episode_0014

“Ughhh……”

The moment I got home, I collapsed—literally.

I attended dialectology class with Hangyeol, then another lecture after that. Then I met Jo Minhyuk and Heo Jihun, who came looking for me after hearing the news.

Apparently, rumors had already spread throughout the department. And honestly, it was bound to happen. It probably wasn’t just the department—it must’ve spread across the entire university by now. At this rate, reporters might show up at Korea University to interview me.

The fact that I used to be male was also fully exposed, but I didn’t really care about that. The mutation itself was already a hot topic—my gender was just a footnote.

“Why do you look like a zombie?”

My younger sibling, who had gotten home earlier, asked me.

“I almost died trying to act like a popular kid.”

“Oh, right, you came clean today? I heard rumors about it in our department too.”

“It’s already spread to the business school?”

“Yeah. Stuff like, ‘A dragon-type mutant appeared in the Korean Literature Department!’ Once the rumors spread through the humanities colleges, they blew up on the university forums. Here, take a look.”

“Ugh… Yeah, I see.”

“But why the sudden popularity? I thought you barely had any close friends in your department?”

“I went to the department lounge for the first time in ages to meet the few people I do know.”

“That’s practically an apocalyptic event.”

“And remember how I told you I saved someone from a minotaur-type mutant?”

“Yeah.”

“That person turned out to be my junior.”

“What?”

“So we met up today and got a little closer.”

“Male or female?”

“Female. The Korean Literature Department is already female-dominated—there are barely five or six male juniors to begin with.”

“Oh, right.”

“Anyway, after we got closer, I happened to run into some classmates in a shared lecture, and when I went to the lounge with them and announced, ‘Hey, I mutated!’… other juniors started trickling in.”

“Wow, you’re practically a social butterfly now.”

“Tell me about it. The reaction was completely different from when I used to go to the lounge as a guy.”

“Well, it’s a fact that you had a pretty intimidating face back then, right? Who in their right mind would approach someone with that expressionless glare?”

“Ouch, no need to hit me where it hurts. Anyway… today made me realize something. I’m not cut out for this popularity thing.”

“Why? You were talking just fine.”

“It’s mentally exhausting. I never know what to say, and even when I do, I keep overanalyzing everyone’s reactions. I was so tired I thought I’d die. Being around people just drains my energy. And it’s even worse with people I’m not close to.”

“Sure, sure. Whatever you say.”

“Plus, if I go to the department gathering, the juniors will be all over me with questions… This is a disaster. Maybe I should’ve just built a wall around myself.”

“Why not just get drunk and put on a fire show?”

“Are you insane? Since when do I do that kind of thing?”

“Who knows? You might get swept up in the mood. From what I can see, you’re about to become the star of the Korean Literature Department.”

“I have zero interest in that.”

“Even with the blessing of a dragon’s body, your introverted nature remains untouched, huh?”

“Exactly. I do feel a bit more confident in my actions lately, but my core personality hasn’t changed. I still love my room the most.”

“Sure, whatever you say. Oh, by the way.”

“What.”

“Come visit the business school sometime.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Pfft. Yeah, figured.”

“Ugh, whatever. I’m not going to the department lounge for a while.”

“You think that’ll be easy? People will probably stick their heads in just to gawk at you out of curiosity.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“If you’ve decided to come out, you’ll just have to endure it.”

“Good grief.”

It really makes me wonder, especially today.

What kind of physical and mental structure do people who gain energy from socializing even have?

I’m so drained that I don’t even feel like doing anything.

I don’t get it. For now, I’ll sleep a little and think about it later.

My decision to come out started from a simple thought.

As a dragon-type mutant, I was bound to attract attention—and if someone like me could approach people warmly, maybe it’d help change perceptions about mutants.

The idea itself wasn’t bad.

The problem was that I’m the type who gets intensely drained from socializing.

When I woke up, I saw my sibling fiddling with their smartphone.

“Oh. You’re up?”

They spoke without looking up, having sensed my presence.

“Yeah.”

