Information Agency – Truth]
« I don't recall an agency named like that… » replied Yeonha with her fingers on her chin.
« Me too and I can't seem to figure out the relation between this agency and Kim Hajin. » *Rachel remarks.
'Maybe that's where Kim Hajin found the information he provided me with… Let's not rush a judgment like that, it's better to see what does this name have to do with our dear "Author".' *Yeonha*
« Let's continue watching then. » Said Suho smiling.
Welcome.
If you are here to look for true information, visit the following room.
Room of Inquiry?
« That's a stupid name- » *Nayun*
« I bet you don't even know what inquiry means that's why. » *Yeonha*
« I DO! »
« Then what does it mean? »
« It's better to continue watching than ask ourselves unnecessary questions haha- » Nayun tried to change the subject looking nervously around the room until her eyes ended up on the screen before adjusting herself to her seat and ignoring the previous question.
Needless to say that Yeonha didn't want to waste time either so she let go of the teasing question, causing the girl beside her to sigh in relief. Who would want to look stupid after all?
[ ]
Write your question in the above empty space. As long as it meets the following guidelines, it will be answered.
—Condition 1. Naturally, only answers known by the agency will be answered. If we do not know the answer to a question, we will say so, so do not worry.
The first condition seems to be fair but that meant that the agency knew a lot of things just like Hajin… Could these two be related in any regard?
That's what the cadets in the room were asking themselves.
—Condition 2. We cannot give an answer about a person with just his or her name. We require the person's name, picture, physique, identity, and other personal information.
« Who would know those things about a person? That's creepy… » *Jonghak*
« Maybe it's like a detective agency? Like the one Yeonha's uncle has. » *Nayun*
« Maybe you're right. » *Suho*
—Condition 3. We cannot answer questions that are too trivial. For example, "I lost my cat. Where is it?" is not an acceptable question.
Chae Nayun and Kim Jonghak were holding their laughter at the display of the third condition. Did someone already ask this question for the agency to add it as example?
Yoo Yeonha only shook her head with an amused look at the screen and so did Kim Suho and Rachel.
However, the same question can be answered if the scope of the question is narrowed down with specific details.
*Note 1. The minimum cost is 100,000 won but is subject to change drastically depending on the question.
*Note 2. Please keep in mind that replies will come quicker if you use respectful language and expression.
« You can tell they got some petty clients before writing all these for description. » *Jonghak*
« I agree, who pissed them off so much they had to add something like that as a condition heh? » *Nayun*
« Surely someone like you *cough* » Muttered Yeonha.
« What did you say?? » Nayun asked.
« Nothing to worry about~ » Yeonha responded sheepishly.
*Note 3. The information we provide is all true. Thus, we cannot refund your purchase.
*The above cost and conditions are subject to change at any time.
===
"This seems good enough."
« Oh~ We'll know who's the one behind all this nonsense? » *Nayun*
« He might have a connection with Kim Hajin for all we know. » *Yeonha*
« What makes you think that? » *Suho*
« Just something he happened to say at Cube. » *Yeonha*
I looked at my laptop proudly. This was the form I submitted to Violet Banquet as an information seller. Now that I had a gift like the Book of Truth, it felt like a waste to not use it.
« Hey isn't this the bastard's gift from that last thing we reacted to? » Asked Jonghak narrowing his eyes.
« Yep I remember now. » Said Nayun nodding her head.
« Does Cube allow this kind of transaction to cadets? » *Rachel*
« I don't know but Kim Hajin isn't one to respect rules… » *Yeonha*
« I guess you're right. » Suho sighed with a smile.
For now, I gave it a grandiose name – 'Truth Agency'.
The name provoked a little chain of reaction from the teenagers such as Nayun and Jonghak rolling their eyes and Yeonha to purse her lips. This boy still had the power to make everything awkward.
Since reputation played a huge role in Violet Banquet, I didn't expect to get many customers to begin with. It was perfect since I didn't think my magic power would last long anyways.
« Isn't he a little bit disappointed? I meeeean, he won't get many customers even with the kind of service he gives- » *Nayun*
« Don't imply anything weird here. » Yeonha shot her friend a warning glare that shut her instantly.
