Chapter 81 Love (5)
After all the academy's daily routines were finished.
Jin Soyeon visited her childhood friend's house for the first time in a long while.
A single-story house of about 30 pyeong. She could still recall the memories of playing here as if it were her own home when she was younger.
Though it was an ordinary house, the memories she shared with Lee Jinhyuk were embedded in every corner, having spent more than ten years together.
'Those were fun times.'
When they were naive kids, they could play together without complicated thoughts.
But over time, their visits began to dwindle, and eventually, they stopped altogether.
'Is this my first time at Jinhyuk's house since entering the academy?'
It really had been a while.
It must have been lonely for him, living here all by himself.
Imagining Lee Jinhyuk alone in this large house without his parents made her heart ache.
Although Jin Soyeon had provided him with some support when he was struggling with the loss back then, the loneliness he must have felt when he returned home alone was likely even more overwhelming.
Having experienced neglect herself in her younger years, Jin Soyeon could fully empathize with how he must have felt.
But now, he wouldn't be alone anymore.
She intended to stay by his side so that he wouldn't feel lonely from now on.
'Stay by his side, huh.'
Suddenly, the thought of visiting a healthy teenage boy's house alone brushed lightly through her mind.
In a house without parents, with just the two of them? H-Hmm.
In the past, she wouldn't have cared whether it was just the two of them or not, but now that she was starting to see things through the lens of gender, she couldn't stop her cheeks from turning slightly red.
Her foolish heart was already beating erratically on its own. Ah, seriously.
What's wrong with me? Really!
It's not like it's the first time I'm alone with Jinhyuk.
'…But he doesn't seem to care much.'
Was she the only one who was aware of their gender difference?
She glanced at Lee Jinhyuk, but he seemed indifferent, calmly opening the front door as if it were no big deal.
He didn't seem to have any particular thoughts about being alone with her. He used to like her, but now he might not even see her as a girl anymore.
Thinking that made her feel a little sad. But the sadness didn't last long.
Jin Soyeon quickly shook her head, brushing away her negative thoughts. Yeah, enough with the silly thoughts— let's focus on how to confess.
No matter what happens, I'll just have to face it head-on. "Hmph, excuse me~."
"Why are you saying that when you know no one's here?"
With a determined greeting, Jin Soyeon slowly stepped into the house.
The white wallpaper adorned with elegant patterns and the ivory-colored floor caught her eye.
The living room was furnished with a luxurious sofa and a 65-inch wall-mounted TV, and when Lee Jinhyuk turned on
the lights, a soft, warm glow fell over the room, creating a cozy atmosphere.
Wow. There are a lot of new pieces of furniture I've never seen before.
It felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
Jin Soyeon looked around the house carefully. He did say he made a lot of money—looks like he bought quite a few new things.
"Did you buy all this with your stock earnings?" "Yeah."
Lee Jinhyuk nodded nonchalantly, tossing his coat and bag onto the sofa.
"But where did you get the money to invest in stocks?" "From the inheritance. It was in the hundreds of millions." "…Oh, really?"
Jin Soyeon blinked in surprise.
He invested the billions of won left by his parents into stocks?
Well, I understand that it's his right to use the inheritance however he wants.
But investing such a precious inheritance in stocks feels a bit… risky, doesn't it? Jin Soyeon couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.
If it were her, she wouldn't gamble something so important on stocks, which are almost like gambling.
One wrong move, and the entire inheritance could be lost.
"Hey, what's with that look like I'm some kind of gambler? Did you forget what power I have?"
"Ah… The ability to foresee the future?"
Lee Jinhyuk chuckled and nodded.
"Thanks to that, I've been able to rake in the cash."
Of course, he didn't actually have a future-seeing power, but his memories of the game allowed him to accurately predict which stocks would go up or down. In a way, it was similar to having such an ability.
"These days, I've even been investing in real estate. Isn't it great to have money coming in without having to work?"
"…Where's the financial supervision commission when you need them?"
"Hmph. What can the Financial Supervisory Service even do? It's not like I committed fraud or anything, right?"
"…If that's not fraud, then what is?"
Jin Soyeon pouted at Lee Jinhyuk's playful comment.
"Anyway, I'm feeling a bit hungry. Should we order some food? It's on me. What do you want to eat?"
"Anything."
"Really? I'll order anything, then."
When Lee Jinhyuk said he'd order sashimi, maeuntang, and sushi, she nodded. Sashimi and sushi sounded good.
A short while later.
Ding-dong! The doorbell rang, and the delivery arrived with sashimi, sushi, maeuntang, and more.
Lee Jinhyuk and Jin Soyeon neatly set the food on the dining table and sat down.
"Drinks are in the fridge, so help yourself." "Do you have grape juice?"
"Your taste is so childish." "Leave me alone."
Jin Soyeon dashed over and swung open the fridge door.
And then…
"Wait, there's alcohol?"
The fridge was packed with various types of alcohol. What… what is all this?
Whiskey, soju, beer, and more. The variety was surprising, and Jin Soyeon couldn't help but chuckle in disbelief.
Alcohol? Alcohol? How does a minor have so much alcohol?
Even if he has a hero license…
'Damn it. I forgot all about the alcohol.' Lee Jinhyuk scratched the back of his neck.
Since he had been a working adult in his past life and liked alcohol, he had bought a bunch of new drinks and stocked them in the fridge.
He planned to drink them whenever he felt like it. "Jinhyuk?"
"Yeah?"
Jin Soyeon turned around with a big smile.
Her lips were curled upward, but her eyes weren't smiling at all, making it a rather ominous sight.
It was like watching a mother catch her son smoking for the first time.
"…What's up with all this alcohol? You're too young to be drinking!"
"You know in Germany, you can drink from the age of 14."
"This is Korea! And how did you even get your hands on all this alcohol? This much, too?"
I just asked Yoo Seolhyun nicely, and while she gave me a look like she couldn't believe it, she sighed and got it for me, no problem.
"Sigh. Jinhyuk, alcohol is still, you know, alcohol."
"Come on, don't be like that. Didn't you and your friends sneak a drink or two during your school trip?"
"That's completely different!"
Jin Soyeon frowned.
"Why did you buy so much alcohol…?"
"I only drink a little on the weekends. And most of it is beer, so it's not that strong."
"Do you even hear yourself right now?"
Rubbing her temples as if she had a headache, Jin Soyeon let out a deep sigh.
"…I mean, I can't exactly nag you about drinking alcohol, but still, Jinhyuk, it's a bit much."
"Alright, alright, I'll only drink a little. Happy now?" "What's there to be happy about? Sigh."
Since her concern was genuine, Lee Jinhyuk didn't argue back.
He wasn't tactless enough to retort, "What's it to you if I drink?" in a sharp tone.
After all, the two of them were practically family.
For Jin Soyeon, nagging him a bit was natural. And for Lee Jinhyuk, listening to those complaints wasn't unreasonable.
"Drinking isn't illegal."
"It is illegal. …There's just no punishment."
"See? It's fine then."
"How did you even buy alcohol in the first place?"
"If you report me, only the seller would get punished, you know that, right?"
"If I notify the academy, you'd probably get in trouble too."
"You wouldn't report the guy who saved you from Seong Yura, would you? You're not that ungrateful, are you, Soyeon?"
Of course, it was Lee Jinhyuk's fault that Jin Soyeon was kidnapped in the first place, but still.
"If you keep talking, you're only going to get more annoying. Sigh."
Jin Soyeon frowned as she looked at the alcohol in the fridge.
To be honest, Hero cadets had near-superhuman bodies, so drinking a little alcohol didn't really pose any major health risks.
But the fact that he, as a minor, bought alcohol was absurd. Underage drinking and purchasing alcohol were illegal after all, illegal.
…Well, that said, Jin Soyeon wasn't entirely inflexible. As long as it didn't harm others, she was pretty lenient. And since Lee Jinhyuk was just drinking alone at home,
nagging him about it wasn't going to help, and telling him to
throw it all away would just lead to an argument.
'…I was planning to confess today once the mood was right, but if I keep scolding him about the alcohol, I'll just ruin the
atmosphere. Maybe I should stop now.'
Though she didn't like the fact that Lee Jinhyuk was sneaking drinks, continuing to nag him would only strain their relationship.
After all, while Lee Jinhyuk was patiently listening to her now, if the nagging continued, he would eventually get irritated.
'Why does he even drink…'
She remembered the times her mother had let her try a sip or two. It tasted awful, gave her a headache, and made her lose her senses… Wait, hold on.
'Ah, right. There's that old saying that alcohol gives you the courage to confess, isn't there?'
There's a common phrase, "I got the courage because I was drunk."
