episode_0166

166.

“It’s already been a year.”

Mid-March.

Spring had once again arrived at the Academy.

Beautiful cherry blossoms bloomed widely, announcing the start of a new semester, while the gentle breeze danced around.

“Time sure flies.”

I looked up from the fluttering cherry blossoms and turned my gaze towards the students passing by slowly.

Fresh-faced new students with sparkling eyes were admiring the Academy campus.

The joy, excitement, and anticipation of entering the top hero education institution in South Korea were clearly written on their faces.

Could it be the innocence of the new students that I felt?

Many new students were gathered together, laughing and chatting.

And then, it happened.

I could see many students whispering and glancing at a girl.

“Hey. Look over there. Is that Ha Yoo?”

“Ha Yoo?”

Two male students whispered, looking slightly surprised.

“Don’t you remember? She used to be a famous child actress. She appeared in many TV shows and dramas.”

“Oh, I remember now. So that’s Ha Yoo. She’s really pretty.”

“I heard she got into Union. Is it true?”

“Do you think she’ll give an autograph if we ask?”

“Hah. What if she thinks we’re stalking her when she sees your face?”

I blinked my eyes.

Then, I rolled my eyes towards where the boys were looking, and discreetly observed the face of the girl surrounded by some students.

“Ha Yoo…”

Ha Yoo.

Ranked 9th among the new students.

She boasted a beautiful appearance with smooth silver twin tails and a faintly glowing red eye.

She was quite active as a child actress when she was young.

However, when she entered middle school, her parents were murdered by a villain, and since then, she has been struggling to become a hero.

Despite receiving hero training since her early teens, she was talented enough to be admitted to Union as the 9th ranked student.

In the game, she was one of the NPC companions that could join the protagonist’s party.

…Ah, of course, I knew that the memories I had were not from an actual game but were passed down by future Soyeon. But it had become a habit to think in terms of games.

Anyway.

Originally, I had planned to recruit her in my second year.

Well, there’s no need for that now.

I’ve already defeated Yudahee and Rebellion.

It feels like I’ve completed the main story without doing any side quests, and reached the ending.

“Well, there’s no need to get involved with Ha Yoo now.”

Since we were in the same class due to my return to school, we could have a conversation, but I had no intention of getting closer to her.

Because Soyeon might get jealous…

“Excuse me.”

As I was lost in my thoughts.

A clear and innocent voice gently tickled my ears.

Thanks to that, I snapped out of my reverie and subtly turned my head towards the source of the soft voice.

There, I could see a girl with beautiful silver hair cascading down to her waist, looking up at me cautiously.

It was Ha Yoo.

Why was Ha Yoo suddenly talking to me?

Did she notice that I was looking at her?

Ha Yoo hesitated slightly.

She seemed to be pondering with a faint smile on her lower lip.

For some reason, she seemed quite tense.

“……Hoo.”

After exhaling a short breath, she swallowed nervously.

Then, as if she had prepared herself mentally, she slowly began to open her lips. However.

“Um, excuse me.”

Seeming even more nervous than she thought, she hesitated and bit her lip.

“J-Jinhyuk sunbaenim!”

“Hmm?”

Ha Yua blushed deeply, bowing her head and waist deeply.

“I-It’s a fan.”

Then, she pushed a pen and a notebook towards me.

“Could you, um, give me your autograph…?”

Raising her head slightly, she looked at me with anxious eyes and a shy face, leaving me speechless.

It was a bit embarrassing.

Suddenly a fan?

What is this?

“I-Is it not possible…?”

“No. It’s not that it’s not possible. It’s just a bit surprising to suddenly be called a fan. What should I say.”

“P-Please don’t say that, sunbaenim. I know everything you’ve done since you entered the Union.”

“Huh?”

Everything I’ve done?

“You defeated a monster that appeared at the academy shortly after enrolling, received a commendation, successfully conquered the Yeongdeungpo dungeon, rescued pro heroes, and even subjugated Oroboros in Busan. You also saved many people in the Gwanghwamun tragedy.”

“Um, well…”

With ruby-like red eyes sparkling, she enthusiastically listed the things I had done. It was similar to the look of an enthusiastic fan looking at their favorite celebrity.

“Especially defeating the heinous villain Yoo Dahee.”

I just delivered the final blow.

Honestly, Soyeon and others suffered much more than I did.

But Ha Yua was talking as if I had done everything alone. It seemed like she was overestimating me too much. Is it because she claims to be my fan?

“You’re truly amazing, sunbaenim.”

“….”

I scratched my chin for a moment, pondering.

After the Seoul Gwanghwamun tragedy, I became quite famous through TV, internet, news, etc., but it was the first time someone had approached me so openly as a fan, so I was a bit surprised.

Seeing that she knew so much about what I had done since enrolling in the Union, it really seemed like a fan was a fan.

Phew. Originally, in the original work, she followed Soyeon because of her exploits.

But this time, it seems like she’s more interested in me than Soyeon because of all the things I’ve done so far.

