Resumed Classes and Seo Moon-hyun
In response to Lee Se-na's question, Seo Moon-hyun fell silent for a moment. It wasn't merely that he couldn't find the words to answer her; the way she addressed Seo Moon-jin as "Seo Moon-jin-nim" grated on him.
"Se-na, are you calling Seo Moon-jin 'Seo Moon-jin-nim'?"
"Yeah. He saved me yesterday, after all. I figured using that title was the best way to show my gratitude, since we're not exactly close."
Seo Moon-hyun felt a flicker of satisfaction at her words about not being close to Seo Moon-jin. Even so, he disliked hearing her speak his brother's name with such respect.
Se-na is my friend.
Lee Se-na, with her long beige hair and soft light-brown eyes, possessed a pure and gentle beauty that had only grown more dazzling now that she was twenty-one. Her figure, a blend of innocence and glamour especially highlighted by her impressive bust, drew glances from everyone. As her childhood friend, Seo Moon-hyun had always known she was exceptionally pretty, but lately her beauty seemed to have bloomed even further. It stood on par with Arian Liberin, Yee Eun-chae, and Yoo Eun-chae.
Unlike those three, Se-na is friends only with me.
Through sparring matches, he had grown closer to Arian Liberin, Yee Eun-chae, and Yoo Eun-chae as well. Yet they had become friends with Seo Moon-jin first, so none of them were exclusively his.
If I had met them first…
He would have stopped them from getting involved with someone as suspicious and untrustworthy as Seo Moon-jin. Perhaps those women standing beside his brother were heading toward danger. The thought refused to leave him.
"Hyun-ah?"
Lee Se-na called out again when Seo Moon-hyun remained lost in his own words instead of answering her question.
"Ah, sorry, Se-na."
Seo Moon-hyun offered her a gentle smile. "I don't have an answer for that question right now. Like I said before, I still don't understand why he dislikes me."
Seo Moon-hyun was being sincere. Regardless of his suspicions toward Seo Moon-jin, he truly could not fathom why his brother hated him. He also could not understand why Seo Moon-min-hye, his only sister, had attached herself to that man instead of him.
Creaaak—
The front door of the classroom opened, and a sharp-featured man with a ponytail and a prosthetic arm stepped inside. It was Bang Soo-hwan, an instructor and professor at the National Hero Academy.
"Everyone's gathered. Yesterday, the National Hero Academy suffered an incident unworthy of its reputation! Those villain scum from Aeturnum Somnium—or whatever that fluffy name was—dared to attack the very place that has produced countless Heroes and will continue to do so!"
Standing on the podium, Instructor Bang Soo-hwan immediately brought up the villain attack from the previous day. Lee Se-na, one of the victims who had nearly been assaulted by the villains, trembled slightly, her face turning pale. Arian Liberin, seated beside Seo Moon-jin, also showed a faint tremor in her back.
"Are you all right, Se-na?"
Seo Moon-hyun asked in a low voice.
"Yeah… I'm fine."
Lee Se-na answered softly as well, her gaze lingering for a moment on Seo Moon-jin's back two rows ahead.
"Fortunately, there were no casualties yesterday, and all the villains were eliminated! That achievement belongs to Seo Moon-jin over there. He also prevented potential victims from being harmed. As both an instructor and professor of the National Hero Academy—and though I now wear this prosthetic, I am still an active Hero—I, Bang Soo-hwan, offer my respect to the student who has accomplished such a feat."
When Instructor Bang Soo-hwan spoke with emphasis and directed his praise toward Seo Moon-jin, every student's eyes turned to him at once. Those in the front rows even twisted around in their seats to look at him directly.
Clap— Clap— Clap—
Instructor Bang Soo-hwan began applauding, and soon the entire class joined in. Seo Moon-hyun, however, did not clap. What bothered him even more was seeing Lee Se-na beside him clapping with genuine enthusiasm. Because others were watching, he made a show of clapping along, but his focus remained on Instructor Bang Soo-hwan's words once the applause ended. He needed to concentrate on the lesson.
