So Why Did Senior Yeon Call Me Out to the Back of the Barracks?
"Harang-ah."
Yeon Byeori called out to me.
"Superhuman Seo Harang?"
"Mind stepping out for a sec? Over there at the smoking area... no, wait. Behind the barracks."
How come!!
A sunny day and a one-on-one summons from a senior. It was basically the same as telling me to come right away.
Was there something I did wrong again? What in the world could it be this time?
I spun the mental gears as fast as I could, but nothing came to mind. I didn't even need to think about it. Seniors always manufacture problems for their juniors; that's just how it is.
"Yo, Harang. Where the heck have you been?"
"I've been to the Physical Training Room, Superhuman Seo Harang."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Um... I mentioned it to Kim Heejin, and Hero-nim doesn't really care about that kind of thing..."
"I have no idea what that even means. And 'Hero-nim'? How many times have I told you not to use that stuck-up title on me? She passed it along, but that's beside the point. You don't like calling me 'noona'?"
"No, Hero-nim is wonderful."
"Then why not just say you were going somewhere? You wouldn't have minded me seeing your face?"
"It's not like that at all!"
"Get out here to the smoking area."
Just like the scolding Han Jihye had given me a few days ago. Thinking about it made my eyes sting. I really needed to avoid becoming like her once I climbed the senior ladder.
Anyway, when faced with this, the best thing was to apologize and take it.
"Understood."
"I'll head over first and wait. Take your time coming out."
"No, I'll come with you."
"Yeah? Alright then."
Yeon Byeori stood up from her seat as if she didn't care at all.
Her skin was almost pale, and those faint dark circles under her eyes still looked healthy today.
Wait, was it because I made too much noise while I was sleeping? I hadn't heard any complaints about sleep-talking or snoring...
Maybe her hearing was too sharp, and even though she tossed and turned, she couldn't fall asleep. It just kept piling up until it finally exploded.
Right, I should prepare to atone right away. Apologizing first would leave her with nothing to say.
We walked with heavy footsteps toward the back of the barracks. The discarded butts on the ground told the story of what had happened here.
"So why did you call me out?"
"I'm sorry!"
"Huh? Huh...? Why? What is it? Huh?"
Her expression looked genuinely puzzled, but I understood. This was high-level psychology, aiming for a psychological blind spot. She was trying to exploit that tiny moment when I might think, "Ah... it wasn't that," and then strike with a hidden dagger.
It wasn't scary. It didn't look like a lie. But it wasn't a lie either. I had crossed paths with this kind of strategy many times before, so I could tell.
"Did you think I was in trouble for something I did? Yeah, location's everything."
"I don't fall for that."
"I'm not trying to trick you at all."
"I knew from the start that Harang handles things well. She adapts great to barracks life, performs without a hitch during sorties, and manages herself diligently. Why would I scold someone who works that hard?"
...Should I just trust her once?
"I don't pick on anyone anyway. So you don't have to stay tense."
"Oh! Really? Good, I'm glad. I was worried the whole time that maybe I did something wrong..."
Yeon Byeori's face lit up as if a memory had just struck her while watching my sigh of relief.
"Harang is really adorable. So puppy-like. Puppy-like."
"Puppy-like?"
"You know what puppy means?"
"I do. I've seen it in videos a few times. It's like a cat that begs and shows its belly."
"Exactly."
I could have sworn it wasn't that kind of thing. Who would beg in front of anyone? Who would bare their belly?
It was the heart of a beast, Seo Harang. I wouldn't do something like that even with a knife at my throat.
I wanted to deny "adorable" even before that.
"That's... not it."
"Huh? Not like that?"
Yeon Byeori asked. It felt different from the other seniors. More like gentle Han Jihye or the sharp, fierce Kim Heejin of the past. Not as warm as Jeong Seung-ah, but the vibe of someone who would listen to anything and let it slide. Like a calm lake.
Emboldened by that response, I boldly raised my request.
"It's not about being cute. It's about being cool, isn't it?"
"Ah─ so that kind of cool? Yeah. Harang always looks cool. Fast feet, good at saving people."
"Uhit, hehe... thank you."
Even though I was on the ground receiving the blow, the praise still hit hard.
Because I had been starving for compliments, the effect far exceeded what I imagined.
I had always seen her as a senior who poked fun at me from time to time without much connection. It seemed I would have to completely revise that evaluation.
"Of course I wasn't calling you out just to praise you. Finding people always has some purpose, right?"
"Ah, yes. What is it?"
"Harang has a certain image, but... just a sec."
Yeon Byeori pulled out her phone from her pocket. It was the one she always stared at in the living quarters.
"...Do you know what this is?"
"'Bet Playground'... What is this?"
A logo stamped boldly on a black background screen.
Snail races, sports betting, climbing ladders, all those listed games felt oddly familiar.
"Ah! This isn't that illegal betting thing, right?"
"Yep."
"...Why are you showing me this? Are you asking me to borrow money? I don't have any."
"Aigoo, no way. I'm not that shameless. I know your situation anyway, and since you woke up and came to the barracks, if you go bankrupt and that gets out, only I suffer."
Yeon Byeori waved her hand dismissively. She didn't seem to actually intend that.
Actually, I had no intention of borrowing anything. I really didn't have it, and unlike Kim Heejin I didn't have a tragic situation to fall back on.
