Weekend Duty (2)
Weekend Duty (2)
Beep-beep-beep──
......Tap!!
As soon as the smartwatch alarm at the bedside rang, a pale arm shot out and silenced it.
Whoosh!!
At the same moment, two legs in fluffy pajamas kicked the blanket aside, and the girl sat up abruptly.
Clear, transparent blue eyes—hardly those of a person just waking—blinked a couple of times.
"Saturday......."
She murmured the day of the week as she climbed out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom.
Shhhh──!!
Through the gap of the slightly open bathroom door, thick steam began to seep out.
"Phew~"
Baek Ha-na came out of the bathroom with a towel draped over her wet hair, her warm shower finished.
Thud.
The sopping wet towel flew through the air and landed right in the basket. With her hair still slightly damp, Baek Ha-na roughly combed it with a white comb, then quickly ran to the closet, stripped off her pajamas, and changed into her school uniform.
"Good."
After double-checking that her outfit was neat, Baek Ha-na gave a satisfied nod and put the smartwatch she had left on the pillow back on her wrist.
Sat · AM 06:21
Confirming she had time to spare, Baek Ha-na took a sandwich-Ha-na from the fridge, popped it in her mouth, and walked out of the dorm.
Munch munch.
With each slight movement of her jaw and lips, the sandwich-Ha-na disappeared into Baek Ha-na's mouth, and her previously slender cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk's.
Gulp.
After neatly stowing the sandwich-Ha-na away in her stomach, Baek Ha-na walked through the empty streets and began to hum a soft little tune.
Two days ago, at lunch on Thursday.
Yoon I-seul, as promised, had sent a temporary schedule via email. And Baek Ha-na had no trouble finding her own name on it.
Because today, two days later, was her first duty shift.
"Hmm~ hmm-hm~♪"
No one who isn't eccentric would love having their weekend freedom stolen. But even without being eccentric, given the right conditions, anyone could come to welcome it.
Just like the Baek Ha-na humming right now.
-What, are you off work?
-...I'm going to buy coffee.
-Hey, if you're gonna doze off, do it in your lab.
-Kill me.......
Having slipped into the main building, Baek Ha-na carefully walked past assistant professors and associate professors shambling through the lobby like zombies and stopped in front of the elevator.
-Don't look away.
-Didn't you get Professor Jaden's notice?
-You got Professor Cheon's email, right? We should look away too.
'......?'
While waiting for the elevator, Baek Ha-na tilted her head as the gazes that had been turning her way quickly averted.
Ding-
But before she could ponder it, the elevator arrived, and Baek Ha-na quickly shrugged it off and stepped inside.
Beep-
Her destination was the second floor.
It would have been faster to walk, but embarrassingly, aside from visits to the Disciplinary Committee and the Student Council, this was only her third time here, so Baek Ha-na still didn't know where the stairs were.
So, after reaching the second floor by elevator, Baek Ha-na set off in search of the 'Central Control Room'.
Fortunately, Yoon I-seul had told her beforehand that the Central Control Room was next to the Administration Department, so finding her way wasn't hard.
After all, she had visited the Administration Department once before, during the incident with Na Ju-hee.
[ Central Control Room ]
A sign affixed above the large door.
Baek Ha-na stood before it, knocked lightly, then carefully pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"Oh? Ah, you must be the relief."
"I'm Baek Ha-na."
The spacious room looked more like a study than a control room.
Baek Ha-na bowed toward the professor sitting at the desk by the window and entered.
"Let's see... you're early, there's still some time left. Have a seat and wait comfortably."
"Ah, yes."
With the considerate suggestion of the gentle-looking middle-aged professor, Baek Ha-na sat on the sofa and waited for the time to come.
Click.
She heard the door handle turn behind her, but Baek Ha-na didn't bother to look. It was a presence she'd felt a few days ago.
"Report to the Administrative... ahem."
The male student, a year above her—a member of the Guidance Department she had greeted in the Student Council room—spotted Baek Ha-na sitting upright on the sofa, hastily cleared his throat, and approached the professor.
"I've returned after completing my patrol of Sector C."
"What's with the act?"
"...I don't know what you mean."
"Good grief."
His face heating up, the male student shot a resentful glare at the duty professor, but the middle-aged professor only chuckled and shrugged.
But thankfully, or perhaps not, Baek Ha-na had no interest in their exchange. Her attention was entirely fixed on the smartwatch on her wrist.
Sat · AM 07:00
The instant the display changed, the control room door opened.
"Ah, you've arrived."
"......!!"
The middle-aged professor, who had been chatting at his desk, shot to his feet, and the male student also stiffened and quickly stepped aside.
Tap— tap—
At the sharp, distinct sound of dress shoes, Baek Ha-na rose from the sofa, fighting to keep the corners of her mouth from lifting. And as Baek Woo-jin silently walked past her, her mood began to lift.
"Anything to report."
