Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Library Heroes and New Routines
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‘It's been resolved somehow.’
I had anticipated some resistance or them not listening, but once they were locked up in the holding cell, the guys who had been swinging bats and acting all tough turned into meek lambs in an instant.
As Kang Hyun left the police substation, he handed Han Hyun-ho his lost book back.
“You worked hard. No injuries?”
“Nah. Those punks didn't even seem like they'd ever hit anyone before.”
Han Hyun-ho shrugged it off like it was no big deal.
“Anyway, wow! Kang Hyun, you really went full detective, lawyer, prosecutor, and judge, huh? You're a total genius!”
“Genius, my ass. You helped a ton.”
“What are you talking about? I'm seriously grateful you found my book!”
Han Hyun-ho flashed a look of complete admiration toward Kang Hyun.
“Thanks to you, I had the most thrilling experience! Got my book back too! Anyway, I'll study even harder with this and pass the exam!”
“Good luck. I'll cheer you on.”
Sunday. The last day of the week.
With the big issue settled, everything else proceeded smoothly.
The library was busier than usual with crowds gathered, and right in the middle, Kim Hyuk-su and his crew were bowing their heads low, apologizing to everyone.
They held up placards saying things like 'Sorry for the Library Theft Incident,' repeating the same words over and over without daring to lift their heads.
“I'm sorry. We let greed get the better of us at such a young age.”
“We'll never touch anyone else's belongings again.”
“I'm sorry.”
The victims, who had come after getting the call, stared at them with frustrated or angry expressions.
But no one reported these kids to the police or grabbed them by the collar to vent their rage, even though they were thieves.
Everyone knew they were just young and foolish, so they accepted the remorse and forgave them.
“Tsk tsk, they're not bad people. They just made bad choices.”
“Don't ever do it again.”
“We forgive you, so live right from now on.”
Watching this, Kang Hyun felt a mix of relief and complexity that lingered.
“Kang Hyun, you reformed those wannabe delinquents.”
Han Hyun-ho said with a pleased expression beside him.
“Nah. We gotta keep an eye on them. They might regret it now but slip up later. I think the real impressive ones are our people who forgive so readily.”
In a Korea full of good-hearted folks like this, why did crimes and corruption happen? Why did scum exist who preyed on the kind, leaving them buried in debt?
In this flood of contradictions, he felt it was his job to find ways to fix things, even if just a little, wherever he could.
Now that he had confidence he could contribute something with his abilities.
‘I'm doing the right thing... I hope.’
But truthfully, Kang Hyun still didn't fully understand the source of his ability to wield such power and resolve difficulties.
Honestly, it scared him a bit. What if he used it for evil one day? What if he couldn't control it? There was no guarantee he wouldn't.
Kang Hyun's expression hardened as his thoughts deepened.
“You okay? You look off.”
When Han Hyun-ho nudged him and asked, Kang Hyun snapped out of it and nodded.
“Yeah. Thanks to you, this wrapped up well. I'll thank the staff who contacted the owners and then get to studying.”
“Sounds good. Let's go! I've sworn loyalty to you, so no need to ask—just lead the way!”
“What?”
Kang Hyun couldn't help but laugh at Han Hyun-ho's playful antics.
“Look at the way people are glancing at you. They're leaving now 'cause it's awkward, but those grateful looks? Totally genuine. I'll never forget them.”
The library staff must have spread the word about who solved it when making calls. As owners passed Kang Hyun and Han Hyun-ho, they gave slight nods, eye smiles, or warm grins.
In the wake of their anger and disbelief, only gratitude and forgiveness remained.
“Well, they probably wrote off their missing stuff without a second thought.”
“Yeah. You made it a lucky day for them.”
“We did it together.”
Kang Hyun and Han Hyun-ho exchanged looks and grinned.
Their faces both held the pride of gaining a trustworthy friend.
They headed to the desk to say hello upon entering the library, and the staff member grabbed Kang Hyun's hand, shaking it vigorously.
“Kang Hyun, thank you so much. I never imagined you'd handle it without even calling the police... How did you do it?”
The case was perfectly resolved.
The police had been called for the assault, not the library theft, and they'd omitted that from the settlement agreement, so to the staff, it must have seemed like magic.
“I've never seen kids who were up to no good turn around 180 degrees like that since I started working here...”
The staffer stared at Kang Hyun in wonder.
“I don't know how you did it, but thank you! We were losing hundreds of thousands of won worth of items over three or four months bit by bit. The bosses wanted to hush it up to keep things quiet, but I was dying inside. I've even had insomnia lately!”
He must have been stressed out in the middle of it all.