It might have been due to the impaired judgment caused by alcohol, but it might actually help Jin Soyeon, who had been hesitating whether or not to confess all day.
Taking a shot of courage before confessing was something that usually happened in dramas.
And now, with alcohol right in front of her, why not give it a try?
"…Jinhyuk, are you planning to drink now?" "Hmm."
Lee Jinhyuk glanced down at the table.
Fresh sashimi and spicy maeuntang were laid out.
"Honestly, I'm kind of craving some soju, but if you don't like the smell of alcohol, I won't drink."
"No, go ahead."
"Huh?"
Jin Soyeon returned with soju and beer from the fridge. "Why the beer?"
"Since we're here, I want to try it too." "…You?"
"Yeah. I'm curious what you like about it." "What about tomorrow's academy schedule?" "It's a day off."
"Well, I guess a little beer won't hurt. Honestly, beer isn't even alcohol—it's just a drink with alcohol in it."
"…That's still alcohol, you idiot."
Jin Soyeon looked at him in disbelief, then opened the beer can. Ugh, the smell of beer.
"Let's toast, then." "Sure."
Lee Jinhyuk chuckled and opened his beer can, clinking it
with hers.
He was slightly worried about Jin Soyeon drinking, but he could guess what she was thinking, so he decided to let it slide.
Given everything that had happened, he had a pretty good idea of what was on her mind.
'…Come to think of it, wasn't there a setting where she was weak to alcohol?'
But seriously, could she really get drunk off just one can of beer?
Beer only had about 4.5% alcohol, after all.
Considering the makgeolli she once sneaked a sip of was over 6%, it didn't seem likely that a Hero cadet would get drunk from a single can of beer.
***
"Hic, hey! Lee Jinhyuk! Aren't you being too much lately~? You're always hanging out with other girls!"
"…"
"Are you even listening to me?! Hey!" "…"
Jin Soyeon had been muttering nonsense over and over again, her face flushed bright red.
What the heck—
Is she actually drunk?
From beer?
"Soyeon, you're just pretending to be drunk, aren't you?" "Hah! Yeah, I'm pretending, so what!"
"…You're terrible when you're pretending." "I told you, I'm not drunk!"
"…Sure, sure."
Lee Jinhyuk chuckled bitterly as he took a sip of his beer. He made a mental note to never let Jin Soyeon drink again. "So… Soyeon, is there something you want to tell me?" "Hmph, nope~."
"Really? That's a relief."
Lee Jinhyuk locked eyes with Jin Soyeon. Then, in a light tone, he teased,
"I thought you were going to pretend to be drunk and confess to me or something."
"Hahaha, like I'd ever—" Suddenly.
Jin Soyeon froze in place.
"What, wait, Jinhyuk, what did you just say…?"
"I said, I thought you were going to pretend to be drunk and accidentally confess. Why?"
At Lee Jinhyuk's casual words, Jin Soyeon felt the slight buzz from the alcohol instantly vanish.
"What's with you, Soyeon?"
Lee Jinhyuk twirled his beer can, smiling slyly. "Did you really think I wouldn't figure it out?"
Chapter 82 Love (6)
"Uh, uh, um, yeah?"
Jin Soyeon stammered, her eyes wide in shock.
Her heart pounded erratically, unable to calm itself, and she could feel her mouth going dry.
Was this what it felt like for your blood to completely drain away?
Her beautiful golden eyes were filled with confusion, and her mind was adrift, like a refugee boat lost at sea.
'What… what did Jinhyuk just say?'
Had Lee Jinhyuk already figured out what was in her heart?
Or was this just another one of their trivial, playful jokes like the ones they used to exchange in the past?
But the atmosphere felt different this time. Far too different.
Jin Soyeon gripped the hem of her skirt tightly and bit her lower lip, her face clouded like a looming storm.
She had no idea how to react, so she hesitated, unsure of what to do or say.
"Uh, um… that is…"
She swallowed dryly and tried to force her stiff face into a smile.
But all that came out was an awkward, unnatural grin, as her facial muscles were too tense to cooperate.
"Wh-what are you talking about all of a sudden?" "..."
"Are you messing around again? That joke's really not funny, Jinhyuk, ahaha."
"..."
"Haha… ha… haa."
"..."
Her laughter abruptly died out.
Trying to laugh it off, Jin Soyeon bowed her head slightly and let out a long sigh.
She had tried to brush it off like a silly joke, but it didn't seem like the right moment for that. She quickly changed her approach.
Jin Soyeon raised her head slightly.
She glanced cautiously in Lee Jinhyuk's direction, but he just idly shook his beer can and stared at her, expressionless.
His unreadable eyes were fixed on her face, making her so nervous that she clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly.
Maintaining her silence for a moment, Jin Soyeon finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly.
She couldn't dodge this anymore, not like it was some kind of joke.
"…I must seem shameless, huh?"
With a bitter smile, Jin Soyeon started speaking quietly, avoiding his gaze.
Her voice was filled with a sense of helplessness, almost as if she had given up.
"I know how selfish it is of me to have these feelings now." "Soyeon."
Jin Soyeon clenched her fist tightly, her hand trembling slightly.
"…I've done a lot of terrible things to you, like that fake dating thing."
She had asked her childhood friend to pretend to be her fake boyfriend just because she was too annoyed to deal with the other boys. That favor was the root of all this.
Her heart ached as she thought about how much distress Lee Jinhyuk must have gone through because of her foolish request.
"I didn't know… that having these other girls around you would feel like this…"
Jin Soyeon clutched her chest tightly.
She never imagined that just seeing the person she liked spending time with other girls could cause her heart to crumble into pieces.
It had only been a few weeks since she realized her feelings for Lee Jinhyuk, but every time she saw him laughing and chatting with other girls, her heart ached painfully.
It felt like needles were prickling her, and she couldn't help but feel jealous, wondering if Lee Jinhyuk might fall for one of them.
Even though she had no right to be jealous.
"I… I made you feel this pain for years… without even realizing it… Now, for me to say this… It's really shameless, isn't it?"
Her golden eyes, now moist with unshed tears, looked up at Lee Jinhyuk slowly. The emotions in her eyes were a mix of guilt and sorrow.
"For you… after all this time, after I spent so many years thoughtlessly hanging out with other guys… hearing this from me… must make you feel terrible."
Even though he had forgiven her, the fact that she had hurt him for years didn't change.
For someone like her to suddenly confess these feelings was nothing short of pathetic.
But when she thought Lee Jinhyuk had died, Jin Soyeon realized the truth.
Lee Jinhyuk wasn't just a childhood friend; he was something more.
The fact that they had been together for over ten years wasn't because of friendship—it was because she had harbored feelings of love all along.
And after experiencing the fear of losing him once, she knew that staying as just childhood friends wouldn't be enough to keep them together.
That's why Jin Soyeon had made up her mind.
Even if it was a bit selfish and shameless, she would go all
the way.
Living with regrets after losing him—she only needed to experience that once.
"…You know, I think I've liked you all along. It took me a long time to realize it, though."
Jin Soyeon mumbled, her lips trembling slightly as she spoke.
"A-Actually, let me say this clearly. I like you." "..."
"I-I like you… Yeah, that's it." "..."
"I was going to tell you later, but… with how things are now, I think I can't afford to wait."
"..."
She had received countless confessions herself, but this was her first time confessing to someone else.
She hadn't realized how nerve-wracking and difficult it would be.
Jin Soyeon glanced cautiously at Lee Jinhyuk.
He didn't say anything. He just stared back at her in silence.
'So, it's come to this, huh.'
Lee Jinhyuk let out a quiet sigh to himself.
He had expected something like this, but he hadn't thought Jin Soyeon would go this far.
'I didn't think she'd actually confess.'
He had prodded her a bit, mentioning it directly to see how she'd react, but Jin Soyeon hadn't avoided it. Instead, she faced it head-on and confessed with a serious expression.
If this had been the usual Jin Soyeon, she would've laughed it off as a joke.
But today, she was different.
She had chosen to face it directly. 'I figured she might like me, but…'
It wasn't just because of her character setting.
Since she had woken up in the hospital, her gaze, words, and attitude toward Lee Jinhyuk had clearly changed.
Whenever Lee Jinhyuk was with other girls, she would nervously glance over at him, and when their eyes met, she would awkwardly smile it off. She had also stopped hanging out with other boys as much.
It was as if she was constantly trying to gauge his reactions.
That behavior was strikingly similar to that of a teenage girl experiencing her first love.
Someone who had just discovered what it meant to like someone, unsure of how to handle her feelings.
That was exactly what Jin Soyeon looked like.
If it hadn't been Jin Soyeon, he might not have noticed the changes so clearly.
