episode_0037

Yujin, having arrived at school, as usual, headed towards the back of the school.

The reason, of course, was to talk with Soohyun.

Yujin was genuinely enjoying this gathering that occurred every day or every other day.

Perhaps it was because Kim Taejin had been busy training below and they hadn’t met for a while.

Today, there was a strangely heightened sense of anticipation.

“You’re here.”

Soohyun, still sipping on strawberry milk, greeted him.

I wondered if his tastes had changed a bit since we last met.

Judging by his continued behavior, it seemed he still quite liked it.

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes, but it’s okay. I’m aware of how things are progressing, so it’s fine.”

If Soohyun had one flaw, it was that he would suddenly bring up middle school syndrome topics.

Well, Soohyun sees himself as the protagonist in this ‘setting’ he created,

and Yujin, being the villain in the game, couldn’t help it.

And wasn’t this world supposed to be an NTR adult game?

This gathering was originally organized for such role-playing games.

“I heard about Chulsoo being hospitalized.”

“Is that so?”

I heard it from Secretary Park.

Soohyun seems to be quite knowledgeable in his own way.

Well, when it comes to being a fan, that much is expected.

“To be honest… wasn’t this incident a bit too much? There was no need to go that far. But there must be facts that others don’t know about.”

“…”

“So please answer me honestly. Everything you did was to save Chulsoo, right?”

Yujin glanced at Soohyun with a puzzled look.

What kind of setup is this now?

What did I do for Chulsoo?

“Could it be that my donation to Chulsoo’s orphanage was exposed?! But I specifically asked Secretary Park to keep it anonymous.”

How could Soohyun, who has no connection, even know about it?

“Oh, right. Come to think of it, Yujin has been continuously donating to the orphanage.”

From what Secretary Park said,

it seems like Yujin’s donations were not just a one-time thing.

Yujin probably didn’t have a reason to keep it anonymous.

So it wouldn’t be difficult to speculate that Yujin was the donor this time.

“Well, there’s no clear evidence, right?”

So let’s drop the matter.

I definitely want to keep this donation a secret from Chulsoo.

Of course, it might be okay to tell others.

A slip of the tongue can travel a long way.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Soohyun gave a bitter smile at Yujin’s words, as if she knew everything.

“Well, that’s right. As the heir of the Black Heaven, you can’t just admit that, can you?”

“…”

“I know your situation. That the position of the heir is precarious, that you’re under threat from the executives. That’s why you have to act strong and evil, even if it’s forced.”

Hmm, it feels like a new element has been added.

Hmm, am I playing the role of a Dark Knight, hiding in the shadows and performing good deeds?

It sounds cool; I like it.

“…Do you understand?”

So I decided to go along with this setup.

After all, I’m also participating in this role-playing game.

It should be fine to immerse myself to this extent!

“Yes, making Chulsoo like that this time was all to push him away from the threats that lie ahead. A real dangerous opponent will appear in the next story.”

“Hmm.”

“As you know, the opponent is ‘Guardian Jikil.’ Be careful, as you never know what schemes they might bring.”

Yujin couldn’t fully understand, but he nodded anyway.

Thanks to his past experiences, Yujin had learned that it’s better to stay silent when faced with the unknown.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll handle it well without me worrying.”

With that, Suhyun extended a strawberry milk towards Yujin.

Yujin accepted it.

“Do you like this?”

“……”

“It was because of your taste that I started liking the character that is you. A mafia heir with a fierce image liking strawberry milk. It’s a complete contrast.”

“Is that so?”

“Even though you drink it in front of me every day, you didn’t seem to notice my stealing glances at you. Just seeing that tells me that you are different from other villains.”

…Connecting it like this?

Yujin doesn’t like strawberry milk.

If we had to categorize, she’s more of a chocolate lover, maybe leaning towards white chocolate.

“Why turn someone into a fanatic for strawberry milk without their consent?”

Do girls really like these kinds of setups?

Well, there’s no harm in accepting what you’ve been given.

Yujin inserted a straw and took a sip.

Watching her do so, Suhyun grinned.

“While others may not know, I understand that you are actually a good person. You’re just pretending to be a villain due to the burden you feel towards the organization.”