Then, suddenly, he pushed his large glasses back up his nose bridge and looked up at Kang Hyun seriously.
“So, here's the thing... Student, by any chance...”
“Yes?”
“Want to work part-time at the library?”
“Part-time?”
“Yeah! One contract worker quit due to personal reasons, so there's an opening. You seem perfect! You can't do contract, of course, but we can hire you as part-time help... Interested?”
He continued, looking worried Kang Hyun might refuse.
“Better than hiring some unvetted contract worker—I think a sharp, honest kid like you is ideal for the library! Weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, 9 to 6. With holiday pay, hourly rate way above minimum!”
“Would that... work?”
Kang Hyun had been wondering where to find work, and now this golden offer!
He tried to hide his excitement but couldn't.
The staffer, thinking he was about to refuse, spoke faster.
“And you can study when it's slow! If it interferes with your focus, no big deal... But the library isn't that busy. Just manage the reference room and card keys!”
Better pay than manual labor, weekends only (not weekdays nights), minimal study disruption, and for a high schooler, above minimum with holiday pay—nearly 300,000 won.
Pocket money to eat out without asking family, while studying.
What was there to think about?
Kang Hyun nodded eagerly.
“Yes, I'll do it!”
“Oh!”
The staffer, who had braced for rejection, jumped up joyfully and grabbed both of Kang Hyun's hands.
“Thank you. Knowing someone like you will work here gives me strength. Start next week?”
Kang Hyun bowed silently in thanks, and the staffer nodded contentedly.
Han Hyun-ho, standing a bit away, sidled up and whispered.
“Subway hero, now library hero every weekend.”
He grinned.
After this minor commotion passed, Kang Hyun's schedule until midterms became a cycle of repetition.
Weekdays, he arrived early at school, balancing College Scholastic Ability Test prep and midterm studies.
Though similar, the subjects and question styles differed strictly, so as a late starter, he humbly allocated time to both without slacking.
Luckily, juggling them wasn't too hard for him, but his lack of study experience was a weakness.
‘Textbook problems? I can nail them. But application is the real game.’
He focused on honing application points, experience, crisis management, and knowing what to skip.
He'd learned geniuses were 99% effort and 1% inspiration—no lie.
Dr-r-rk.
Seven o'clock. As Kang Hyun sat at the back of the classroom and opened his book, Yoon Haneul entered right on cue.
“Hey?”
She waved both hands beside her tiny face to greet Kang Hyun.
Then she trotted over and spread open the book in her other hand.
“Rest well? Got a question!”
When curious, Yoon Haneul burst in, plopped the workbook down, and asked straight away.
Tucking her hair behind her ear with a serious face—so cute Kang Hyun found himself staring unwittingly.
“Why is this number one?”
Today, too, she settled at his desk and asked.
Her questions to him were always law subjects.
“Oh, this... Inheritance reserve calculation, advanced. You checked marital status under law and adoption types right, but missed the acknowledgment judgment—would've picked two.”
For some reason, Kang Hyun's mind held Civil Code, contract law, torts, marriage, tax, even inheritance theory perfectly.
College Scholastic Ability Test law felt too easy; he answered her fluidly.
“Ah...”
She sighed softly as it clicked.
Incredibly, through their short morning sessions, she'd pinpointed his strengths and weaknesses. She knew exactly what to get from him and used it; Kang Hyun did the same.
“Looks easy, but draw a family tree. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
“My turn now? Solve this one for me?”
“Sure.”
Mornings with Yoon Haneul and Kang Hyun always started like this, ending with a simple bite.
This routine began with their unspoken promise and hadn't skipped a day.
Early on, meeting mornings felt awkward and distant. Now routine, he no longer felt burdened or weird about her—just appreciated her doing it for him too.
“Onigiri? I made some.”
“Yeah, sure.”
One change: Kang Hyun started bringing breakfast. Started to pack for Mom too; turned out fun. Her blunt reviews were amusing.
“Tasty!”
“Yeah?”
She said no if not, yes if yes. Funny part: even if no, she ate it all.
Her cheeks bulging as she chewed looked more ASMR than mukbang. Kang Hyun, wired for study, got sleepy watching her eat.
Munch munch.
Quiet eaters, they'd focus until food vanished.
Then Yoon Haneul tidied neatly, raised her pale hand, and waved.
“Heading back. Good work.”
“You too.”
Morning routine over.
Study time next.
But why?
Today, she said she was going back but lingered, fiddling around.
“What?”
As if waiting for him to ask, Yoon Haneul, who'd turned away, whipped back at his voice, black straight hair flying.