No One Who Buys You a Meal Is a Bad Person (1)

The lesson with the teacher ended in a rather serious atmosphere. 'All dimensional beasts are the enemies of supernatural ability users.' The teacher looked so exhausted and drained as she spoke those words that I couldn't bring myself to add anything and could only remain silent. She did lighten the mood right after, but... how should I put it? It felt like I'd caught a small glimpse of what it truly meant to live as a supernatural ability user.

Ah, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠really didn't want anything like this. Where had my ordinary, peaceful life as Baek Seol gone?

Well, that was that. For now, I'd be satisfied with the fact that today's classes were completely over.

After packing my things and returning to the dormitory, I took a quick shower, changed into comfortable clothes, and dove straight into bed.

"Ughhh."

Maybe it was the tension from the first day, but even though I hadn't actually done much when I thought about the time spent, my whole body felt sore and exhausted. Having to repeat this exact routine every single day made going to school seem far too harsh....

...Then just how difficult were the lives of office workers who had to work from nine in the morning until six in the evening every day with no vacation at all? Suddenly I didn't want to become an adult anymore.

"Yaaawn...."

I tossed and turned, searching for the most comfortable position, and turned on my phone. The time was still only four thirty. Both the morning and afternoon classes had wrapped up quickly since it was the first session, so it wasn't that late yet. But once this week passed, things would definitely get busy starting next week....

Hmm. I'd think about that when the time came. For now, I'd enjoy this freedom.

I clicked the messenger and sent my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reply to Na-rae. After a moment of hesitation, I added one more line. Na-rae needed to escape F-rank, and since we'd be doing the practicals together, I needed to make an effort if we wanted a good score. It seemed like a good idea to hear about her ability and spend some time thinking about how best to utilize it.

I even finished by sending an emoticon of a crudely drawn character waving its hand—the kind that looked like it had been sketched on a paint app. Its poor quality somehow had its own charm. With my mission complete, I closed my eyes and smiled softly.

"Hehe."

It had been... well, a whole year since I'd last messaged someone like this. The feeling was strangely new. Before the semester started, I'd been worried I'd have to eat every meal alone without any friends, but... I'd managed to make one on the very first day. At this rate, my social skills weren't that terrible—

"What are you doing?"

"Kyaaaaaaaak!"

The sudden finger poking my cheek made me flinch violently. I twisted my entire body and shot upright from my lying position.

Thud—

"Ow!"

While twisting, my wrist slammed into the wall with a dull sound, and pain surged through me.

"Ugh.... Ow...."

The momentary flinch was followed by a delayed wave of intense pain. All I could do was lean my head against the wall and groan....

"Pfft."

When I finally calmed down and turned around, there stood my roommate, trying (and failing rather obviously) to hold back her laughter. Her mouth kept twitching.

I hadn't even heard the door open. When on earth had she come in...?

"Uh, when.... The door...."

Still trembling from the pain with teary eyes, I looked at her. She lifted one corner of her mouth and answered.

"Ah, it was annoying so I just used my ability to come in."

Shwoosh— Her playfully raised hand turned into smoke and then returned to normal.

"...Is that possible?"

So she could use her ability to move even through narrow gaps like a door crack? That was far more impressive than I'd thought. But then why hadn't she done that last time and just stood in front of the door instead...?

"Then last time, why...."

"Hm? That's because barging in without getting a key and entering properly after receiving one are two different things."

"I-I see."

The unexpectedly sensible and logical answer left me with no choice but to agree. I'd thought she was the type to tear laws and rules apart like sheets of paper, but apparently she was more reasonable than expected—except for the smoking, of course.

Except for the smoking.

"Hmm. Your eyes look weird."

"Ehh? Ah, no, they're not."

I avoided my roommate's suspicious gaze, then suddenly remembered something important.

"Ah! Now that I think about it, earlier...."

I hadn't received a greeting back during morning class! I'd worked up the courage to wave first since we were roommates.... Ugh, the embarrassment was overwhelming....

But now that I'd brought it up, complaining about not getting a greeting back seemed incredibly pathetic. Anyone watching would think I'd been desperate to be friends and got rejected. It wasn't like that at all!

"...Hm?"

When I spoke and then fell silent, my roommate frowned and made that expression. Scary.... No, the words were already out, so I might as well ask. We'd be sharing a room for at least a year; I couldn't keep living like a scared little mouse forever.

I gathered my courage and continued.

"I waved my... my hand...."

"Hm...? What did you say?"

Why wouldn't the words come out? Get it together, Baek Seol. This was important for taking the lead in our relationship!

"Why didn't you respond to my greeting earlier?!"

I'd managed to yell it, but my voice cracked pathetically at the end.

"...Pfft."

"...?"

"Pffft.... Puhak. Puhahahat...."

The words I'd said with such seriousness were rendered meaningless as my roommate suddenly burst out laughing. She bent over at the waist, tears streaming down her face.

...No. I'd said it a bit stupidly, but was it really that funny? Just what kind of image did this person have of me that she exploded into laughter at everything I said?

"Hoo... hoo...."

After some time passed, she finally calmed down, wiped her tears, and looked at me.

"Ah, sorry, sorry. You were upset I didn't return your greeting?"

"...! Who said I was upset...!"

"You're kind of cute, you know?"

W-what did she just say?

"But during class, you should focus on the lesson."

"...!"

"Isn't it the fault of the person who got distracted waving at a student from another class? Still, since you put it like that, I'll make sure to return your greeting next time."

Ugh. The logic was sound, so why was I so annoyed? Had I always been this weak at reasoning?

"Hey, give it here."

While I stood there huffing, unable to find a comeback, she suddenly held out her open palm.

"...?"

What was this? Was this what she wanted...? I placed one hand on it, feeling suspicious.

"...Your phone. Give me your phone."

"Ah, the phone."

Ah, the phone.... She wanted my phone.... Feeling my face turn bright red in real time, I grabbed the phone lying haphazardly on the bed and handed it to her.

"Unlock the pattern too."

"Why, why...?"

"Come on now."

The way she spoke to me was like scolding a pet dog. At this point, the feeling of absurdity had grown stronger than any anger.

...Still, I didn't have the nerve to protest, so I unlocked the pattern. Just try doing something weird. I'll report you.

Contrary to my worries, she took the phone, entered her own number, saved it, and handed it back.

"...What's with the heart?"

"Hm? You seem to like me a lot, so I added it so you wouldn't feel embarrassed. Do you like it?"

"...."

...Let's just not say anything.

More importantly, was this woman always like this? It was much better than the scary atmosphere that made it impossible to even talk to her, and the joking around was nice, but still....

"Hm. It's five o'clock. Hey. Did you eat?"

"Yes? Ah, no. Not yet...."

I'd been holding my phone, debating whether to change the name, when her voice made ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me turn my head. Our eyes met and she grinned at me.

"Really? Then let's go eat."

"Eat? Are we going to the cafeteria?"

"No, I'm thinking of heading into the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠city."

Huh? The academy had one of the best cafeterias around. Was there any reason to spend money eating outside? And more than that, why did I have to eat with her?

Hmph. My body and mind were exhausted from everything that had happened today, and I was about to refuse when she continued.

"All-you-can-eat tteokbokki."

"...!"

"I'll buy."

"...!"

Hmm. Then it couldn't be helped.

"I'll eat well."

My principle is that there is no such thing as a bad person among those who buy you a meal.