Chapter 8
Chapter 8
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: A Child's Palate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
People's tastes change as they age.
As a kid, I couldn't wrap my head around that saying. I loved sugar bombs like caramel and chocolate, convinced it'd be that way forever.
But after turning twenty and entering adulthood, it started making sense. The older I got, the more I craved bitter and spicy flavors over sweets.
Americano was too bitter for me to stomach back in school days, but as an adult, I practically lived with one glued to my lips. Those milky, syrupy sweet coffees? Their aftertaste felt unclean, so I phased them out.
This wasn't unique to me. Most folks around me gravitated toward Americano over lattes as they aged.
Some claimed life's bitterness makes soju and coffee taste sweet—I wrote that off as bullshit from posers deep in their pretentious phase.
If it were true, I'd have found soju and coffee sweet since kindergarten.
Whatever the reason, I figured young tongues are just wired to savor sweetness and recoil from bitterness.
Either way, it was pointless speculation unless I de-aged myself to test it.
I spat out the Americano I'd just gulped down with a wretched "Blech."
"Pfft, first time trying Americano, Anis?"
"N-no, it's not that…"
Yoon Na-rin and I had promised to meet up in the morning before heading to the dorms yesterday, so we could walk to school together.
And today, we met early, stopped by a café before Acamedy Academy. She offered to treat, and I was craving coffee after so long.
I ordered an Americano out of habit once inside, but after one sip, something felt off.
What the…? Did my tastes really change?
Is it because I'm young again? Or because I'm in a girl's body now? The Americano tasted brutally bitter—enough to make me spit it out in shock.
"You're still just a kid~"
Yoon Na-rin giggled, looking at me with eyes that said she was watching something adorable. I flushed red, embarrassed.
"If you can't handle it, just toss it~"
On the way from the café to the academy, Yoon Na-rin laughed merrily at my forced sips of the Americano.
Ever since crossing into this world, I'd been flat broke. But it wasn't inconvenient.
The dorm room had everything for daily life, and meals were covered: lunch at the academy, dinner at the dorms.
But stepping into that café this morning made me realize something.
Shelter, food, clothing—all provided. Yet the saying exists for a reason: human greed knows no bounds.
With some mental leeway after adapting to the sudden changes, that one morning coffee stirred nostalgia for the luxuries of my past life.
Watching kids buy snacks from the vending area only intensified it.
I want snacks too.
But I had no money.
Asking casual classmates for "just a bite" with a spoon hovering felt too awkward.
Money… I need money…
As I closed my eyes, lost in woe, my phone chimed.
Ooh…! Forgot about that.
Perfect timing. Took you long enough.
I shook awake Yoon Na-rin, dozing in the seat next to me.
"Vending area! I got money!"
"Mmm… Sorry. Go alone…"
"…Okay."
Yoon Na-rin refused, unwilling to wake up.
Aren't you supposed to be the hard-working heroine type? Why are you always sleeping?
…What if I go alone and get shaken down?
Old school trauma flared up at the thought of going solo.
I picked bodyguard Han U-sol.
"…Hey, vending area together?"
"…Huh? Sure."
We bought snacks together.
"Anis, you like sweets, huh?"
"…Guess so."
Hand went straight for the macarons at the vending area, so I bought some. This body seemed to have a kid's palate—loves sweet, hates bitter.
Popped one in my mouth, and sweetness flooded.
…Tasty.
Second, third—no fatigue. Who knew I'd enjoy sugar bombs like this.
"…Want one?"
Han U-sol stared, so I offered.
"Nah, not big on sweets…"
"…Right."
He sipped a canned Americano in response.
Acting all mature, punk.
Got on my nerves for no reason.
"Why do you all want to be heroes?"
"Why did you enroll in the academy?"
A kindly middle-aged male teacher asked the class.
Woke up as an aspiring hero.
I muttered internally.
Students answered one by one. Slight variations, but summed up: same reason.
To save people.
"Anis, same for you?"
Teacher called on me as I stayed silent.
"…Yes."
I said I wanted to save people too.
The end-of-class bell rang, signaling homeroom.
"Practical sessions ramp up from tomorrow."
Silbi Bell announced. Finally, fewer boring lectures.
No more desperate battles with drowsiness during class.
"Practicals weigh more on grades, so hustle~"
Silbi Bell added a few words, ended homeroom, and left.
Students rose and filed out.
"Anis! Let's go!"
Yoon Na-rin called from the door. Han U-sol stood beside her.
"…Yeah."
I glanced at the scrawled blackboard message before stepping out.
I know, asshole. Cut it out.
After academy, we hit the café again. Han U-sol joined this time.
"Ooh, scholarship? Perks of being principal-approved special admit! Cheers, Anis."
"Cheers. Thanks, Anis."
Feeling flush with cash, I treated them both.
Special admission requires principal approval?
Did the principal let me in too? Wanted to ask Yoon Na-rin, but couldn't.
Weird for the special admittee to ask how special admission works.
"Anis, you really love sweets."
Han U-sol remarked over his Americano.
"Huh? Anis, why chocolate latte instead of Americano this time?"
"…Just felt like it."
No way I'd admit Americano was too bitter—they'd tease me.
"Thought you hated bitter stuff since you like macarons, but you do Americano too?"
"Macarons?"
"You ate some from the vending area while sleeping earlier."
"Aha…"
Yoon Na-rin smirked.
"Still such a kid~"
"……"
Yoon Na-rin teased me relentlessly until we left the café.
After parting with Han U-sol post-café—he commutes from home, opposite direction from our dorms—Yoon Na-rin walked with me.
"Anis, sulking? Sorry~"
"…Not sulking."
Really wasn't. Just shocked that my refined palate had regressed to kid level, so I moped.
"Anyway, seems like you're getting closer to Han U-sol~"
"……"
Yoon Na-rin grinned mischievously.
What? Warning to back off her man? Jealous type.
I'm not even thinking that way.
I was actually rooting for her and Yoon Na-rin.
Ignoring her prickly gaze by staring ahead only deepened her grin.
"Pfft, so cute."
Yoon Na-rin kept chuckling meaningfully all the way to the dorms.
On the way back to the dorms, I stopped at a convenience store for frozen fried chicken.
Craving instant food after ages. Dinner would be chicken tonight.
Soju tempted, but I tearfully passed—looked every bit the student, no chance buying booze.
Back in my room, I nuked the frozen chicken.
Staring blankly at the spinning chicken, my phone alerted a novel update. I pulled it up and read.
The novel's Han U-sol did nothing noteworthy.
Commute to academy, attend classes, train post-academy. Repeat. Occasional chats with Yoon Na-rin—that was it.
In reality, he talked to me and Na-rin plenty.
We even hit cafés after.
The novel Han U-sol was bone-dry. Action-only, no inner thoughts—made it worse.
Getting sloppier by the chapter.
Of all novels, this one.
Left my usual hate comment, tossed the phone on the bed.
Perfectly timed—microwave dinged done.
I snatched the chicken out. Salivated at the spicy-sweet red sauce atop.
Grabbed a piece and ate.
"Mmm… Tasty. Really tasty…"
"Hiss… So spicy…"
Hotter than expected—I chugged water.
"Hiss… Haaah…"
I ended up tossing it half-eaten.