Of course, if pushed into a corner, who knows what might happen.
"I just wanted you to sign up. Put in my ID as the referrer. Since you seem tight-lipped about this kind of thing, I'm asking."
"...Sign up?"
"Yeah, just sign up. No other nonsense. How about it?"
"How about it?" I asked, but in the end I had no choice. If a senior said to do something, I had to do it. No other way around it when you're being scolded.
"You don't have to if you really don't want to!"
And that kind of forced command prickled my heart. I was weak to sincere requests.
"...Does it really just involve signing up?"
"Yep, yep!"
"Then I'll do it."
"Wow... thanks."
Her tone matched her own image perfectly.
It softened the reluctance I felt toward the gentle voice, different from Jeong Seung-ah's, but still a bit timid.
On the other hand, I thought she seemed like a woman who needed more care. Han Jihye or Kim Heejin had that overwhelming presence. Comparing myself to them was ridiculous.
"Still, since you said it's okay, I feel relieved. I know once you get hooked on this, it's hard to stop..."
"Huh? Why?"
"Ah, no. I thought it might not be something to talk about in front of Senior Yeon, so... I'm sorry."
"It's fine. It's true I can't stop, but what of it? Once they recommend you, they give points. You'll lose it soon anyway."
The giggle didn't sound entirely innocent. She seemed to be predicting my future.
Gambling was terrifying. Even knowing you'd lose, it still pulled you in.
"You think I'm stupid?"
"No! I don't! I was just thinking how terrifying gambling is."
"But you know what, Harang? Once you're in the Awakener unit for a while, everyone ends up like this?"
It was a line I couldn't ignore.
Everyone ends up like this? What did she mean?
"We can't do anything outside? No tasks, no fun."
"Videos or games..."
"Aigoo, those are only good for a couple of times. You get bored instantly."
Yeon Byeori leaned her back against the wall and stared at the sky for a moment.
"Kweuk!"
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Just, the sunlight is too strong."
"...It's covered by clouds right now."
"Ah, I see."
I felt the same way. Like the kind of person who couldn't live up to their face value.
A sense of shared emptiness slipped between us. So why did she get bored so quickly?
"In the end, once you're a senior, your interest narrows to wherever you feel it most. For example... what does Hero-nim focus on?"
"...Teasing her junior?"
"Straight to the point? Well, I have the same thought. More accurately, it's not the junior, but you."
"Me?"
"Yeah. I've never seen someone focus so intently on just one person."
"Really? What kind of feeling did you have originally..."
"No interest at all if someone transfers in? I've never seen her make the first move to her junior over and over."
It was unbelievable.
Even now Han Jihye, who spoke to me first whenever I was around, did that? Did I really look that easy to tease?
"Huh? Why the sudden face?"
"Ah, no. I thought I had an easy-to-tease expression, so I practiced for a second."
"Aigoo, no need for that. Our Harang is plenty fierce."
"You just said 'puppy-like'!"
"Puppy is still a cat, though. A wild cat. Meow!"
...What should I respond to that? It was actually cute.
The faint dark circles seemed to make her even more attractive.
As I was pondering, Yeon Byeori's awkward expression changed when she noticed my gesture.
"Anyway, back to the topic... Kim Heejin also found something to focus on. You and exercise."
"Again?"
"Yeah. Honestly, if I hadn't gotten hooked, I'd have thrown all my energy into teasing you."
"Ah... that's a relief."
"Huh? Why? Do you feel any resistance?"
"Ah! It's not like that! Really! It's just that if I get more attention here, my belly might burst! Recently my appetite has been so bad from stress that I think my belly is showing a little..."
"Really?"
Yeon Byeori glanced at me and then lifted the hem of my training shirt.
"What!"
It wasn't just lifting; it was up to the point where the bra was visible.
This is sexual harassment!
...It wouldn't mean anything if I shouted that.
"Your figure is so slim. Your body is so slender and pretty. Now I understand why Kim Heejin talked about your body. Ah! Sorry. I got too carried away."
Yeon Byeori let the shirt fall. Thankfully.
No matter how same the gender, exposing the body still felt off. Revealing the hips or waist was especially bizarre.
"Anyway! I said I found something to focus on, right? It's this. Gambling. Of course, I'm broke because of it."
"Broke..."
"Yeah. Isn't that funny? Instead of that, maybe I should just quit. But... without this, it feels pointless. For me."
"That's not true! Senior Yeon is kind and pretty."
"Thanks. But you know what? There's always something that doesn't fill up with praise. Right here."
Yeon Byeori placed her hand on her own chest.
It seemed to say, 'I want to stop too, but it doesn't work out.' It felt like she was seeking help.
"I know what you're thinking. Idiot."
"That's not true."
"Your expression control is good."
"It's not just expression control. It's the truth, Senior Yeon."
"Huh?"
"Even if I don't seem trustworthy... have you ever thought about doing some kind of addiction treatment with me?"
"...Do they do that in society?"
"Not exactly. Still, we're basically family sharing the same living quarters. I just wanted to help in any way I could..."
"You're too kind. Harang. Sorry, but I've already been in treatment multiple times. And all of them failed."
Still! You don't know yet!
I grabbed Yeon Byeori's hand tightly.
"What if I try once?"
And I suggested it.
Yeon Byeori's expression changed. It was clear she wondered if she had spoken too soon.