Ch.83Episode 17. Home Visit (3)

“Grandma, I’m sorry for coming again.”

Yeon Muhui speaking politely like this…

That’s certainly refreshing.

“What nonsense are you talking about? I’m never bothered even if you come every day. Stop saying unnecessary things and come on in. Instructor, please come in too.”

The difference in tone when she speaks to me versus Muhui is quite stark. I guess it’s because they’re close?

The house I entered under the elder’s guidance had the feel of a traditional home with a yard and a protruding wooden floor. It seemed to have been renovated to suit modern times, but without losing the unique atmosphere of the old days.

The mansion in that other world had a similar feeling too. Somehow, it makes me nostalgic.

I looked around as I followed behind the elder.

“Excuse me for intruding.”

As I took off my shoes and stepped onto the wooden floor, I sensed movement from behind a wooden door on the left.

Jin Subin must be over there. I’ll pretend not to notice for now.

I should speak louder than usual so she can hear me from that room.

“Where should I put the watermelon?”

“My goodness, why did you bring such things?”

“It’s summer. Since it’s so hot, I thought you might like to make some fruit punch.”

“Thank you. Could you put it in the refrigerator? I don’t have enough strength.”

“Yes.”

While I was putting the large watermelon in the refrigerator, Muhui’s grandmother was struggling to bring out a table with her hunched back.

“Ah, let me do that.”

“Oh no! I can’t let the instructor do such things! Please stay where you are.”

She moves quickly while stopping me. She places traditional sweets and rice punch on the table and sits across from me.

“I don’t have much to offer you.”

“Not at all. I’m grateful you’re serving me anything when I’ve come so suddenly.”

“You must have had a hard time coming all this way?”

“Not at all.”

“Nonsense. The weather is so hot today, and you’re wearing long sleeves. You could have dressed more comfortably.”

No matter how casual they say I can be, home visits are not something I could approach casually. Besides, considering what I was about to discuss, I needed to pay attention even to small details like my attire.

“Next time I visit, I’ll do that.”

Let me lay the groundwork now.

And don’t forget to get her phone number before leaving.

“Yes, please do. But my, the instructor is quite handsome. You look strong too… Muhui is truly blessed to receive training under such an instructor.”

“Haha, not at all.”

“Honestly, you must have a hard time teaching that stubborn girl?”

Despite this apparently being a house she’s visited many times, Muhui was sitting on the edge of the wooden floor with her back to us, as if she were sitting on pins and needles, unable to enter the room.

“Not—”

“Oh, I know everything. No need to hold back.”

“Haha… As you said, she didn’t listen well at first.”

“In-Instructor…!”

Startled by my words, she turns around to look at me.

Hmm. Judging by that reaction, it seems she’s been maintaining the image of an obedient daughter at home. While acting so impudent outside.

“But now she’s opened up quite a bit, listens well, and follows my teachings diligently.”

“Is that so? That’s truly fortunate. I heard she had many conflicts with her previous instructor.”

That was entirely Muhui’s fault, but she probably saw Yeon Hwaryong overlapping with the instructor’s forceful attitude.

If that incident hadn’t happened, the Special Class wouldn’t have had such a bad image.

No, would the Special Class have even been created? Either way, it’s quite unfortunate.

“We’re getting along well. Right~?”

“…Yeah. We get along… well.”

Sheesh. Look at her not playing along.

This is what happens when you’re always alone. You need to become a hero soon and learn some social skills.

“Her birthday was on June 7th, so I bought her a hair tie. Look. The one she’s wearing.”

When I pointed to the red ribbon, Muhui slapped the wooden floor and shouted.

“Hey—!”

Her face, already flushed from the heat, turned as red as a radish. With her hair tied in a ponytail, she couldn’t even hide her ears, so her embarrassment was fully exposed.

But saying “hey”? Do you want your bottom warmed up too?

“You’re crazy! Why would you say something like that?!”

Why, you ask?

I’m trying to appeal to your mother that I’m the one taking care of Muhui’s birthday.

Jin Subin, who doesn’t even have the courage to face her, probably couldn’t even wish her a happy birthday.

You wouldn’t understand that this is also a form of lingering attachment.

“I told you not to say unnecessary things!”

“This is all necessary, you know? You’re the one who needs to calm down and stay still.”

Right after saying those words, I realized my mistake.

Oh no. I acted too much like my usual self. I just can’t help wanting to tease her and raising my voice.

“How can I stay still?!”

Muhui’s voice tone rose and wouldn’t come back down. Her flushed face remained red.

“Alright, alright.”

I hope I don’t come across as too frivolous to the elder. That’s not the image I wanted to project.

“I’ve never seen Muhui act like this with anyone else…”

Hearing the muttering from beside me, I look back across. The elder was looking at me and Muhui alternately with surprised eyes.

“By any chance, what is your relationship with Muhui?”

I got that question from the driver too.

Do Muhui and I really look like we have that kind of relationship?

“We’re instructor and student.”

“But Muhui is speaking informally to you…”

That’s because she’s being impudent and calling me whatever she wants.

But I decided not to say that. Given the situation, let’s see if I can make her use formal speech.

“Perhaps—”

“She’s just excited right now. She usually speaks formally to me. Right~?”

Come on, speak formally. Hurry up.

If you don’t use formal speech here, you’ll be seen as a disrespectful student who speaks informally to her instructor.

“Kuh, kuh!”

She seems to realize this too, as she grits her teeth and glares at me.