« Hajin always knows what he gets himself into. » Affirmed Rachel causing Kim Suho and Yoo Yeonha to nod at her reflexion while the other two looked at them bewildered.
But in 2~3 years, Truth Agency's name would surely spread among the members, starting from small interest like 'Why is this still here?' or 'Should I give it a test since I'm bored?'
« Nah there are posts like that? » *Nayun*
« I think he's talking about what people would think before asking for his service. » *Jonghak*
« Maybe… » *Nayun*
Since I would have three or four streaks of stigma by that time, I wouldn't need to worry about running out of magic power either.
They frowned at the mention of the "Stigma". They didn't forget what its apparition caused to Hajin. The pain was clearly shown on his face at the time and they knew he wouldn't show this kind of reaction if they were here to witness the whole situation.
« Hey um… I have a question. » Asked Yeonha who raised her hand.
°What's the matter ??°
« Does having another streak of Stigma cause the same reaction as the one he had on its apparition? » *Yeonha*
°It's for me to know and for you to find out~°
As always. They sighed in unison at the answer. The weird being never answered their questions except when they wanted to and the information they do say is basically useless.
However, this whole "reaction" thing allowed them to know different sides of their friend that he surely wouldn't want or let them know about so it was kind of 50/50.
It was a risk-free, long-term investment for the future. If it worked, great. If it didn't, that was fine too.
« Nonsense- He cares but is too proud to admit it! » *Nayun*
« Would you mind shutting it for a sec- » Started Yeonha
« Yeah, I would mind- » But before Nayun could finish her sentence, she felt a continuous pain on her forearm. She was about to shout and after turning her head, found Yeonha pinching her.
"Okay."
After looking over the form one more time, I pressed the [apply for seller] button.
Now, everything was taken care of.
The only thing left to do was my daily work out.
Kim Jonghak scoffed. « I'm kinda doubting his daily workout since nothing can be seen on him- »
He felt a glare coming from the blonde princess and heard a loud responding scoff from a brunette.
I stretched and stood up.
**
Late night, Sunday.
Kim Suho was working out at the Novice Fitness Center. Kim Suho was a regular visitor of the fitness center, but today's scenery was different than what it was at the beginning of the year.
Today, the fitness center was booming with cadets. It was undoubtedly because the midterm exams were coming up.
« Don't you get tired sometimes?? » Asked Nayun with narrowed eyes.
Kim Suho looked at her confused like the question wasn't a normal thing to ask. « I mean… It's better to train regularly right? »
Chae Nayun sighed and shook her head at the training maniac sitting beside her "friend" on the left.
'A word would have been better than a pinch that left a bruise…' She thought to herself.
"Kuu."
After finishing a set, Kim Suho looked around the place while resting. Jin Hanjun, Kim Horak, Shin Jonghak, and even Yoo Yeonha and Rachel, who were rare visitors, were there.
« You all are lazy I never- » *Nayun*
« Oh please, don't act like you came everyday there. You're probably the laziest amongst us~ » *Yeonha*
« HEY YOU DON'T KNOW THAT- » *Nayun*
We will be back after a short break to not say advertisement~
"Are you checking out girls?"
« What the quack is this kind of question?? » *Jonghak*
Kim Suho looked away embarrassed not knowing what to respond. The moment was quite surprising back then but it's way more embarrassing when witnessed the second time.
At that moment, a sudden coldness touched his face. Kim Suho pulled his head back in surprise.
There was only one person who would play such a prank on him. Kim Suho glared at him. Yi Yeonghan shrugged and handed him a drink.
« Your friend is bad at pranks… » *Nayun*
« I agree with her for once… » *Yeonha*
"So, are you?"
"No, I just…"
« You know that adding "just" at the end of your answer just makes it more suspicious right? » *Nayun*
« I know but… sigh just keep watching- » *Suho*
« You said "just" another time~ » *Nayun*
Suho shot her a tired look, thus the girl determined that she won't get any other reaction from the boy and gave up her teasing.
"Yeah?"
"…I just thought it was a rare sight."
Kim Suho pointed at Rachel with his chin. Yi Yeonghan looked at Rachel and nodded in agreement.
"I guess you're right. This is the first time I've seen a real princess working out at a fitness center."
