Hero Academy (4-11)
“Haa… this fucking sucks.”
Those were the first words out of Go Choong-shin's mouth the moment he woke up.
For him, opening his eyes around sunset wasn't all that unusual in his daily routine.
He'd never been the diligent type to begin with, but today his body felt especially heavy.
Seong Su-ho's demand from the day before.
“Fuck, why the hell did I agree to game with that bastard…”
The previous day, Seong Su-ho had overlooked Go Choong-shin's screw-up and proposed they game together in exchange for switching his shifts.
It wasn't outright blackmail, but Go Choong-shin couldn't shake the feeling he'd been cornered.
Go Choong-shin loved games.
No, it went beyond casual enjoyment—he was obsessed.
But sharing that with a superior he utterly despised changed everything.
Hellish shifts versus gaming with Seong Su-ho.
“Should I just say fuck it now? Shit, but then he might not switch my shifts… Nah, better to just pull the shifts…”
Go Choong-shin dreaded it so much he was weighing those two options.
Just facing Seong Su-ho, let alone hearing his voice grate against his eardrums, felt like it was shaving years off his life.
Even during breaks, he wanted nothing to do with him.
As he mulled it over, a realization hit him.
“Right… if I suck ass enough, won't he just bail on his own?”
No matter how much someone loved gaming, stringing together losses in a competitive game like Watch of Legend would piss anyone off eventually.
“If I just troll hard and take some heat, he'll drop the idea himself.”
That was when Go Choong-shin was scheming his half-baked plan.
Ding-dong.
“What the?”
He'd never heard the doorbell before, but he instantly knew where it came from.
“Who the hell's here?”
No one ever visited Go Choong-shin's dorm.
That was why the doorbell sound was a first for him.
With a puzzled look, he opened the door to check—and there stood someone in a blue uniform, like an Embassy staffer, with a big box at their feet, staring at him.
“VR headgear rental, right? Sign here to confirm.”
“Huh? What's this?”
A text from the Embassy management office popped up while I was messaging Yoon Ji-ah.
Oh, fast delivery.
Looked like the VR headgear had reached Go Choong-shin just fine.
I'd heard from the principal that morning and applied for the rental in Go Min-hyuk's name ahead of time.
The principal's explanation was straightforward.
(For now, use your discretion as Assistant Instructor Seong Su-ho to approve about twenty cadets.)
(Twenty?)
(Yes. We have plenty of units, but handing them out all at once might stir up talk.)
Made sense.
Start small and scale up gradually.
It was a rational approach, whether for small teams, large organizations, or even nations.
Yet most people opted for blanket rollouts anyway—because it benefited them personally to ignore the logic.
No reason for the principal to bend rules for zero gain on his end.
(Thank you.)
(Hahaha, no need. If anything, the security staff should thank Instructor Seong Su-ho.)
Once I had his approval, I immediately rented the VR headgear under Go Min-hyuk's name.
Alright, time to check in.
I had all the security staff's contacts.
They'd never reach out to me first, but I needed the means to contact them anytime.
I tapped the entry labeled Go Min-hyuk and called.
The line rang for a good while.
What? Not picking up? Daring to ignore my call?
Right as I thought that, a voice came through my smart watch.
(…Who is this?)
“Hey, Go Min-hyuk. It's me.”
(Ah… yes.)
He clearly didn't have my number saved.
I cut straight to it.
“You get the VR headgear?”
(Yes, I did. Um… sir…)
“No need to thank me. Just do your job better from now on.”
(Ah… um… yes…)
I could tell he wanted to refuse, so I preempted it.
Grinning like some clueless boomer who didn't get his psychology, I kept going.
“I'm heading back after wrapping up. Get it set up quick. We're playing together.”
(R-right now?)
“Yeah, I wanna play now. Hurry!”
(Ah, got it. Haa…)
He probably thought he'd sighed quietly enough not to be heard, but it came through clear to me.
Not that I'd nitpick the details.
This whole thing was to hear that sigh in the first place.
I savored the refreshing vibe from Go Choong-shin's exhale when another text came in.
I smiled as I replied to Yoon Ji-ah's text.
After returning to the Embassy post-field trip, Yoon Ji-ah spent her days wrapped in anxiety.
For one reason.
Betraying her long-time boyfriend and letting a near-stranger she'd just met slip between her legs.
It wasn't comparable to mere skinship or dates.
She trusted Seong Su-ho's character from the trip, but secrets only stayed perfect when you were the only one who knew.
To ease that gnawing unease and guilt, she texted Seong Su-ho constantly.
Even light chats with him turned the black tar of anxiety and guilt inside her into pink waves of pleasure and excitement.
Simple talks with Seong Su-ho restored her peace, dissolving her guilt.
Before long, Yoon Ji-ah craved that connection.
During one exchange, Seong Su-ho asked:
Games?
Yoon Ji-ah wasn't into games much.
Whenever she played, it was always at Go Choong-shin's insistence.
But her dependent nature took over her fingers, typing away.
It didn't matter what she liked— she just wanted to agree with him.
His reply lit her up.
Simple texts made her this happy; even virtual talk with him swelled her anticipation.
Yoon Ji-ah didn't ask who—just made a new account as instructed, logged into Watch of Legend, and joined his lobby.
And in Seong Su-ho's lobby stood an unexpected face.
O-oppa?!
