Chapter 302: Shall We Share…?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 302: Shall We Share…?
The eventful weekend passed, and the weekdays returned to the Academy.
As I walked to school, I couldn’t help but notice a strange restlessness in the air. The cadets seemed… giddy.
Well, the Academy was always a noisy place, and even though there had been a terrorist incident over the weekend, it was closer to a low-quality prank than a real threat. If anything, it served as more gossip fodder. But this felt like something more. It was as if everyone was anticipating something fun.
“Hmm, everyone seems pretty excited, don’t they, So-hyun?”
“…Yes, Master. I’m not sure what’s going on, but they certainly do look hyped up.”
Though, the person who looked the most excited was right next to me.
I’d noticed our group growing larger every time we headed to class, but with my senior—my Master—and Baek Seol joining us, we were drawing quite a lot of attention.
“The Ranking Tournament is coming up soon. Everyone probably wants to see how much stronger they’ve gotten.”
…If the others felt uncomfortable, I would have asked to walk separately, but since everyone was already acquainted, they were actually asking if we could keep walking together in the future.
“Hmm… You’re being more aggressive than I expected.”
Except for Ha-ni, whose expression remained unreadable.
Ha-ni seemed lost in thought for a moment before approaching my Master.
“It’s probably not just because of the Ranking Tournament. Some kids are looking forward to that, sure, but a much bigger event starts right after.”
“…An event? Oh, now that you mention it, the festival isn’t far off.”
The festival.
The moment I heard that word, I almost stopped in my tracks from the shock.
In the original world, let alone the world before my regression, Leilan Academy never had the luxury of enjoying a festival.
“And after that, there’s the school trip. Once the second-semester midterms and the Ranking Tournament are over, it’s just one event after another. It’s about time the kids started getting restless.”
A festival. It’s actually happening.
For some reason, it didn’t feel real.
I felt this way every time I realized how much the world had changed because of my efforts, but this time, the feeling was even stronger.
The others, who had been listening to the conversation, also reacted to the mention of the festival.
“Wow, a festival! They’ll sell tons of delicious food, right? I want to get a spot and open a meat joint or something.”
“It’s hard for first-years to get good spots, so we’ll probably have to do something as a class.”
Lilac’s eyes sparkled as he cackled, while Lee Yu-na gave him some gentle advice.
“…I don’t have much interest in it, but since every class has to do at least one thing, I suppose we should prepare.”
Cheon Yu-hak tried to act cool, but his excitement was plain to see.
“The Student Council has a rough time every year because of this season. Ah, I wonder if there’s a cute junior who could help out a poor senior?”
Even Baek Seol chimed in, looking at me with a beaming smile while making an impossible request.
Unlike the past, seeing everyone take it for granted that they could enjoy a festival made me strangely happy.
All that hard work really was worth it.
“Oh? Kang So-hyun, why are you looking at us with that fatherly smile?”
“Exactly. You have to participate too, you know? Don’t even think about running away!”
Caught up in the mood, Ha-ni and Ga-eul subtly pinned me down, warning me not to escape.
Well, honestly, I wasn’t entirely without the urge to slack off…
“Huh? No answer? You’re really not going to answer?”
It didn’t look like they were going to let me off the hook.
“I won’t run away. Don’t worry.”
Because everyone was chatting and laughing, enjoying their happy daily lives, I fell into the illusion that this peaceful routine would continue forever.
Even though daily life is a fragile thing that can be shattered by the smallest impact.
“Oh, then I just got curious about something.”
That’s right.
Daily life is something that can easily crumble from a single, careless remark.
“So-hyun, who are you going to walk around the festival with during your free time?”
At the bomb my Master dropped without a hint of self-awareness, the previous joy vanished like a lie. Silence fell, and a strange tension began to flow.
“Oh, you really are popular. If you hadn’t decided yet, I was going to ask you to go with me.”
Wait, was I wrong?
Seeing her chuckle, maybe she dropped that bomb knowing exactly what would happen.
If so, I’m going to feel betrayed. I’m going to be incredibly petty and sulk. Are you sure you can handle that, Master?
…Well, it’s not like I can actually do anything even if I do sulk.
Seeing her whistle playfully as if she knew nothing made her look a bit more like the Master I knew in the past, so my urge to complain vanished.