Rachel looked at Suho with a slight frown on her face. « May I know what is it supposed to mean? »
Suho rubbed the back of his neck with a nervous smile. « I didn't attend to make it sound like that I swear! »
Rachel decided to forgive him after some time of him apologizing for the rude comment.
Blonde hair that glistened brilliantly and eyes that were like refined sapphires. Her figure showed no imperfections and flaunted elegance and charm.
Rachel flushed at the description on the screen. She wasn't used to this kind of comparison made in front of her. It might come flattering but hearing it face to face provoked quite the edginess.
Even while covered in sweat, she looked like she came out of a painting. The girl, Rachel, was from England's royal family and was the descendant of a noble lineage.
At this point, the said blonde was hiding behind her hands hoping to cover the new shade that appeared and increased in darkening.
Chae Nayun tsked at the screen. Why didn't she get a description like that huh? Did Hajin really have a crush on her? If yes, then WHY HER?!
"Who do you think she'll marry in the future? Not with us, right?"
At Yi Yeonghan's comments, Kim Suho smiled.
"Is that a sneer? What, you think you can marry her?"
"No, it's not that. I was agreeing with you. I don't think she'd marry someone like us."
'I don't plan on marrying anyone to be honest. I just need to fulfill my duties as a princess and honor my country.' Rachel repeated in her mind.
'Hajin may be an exception th- WHAT AM I THINKING-' She shook her head fast to get rid of the thought.
Suho wondered what caused such a sudden burst of colors on the princess's face but concluded it was because she didn't recover from the previous description of her.
"Uuk!"
While the two of them joked with each other, a sudden loud grunt grabbed their attention.
« I know what this is~ » Snickered Jonghak while Yeonha smirked at the memory.
"Huuuk!"
The strange breathing sound came from a man having a life-or-death battle with a fitness
equipment. However, the weight on the equipment was a pitiful amount by any cadet's standard.
« His daily work out isn't efficient but he put quite a show to entertain us~ » Yeonha grinned.
The sight was ridiculous to be honest. Even if one wouldn't want to appear rude, they would think it at least.
"…Is he really struggling with that?"
« A weakling remains a weakling no matter what. » *Jonghak*
Yi Yeonghan looked with pity.
It wasn't just Yi Yeonghan. Almost every cadet snickered as they walked about. Kim Suho couldn't tell whether Kim Hajin was oblivious or too focused to notice, but he continued his struggle resolutely.
« I think he was too focused to notice the attention he drew to himself… » *Rachel*
« He's used to avoiding and ignoring unnecessary attention but he's also like super dense towards what certain people feel around him~ » Yeonha glanced at Nayun who only avoided the eye contact to not worsen the colorful red tainting her skin.
At the sight unfolding before him, Jonghak frowned before letting go. He wouldn't admit he was jealous of the attention Nayun gave to Hajin but if the boy wasn't aware of the girl's feelings, it was okay. That's, at least, what he told himself every time.
"At least he's doing it for a long time."
Kim Suho replied briefly.
« No need to defend him Suho~ He's a lost cause for physical training. » *Yeonha*
« But he might lessen his efforts in the future if you continue like that. » *Suho*
« Don't give him false hope Suho… » * Jonghak*
"Please, with that weight, I can do the same thing for half a day. I'm curious how he was even admitted to Cube. Even sharpshooters have a minimum physical requirement they need to meet, and wasn't he a swordsman before? Why don't I remember him? …Oh, look, it's Chae Nayun."
« Finally a person worth giving your attention to! » exclaimed Chae Nayun. Rachel looked at her flabbergasted.
« Excuse me what? » *Rachel*
« I don't see anything wrong with what I said though~ » *Nayun*
Rachel was about to stand up and walk toward Nayun when Suho grabbed her by her arm looking at her with an "It's no use" look. She settled down not wanting to cause a scene.
Nayun smirked at her decision thinking that she gave up when Yeonha told her to "cut it out".
Chae Nayun came out of the gravitation room at just the right moment. Covered in sweat, she was slightly staggering with an exhausted face.
« Why did SHE have a description in her favor but not ME! » *Nayun*
« I think you forgot the fact that Hajin doesn't hide his favoritism. » *Jonghak*
« Yes, first we had Suho- » She glanced at him but he looked away with an innocent gaze pretending to have a conversation with Rachel. « -and now the princess. »
Rachel quickly played along with Suho's acting when hearing her name called in the conversation while the other three stared at the show of preference from their dear author.
