A Delicate Equation
"Let me introduce you to my friend!"
"Who is it?"
Her question carried a chilling undertone.
Even before becoming a Hunter, I had spent years by Chaerin's side.
Because of that, I could read the emotions woven into her voice.
This right now...
Is it jealousy?
I turned to look at Chaerin with a strange expression.
She and I were inseparable best friends.
As such, I had known for a long time that she harbored a deep attachment to me.
It was glaringly obvious how differently she treated me compared to everyone else.
So, I was well aware of the depth of her obsession.
After all, I also held a deeper affection for Chaerin than for anyone else.
Besides, Chaerin is going through a highly unstable period right now.
Her relationship with her parents.
The global spotlight.
The greed of adults trying to exploit her from all sides.
And puberty.
She was in a highly sensitive and anxious state.
In a condition like this, it wouldn't be strange for her to cling to me even more fiercely.
Jealousy is common between friends, anyway.
Why is my friend hanging out with someone else?
Do they hate me now?
These kinds of thoughts are common during childhood.
However, there was one problem.
She reacted to the mere mention of me making a friend.
Uggghhh.
This reaction seems a bit excessive.
I had guessed that Chaerin wasn't in a good place, but this trajectory of obsession felt dangerous.
If she were an ordinary girl, I wouldn't worry too much.
She would naturally go through this phase and come out fine on the other side.
But Chaerin was an S-rank Hunter.
As time passed, more and more people would try to exploit her.
Naturally, she would build thicker walls around her heart, narrowing her social circle until she stopped forming new relationships altogether.
Above all, there would be fewer and fewer adults capable of keeping her in check.
Chaerin was a powerhouse even among S-ranks.
Very few people could suppress her rampages or manage her temperament.
This would only feed into a vicious cycle.
And if I remained her only friend through all of that...
It could lead to an irreversible ruin of her social development.
No. I don't want Chaerin to live a life like that.
Even if she was an S-rank Hunter, I wanted her to live a happy life befitting her age.
I'm the only adult by her side who can look out for her.
Even if our physical ages are the same, I need to carry the responsibility of an adult.
I will protect Chaerin.
Alright, it's decided.
"So, let's have lunch with Yeonhwa today."
I felt a bit sorry for Yeonhwa, but our Chaerin needed friends.
The problem was that both of them might end up as members of Axion, the main villain group, in the future.
Whatever.
Right now, they are the only two people I can call friends, so I'll worry about that later!
At fourteen years old, Hwa Yeonhwa was a far more calculating person than Ha Yuna realized, always weighing efficiency and return on investment.
Born as the youngest child of the massive Hwaseong Group, she had to prioritize efficiency to secure her own share among her greedy older brothers and sisters.
In fact, back when she was betrothed to the heir of the LS Group—who was ten years her senior—she had made a rather shocking statement for an elementary schooler.
「I could pluck a star from the sky for my future fiancé.」
「Are you saying you will pay me an amount that considers the star's rarity value and depreciation relative to mining costs?」
It was a remark hard to believe coming from a child.
However, that calculating nature was merely a product of her environment. Deep down, she loathed this side of herself.
Yet, despite her self-loathing, habits engraved into her very being could not be easily erased.
Now that she had transitioned from elementary school to middle school, that tendency had only grown stronger, not weaker.
That was why Ha Yuna's proposal had been so unexpected.
An offer to be friends.
「Then be friends with me. You can just be my friend.」
A pure, agenda-free invitation.
At first, Yeonhwa wondered if Yuna was approaching her with an ulterior motive. But having dealt with all kinds of people since childhood, Yeonhwa possessed a keen eye for human nature.
Ha Yuna had no hidden agenda.
Her face was an open book, making it clear that she genuinely just wanted to be friends.
Perhaps because she never expected to receive such an offer in her life, Yeonhwa had been utterly dazed, not knowing how to respond.
「If you don't want to, then never mind.」
But seeing Ha Yuna's pouting face, Yeonhwa made up her mind.
I'm sick of calculated relationships.
Now that she was away from her family home to attend school, perhaps she could afford to form a connection like this.
That was why she had readily accepted Yuna's offer of friendship.
A girl who seemed somewhat clumsy, innocent, and in need of protection. Yet, a girl strong enough to stand in the way of her best friend if she strayed onto the wrong path.
Yeonhwa had thought they could build a good relationship.
At least, she had thought so until just one class period ago.
The overwhelming firepower Ha Yuna had displayed.
Confronted with that destructive force, Hwa Yeonhwa could only stare, her eyes wide with shock.
Of course, Yuna's firepower had its limits. Unlike others, she required charging time. Furthermore, immediately after unleashing that power, the mysterious beast she summoned seemed completely drained of energy.
She poured everything into a single strike.
Even with those constraints, under the right conditions, it was a single blow that rivaled the power of an S-rank Hunter.
And on top of that...