The first one to make a move in this ominous atmosphere was Lilac.
“Instead of that, why don’t we all just—”
However, Lilac’s nonsense didn’t even get a chance to land.
Specifically, it was shut down by the sudden intervention of a certain individual. And that individual was…
“That would be difficult, Cadet Lilac. We haven’t even decided what the class is doing yet. We might end up doing something where a large group can’t all take a break at the same time.”
It was our Cathy Noona.
“Th-that’s a fair point, but Professor, when did you get here…?”
“Hmm, is that important?”
Dismissing Lilac’s valid question, the Professor looked at me with a smirk.
“Since I’m the one who spends the least amount of time with Cadet So-hyun on a regular basis, wouldn’t it be fair for him to accompany me at the festival?”
She was calling me “Cadet So-hyun” since we were in front of the others, but the way her eyes glinted like a predator that had found its prey was not a joke at all. She didn’t look professional in the slightest.
‘Step up if you’re confident.’ ‘I will not back down or run away.’ ‘He’s mine.’
Surely no one would dare challenge a top-tier superhuman radiating such intense will.
Or so I thought.
“No, that’s not right. Strictly speaking, the difference isn’t that big. And since we’re in different classes, I can make as much time as I need.”
“I-I haven’t been able to spend much time with So-hyun this week either!”
Ha-ni was the first to rebel, and Ga-eul, though trembling, didn’t give up and stepped forward as well.
“Ahem, it seems everyone wants to walk around the festival with Kang So-hyun. Wow, it must be tough being such a popular guy. In that sense, let’s leave those girls to fight. Kang So-hyun, I’ll give you some candy, so why don’t you follow me for a bit?”
“…No, Professor A-ram, when did you get here?”
“Almost at the same time as Cathy. Oh, it’s fine, just follow me for a second! It’ll be a pain if we get caught!”
“…Unnie, what are you doing there?”
“Ah, I got caught. So what? I want to walk around the festival with Kang So-hyun too. Is there a problem? I’m not a homeroom teacher, so I’m completely free during the festival period…! The books say a latecomer like me has to make up for lost affection during events like festivals, so Cathy, you should yield this time…!”
Wow, is this the way to school or a marketplace…?
People nearby were glancing over, wondering if something had happened.
“I refuse. Why should I?”
“Oh, our Cathy has really grown up, hasn’t she…? Looking her Unnie straight in the eye.”
No, why are these people suddenly entering combat mode on the way to school?
Because the professors were about to start a duel, the surrounding attention was growing even more intense.
“Um, it’s a bit awkward to say this after creating this situation, but I want to walk with you too, So-hyun. Won’t you go around the festival with me?”
“Don’t try to cut in line, Senior.”
“Heeing… So-hyun, m-me too…!”
“Ga-eul, don’t you try to make a move either.”
Lilac, looking at me as I felt like I was losing my mind, subtly averted his gaze the moment our eyes met. But Lee Yu-na gave me a look of sympathy, empathizing with me for the exact opposite reason.
Right, Pink Chihuahua, Purple Cat. You two better do a good job of defending your owner.
In this touch-and-go situation.
I had no choice but to use my trump card.
“I think we’re going to be late for class. Shall we head in for now?”
I decided to leave it to my future self.
I’m sorry. I’m counting on you, future me.
* * *
During the lunch break after a morning of classes that were quieter than expected, three women gathered to talk.
“What do you all think?”
“…Pardon?”
“Professor, why did you call us here so suddenly? What are you talking about?”
Kang Ha-ni and Kim Ga-eul, who had responded to Cathy’s call, were on guard since they were technically rivals, but Cathy’s attitude was quite different from this morning.
“I made a mistake this morning because I was in too much of a hurry, but is there really a need for us to fight among ourselves? The festival lasts for two days, and we already have a ‘close’ relationship with So-hyun.”
Understanding her point, the two slowly began to smile.
Strictly speaking, the three of them were on the “defending” side. While playing happily with So-hyun was important, protecting him from latecomers was equally vital.
“…What is it you want to say?”
“To be honest, if So-hyun is happy, and as long as he doesn’t neglect us, I think it’s fine if more people like him.”
