? That man already had more than enough on his plate.
Lisa touched the small braid above her left ear. A tiny charm her mother had tied for her. Her fingertips trembled faintly.
*(But still, I can't stop worrying.)*
No good. Calm down. Me.
Wednesday morning.
Standing at the register of the Starbucks on Lexington and 42nd, Lisa looked terrible. She'd hidden the dark circles under her eyes with concealer, but the stomach pain and nausea wouldn't go away. The construction sounds from the Ground Fall redevelopment zone felt more distant than usual.
"Thank you for waiting. One grande latte."
Her voice should have sounded normal. But her hands trembled, and she nearly dropped the cup.
The store manager, Pratik Sharma, was watching her from across the counter with narrowed eyes.
"Lisa, that's the fifth time today. Did you eat something bad yesterday? Or did you make eye contact with aliens again?"
"N-no, that's not it. I'm just a little sleep-deprived..."
"If a sleep-deprived employee spills a latte, the customer stays sleep-deprived. Go home. That's enough for today."
Lisa tried to say something. But the nausea rising from the depths of her stomach wouldn't let the words continue. In the end, she removed her green apron and left through the back door.
Outside, the sky was dark even though it was afternoon. Rain clouds hung low and heavy. The wind blew warm and humid.
*(That message... should I tell the police?)*
Her grip on her phone tightened.
But she couldn't report it. Kyle's work was classified. The existence of Section Grey, the Neutralizer Beacon, Voidcrest—the moment she mentioned any of it, she'd put Kyle in danger. More than anything, Lisa herself had stepped in too deep. She had wandered into that place.
*(Because I got too close on my own.)*
She bit the inside of her lip. She tasted blood.
Evening.
Her phone vibrated.
Seeing the name that appeared on the screen, something leaped in the depths of Lisa's chest.
Kyle O'Connor.
The ringtone echoed, mingling with the sound of rain. Her fingertips trembling, she pressed the answer button.
"Hello... Kyle?"
"Lisa, where are you right now?"
His voice was low. It lacked its usual softness.
"Um, well, I left work early, so right now I'm... near my apartment."
"Can you make it to the alley behind the station? I'll be there in five minutes. Wait for me there. It's urgent."
"Understood. I'll head there now."
The call ended.
Lisa broke into a run. Through the rain, along the pavement. Her heart was loud. Her footsteps splashed through puddles.
*(Something happened. Definitely, something.)*
The alley behind the station was dim even in daylight. The rain made it darker still. Emergency lights blurred hazily against the wet ground.
When Lisa arrived, Kyle was already there.
He leaned against the wall, getting pelted by the rain. His dark brown hair clung to his forehead. His gray work jacket had soaked through, the color deepening.
"Kyle...!"
Lisa rushed over. Kyle slowly raised his face.
Deep blue eyes. But those eyes weren't looking at Lisa. They were staring somewhere far away.
"You came."
"What's going on? It's rare for you to call."
Lisa's voice was shaking. And not just because of the rain.
Kyle pulled a small scrap of paper from his pocket. Along with his phone.
"Hold onto this. It's my emergency contact. If anything happens, call this number and ask for Margaret Sawyer of Section Grey. She's someone you can reason with."
He pressed the scrap of paper into Lisa's hand. The rain-soaked paper stuck to her fingertips.
"Wait... what do you mean? Did something happen? I got this weird message yesterday—"
"I know."
Kyle cut her off.
"It's Voidcrest. They've got your address. Photos of your apartment's front door and room number were sent to me too. They're serious. They're going to take you hostage. And they said they won't touch you in exchange for the Section Grey classified intel I have—the Project Remnant debris list."
The strength drained from Lisa's fingers.
"So... is this my fault?"
Her voice cracked slightly.
"No. It's not your fault."
Kyle's voice softened just a little. But his next words were even colder.
"But it's over now. Lisa. This is the last time you see me. You'll only become my weakness."
The sound of rain suddenly seemed louder.
Lisa knew she had to say something. But no voice came out. Something caught in the back of her throat.
"Kyle... I'll make sure I'm not a burden, I'll do it properly—"
"This isn't about being a burden or not."
Kyle cut her words off sharply.
"Listen. I'll go alone to the warehouse for the exchange. They specified an underground parking garage on the Lower East Side. I'll hand over false information and buy time. While I'm doing that, you get out of this city. Go to Amy's place, or anywhere."
"No!"
The voice she finally managed was soaked and messy with tears.
"I still have so many things I want to talk to you about. About the trembling in your fingers, about your ex-girlfriend, about Project Remnant—I want to know, but I can't say goodbye while I still don't understand anything!"
Lisa pressed both hands against Kyle's chest. Through the soaking wet jacket, she could feel his body heat.
"Lisa."
Kyle's hand gently gripped Lisa's wrist. His fingers, chilled by the rain, touched her skin.
"You don't need to know anything. Not knowing is safer. ...I don't want to break you too."
His voice sounded like he was crying.
