Monday after school. A lethargic atmosphere hung in the air of a Crestfield High School classroom. The setting sun streamed through the windows, dyeing the doodles lined up on the desks orange. Mark Grayson sat at his own desk, staring intently at a small package. It was wrapped in deep green paper and tied with a silver ribbon. Inside was a pendant. He'd saved up three months' worth of pay from his part-time job at Kevin's comic shop to buy it for Amber. "[serious]Today, for sure. Absolutely." He muttered it to himself, like a vow. Three times. Lately, he'd canceled dates at the last minute three times in a row. Every time his Vanguard communicator rang, he'd just send Amber a message saying "sorry" and rush to the scene. The first time was a bank robbery, the second a factory explosion, the third a bridge collapse. He'd made excuses to himself for all of them, thinking it was "only natural for a hero-in-training." But today was different. Today was his six-month anniversary with Amber. He glanced at the Vanguard communicator on his left wrist. It was a wristwatch-type device issued to all registered heroes. It required a monthly inspection, and as long as he wore it, he couldn't escape emergency calls. (Should I just mute it?) For a moment, Mark seriously considered it. That small button on the side of the communicator. If he pressed it, all notifications would disappear. At least for tonight, he could just be a normal high school student. "...No, I can't." In the end, he only switched it to vibration mode. His sense of responsibility as a hero-in-training wouldn't allow him to cut off communication completely. He straightened his tall, slightly hunched frame. His short, unruly black hair was sticking up with bed-head again today. His deep brown eyes were half-closed. Dressed in a hoodie and jeans, he didn't look like a hero at all. The bridge of his nose was a little crooked from being broken so many times in fights. "Mark, what are you doing?" A voice like a ringing bell sounded, and Mark looked up. Amber Bennett stood at the classroom entrance. Her shoulder-length chocolate brown bob shimmered, backlit by the sunset. Her intelligent hazel eyes, which could flash sharply when she was angry, were now smiling gently. Her 165-centimeter frame was toned from cheerleading practice, and she looked good in anything she wore. She was an honors student and an all-around athlete. She had leadership skills and was someone everyone at school looked up to. She'd started dating Mark three months ago, and today marked exactly six months together. "[gentle]We're meeting at five, right? If we head to Greenhill Shopping Street now, the timing should be perfect." As she said this, Amber noticed the package in Mark's hand. "Wait, is that..." "[embarrassed]Ah, no, this is..." Mark hurriedly hid the package in his pocket. "[laughing]Hehe, I'm looking forward to it. I'll be waiting at Magnolia Diner." Amber smiled happily and left the classroom ahead of him. Mark let out a sigh of relief. Then, he renewed his resolve. (No matter what happens today, I'll prioritize Amber.) He didn't yet know that this resolve would be tested in just thirty minutes. ＊＊＊ He was on his way to Greenhill Shopping Street. It was an arcade shopping district stretching about eight hundred meters east to west along the Riedel River. Around one hundred twenty shops. It was the area Mark usually patrolled, and Magnolia Diner was a diner there. Their famous double bacon burger was eight dollars and fifty cents, and it was a regular hangout for Mark and Eve. Just five minutes away from the shopping street, his left wrist vibrated violently. "You've gotta be kidding me." He looked at the communicator screen. A fire alarm. The location was— (Greenhill Shopping Street, the multi-tenant building next to Magnolia Diner!?) His heart leaped into his throat. Mark stopped in his tracks for a moment. Two voices warred inside his head. (Don't go. You have a date with Amber today.) (But it's a fire. People might be trapped inside.) He probably only hesitated for about five seconds. "[serious]...Damn it." Mark broke into a run. When he reached the shopping street, smoke was already billowing up. Flames were shooting out of the second floor of an old three-story building. A crowd of onlookers had gathered, their murmurs echoing around. The distant wail of fire truck sirens could be heard. "Is anyone still in there?" someone shouted. "There's an elderly person on the third floor!" came another voice. Mark scanned his surroundings. There were too many eyes on him. But he didn't have time to hesitate. He threw off his hoodie. Underneath his jeans, he was already wearing his blue and black costume. It was a suit for heroes-in-training, always ending up tattered after a fight. "[serious]Here goes." He kicked off the ground. Using his superhuman power, he leaped in a single bound. He smashed through a third-floor window and landed on the blazing floor. Hot wind slapped his face. Smoke obscured his vision. "Is anyone here!?" When he raised his voice, he heard the sound of coughing from a room further in. He rushed towards it. Kicking the door down, he found an elderly woman, probably in her seventies, crouched on the floor. "Are you alright!?" He scooped the old woman up. She was light. Almost too light. With Mark's superhuman power, he could support her with one arm. When he went outside through the window, the fire brigade was just extending their ladder truck. Mark gently handed the old woman over to a firefighter. "Is there still someone inside!?" the firefighter yelled. "I'll check!" He dove back into the building. By this point, Amber had completely vanished from his mind. He was so absorbed in the rescue that he completely forgot she was waiting for him at Magnolia Diner, just a stone's throw away. ＊＊＊ Past nine o'clock at night. Covered in soot from head to toe, Mark finally