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Note: Shuhua's costume here is that of Gwen Stacy's from "Into the Spiderverse", but just imagine the pink as purple instead.

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Patrolling the streets at night isn’t exactly the most ideal way to kill time. And this point is further reinforced during the summer season, when the weather has turned hot and humid enough for Shuhua to feel the shirt-sticking heat beneath her elastic bodysuit.

 

I really should’ve put on moisturizer tonight.

 

The young heroine frowns behind her mask. One of her eyes twitches in disgust from the sweat pooling up on her skin when it rubs uncomfortably against her suit as she swings around, shooting artificial webs left and right from the wrist-worn devices she had invented herself. After all, Spidergirl would be nothing without her trusty webs – tools of the trade that are extremely useful for both combat and traveling long distances in a short amount of time. Reliable as well as efficient.

 

Using the long-chain polymer strings like a slingshot to build more momentum, Shuhua does a series of aerial acrobatics and basks in the sensational thrill of flying through the air like an avian; the wind wrapping around her airborne figure at this height while the buildings rush past in the corners of her vision. The hood of her white-and-purple-themed costume has been pushed back from the free-flowing breeze to flap lightly against her shoulder blades as she soars through the starlit night. Unseen by the majority of oblivious citizens strolling casually below her, save for the very lucky few who’ve managed to catch just the barest glimpse of their city’s most ardent protector before she is swiftly out of sight again.

 

It’s fairly late in the evening now, almost on the cusp of midnight, so Shuhua allows herself to be a little more exposed to the public eye than usual. Most of the sidewalks are sparsely dotted with the miniature forms of people going about their business, whether it was heading home after a long day or setting out elsewhere for their nightly activities.

 

Through her enhanced vision and acute sense of hearing, Shuhua is able to discern the silhouettes of her college blockmates walking together in groups and their jovial voices all chatting away or laughing with one another. Some appear to just be roving about with no clear destination in mind while others seem to be making their way towards a popular hangout spot in the district – one that’s notorious for hosting wild after-parties for fresh grads and is currently all the rave among adventurous college students eager to have fun in the middle of their unforgiving coursework. Moreover, the “all-you-can-drink” alcohol is the real star of the night.

 

Shuhua was never really one to partake in such escapades, as thrilling as they may sound from her more outgoing peers like Yuqi and Minnie. Her type of recreational activities include tinkering inside her dorm room, working on small-scale projects with whatever bits and bobs she has at her disposal, watching soap operas or playing video games while gorging on a plethora of snacks (a guilty pleasure of hers), and doing any other indoor-related hobbies that a homebody introvert such as herself loves to do during her free time.

 

However, given her newfound role and responsibilities as Spidergirl meant that Shuhua had to be outside more often than not instead of just sitting on her all day; particularly during the later hours of the night when danger seems to lurk in every corner and when crimes tend to be the most active.

 

Shuhua makes it a point to explore and monitor each and every street and crevice she comes across during her nightly patrols. But recently, she has taken to dropping by the lively nightclub every Saturday night for a specific task beyond her modus operandi. A duty, if you will, to check up on a certain individual who frequents the place alongside her other socialite friends and would oftentimes leave around or past midnight before taking the same lonely route back home. One that Shuhua has not only memorized by heart since she first started doing this, but also deemed to be rather sketchy and unsafe based on observation and how concealed some parts of it are from the public’s view.

 

Although the path itself is a guaranteed shortcut from the nightclub to the suburban area on the outskirts of the city, it just doesn’t sit right with Shuhua to simply let this person walk all the way through it alone… which is why she’s made it a habit of following the girl back home on such nights. As creepy and stalker-ish as it sounds, she means well and only has good intentions.

 

Right on cue, her target (aka, the source of all her affections for the past year and counting) steps out of the club wearing an exceptionally alluring getup that Shuhua had never once seen her wear on campus grounds but effectively has her in a chokehold upon seeing it. The heroine is completely enamored, starstruck even, from the jaw-dropping sight and nearly topples over in awe from where she’s perched on the ledge of a neighboring property’s roof deck.

 

Her vantage point gives Shuhua a perfect view of her senior and longtime crush from the Architectural Department, Cho Miyeon, strutting down the pavement after exchanging goodbyes to her friends in an outfit worthy to be on the cover of Korea’s top fashion magazines – a black spaghetti strap crop top over a fishnet tee that stretched further along her arms and down her sylphlike figure, where it is neatly tucked into a pair of waist-high shorts with platform leather boots to complete the whole ensemble.

 

“Holy crap…”

 

Shuhua is rendered speechless, her eyes wide in pleasant surprise. Miyeon is known to have this aura of poise and elegance that comes naturally to her, no matter where she went, and each movement carried out seems to be done with intrinsic grace. But seeing her now; rocking a fresh new look that not only feels rebellious but powerful, formidable even, outside of her normally soft academia aesthetic fitting for her reputation as the resident “It Girl” of their university, feels like a religious experience in and of itself.

 

If Shuhua were to fall in love with two different sides of a person all at once, Cho Miyeon would be the perfect candidate for it.

 

“No. Focus, Shuhua!” She berates herself, slapping the sides of her face thrice for good measure. Even if it does sting a little. “You’re still on the job. her first, daydream about her later.”