"Nothing."
Baek Woo-jin gave a small nod.
"Good work."
"Yes, sir. I'll be off then."
The middle-aged professor bowed very formally, then led the stiffly frozen male student quickly out of the control room. And the moment the door closed.
"Hehe~"
Baek Ha-na's sharp eyes softened into gentle crescents, and with a slightly dopey smile, she approached Baek Woo-jin.
"...Baek Ha-na."
"Hm? What?"
Baek Woo-jin looked down at her, and his gaze prompted Baek Ha-na to blink innocently, as if she didn't know what he meant.
After watching her reaction for a moment, Baek Woo-jin let out a brief sigh, then gently took her shoulders and turned her around.
"I don't know how many times I have to tell you."
Smoothing down her still-damp, clumped-together hair with his hand, Baek Woo-jin continued.
"Dry your hair properly. It's still chilly out."
"Okay. Hehe~"
"Don't smile like that in public. You look like a fool."
"Hmph~ I'm not a fool."
"......."
Baek Woo-jin had been about to add something, but instead he closed his mouth and focused on tidying Baek Ha-na's hair.
Rustle.
"Uh, Woo-jin?"
Startled by Baek Woo-jin's hand suddenly slipping past her shoulder and into his chest pocket, Baek Ha-na flinched, her shoulders jumping involuntarily.
'Ah.......'
But when she saw the hair tie caught in his hand, she quickly managed to compose herself.
Slide.
The sound of the hair tie sliding was accompanied by the warmth pulling away. Baek Ha-na turned around, a hint of regret mixing in.
"So, what should I do now?"
"......."
Even if it was her first time, the basic rules and routine were set, so there was no reason to ask such a question if she'd read the manual.
Baek Woo-jin looked down at Baek Ha-na's upturned face for a moment, then turned away.
"Breakfast."
"I ate a sandwich."
Considering her usual appetite, that was woefully insufficient, but Baek Ha-na answered as if it were nothing.
In response, Baek Woo-jin picked up the briefcase from the desk and headed for the sofa.
"Sit."
"Hehe."
Without asking why, Baek Ha-na beamed and plopped down right next to him.
Baek Woo-jin's lips parted slightly, then closed again as if nothing had happened.
Instead, he opened the briefcase on the table in front of the sofa and began taking out an elegant lunch box.
Having observed Baek Ha-na through her ring, he'd known her meal had been lacking and had prepared this.
"Wow, spaghetti!!"
Baek Ha-na, whose tastes had never changed, swallowed hard at the savory aroma of spaghetti topped with roasted tomatoes and plenty of sauce, and cream stew.
"Eat."
"Hehe, I'll dig i—..."
Her guard completely down, Baek Ha-na paused with her fork halfway to the spaghetti.
"Um, is this really okay?"
As far as she knew, they were supposed to start patrolling the academy grounds as soon as the shift changed.
"Don't worry about it. Just eat."
"......Okay."
Seeing Baek Woo-jin pour instant coffee into the thermos lid and drink it, Baek Ha-na began emptying the lunch box, trying to hide the sneaking smile tugging at her lips.
"Phew~"
Having polished off every last bit of food in a flash, Baek Ha-na patted her slightly bloated stomach.
"...At least wipe your mouth."
"Wipe it for me~"
"......."
He used to do it for her often, so Baek Ha-na puckered her lips slightly at Baek Woo-jin, half-joking. After all, it was rare to see him flustered.
Rustle.
'......?'
But the moment the wet wipe in Baek Woo-jin's hand touched her lips, it wasn't him who got flustered—it was her.
"I-I'll do it... myself."
Overwhelmed by a sudden rush of embarrassment, Baek Ha-na quickly snatched the wipe from his hand and scrubbed at her mouth.
While Baek Ha-na wiped her lips, Baek Woo-jin put the empty containers back into his briefcase and tidied the table.
"Woo-jin......."
Sneaking a glance at him, Baek Ha-na hid the used wipe behind her hand and asked:
"So, what should I do now?"
In answer to her question, Baek Woo-jin stood up from the sofa.
"Until the sun sets, focus on inspecting the old buildings. If you find any students inside, record their information and report it by message."
The Guidance Department's role wasn't mediating disputes.
Most fights could be resolved through duels, so there was no reason to mediate.
The real role of the Guidance Department was to patrol unused old buildings and secluded spots where people rarely went, rooting out any potential illegal activity.
That was the department's true purpose, and the rule was for the duty member to patrol alone while the sun was up. Baek Ha-na was already well aware of all this.
But.
"Woo-jin......?"
Baek Ha-na crept up to Baek Woo-jin, who was leaning against the chair by the sunlit desk. She crouched beside him, resting her chin on his thigh and tilting her head up to look at him.
"I still don't really know my way around......."
Then, tilting her head further to press her cheek against his thigh, she continued.
"Couldn't you come with me... just for today...?"