"If any of you feel that yesterday's events have become a trauma and would prefer we not discuss the topic, speak up. Or if anyone is dissatisfied that classes resumed the very next day after the attack, raise your hand."
Instructor Bang Soo-hwan suddenly posed the question to the entire class. No one answered. Lee Se-na's expression stiffened slightly, yet she said nothing about the incident.
"Se-na, are you sure you're okay?"
Seo Moon-hyun asked worriedly, noticing her expression. As if sensing his concern, Lee Se-na smiled softly.
"I told you I'm fine, Hyun-ah. I have to get over something like this. I was almost attacked, not actually attacked. There will be far more dangerous situations ahead. If I break down over this, how will I manage later?"
"I suppose so…"
Even as Seo Moon-hyun acknowledged his childhood friend's resolve, he felt an inexplicable resistance. It felt strange to see her smiling at him while trying to stand on her own two feet instead of relying on him as she once had. Before entering the academy, she had always been anxious and constantly sought his reassurance. Now she seemed different.
Has she grown?
He tried to think so, yet something still nagged at him.
* * *
"Being a Hero is a dangerous path where you can experience incidents like yesterday's at any time. If you wish to avoid this perilous road, I recommend leaving the National Hero Academy immediately. I am not forcing anyone! The path of a Hero is one you choose for yourself, not something someone else makes you do."
Lee Se-na nodded at Instructor Bang Soo-hwan's words. Although her personal combat ability was on the lower side as a healer-type mana awakener, she had still enrolled to become a Hero. Supporting other Heroes in battle—for example, healing Seo Moon-hyun from behind when they fought together—would require considerable resolve. If Seo Moon-hyun struggled against a villain, her role would be to restore and support him from the rear. In that case, the villain would likely target her rather than Seo Moon-hyun, aiming to eliminate the one keeping him on his feet.
Thus, even healers had to risk their lives, and that level of determination was necessary.
I can't defeat villains and save people the way Seo Moon-jin-nim does.
She could not forget the sight of Seo Moon-jin saving her yesterday. Even after mercilessly dispatching the villains, he had moved swiftly to protect others. It had been incredibly impressive. Though he resembled Seo Moon-hyun in appearance, his black hair and black eyes—completely different from Seo Moon-hyun's blue—made him seem somewhat dark in personality, yet in reality he was surprisingly kind. The improved welfare at the National Hero Academy was all thanks to him, and during the mock battle he had focused on rescuing people, appearing as a model Hero.
[I don't expect selfless justice from everyone. But since we attend the National Hero Academy and came here to become Heroes, I at least want us to uphold this much: as long as you have the capacity, help those in need.]
He did not force a heroic mindset on everyone. He simply asked that people help others within their own limits. Lee Se-na thought that if everyone held such a heart, the world would be a better place to live.
Why exactly do they have such a bad relationship?
She could not understand why Seo Moon-jin and Seo Moon-hyun got along so poorly. Without knowing the circumstances, it was natural that she could not find an answer. Still, as far as she knew, her childhood friend Seo Moon-hyun was not the type to harbor grudges. He was upright and righteous. Though he could be rigid at times, he was sincere and kind. Since childhood he had never tolerated injustice and had been gentle even with those beneath him. At the very least, he was not the sort to compromise with wrongdoing or lend a hand to evil deeds.
Just why…?
What could have happened that made someone as heroic as Seo Moon-jin dislike Seo Moon-hyun? Seo Moon-hyun claimed he did not know. He also said he had no idea why Seo Moon-min-hye disliked him. Yet directly asking Seo Moon-jin about it would be far too rude. Simply trying to uncover such matters might already offend him.
Haah.
Thus, the worry in Lee Se-na's heart only deepened. While she wrestled with these thoughts, Instructor Bang Soo-hwan's lecture continued.
"The threat of villains repeats endlessly. What must Heroes do? Kill all the villains? No! Killing villains is secondary. The most important task for Heroes is to protect people from the villains' threats!"
Thus, the first class after resuming drew slowly to a close.