 

See, beneath all the bravado and charisma she’s adopted in the persona of Spidergirl – Yeh Shuhua is actually just a shy and socially-awkward girl studying Biochemistry as an exchange student from Taiwan. Nothing about her personal life is anywhere near as exciting or worth mentioning beyond her secret gig as a superhero. Even with her gifted intellect as a teen genius whose scientific prowess proved instrumental in the creation of her homemade web-shooters, Shuhua still tends to struggle at communicating with others and especially more in making friends due to her individualistic lifestyle.

 

It only makes sense, then, that she couldn’t just approach her drop-dead gorgeous crush of nearly two years in hopes of getting to know Miyeon better unless she’s sporting a mask of anonymity through her gallant alter-ego.

 

What Shuhua lacks in confidence and self-esteem, Spidergirl makes up for with her heroic courage, sharp wit, and strong moral compass in the face of adversity.

 

As Miyeon continues down the long way back home, Shuhua goes incognito and tags closely behind her in the camouflage of night. She leaps and swings across rooftops while keeping an even pace to match the older girl’s more languid gait. Not that she minds, really, given the muggy weather and how Shuhua doesn’t want to sweat any more than she already is.

 

Why are summer nights so dang uncomfortable sometimes?

 

One thing Shuhua doesn’t like about this (besides the wretched temperature) are the many blind spots Miyeon would either cross or pass by en route. It does very little to ease the budding anxiety that has settled in Shuhua’s gut each time, but the heroine commits to her duty with diligence as she slinks behind in the shadows. Trying to maintain her stealth.

 

After all, the last thing she wants is to alarm the sweet and innocent Miyeon by producing unnecessary noise from the padded soles of her boots running along the graveled platforms. Shuhua knows how much of a scaredy-cat Miyeon can be (one of the many endearing traits about her, if you were to ask), and she doesn’t want to give away her position either.

 

Her spidey-senses tingle when Miyeon rounds the corner of a closed-up vape store, which unfortunately leads to the fringes of a rather infamous block where miscreants are commonly found loitering the streets at this hour – many of whom have banded together to form their own group of fellow ruffians to stir up trouble for the local law enforcement. Although most have only ever resorted to petty crimes such as vandalism, theft, and careless littering, a few of the worst would go so far as to commit robbery or even assault if they so wished.

 

Until now, Shuhua can never quite understand why Miyeon still chooses to embark on this route. Even with all the dangers and repercussions putting her at risk if she so much as takes a wrong turn. Again, it’s a guaranteed shortcut from point A to point B when traveling by foot. And given how late it is, there’s no doubt that hailing a cab would take longer since many of the services aren’t available during this time. Moreover, those that are still active would most likely be too busy handling -faced passengers high out of their minds or folks trying to haul their heavily inebriated friends who've had one too many drinks into the backseat.

 

Considering the distance between the clubbing district and the suburbs of Miyeon’s home, with or without the shortcut in mind, Shuhua can see why the architecture student would rather walk instead of having to wait for a cab that’ll take her home. It’s a ten-minute drive away, perhaps even less sans the stoplights. So, maybe to Miyeon, the trip isn’t worth wasting gas and having to pay the fare for.

 

Practical, yes… but also dangerous.

 

Pushing her concerns aside, Shuhua shoots out another string of web and swings herself over to the building Miyeon has disappeared behind. Just in time to hear that all-too-familiar cry for help as soon as she latches onto the bricked wall with her sticky hands. She anticipated trouble the moment Miyeon made that turn – the buzzing white noise in her head grew louder and louder like a voice warning her of danger ahead – and so, Shuhua can only brace herself when she makes it to the other side of the building.

 

There’s another dark alley behind it, except this one appears to be occupied.

 

“Yo, relax, girlie. Why are you in such a rush, huh?” A gravelly voice speaks out from below. Shuhua narrows her eyes to get a better look at what she’s dealing with here. With how dark it is from this angle, it was difficult to see or put a face on her targets; it’s difficult to see or put a face on her targets. But the lone street lamp nearby helps illuminate the ominous figures of six intimidating men once they step close to it.

 

Miyeon is cornered from where she’s been backed up against a wire fence separating this alley from another. Frowning behind her mask, Shuhua quickly but stealthily drops down onto a dilapidated fire escape somewhere above them.

 

For sure, these gutter punks have been lurking around here with the intent of scoring a potential victim tonight. Someone who is unfortunate enough to cross paths with them by entering their vicinity alone.

 

Or so, they thought.

 

“Don’t be scared. We won’t bite,” Another voice pipes up, this time from the guy in ripped skinny jeans. A devious grin slips into his smug tone. “Not unless you’re into that. I don’t mind a good .”

 

Good grief. Shuhua feels the urge to throw up as her stomach churns at those slimy words, but she swallows it down and stays in her crouched position. Waiting for the right moment to strike as she scopes the scene.

 

The six men have gotten closer now, and the girl is beyond terrified. But even in the face of such a grim situation, Miyeon finds it in herself to school her expression into a frown and take a defensive stance as if to show them that she’s not backing down without a fight. The posture she’s adopted is, admittedly, quite sloppy and lacking strength. She isn’t a fighter, and it shows in the way her fists tremble as her resolve wavers. A sheep caught in a den of wolves. Her fear is palpable, but it doesn’t change how Shuhua looks on in awed respect for Miyeon’s spike of bravery when she dares to stare them down in the eye.

 

“Ooo, we’ve got a feisty one here, boys.” The lankiest of the bunch sneers, a full neck tattoo peeking out from the collar of his bomber jacket when he cranes his head to address his sniggering pals. He turns back to Miyeon, whose glare hardens into a scowl when his lips curl into the sleaziest smirk she’s ever seen. “Seems like girlie’s got some moxy in her, after all.”