Kyle released Lisa's wrist. He stepped back.
"Take that and go straight home. Forget about me."
"Kyle!"
Even as Lisa screamed, Kyle didn't look back.
His back grew smaller beyond the curtain of rain. The gray jacket dissolved into the darkness.
Lisa crouched down on the spot.
The puddle soaked her knees. Rain pounded the back of her head. Unstoppable tears mixed with the rain, falling from her chin and vanishing into the ground.
*(I... couldn't say anything.)*
She had wanted to argue. But she couldn't. Because what Kyle said felt right. Just being near him put him in danger. That was unbearably frustrating.
"...uh, ahh..."
A voiceless sound leaked from her throat.
How long had she stayed like that?
She suddenly realized she was clutching the scrap of paper in her hand. Kyle's emergency contact, soaked and crumpled by the rain.
Lisa stood up.
She returned home. Her clothes were drenched, her body cold. But she didn't even have the energy to shower.
She collapsed onto the bed. Stared at the ceiling. The tears still wouldn't stop.
*(Kyle went alone.)*
*(I can't do anything.)*
*(I'm just a Starbucks barista.)*
She picked up her phone. Her trembling fingers searched for her best friend's name.
Amy Chen.
She pressed the call button. The dial tone echoed through the room.
"Hello? What's wrong with you? I heard you left work early today. Pratik told me."
The moment she heard Amy's voice, something inside Lisa crumbled.
"Amy... help me..."
She couldn't speak properly through the tears. Her breath hitched and shuddered.
"Lisa? Are you crying? Hey, are you okay? What happened?"
Amy's voice turned serious all at once.
"Kyle told me... not to see him anymore. I'm being targeted by Voidcrest, and Kyle said he's going to the exchange point alone to protect me..."
The words wouldn't come out right. But Amy listened silently.
"I can't do anything. I haven't given Kyle anything back. I'm just causing trouble with my feelings, being a burden... maybe it would be better if I wasn't around."
On the other end of the line, Amy seemed to let out a deep sigh.
"Are you seriously saying that?"
Her voice was low.
"But it's true. I'm just a Starbucks barista. I don't have the power to protect anyone, or combat skills, or any information. I haven't been able to do a single thing to help Kyle."
"Are you stupid!?"
Amy's voice sharpened.
"This is exactly why that man keeps everything bottled up alone. Is your love just words? Is it that shallow—something you pull back the moment things get dangerous? If you stay quiet, that man is definitely not coming back. You know that, so why aren't you moving!?"
Lisa gasped.
Amy's words pierced deep into the center of her chest.
"...I can't move. Because if I go, I might just get in the way. I'll make him worry about me even more."
"Kyle might die because of you, and you're still planning to just sit here? If you don't go, that man will definitely do something reckless alone. Voidcrest are people with weapons. They won't show mercy to a civilian. If you don't go, that man will die. Won't you regret that?"
There was no way she wouldn't.
Her breathing was painful.
*(I could never live with that regret.)*
"...I would regret it. I would definitely regret it."
"Then figure out for yourself what you need to do. I won't stop you from feeling what you feel. But if you're going to move, move for real. Just don't jump in with half-baked resolve and drag that man down. Absolutely do not do that."
Amy's voice sounded angry, but also like it was trembling.
"...Yeah. I understand."
The tears receded. In their place, a hot mass was born deep in her chest.
*(I haven't given Kyle anything back. That's a fact.)*
*(But—that doesn't mean I can just let it end here.)*
She hung up.
Lisa staggered out of bed.
She knelt in front of the closet. The very back. A box containing her mother's keepsakes.
She opened the lid. From inside, she took out a small velvet pouch.
Inside was a necklace—a gold chain with a small stone that appeared blue depending on the light. Her mother had handed it to young Lisa before she passed away.
*"No matter what happens, keep smiling while thinking of someone. If you do that, you'll surely become strong."*
She felt like her mother's voice echoed gently in the depths of her ears.
"...Mom, I can't just smile and wait."
She gripped the necklace tightly. The stone dug into her palm. It hurt. But right now, that pain felt comforting.
*(Even if all I can do is cling and try to stop him, I'll go to his side.)*
*(That's the best fight I can put up right now.)*
Lisa put the necklace around her neck.
She picked up her phone again. She called Amy once more.
"...What? What do you want now?"
Amy still sounded annoyed. But she answered immediately.
"Amy, please. I'm going after Kyle. I won't let him go alone. So I need your help. With just me right now, I might not be able to find any clues about the exchange location. I want you to help me."
"Huh? You're planning to drag me into this?"
"I am. Because you're my best friend, right? Besides, you'd be more worried if I went alone. So help me. I want to borrow your phone and your sharp tongue."
On the other end of the line, Amy let out a long, long sigh.
"...You really are an idiot. You're going to put your best friend in danger in this downpour?"
"Because I know that even if it's dangerous, you'll still come."
Lisa smiled a little.
Amy went silent. Only th
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