It looked like she was planning on heading straight back, but when she saw Kim Hajin, she stopped and began to glare at him.
« Why do you have to fight every time you see him?? » *Yeonha*
« He pisses me off- » She said with her arms crossed on her abdomen
« He was just training- » *Yeonha*
« You can't understand. » *Nayun*
'Just say you're too much of a tsundere and I'd have understood right away…' *Yeonha*
Jiing— Two laser beams shot out of her eyes.
« Really?? » *Nayun*
« … No comments. » *Yeonha*
"…What's she doing?"
"They're not really on good terms."
« You didn't have to soften the blow you know? Just say they hate each other. That's more simple~ »
Suho could have sworn cat ears appeared on Yeonha head while she smiled at her own comment.
Kim Suho smiled bitterly.
"Tsk."
After glaring at Kim Hajin for a while, Chae Nayun clicked her tongue and turned back. At the same time, her eyes met Kim Suho. She let out a dry cough as though she was embarrassed and walked towards them.
« Her? Embarrassed?? Isn't she like that all the time? ~ » *Yeonha*
« Ugh- You didn't have to say that! » *Nayun*
« That's unnecessary to you but fortunately, not for me~ » *Yeonha*
"Hey, Kim Suho, isn't he a bit strange?"
What nonsense was she spouting now?
Nayun glared at the blue haired boy. « You thought that? » Two holes were slowly being burrowed at the side of his face.
« N-no, that's probably just the narrator… » *Suho*
« Nah, I doubt that- » *Jonghak*
« Whatever… » *Nayun*
"…Strange?"
"That bastard, he's acting."
"What are you talking about?"
« What did you just say? » Yeonha looked at Nayun confused. What was all this talk about again?
« I just knew he was pretending! That was not normal! » *Nayun*
« Why couldn't you believe he's as weak as a deer in terms of physical training? » *Jonghak*
« Because that wouldn't add up with what he showed in the museum… » *Nayun*
« You can believe whatever suits you- » *Yeonha*
Both Yi Yeonghan and Kim Suho furrowed their brows. They didn't understand what Chae Nayun was saying, but Chae Nayun glared at Kim Suho as though he was being dense.
« You're the dense one- » *Yeonha*
« You can't blame me! I bet you thought the same thing as me! » *Nayun*
« I thought the same thing in terms of attributes but not for his physical stats. So it's not the same thing~ » *Yeonha*
« That's literally the same thing! » *Nayun*
« I think it'd be for the better if we avoided any term of dispute- » *Suho*
« Tch- » *Nayun & Yeonha*
"…I can understand Yi Yeonghan saying this, but Kim Suho, you really are insensitive about these kinds of things."
« Why are you trying to blame him? He can't understand your nonsense every time… Neither us by the way- » *Yeonha*
« Can you stop with your hate comments? It's annoying! » *Nayun*
« You're not really in the right position to talk about that… » *Yeonha*
« …What do you mean?? » *Nayun*
« You're the #2 Hajin's hater right now- » *Yeonha*
« Who's the #1 then? » *Rachel*
« That's the person who didn't say a word in this whole conversation. » *Suho*
It took some time for Rachel to understand then she remembered that Jonghak was the one who didn't talk since the mention of Hajin's haters…
'Ah. AH I just understood. They are talking about Kim Jonghak… Why did it take me so much time to understand??'
"What? What are you talking about out of the blue?"
"You saw him that day and you still don't get it?"
« Talk in Korean please. Poor Suho you're making him confused with each of your words- » *Yeonha* (nice!)
« Since when were you on his side?! » *Nayun*
« I'm not on anyone's side~ » *Yeonha*
« That sounds like something Hajin would say if we confront him about Kim Suho and the princess- » *Jonghak*
« Yep. » *Nayun*
In truth, Chae Nayun's suspicion was justified.
« No way Hajin's defending you after all the crap you said about him? » *Yeonha*
« It's more like he still doesn't know what she said. » *Jonghak*
« I'm sure Hajin doesn't mind the petty comments… I think. » *Suho*
« I doubt that. » *Rachel*
Nayun looked at them astonished. Were they having this conversation in front of her?