But Lee Jinhyuk and Jin Soyeon had been together for over ten years.
Even someone like Lee Jinhyuk couldn't have missed such a significant change.
Moreover, Lee Jinhyuk had been keeping a close eye on Jin Soyeon, the main character of this world, to watch for any changes, just in case.
So it would have been difficult not to notice.
After all, Jin Soyeon had been acting noticeably different lately.
'Even just today, her behavior has been so different.'
When she discovered the alcohol earlier, he thought he was screwed.
Knowing her usual personality, he expected her to nag him endlessly. But instead, she had sighed and let it go.
If that had been the only thing, he might have brushed it off, but then she even said she wanted to drink, which made it pretty clear.
At this point, it would've been strange if he didn't get it.
Lee Jinhyuk wasn't some oblivious idiot character from a subgenre.
Well, he could be a bit dense sometimes, but… 'This is complicated…'
Lee Jinhyuk was honestly a bit flustered by Jin Soyeon's confession.
It wasn't that he disliked her, but it was hard to say that he had romantic feelings for her either.
When they were younger, he probably had some affection for her.
But after regaining his past life's memories, Jin Soyeon felt more like a favorite character or a childhood friend than a romantic interest.
Still, regardless of all that, he had no intention of accepting her confession.
Because from now on, he would be facing off against the Rebellion members head-on. Getting into unnecessary conflict with someone as influential as Lee Siwoon wasn't a good idea.
When Jin Soyeon was kidnapped, it was Lee Siwoon's bodyguards who had helped him greatly.
Lee Siwoon's connections would undoubtedly be useful in dealing with Rebellion, something Lee Jinhyuk had come to realize keenly.
If he deepened his relationship with Jin Soyeon now, it would likely cause friction with Lee Siwoon.
Lee Jinhyuk wasn't in a position where he could afford to be resented by the male protagonist for no reason.
He hoped that Jin Soyeon would get closer to people like Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan.
'Though she doesn't seem to have gotten close to Kang Daehan yet. I thought they'd connect by now.'
Kang Daehan's character setting was that he had taken a liking to Jin Soyeon when they met as kids, so in the game, they had quickly become friends.
Maybe Kang Daehan still hadn't realized that Jin Soyeon was the girl he met back then.
Geez, Kang Daehan can be pretty dense too. "Soyeon."
"Yeah…"
Breaking the silence, Lee Jinhyuk called her name.
Jin Soyeon responded weakly, her gaze lowered. She instinctively realized what he was about to say.
"I appreciate your feelings, but I'm sorry." "…Ah."
For a moment, Jin Soyeon's eyes trembled.
But she quickly forced a bitter smile, acting like everything was fine.
"Y-Yeah, I figured… It's okay… I kind of expected this…" She had expected it.
She knew Lee Jinhyuk would reject her.
She already knew, so this shouldn't shock her. Yeah, she had confessed with the expectation of being turned down.
What's there to be shocked about now? Just confessing was already the goal.
Whether Lee Jinhyuk liked it or not, he would now be more aware of her.
But still.
It hurt a little, just a little.
Ah, so this is what it feels like to be rejected.
She hadn't expected much, but hearing it firsthand was a different experience.
Now that she thought about it, Jin Soyeon had always been the one rejecting others.
So this was her first time being rejected. It felt… strange, in a way. Yeah, strange.
Was this how they all felt when she rejected them? If so, she felt a bit sorry.
She hadn't expected it to hurt this much…
"You might be mistaking this for the suspension bridge effect. I helped you in a dangerous situation, so you might be confusing that for—"
"It's not a mistake."
Jin Soyeon suddenly locked eyes with him and spoke firmly. "It's not a mistake, so don't say that, Jinhyuk."
"…Okay, I'm sorry."
"D-Didn't mean for you to apologize…"
No, he had every reason to apologize. He had insulted her feelings by dismissing them as mere confusion, and that was wrong.
Jin Soyeon, trying to break the heavy atmosphere, forced a faint smile.
"…Ahaha, I probably said something silly because of the alcohol."
"..."
"All I wanted to say was, um…"
She hesitated briefly, then raised her voice.
"…I just wanted to tell you that I like you. Ah, but was that too much?"
"Soyeon. I told you I already like someone else."
"Yeah, I know. But hearing it directly does sting a bit. Not that I didn't deserve it."
Knowing that the person you liked had feelings for someone else was always painful.
But she hadn't confessed just to give up.
For Jin Soyeon, today's confession wasn't an ending; it was more of a beginning. Yeah, a declaration of war to Lee Jinhyuk.
She had confessed with the expectation of rejection, so she could boldly proclaim her feelings.
"…I don't know who that person is, but you're not dating them yet, right?"
So until then, wasn't there still a chance?
"So until that time comes… is it okay if I keep liking you?" "It's only going to hurt you more, so maybe you shouldn't—" "Ah, ah. Not listening~."
Jin Soyeon playfully covered her ears and shook her head. "You know I'm stubborn, right?"
And so are my feelings for you.
"So I'm just going to like you… Ah, was that a little too shameless? Haha."
"Jin Soyeon."
"Don't get all awkward just because I told you I like you. You said you used to like me too, so don't ignore me on Monday, okay?"
Jin Soyeon, who had seemingly regained her usual self, quickly blurted out everything she wanted to say and jumped up from her seat.
No, she hadn't actually returned to her usual self. She was just pretending.
"It's getting late, so I think I'll head home first. See you later, Jinhyuk."
"Where do you think you're going after drinking?"
Jin Soyeon, unable to handle staying there any longer, awkwardly laughed and waved her hand.
"I'm already sober~." "Hey, Jin Soyeon! Wait!"
Without even looking back, Jin Soyeon quickly walked away. Lee Jinhyuk could only let out a deep sigh.
'Even if I tell her, I doubt she'll give up easily. This might get tricky if Lee Siwoon sees her like this.'
Maybe I should actually date someone else to make her give up?
But Lee Jinhyuk wasn't scummy enough to start dating another girl just to make Jin Soyeon back off. It was just a passing, frustrated thought.
***
"…Ah, I really got rejected, didn't I?"
Back at home, Jin Soyeon lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling while hugging a penguin plushie tightly.
"I knew it wouldn't work… but still… I had a little hope." Jin Soyeon stared at the full-length mirror.
A beautiful face stared back, but the girl in the reflection wore an expression of mixed frustration and loneliness.
Drip. "Ah."
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
Jin Soyeon was startled by the sudden tear. "W-Why am I crying? This is silly…"
Crying over something like this… How embarrassing.
It really made her feel like she was dealing with a breakup. "How pathetic… I'm such an idiot…"
She knew that Lee Jinhyuk's heart had already moved on.
She knew that he liked someone else.
But clinging to him like this felt so pathetic and embarrassing, yet she still didn't want to give up.
No, she couldn't give up.
"…But what if Jinhyuk actually starts dating someone else?" Lee Jinhyuk dating another girl?
For a moment, a dark thought flitted through her mind.
The thought was so disturbing that Jin Soyeon was startled and quickly shook her head side to side.
W-What am I thinking?
No matter what, I shouldn't be having thoughts like that. "…"
Jin Soyeon stared blankly out the window.
The moonlight, as always, scattered its fleeting, mysterious glow across the night.
Chapter 83 Kang Daehan and the Jealous Villainess (1)
Monday morning.
"Huh?"
On her way to school, Jin Soyeon tilted her head, staring at a distant, shadowy alley.
She caught sight of a boy with red hair, someone who seemed oddly familiar.
The boy, lazily wearing his academy uniform like a slacker, standing in the alley, looked like none other than Kang Daehan.
"Daehan?"
"Oh, it's you, Jin Soyeon."
Kang Daehan, whose bright red hair suited him well, casually stretched his wrists and greeted her with mild recognition.
Jin Soyeon blinked in confusion, a question mark practically floating above her head.
What on earth was Kang Daehan doing in this alley?
"What are you—"
"Ugh, urgh…"
"Ah, u-ugh…"
Jin Soyeon's sentence was abruptly cut off.
It was no wonder—behind Kang Daehan's red hair, a few thuggish boys were sprawled on the ground, panting heavily.
They looked like local delinquents.
"Did you do this?"
"And what if I did?"
Kang Daehan shrugged as if it was no big deal, his expression indifferent.
Using violence recklessly, especially after receiving a temporary hero license, could lead to serious problems.
One wrong move, and his license could be revoked, not to mention possible suspension or expulsion from the academy.
Jin Soyeon's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "You can't just use violence like that!" "Shut up."
Kang Daehan scoffed, waving his hand dismissively, as if explaining himself was too much trouble.