“I actually wanted to talk to you from the first day… but I get too nervous standing in front of you… I’m not usually this nervous…”

Ha Yua seemed unsure, as if not knowing what to do.

I looked at her for a moment and then spoke.

“But why sunbae? We’re both first-year students and classmates.”

“Ah, well, I thought it might be too familiar to call you oppa from the beginning, so I was worried you might feel uncomfortable…”

“It’s not a big deal, but whatever. Call me whatever makes you comfortable.”

“Yes, sunbaenim.”

She answered energetically, blushing, and I sighed slightly as I signed her notebook.

I didn’t know if I should be happy to receive my autograph, but Ha Yua held the notebook she received from me as if it were precious, hugging it tightly to her chest.

Then she smiled softly.

It was a truly beautiful smile, as if she was afraid someone might mistake her for a former celebrity.

Come to think of it, she was also a significant character in the original work.

Especially a skilled archer with very few appearances.

Her specialty is powerful support shooting, and she is a famous figure known as the sniper of Matan in the future.

“Whew. I’m nervous. I wonder if this is how my fans felt when they asked for my autograph in the past?”

“Well, you do seem a bit extraordinary.”

“Oh, really? Hmm… strangely, whenever I’m near you, my heart races so much that I can’t even breathe properly…”

“…?”

Is it really that intense?

“But by any chance, senior.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Um, do you remember me?”

“?”

I tilted my head.

What is she talking about? When did I ever meet Ha Yoo-ah?

Seeing my puzzled expression, Ha Yoo-ah made a slightly disappointed face, then quickly shook her head and pursed her lips.

“I guess you don’t remember. Well, back then, there weren’t many interactions between us…”

She said with a sidelong glance.

“Actually, I went to watch the Hero’s Day event.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Yes.”

There is indeed a setting where I went to the Hero’s Day event with my friends before entering the academy.

“But suddenly, monsters started pouring in…”

As she recalled the horrific events that took place at Gwanghwamun Square, her face darkened slightly.

“I tried to save people as a hero trainee, but I almost died from the monster’s attack. But then, at that moment…”

Her face, which had been dim, began to light up brightly.

“You defeated the monster, right? The one that didn’t even flinch at my attacks, you took it down in one go!”

“Uh-huh.”

I had dealt with Yoo Da-hee and handled the monsters afterward to save some people. Did she receive help from me at that time?

“Every time you swung your sword, the monsters fell weakly… I can’t forget that sight.”

Ha Yoo-ah looked directly at my face.

“Some people don’t believe in your strength or think it’s exaggerated for no reason…”

Her eyes were filled with respect and trust.

“But I saw it with my own eyes and believed. I was convinced that the rumors about your strength were true. If it were you, you would have definitely defeated Yoo Da-hee.”

“Well, that’s not entirely true.”

It’s true that my strength was exaggerated.

Even if I have some sort of psychic ability, how would I defeat a monster like Yoo Da-hee in a one-on-one fight?

It was only possible because other heroes had worn her down to the point where I could barely catch her.

“Thank you, senior. For defeating Yoo Da-hee, an evil being. And for saving me.”

“You don’t have to thank me…?”

I was about to speak when I glanced around discreetly.

I could hear voices and see people looking in our direction.

“What’s that? That guy? Acting friendly with Ha Yoo-ah? Do you know who he is?”

“Idiot. That’s Lee Jin-hyuk, Lee Jin-hyuk. I told you to look up the news.”

“If it’s Lee Jin-hyuk, could it be?”

Suddenly, several trainees were looking at us without us noticing.

It was a crowded place, so we stood out to the trainees.

“Wow. I’ve never seen him in person before.”

“But is it true that he really defeated Yoo Da-hee?”

“Come on, do you believe that? How could a trainee catch Yoo Da-hee, who even pro heroes couldn’t catch? It’s all a lie, a lie. At most, he just landed the finishing blow.”

“Maybe that’s true? Still, he seems to be on a different level than regular pro heroes.”

Some new trainees were doubting my reputation.

Although it wasn’t gossip, it was a bit annoying to hear them whispering behind my back.

And perhaps Ha Yoo-ah overheard their voices, as she furrowed her brow and raised her voice.

“You guys. What were you whispering about behind my back earlier? Daring to question the credibility of senior’s reputation? Exaggerating?”

“Uh, um? Oh, it’s not like that.”

“If you have something to say, come forward and say it confidently, instead of muttering behind my back.”

“Sorry, I’m, I’m sorry.”

“Apologize to the senior, not to me.”

“I, I apologize.”

“No, it’s fine. Well, it’s okay.”

The new students glanced at me and Hayoung, then quickly ran away after apologizing.

Hayoung glared at the other new students who were sneaking glances at her and soon they all made apologetic expressions.

“Oh, sorry. Did I step out of line?”

I shook my head nervously.

Thanks to her, I had no reason to be upset about the gossip.

“When I was active in the entertainment industry, there were a lot of kids like that. So, without realizing it, I just…”

“Ugh… Yua…”

Just then, a female student yawned and walked towards Hayoung with a familiar voice.

