The Academy's Savior
Final exams were over.
The year rankings went up the very next morning. Students crowded the bulletin board, checking their scores. Some cried. Some laughed.
I was one of the ones laughing.
Far left on the board. Right at the top. My name sat there in black ink.
1st. Seong Yujin.
Obvious result.
My eyes dropped lower. Only the top ten would get to join the Japan exchange. I needed to confirm the rest of the list.
2nd. Ryu Hana.
3rd. Kim Cheonwoo.
4th. Choi Dayeon.
5th. An Gisan.
6th. Yu Mina.
7th. Clara Peired.
8th. Hwang Seongju.
9th. Lee Si-eun.
10th. Ma Jinbae.
I swept through the top ten and nodded to myself.
Exactly as expected.
Every last one of them would accept the exchange. There was plenty to learn at Japan’s Arashi Academy, and the opponent was Japan. As Koreans, they couldn’t afford to lose—or run.
Run and you’d be branded a traitor.
My gaze lingered on the only foreign name: Clara Peired. A playable character and an exchange student. Different class, completely different habits—I’d never actually run into her.
No problem. Clara never acts aggressively when she’s not the active playable. Perfect chance to introduce myself and get friendly.
Clara was both an academy student and a famous singer. Too famous. Catching her on campus was nearly impossible; the second classes ended she vanished into her entertainment schedule.
Closing ceremony’s a week away.
With vacation right around the corner, the whole academy buzzed with restless energy. Welcoming break was the same at every school.
We landed in Japan and climbed straight onto the waiting bus bound for Tokyo’s Arashi Academy.
Arashi Academy’s history ran even longer than Korea’s Maruhan Academy, and the campus itself was roughly twice the size. No surprise—Japan’s population was about double Korea’s.
“Looks old,” Lee Si-eun murmured beside me, staring out the window.
The buildings of Arashi Academy carried a heavy, weathered feel. Not so far gone that collapse felt imminent, but the age was unmistakable.
“Not every building’s ancient. Look closer—there are new ones mixed in.”
“Mmm. You’re right. They clearly have the money and the ability to rebuild… so why keep using the old ones?”
“Tradition and history, maybe? Japanese old-timers are pretty conservative.”
“Totally different from our academy. Our teachers would kill for any excuse to put up a brand-new building.”
“Haha. True enough.”
Maruhan’s faculty jumped at every chance to replace their department halls. Teachers regularly stormed the admin office complaining that a building less than ten years old was “falling apart.” Admin never listened, of course.
The bus stopped in front of one of those weathered structures.
“All right, kids! Grab your bags and get off!”
Yun Huijeong, one of the two chaperone teachers, called out.
“Just hurry it up, whatever.”
The other chaperone was a scruffy man in his thirties who looked like a professional freeloader. He scratched at his unkempt beard with pure irritation. Jo Musang, homeroom teacher of Class 2-3.
The ten first-years and ten second-years climbed down and gathered in front of the old building.
The five-story wooden structure looked vaguely precarious.
“…Teacher Yun. Is this really the dormitory we’re staying in for two months?”
Choi Dayeon’s voice was ice-cold. She wasn’t angry at Yun Huijeong herself; the fury was aimed at whoever in Arashi or Maruhan admin had assigned them this rotting pile.
“I heard it was a little old… but I never imagined it would be this bad.”
“If we complain to admin, maybe they’ll switch us?”
“Before we left they already told us this was the only dorm available.”
“That’s ridiculous—!”
Choi Dayeon was twisting her face, ready to explode, when a sharp voice cut in from the side of the building.
“Choi Dayeon! How many times has Mom told you? Even when you’re angry, stay elegant!”
Two women approached. My eyes went wide. One of them was Seong Ha-ri—jeans, leather jacket, waving at me with a bright smile.
Beside her walked a woman in a white dress, black bob, every piece of clothing and accessory pure luxury. The sheer wealth radiating off her was almost physical.
“Mother?!”
Choi Dayeon yelped in shock.
So that’s Choi Dayeon’s mother. They do look alike. Wonder if the rest matches too?
I licked my lips while studying her. I already knew the name—Choi Dayeon was famous enough that everyone did.
Choi Jeonghwa. Daughter of the Geumhwa Group chairman and master of the Golden Tree Clan.
Outwardly she looked about the same age as Seong Ha-ri. In other words, ridiculously youthful.
Mother-daughter set… is that even possible? She looks like she has a temper, though.
Choi Dayeon and Choi Jeonghwa as a mother-daughter package. I was never giving that up. If it came down to it, I’d slap on Absolute Hypnosis stickers without a second thought.
They reached us. Seong Ha-ri immediately threw her arms around me.