Magic power was one of the most important abilities of a hero. In that sense, the magic power Kim Hajin displayed during the Seoul Incident was abnormal. An explosion of magic power strong enough to dye the world white for an instant…
A man with such level of magic power was struggling to lift a tiny weight?
« I understand that it's difficult to believe that but… » *Suho*
« It's Hajin. You don't need any other explanation to convince you Nayun! » Yeonha started to shake Nayun like a bottle of coke while she griped the armchair.
« STOP IT! » Yeonha stopped shaking her and it took the girl some time to recover. The purple haired girl received a glare from her precious friend not long after that.
It just didn't make sense.
« Yes it does. When it comes to gun boy at least. » *Jonghak*
As such, Kim Hajin had to be acting for whatever reason.
« He wasn't acting but he has reasons to lie. I still can't get used to all this novel author matter but I'm sure it's already a huge reason to lie to us about particular things. » *Rachel*
« You're right but we don't know if he'll keep lying after we tell him that we know about his secret. » *Suho*
« Maybe but even if he spits out the truth, he'll keep lots of things to himself- » *Jonghak*
« ThatWhat a simp-' was the only thing Suho and Rachel could think about after witnessing the scene.
His face was red as though it was about to explode.
"If that's acting, he should get an Oscar."
« I'm not going to lie but I have to admit he has a point here. » *Rachel*
« Come on- Even you?? You all are bullying me- » *Nayun*
« Then what do you call the things you did to Hajin if what we're doing is bullying? » *Yeonha*
« He did it way worse than me! » Nayun said pointing at Jonghak.
« HEY- Don't you dare include me in your mess! » *Jonghak*
"Ehew. Whatever, stay dense, you two."
« You're the one who stayed dense thorough all your encounters with him- » *Yeonha*
« FUCK YOU! » *Nayun*
« Sorry but you're not exactly my type. » *Yeonha*
Nayun looked at her with wide eyes while Rachel, Suho and Jonghak had their mouths agape, Yeonya held her head high.
« Excuse me, wha- » *Rachel*
Right when Chae Nayun was shaking her head in disappointment, three male cadets approached Kim Hajin. Kim Suho instinctively frowned. Those three were well-known delinquents.
« Oh~ I for sure had a better view live but it's better to see what people thought too~ So Suho, protective much?~ »
The one who asked the question was none other than Yeonha. Let's be realistic, she's the only one who got each one of them blushing minimum one time since they were trapped here.
And the reaction she got from teasing Suho was far satisfying enough to draw a grin on her face.
"Hey, what are you doing here, loser?"
"Look, he's struggling with this. I only need a finger to lift this."
« They have big mouths for their skills. » *Nayun*
« Your mouth finally spoke true words. » *Rachel*
Yeonha let out a loud laugh at the comment. She wasn't one to be friendly towards Rachel because of their competitiveness on getting Hajin on their respective side but they agreed on one point on a certain person.
You can clearly tell this person didn't understand the shift of tension between the two agency rivals.
« What is that supposed to mean?? » *Nayun*
They nudged Kim Hajin, but he didn't react in any way. Without giving them a single glance, he focused on working out.
"Hey, are you mute? Say something."
"Let's take pictures of this son of a bitch and post it. Look at him, working all hard when he's a complete waste."
« He's not a waste of air unlike you three. » When these words left Rachel's mouth, she couldn't get the cadets around her more astonished at the moment.
The girl just openly defended Hajin by roasting three persons at that.
« Heh- That's what I call unexpected. » *Jonghak*
Aggravated, the three delinquents began to curse openly. Why live; you're a waste of money; I feel bad for your parents; you're not going to graduate anyway, so why not just leave; etc…
Yeonha froze at the word "parents". She definitely knew that Hajin's parents weren't a part of this world since long ago and he never had the chance to meet them but it was difficult to discern the emotions on the boy's face.
She couldn't tell if these words affected him or not with the stoic face his head harbored.
"…Hey, I'm leaving."
Watching this scene, Chae Nayun left the scene looking uncomfortable.
Kim Suho got up, unable to hold himself back, but Yi Yeonghan stopped him.
"What?"
