Chapter 32 –
Falling Tears, Soft Bed

“L-Long…time no see. Hayeon.”

It had been a while since I saw my childhood friend.

My reunion with her was the worst.

”What’re you doing…?”

A cold air.

Her dead eyes; I have no clue where things were headed.

A heavy mood.

Hana tactlessly made a whining sound.

”Sijoon… Move… You’re heavy…”

It was a situation where Hana’s delicate body was underneath my own.

A position where anyone could look at us and misunderstand.

The mood became even heavier with the noise Hana made.

Yoo Hayeon did a small chant.

“While I suffered throughout the week, I never dreamed that Sijoon would turn into someone who would jump on a woman…”

“No, it’s not like that…”

It seemed that Hayeon’s brain had already accepted this to be the truth.

No, more importantly…

He said a guardian was coming, so why is Hayeon here?

Wouldn’t it have become a bigger problem if my parents had come instead?

It might actually be better to show this position to Hayeon instead of my parents.

Let’s put trivial thoughts behind, and explain first.

Yeah, start with the explanation.

No matter how hard I think about it, the misunderstanding must be cleared up.

“C-Calm down, Hayeon. It’s not what you think!”

“…It isn’t?”

“Yeah! It’s seriously a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!”

I looked at Hayeon’s dead eyes and proceeded with my explanation.

I explained the person named Ban Hana, and I specifically detailed out how she dashed at me and tripped.

Hayeon listened to my explanation without moving an inch.

Then when I finished, her murky black eyes stared at me.

”So what you’re saying is, you weren’t on top of her because you wanted to, but that she ‘coincidentally’ tripped at the exact timing I came in, and you ‘coincidentally’ fell on top of her, and you ‘coincidentally’ had her in your embrace, is that right?”

“…”

Was there not a saying that went, too many coincidences is not a coincidence?

This cursed fate.

I couldn’t refute any longer after Hayeon stressed the many coincidences.

“Ow…it hurts…”

Whimpering, Hana sat back on the chair.

I also sat on the chair, sitting still until the interrogator came.

“…”

While receiving a death glare from Hayeon.

At that moment, the Black Dawn’s hideout seemed more comfortable.

As time passed with me staying still like that, the interrogator had returned.

Sensing the strange atmosphere, he asked me, “Why’s the mood like this? Did something happen?”

“No. Nothing happened.”

Seriously. Nothing had happened.

“Hehe… I’m older…”

There was no one there to believe me besides the perky Hana who didn’t have a thought in her head.

***

After about 10 hours, the sun rose to signal that morning had come.

Since cross-validations had been checked through consistent testimonies, the Hero AU judged that they had no means to prove the charge against Hana and me.

“…We’ll always be watching you. Keep that in mind.”

“Yes. Thank you for your trouble, Sir.”

“Thank…you…”

The drowsy Hana nodded her head.

From the suspect’s perspective, the interrogation was longer than expected, so her body and mind must be exhausted.

I’m also tired to death…

It wouldn’t be strange even if I passed out.

The reason why I could barely endure it was because of the Golem’s core.

The blue stone.

The Magic Golem’s technique of converting the Golem’s core into mana.

Libra. I request for the recovery of my stamina; use the mana from the Golem’s core.

Whenever I was getting more and more drowsier, I restored my stamina by using Libra.

It was like the caffeine in coffee.

This was why I was full of energy unlike Hana.

“Hey, are you still not going to talk to me?”

“…”

Yoo Hayeon.

She also waited 10 hours for my interrogation to finish.

“
Pervert. Disgusting. I’m only doing this because of your parents. Don’t flatter yourself.”

Hayeon, who waited in the interrogation room, said I should be ashamed to face my parents.

It appeared she was immensely disappointed in reuniting with me.

“…I told you, it’s a misunderstanding. You don’t trust me?”

“You have to do something trustworthy for me to trust you. You hid a lot of things from me. Don’t talk to me.”

She’s completely sulking.

If I didn’t clear things up with this sulking individual, then she’d easily be like this for a week.

Well, I can understand.

The fact that I hid my connection with Han Yoowol from her.

The appearance of a new existence, Ban Hana.

And the bitter taste of our reunion.

It was the worst reunion for Hayeon, who had suffered hardships throughout the week. So I can fully understand where she was coming from.

It’s not good to let misunderstandings fester. I’ll have to clear it up by today.

I thought that, but the moment I came out of the Hero AU’s building…

A myriad of lights blinded me.

“Han Sijoon!! You returned after being abducted by the villains, how do you feel?!”

“The Black Dawn! Is the rumor about Han Yoowol eating people true?!!”

“Please say a few words!! Han Sijoon!!”

Click. Click

The light flashed along with the camera shutter going off, and the people who looked to be reporters pushed a microphone at me.

It was an unexpected situation.

Who could imagine being surrounded by mobs of people as soon as they came out of a building?

Baffled, I muttered, “I-Isn’t…this insane?”

“Sijoon. It’s so bright…”

How did they hear news of my rescue?

Every single one of them had asked me about what happened and what the Black Dawn members were like.

I couldn’t even explain anything to Hayeon. What do I need to explain to you guys?

There was no need for me to even address them.

Covering my face, I immediately tried to get out of there.

“Hana, let’s go.”

“Han Sijoon, where are you going?! Are you returning to the academy?”

“Do you have anything to say about the Academy’s security measures?! Please share your thoughts!”

How persistent.

The reporters kept shoving the camera.

One way or the other, they wanted to hear my answer.

I didn’t say a word since I could clearly see what their aim was.  

No matter what I say, they’ll release the statements whichever way they pleased.