 

“Back off,” The retort is almost grow-like. “Don’t touch me.” She warns, but the falter in her voice does not go unnoticed by the sniggering gang as they close in on Miyeon. Barring any chance of escape into the open street lest she takes the risk of going through them first.

 

“Aw, come on now. No need to be so difficult.” A brawny-looking brute with biceps the size of mountains cooes at her, and Shuhua can viscerally feel her toes curl in disgust. “We can make you feel good, pretty one.”

 

When one of his lads gets close enough to grab Miyeon by the arm, roughly so that it prompts her to yelp, Shuhua knows it’s time to step in and make her presence known.

 

“Hey!”

 

Her shrill voice echoes through the narrow alley, sharp and imposing. Startled, everyone whips their heads around frantically to locate its source until a thud lands somewhere behind the six men.

 

The lithe yet athletic figure of the illustrious arachnid stands before them, donning her iconic disguise with its signature white-and-purple color scheme standing out prominently in the shadows. The muted yellow lighting from the lone street lamp reflects off the sleek material of her bodysuit and highlights the menacing glint of her white chrome lenses glaring back at the perpetrators.

 

“You best get your hands off her, unless you fellas are looking forward to ending your little boys’ night out with a trip behind bars.”

 

A flood of relief washes over Miyeon; saved and comforted by the timely appearance of the hooded vigilante known as Spidergirl coming to her rescue. The heroine’s mask strikes fear into the hearts of the six goons when her big, beady eyes seem to be fixated on them. However, most of the men are quick to twist their expressions into an ugly glower full of animosity towards the web-slinger – all except for one.

 

“Oh, y’all! It’s her!” The guy with a tasteless and untidy mullet is already pivoting on his heel to abort. He’s not going to stick around for the beat-down of a lifetime and have his handed to him, so he willingly turns his back on his own friends by abandoning them without a second thought.

 

The rest of his crew swears angrily at his retreating silhouette.

 

“What the—You ing coward!” The lanky man bellows with rage, face red and his eyes bulging like the vein on his temple. But he doesn’t bother to chase after the traitor and just whirls in on his remaining lackeys to bark out orders.

 

Must be the head honcho, Shuhua deduces.

 

“Let’s get rid of this first, we’ll deal with the other girl after.” He commands, his strict tone carrying an underlying threat to it as he cracks his neck.

 

With the adrenaline and powerful sensations coursing through her body in response to the danger ahead, Shuhua launches her fist towards the first man who goes on the attack. It collides with his face when he runs straight into it, and the force behind the blow is sufficient enough to send him flying back until he crashes against the side of a building.

 

A pained grunt leaves his bloody lips, which have been split open by her knuckles, and the four other men swivel around to glare at Shuhua. Their eyes are furious and bloodthirsty – thirsty for her blood, no doubt.

 

One down, four more to go.

 

They’ve circled her now, a pack of hungry wolves eager to rip and tear her apart. She watches them silently, observing, as her brain starts formulating a plan on the spot like a well-oiled machine. Her head follows along with their movements and looks every which way to assess the situation. To figure out how to go about this swiftly and effectively.

 

Another man lunges at her suddenly; one with piercings on the corners of his mouth, his left eyebrow, and his septum. That tingly electric buzz comes back again, which aids her in dodging his fist as she ducks out of range before landing a punch right into his gut. A strained wheeze is heard as he, too, flies backwards into a graffitied wall with the air knocked out from his lungs.

 

That makes two, Shuhua notes when he collapses to the ground. Lying on his stomach as he gives an agonized groan.

 

She hears a scuffle of feet from behind her now that she has her back exposed, and her senses are heightened once more. Tingles fly around in her head like warning signals telling her to move, so she does.

 

Shuhua gets down on her haunches, eyes narrowed behind the white lenses of her mask as time seems to slow down around her. In a burst of speed and agility, she leaps forward and shoots a web at the Muscle Man hurtling towards her like a cannonball. Fully expecting that he would have the opportunity to strike first based on their positions. It blinds him temporarily, and he’s left clawing at the sticky substance that is glued to his face with vehemence.

 

“Argh! !” He curses loudly while reeling backwards.

 

Shuhua uses this to her advantage by jumping onto him. Her feet land squarely on his broad shoulders, which she then uses as a springboard to propel herself in the direction of the two other guys flanking behind him. She pushes her legs down against him, hard enough to make the blundering giant fall face-down onto the cold cement with a heavy thump. The seamless execution of this maneuver surprises his mates, who aren’t able to react just as quickly in order to stop her.

 

Your turn, boys. Shuhua smirks beneath her mask once she flips over them, twisting her body mid-air before she skids to a halt between Miyeon and the gang like a barricade. Shielding the girl with her body as the pair of thugs approach them, fists raised and ready to clock her brains out.

 

Oh, she definitely won’t make this easy for them.

 

The heroine swerves to her left with lightning-fast reflexes, effortlessly dodging the punch aimed at her head by the guy in ripped jeans as he stumbles forward with a gasp. Shuhua rounds on him from behind and delivers a strong kick to his back, the heel of her boot driven right into his lower back to disable him momentarily, which elicits a cry from his lips when he’s sent to the pavement like the rest of his buddies.

 

“Over here, motherer.” A snarky voice interjects from the side.

 

Again, her skin starts tingling wildly to alarm Shuhua of incoming danger, so she cranes her neck around to see the lanky man with a neck tattoo just seconds away from kicking her in the face himself. His own boot comes within her line of sight – about to break her nose and spill blood – but it doesn’t manage to reach his intended target.

