Make or Punch

I

The Hero Association's headquarters, a towering symbol of peace in City Z, had never felt so oppressive. The echo of her reprimand in the conference room was still ringing in her ears. Moon Byulyi and Moon Yongsun, Moonbyul and Solar; both esteemed S-class heroes sat across from a nervously squirming A-Class Hero, Rosé.

Moonbyul clears her throats, and with a piercing stare at the heroine seated them, "Miss Rosé, I understand that your skills are above average for an A-Class hero, but your temperament is abysmal."

Rosé shrinks back under the withering glare as Solar also begins to speak up, "Do to your impulsiveness and charging a Demon level monster without foresight, several of your teammates were injured." Solar pauses, pinning Rosé with a disappointed look, "This kind of behavior does not reflect well on our organization or your own reputation as a hero."

"Therefore," Moonbyul continues for Solar as they share a significant glance before looking down at the hero before them, "you will be demoted to B-Class, effective immediately."

***

Stomping out of the Hero Association's headquarters, in frustration, Rosé lashed out at the world around her. Trash cans flew into the air as she kicked them away.

"Damn it all!" she hissed under her breath, glaring daggers at anything that caught her eye, "Demote me to B-Class?! Just because I was doing my job?! Maybe stop being so fucking useless and maybe you wouldn't have gotten hurt!"

Stopping in her tracks, Rosé heaved a heavy sigh, In her angry haze, she spotted a random woman standing in her path, holding plastic bags filled with groceries.

"What do you want, lady?" Rosé snapped impatiently at the woman who only stood in place, calmly watching Rosé with a curious gaze.

"You should pick up the trash."

Rosé blinked, taken aback by the woman's words, "Excuse me?"

"Someone could trip on the trash, and get hurt" the woman continued, unfazed by Rosé's glowering stare, "Pick up the trash."

Rosé snorts derisively before turning on her heels and continuing down the sidewalk, "Yeah, piss off, lady."

As Rosé walked away from the stranger, she failed to notice the woman continue down the sidewalk as well, picking up trash that Rosé had kicked into the air with each step.

"Are you in a bad mood?" A voice called out from behind Rosé, causing her to stop once again. Turning around, she saw the same strange woman following her

"Are you following me?" Rosé growled, glaring daggers at the woman, "Get lost."

"Not until you pick up your trash." The woman said pointedly

Rosé grits her teeth and growls, deciding she's had enough. With a huff, she turns and raises her fist, throwing a punch, planning to stop it right before it hits to scare the woman away.

But instead, the fist was effortlessly caught and the woman's sunhat flies off from the force of Rosé's blow, revealing golden eyes staring back at Rosé with amusement.

Rosé gapes, flabbergasted, "How did you—?!" she begins to sputter, "Are you a hero?!" Rosé exclaims incredulously as the woman releases her fist and easily catches the sunhat that had flown off.

"No, but I'm married to one." The woman answers smoothly as she places her sunhat back on her head, "Kim Jennie is her name."

Rosé stares blankly for a moment, trying to process what this strange woman was saying, "Wait, Kim Jennie?! As in Oracle?"

The woman chuckles softly, her golden eyes sparkling with amusement as she nods, "Yes, I'm Oracle's wife. Nice to meet you Miss...?"

Rosé stammers for a moment before catching herself, "Park Chaeyoung," she quickly replies before frowning again, "But look, I don't care who you are or who your wife is, get lost!" Rosé snarls impatiently before continuing down the sidewalk once again. This time however, Jennie's wife followed after her.