Training Feels Like the Real Thing
"I'm home."
"Gangjin, is that you?"
The moment I stepped inside, I saw Dad in the kitchen, scooping freshly cooked white rice into a bowl. "Yeah. Where's Mom?"
"She went out with her friends today." Dad took a spoonful of the steaming rice and looked at me. "You must be hungry. Let's have dinner, just the two of us."
I ate with Dad and we talked about all sorts of things. The underground waterway battle that had been the student council's first real fight, the upcoming midterms, and the upcoming Residue Intensive Cleanup. I still felt a bit too embarrassed to mention Jinny, the spirit living in my butt.
"Like I always say..." Dad spoke comfortably while eating. "If you always do your best, good results will follow."
He gave me a thumbs-up. "I'm rooting for you."
"Yes, thank you."
We exchanged warm smiles. After finishing the meal, I washed the dishes and headed to my room.
"Still, these are midterms...!"
I changed into comfortable clothes and sat down at my desk, deciding to study a bit. Since this was my first midterm at Gaon High, I didn't want to mess it up.
"Oh, you're studying?"
Jinny's voice came from inside my butt.
"If you're taking the test anyway, might as well get a good score, right?"
"What a perfect model student."
Jinny let out a big yawn, sounding bored. "Haaam, yeah, study hard!"
Then, in a drowsy tone, she added, "I'm going to sleep first. I got a bit drained today."
"Alright. Sleep well, Jinny."
Once Jinny fell asleep and silence settled in, I continued studying. I have no idea how long I kept at it. The only memory I have is of crushing exhaustion suddenly hitting me like a truck. I got up, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and then collapsed into bed.
When I opened my eyes, another new morning had arrived without fail. It was a bright day like any other. The familiar scenery and atmosphere greeted me as usual. As I got off the bus and walked up the hill to school, I thought about Senior Gangcheol from yesterday.
He has mana purity similar to an Original spirit...?
But no matter how I looked at it, Senior Gangcheol didn't seem to possess the kind of overwhelming mana that would scare Jinny. He looked like he'd trained hard—his muscles were practically screaming for attention—so his physical strength was probably incredible. Still...
Since we'd be sharing responsibility for the western abandoned factory district, I'd probably get to see that power with my own eyes soon enough.
Lost in thought, I suddenly found myself standing in front of the classroom door. The moment I slid it open, the fragrant smell of sausage bread hit me.
"Hey, Baek Gangjin! What's with that face?"
Deokgu, who was near the back door, locked eyes with me.
"You look like someone who stayed up all night squeezing out every drop of mana!"
Deokgu's cheerful shout stabbed me like a dagger. There were crumbs from the cafeteria sausage bread stuck to the corner of his mouth as he examined my complexion. Next to him, Bora, who had been neatly organizing her notes, looked up with worried eyes.
"He's right... Gangjin, are you feeling sick?"
"Huh? I'm really fine."
I glanced at the wall mirror near the back door. Was my complexion that bad? The reflection staring back at me looked completely normal, just like always. Nothing seemed off.
"Was student council work harder than you expected?"
"It's not that. I just stayed up late studying last night, I think."
At my words, Deokgu swallowed his bread and burst out laughing. "Studying my ass! We all know you and Chaeyeon from the class next door have been hanging out ever since you both joined the student council!"
Deokgu's perfect aggro drew whistles and cheers from the other kids across the room.
"Ooh~ Our Gangjin is getting with the class president of Class 2?"
"This is heartbreaking! Ditching your friends for love!"
I waved my hands with an awkward laugh. "What do you mean, getting with? We're just both on the student council, so we hang out sometimes."
Then I looked at Deokgu standing in front of me. "You've been spouting nonsense since morning, Deokgu."
When I shot back at him, Bora smiled brightly and placed a small chocolate on my desk.
"Hang in there, Gangjin."
It was a little milk chocolate. I was actually starting to feel like I needed some sugar.
"You seem like you're doing something really cool in the student council. It makes me happy to see."
"Aw... I haven't really done anything yet."
I gave an embarrassed smile and ate the chocolate Bora gave me.
"You know I'm always on your side, right? If anything happens, you have to tell me."
Bora's warm encouragement made something soft and warm bloom in my chest.
"Thanks, Bora."
Daily life could be this sweet, but the student council had to make sure the upcoming Residue Intensive Cleanup went well.
"Having you as vice president is really reassuring."
The student council was a place that worked hard to protect peaceful days like this. After our short chat, we each returned to our seats and prepared for first period.
At lunchtime, the moment I emptied my tray, I headed to the student council room as if drawn by a magnet. Chaeyeon had suggested we secretly clean the room while the seniors were away, and with its comfortable sofa and delicious desserts, there was no better place to relax.
"Hello!"
When I opened the door, an eerie silence greeted me. Inside, sitting alone on the sofa in the meeting area, was second-year student council member 'J'—Senior Jeong Taeo. He was sharpening mana into the shape of a sharp dagger.
"....."
"....."
A silence so heavy it was hard to even breathe filled the room. Senior Taeo, who had been staring at the dagger, froze the moment his eyes met mine as I brightly entered.
"Hi...?"
Just like how Jinny had trembled at the sight of Senior Gangcheol yesterday, I too felt overwhelmed by the restrained power flowing from Senior Taeo.
"Ah... Hello, Senior."
A strangely awkward atmosphere took over the space. It seemed both Senior Taeo and I were the type who weren't great with new people.