Yoon Ji-ah frantically hid her face upon spotting Go Choong-shin, but Seong Su-ho's explanation cleared it up.
“This guy's my friend. Say hi.”
“Hello.”
Go Choong-shin bowed politely to her.
Then it clicked.
Phew… new account, so not friended— he can't see me.
To Go Choong-shin, she was just a skull-masked character.
Yoon Ji-ah steadied her pounding heart and greeted him.
“H-hi…”
As her shaky voice trailed off, Seong Su-ho placed a hand on her shoulder and addressed Go Choong-shin.
“My friend's super shy, so no face reveal. Cool with that?”
“Of course… haha…”
Go Choong-shin laughed in a way that screamed reluctance, plain as day to Yoon Ji-ah.
Once intros wrapped, she urgently whispered to Seong Su-ho.
Yoon Ji-ah's heart raced wildly; she desperately wanted to bolt, but her nature wouldn't let her leave without Seong Su-ho's say-so.
H-he doesn't know… if I'm careful, it'll be fine.
In the end…
“Alright, let's start.”
The game began at Seong Su-ho's word.
..
..
The game itself was standard Watch of Legend fare.
Yoon Ji-ah paired with Seong Su-ho on the same lane; Go Choong-shin jungled around.
Seong Su-ho didn't act weird once they started.
Just played and enjoyed it with her.
He's really just here for the game? But…
At first, Yoon Ji-ah suspected him.
Is he trying to expose us to Oppa by accident?
But watching him play seriously dispelled that.
If anything, she started enjoying the game.
With Oppa, it's constant yelling and frustration— no fun, just stress. But this… this is fun.
Partnering and synergizing.
With Go Choong-shin, she always felt like cleanup crew; with Seong Su-ho, it was true synergy— the game felt alive.
What shocked Yoon Ji-ah most was Seong Su-ho's skill.
He's amazing. Haven't seen many better than Oppa.
Even to a casual like her, Seong Su-ho outclassed Go Choong-shin.
And that superior player was now scolding a mistake-prone Go Choong-shin.
“Don't dive like that.”
“S-sorry…”
“Haa… rotate out, help the other lane. Come back after ult.”
“Got it.”
“…”
Yoon Ji-ah stared in wide-eyed shock at Seong Su-ho and Go Choong-shin.
The usually domineering, arrogant Go Choong-shin was bowing his head and obeying.
A guy who never yielded in real life, bending to someone in a mere game.
To the kind, gentle Seong Su-ho, no less…
…
It was subtle.
Seeing Go Choong-shin like that stirred pity, sure.
But she didn't voice it.
Instead, a thrill of satisfaction bubbled up inside.
Yeah, maybe Oppa can fix his attitude this time.
Yoon Ji-ah faintly smiled at his subservience.
Time flew; soon it was late night.
“Whew… that was fun. You had a good time too, right?”
“Haha… yeah… but I wasn't much help.”
Go Choong-shin, ragged by nonstop mistakes and scoldings, hunched like a whipped dog before Yoon Ji-ah and Seong Su-ho.
…He has this side too.
Various thoughts crossed Yoon Ji-ah's mind at his defeated look.
But before she could sort them, Seong Su-ho patted his shoulder.
“Nah, fun's what matters. Tomorrow too?”
“Th-that'd be too much trouble…”
“Night shift, right? Time to clock in. Head out.”
“…Yes. S-see you.”
Go Choong-shin gave a pitiful bow to Seong Su-ho and Yoon Ji-ah before logging off.
As Yoon Ji-ah blankly watched him go, Seong Su-ho approached.
“Did you have fun today?”
“Y-yes?! It was fun. But… I never expected Oppa to be here…”
“It's fine. No way he'll find out.”
With Go Choong-shin gone, Yoon Ji-ah felt it.
The anxiety of possible discovery throughout the game, contrasted by the rush when it all ended undetected…
She slowly approached the kindly gazing Seong Su-ho and spoke.
“Um… Instructor Seong Su-ho. Please go easy on Oppa.”
Hypocrisy, pure pretense.
She'd thrilled at every scolding.
Yet clinging to a shred of reason, she played the girlfriend card minimally.
Seong Su-ho eyed her indifferently.
“Dunno… no need to be nice to guys, right?”
His words brought an inexplicable relief, despite her pout.
As if she'd been waiting for him to say it…
Seong Su-ho drew closer to the relieved Yoon Ji-ah.
“Or…”
“…?”
Seeing her expression, he closed in for a hug.
“I-Instructor Seong Su-ho…”
“If Instructor Yoon Ji-ah gives me some time, maybe I won't need to bother with him.”
“Eh!?”
“Huh!?”
Mid-embrace, Seong Su-ho got repelled by some invisible force, and a message appeared before Yoon Ji-ah.
This game prohibits sexual acts. If subjected to unwanted actions or speech, you may report. Report?
“Ah…”
“Game's got strict rules.”
Seong Su-ho shrugged with a hint of regret.
“Nothing we can do. Had fun today— rest up.”
“W-wait!”
“…?”
Blushing, head down to avoid his eyes, Yoon Ji-ah whispered.
“If… I make time for you… will you be nice to Oppa?”
She mustered her courage.
Seong Su-ho smiled, leaning to her ear.
“Come to my dorm now.”
Hearing that, something irresistible stirred in Yoon Ji-ah.
“Yes… I'll come.”
Irresistible desire led her on.