Jin Soyeon glanced between Kang Daehan and the delinquents lying on the ground, her mind racing.
What exactly had happened here?
It was hard to believe those delinquents would have picked a fight with Kang Daehan.
After all, Kang Daehan was wearing at least part of his Union Academy uniform, and no ordinary person would willingly pick a fight with a hero trainee who was practically superhuman.
Then again, they might have targeted him precisely because he was a hero trainee, knowing that using excessive force on civilians could result in a charge of aggravated assault.
Of course, being the heir of the HanYoung Clan, Kang Daehan could likely resolve things smoothly even if the police were called.
"Daehan, did you—" At that moment. "Meow…"
"A cat?"
A small, white cat limped out from an old, tattered box and rubbed its cheek against Kang Daehan's leg.
It seemed to be a stray.
The cat looked weak, as if it hadn't eaten in quite some time.
Moreover, the cat had bruises on its head and body, and one of its legs seemed injured.
Looking around, Jin Soyeon noticed some blood-stained stones scattered nearby. Judging by the scene, it appeared those delinquents had been throwing rocks at the cat, tormenting it.
"Hey, get lost, you guys." "Hiiik!"
Kang Daehan glared menacingly at the fallen delinquents, stomping his foot down near them. The delinquents bit their lips in fear, scrambling to flee.
It seemed Kang Daehan had held back. The delinquents didn't appear seriously injured, just subdued.
"Meow, meow."
"Tsk."
Kang Daehan clicked his tongue, glancing down at the cat as it continued rubbing its cheek against his leg.
He seemed to be debating what to do with the poor, abandoned cat, now injured and forsaken by its owner.
Jin Soyeon quietly observed the scene.
Despite his rough appearance, Kang Daehan seemed to have a soft spot for animals.
"Did you fight because of the cat?"
"It's not like that. And just so you know, Jin Soyeon, don't go spreading rumors at the academy."
Was he embarrassed?
Kang Daehan shot her a sharp look, almost as if warning her, but Jin Soyeon only smiled softly, gently patting the cat's head.
"Do you like cats?" "I don't like them."
"You've got a cat treat sticking out of your pocket." "Ah, damn."
Kang Daehan pressed his fingers against his temples, looking slightly flustered.
Despite his denial, it seemed he had been secretly feeding the stray cat.
The cat, with its injured leg, likely wouldn't have been able to fend for itself.
After all, it hadn't even been able to escape the delinquents' torment.
"Look at its injuries… We need to take it to a vet."
Jin Soyeon murmured to herself as she examined the cat's wounds.
The vet bill might be steep, but knowing her personality, she wouldn't mind. She could dip into her savings, and this kind of spending wasn't considered wasteful in her eyes.
"You've got some injuries too, Daehan."
"Hah. Do you really think I'd get hurt by those punks?"
Kang Daehan frowned, clearly irritated, but Jin Soyeon shook her head calmly.
"No, haven't you been skipping academy classes to focus on your training lately? Maybe these are from your training."
Kang Daehan had a few scratches and bruises on his face, suggesting that his training had been quite intense.
Well, the Kang family wasn't just any ordinary family.
They were the descendants of Kang Cheoleun, a legendary figure in Korea. As the future successor of the HanYoung Clan, Kang Daehan likely underwent much harsher training than others.
She vaguely remembered hearing that Kang Daehan's reputation had taken a hit recently after footage of him being beaten by that white-haired girl during the Union Academy raid surfaced.
That probably drove Kang Daehan to push himself even harder.
"You need to treat those injuries properly. They might scar if you don't."
"So what if they scar? What's it to you?"
"Your attitude… Well, I suppose you have a point."
If any other girl had been on the receiving end of Kang Daehan's brusque tone, they might have gotten hurt or angry. But Jin Soyeon simply chuckled, unfazed.
Looking at him now, she couldn't help but recall the past.
When Lee Jinhyuk first approached her, she too had been prickly, putting up sharp defenses.
"Here, take this."
Jin Soyeon pulled out a small band-aid and ointment from her bag.
Ever since she was young, Jin Soyeon had been the type to help others, often getting hurt herself in the process. That's why she always carried a first-aid kit with her.
"I'm going to take this kitty to the vet, so use these for your wounds. Oh, and you'll have to give me back the ointment later at the academy."
"Mind your own business. I don't need it."
Kang Daehan waved her off, but Jin Soyeon walked up to him without hesitation and gently placed the band-aid and ointment in his hand.
Huh. This girl…
Kang Daehan frowned slightly as he stared at her, but there wasn't a hint of discomfort or fear on her face.
She seemed as stubborn as he was.
"Isn't the penguin on the band-aid cute? Anyway, I'll be going now. See you at the academy."
"Hey, wait! I said I don't need—"
Just then, his eyes caught the sight of the cute little penguin character on the band-aid.
He had seen that band-aid before.
It was when he had just entered elementary school. Due to some family circumstances, he had stayed at a relative's house for a few weeks.
One day, he had gotten into a fight with some kids in a nearby park, and a girl had stepped in to help him out.
He remembered that the girl had been quite pretty and kind-hearted, and the band-aid she had given him looked exactly like this one.
No, it was the same.
There couldn't be many girls using such a silly-looking penguin band-aid.
'…Now that I think about it, she does resemble that girl from back then.'
It had been so long ago that his memory was hazy, and he couldn't recall her face clearly.
And they had both been so young that their faces had changed a lot since then.
That's why Kang Daehan was unsure. "Hey, Jin Soyeon."
"Hmm? What is it?"
By now, Jin Soyeon was cradling the cat in her arms, ready to run to the vet.
"Do you remember giving a boy a penguin band-aid at a nearby park when you were in elementary school, after he got into a fight with some kids?"
"Uh… maybe?"
Now that he mentioned it, Jin Soyeon vaguely remembered seeing a black-haired boy fighting with some kids when she had just entered elementary school.
He had been fighting so fiercely… Could that boy have been Kang Daehan?
This was surprising.
"Was the black-haired boy getting beaten up?"
"Who said I was getting beaten up? I was the one doing the beating!"
"Oh? That's not how I remember it."
Kang Daehan's pride was slightly wounded, and he protested with a grumpy expression. Jin Soyeon just chuckled softly.
"So that boy was you, huh? Wow, what are the odds."
She had assumed he was just a recent transfer student since he was unfamiliar to her at the time.
That's why she had tried to help him after school, seeing him struggle to get along with the other kids, much like she had experienced in her own childhood.
It was a similar situation to when Lee Jinhyuk had helped her. Back then, Jin Soyeon had wanted to be the one offering help to others.
She had asked for the boy's name back then, but he had responded with something like, "Why would you want to know my name?" in a grumpy tone, so they had parted ways without learning each other's names.
Jin Soyeon had been so annoyed by his response that she refused to tell him her name until he offered his first.
Given his prickly personality, it seemed likely that the boy had indeed been Kang Daehan.
"So, that red hair is dyed?"
"I had my hair dyed black back then." "Oh, I see."
Jin Soyeon nodded, looking mildly surprised.
It was fascinating to think that the boy she had spent a few weeks with as a child was now attending Union Academy with her.
"Meow~."
"Oops, sorry, kitty. I'll take you to the vet now."
Remembering the injured cat in her arms, Jin Soyeon quickly apologized and prepared to dash off to the vet.
"Hey, Jin Soyeon!"
"If it's not urgent, let's talk later!"
With an apologetic look, Jin Soyeon hurried out of the alley with the cat in her arms, heading toward the vet.
Kang Daehan stood there, watching her retreating figure. So that girl from back then really was Jin Soyeon.
He found himself oddly surprised by the realization. He hadn't expected to run into her again like this.
'As embarrassing as it is to admit, I really was cheered up thanks to her back then.'
When he was younger, he had been troubled by his father, his mother, and his half-siblings, but Jin Soyeon had stayed by his side, bouncing around and keeping him company, providing him with a surprising amount of comfort.
That little girl had never quite faded from his memory.
It wasn't as if she had been his first love or anything. She just lingered in his mind slightly.
Something like that, probably.
'Come to think of it, doesn't she have a good relationship with Lee Siwoon?'
As Kang Daehan stood there, clutching the penguin-printed band-aid, he spent a brief moment lost in thoughts of Jin Soyeon.
***
"Ugh, seriously."
On her way to the animal hospital, Jin Soyeon suddenly thought of Lee Jinhyuk and bit her lip.
"How am I supposed to face Jinhyuk?"
A few days ago, she had gotten drunk, confessed her feelings, and was promptly rejected. Now, the thought of facing her childhood friend at the academy filled her with anxiety.
I-I'll just greet him like I always do, right?
Don't act awkward. Just behave normally, and everything will be fine.
