Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: There's No Tsundere Like This Tsundere
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Once upon a time, in a comic drawn by a god of comics, there was a line like this.
"I knelt down to gain momentum!!"
That's right. We ran away to build up momentum. Call us pathetic all you want.
We're the ones who win. Like I always say, the winner is justice. Got it?
"We can't even see an inch ahead, and that's supposed to be momentum? I'm starting to suspect you're crazy. Maybe see a psychiatrist!!"
"Lucy, don't be so harsh. He looks weak enough already."
"Seong-hoon looks weak even when he's just standing there."
"Shut up!!"
"My heart's pounding right now. What do I do? Should I say something to steal the headband? Or offer a rice cake so you won't bite?!"
"What are you, a tiger? And we're rotten club kids?"
Yes, we're inside the robe right now. You think we can wear a robe in plain sight? Lucy's magic hides us, so it's fine. To others, we look like we're bursting out of purple mist.
"Alright. When I give the signal, flip up the robe. Got it?"
"But this robe is seriously awesome. How far does it stretch?"
My robe is the best, after all. We kept running until the yawning cat gave us the timing.
"Yang Min-ji. You can do this, right?"
"Just trust me. But tell me my line for when we charge out."
Yeah. I have to trust her. It's a surprise grab for the headband—if she can't pull it off, she's no longer a Justitia student.
Go help your dad with the business. Crunch some numbers. I've got the insults ready for if she fails.
I solidified my faith in Yang Min-ji while running. And yeah, I should give her a line. These things are supposed to be cool.
"How about this: 'Turn to ashes in the unity of ten thousand forms.' Cool, right? That's what we're going with. No arguments."
"Seong-hoon."
What now. Another weird comment. But unexpectedly, Raphael removed the hand supporting Yang Min-ji and gave a thumbs-up.
"That's cool. You know, that murky line bubbling up from deep inside? Way better than all that mumbling you do alone!!"
"You do stuff like that...?
"Whoa. Still not fixed?"
Shut up. I shot Raphael a glare, my face burning red. She grinned and thumbs-upped again, but I ignored her and kept charging.
It wasn't long before Lachesis's signal came.
Okay. The moment she said it, we burst out. Yang Min-ji flung her arms wide, flipping up the robe, and sunlight blazed down.
I squinted, but I could see clearly. Right behind the blue team's rider, still in the thick of battle.
Close enough to touch. We charge. Cool as hell.
Yang Min-ji's "Wahahahaha!!!" laugh rang out, but ignore that. Straight charge—
It was a perfect plan. Run away pathetically, then ambush from the shadows.
Right at the back of their heads while they're fighting. Even a five-year-old could pull this off.
Simple. Just reach out. And yank.
"Ah."
But I overlooked one thing. Our teamwork. Even if we know each other, this was our first combo.
Sure, Raphael and I sync perfectly. Like one mind, one body.
Anyway, our shaky rider setup.
One: My stamina. After three matches, leading the charge and offering up Yang Min-ji—my frail body was spent.
Even with Raphael's buffs, even if they just glanced back.
No way we could jostle for position.
Three: Overestimating Yang Min-ji.
Old sayings are never wrong. Should've trusted what I knew. Yang Min-ji lunged forward powerfully, slamming into me. A full-commit stab, balance be damned.
Our shaky rider wobbles. I get flung off from the collision.
The result? Obvious without looking.
"Yang Min-ji!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Huh?!"
The clueless voice came from atop my fallen stomach.
"Get off!!!!!"
"Whaaaaat???"
"Whoa..."
Isia let out a sound without realizing it. She'd just watched Lee Seong-hoon's team make a cool entrance and immediately crumble.
Knowing all their faces made it even more heartbreaking. She could see that team's future.
Clear as day. Yang Min-ji trudging out of the stadium, all mopey—it was kinda pitiful.
"May the deceased rest in peace."
They weren't dead yet, but prayers were in order. They were as good as gone.
Isia rubbed the goosebumps rising on her arms and stood up. Sophia beside her had already left for another match, and the Shin sisters nearby had too.
It was about time for Isia to go as well. She'd meant to leave sooner, but Lee Seong-hoon's match had pinned her to her seat.
Truth be told, she'd tried to talk to him several times. Just never got the chance. With so many matches crammed into one day, you could only chat with other teams during your own events.