 

Without wasting a second, Shuhua grabs his calf using both hands and proceeds to swing him around with all her might. The weight is distributed on her feet as she grunts from the effort before releasing him, the momentum she built has him hurled off to the part of the alley where the first man was brusquely flung aside. The latter appears to have recently recovered from the punch Shuhua inflicted upon his face earlier, only to be knocked off his feet yet again when Tattoo Guy crashes right into him after getting tossed away like some ragdoll.

 

“Auck—!”

 

Tattoo Guy coughs from where they lay crumpled in a heap on the ground, sprawled over his disconcerted friend whose back is pressed to the dirty cement. Semi-conscious and in pain.

 

“Here’s some advice, fellas. If you’re going for a surprise attack, maybe don’t give out your position first?” Shuhua quips with her head cocked to one side. Her natural cheekiness slips into her voice as she looks down at the pathetic duo in mock pity.

 

Somewhere in the background, Miyeon has gathered her bearings and willed her legs to move as she purposely stayed out of the brawl unfolding before her. From her safe spot in the corner by the fence, she watches Spidergirl expertly take down the whole gang of ruffians on her own with elusive style and grace.

 

Piercings Guy is back into it again, his angry growl reaching Shuhua’s ears as he descends upon her, looking to grab her by the throat. A tingle shoots up her neck as her body reacts by propelling itself into a backflip onto the commercial dumpster bin behind her. Hands gripping firmly on the edge of its lid with her arms supporting her weight, Shuhua swings her body forward for her feet to kick outwards. She catches him by the jaw and sends Piercings Guy stumbling a few steps back in a daze. After a calculated swipe at his legs with her own one, he trips over entirely and ends up concussed once his head meets the pavement.

 

“Lights out!” Shuhua giggles, but not without the savage edge beneath her smile.

 

Tattoo Guy has already scrambled off his knocked-out friend and is now back on his feet. Eyes blazing with outrage as he throws himself at her in a fit of blind anger, which she intercepts by seizing ahold of his wrist and twisting it painfully. His scream is cut short when Shuhua’s hand grips the sweaty curls on the back of his head, before she forcibly slams his face right into the plastic lid of the dumpster bin. Bam! He crumples like used paper at her feet the second she lets go of him, completely down for the count.

 

“Yikes,” Shuhua cringes at the sight of his bloody nose all crooked and wrong. “Guess I went a bit overboard there…”

 

Listing off each of the men she’s dealt with thus far, this marks four. So, that leaves her with only –

 

Ah.

 

Her attention is diverted away by the sound of shuffling movements and a rather peeved grunt from the side. She looks over to find the giant rising to his feet from where he’s been left behind for a good portion of the fight (and honestly, Shuhua forgot about him for a moment there) after being caught in a blinding spell, his dark frenzied eyes seething with a sort of primal wrath that borders on animalistic. The remnants of Shuhua’s sticky web adhesive are still clinging onto his skin in tattered shreds; the aftermath of his failed attempts to claw it all off his face.

 

One more to go.

 

“Wanna dance, big guy?” She taunts him in that carefree trademark voice of hers. Behind the daring heroine, Miyeon’s breath hitches in trepidation at the hulking brute snorting through his nose like an enraged bull – not that he intimidates Shuhua in the slightest.

 

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

 

“I’ll ing beat the out of you!” Muscle Man snarls before charging his way towards Shuhua, wild and unhinged as the near-feral glint in his burning gaze.

 

Shuhua’s brain starts piecing together another plan while her eyes quickly scan their surroundings. They land on a pile of trash bags lying in her peripherals, and a lightbulb dings in her head.

 

With a flick of her wrist, she shoots out a thick string of web and connects it to the largest bag of the bunch. As the giant nears, she grabs onto the string and swings the bag towards him using every muscle in her body to put as much strength into it as possible. The bag is smashed against the side of his head, ripped apart from the sheer force behind it as it explodes into a mess of rancid gunk. Showering him in garbage while he topples sideways with his stubbled jaw smacking hard against the lid of the dumpster. A resounding crack is heard when his jaw dislocates upon contact, which knocks him out cold.

 

Like David to Goliath, Shuhua has taken down the huge Muscle Man in one blow. His bulky form now lays flat on the ground. Unmoving, but still breathing.

 

“Phew! That sure took longer than I expected, but it was definitely a good work-out.” Shuhua casually says to no one in particular, hands on her hips as she nods at herself for a job well done. That is, until she hears the faint sounds of movement coming from her left.

 

Turning around, Shuhua discovers that Ripped Skinny Jeans is trying to crawl away unnoticed as he drags his beaten body along by his elbows. But she effortlessly stops him in his tracks by firing out a few more webs to both his arms and legs. As an afterthought, as well as an extra precaution, she proceeds to cover him from the neck down in an even thicker layer of white silk like an oversized cocoon. Trapping the guy in place and cutting off any chance for him to escape, no matter how much he tries to struggle against his viscid restraints.

 

Given the improved formula of her special polymer webs, those babies won’t evaporate or lose durability for the next 12 hours or so.

 

“Sorry, pal, but you’re gonna have to stay down with all your other buddies till the cops find you first thing in the morning.” Shuhua tells him with zero remorse and full-on sass. “I don’t want you fellas giving anyone else more trouble after what you’ve pulled tonight, so you better behave if you want them to go easier on you than I did.”

