1. Morning of the Hearing: Raon Is Already Failing
Raon woke up three hours early.
Not because she wanted to be responsible.
But because she had a nightmare where the sun chased her through a supermarket screaming
"FIGHT ME COWARD!"
She stumbled into the kitchen, hair a disaster tornado, and found Shion already awake in a crisp suit.
Shion was reading a tablet filled with legal documents.
"Morning," she said, sipping coffee like a seasoned war general preparing for battle.
Raon blinked.
"…Shion, why do you look like a lawyer?"
Shion tucked a pen behind her ear.
"Because I am the only thing standing between you and being banned from touching the sky."
Raon gasped.
"CAN THEY DO THAT!?"
"Yes," Shion said flatly.
"And honestly, I'm impressed it took this long."
Raon sat beside her, fidgeting.
"Shion… what do I do at the hearing?"
Shion placed both hands on Raon's cheeks.
"Raon. Honey. Baby girl. For the love of all cosmic entities—
Do not kick anything.
Do not punch anything.
Do not leap, flip, vault, explode, or accidentally roundhouse the building.
Speak only when I tap your foot."
Raon nodded seriously.
"…Can I breathe?"
"Barely."
Raon saluted. "Understood."
---
2. The Government Auditorium: Instant Chaos
They arrived outside the National Assembly's hearing hall, where reporters swarmed like piranhas starved for drama.
Cameras. Mics. Flashing lights.
Shion whispered:
"Raon. Just walk. Do NOT run away."
Raon stepped forward—
FLASH!
A journalist yelled:
"ONE KICK GIRL! ARE YOU HERE TO INTIMIDATE THE GOVERNMENT WITH YOUR LEGS!?"
Raon squeaked.
Shion whispered: "Do NOT demonstrate."
Raon nodded.
A second reporter shouted:
"DO YOU DENY TRYING TO DESTROY THE SUN!?"
Raon squeaked louder.
A third reporter:
"WHAT ABOUT THE RUMORS YOU'LL KICK THE MOON NEXT!?"
Raon: "I WOULD NEVER—!!"
Shion stomped Raon's foot gently.
Raon froze. "…Sorry."
They entered the hall.
Inside, a panel of government officials sat at a long desk, each wearing the expression of someone who had not slept since the Sun-Kick Incident.
At the center was the Head Official:
A stern woman with the aura of a judge, principal, and IRS auditor all in one.
She looked down at Raon.
"Miss Raon. Please take your seat."
Raon trembled as she sat between Shion and Manager Kimchi.
Kimchi whispered:
"PLEASE do not speak unless spoken to. Or breathe loudly. Or sneeze. Or exist too violently."
Raon whimpered.
---
3. The Officials Begin the Interrogation
The Head Official cleared her throat.
"This hearing is to determine whether Miss Raon—a.k.a. 'One Kick Girl'—poses a threat to the nation, the planetary system, or… astronomic stability."
Raon raised her hand timidly.
Shion elbowed her.
The official continued:
"Miss Raon, yesterday morning you were filmed in an image that appeared to depict you… attacking the sun."
Raon panicked and blurted:
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO—!!"
The entire room jumped.
Shion slowly turned and whispered through clenched teeth:
"Raon. Foot taps. ONLY foot taps."
Raon nodded violently.
The official raised an eyebrow.
"We will begin with basic questions."
Oh no.
She pointed her pen.
"Miss Raon.
Can you kick celestial objects?"
Raon froze.
Shion tapped her foot.
Raon replied obediently:
"No."
The official scribbled notes.
"Have you ever attempted to damage the sun?"
Tap tap.
"No."
"Do you hold any hostility toward daylight?"
Tap tap.
"No."
"Do you intend to kick the moon?"
Tap extra hard.
"NO!"
The officials murmured among themselves.
Things were going well.
Which terrified Raon.
Because her luck never lasts.
---
4. Disaster: The Scientific Expert Arrives
Suddenly the doors burst open.
A wild-looking man in a lab coat stormed in carrying charts, projecting diagrams, and wheeling a whiteboard full of equations.
"I AM PROFESSOR STARFIELD," he declared.
"I STUDY ANOMALOUS IMPACT-BASED ASTRONOMY."
Raon felt Shion go rigid beside her.
Kimchi whispered, "Oh no. Not him again."
Professor Starfield slammed his papers on the table.
"I have analyzed the infamous Sun-Kick Image™.
And I present—THE TRAJECTORY REPORT."
Laser pointers turned on.