“Yujin, you look taller.”
“We saw each other three days ago.”
“Maybe not.”
Whispers rippled through the students at Seong Ha-ri’s appearance. She noticed the stares and released me—though she kept hold of my arm.
“Quiet, everyone!”
Yun Huijeong settled the murmuring crowd.
“Seong Ha-ri and Choi Jeonghwa will be serving as temporary instructors for the duration of the Korea-Japan academy exchange. Greet them properly. I don’t think I need to explain who they are.”
S-class hero Seong Ha-ri.
Master of one of Korea’s major clans, Choi Jeonghwa.
No Korean academy student could possibly not know those names.
I thought it was weird we only had two chaperones for a trip to Japan… so this was the reason. They kept it secret just to surprise us?
The surprise worked. Even I had been caught off guard.
They introduced themselves.
“I’m Seong Ha-ri. Looking forward to working with you during the exchange.”
“Choi Jeonghwa. If you need anything, just say the word—I’ll take care of it. First order of business… shall we replace this rotting dormitory?”
Choi Jeonghwa reached into her designer bag for her phone, but someone slipped up behind her without a sound and smacked her thigh with an open palm.
“My, my—‘rotting dormitory’? Such harsh words. This is Dongun Hall, a storied Arashi Academy dormitory with fifty years of proud history.”
The speaker looked like a girl of nine or ten dressed in an ornate kimono. Black hair in a classic hime cut, eyes a bewitching violet. She carried an atmosphere far too heavy for her apparent age, and her Korean was so fluent she could have passed for a native.
“…Principal Tenrai…!”
Choi Jeonghwa’s face crumpled as she glared at the girl.
Tenrai Nagisa.
Principal of Arashi Academy. She smiled a smile that did not belong on a child’s face and surveyed the group. Appearances were deceiving—her real age was well over seventy.
I already knew her from the original work, so the sight didn’t shock me.
Beyond that I don’t know much. Not my type, so I never dug into her character data. Just your classic little-girl-looking granny archetype.
“I am Tenrai Nagisa, principal of Arashi Academy. As principal, I offer a heartfelt welcome to the Korean representatives joining our exchange. And… how pleasant to meet old acquaintances again.”
She smiled sweetly at Seong Ha-ri and Choi Jeonghwa.
Seong Ha-ri openly clicked her tongue. Choi Jeonghwa’s brow furrowed.
“You old hag. Still acting your age, I see.”
“And you still have that tomboy streak. Is the boy beside you your son?”
“If you try anything with Yujin… no, with any of the kids, I won’t stay quiet.”
“No need to be so wary. Times have changed since then. And Choi Jeonghwa—regrettably, I cannot grant your request. Maruhan Academy will remain in Dongun Hall for the duration of the exchange.”
Even under Tenrai’s firm refusal, Choi Jeonghwa didn’t back down.
“I’ll pay for it myself. We’ll stay at a nearby hotel. It won’t disrupt the exchange schedule, so don’t worry.”
“Assigning Dongun Hall was not meant as a slight against Maruhan Academy. As we already informed your school, Dongun Hall is currently the only dormitory with available space.”
“Which is why I said I’ll personally rent a hotel.”
“Is the quality of lodging more important than the students’ safety?”
“…Safety?”
“You already know the atmosphere in Japan has grown dangerous because of those Madojeong scum. Even they dare not casually touch Arashi Academy while I am here. Therefore you will stay on campus. If you lodge outside… I cannot protect you.”
Silence.
Seong Ha-ri and Choi Jeonghwa exchanged looks, then reluctantly nodded. They would stay in the old dormitory after all.
Tenrai Nagisa approached the students. She took each hand in turn, shaking and greeting them one by one. She finished with me. Her hand was as small as her appearance suggested.
“A pleasure. I look forward to the exchange, child of Thunder.”
“Yes, well… looking forward to it.”
She stepped back to a suitable spot and addressed everyone.
“I myself feel apologetic about assigning an old dormitory. It was never intended as disrespect, so I ask you to understand with generous hearts.”
Yun Huijeong stepped forward. With Seong Ha-ri and Choi Jeonghwa still looking sour, someone had to speak. The other teacher, Jo Musang, stood far off pretending to know nothing, like a soldier counting the days until discharge.
“Student safety comes first, so of course we understand. Still… it’s a little surprising that the principal herself came out to greet us.”
“I invited you. Naturally it is proper that I welcome you myself. I would have liked to personally show you around Dongun Hall, but even I have a principal’s schedule that will not allow it. Should anything prove inconvenient, do not hesitate to speak up.”
With those final words, Tenrai Nagisa vanished like a ghost.