"I might be late because of this vet visit." She felt a bit self-conscious.
He better not think I'm late because of what happened over the weekend. Ugh, it can't be awkward.
"A phone call… no."
It would be weird to call and explain something like this.
Ugh! Seriously! Why am I stressing over this? Get it
together, Jin Soyeon, you idiot!
…While Kang Daehan found himself reminiscing about an old, long-lost childhood friend, Jin Soyeon didn't give it much thought.
To her, he was just a boy she happened to know from way back.
Besides, she had recently started distancing herself from other boys, and since falling in love, Jin Soyeon wasn't the type to pay attention to anyone else.
Chapter 84 Kang Daehan and the Jealous Villainess (2)
It was now lunchtime.
"Go-good morning~ No, wait, it's already afternoon!"
Jin Soyeon, who had finally shown up late to the academy, greeted us with an awkward smile, twirling the ends of her hair around her finger.
When I gave her a look that seemed to ask why she was so late, she glanced around nervously and began to explain.
"Ahem. Well, as I mentioned in the text, the animal hospital didn't open until 10 a.m., so I ended up being a bit late."
Jin Soyeon cleared her throat a couple of times, sneaking glances at my face.
She was trying hard to make it clear that her tardiness had nothing to do with being embarrassed to face me after her confession the other day.
"Since I was already late, I figured there was no point rushing, so I slacked off a little and now it's lunchtime. Haha… ha…"
With a strained laugh, she scratched the back of her neck.
Her laughter, which had started off hesitant, soon faltered and died down, like a lost lamb unsure of where to go.
When I glanced at her again, she was avoiding eye contact, clearly feeling awkward.
"I-I'm serious! I really was late because I had to take the cat to the animal hospital!"
"I believe you."
"You don't look like you believe me though…" "I really do believe you."
I spoke calmly.
"You wouldn't lie about something like this." "Oh, uh, yeah."
"And you have no reason to lie, either."
"R-right, I wouldn't lie to you over something like being late."
"Exactly. It's not like you'd delay your arrival just because you were too embarrassed to face me after what happened the other day…"
"Ugh."
Jin Soyeon's gulp interrupted my words.
I quietly watched her as she nervously averted her gaze.
It seemed like the embarrassment of seeing me after her confession had indeed contributed to her tardiness.
'Hmm… Well, if I think about it, she did confess to her childhood friend of 10 years and got rejected. It makes sense that she'd feel awkward.'
Let's put myself in her shoes for a moment.
If I had confessed to a girl I'd known for years and gotten flatly rejected, I'd probably feel pretty humiliated seeing her for a while.
I might even find myself reliving the confession every time I tried to sleep, cringing with embarrassment and burying my face in my pillow.
First confessions tend to stick with you, whether in a good way or a bad way.
And considering she even said something like this when she was drunk:
– I-I… I made you feel this pain for years… and I didn't even realize it… For me to say this now… It's really shameless of me, isn't it…?
– From your perspective, I've been hanging out thoughtlessly with other guys all this time… So saying something like this now… You must feel terrible…
– …I just wanted to tell you that I like you. Ah, but… Was that too much?
It was no wonder she was feeling embarrassed.
"..."
"..."
Somehow, our conversation had died down.
An odd tension descended between the two of us.
Ugh, this is awkward. It had been over 10 years since I'd known Jin Soyeon, but this level of awkwardness was rare.
Then again, it's only natural. It's not like things can just go back to normal between a girl who confessed and a guy who rejected her, even if they're childhood friends.
'Still, I'm worried about what comes next.'
In the game, there was never a situation where Jin Soyeon confessed her feelings like this.
Since *Romance Hero Academy* was a reverse harem game, it was usually the male NPCs who became obsessed with her.
That's why I was caught off-guard and felt guilty about her expressing her feelings for me so openly.
I couldn't give her the answer she wanted.
It wasn't just because I couldn't see her as a romantic interest or because I didn't want to fight with the male protagonists. There was another reason I couldn't give her the response she wanted.
The worst-case scenario was that because of me, Jin Soyeon could break down and never recover.
With how weak I was, the more I got involved with the Rebellion members, the more danger I would be exposed to. I had to constantly be prepared for the worst.
'Oh, speaking of which, Lee Siwoon has been really quiet lately, hasn't he?'
It felt like the way he looked at Jin Soyeon and me had changed recently.
It wasn't just simple jealousy or envy anymore. His gaze seemed more… complicated, maybe even a little bitter.
Ever since I rescued Jin Soyeon after her kidnapping, Lee Siwoon had been watching us with a strange expression.
"Uh, Jinhyuk, it's lunchtime now. Should we go get something to eat—"
"You finally decided to show up, Soyeon?"
Suddenly, a blonde-haired girl waved lightly at Jin Soyeon, acknowledging her presence.
With graceful steps, the rich girl approached and sat down beside us with a bright smile.
"At least you didn't get kidnapped again like last time, right?"
Yoo Seolhyun leaned in and whispered quietly, so no one else would hear. Her grin widened while Jin Soyeon's brows furrowed.
Yoo Seolhyun's comment seemed to irk Jin Soyeon just a little.
"You're being awfully sarcastic."
"Oh, come on, Soyeon. Isn't that a bit harsh to say to the person who saved your life?"
"I do appreciate the help, but didn't you only save me because you wanted a reward?"
"Haha, of course not. When a friend's in danger, you have to help them, don't you?"
"…Right."
It was a perfectly antagonistic exchange, just like a heroine and a villainess.
Even though it had been a brief conversation, Jin Soyeon rarely reacted like that to anyone.
Yoo Seolhyun, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy provoking her just for fun.
"But anyway, what's with the atmosphere between you two? Did something happen over the weekend?"
"N-nothing happened!"
"Hmm~?"
Hey, hey, Jin Soyeon.
Shouting like that with such a startled expression just makes you look more suspicious.
And don't blush and start stammering. That's not helping either.
"I'm just curious what could've happened to make things so awkward between you two."
"I told you, nothing happened!"
"You didn't, by any chance, confess or get confessed to, did you? No, that couldn't be it."
"...!"
Yoo Seolhyun's sudden remark made Jin Soyeon clamp her lips shut.
She was clearly taken aback by the suggestion.
Sharp observation, Yoo Seolhyun.
As expected from the villainess, her perceptiveness was on point.
Or maybe she was just saying it to mess with Jin Soyeon.
…But judging by Jin Soyeon's reaction, she probably figured it out.
Jin Soyeon wasn't very good at hiding her emotions. "Haha, I'm just kidding."
"Of-of course you are."
"After all, you've been hanging out with random guys all this time, so it'd be weird to suddenly rekindle any old flames now."
"You—"
"If you have any decency, I'm sure you wouldn't even think about getting back together. I mean, if you *do* have any decency."
Yoo Seolhyun smiled, her lips curling upward as she gave Jin Soyeon a teasing, amused look.
"You wouldn't be that shameless, would you, Soyeon?"
"At least I'm better than someone who seduced a guy in a relationship and ruined things for him."
Yoo Seolhyun flinched for a moment.
But then she smiled again, this time with an even more lingering grin.
Uh-oh. These girls are about to fight.
It was about time for me to intervene, so I prepared to step in.
But then—
"Hey, Jin Soyeon."
Someone else called out to her first.
Jin Soyeon, who had been locked in her verbal sparring match with Yoo Seolhyun, turned her head toward the source of the voice.
Standing there was none other than Kang Daehan, with his striking red hair.
"Thanks for this."
He casually tossed a small bottle of ointment.
Jin Soyeon instinctively reached out and caught it. "I'm off."
With a casual wave, Kang Daehan left the classroom. I blinked, confused.
Ointment? What ointment? "What's with the ointment?"
"Huh? Oh, I ran into Daehan this morning. He had some injuries, so I gave him some ointment and band-aids."
"…Band-aids?"
"Yeah, why?"
"…Are they the same penguin-patterned band-aids you've been using since you were a kid?"
"Uh, yeah."
When I asked with a serious expression, Jin Soyeon nodded, looking a little flustered.
Penguin-patterned band-aids, huh…
I stared thoughtfully at the door where Kang Daehan had just left. Could it be that the two of them were already connected somehow?
'If that's the case, I'd better start preparing. That jealous girl might become a real pain.'
"Daehan~."
"...."
"Daehan?"
"...What?"
The girl who had followed him all the way to his lunch spot, chatting non-stop, was Joo Jiyeon.
The young lady of the OhSung Group, she had fallen head over heels for Kang Daehan.
Even though they were in different classes, she constantly trailed behind him, which Kang Daehan found rather tiresome.
Sure, she was pretty, but she wasn't his type at all.