“…Yes. Th-That’s right.”

Muhui said while biting her lower lip.

“…Pfft.”

Ah, I shouldn’t laugh. But I can’t help it.

I actually made her use formal speech. What a sense of achievement.

…But this isn’t like making her bow down. It’s just the formal speech she should naturally use. Why is she making that face like her pride is hurt?

Should I really spank her?

“D-Don’t laugh! …Sir.”

Ah, her desperate resistance to formal speech is cute too.

“Everything always returns to normal eventually. By the way, my motto is ‘justice will prevail.'”

That was a lie.

“Ugh…! Just wait until we get back… sir.”

Sure~ I’m not scared.

“You two seem to get along so well. It’s nice to see. She hasn’t shown emotions like this since high school.”

It was in high school when Yeon Hwaryong couldn’t hold back and used violence against Jin Subin.

It was also in high school when Muhui’s personality changed drastically. It was truly a turning point in her life. For the worse.

“That’s proof we’re getting along well, isn’t it?”

“Indeed it is.”

Seeing her grandmother’s genuinely relieved response, Muhui pressed her lips tightly together. After some time, her excitement seemed to have subsided, and her flushed face returned to its usual pale color.

“But what’s the reason for this home visit?”

“Muhui… I mean, Muhui has a misunderstanding about something. I came to correct that.”

“A misunderstanding?”

I turned my head to look at the wooden door. It seemed to have been used for quite a long time, as the surface was worn.

“That is…”

“Is someone in there? I keep hearing movements.”

“…Muhui’s mother is in there.”

“If it’s not too presumptuous, could I meet her? Since this is a home visit—”

“No!”

Before the elder could answer, Muhui shouted. She had already taken off her shoes and was standing on the wooden floor.

“Not my mom. Leave her alone. I’ll… I’ll really get angry.”

I understand her sensitive reaction. She probably thinks her mother’s condition might worsen because of me.

But this is all to lead you both in a better direction, so that kind of reaction makes me feel like I’m the bad guy. It’s a bit disappointing?

“Does she have anthropophobia?”

“…It’s hard to say she doesn’t.”

“Hmm. Does she avoid even her daughter? You seem fine, elder…”

Though I phrased it indirectly, it was a pointed question. Depending on the answer, it could mean that Jin Subin was avoiding her daughter.

First, Muhui needs to understand this. What Jin Subin truly wants to avoid.

“That’s family business I can’t share even with the instructor. I’d appreciate if you didn’t try to pry into such matters.”

This is the right response.

No matter who I am as an instructor, I’m still an outsider. It’s natural not to want someone interfering in family affairs.

But I had no intention of backing down even a step. If I had planned to just have a casual conversation and leave, I wouldn’t have come all this way.

“I see.”

I was planning to use my trump card after getting closer, but it seems the time has come already.

“I personally received a promise from Yeon Hwaryong.”

The moment Yeon Hwaryong was mentioned, the smile the elder had been wearing until just now disappeared without a trace. I could feel the atmosphere freezing instantly. But I couldn’t stop.

“A promise?”

“You remember the incident at the Academy a few months ago, right?”

Unfortunately, I didn’t have the maternal family’s number, so I couldn’t contact the elder.

“I know. A villain caused a student’s death at the Academy.”

“First, I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you then.”

“Oh, no. Muhui contacted us at that time saying she was fine. As long as I knew Muhui was safe, that was enough.”

Even if I had received the call, I wouldn’t have been able to attend the parents’ visit anyway.

The elder added, seeming regretful.

“I see.”

“…But what kind of promise did you receive from that rotten Yeon Hwaryong that you’re bringing it up?”

He really is a rotten guy. If he hadn’t been born in this world, he would have had multiple criminal records for violence. We only accept him because he’s a hero.

“The Academy, which is usually strict about outside visitors, had a parents’ visit due to that incident. And Yeon Hwaryong came to take Muhui away during that visit.”

“That rotten guy came?”

She seems to be hearing about Yeon Hwaryong’s visit for the first time.

What’s going on? If Muhui had told her, she would have known.

“Muhui! Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Startled by the elder’s sudden scolding, Muhui flinched.

Since she said she had contacted them, I thought it would be okay to mention it, but I unintentionally put her in a difficult position.

“No, that’s… I knew you would worry…”

“Even so, you should have told me about that!”

“If I told Grandma, you would definitely tell Mom about that person too. How could I do that when it would only cause her more stress?”

“Anyway! That’s really a problem! So why didn’t Yeon Hwaryong take her away?”

“No. I stopped him.”

“Huh? You…?”

The elder tilted her head at what seemed like an abrupt statement.

She probably understood that I stopped Yeon Hwaryong. It’s just that she can’t imagine the scene of me taking down that rotten guy.

Well, unlike me who’s just becoming known as S-class level, Yeon Hwaryong is already a top-class hero recognized throughout South Korea.

I wouldn’t believe it either.

“How?”

“I stopped him with force.”

“With force?”

The elder’s wrinkles deepened as if she couldn’t understand what I was saying.

“During the parents’ visit, Yeon Hwaryong and I had a match. And I won that match.”

It was more of an impromptu match, but still.

“You won against that rotten guy…?”

“I thought you might not believe me, so I brought a video.”

Unfortunately, there was no sound. But the video quality was excellent.

“Let’s watch this video first.”

Since there are very few people in South Korea who can beat that rotten guy, seeing him get thrashed should be quite satisfying.