The Only Guardian -2-
“Ughhh!!!”
Back in her cramped room, Clara flung herself onto the bed, clutching a pillow and rolling around wildly.
Her pale legs kicked against the mattress—thump thump thump. She couldn’t hold still otherwise.
—Just pet me then...
The desire that had slipped unconsciously from her lips, and Rohan’s compliant touch in response.
Those two things coursed through her body, generating heat like a furnace gone haywire.
'Rohan petting my head... I must be crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy.'
The girl was bewildered by her own actions. And mortified to the point her mind felt like it might snap.
“Hooow...”
Lifting her head from the pillow, Clara pressed the back of her hand to her feverish cheeks, trying to cool them. They felt like burning coals.
It had subsided quite a bit since the petting, but it was still this bad—what kind of face had she made back then?
'Me?'
For the first time—truly for the first time—her mind was a whirlwind.
Not about her future tasks with Rohan, but about her own state.
'Do I just want Rohan to praise me? Or...'
Even a girl just starting to live a normal life could guess at these feelings.
Having spent her days immersed in subculture, she knew all about the relationships between men and women inside out.
But the foundation of it all—'love.' That emotion drew different reactions from every character, with triggers as varied as the stars.
'No way. It's only been a little while since we met... Just fondness? Like, he's a good guy...?'
That uncertainty became a refuge for Clara, who couldn’t quite stretch her legs out yet.
She’d seen plenty of confessions get rejected, relationships crumbling in the aftermath.
Wasn’t it terrifying?
Of course, those were just from games and anime, not reality.
“...”
That was exactly why the girl was scared—afraid—to pin a definitive label on this feeling.
Even without confessing, the moment she named it and nailed it down, who knew how things might change.
“!”
The instructor—that red-haired beauty!
Just thinking of her inspired terror. Standing before her, Clara’s voice wouldn’t even come out. She gulped.
'Wh-what do I do? With my current skills, I can’t win...'
For some reason, the girl’s thoughts veered in that direction.
“...”
Her fever cooled in an instant. Calmly, she rose from the bed.
She’d probably need an ice-cold shower right away.
And though Clara herself couldn’t say why...
Right now, training felt more urgent than any game.
“Wow!”
So this is what the academy city’s top-tier residential facilities look like.
Following Juyeon, Rohan walked through the luxurious entrance, letting out a transparent gasp of admiration.
Juyeon smiled silently at the sight, punched in the code, and grasped the door handle—but paused for a split second.
'Did I put away all the underwear from the drying rack...?'
She always kept the house tidy and chores up to date, but you never knew.
Plus, she remembered leaving the lights on in her rush to leave.
“Rohan.”
“Yes!”
“Sorry. Can you wait a moment?”
“Of course.”
As an unplanned guest, Rohan understood.
He used the wait to text Clara.
How long had he stood there before Juyeon finally returned?
*Beep ring!*
The door swung open, revealing Juyeon—not in her suit, but in comfortable casual clothes. A rare sight in Abyss City.
“Sorry to keep you waiting when you’re not feeling well. Come in.”
“No, no! Pardon the intrusion!”
Juyeon’s home radiated a subtle, cozy warmth.
The kind of pleasant temperature that made you want to lean against something and drift off.
“Make yourself comfortable. Rest is the best medicine right now.”
“Yes! It’s huge—I’ve never seen a place like this.”
“All that space does is make it harder to maintain. I barely use most of it.”
As Juyeon said, even the hallway to the living room was long and wide.
Yet everything was impeccably neat.
'A reflection of the instructor’s personality.'
Not a speck of dust in the corners. Meticulous.
The spacious area that seemed to be the living room was just as pristine—like a model home under careful management.
His eyes caught the digital clock floating on the glass window.
[00:04:32 Sunday]
Glancing at the time, Rohan spoke naturally.
“Ah, the day’s already gone.”
“So it has. Sunday already.”
Rohan reflected: What a packed day from dawn to dusk.
Meeting Noah, studying, part-time at the bookstore where Noah and Clara hit it off, then back to the dorms with Clara, dismantling an entire organization.
Culminating in arriving at Juyeon’s and hitting Sunday—a masterpiece of a Saturday.
'Nice. I like it.'
Unlike his previous life, this vibrant daily routine filled him with joy.
He could keep pushing forward.
“It’s late—best to sleep soon. I’ll give you toiletries; wash up simply and head to the bedroom.”
Since he’d already applied medicine to his wounds, Juyeon advised keeping them dry tonight. Rohan pondered briefly.