returned home. It was a two-story house. His mother, Deborah, was a nurse and had a night shift tonight. Only Mark's footsteps echoed through the silent house. He took a shower and collapsed onto his bed. His whole body ached. He had new bruises, too. But more than that— He picked up his smartphone and froze. Missed calls. Fifteen of them. All from Amber. "...I really screwed up." Fearfully, he pressed the button to call her back. She picked up after three rings. "[crying]...Hello?" Her voice was tearful. She, who was always so full of leadership, was trembling. "[sad]Amber, I'm sorry. There was a fire." "[angry]I know. I saw you, jumping into the flames." Mark was at a loss for words. "[crying]I waited all that time for our six-month anniversary. I caught a glimpse of the pendant package, so I was really looking forward to it..." The sound of sniffling came from the other end of the line. "[crying]To you, I'm less important than being a hero, aren't I?" "[surprised]That's not—" "[sad]Then talk to me. Why do you always cancel at the last minute? Why don't you even answer your phone? You're hiding something. Right?" The Vanguard Code of Conduct, Article 3, surfaced in Mark's mind. —A registered hero shall not intentionally disclose their true identity to civilians. Violation may result in suspension of qualifications for up to six months— "[serious]...I can't tell you." Silence. "[crying]I see. Okay." The call ended. For a while, Mark couldn't move, just clutching his smartphone. Amber was right. He had chosen being a hero over her. He couldn't abandon someone in need. That might be the right thing to do as a hero. But as a boyfriend, it was the worst. (What am I supposed to do?) He couldn't find an answer. Just then, his smartphone vibrated. This time it was a message. The sender was— 'Come to the park now.' It was Eve. ＊＊＊ Wilson Memorial Park was an urban park in the center of Crestfield City. It was about three and a half hectares in size, with a pond, walking paths, and playground equipment for kids. Eve was sitting on their usual bench. When she saw Mark's figure at the park entrance, she gave a small wave. Her bright pink-blonde straight hair, reaching down to her waist, swayed gently in the night breeze. Her large emerald green eyes were a slightly deeper shade of green right now. Eve's real name was Atom Eve. She was seventeen, and Mark's childhood friend. And she had another face—she was also a full-fledged superhero. Her ability was molecular reconstruction. She could freely rearrange the molecular structure of any inorganic matter she touched. "[sarcastic]That face... Amber dumped you, huh?" As Mark sat down next to her on the bench, Eve made a wisecrack. But seeing how truly dejected Mark looked, her expression quickly turned serious. "[gentle]...Tell me what happened." Haltingly, Mark told her about the day's events. About the pendant, the fire, the fifteen missed calls, and then— "I ended up telling her, 'I can't tell you.'" "[serious]I see." Eve was silent for a moment, thinking. The surface of the pond shimmered and swayed in the moonlight. A dog barked in the distance. "[gentle]Mark, what I can say is this," Eve looked Mark straight in the eye. "[serious]Take care of Amber. She's the one you need to cherish most right now." "[sad]...But, I'm a hero—" "[gentle]Just because you're a hero doesn't give you a reason to hurt someone, right?" Those words pierced deep into Mark's heart. "[sad]...You're right." "[laughing]It's okay. You can do this. I guarantee it." Eve gave him a bright smile. As a best friend, it was the best she could do. "[serious]Thanks, Eve." Mark stood up. He couldn't say anything more than that. "[gentle]Well then, see you tomorrow. At school." Eve waved. Mark glanced back briefly, raised his hand a little, and then left the park. ＊＊＊ In the now-quiet park, Eve remained seated on the bench, unable to move. Just moments ago, she had been acting cheerful, but now, there was no need for that. (Like an idiot.) She hugged her own shoulders. "Take care of Amber," she'd said. She hadn't wanted to say that at all. The first time she met Mark was on a spring day, eleven years ago. Eve had just been taken in by her adoptive parents and didn't have a single friend in this town. She had just moved, everything was unfamiliar, and every day was frightening. She had been huddled alone in the corner of the playground at Wilson Memorial Park, hugging her knees, when Mark appeared before her. 'Are you alone? Me too.' Seven-year-old Mark had smiled shyly and held out his hand. 'I'll protect you forever. Let's be friends.' How much had those words saved her? Eve closed her eyes. Ever since then, she had grown up by Mark's side. They'd fought and made up. They'd become heroes and fought together. Before she knew it, she had fallen for him. But she couldn't say it. Mark had Amber. She was a wonderful girl. An honors student, an all-around athlete, liked by everyone. (She's much more suited for Mark than someone like me.) A tear spilled from her emerald green eyes. (As long as he's happy, that's enough.) On the park bench, unseen by anyone, Eve cried quietly. Holding onto only that childhood promise as her emotional support. ＊＊＊ The next morning. It was eight-thirty when Mark showed up at Crestfield High School. He hadn't slept a wink. The words Amber had said to him, the words Eve had said to him, the identity concealment obligation— (What should I have done?) He still hadn't found an answer. With heavy steps, he opened the classroom door— "[excited]The hero has arrived!!!" His classmate, Todd Klein, shouted, using his smartphone as a megaphone. He was the school's biggest gossip, with his flashy, spiky blond hair, an influencer with over eight thousand social media followers. "[excited]Whoa, Mark! You jumped off a building yesterday, right!? This is going totally viral!" On Todd's smartphone screen was a video