 

Ripped Skinny Jeans opens his mouth, most likely to fire back with a retort of his own, only for a web to find its way over his trap before he can even get a single word out. Shutting him up for the rest of the night.

 

Wiping her hands together with a satisfied hum, Shuhua faces Miyeon at last to check if the other girl is alright. She’s still standing on her spot by the fence, staring up at the hooded vigilante in a mix of wonder and admiration. Thank goodness for her mask, or else Miyeon would have noticed the blush creeping into Shuhua’s cheeks from the undivided attention.

 

There she is – the stunning girl of her dreams, Cho Miyeon, gazing at Shuhua like she hung up all the stars and the moon in the sky. Like she’s written hymns for the Gods and saved South Korea from imminent nation-wide disaster, and — Okay, you’re exaggerating. Quit being so dramatic, Shu.

 

Feeling shy all of a sudden, the heroine clears in an attempt to hide her nervousness.

 

“Hey, uh, are you alright?” It’s spoken with a lot less confidence than she had literally seconds ago, and now Shuhua just wants to smack herself in the face. Way to go, you bumbling hero! Where’s your charisma?!

 

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine…” Miyeon answers slowly, somewhat shaken but fine overall. A small yet grateful smile weaves its way onto her pretty pink lips as she regards her savior with awe sparkling in her eyes. Whatever reprimand Shuhua has subjected herself to is promptly dissipated at the heart-fluttering sight. “Thank you for saving me, but… how did you manage to find me out here?”

 

Shuhua hastily racks her brain for a passable excuse. Her crush doesn’t need to learn about her late-night Saturday pursuits dedicated to escorting Miyeon home, ensuring that she’s safe and sound. It would be extremely weird and awkward to explain. Even from their city’s local superhero.

 

“I was just in the neighborhood. You know, doing my usual patrols for the night.” She reasons lamely, hoping that it sounds believable enough. “I came across you by chance and saw those gutter punks bothering you, so I swooped in as quickly as possible!”

 

She tips her head to the side and offers a smile of her own, only to realize soon after that Miyeon can’t actually see it behind her mask. Shuhua amends this by making her voice sound chipper and relieved instead.

 

“Anyway, I’m just glad I was able to stop them before they could do any real harm to you—though, I highly suggest that you take a different route if you’re heading back home from somewhere. Especially when it’s this late at night. And you should really be more careful out here on your own. I can’t always guarantee that I’ll be around next time…”

 

A fat lie. Of course, she’ll be around. But then again, you can never be too sure when you might end up sick and bedridden for about a day or so.

 

Although her words are spoken gently and not without her usual cheer, Shuhua can’t help the stern edge that manages to slip through in her voice out of concern. She also can’t help the nauseating dread that has settled in her gut as it churns and twists uneasily from the mere thought of what could have happened to Miyeon if she had not intervened at the very last moment.

 

The implications behind it makes her skin crawl to the point Shuhua just wants to rip it all off.

 

Miyeon bites her lip as she nods in understanding. “Yeah, you’re right. I should definitely be more careful if I don’t want to run into any more trouble next time.” Her smile grows wider, and Shuhua swears that her heart skipped a beat. “I’ll keep your advice in mind. Thank you, really.”

 

Shuhua nonchalantly shrugs like it’s no big deal. “All in a day’s work. No biggie.”

 

The older girl, however, seems to think otherwise when she shakes her head rapidly. “It’s more than that. What you did back there, it—that was amazing, seriously, and I’m beyond grateful for your help.” Miyeon says in one breath, eyes still shining like the many stars sprinkled across the black sky. “Is there anything I can do to repay you?”

 

The heroine waves it off. She never did this for a reward.

 

“Nope. No need. It’s my duty, after all.” Shuhua assures her, partly admitting to a truth Miyeon doesn’t need to know about.

 

“But I want to do something to thank you. Please?” Miyeon insists and, oh, she’s pouting now. The web-slinger can feel her face heating up at the cute expression – perhaps even more so when Miyeon steps closer into her personal space – while her heart begins to hammer away in her chest. Shuhua’s mind briefly sidetracks to wonder if Miyeon can hear just how strongly she makes her feel by simply existing.

 

Still, Shuhua doesn’t need to be repaid. She merely wanted to help and protect her most favorite civilian. But Miyeon is persistent whenever she wants to be; another trait that Shuhua respects and admires about her senior.

 

And with how Miyeon is looking at her so hopefully, eager to return the favor in whatever way she can just to express her gratitude… Well, who is Shuhua to say no?

 

“Hmm. I guess when you put it that way, then…” Spidergirl rubs her nape, thinking of an adequate compromise they can both agree on as well as benefit from. Plus, it won’t hurt to admit that she secretly wants to stick around with her crush for a little while longer. Get it? Stick around? Because she’s a spider? Shuhua, no. Stop it. You’re stalling again.

 

“… I suppose I can give it some thought. For now, it’s probably best that I take you home first. B-But only if you’re fine with it, of course!” She panics all-too-suddenly once those shining brown eyes widen at her bold suggestion and waves her hands frantically as if to erase her own words. “I just wanna make sure you get back safe, that’s all. It would really help put my mind at ease.”

 

Deep down, Shuhua is cringing at herself. Great. So much for playing it cool…

 

Bless Miyeon’s adorably clueless soul, she doesn’t once question her rather strange demeanor and just nods again. Somewhat meek but still wholly accepting of the benevolent offer.

 

“I’d appreciate that a lot. Thank you.” Miyeon’s radiant smile does nothing to prevent Shuhua’s heart from leaping into .

