Weekend Duty (1)
Weekend Duty (1)
Wednesday afternoon.
"Those of you staying behind, sort yourselves out. The ones heading back to the dormitories, you know the drill~"
Kang Han-na surveyed the groaning students, hummed a cheerful tune, and sauntered out of the Sparring Arena.
-What a demon...
-Fucking money grubber.
-Ugh!! I thought we'd be rid of her once we became second-years...!!
-...The really fucked up part is that it actually works.
Using the perfectly reasonable excuse of building combat experience, Kang Han-na had once again taken out her stress on the students.
The moment she was gone, the students gnashed their teeth, faces twisting as the curses poured out.
Not all of them, though.
"She mentioned she'd stop by the Student Council room."
Wiping the sweat trickling down her cheek with a towel, Nam Seo-hee turned her head.
"Yeah. Just a quick greeting with the Disciplinary Committee members."
While everyone else was either exhausted or drenched in sweat that soaked through their training clothes, Baek Ha-na—somehow still perfectly dry—answered as she peeled off her fingerless gloves.
"Then I'll wait for you at the dormitory."
"I'll message you if it looks like I'll be late."
"Okay."
Baek Ha-na gathered her things and headed to the locker room. Since she hadn't sweated at all, she changed back into her uniform quickly and left the Sparring Arena for the Main Building.
"Oh? Miss Ha-na?"
Jaden, who had just finished a lecture and was heading to his research lab, spotted Baek Ha-na looking around the Main Building lobby and spoke first.
"Hello."
They'd seen each other a few times before, and she knew he got along well with Baek Woo-jin, so Baek Ha-na approached Jaden without hesitation.
"What brings you to the Main Building?"
"I have a quick thing to take care of at the Student Council room."
"The Student Council... then I suppose Miss I-seul invited you."
"Not exactly invited—I joined as a Disciplinary Committee member."
"Ah-ha."
Jaden nodded in understanding at her answer.
At Arena Academy, first-year students were exempt from all extracurricular activities, so joining the Student Council—let alone any clubs—was prohibited. Because of that, all new recruits naturally had to be second-years.
"I'm headed that way myself. Allow me to show you."
"Thank you."
"Haha, it's nothing."
Baek Ha-na followed Jaden across the lobby and into the elevator.
"If you're on the Disciplinary Committee, Miss Ha-na, I doubt many incidents will happen among the second-years."
"I hope so."
No—it had to be that way.
So she could spend her time fully with Baek Woo-jin.
"Well, conflicts will happen eventually—incidents are bound to flare up. Still, anyone with half a brain would steer clear of causing trouble on your duty days, wouldn't they?"
Ding─
The elevator stopped on the fourth floor.
"To the left is the Faculty Meeting Room. To the right, you'll find the Student Council room and the other club rooms."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. The Student Council room is at the very end of the right corridor—just keep going straight. See you."
Baek Ha-na gave a slight bow to Jaden, who was waving lightly through the closing elevator doors, then turned right as he'd instructed.
'Looks a lot bigger than it did from outside.'
The corridor was far longer and wider than she'd imagined. Baek Ha-na blinked with curiosity and walked on in search of the Student Council room. A few minutes passed.
[ Student Council ]
At the very end of the hallway, where a wall might have been, a large door bore the sign. Baek Ha-na confirmed it and turned the handle, stepping inside.
"Excuse m—"
"Ha-na!!"
Baek Ha-na tilted her head at the blonde girl who had sprung up from the central sofa like a coiled spring and was now rushing toward her—Jane Moore.
"Jane?"
"Yes!! It's me!!"
"Oh, um, er..."
Jane Moore grabbed both of Baek Ha-na's hands and shook them with the vigor of a comically enthusiastic handshake. Baek Ha-na smiled awkwardly and went along with it.
"Welcome. And Jane? I believe I told you to sit quietly. Have you already forgotten?"
"Eep... I-I was just so happy to see her."
At Yoon I-seul's sudden appearance, Jane Moore flinched and quickly released Baek Ha-na's hands, stepping back.
Only then did Yoon I-seul greet Baek Ha-na with her usual gentle, innocent smile.
"If it were up to me, I'd have us sit down for a longer conversation, but since you have personal plans this afternoon, I'll keep this to a brief introduction."
Yoon I-seul stepped aside, and the central seating area came into full view. Eight men and women rose from their seats.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Kang Chan-woo, fourth-year."
"I'm Jeon Hyo-seong, also a fourth-year."
"I'm a third-year..."
Two fourth-years.
Six third-years.
Jane Moore was Yoon I-seul's presidential aide, unaffiliated with the Disciplinary Committee, so she was excluded.
That made eight introductions in total.
"I'm Baek Ha-na, a second-year. I look forward to working with you."
As Baek Ha-na bowed her head slightly in greeting, everyone in the Student Council room—Yoon I-seul included—offered a light round of welcoming applause.
"Originally I intended to give you the position of Disciplinary Committee Head, but since you declined, I'll treat you as a regular committee member."
"Yes. That's easier for me too."
"Hehe, very well. But as I promised at the start, I won't burden you with petty tasks, so don't worry. We still need to recruit three more second-years anyway."
"Oh, but I don't mind if you do assign me things..."
"I can't allow that. You're the one who brought Professor Baek to us, after all. Please let me keep at least some of my promises."