Kang Daehan just continued eating his lunch, barely listening to what she was saying.
But then—
"Huh? What's this?"
"Hey?"
Joo Jiyeon had noticed something sticking out of the front pocket of Kang Daehan's shirt.
She casually pulled out a small band-aid.
It was the penguin-patterned band-aid, all cutesy and adorable.
"What's this? Why do you have such a cute band-aid…?" "Oh, for fuck's sake."
"Huh?"
"How many times do I have to tell you not to touch my stuff?"
"S-sorry, I didn't mean to…"
Kang Daehan clicked his tongue and snatched the band-aid back from her. Joo Jiyeon flinched, her shoulders trembling. She realized she had messed up, and Kang Daehan seemed genuinely pissed.
"Don't talk to me today. I'm not in the mood."
"O-okay… I'm sorry, Daehan, don't be mad…"
"Tsk."
Kang Daehan stood up, carrying his tray, clearly having lost his appetite.
Joo Jiyeon could only glance at him nervously.
She hadn't expected him to get this angry over a band-aid. Normally, Kang Daehan wasn't the type to get so worked up.
But where had that band-aid come from?
"There's no way Kang Daehan would buy a penguin band- aid."
No way.
"Did he get it from a girl?"
Chapter 85 Kang Daehan and the Jealous Villainess (3)
Joo Jiyeon.
She ranked 12th among the new students, a formidable talent.
As the third daughter of the OhSung Group, one of the top five conglomerates in South Korea, she had been doted on and pampered from a young age, which led her to become a bit spoiled.
Her hair was reminiscent of a sunset, flowing like a waterfall with its ends curled up into a style resembling a bun.
It was the kind of hairstyle often seen on characters in subculture media.
If Yoo Seolhyun gave off the vibe of a decadent villainess, Joo Jiyeon evoked the image of an immature noble girl.
Her personality wasn't particularly bad, and she generally got along well with her classmates.
But her type? She was into rough, bad boys. And after being once helped by Kang Daehan, she had been head over heels for him ever since, sending him heart-filled love confessions.
Of course, Kang Daehan was too busy rejecting her with a nonchalant expression to care.
Rumor had it that Kang Daehan's type was "a woman stronger than him."
With that in mind, Joo Jiyeon had worked hard and managed to enter Union Academy ranked 12th, defeating numerous geniuses along the way.
Though she still wasn't quite Kang Daehan's type, she fantasized that with a little more effort, he might eventually notice her.
However, there was one girl who made her feel anxious. An unexpected rival had appeared.
'Ugh… Jin Soyeon, what's with her? Seriously…'
Joo Jiyeon had been brooding over this for weeks, biting her nails and messing up her carefully styled sunset-colored hair that her personal hairstylist had worked so hard on.
'Lately, Daehan seems to be paying attention to that Jin Soyeon or whatever her name is…'
Under normal circumstances, she would have dismissed such rumors with a laugh.
Kang Daehan, of all people, taking an interest in some nobody girl? If it were someone like Yoo Seolhyun, Yuliya, or Sunari, maybe. But Jin Soyeon, a mere commoner? No way.
At best, she had a pretty face, but what else did she have going for her?
Her midterm grades were mediocre, at best.
She ranked around 257th in the entrance exam, didn't she?
Kang Daehan wasn't like those other boys who drooled over a pretty face. He wouldn't be interested in a weakling like Jin Soyeon.
And yet…
Something felt off.
You know how women sometimes just *know* things?
Her instincts as a woman told her something was suspicious.
Lately, Kang Daehan's gaze had been subtly following Jin Soyeon.
They didn't seem particularly close, but somehow, Daehan's eyes would trail after Jin Soyeon's retreating figure from time to time.
As if he was secretly interested in her.
'Don't be ridiculous. Why would Daehan be interested in
*her*?'
Even though anger bubbled up inside her, Joo Jiyeon shook her head and tried to calm herself down.
*Sigh… Fine, let's be generous. *
Let's say, hypothetically, that Daehan was interested in Jin Soyeon.
If she were a decent girl, maybe Joo Jiyeon could grudgingly acknowledge her as a rival(?), but from what she'd heard,
Jin Soyeon was a complete mess!
Rumors were swirling around about how she had caught the attention of Lee Siwoon from SL Group, about how she used to date the currently popular Lee Jinhyuk, about how she used to go around laughing and playing with other boys…
Sure, Jin Soyeon didn't seem to hang around boys as much these days, but Joo Jiyeon didn't care about that.
Because Jin Soyeon's past was enough to make her reputation shine—in all the wrong ways.
And so, Joo Jiyeon couldn't help but think:
'Jin Soyeon… Isn't she just a queen bee?'
A queen bee who lured boys into her hive with her innocent face, all while basking in their affection like royal jelly.
That's exactly what Jin Soyeon seemed like.
'Hmph. Does she even know her place? Flirting with Daehan? I'll make sure she never tries that again.'
A girl who played around with this boy and that boy… How dare she?
It was obvious to Joo Jiyeon that Jin Soyeon must have been secretly seducing Kang Daehan.
Even a guy like Daehan, who normally didn't show interest in girls, was still a man, after all. Joo Jiyeon was determined to make sure Jin Soyeon never tried to seduce Daehan again.
And as for Lee Siwoon…
Even if Lee Siwoon from SL Group was protecting Jin Soyeon, it didn't matter.
After all, Joo Jiyeon, the third daughter of the OhSung Group, wasn't someone to be trifled with either.
She wasn't weak enough to be stopped by something like family backing!
***
"Hey, Jin Soyeon." "Hm?"
One day after school.
A girl from another class called out to Jin Soyeon.
Jin Soyeon tilted her head slightly, her expression puzzled. She didn't know the girl well, so she had no idea why she was being called.
But that scornful expression… She had seen it many times before.
Usually, when someone called her with that kind of look, it always led to the same outcome, so Jin Soyeon sighed internally.
Yeah, I was wondering why things had been so quiet lately. It was about time for something like this to happen.
"Let's have a little chat, shall we?"
"Hmm…"
Jin Soyeon glanced around the classroom. Lee Jinhyuk had stepped out for a moment.
Great, no Jinhyuk. Let's get this over with quickly.
She knew that avoiding this type of situation wasn't going to make it go away, so she nodded her head without resistance.
After all, it wasn't in Jin Soyeon's nature to run away from things like this.
"Alright, as long as it doesn't take too long." "It won't, as long as you behave."
Oh, really now?
Jin Soyeon smirked inwardly as she followed the girls.
After a short walk, they arrived at a large club room. The interior was quite luxurious, more like a reception room than a regular club room.
"You're Jin Soyeon, right? Welcome." "And you are?"
Sitting elegantly on a pricey sofa, a girl with orange bun- style hair was sipping tea.
Judging by her aura, it was clear she was from a wealthy family, similar to Yoo Seolhyun.
"I'm Joo Jiyeon from Class 5."
"Got it."
Jin Soyeon vaguely remembered seeing her before. She was the girl who often came to their class.
Or to be more specific, she came to see Kang Daehan. 'Hmm.'
Jin Soyeon glanced around.
Several other girls from different classes, along with a few from her own class, were standing around staring at her.
Some of the girls didn't particularly like Jin Soyeon, so it was clear what this was all about.
*Clink.*
The sound of a teacup being gently placed on the table echoed loudly.
Joo Jiyeon carefully set her cup down and raised her head slightly.
"I've heard a lot about you. Word is you've been getting quite cozy with the boys."
She locked eyes with Jin Soyeon.
"Don't you think you're being a bit… indecent?" "...."
"You know what I mean, right? Jin Soyeon?" "...."
Jin Soyeon remained silent for a moment.
Seeing her quiet, Joo Jiyeon smirked inwardly, like a spoiled little girl thinking she had the upper hand. She probably thought Jin Soyeon was scared.
*Heh.* Of course. It was only natural.
Here stood Joo Jiyeon, the daughter of OhSung Group, delivering a warning in this intimidating atmosphere. A mere commoner like Jin Soyeon couldn't help but tremble in fear!
Especially since she was surrounded by these unfamiliar girls.
Even if she was a hero trainee, it was only natural for her to be frightened. *Hohoho.* But don't worry. I'm not planning on tormenting her too much. Just as long as she promises to stay away from Kang Daehan, I'll let her go after a few warnings.
After all, Joo Jiyeon wasn't the type to hold grudges, right? "As expected, you're just like I thought."
Jin Soyeon let out a small chuckle and shook her head. The warnings, the threats… It was so predictable.
What? Did her crush show interest in Jin Soyeon?
She had dealt with situations like this so many times that it had become both familiar and tiresome.