 

Christ above. She’s so effortlessly and preposterously beautiful, it physically hurts to see.

 

“Okay, uh…”

 

Flustered, Shuhua’s eyes flit over to the five men still laid scattered around them. First things first, she needs to take care of the trash. She can’t just ditch them here without ensuring that they would be caught and apprehended by the police once daylight pours in. Who knows? Perhaps one of them might gain their consciousness back sooner or later and be able to break Ripped Skinny Jeans out of his silky bindings. God forbid that it’s Muscle Man who wakes up first.

 

“Do you mind waiting for a bit? I just gotta deal with those fellas first.” She motions at the fallen crew with a jerk of her thumb.

 

Miyeon giggles, looking quite amused. “Go ahead. Take your time.”

 

It doesn’t take very long for Shuhua to climb back onto the rusty fire escape that she had dropped from earlier and shoot out a flurry of webs to encase the four other men in a cocoon of white before hoisting them upwards with her (literally) handmade strings. Grunting all the while as her muscles strain to pull Muscle Man himself up to a considerable level alongside his unconscious mates. She shoots out a few more webs to secure them to the side of the building, then drops down again to admire her handiwork with a pleased nod.

 

As for Ripped Skinny Jeans, though, she doesn’t worry too much about him. But Shuhua double-checks on him and his silky bindings anyway for good measure. By this point, he’s completely given up all hope for revenge and submits to the humiliating defeat at the hands of Spidergirl. His face is planted on the ground with only the occasional mumble of something incomprehensible smothered by the web still plastered over his mouth.

 

Shuhua whirls back on Miyeon, who is patiently waiting for her by the side. Mustering up her pride, she gestures for the girl to come near and Miyeon complies as she silently steps forward. The unwavering gaze in her soft eyes the color of caramel seems to bore right into her very soul, which causes the heroine to feel skittish – and daresay exposed – to their scrutiny when she forces herself to meet it with all the willpower she can possibly summon. Being able to look Miyeon in the eye for more than just several seconds without feeling like her heart might explode has always been one of her biggest weaknesses (besides getting to talk to Miyeon like a well-functioning member of society).

 

Without a word, Shuhua gracefully hooks her arm around Miyeon’s waist and pulls the architecture student flush against her body with a gentle nudge. The action elicits a squeak from Miyeon, whose lips have parted in surprise as her face lingers dangerously close to her mask.

 

“Hold on to me.” She tells the confused Miyeon. And with that, Shuhua shoots out another string of web, pulls on it with all her strength, and launches them both upwards into the night sky. They’re propelled high in the air while Miyeon shrieks from the sheer force of it all, whipping their figures up and into the vast sea of stars and nothingness overhead. Her arms wrap tighter around Shuhua’s neck as she clings on for dear life.

 

“Oh my Gooood!” Miyeon screams out the top of her lungs, face hidden against the side of Shuhua’s head as Spidergirl shoots out her wrist again. More white strings spew out from it to latch onto the next building, shot after shot whizzing out from her web-shooter as she continuously casts webs in rapid succession with her arm belted securely around Miyeon’s waist.

 

A speed Miyeon didn’t even know existed accelerates them further through the district, the sensation of air rushing past her and into her nose feels exhilarating in a way she has never felt before.

 

Thrilling. Liberating.

 

It starts to get easier – maneuvering around with the added weight on her person. Shuhua is mindful not to twist or flip her body, or do any of her usual acrobatics and aerial stunts while Miyeon is clutching onto her like a lifeline as they traverse through the urban landscape. Weaving between buildings and across the streets without delay.

 

Once again, Shuhua is thankful to have her mask on to conceal the -eating grin on her face at the frightened little gasps in her ear. Miyeon would have probably strangled her for being this entertained by seeing just how scared the older girl is.

 

She’s also trying not to get asphyxiation from how Miyeon is damn near choking her right now. (Not that she minds, quite frankly.)

 

“Where to?” Shuhua asks in-between swings. There’s a few beats of silence before Miyeon raises her head back the tiniest bit to answer.

 

“Keep heading north.” Miyeon points down at the street they’re currently on, her eyes squinting ahead to pinpoint her apartment’s location. “It’s just over there. I’ll, um… tell you where to stop…”

 

Her voice fades off, but Shuhua doesn’t look too much into it and keeps her focus on following the direction given to her as they fall into a comfortable silence. She can feel the intensity of Miyeon staring at her mask, taking in the smaller details of the elastic material as she examines the work Shuhua had put into her suit. Elaborate assembly, but simple design. A fine piece of craftsmanship that Shuhua is rightfully proud of for assembling herself.

 

“There it is!” Miyeon points again. This time, at a modest apartment complex wedged between a furniture store and a public gym. Its walls are painted in silver-gray with the balconies popping out starkly in pure white.

 

Shooting out one last string of web, Shuhua brings them closer to the ground as they neared and descended upon the very pathway crossing the front of the entrance lobby. Although she initially planned on dropping Miyeon right at the front steps, she didn’t want to draw any attention to herself from potential bystanders who might be hanging around at this hour. Specifically, the receptionist working the graveyard shift behind the lobby’s front desk.

 

Shuhua carefully sets Miyeon down on the sidewalk once they’ve slowed to a stop. The girl stumbles a step or two in her landing before eventually stabilizing on her feet.