But then, Cathy suddenly started saying something quite unexpected.
Just a moment ago, she sounded like she wanted the three of them to monopolize him.
“However, even if it sounds a bit petty, there is such a thing as an order of arrival.”
There it was.
“We knew him first, we were close first, and we liked him first. It’s not a huge greed to want to enjoy a few more events with So-hyun, is it?”
“That’s true, but in the end, what are you planning to do?”
“Hmm, actually, we don’t really need to do much. Just think about So-hyun’s personality.”
“Aha. That feels strangely cowardly, but it’s not technically cheating, is it?”
“Huh? Oh, I see! If we stop fighting and subtly act like, ‘I just don’t want you to worry, So-hyun…’ he’ll go soft on us!?”
“Cowardly? You should call it ‘intelligent.’ Honestly, it’s not a bad thing for So-hyun either.”
Cathy was confident.
She had suppressed her desire to monopolize him, and she had suppressed her urge to take him by force!
Honestly, she felt So-hyun would forgive this much of a trick!
And to get into very personal details, she wanted him to use the ‘Wish Ticket’ she had inadvertently given him while brainwashed by a villain in a slightly… provocative way…!
Hoping that if she told him later it was all on purpose, So-hyun would make a slightly provocative wish with the ticket, Cathy reached out her hand with a smile.
“Now that I think about it, it seems everyone has a rival they’re worried about. It’s better to have one less enemy, right? Let’s agree to cooperate and subtly help each other out.”
Cathy thought of Park A-ram.
Kang Ha-ni nodded as she thought of Lee Ha-ru. Only Kim Ga-eul couldn’t think of anyone specific when the word “rival” was mentioned, but unfortunately for her, though she didn’t know it, her rival was already in the middle of a full-scale operation.
Regardless, at this moment, the three of them had formed an alliance.
* * *
“O! Ho! Ho! Hot!”
“Right, it was nice meeting you. Goodbye, Aisha.”
“Wait, I haven’t even said anything yet! Why are you being so prickly…?”
“No, it’s just that making fun of someone’s laugh is kind of a personal attack.”
“Uh, isn’t that basically the same as what you just said…?”
When I intentionally put on a shocked face that screamed, “Oops, I said it out loud!”, Aisha huffed in anger.
“Let’s set my laugh aside for now. The reason I’m here is that I’ve decided I want to accompany you during the festival, So-hyun.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Ahem, of course, you will be with me, but I felt uneasy, so I came to make an appointment in advance…”
“Give it up. His stock is at an all-time high right now. He’s got more than one or two rivals.”
“What?! Already?!”
Aisha momentarily lost her composure at Cheon Yu-hak’s realistic advice, but she quickly recovered and smiled confidently.
“Hah! They’re just fellow cadets, aren’t they? Let’s settle it with skill. Skill. I’m quite confident in my own abilities, you know?”
“Hmm, I don’t think so. Are you confident you can beat Professor Cathy and Professor Park A-ram?”
This time, Aisha flinched at Lilac’s specific point.
“…No, just how popular are you, So-hyun? I know you’re handsome, but honestly, seducing even the professors is just nonsense.”
“Ta-da! It turns out nothing is impossible!”
“Ugh…! Still, the festival is two days long! You can spend at least a little bit of that time with me!”
“Look, we haven’t even decided what our class is doing yet. And besides, don’t you know we still have the competition and midterms left?”
“Urgh…! To come at me with logic like that…! Think of it as payment for helping you in the dungeon this time! Just for a little bit!”
Aisha looked like she was about to slam her forehead into the ground, so I grabbed her shoulders to stop her.
“Aaaaaah…!”
“Why do you do dogeza so easily when you’re supposed to be a noble lady…!”
“Does pride put food on the table?! Does it get me a date?!”
It was a valid point, but the bloodshot look in her eyes was a bit scary.
While I was stopping Aisha’s prostration, the door slid open. Ga-eul walked in and locked eyes with Aisha. Suddenly, as if they both felt something, they both took up a stance.
…What? What’s with them all of a sudden?
I couldn’t understand why the two of them were looking at each other like rivals, but there was something I had to say first.
“You both know you’re not in our class, right…?”
The next class is about to start, so get going, you two.