Looking around at the closed doors, he asked on a whim.
“Hey, Instructor! I have a question.”
“Speak.”
“Does this house have multiple bedrooms?”
Juyeon’s face showed she didn’t grasp his intent at first.
Then understanding dawned. Her lips curved faintly.
“Only one. You’re the first guest I’ve ever brought here.”
“Uh... What an honor!”
“Heh, showing some unexpected nerves.”
She said it teasingly, but it was true—Rohan was her first non-family male guest ever.
She’d never invited even a man to the academy city residence provided by the dean, let alone any guests.
Her home in Samhwa Nation was much the same.
The house in her homeland was shared with her parents. Friends visited occasionally, but all women.
This was truly a first in her life.
“One bed, but don’t worry. The instructor has no intention of sleeping tonight.”
“Maybe—.”
As Rohan started to voice his guess, Juyeon cut him off.
Her presence brooked no argument.
“I’m not staying up just for your sake—don’t fret.”
“...”
“Just curious about the rest of this book I set aside. Missing one night’s sleep won’t hurt this body.”
Security bureau contacts might come regarding on-site investigations or remnants.
Those were calls for her, the guardian, anyway.
“Go wash up. This should cover it—most essentials are inside.”
Opening a shelf, Juyeon handed him a toothbrush.
With no shower tonight, it was enough.
Rohan finished washing his face and brushing quickly.
Meanwhile, Juyeon sipped fresh coffee and delivered regrettable news.
“Sadly, none of my clothes would fit you. Sizes don’t match.”
“It’s fine. These are comfortable enough.”
In raw power, she outclassed him, but visually, Rohan’s build and height edged hers out.
No clothes to borrow was inevitable.
“That open door is the bedroom. Go sleep.”
“No way. I’ll take the sofa!”
“Hm. Ignoring your instructor? You’re coming off more and more like a problem child.”
“...Pardon the intrusion into the bedroom.”
Sensing arguments were futile, Rohan bowed quickly.
Juyeon followed, saying she’d see him tucked in.
“Not too cold? I can raise the temperature.”
“Perfect. Ideal warmth—close my eyes and I’ll be out instantly.”
“...”
How he chattered on.
Juyeon couldn’t help but chuckle in exasperation.
As Rohan marveled at the luxurious pillow’s feel, he called out to Juyeon leaving the room.
“Instructor.”
“Hm?”
“Tomorrow after waking, heading to the training room...?”
Before he finished, Juyeon’s eyes sharpened.
Her gaze burned like fire.
“I won’t allow it. Begging to be under my watch until fully healed?”
“No! I was just about to say I should rest...”
He’d expected it, but he’d miss Ichinose’s face—like the start of the day.
A shame, really.
“But I’ll go to my part-time job.”
“Get permission first. As the security officer said, the bounty and merits will be substantial.”
A concession she’d normally block—but not tonight.
Having secured his promise to skip work with a few words, Juyeon uncrossed her arms and reached for the light switch.
“Instructor.”
“More to say?”
“The most important part.”
“...What?”
Satisfied as she leaned in, Rohan lifted his head from the pillow with a grin and got to it.
“Thank you so much today. If I meet you in my dreams, I’ll thank you again.”
“...”
With that, he plopped back and closed his eyes.
Juyeon let out a hollow laugh, turned off the light, and left.
..
..
3 a.m.
Juyeon sat in the living room, leisurely reading.
Her phone lay beside her for any incoming calls.
*Rustle. Rustle.*
How many pages had she turned?
—If I go that way, the path...
Rohan’s voice leaked from the bedroom.
Juyeon’s sharp hearing caught it instantly. She rose silently and headed there.
Stepping lightly.
Entering, she saw Rohan groaning on the bed.
“Gotta kill... ugh...”
A nightmare?
Even with eyes closed, his pained expression painted the emotions clearly.
“Break through this path... and... I can live...”
Every sleep-mumbled word was the same.
Desperate struggles to survive.
“...”
Reliving his Southern Ruins days?
Juyeon felt an indescribable emotion at this unfamiliar side of him.
'Never seen this at the academy.'
Always polite, forcing smiles.
Maybe masks for mental scars.
Juyeon stepped closer to the bed.
Reached out carefully.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry.”
“Mm...”
She soothed him gently to avoid waking, wiping cold sweat with a warm hand.
His face eased a little.
Juyeon smiled tenderly, sat on the bed’s edge.
And waited for him to calm.