 

“Oh, wow. That… I don’t even know what to say! That was awesome!” Miyeon whips around to face her savior. “Thank you so—”

 

She cuts herself off when only empty air greets her instead. There is no sign nor trace of the web-slinger’s presence, despite the latter being there with her literally seconds ago. Miyeon frowns in disappointment and lowers her head sadly, a dejected sigh leaving her lips as she turns towards the lobby’s entrance – only to pause once she notices a familiar silhouette casting a long shadow over the stoned path.

 

“Up here.”

 

A playful little voice is heard from above, and Miyeon glances up to find Spidergirl hanging upside down from a web string attached to the underside of a buzzing streetlight post. A soft gasp escapes her while the vigilante begins to slowly lower herself till the two of them are at face-level with each other.

 

“Hiya.” Spidergirl greets cheerfully.

 

Miyeon smiles in response, grateful for her savior’s return as she approaches the dangling arachnid.

 

“Hey,” She says sweetly, their faces mere inches apart. “I thought you just left without even a proper ‘thank you’ from me. I have to admit, for a moment there, I was honestly a bit upset.”

 

Shuhua chuckles. “Ah, sorry about that.” She apologizes sheepishly. “You don’t have to thank me, though! It’s no big deal.”

 

“But I want to.” Miyeon persists, her expression resolute. “You saved me and carried me home. It’s the least I can do in return.”

 

Shuhua chews on her bottom lip, contemplating for a good few seconds before ultimately acquiescing with a sigh. Surely, there’s no harm in giving in to her crush’s request. Right?

 

“Well, okay… If you insist, then I’ll let you thank me once. After that, I need to take my leave.”

 

A happy noise surfaces from Miyeon’s throat as her smile widens. And even upside down, the view of it looks gorgeous. Breathtaking.

 

There’s another brief period of silence that envelops them. The air feels charged… and heavy with anticipation. But for what? Shuhua doesn’t know exactly.

 

Before she can consider getting ready to jet away out of panic and sheer awkwardness, Miyeon suddenly brings her hands up to Shuhua’s mask. Letting them hover in the air near her face while her eyes flit over it. She gazes into those big white lenses as if doing so would give her a general idea of the face concealed beneath the costume, like she’s trying to establish eye-contact with Shuhua’s own pair staring back at her anxiously. Shuhua gulps as she grows increasingly self-conscious with nothing said and nothing done. At least, not yet.

 

“May I?” Miyeon asks, low and soft as she grasps the sides of Shuhua’s mask while her thumbs brush along the smooth rubbery surface and vague triangle patterns that are detailed across it.

 

Even without them being verbally stated, her intentions are clear. Shuhua knows that. She isn’t an idiot. She’s aware of what Miyeon wants to do to thank her and she isn’t complaining at all about that fact.

 

However, Shuhua remains quiet as she mentally weighs the pros and cons of allowing Miyeon to take off her mask. To uncover the mysterious Spidergirl’s true identity after months of hiding behind her disguise, only to be tragically underwhelmed by the reveal. Who knows what kind of image Miyeon has painted about the valiant hero in her mind? Perhaps it’s someone beautiful and elegant like her or cute and charming like Shuhua’s best friend, Yuqi. Or maybe a woman who possesses a chic aura and striking facial features like Soyeon or Minnie, or is attractive and y like Soojin.

 

Meanwhile, Shuhua… isn’t precisely any of those things. She’s just a nerdy foreigner whose social skills are the equivalent of a brick wall, is traditionally a loner and an outcast in her youth, has unconventional hobbies that most people would either not understand or find boring, and was somehow lucky enough to obtain superhuman powers out of a radioactive spider bite that could have killed her instead.

 

Without her powers, Shuhua isn't really anyone special or noteworthy to remember – which is why she’s afraid.

 

She’s afraid that once her mask is removed and her identity gets revealed, Miyeon would end up feeling disappointed that Spidergirl isn’t who she expects her to be.

 

“Wait, no. Don’t… I-I don’t think it’s a good idea…” Shuhua trails off, shifting her head away from Miyeon’s caring hands as her mind begins to spiral down that dark void she’s grown intimately (destructively) accustomed to.

 

Miyeon’s brows knit together in confusion. “Why not?” She asks gently. Not demanding, but curious.

 

“If you find out who I am, I’m afraid that… you might be disappointed.”

 

Shuhua sounds weak. Vulnerable. A far cry from her strong and assertive alter-ego. It certainly comes as a surprise to Miyeon, who studies her for a moment before offering up one of the kindest smiles she has ever seen. A smile that is completely void of any judgment whatsoever.

 

“How about this…” Slender fingers curl around the hem of her mask as Miyeon runs her thumbs along its edge. “I’ll only pull it halfway, just over your nose. Would that be alright with you?”

 

Shuhua mulls over the proposition. There’s still a slight chance, even with just the lower half of her face exposed, that Miyeon might be able to piece together a mental image of whose face this belongs to – but it sure sounds better than having her crush see her entirely.

 

Nodding once, Shuhua can feel her heart pounding like crazy against her ribs when Miyeon starts to tug at the mask gently so she can slide it down. Exposing more of her pale neck the further she goes. The building suspense of a slow reveal is eating away at Shuhua, but the risk seems to be worth it. Miyeon lowers the mask enough for the bottom half of her face to be hit by the cool night wind, and for her plump lips to be left bare for only Miyeon’s eyes to see.

 

Thank God for her sticky hands, because Shuhua would have definitely fallen off her string once Miyeon’s fingers began to gingerly trail along her jawline before skirting downwards to . The soft touch has her eyes fluttering while her lips part slightly as Miyeon traces them with just her fingertips, like she’s trying to memorize their shape and texture in her head.

