Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Semester Start (1)
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- Ji-woo noona: Today’s the first day of school, right?
- Ji-woo noona: Good luck with the new semester! I’ll definitely come watch during the Blue Pine Festival.
Early in the morning. As I was half-heartedly getting ready for school after more than a month, my smartphone buzzed with a notification. Checking it, I saw it was from Ji-woo noona.
Normally, she would’ve just been a two-day fling at most. But at some point, I realized we’d naturally become the kind of people who casually exchanged personal messages.
Yet with that A-rank awakener uncle who’d fervently passed down his expertise during last summer break, we hadn’t exchanged even a single message.
Thinking about it that way, the bond between men and women was truly a fearsome thing. I’ll pass on commenting about what process built up that bond.
I curved my lips into a soft smile and tapped out a reply on my smartphone.
- Lee Hyun-jin: Good luck with guild stuff too, noona.
- Lee Hyun-jin: Hope I get to see you at the Blue Pine Festival.
As I went to pocket my phone again, not even five seconds after I hit send, it vibrated with a buzz.
A reply had come back.
It was right at the lull where the conversation might’ve died, so I wondered what it was and turned the screen back on.
And there, instead of a text message, was a file—an image.
- Ji-woo noona: (A photo of her biting down on her T-shirt hem, exposing her bra.)
“Khk.”
I hadn’t even had anything in my mouth, but I reflexively let out a fake cough. My breath caught for a second there.
The smartphone’s excellent camera had captured her violently voluptuous chest in crystal clarity.
This noona’s something else.
As I pressed down on my flushed face to cool it off, another message arrived.
- Ji-woo noona: A motivational pic to power you through the day.
- Ji-woo noona: Don’t be late to school from draining the main tank first thing in the morning, Hyun-jin!
- Ji-woo noona: Outdoor play with noona at the Blue Pine Festival? 😏
“……”
I didn’t bother replying and just turned off my phone. My policy is not to respond to messages that don’t deserve it.
Of course, her suggestion of some academy outdoor fun piqued my interest a little...
Anyway.
I straightened my tie to snug up my uniform shirt and stood in front of the mirror. Even after so long, there was no real discomfort. It was the outfit I’d worn all year, after all.
“Looking good.”
I decided to head out of the dorm right away. Stepping into the lobby after opening the door, I saw several other students prepping for school just like me.
Blue Pine Academy’s dorm culture had freshmen through seniors all sharing the two big buildings, so even with a crowd, most faces were unfamiliar.
Still, I spotted a few from my class here and there. Running into classmates who’d quietly gone home or wandered off during break felt...
Not exactly heartwarming, just meh.
It’d only been a month and change, after all. We exchanged light hand waves to check in.
Gonna have to spend another year in class with these guys.
Blue Pine Academy kept classes together from first to fourth year unless something major happened, so maintaining class harmony was essential, one way or another.
Class A was the same. If only it weren’t too harmonious and buddy-buddy, leading to all sorts of chaos...
In any case, more students started popping up here and there on the way to school.
Some familiar faces, like Kim I-jun, Baek A-yun, and Jin Yong.
My classmates, more famous for being the Sword Saint’s disciple, the Fist Emperor’s granddaughter, and the Dragon King’s successor, respectively. Different classes, though.
Baek A-yun’s still so short... Makes her easier to spot, honestly.
Blue Pine Academy’s official shortest first-year, still clinging to her shoe insoles. She stood out the most.
I considered sidling up like always and teasing her by pretending to measure her height, but since it was the first day, I held back.
Fights with Cheon So-yul or Baek A-yun getting me dragged to the disciplinary committee had happened more than once or twice...
Now I had to watch my demerit points a bit.
Kim I-jun looked even sharper-edged than before break, and Jin Yong had his usual inscrutable blank expression.
Seeing all these faces after a month really drove home that break was over. The new semester was starting for real.
Let’s make this year meaningful. With that resolve, I sensed a familiar presence approaching from behind and turned.
The other person spotted me and froze. I flashed a sly smile.
“Hey.”
“……”
I waved, but got no response. Not that I was bummed.
I’d half-expected it.
“C’mon, at least acknowledge the greeting.”
I chuckled and took a step closer to her—the one really hammering home that the semester had begun.
She grimaced like I was some hazardous material and thrust her palm out at me.
“Stay back. Come any closer and I’ll zap you.”
“...Hmm.”
What a brutal thing to say.
The crackling lightning suggested her agitation was genuine, but I wasn’t one to back down.