Ha Yuna was currently only an E-rank Hunter. Moreover, she was a Tower-awakened Hunter, not a natural-awakened one who had to grow solely through experience. Climbing the Tower guaranteed steady growth.
In other words, she was bound to become far stronger than she was now.
The calculator in Yeonhwa's mind began to click furiously. It was her habitual reflex to evaluate a person's worth based on utility and efficiency.
But as the gears turned, Yeonhwa's face froze.
What am I doing?
Just moments ago, she had wanted to become Yuna's friend. She had reached out to her first, wishing to form a bond based on sincerity.
Yet, what was she doing now? The moment Yuna proved her worth, Yeonhwa was already running the numbers in her head to calculate her value.
Ah.
I see.
I became a person who could only view others through calculations a long time ago.
Even toward someone who approached me without any agenda, I was a rotten human being who couldn't help but measure their worth.
「Haha, yes, Yeonhwa, you really are my brother's daughter.」
She remembered the words of her uncle, whom she had adored. He had left the company, sick of the cutthroat competition within Hwaseong Group.
He had told her she was the true daughter of a father who viewed the world only through a calculator.
Hearing that had made her want to change, but she was still a child of the Hwaseong Group to her very core.
The moment she realized this reality, Yeonhwa could no longer bring herself to speak to Yuna. Getting close would only tarnish Yuna's goodwill.
I've been beyond saving for a long time.
Trapped in self-loathing and anger, Yeonhwa felt something crumble inside her heart.
"Yeonhwa!"
Until Ha Yuna called out to her as if nothing was wrong.
How did it come to this?
Despite seeing Yeonhwa's stiff expression, Yuna approached her with a bright smile. After fourth period, Yeonhwa found herself dragged by the hand to the cafeteria.
Since Hunter Middle School was recently built, it boasted state-of-the-art facilities. Naturally, the school cafeteria was structured like a university food court.
As a state-funded school, students could order whatever they wanted.
In front of Yeonhwa sat a well-balanced meal, carefully proportioned with fats, proteins, and fiber.
On the other hand, Yuna's tray looked ordinary but was strangely sweet, complete with yogurt and fruit for dessert. The sugar ratio was remarkably high. Did she have a sweet tooth?
In contrast to Yuna's meal, the tray across from them was piled high with meat.
When Yeonhwa slowly raised her head, she met a familiar face.
The most famous figure in Hunter Middle School.
Yoo Chaerin.
She was glaring at Yeonhwa with a deeply furrowed brow.
This was the girl who had thrown a massive tantrum during the entrance ceremony. Although Yuna had stopped her, Chaerin remained highly guarded around others. She seemed especially hostile toward anyone who approached Yuna.
Her gaze is piercing.
As the daughter of the Hwaseong Group, Yeonhwa rarely encountered people who showed such blatant hostility. It was a dizzying level of animosity.
"Chaerin," Yuna said.
At the sound of Yuna's voice, Chaerin flinched and quickly lowered her gaze. She looked like a husband completely whipped by his wife.
"Yeonhwa, I haven't introduced you properly, have I? This is Chaerin, my best friend since kindergarten. Chaerin, this is Yeonhwa, my classmate."
"Hey."
Prompted by Yuna, Chaerin finally offered a greeting, albeit with a slight scowl. Her eyes practically screamed, 'Why are you here?' but the moment Yuna looked her way, her expression instantly softened.
"...Hello," Yeonhwa replied, feeling incredibly awkward.
Chaerin was one thing, but Yeonhwa felt even more uncomfortable because of the calculations she had run in her head earlier.
"Let's eat lunch together like this from now on!" Yuna declared cheerfully.
Was this girl's head filled with nothing but flowers? As Yeonhwa stared at her with a complicated expression, someone approached their table.
Whoosh—
The moment someone drew near Yuna, Chaerin's head snapped back. Her eyes glared with a look that said, 'Who the hell are you now?'
Startled by the intense gaze, the approaching boy froze in place.
Meanwhile, Yuna noticed someone had arrived and turned around.
"Do you need something? What's up?" she asked, poking Chaerin in the ribs while offering a warm smile. Knowing Chaerin always acted hostile, Yuna seemed to make an extra effort to be polite.
The boy managed to calm his trembling heart and spoke.
"Ha Yuna, the homeroom teacher called for you. They want to see you for a moment after lunch."
"The teacher?"
Was it because of what happened during the test? Yuna was well aware of the stunt she had pulled.
"Thanks for letting me know."
She would find out once she got there.
"Sorry, guys, I'll be right back. Stay here together!"
Hearing those words, Yeonhwa's face stiffened. Wait, leaving us together at a time like this? That's a bit much!
"Just the two of us, huh?"
At that moment, Chaerin smiled thinly and turned to Yeonhwa.
"Perfect. Shall we have a little chat?"
It was the greatest crisis in Hwa Yeonhwa's fourteen years of life.