« Even he knows how to recognize a party pooper. » said Jonghak with a smirk plastered on his visage. He felt someone glaring holes at him and turned to find Suho glaring at him.
« What? I know I'm handsome but you don't need to stare at me for so long. » Suho looked at him with a repulsed look and Rachel proceeded to shake her head.
Yeonha had her hand on her mouth to muffle the sound of her giggles and Nayun rolled her eyes not believing a word coming out of the cadet's mouth.
« I don't see how me interfering makes me one. » He pursed his lips after saying that.
« That's exactly why you're one. » *Jonghak*
"Just leave him be. By the looks of it, they're Shin Jonghak's lackeys. Nothing good will come of fighting them."
"But still…"
"Plus…"
Yi Yeonghan smiled as though he found the situation funny.
"Who knows? Maybe he really is acting."
« Nah, that's the most pathetic excuse I've heard- » *Nayun*
« You're the one who stuck the idea in his head. » Suho sighed at the thought of it.
« Nevermind- » *Nayun*
**
When I woke up, it was Monday morning. In a daze, I thought back to what happened yesterday.
Applying as an information seller on Violet Banquet, buying stocks, and working out…
Let's shower first.
Chwaaa—
Cold water washed away my drowsiness.
I looked at my wet body in the mirror.
My body had certainly improved. My shoulders and biceps were vitalized, my abdominal muscles were well-defined, and my thighs were rock-hard. It was a robust and healthy body that I could have never achieved on Earth. I wondered, how were my stats looking like?
After drying myself, I left the bathroom and turned on my laptop.
I'm sorry I do not know how to react to his body description- =^=
Please don't. We don't need any reactions to it. Nothing good will come out of it.
True words are spoken here. *claps hands*
===
[Strength 1.835]
[Stamina 1.945]
[Speed 2.15]
[Perception 3.055]
[Vitality 1.765]
[Magic power 1.315]
===
« How is that possible?? He managed to increase his stats that way? » *Nayun*
« I can't believe it too- It was pathetic and still had an effect on him. » *Jonghak*
« You two are insufferable. Leave Hajin alone sometime. » *Suho*
« Never. » *Jonghak & Nayun*
As expected, I had grown a lot. Of course, it was still at the level of 'a man who worked out
diligently', but at this rate, it wouldn't be long until I could take Aether from Gari Mountain.
« Is that a dungeon? » *Rachel*
« I can't deal with his blabbering when we don't know what he's talking about. » Yeonha massaged her temples to calm the upcoming headache she'd accumulated because of her brain trying to understand the mystery that was Kim Hajin.
After all, the real reward of the Gari Mountain dungeon wasn't the 'completion reward', but the 'hidden stage reward'.
« What a way of explaining the situation… » *Jonghak*
« He should shut up sometimes. » *Nayun*
« …I agree. » *Suho*
Wiing—
Wiing—
I turned on my smartwatch before heading out to class and was immediately greeted by
anonymous messages.
« Maybe an order for his "Inquiry Agency"? » *Yeonha*
« I don't think so but I have an idea of what it could possibly be… » Said Suho frowning. The other boy was playing the deaf ear but he clearly knew what he did.
[Retard.]
[Hey, coward, get ready to have your spine broken in the upcoming combat exam. I'll disable you and…]
"These guys again."
« Wow. None of you left Hajin alone throughout his entire day… » *Rachel*
It seemed I was the target of bullying. I had an idea who the instigator was, but I couldn't be sure. But of course, something of this level wasn't enough to damage my 26-year-old mind. After all, I had suffered through Korea's military service. Just like the saying went, it was just kids being kids.
« He's playing old again- » Nayun rolled her eyes.
« If it wasn't for that, he wouldn't have helped any of us in the first place. » *Suho*
Nayun looked guiltily at her lap while the other responsible for the bullying situation of Hajin was still feigning ignorance.
After blocking the two fools who messaged me, I walked outside.
But there were words written on the nameplate outside my door.
Retard, loser, pushover… There was one more but the handwriting was too bad for me to recognize.
« How can he find a way to make his persecutors look ridiculous when he's the victim? » *Yeonha*
« Like you said it earlier to Nayun, Hajin is just being Hajin. » *Suho*
The only people upset about the current situation were Suho, Yeonha and Rachel. Nayun was only feeling guilty for the inconvenience she caused to Hajin and Jonghak pretended to not be aware of the whole thing. However, he was starting to feel the same way as Nayun but he'd never admit it.