Click—
The frozen silence that could have frozen dust itself was broken as Senior Dohee and Chaeyeon walked in.
"Oh my, why are you two so awkward?"
Senior Dohee patted my frozen shoulder. "Taeo, were you scaring the freshman again?"
She lightened the mood with a playful tone and handed me an iced Americano. "Gangjin, I bought coffee. Want some?"
"Ah, yes! Thank you, Senior."
One cold sip and I finally felt like I could breathe again.
"Gangjin, Chaeyeon. After this Residue Intensive Cleanup period, we'll need more first-years."
Senior Dohee looked at us both. "Do either of you know any first-year friends who might be a good fit for the student council?"
"Our friends?"
At Chaeyeon's question, Senior Dohee gave an easy smile. "Yeah. You two will have to lead the council once you're second-years..."
She sat in the president's chair and took a sip of coffee. "As you know, just the two of you won't be enough. If they're friends you've personally observed and judged, we're willing to trust your judgment and give them a chance."
Chaeyeon and I looked at each other, silently thinking it over for a moment.
"Think about it carefully."
New student council members... Since we'd be looking for people to work with us, it would probably be best if they were friends we already got along with, right? Deokgu...? Or... Bora?
I thought of a few faces before shaking my head.
Let's definitely not include Deokgu, at least.
The moment school ended, Chaeyeon and I headed to Jungshim Taekwondo as if we'd planned it. When we opened the dojo door, the familiar smell of sweat greeted us along with Mr. Lee Cheolsu.
"Oh, our new student council members have arrived!"
He led us to the counseling room and poured three cups of warm adlay tea. I told him about that fleeting moment in the underground waterway when I'd compressed Jinny's mana and fired it. Mr. Lee laughed heartily, looking proud, and patted my shoulder.
"Well done, Gangjin."
As he praised me, he pointed at my butt with both hands. I understood his signal and quietly rubbed my butt to summon Jinny.
In the billowing clouds of mana smoke, Jinny appeared, shining brilliantly.
"Hello, Mister!"
"Yes, yes. You're still full of energy, Jinny."
Jinny and Mr. Cheolsu exchanged light greetings.
"Mana, you see, completely changes in nature depending on how you handle it."
Mr. Cheolsu explained mana manipulation based on my experience in the underground waterway.
"Spread it wide and it becomes a gentle wave. Compress it to a needlepoint and it becomes a drill that can pierce even the hardest rock."
He looked back and forth between Jinny and me.
"To realize that during the urgency of real combat, apply it yourself after watching my sparring... You definitely have talent."
I wanted to learn proper mana manipulation from him.
"Mister, the school is doing something called Residue Intensive Cleanup soon."
"Residue Intensive Cleanup?"
Mr. Lee tilted his head. Seeing his reaction, Chaeyeon continued.
"They say because it's exam season, tons of mana residue is pouring out. The student council is in charge of handling the Residues that get twisted up because of it."
At Chaeyeon's words, Mr. Lee's eyes instantly grew serious.
"Intensive cleanup, huh... Yeah, the time when awakeners' stress condenses in one place must feel like a festival to the Residues."
He looked between Chaeyeon and me, then at Jinny floating in the air.
"The burden you two will have to carry seems much heavier than before."
He fell into thought for a moment.
"Want to come out to the training floor?"
Standing side by side on the flat training mats, Chaeyeon and I listened as Mr. Lee spoke.
"Before you go into actual operations, I want to see how well you two work together."
Jinny, who had been floating freely above my head, was stretching in every direction to loosen up.
"Knowing mana manipulation in your head and mastering it with your body are two completely different things."
Jinny looked at Mr. Lee and said, "Mister, this composition, this background, this development... It's that, right?"
Mr. Lee laughed heartily at her words. "That's right! You two should have a practice match."
Chaeyeon widened her eyes in surprise. "What? I have to fight Gangjin?"
Both she and I had fought Residues before, but neither of us had any experience using our abilities against another awakener.
But I felt like I needed this opportunity.
"It's okay, Chaeyeon. Mister is right."
Before the Residue Intensive Cleanup began and before I headed to the western abandoned factory with Senior Gangcheol, I needed to clearly understand my own limits.
"Checking each other's skills before student council activities really begin is very important."
I slightly bent my knees into a squat stance.
"I also want to experience your full-powered attack."
At my words, Chaeyeon bit her lip for a moment, then nodded with a determined expression.
"Fine. Then I won't hold back, so be ready."
We changed into comfortable doboks for sparring and faced each other on the training mats. Chaeyeon rotated her ankle a little, then got into a kicking stance as she spoke.
"I've been training pretty hard even on normal days."
At the tip of her right foot, blue lightning crackled and rose like fierce flames.
"I'll show you today."
I focused the hot flow of mana rising from my butt on Jinny.
"Ooh! You're finally going to have a match with Chaeyeon?"
As Jinny received my mana and began to glow, she got into a combat stance. "Let's go all out, Gangjin. Don't hold back just because she's a friend."
"Yeah, let's do this."
With Jinny's spirited shout, golden mana mist swirled around me. Mr. Lee raised his hand high in the center, preparing to give the signal.
"What's more important than winning or losing is confirming each other's growth. Ready?"
Chaeyeon and I nodded at the same time. Mr. Lee's hand sliced through the air.
"Then, begin!"
Crackle—
At the signal, Chaeyeon's figure left a blue afterimage and vanished from my sight.