"Ah... okaaay..."
After living together for about a month, Baek Ha-na had learned that Yoon I-seul was surprisingly stubborn. Sensing the conversation would only drag on, she decided not to push back and accepted the arrangement.
"Any questions, or anything else you'd like to say?"
"Um, when do I start duty?"
"Originally I planned to rotate the current members until the second-year roster was full, but Professor Baek specifically told me to put you on the schedule right away."
"Pr... the professor did?"
"Yes. So we need to adjust the rotation slightly. I'll send the schedule to you by email no later than lunchtime tomorrow."
Baek Ha-na answered with a single nod.
"If there's nothing else, you're free to go. I apologize for calling you all the way here just for introductions."
"No, it was on my way back to the dormitory anyway."
"Hehe, I appreciate you seeing it that way."
Baek Ha-na glanced at her smartwatch.
Pm 04 : 16
She could have stayed to chat a little longer, but the eight students and one foreigner were all staring at her with such intensity that she decided to leave.
**
"I'm back~"
"Excuse us."
With her Student Council business done, Baek Ha-na returned to the dormitory and, as usual, set off toward the mansion with her friends.
"Hm-hm~"
More than her upcoming training session with Claire, it was the thought of seeing Baek Woo-jin that delighted her. Baek Ha-na was humming a tuneless song as she stepped into the entryway to change into her slippers—
Sniff.
'...?'
Claire's strong scent permeated the entryway from all directions, and Baek Ha-na's head tilted naturally.
The coat rack, the shelves—her scent clung to every piece of furniture she frequently touched. The fact that it smelled of her at all wasn't strange. But today, the density and spread were unnaturally heavy, almost overwhelming.
And faintly woven into the gaps...
"What're you standing around like a dope for?"
"Ah, sorry."
Idni's light tap on the shoulder brought Baek Ha-na back to her senses. She scratched her cheek and started walking again.
"Huh, she's not here?"
"Yeah."
Claire, who should have been in the kitchen preparing dinner at this hour, was nowhere to be seen. Idni and Maria exchanged puzzled looks.
"Maybe she's in the study?"
"Ah, right."
They quickly concluded she must have stepped away to bring Baek Woo-jin his coffee, and the group's steps naturally turned toward the study.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Baek Ha-na knocked on the study door—something she very rarely did.
-Come in.
Permission came before she could say a word.
She carefully turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open.
"...?"
She blinked at Baek Woo-jin, who was sitting alone at the front of the study, looking over some kind of documents.
"Where's Claire?"
"Resting in the bedroom."
"...?"
At Baek Woo-jin's reply, question marks floated over the heads of Baek Ha-na and the others.
Resting in the bedroom.
Who, and why?
"Claire isn't feeling well, so today's training is canceled. Take it easy until dinner."
"Uh, but... is— is she sick?"
"Yes."
Baek Woo-jin, still looking at his documents, lifted his head and gestured with his chin toward the firmly shut bedroom door.
"She's awake. Go on in."
"O-okay..."
"Excuse us..."
With Baek Ha-na leading, the group tiptoed into the study and stopped before the bedroom door.
-Come in.
This time, permission came before they even knocked. Baek Ha-na and the others entered the bedroom.
-Peep!!
The Fairy perched on Claire's shoulder greeted them first.
"Welcome, Miss Ha-na."
Claire, dressed in light sleepwear, greeted the children with an awkward smile.
"...Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'll be fine after a day's rest. There's really no need to worry."
On the surface, Claire's condition seemed no different from usual—except for the white patches covering her neck and shoulders like pain relief strips.
"You're really okay...?"
Baek Ha-na's eyes kept darting to the white patches covering Claire's neck and shoulders as she asked, genuine worry in her voice.
"Of— of course. It's just muscle soreness. Truly, there's no need to worry."
Claire averted her gaze—a rare sight—and Baek Ha-na's expression grew darker.
"Claire... don't be hurt..."
"Y-yes..."
"Do you need anything?"
"No... I'm fine."
"Okay. We'll leave you alone, so get some proper rest."
Not wanting to disturb Claire's recovery, Baek Ha-na practically herded the group out of the bedroom. She sent her friends out of the study first, then—
"Woo-jin."
"What."
She drew close to Baek Woo-jin, stuck out her lower lip, and whispered softly.
"Don't make Claire hurt. You're stronger than she is."
"...I'll try."
"Are you watching me?"
"...Shut up."
"Tch."
Baek Woo-jin's response was a little gruffer than usual. Baek Ha-na puffed out her cheeks adorably and stepped away from him.
"Also, I want spaghetti for dinner tonight."
"...Noted."
"Heehee, see you later~"
Baek Ha-na smiled softly and left the study.
"Let's head to our rooms."
"They're literally right there."
Baek Ha-na nodded at Idni's reply.
"But why do you all look like someone died? The Executor's human too—she can get hurt. Right?"
"True."
"And it's not like she's seriously injured. So relax your faces and just be grateful we get to take it easy today."
"That's a bit—"
"Oh, whatever."
Baek Ha-na and Idni chatted quietly as they walked down the corridor.
"Sh-shall we...?"
Maria, Nam Seo-hee, Lee Na-young.
Faces deeply flushed, the three silently followed behind the two whose innocence seemed to shine especially bright today.