They seemed to have been carved with magic power to avoid being detected by CCTV. For now, I really couldn't do anything about it. Since classes would begin in ten minutes, I had to hurry before I was late.
*
…
Everyone was silent, staring at the scene.
« I didn't know it was this bad…» Murmured Nayun. Although it was audible enough for Yeonha to distinguish the guilty feeling in her voice.
« Yeah. Maybe someone should've put a stop to it once. » Suho said as he glared at Jonghak.
The latter rolled his eyes as he proceeded to put his hands up, « Hey, I didn't tell them to do any of this. I just hinted that a certain someone was a coward and should be corrected. I didn't mean for it to be this bad. »
« Suuuure. » Rachel murmured.
Yeohna nodded her head sullenly. She liked him, but not enough to defend this.
I opened the classroom door.
"Oh, you're here, loser?"
« Not again… » *Yeonha*
« You'll continue feigning ignorance at this point? » *Rachel*
« I'm keeping my words for what they are. » He said after crossing his arms.
Immediately, some kid I didn't even know the name of struck my head.
I was starting to get a bit annoyed. Sure, it was just kids being kids, but I made sure to remember their faces. Jokes on you, the more you bully me, the more my SP increases!
Now everyone was glaring at Jonghak, Nayun a little pinker.
« The hell? He's still thinking about SP in situations like that? » *Nayun*
Yeonha sighed, « I guess it can't be helped but it doesn't mean it can't affect him. »
Nayun nodded in agreement while Suho sighed. Rachel decided to direct her glaring at Yeonha.
Jonghak sighed in relief.
°You're right. He even broke down at one point!°
Silence fell in the room.
« Um… What do you mean he broke down? » *Nayun*
°Don't worry. The scene is near I think and I have plenty of tissue.°
« Why would we need tissue? » *Rachel*
°Not everything revolves around you- It's for me, not for you obviously!°
"What? You mad?"
« Duh- » *Nayun*
I didn't respond. Kim Hyuksoo. I memorized his name and ignored him.
I walked past a few more sneering cadets and sat down on my usual seat. At that moment, my eyes met Chae Nayun. But she didn't show the same hostility as before. She looked at me somewhat bitterly before turning away.
« What happened to you? » *Yeonha*
« None of your business. » Said Nayun somewhat resolutely.
« So you forgot huh? » Retorted Yeonha with a smug grin. Nayun became red at the affirmation and couldn't muster to utter a word, only encouraging the girl's grin to grow wider.
"Hey guys, the exam results are out for Phenomenon Realm Analysis."
At that moment, Yi Yeonghan walked in with an armful of large scrolls.
Cube still had a traditional custom. The results of every written exam, whether small or big, were posted publicly on large posters.
« What is traditional about that? » *Nayun*
« For the last time Nayun, he's from another world. How could we know?! » *Yeonha*
« Oh shut up! Not my fault! » *Nayun*
« You're the one who's forgetting though. » Nayun glared at Jonghak.
Yi Yeonghan put up the posters while other cadets groaned.
The result was as such.
Rank 1. Kim Hajin
Rank 2. Rachel
…
Rachel looked away. It's still hard to get over it. Was she supposed to be rank 2 in the original version of Hajin's world?
Snap.
A sound similar to a chopstick snapping in half rang out. I snuck a peek behind me.
Two halves of a pen rolled on the table. Next to them was the presumed owner of the pen, Rachel, who was staring at the exam results in a daze. Her mouth was half-open, as though she was shocked greatly.
« Ouch. He screwed up again~ » *Jonghak*
"…Oh, right."
It was then that I remembered a setting I had forgotten about.
For every written exam, whether small or big, Rachel had never been pushed out of first place.
« Damn. That's some record for a princess. Too bad Hajin forgot~ » Jonghak muttered to no one in particular. Rachel turned her face away from the screen.
« HaHa!!! » Nayun started laughing as she pointed at Rachel. She knew how important those exams were to her and how badly she kept losing to Hajin.
Yeonha sighed.
Just another day at Cube.