Lee Seong-hoon was in tons of matches, barely any free time, and Isia hardly entered any.
Totally unfair setup.
"..."
On top of that, he ghosted every single one of her matches. At this point, was someone sabotaging them on purpose?
"Even the heavens are heartless."
She muttered the line she'd always wanted to say, then ducked her flushed face in embarrassment. A sheepish cheek-scratch was par for the course.
'How does he say stuff like that without batting an eye?'
It was kinda amazing. She got embarrassed just thinking lines like that—how did he spit them out so casually?
Her curiosity about Lee Seong-hoon spiked again today.
Before she knew it, she'd reached the stadium. For her match.
Obstacle race. Dodge various obstacles and race on through. Pretty straightforward.
Nothing too major—just stuff like eating dangling bread, fishing something out of flour, borrowing an item.
'Let's get this over with quick.'
She stretched while thinking that. Mages rarely went physical. The few who did were called battle mages.
Mages were the type holed up researching spells. Combat? Rear guard only. They hated moving.
Isia wasn't that bad, but she wasn't a fan either. That's why she entered this one.
She prepped to run as the announcement blared again. Everyone around looked dead serious.
'Intimidating.'
Why so intense? Hidden scouts or something?
She scanned around—no cameras in sight.
'Because of the Maldives?'
Isia, with zero sense of money, tilted her head. Hotel bills like that weren't worth her worry.
Beeeep—!!!!!
Lost in thought, she missed the start. Isia blinked at the other students sprinting off, then—
"Ah!!"
—belatedly screamed and took off. By then, everyone had grabbed their bread. She hopped around with hands behind her back to snag hers.
Average height for a girl, but her jump was pitiful. Plus, mana-based suspension made it hang super high.
After tons of hopping, she ate the bread and ran on.
Finally fished the candy from the flour, army-crawled past cleared obstacles, and reached...
[Borrow an Item]
A massive banner. A smiling student helper held the lottery box.
"N-no weird ones, right?"
"Everyone's already gone to borrow—hurry up!!"
Dodgy response. But time was short. She drew quickly. The paper on her pale hand read—
"Ah."
"Go, quick!!"
Isia froze like stone.
"Yang Min-jiiiiiiiiiiii!!!"
"I'm sowwy!! I'm sowwy!!"
"Sorry? Words fix everything? Then why do we have cops!!"
"To catch criminals."
Shut up. Even kids are criminals. She splintered our team.
"Is she always like that? Wasn't it her who couldn't hold steady and collapsed?"
"Violet, you don't know Seong-hoon well. He's just built that way. Trust me. His life motto? Blame the flexible guy, don't think about it."
"What a piece of trash."
"Agreed."
Those two. Always thought they clicked weirdly well. Especially ganging up on me. You two are next.
"Waaah! Ouch!! Ouuuch!!"
"This is for hurting! Why'd you join the rider race anyway!!"
I stopped yanking her cheeks and asked. Yang Min-ji, red-cheeked like a rice cake man, blinked, then beamed innocently.
"'Cause... it looked fun!!"
"Die!!!!"
"Waaah!!!"
Right back to cheek-pinching. If you hadn't joined, I'd have been rider and won!!
"Isn't she enjoying the sports festival more than anyone?"
"I think so too. Using Maldives as an excuse to have fun. Seong-hoon always denies it, but there's no tsundere like this tsundere."
"If he looks like a tsundere to you, maybe your head's the problem? Want a hospital rec?"
"Who's the nutjob!!"
Ignored the banter from behind. Let go of Yang Min-ji's beet-red cheeks. She rubbed them, looking teary, then fixed them back.
"Still hurts though..."
"Don't lie. That fixes it pain-free."
"How'd you know?!"
Told her not to last time, but warnings go in one ear and out the other. So mad I bonked her head.
She laughed even after—suspicious.
"Told you not to."
"That's why you're a tsundere."
What the hell. Was about to flick her forehead again when something tugged my collar.
Waist level. So...
Someone yanked the hem of my shirt from behind. I whipped around instinctively and saw black hair.
The black hair met my gaze, gripping tight. Red ears visible.
"Isia?"
"Um."
She looked up. Lost expression. Eyes spinning. Gripping hand trembling.
"C-could you come with me...?"
"Oh my!!"
Lucy's loud gasp echoed through the booth.