"What? What did you just say, Jin Soy—"
"Enough. If you have something to say, just say it directly. What am I supposed to know?"
S-she cut me off!
Ugh, what's with this girl?
And why doesn't she look scared?
Normally, anyone would be trembling in this kind of atmosphere.
But Jin Soyeon wasn't fazed at all. She stared directly at Joo Jiyeon, speaking calmly. At first, Joo Jiyeon had thought Jin Soyeon was just too scared to speak, but when she looked into her eyes, she realized that wasn't the case at all.
"Are you doing this because of Daehan?"
"H-huh?"
"Ha. Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not interested in Daehan. We don't even get along."
"Then why does Daehan keep looking at you… It *must* be because you're flirting with him!"
"Flirting? Oh, please."
Jin Soyeon let out a deep sigh.
Her tone was sharp, completely different from her usual gentle demeanor.
The fact that she was being dragged into another mess like
this, despite distancing herself from other boys recently, was stressing her out.
Besides, Jin Soyeon wasn't the type to be nice to girls who pulled stunts like this.
If she had been that kind of person, she wouldn't have been able to fend off all the girls who envied her over the years.
"I'm really not interested in Daehan. I actually like someone else."
"O-oh, really?"
"Yeah. So stop dragging me into this kind of nonsense…"
"You bitch. Jin Soyeon, do you not understand the situation?"
At that moment, one of the girls standing nearby, a black- haired girl, growled menacingly.
She was a girl from Jin Soyeon's class and had always disliked her. The boy she liked had shown some interest in Jin Soyeon, so she had no fondness for her.
She couldn't stand how Jin Soyeon always seemed to hang out with talented and good-looking guys, like she was the protagonist of some reverse harem.
Normally, she couldn't touch Jin Soyeon because of Lee Siwoon's influence.
But now…
Now was her chance.
Even Joo Jiyeon, the third daughter of the OhSung Group, didn't like Jin Soyeon and was planning to put her in her place!
This was an opportunity, a golden one.
With Joo Jiyeon backing her up, there was nothing to fear.
Joo Jiyeon would attract all the attention anyway.
"Our Jiyeon is being nice to you, but you think you can take her lightly?"
"Huh? Me? Hmm?"
"If you want to keep living peacefully at the academy, you'd better watch yourself, you bitch."
"Wow, okay."
Joo Jiyeon flinched, her face suddenly uneasy.
The black-haired girl's harsh language had taken her by surprise.
W-wait, why is she so vulgar?
She had only brought her along because she disliked Jin Soyeon, but… Was she always this bad?
And isn't she taking this too far? This is kind of scary.
And looking at her closely, she kind of does have the face of a delinquent.
"Right, Jiyeon?"
"O-oh, uh, yeah. Y-yeah, that's right."
Joo Jiyeon nodded nervously, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She was supposed to be the leader of this group, so she couldn't afford to let herself look scared.
"Looks like you're about to hit me." "You think it'll stop at just one hit?" "Maybe don't?"
"What? You scared now?"
The black-haired girl was trying to further intimidate Jin Soyeon. She knew this was her only chance.
"Listen, you bitch. I'm telling you, stop messing around with the guys…"
"Are you seriously about to hit me?"
The black-haired girl had raised her hand, ready to slap Jin Soyeon.
But before she could, Jin Soyeon grabbed her wrist. "What the—let go!"
"It's self-defense. You get that, right?"
Then Jin Soyeon headbutted the black-haired girl right in the face!
Despite her innocent appearance, Jin Soyeon's counterattack was surprisingly tough. The girl staggered
back, clutching her face, teeth clenched. "Ow?! W-what the hell…?!"
She stumbled, gripping her bloody nose. Blood?
I'm bleeding. This… this bitch…!
"You… You're dead!"
Suddenly, the girl activated her ability.
It was a reinforcement-type ability that made her body as hard as iron.
Thanks to that power, she was ranked somewhere around 100th in the school.
With her eyes burning with rage, she swung her right hand in a wide arc, aiming to punch Jin Soyeon in the stomach.
"Wait, stop!"
Joo Jiyeon screamed in panic.
Was she insane? Using her ability over something like this? If this escalated, things could get out of hand in no time. Joo Jiyeon hurried to stop the girl, whose eyes were practically spinning with anger.
To be clear, Joo Jiyeon had only planned to give Jin Soyeon a warning, not to resort to violence!
And if they got caught, they'd get suspended! Suspended!
Do these girls seriously think I'll just cover for them, no matter what they do?!
'Wait, what? What's going on?'
But then something even more unexpected happened.
Jin Soyeon, with a completely calm expression, caught the black-haired girl's powerful punch as easily as if it were nothing.
It wasn't an all-out attack by any means, but still… Jin Soyeon wasn't supposed to be able to block something like that so effortlessly.
Wasn't she ranked 257th?
And her ability wasn't impressive at all.
"You're the one who used your ability first, right?"
Chapter 86
After the kidnapping incident, Jin Soyeon experienced a significant change.
Triggered by the death(?) of someone precious to her, her dormant and immense talent exploded.
Jin Soyeon's potential, to put it bluntly, was on par with the world's best.
She had hidden abilities and talents that could even rival someone as skilled as Yoo Dahee, who had already reached the highest tier.
Originally, Jin Soyeon wasn't supposed to realize her strength until much later.
Her power was so great that it would allow her, a mere hero trainee, to defeat powerful villains.
If she had awakened too early in her academy days, it would have disrupted the flow of the story.
After all, she had already defeated Seong Yura's bodyguards alone, not long after her awakening.
Though she had been in a berserk state and could barely remember the incident, those bodyguards were stronger than the average hero.
They weren't opponents that a mere hero trainee should have been able to defeat.
Thus, Jin Soyeon's awakened power far exceeded the level of an ordinary student. Even she was surprised by it.
"Are you going to let go or what?!" "..."
"You… You've got to be kidding me!" "..."
The delinquent girl couldn't move at all.
She tried to pull away, but she couldn't escape Jin Soyeon's grip.
Jin Soyeon stood there, seemingly indifferent, holding the delinquent girl's fist with one hand, lost in thought.
'I knew I could block it, but I didn't expect it to be this easy…'
She was admittedly impressed.
Since the kidnapping incident, she hadn't had the chance to properly spar with anyone, so she hadn't been able to fully gauge the extent of her strength.
But thanks to this delinquent girl, she was now acutely aware of it.
After all, the delinquent's attack wasn't something she should have been able to block so easily.
In the past, Jin Soyeon wouldn't have been able to dodge the attack, let alone block it with one hand.
But things were different now.
For some reason, the delinquent's movements seemed slow, and all of Jin Soyeon's senses felt incredibly sharp.
It was as if the restraints binding her body had suddenly fallen away.
"You… Your ranking is around 100th, right?" "You bitch!"
The delinquent scowled.
To her, Jin Soyeon's question sounded like a taunt.
Of course, Jin Soyeon was genuinely curious, but to the delinquent girl, who was trapped in Jin Soyeon's grip, it sounded like mockery.
"I'm done playing nice. You're dead, Jin So—Ugh, ack?!"
Suddenly, Jin Soyeon's fist sank into the delinquent's stomach.
Her iron-hard abdomen crumpled like an empty can under the force of Jin Soyeon's punch.
The delinquent staggered backward, vomiting up yellow stomach acid. She was hunched over, busy retching.
"Ugh, urgh, how… How is that possible?!"
"As I thought, it worked."
The delinquent's ability allowed her to harden her entire body like iron—a reinforcement-type transformation ability.
Normally, it was difficult to deal significant damage to her without a specialized attack.
But somehow, Jin Soyeon had inflicted considerable damage with just a single punch.
How had she done that? This wasn't someone as powerful as Sunari, so how?
It wasn't that Jin Soyeon's strength was particularly impressive.
Rather, the delinquent's ability had faltered the moment Jin Soyeon's fist made contact with her.
"Lee Hyesung! Hyesung, are you okay?!" "Damn it…"
So that delinquent's name was Lee Hyesung?
As Lee Hyesung collapsed from a single punch, the other girls, who had been silently watching, looked at Jin Soyeon with expressions that said, "How dare this bitch?!"
It seemed like they were about to join in the fight. "Jin Soyeon! You've gone too far this time!" "Enough."
Just as tensions were about to boil over, Joo Jiyeon stepped in, extending her hand to stop the girls.
She had been caught off guard by Jin Soyeon's unexpected display of strength and had missed the right moment to intervene, but now, she spoke up.
"Everyone, stop." "B-but, Jiyeon!"
"I don't like repeating myself." "Ugh."
Joo Jiyeon gave the girl a cold look.