Our relationship had never been that peaceful to begin with. This level of threat was routine.
Guess that thing from our last chat hit her harder than I thought.
Whatever. Not my problem.
If she was embarrassed, she shouldn’t have done it.
I ignored her icy warning with a bright smile on my face.
And casually crossed the line she’d drawn.
Cheon So-yul flinched, her face hardening.
I just tossed out one line.
“Teacher Cheon So-yul? So, when’s the third masturbation show?”
KWARRRRNG!!!
Out of a clear sky, a massive bolt of golden thunder crashed down in the middle of the academy grounds.
As surrounding students jumped and turned our way, Cheon So-yul summoned a pair of vicious blue lightning bolts in her hands and aimed them at me.
“I told you I’d kill you if you brought it up again.”
Tears welled in her eyes. Her face flushed crimson—anger or shame, hard to tell.
Her quicker-than-usual tone proved she was riled up.
With lightning that’d leave serious burns crackling right in front of me, I shrugged mockingly.
As her face twisted into a demonic scowl, I wagged a finger at her.
“What, you gonna do it?”
“Die!”
She hurled the lightning at me.
I burst into cheerful laughter, wrapping my forearm in an ice barrier. The clash happened instantly.
Yeah, this was academy life. Aside from those few days with Ji-woo noona, I’d spent break rolling around the dorms, bored out of my mind.
Feeling like I’d returned home(?), I mixed her lightning with ice shards and set off fireworks.
The startled students recognized us and shrugged it off, going about their ways...
After bickering like that for a while, a fourth-year disciplinary head who’d sprinted over smacked us both upside the head.
“...First-years, Class A: Lee Hyun-jin, Cheon So-yul. Didn’t I warn you? Next time this happens, demerits or not, I won’t hold back.”
“Haha.”
“...Sorry, sunbae.”
The black-haired senior with a faint blue tint kept us standing at attention while pinching her brow.
I let out an awkward laugh, while Cheon So-yul slumped like a soaked puppy, bowing her head slightly.
“That sunbae seems to get stronger every day. Even though she’s only three years ahead—feels like I won’t stand a chance for the next year. Right?”
“……”
“Well, I kinda noticed when her blue hair got darker than a month ago...”
I kept chattering away, but despite my persistent attempts, Cheon So-yul exercised her right to silence.
Feeling awkwardly sheepish, I scratched the back of my head and poked her cheek.
“Sulking? Hey, you know it’s a joke.”
“...Sthp tht...”
Maybe from me poking her cheek plus her clenched teeth. Her voice came out muffled.
I barely stifled a laugh that almost burst out.
Judging even that as mockery, she glared at me and growled low.
“Keep laughing like that, and I’ll grab you one day and roast you alive.”
“...Whoa, scary.”
I yanked my hand back and retreated two steps. Thanks to my quick retreat, I avoided the lightning sparking down her cheek.
She brushed off her cheek like it had filth on it, then whipped around.
I blinked for a second, then hurried after her.
“Where you going?”
“...Classroom.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean ‘why’? To attend class.”
“But we’re already late, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, yeah. If someone hadn’t gotten us hauled to the disciplinary office, we could’ve made it on time. So unfair.”
Cheon So-yul glared daggers at me openly. I responded with a smirk. Her eyes narrowed further.
“Laughing again?”
“Nah, not mocking you.”
“Then what?”
She was extra fixated on my smiles today. I shrugged and pointed the opposite way she was headed.
“Let’s just head straight to the arena. First period’s probably toast anyway.”
“...Rank match today?”
“Check the schedule ahead of time.”
“Shut up.”
She snapped back at me, then pulled out her smartphone. Probably to check the schedule like I said.
“...Hm.”
She confirmed it quick and nodded with a sulky look. Glancing at me, she huffed, turned away, and strode off ahead.
What a tricky rival.
I chuckled silently and followed.
Then tossed out a casual suggestion.
“We’re 13 points apart right now, yeah?”
“...So? What about it?”
“Nah, just—wanna bet on a match?”
Cheon So-yul paused and glanced back smoothly. She tried to school her expression, but interest flickered clearly.
I poked her shoulder teasingly and laid out the stakes.
“Loser buys tonight’s late-night snack. Deal?”
“...Hm.”
She frowned hesitantly for a second, eyed my grinning face, then glared fiercely like she was pissed and barked.
“Fine, you’re on!”
The fish—no, Pikachu—had bitten the bait hook, line, and sinker.