“……”

“I’ll be the one who understands you. So, feel free to rely on me whenever things get tough.”

Saying that, she turned around and disappeared.

Still sipping on the milk, Yujin watched her walk away.

“…Today, she seems particularly immersed in her setup.”

While Suhyun had been playing with setups, she had kept her distance.

Today, she treated her like a real close friend.

Could it be that being apart for a few days had an effect?!

Maybe Suhyun finally realized the value of her only middle school syndrome friend!

-…Hmph, such an unpleasant woman.

But unexpectedly, Lime spoke up.

There was a certain edge to her voice.

“Suhyun doesn’t like you?”

-Yeah, acting like she knows when she doesn’t. Claiming to understand your inner thoughts. How audacious.

Saying that, she muttered quietly.

-…I’m the only one who truly understands this guy.

“Huh? What did you say? Didn’t hear you well because you’re small.”

-It’s not about you!

Yujin scratched her head, looking at the mumbling Lime.

Anyway, feeling closer to Suhyun made her feel good.

“Now, the only people I’ve become close to are Yeonghee and Suhyun.”

Even they were the ones who approached her first.

Quite some time has passed, but it’s still like this.

Can I really make new friends?

She felt a bit disappointed.

*****

And then, the next opportunity came surprisingly quickly.

“You two facing each other like this is a first, right? Come on, greet each other!”

Saying that, the homeroom teacher smiled broadly.

Somehow, when she saw herself, she felt her face slightly flush.

But that’s not important right now.

“The class president, right?”

Yujin muttered under her breath while looking at the female student sitting next to her.

Clearly, this girl was the class president of Yujin’s class.

Of course, as much as she was a nerd, they hadn’t talked much.

But she recognized her face from seeing it often.

“…What’s going on here, teacher?”

The class president asked without even glancing this way.

Her tone was polite, but there was an edge to it.

It seems she’s quite dissatisfied with the current situation.

“Well, the class president was helping Cheolsu with his training, right?”

The class president was a rare buffer at the academy.

She wasn’t just any buffer who provides buffs.

Her ability was specialized in enhancing the opponent’s skills.

She assessed the opponent’s abilities and induced the most efficient mana adjustment.

Finding the best training method for them.

That was the ability the class president possessed.

-Hmm, if that’s true, she’s quite remarkable?

“Oh, really?”

Lime, who had been in her soul, muttered.

Yujin looked slightly surprised.

It’s not that the class president isn’t impressive.

Lime rarely praised others because she fundamentally disliked people.

“If it’s a way to temporarily boost stats, there are many. Whether it’s potions or buffs, there are plenty.”

“Hmm.”

“But an ability that helps with training to enhance permanent skills? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

It seemed like a truly remarkable ability.

Our class president was quite talented.

Even as the realization dawned on her, the conversation continued.

“But as you know, Cheolsu is hospitalized and won’t be able to come to school for a while.”

“…That’s right.”

The president scanned Yu Jin as if blaming her.

Yu Jin, unaware of why he was doing so, simply blinked.

“I helped Cheolsu because he has talent and, above all, his circumstances were just right for it.”

“Hehe, of course, I know. Our class president is the most exemplary student in the academy. I have things to learn from you too.”

The class president had always assisted skilled individuals in their training.

But Cheolsu was exceptional even among them.

His talent was so outstanding that it could be considered top-tier since the president had seen it.

And Cheolsu had approached her first for help.

So, the president aided him in his swordsmanship training.

Her efforts also played a part in Cheolsu’s rapid growth.

“But isn’t it a waste to let such a remarkable ability go to waste without Cheolsu?”

The president couldn’t offer any response.

Indeed, she had been considering helping other students with their training.

Meeting various strong individuals and aiding in their growth was rewarding.

But what did that have to do with Kim Yu Jin being brought up alongside her?

No, she could predict what was being implied.

Therefore, it made her more hesitant.

The words that followed from the homeroom teacher’s mouth were exactly as expected.

“So, if the president is fine with it, this time, won’t you help Yu Jin with her training?”

…Excuse me? What did you just say?

Yu Jin, who had been sitting quietly, widened her eyes.

Are you telling me to train alongside that new girl I’ve never seen before?

Isn’t that a bit much for a loner like me?