A 3D model loaded.
A hologram of Raon appeared in mid-air, rotating dramatically.
Raon stared.
"Why am I bald in this model!?"
"No time!" Starfield shouted.
"Observe the kick angle!"
He drew an X across the hologram.
"This trajectory demonstrates that Miss Raon could theoretically interfere with solar radiation if given adequate momentum!"
Raon gasped.
Shion grabbed her hand tightly.
Starfield wasn't done.
"Furthermore—based on eyewitness testimonies and energy signatures—
I conclude that Miss Raon is a potential COSMIC THREAT."
Silence.
The officials looked horrified.
Raon raised her hand weakly.
"…Am I going to space jail?"
Shion tapped her foot so violently Raon felt it through the chair.
"No," Raon corrected quickly.
"I cannot kick… um… light."
Starfield pointed at her dramatically.
"THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT SOMEONE WHO COULD KICK LIGHT WOULD SAY!"
Raon shrieked.
"This man is evil!"
Kimchi fainted sideways in his chair.
---
5. The Committee Cross-Examines Raon
The Head Official rubbed her temples.
"Miss Raon.
We will now allow direct questioning."
Bad.
Very bad.
The first official stood.
"Miss Raon, what is the highest object you have kicked?"
Raon froze.
Shion's foot tapped three times rapidly—
their secret code for say something non-criminal.
Raon cleared her throat.
"…A building."
Half the room gasped.
Shion covered her face.
Second official:
"Miss Raon, do you believe you could hypothetically kick a star?"
Raon opened her mouth.
Shion slammed her foot on Raon's.
Raon screamed.
But she corrected herself:
"No! I cannot!"
Third official:
"Miss Raon, under what circumstances would you attempt to harm a celestial body?"
Raon thought.
That was her mistake.
She said:
"…If it attacked me first?"
Shion inhaled sharply.
The officials burst into panic whispers.
Professor Starfield scribbled
"CELESTIAL SELF-DEFENSE?"
on his board with manic excitement.
---
6. The Hearing Reaches Maximum Stupidity
Suddenly—
Yuno burst into the hearing room.
Sparkly outfit. Sunglasses. A camera drone floating behind her.
"HELLO GOVERNMENT BABES," she announced.
"I'm streaming this to 12 million viewers."
The entire hall screamed:
"TURN THAT OFF!"
Yuno winked.
"Too late."
The drone light landed directly on Raon.
Raon froze like a deer caught in philosophical headlights.
The Head Official slammed her gavel.
"REMOVE THAT DRONE OR I WILL—"
Raon panicked.
Raon flinched.
Raon's leg moved like it had a mind of its own.
KICK.
The drone exploded in confetti.
Yuno screamed:
"QUEEN!!"
The officials screamed:
"THREAT!!"
Kimchi screamed:
"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS KICK MACHINERY!?"
Shion screamed internally.
Professor Starfield whispered:
"Fascinating…"
---
7. The Verdict (Somehow Not the End of the World)
After ten minutes of screaming, debating, crying, and Kimchi nearly being escorted out for stress-related sobbing—
The Head Official finally raised her gavel.
"Order!
We have reached a conclusion."
Raon held Shion's hand tightly.
The official read the verdict:
"Miss Raon, after reviewing the evidence, this committee concludes that—
you are NOT malicious,
you are NOT intentionally hostile toward celestial bodies,
and you are simply…
uncontrollably powerful and catastrophically stupid."
Raon blinked.
"…Is that good?"
"NO," the official said bluntly.
"But it is not illegal."
She continued:
"You will not face legal action.
However, you are subject to the following restrictions:
1. You are banned from interacting with astronomy equipment.
2. You may not participate in sun-related media.
3. You must attend 'Power Control & Public Image' counseling.'
4. You must NOT attempt to kick anything higher than a lamppost."
Raon exhaled in relief.
"…Okay. I can do that."
Shion murmured, "No, you can't."
Raon nodded. "…No, I can't."
---
8. After the Hearing: Emotional Snack Time
They walked out of the building together.
Raon leaned against Shion, exhausted.
"Shion… am I a menace?"
Shion put an arm around her.
"Yes," she said kindly.
"But you're my menace."
Raon grinned weakly.
"…Snacks?"
Shion smiled.
"Yes. As many as you want."
Raon pumped a fist.
"I SURVIVED THE GOVERNMENT!
TAKE THAT, SUN!"
"RAON—PLEASE DON'T SAY THAT OUT LOUD."
---
END OF CHAPTER 71