 

There’s a long quiet pause soon after, and Shuhua is worried that maybe the other girl has figured out her identity from this act alone. The latter doesn’t move, her fingers still gently feeling across her lips.

 

Yet, no words have been spoken.

 

With a tender smile, Miyeon then cups the vigilante's cheeks between her palms. It stirs something within Shuhua, something that makes her feel weak in the knees; the urge to claim Miyeon’s lips for herself as she hangs there with bated breath at the view of Miyeon them with her tongue in anticipation for what’s to come.

 

The fingers are swiftly replaced by the feeling of Miyeon’s lips now pressing against her own, to which Shuhua emits a rather embarrassing noise of surprise from as she’s quickly caught off-guard by the sudden action.

 

Holy .

 

Miyeon is kissing her. Miyeon is kissing her!

 

Shuhua is as still as a statue while her mind tries to register and catch up with what exactly is happening right now. She’s promptly dragged back to reality once Miyeon moves her lips, all shyness and doubt disappearing by just that touch alone. Shuhua closes her eyes as she responds with the eagerness and passion she has withheld within her for quite some time already, albeit with slight hesitation like a shy teenager giving her first kiss (which is true on her part), while Miyeon gives her time to adjust by maintaining their slow and tender contact.

 

Soon, Shuhua gains enough confidence to keep up with Miyeon leading them both. The pace is taken into the older girl’s command as she makes their lips dance in a steady and passionate waltz, molding together so perfectly like two puzzle pieces that are meant to fit together. Like Miyeon’s lips are meant to be there, to be hers. And this thought sends a pleasant shiver down Shuhua’s spine, an electrifying tingle that has nothing to do with her spidey-senses at all.

 

Whatever the pace, she will gladly follow along with diligence.

 

Kissing upside down is truly an unforgettable experience. One that Shuhua won’t ever forget for as long as she lives. The position is just right, and Miyeon has angled her head for an easier and deeper access into the kiss. Tasting each other’s lips, engraving the feel and outline in their memories, letting the subtle flavors of their chapsticks mixed with a hint of alcohol become their tantalizing dessert for the night…

 

Oh, the two of them were definitely in Heaven.

 

To Shuhua, the kiss is beyond anything she has ever imagined. It’s gentle and sweet, yet far more intimate than what she initially expected. Again, she isn’t complaining. Not when she feels like her insides are about to burst into fireworks and stardust as her grip on the string loosens, though not so much that she would end up falling to the ground and ruining their all-too-perfect kiss.

 

Miyeon allows her thumbs to caress the bit of skin she’s been privileged enough to touch as she cradles her savior’s face almost possessively, as if to prevent Spidergirl from leaving until she fulfills the reward that she’s promised to her.

 

In reality, neither of them wants to go anywhere. Unfortunately, Miyeon knows she can only steal a brief moment of the heroine's time before inevitably parting ways with her. Spidergirl must attend to her duties as their city’s protector. Even if there could be little to no trouble for the rest of the night, it would be selfish and irresponsible for either of them to let Spidergirl devote all that time to her most favorite civilian.

 

So, they reluctantly break their kiss. Lips parted like they’re begging for more – waiting for the tongue to slip in – but they can’t. They’re still in very close proximity with each other, at least, for Miyeon to rest her forehead against Shuhua’s chin and nuzzle their noses together. A giggle slips out from her in response to the goofy grin that splits wide across Shuhua’s blushing face as they giddily bask in the afterglow of their kiss. Savoring each other’s presence without a care in the world and breathing in the same air that now feels warm on their skins.

 

For a while, they stay in this position. Shuhua is still dangling upside down on her string with Miyeon standing so close, her face still lovingly cradled between the older girl’s hands. They could go for another kiss. Prolong their contact. Cherish their intimacy.

 

But this isn’t the right time for that. Perhaps next time, they can – under more favorable circumstances. Hopefully.

 

“Thank you.” Miyeon whispers softly, sounding a bit breathless through the warm smile on her lips as she rolls up the mask with care. Though, not without pressing one last kiss to Shuhua’s jaw.

 

Shuhua gives a cute little chuckle, despite the mask concealing that adorable smile of hers.

 

“All in the day’s work,” She responds with rosy cheeks and a full heart. “I’ll see you around then.”

 

Bidding her a quick salute as a farewell, Shuhua leaves her post to seamlessly make her exit. A web is shot outwards, attaching to another streetlight further down the road for Shuhua to fling herself up into the air with a spin. She swings away from the scene and back towards the city in high spirits.

 

“Woo-hooooo!” Shuhua triumphantly cheers into the dead of the night, her blood pumping with newfound exhilaration and energy as she flips victoriously in the sky. Blissfully unaware of the fact that Miyeon is watching her from afar, lingering on the sidewalk still as she smiles fondly at her happiness on full display. It’s a very wholesome thing to witness; the knowledge of which serves to only double the huge amount of affection and admiration she has for the strong-willed heroine.

 

As Miyeon enters the lobby of her apartment, she can still feel the tingling sensation of Spidergirl’s lips on her own. It accompanies the girl all the way up the elevators and back inside her cozy studio home, where the feeling then manifests into the biggest smile she’s ever adorned on her face.

 

The smile remains there, even long after Miyeon has already fallen asleep. Her dreams are now filled with the images and voice of a certain arachnid superhero swooping in to her rescue. Just like she had done for tonight, and for many more nights to come.