Not all reporters do, but most reporters use provocative titles.

This didn’t hold true only to reporters, but everywhere else in the world too.

The academy’s image wasn’t good as it is, but we can’t have even Korea’s image be crumbling too.

In that frustrating situation, I could hear the sound of mana energy next to me.

“Vanish. So they cannot see.”

A strange magic went through Hana and me.

“Huh? Where did they go? I could’ve sworn they were here…?”

“W-What…happened?”

The reporters looked around, unable to see us, even though we were right in front of them. It was as if our existence had suddenly vanished; they could not see us whatsoever.

There was only one person who could make this possible.

That was Yoo Hayeon.

“Sijoon. That lady’s strong.”

Hana felt Hayeon’s enormous mana, which snapped her out of her drowsiness, making her wary of her.

Hayeon, who had created such a situation, walked in front of us as if it were nothing.

“No way did I do it for your sake. Idiot. Just follow me.”

Hayeon’s ears were red even though she said she didn’t do it for my sake. 

She looked embarrassed.

Look at you being embarrassed.

“I’m not embarrassed.”

I walked as I looked at Hayeon’s bright-red ears sandwiched between her long-black hair.

The reporters’ voices were getting further away, and we arrived at a place where a medium-sized car was parked.

There was a familiar-looking woman outside.

“Teacher?”

“She’ll bring us all the way to the academy. That small girl, too.”

Yoo Hayeon put an emphasis on the word “small.”

It didn’t seem as though she liked Hana yet.

When Hayeon snapped her finger, my homeroom teacher, Shin Sihwa, noticed us.

She looked relieved when she saw that I made it back safely.

As we approached the parked car, she asked me with an emotional look on her face, “How’s your body? Are you hurt anywhere? You don’t even have much time left…”

“Please hurry up! Teacher! It’s tiring because I’m exhausted!”

Ms. Sihwa stopped talking at once, then she cast a sideways glance at Hayeon with an expression that said “oops”.

Why on earth do I have so many misunderstandings to clear up?

“Hah…”

I let out a sigh and got in Ms. Sihwa’s car.

I sat in the front seat, whereas Hana and Hayeon were in the back seat.

“…”

“…”

As I looked at the two of them who were clearly awkward from the rear-view mirror, I was finally able to return to the academy.

 ***

“Do you mean to say that you wish to enroll in the school?”

“Mhm! I’m good at fighting! I’ve never done it before, but I’m good!”

While we were headed to the academy, Hana shouted that she must enter.

Shin Sihwa was a little flustered by her words, but unexpectedly, she said that there might be a chance that she could attend the school.

“For now, since you’re tired, after you rest up, you’ll need to create a proper identification and we have to confirm you’re above the standard. But, regarding the case with interim admissions, you’ll have to score higher than the baseline.”

“Doesn’t matter! I’m gonna enter!”

“Ahh, my head…”

Hana, who was ignorant of the process, wanted to be admitted.

Feeling slightly dizzy by her response, Ms. Sihwa pinched her temple.

She made an expression that said “What should I do with this one?” then took Ban Hana with her.

Hana looked slightly nervous, but after I told her, “See you later,” she bravely followed my teacher.

“See you later! Sijoon! Use honorifics next time we see each other! Okay?”

”…”

I didn’t say a word, I waved my hand and saw her off with a smile.

Even so, using honorifics is a bit much.

After those two left, Yoo Hayeon and I remained.

This was also the same Yoo Hayeon who was immensely upset with me.

We just walked as if we had a destination.

“Are you still sulking?”

“I’m not sulking, I’m mad.”

“Then, are you still mad?”

She gave me a piercing glare at my play on words to loosen the mood.

There was a bit of an act in that gaze of hers. Seeing her pupils quivering, she was deliberately acting tough.

It was a clear tell that Hayeon was pretending to sulk right now.

How long have I lived with her?

Even if she didn’t say anything, I could tell.

Hayeon knew that as well.

“Idiot. Getting kidnapped, and you’re weak…”

Her anger melted away like snow.

She hit me on the chest as she grumbled away.

“Who is that chick anyway?! It’s been a long time since we last saw each other. It was going to be a touching reunion… Damn it..”

“…It hurts. I’m going to die?”

Do I have to use the Golem’s core?

Hayeon’s fist was gradually getting stronger.

“Dummy. Idiot. Weakling. Pervert!”

Using all sorts of words, Hayeon went off on me. But her voice eventually changed into a voice directed at herself.

“A dummy who can’t even protect someone precious to her. A dummy who stood still. A weakling who did nothing…”

Tears falling down.

Despite her possessing strong power, it seemed that Hayeon felt guilty for not being able to protect me.

It was something she did not need to feel guilty for.

Yoo Hayeon did nothing wrong.

Right now was the time for me to exclaim, “…I’m back.”

But childhood friends are alike, are they not?

Unable to be honest right now, I joked to Hayeon to shift the mood.

“So, you should’ve protected me, right?”

A joke mixed with a laugh.

A sight of me not being honest with myself.

In contrast, the one who came out more honest was Hayeon.

“From now on, I’ll protect you. So that no one can take you away.”

Hayeon hugged me tight as if she wouldn’t let me go to anyone.

“You can’t go anywhere without my permission. I’ll watch over you.”

Hayeon was mumbling something that I couldn’t make out.

As she was like that, I quietly gave her a hug.

The moment when my way too long abduction with the villains came to an end…

“But what’s your relationship with that girl?”

“…A friend?”

Since I couldn’t explain what had happened as a “coincidence”…

Unfortunately, I couldn’t clear up the label of me being a pervert.