Ah, that girl is…

“Cheong-ah.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Just having a conversation with the senior.”

“…Senior?”

The girl glanced at me.

With her somewhat sleepy eyes, petite figure that seemed half-drowsy, and messy green hair that was all over the place, she resembled a sleepy squirrel.

‘This is Lee Cheong.’

Cheong.

Hayoung’s closest friend.

Ranked first among the new students. A position equivalent to a first-year Lee Siwoon.

And Cheong had an interesting trait. She was what you’d call a power-hiding genius character.

A typical lazy genius, you could say?

Originally, she was one of the geniuses who were supposed to join the main character’s group.

If Hayoung had gone with Cheong to the Hero’s Day event, she might not have been threatened by the monster.

That’s how talented Cheong was.

Among this year’s new students, it could be said that Lee Cheong was the top genius.

Although she seemed lazy to avoid being bothered by showing her full strength, achieving the top rank among the new students spoke for itself.

If she were to reveal her full power, she would probably be stronger than Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan in the early days of their first year.

Well, she might not be able to keep up with the growth rate of the future Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan, who would become the strongest in the world.

But still, there was no denying that Cheong was a recognized genius at the Union.

“…”

Cheong, who was looking at me with sleepy eyes, turned to Hayoung and spoke.

“Um… It’s getting late for the movie. Let’s go.”

“Oh! Is it already this late?”

Hayoung blinked slightly in surprise at Cheong’s words.

“T-then, senior, we’ll take our leave. See you next time.”

It seemed like Hayoung and Cheong had promised to watch a movie together after the academy.

Hayoung bowed politely and Cheong nodded silently in response.

And so, the two of them disappeared into the distance.

At that moment.

Cheong gave me a last glance.

But her gaze didn’t seem very friendly.

Was it a look of disapproval towards me?

“Phew.”

Suddenly, a familiar voice mixed with admiration came from behind.

“Jinhyuk, you must be so popular with the girls. Right? Your popularity is exploding among the fresh-faced new students, isn’t it?”

“Oh. Soyeon. Just got here?”

I had been waiting for Soyeon to go home together, and it seemed like she had finally finished her business and arrived.

However, Soyeon just stared at me with a sarcastic look in her eyes.

With a slightly displeased expression and her previous words in mind, it seemed like she overheard my conversation with Hayou and Cheong.

“You had a big smile on your face earlier. Did I come too early without realizing it? Should I have come a bit later?”

“Yeah, you should have come a bit later.”

“What?”

I chuckled and shrugged my shoulders.

“Just kidding, just kidding.”

“So, what were you doing with them?”

“Nothing much, just chatting.”

“Hmph.”

Soyeon snorted and crossed her arms firmly.

“You’ve become quite famous since the Gwanghwamun incident, Jinhyuk. I heard there’s even a fan club for you at school.”

“Oh, really?”

A fan club? That’s unexpected.

I guess I’m hitting my prime now.

“Oh? Did you come here to see me?”

“No, why would I react to something like that? And you’re much more popular than me. All the freshmen are staring at you.”

“Ugh, annoying.”

Soyeon pursed her lips and crossed her arms, looking more cynical than usual.

A year ago, Soyeon would have been friendly and cheerful with both boys and girls, but now she seemed annoyed by the attention from boys.

Her personality had definitely changed.

When we were together, she would laugh, joke around, and chat like she used to, but when we were apart, she seemed more cynical.

After a male student made a move on her at the freshman induction ceremony, chaos ensued.

“It’s been how long since you returned to the academy… Ugh. It seems like girls keep flocking around you…”

“What, jealous again?”

In the past, I might have denied it or brushed it off as a joke, but…

“Yeah. Jealous, so what?”

Soyeon looked at me boldly, as if it was obvious, with a shameless expression on her face.

Should I respond shamelessly too?

“You don’t need to be jealous. You’re prettier.”

“…”

I chuckled, wanting to try out a cheesy line, but Soyeon just made a disgusted face and said, “Ugh.”

“What’s with that cheesy line?”

“What?”

“…Jinhyuk, you’ve become quite shameless.”

“You say that, but I can see your cheeks turning slightly red.”

“That’s impossible.”

Soyeon covered her cheeks with her hand and coughed awkwardly.

“Ahem! Anyway, let’s stop with the nonsense and go home.”

She urged me to hurry up and head back to school, and I shrugged my shoulders and nodded. As we chatted, I thought to myself.

How peaceful this is.

I didn’t expect to get involved with Hayou and Cheong, but it was nice to have a peaceful academy life after a long time.

But a few weeks later…

“…Senior Jinhyuk.”

“Yeah?”

“…I’ve heard about you, during the Gwanghwamun incident and now.”

During the first-year combat assessment.

“If you don’t mind.”

The top-ranked freshman, Cheong, who had a reputation as a monster trainee.

“Can I ask for a favor?”

Seemingly sleepy but with a subtle hint of challenge in her eyes, she confidently extended a challenge to me.