“Feeling any better?”

“A little? Still tired. Ugh, mentally, it’s torture.”

“By the way, why are you even trying to graduate?”

“Because tuition’s expensive.”

“No, no. That’s not what I mean. The current you could make more than enough money doing anything, right?”

“…That’s true.”

Frankly, if I wanted to, I could rake in money like leaves.

Since I can manipulate weather, I could contract with the government to prevent wildfires and disasters for a fee.

Even just here in Seoul, there are always one or two places flooding due to summer downpours.

If they offered me a reasonable compensation, I could prevent countless property damages from heavy rain—a win-win.

If I really needed quick cash, I could hunt down wanted mutants and claim their bounties.

But the reason I don’t do any of that… is embarrassingly trivial.

Because being a Korea University student is something I clawed my way into through sheer effort during my ordinary days.

I pride myself on having worked at least twice as hard as others.

Even back in high school, when my brain was already half-fossilized, I pushed through with sheer will—no parental pressure needed.

Some might see it as pointless.

At the end of the day, a university’s prestige is just for landing a job and making money, and as a mutant, I don’t need to work hard for that anymore.

But precisely because of that, the things I fought for as an ordinary person are precious to me.

Even the simple moments of joking around with classmates in college.

Because those moments are something the rough, hardened Yoon Seohyun of the past achieved—something I can never return to.

That’s why they’re precious. That’s why I can’t help but place immense value on these moments.

“It’s just… proof of the effort I put in before mutating. That’s why it’s precious. Like you said, I could make money anytime. But everyone pursues different values, right? It’s not like I’m desperate for cash.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“Anyway, there’s a reason I still care about tuition and university. I don’t live as thoughtlessly as you.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? I think things through too, you know?”

“Sure, whatever. So, dinner?”

“Not yet. I was waiting for you to wake up. What do you want?”

“Hmm… Something light. Maybe udon?”

“Delivery?”

“Yeah. I don’t feel like going out. Today’s outdoor quota is done.”

“Haah…”

“What?”

While slurping udon, I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

“People spread rumors so fast. The posts on the university forum have already been turned into articles by reporters.”

“What do they say?”

“‘Dragon-type mutant appears at Korea University… The same mutant who subdued a minotaur-type?’ Stuff like that. And they’ve already included that I’m a current student, even specifying the Korean Literature Department.”

“You think reporters will be camped outside the department tomorrow? Public interest in mutants is already high, and you’re not only a late-blooming mutant but also a dragon.”

“…Yeah.”

For a moment, my vision blurred. Maybe I should’ve been more careful.

No, it’s fine. At this point, I’ll just charge forward.

“Might as well grab an interview with a credible newspaper instead of the tabloids.”

“Going all in, huh?”

“The whole point of coming out was so that safe mutants could live a little more comfortably. Even if it’s tiring.”

“Won’t they just take advantage of you? You know how trashy journalists twist words these days.”

“Relax. If they try to exploit me, I’ll just flip the table. They’d better not mess with me. Or I’ll ask that NIS agent I mentioned for help. I’m not that stupid.”

“Sure, handle it your way. But try not to resort to force unless absolutely necessary.”

“Obviously. But a little intimidation should be fine, right?”

“If you’re the one intimidating them… you’d just summon lightning or something?”

“What? I’d just conjure a fireball the size of a house. That’d make them back off, right? Or maybe transform into a dragon?”

“Wait, what?”

“It’s not for nothing that I’m a ‘dragon’-type mutant. Of course I can take on a dragon form.”

“…That’s news to me?”

“It came to me yesterday.”

“Wow… So how big are you as a dragon?”

“Dunno. Just my wings are about 4 meters in that form, so probably way bigger? I’d rather not transform unless I have to.”

“Let’s just hope those trash journalists don’t piss you off. You’ve got a history of causing trouble when provoked. I still remember you getting sued for hundreds of thousands in settlement money.”

“Haha… I’ll try not to. But if they push me that far, isn’t it their fault?”

“Sure, whatever you say.”