The moment their eyes met, the girl shuddered and lowered her shoulders.
She still wanted to deal with that audacious Jin Soyeon, but she couldn't defy Joo Jiyeon.
After all, Joo Jiyeon was not only an heiress of the OhSung Group but also held significant influence over Class 5.
"Are you trying to make me repeat myself?"
Joo Jiyeon's short command was enough to rein in the other girls.
They feared her strength, her ability, her family background, and her connections.
In the first place, the only reason they had gathered to intimidate Jin Soyeon like this was because of Joo Jiyeon.
The girls exchanged glances, then reluctantly nodded, realizing they had no choice.
"N-no… I'm sorry…"
"S-sorry, Jiyeon."
With the girls obediently backing down, Joo Jiyeon let out a sigh of relief.
Even though the club room was soundproofed, if they continued to cause a commotion, someone might come to investigate.
It was better to end things here for today… Huh?
Joo Jiyeon suddenly noticed the door to the club room slightly ajar.
Something shiny, like a camera lens reflecting light, caught her eye, making her blink in surprise.
Wait a second.
A lens?
Is… is someone recording this? I'm sure I locked the door. How…? "Oh, did you see me?"
With a wry smile, a man slowly opened the door and entered the room…
"J-Jinhyuk?"
It was none other than Lee Jinhyuk. "Hey."
"This isn't the time for 'hey'! What are you doing here?"
"I saw a girl from another class take you away in a not-so- friendly manner, so I thought I'd check it out."
I figured the spoiled princess would make her move soon, so I was keeping an eye on things.
And wouldn't you know it, just as I expected.
"Joo Jiyeon, what were you planning on doing by dragging her here alone?"
"Mind your own business."
Lee Jinhyuk smirked and wiggled his phone. Joo Jiyeon scowled at his phone.
W-wait. Don't tell me he recorded everything that happened just now?
"Wow, smartphones are amazing these days. The video quality is top-notch."
"You… bastard."
"It wouldn't look good for the third daughter of the OhSung Group to be known for gathering a bunch of girls to gang up on a single student, would it?"
"Are you blackmailing me?"
"No, it's just a favor, really. Let's not make a big deal out of this. If you stop doing unnecessary things, I won't make unnecessary moves either. How about that?"
He was right. If this got out, it wouldn't end well for her.
If there weren't any concrete evidence, it could be swept under the rug, but with clear video footage, things would be different.
If it got leaked to the media, her father would be furious.
Her father hadn't even wanted her to attend Union Academy in the first place, and if this incident were exposed… Ugh!
'But… I can't just back down here. The girls are watching, after all.'
Joo Jiyeon glanced at the other girls.
If she backed down too easily from this threat, it would be a major blow to her reputation in front of the others.
Besides, wasn't Lee Jinhyuk just a commoner?
If it were someone like Lee Siwoon or Yoo Seolhyun, she might have grudgingly backed off, but to be blackmailed by Lee Jinhyuk? That was a hit to her pride…
Should I just break his phone? While she was considering it—
"Oh, so the rumors about something interesting going on were true?"
Yoo Seolhyun, who had been quietly waiting outside the door, strolled into the club room.
Joo Jiyeon froze in shock.
Wh-why is Yoo Seolhyun here?
"Hmm, so you've been up to this kind of thing, Jiyeon? Didn't you get scolded by your uncle for causing trouble like this before?"
"W-why are you here?"
"Hehe. Why? Am I not allowed to be here?" "You…"
Joo Jiyeon suddenly felt intimidated by Yoo Seolhyun's presence.
They had known each other since childhood, and Joo Jiyeon vividly remembered losing to Yoo Seolhyun during the entrance exam.
"With the media already keeping an eye on Union Academy, it would be such a hassle if a scandal broke out, don't you think?"
"Ugh."
Now that she mentioned it, Joo Jiyeon remembered hearing that Yoo Seolhyun and Lee Jinhyuk were quite close.
Normally, Yoo Seolhyun wouldn't have gotten involved in something like this, but with Lee Jinhyuk involved, things could be different.
"And, don't you think Kang Daehan would be disappointed if he found out you were doing things like this?"
"...!"
"I'll have a talk with Soyeon, so why don't we call it a day, Jiyeon?"
Yoo Seolhyun spoke with a smile, but the pressure she exuded made Joo Jiyeon swallow anxiously.
U-uhm…
Maybe… Maybe it's time to back off?
It's not like I'm scared of Yoo Seolhyun or anything. Yeah, that's it!
Oh, right.
I almost forgot.
I need to ask about the video. "The video?"
"Here, take a look. I'll delete it."
Lee Jinhyuk lifted his phone and pretended to delete the recording.
Of course, the deletion was a bluff.
He had already backed it up to an online server. You never know when it might come in handy, after all.
"…Fine. Let's end it here for today."
Joo Jiyeon crossed her arms and nodded confidently.
The other girls seemed a bit frustrated, but with Yoo Seolhyun now involved, they didn't dare pull any more stunts.
And so, Lee Jinhyuk, Jin Soyeon, and Yoo Seolhyun left the club room safely.
"I didn't expect you to help me, Seolhyun."
"No need to thank me. I got something out of it too."
Like getting dirt on Joo Jiyeon and seeing Jin Soyeon's newfound ability.
…Although, the real reason I helped was that I'm getting a little something from Lee Jinhyuk. But there's no need to mention that.
"Thanks, Jinhyuk. I owe you again." "There's nothing to thank me for." Lee Jinhyuk shook his head.
There was no need for gratitude.
After all, he was going to be relying on Jin Soyeon a lot more in the future.
They'd have to explore a dungeon together during summer break, after all. And after seeing her use her ability today, he was beginning to trust her more. It seemed like she really had awakened.
"By the way, Soyeon, how did you knock out that girl, Lee Hyesung, with just one hit?"
"Ah, that's…"
When Yoo Seolhyun asked, Jin Soyeon hesitated, opening and closing her mouth.
She had considered telling them since Yoo Seolhyun had helped her, but with the upcoming ranking battles, she was feeling a bit cautious.
It was best to keep information about her ability as secret as possible.
"Ah, I shouldn't have asked. It's bad manners to pry into someone else's ability, after all."
Many abilities become useless once they're known to others, so Yoo Seolhyun shrugged it off, not giving it much thought.
It didn't seem like Jin Soyeon had been hiding her ability all along, anyway. Abilities often evolve or change under certain circumstances.
"Hey, Jinhyuk." "What?"
"Did you hear everything that happened in the club room?" "Pretty much."
"I see…"
Jin Soyeon hesitated for a moment. "Why?"
"It's just… I feel like this is all my fault. I didn't mean for this to happen, but maybe I didn't manage my relationships with the boys very well. I should've been more careful."
"Ah. You're finally realizing it? That's surprising."
"Seolhyun, shut up."
Jin Soyeon frowned at Yoo Seolhyun's sarcastic comment. But Seolhyun kept talking.
"Soyeon, to be honest, when I first met you, I really thought you were stringing all the boys along. Oh, wait, maybe you actually *were* doing that?"
"W-what? No! I wasn't doing that at all!"
Jin Soyeon panicked and quickly glanced at Lee Jinhyuk.
Jinhyuk better not get the wrong idea…
No, if this is because I didn't handle things well with the boys, then fine, blame me. But I wasn't thinking anything weird, I swear.
"I know, you didn't mean to do it." "R-right?"
"Yeah. But with what happened with Choi Changwon, I think it's a good idea to keep some distance."
"Yeah… I've been keeping my distance recently. Really, I mean it."
"Hehe. Still, Kang Daehan seems pretty interested in you. Quite the achievement, Jin Soyeon. When did you seduce him?"
Jin Soyeon flinched, her body trembling slightly.
To be honest, even she found it hard to believe that Kang Daehan was interested in her. But given Joo Jiyeon's behavior, it seemed to be the truth.
Wait, why?
Jin Soyeon's mind raced.
There hadn't been anything between her and Kang Daehan.
They didn't even hang out, other than exchanging greetings once in a while.
The only thing that came to mind was the bandage and ointment from the cat incident.
N-no way he fell for me because of that, right?
"I didn't seduce anyone! I swear, nothing like that happened!"
"Did you seduce him without realizing it? Wow, you're a real femme fatale."
"Are you serious?! Are you going to keep talking like that?!"
"Oh my, did I say something wrong? If so, I apologize. My bad?"
"Ugh!"
Lee Jinhyuk sighed as he watched them.
Hey, Yoo Seolhyun, ease up on Soyeon already.
"…So Lee Jinhyuk is the Vigilante?"
Baek Yoorin's cold expression sharpened like a knife.
Her gaze was filled with a quiet fury and resentment.