Ryu Observation Journal # 1

Today is a lovely Monday.

"Si-hoo! Let's go to school!"

"Hey, Geun-cheol! Just a sec!"

I called out to Si-hoo like usual so we could walk in together. But wait—I felt like I hadn't really seen him all weekend?

"Geun-cheol, you said you went to Yu-ri's dojang over the weekend, right?"

"Yeah. Went to the dojang with Yu-ri, showed off my skills, had fun."

"What'd she say? Said you've got some talent?"

Si-hoo asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Seriously, don't be shocked. She said I've actually got some talent."

"Oh, for real?"

"That's what I'm saying."

"Geun-cheol's bullshitting again. Yeah, I don't believe you, Geun-cheol."

"I said for real! Why'd you even ask if you weren't gonna believe me!"

"Heh heh, I'm joking. If she said it there, then it's probably legit."

"Right? See? The way things are going, if I just keep at it—boom. Top of the whole damn power hierarchy."

No kidding, I'm a super munchkin.

"You're seriously overdoing it, Geun-cheol."

Anyway, we shot the shit like that and walked into the classroom.

"Ooh! Geun-cheol! And Si-hoo! Good morning! Sumimasen!"

"Wait, what? Sumimasen?"

"It means good morning!"

"Bullshit, it means sorry!"

"Is that so, desu ka? I do not know Japanese so well-desu. Anyway, the meaning is what matters, not the word! Is that not correct-desu ka!"

I genuinely cannot tell if you're committed to the bit or ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just like this...!

"This guy being bad at English is nothing new. Scream Man."

Ken strolled over naturally and adjusted his glasses as he spoke.

"That's true, yeah."

"I heard from him last time that he forcibly crammed three languages and suffered side effects. Of course, only he knows the truth."

"That's the biggest load of horseshit. Is this guy not a monsterkin or something?"

"Heh, perhaps."

Why the hell is he setting the mood like this?

"You got something to tell me? Why all the dramatic atmosphere?"

"Nothing major, Scream Man. But the Ranking Tournament is happening soon. You're aware, yes?"

"It's that time already?"

"According to the intel I've obtained, you and I will face each other in the first round."

"Oh, yeah?"

Now that I think about it, Ken's a katana-style swordsman. The guy literally stowed away from Japan. I'd heard somewhere that Japanese Awakened types love using katanas.

"So I get to see this bastard's samurai swordsmanship?"

"Look forward to it. Mun Min couldn't beat you, but I intend to."

"I'll do my absolute best to 'Mun-Min' you."

As Ken and I were cracking up, Mun Min, who'd been sitting over there, swiveled around and glared at me with eyes blazing.

"Ah, fuck! That bastard Kim Geun-cheol is saying 'Mun-Min' again!"

"Yo, Mun Min. Who're you up against this time?"

"Brian."

"If you beat Brian, you're facing me? Please advance. I'll Mun Min you again."

"Ooh! If watashi wins, I will be the one getting Mun-Minned! Expendable!"

"It's execution, not expendable, dipshit."

"Execution? You mean execution, yes?"

"A one-sided execution."

The word "Mun Min" means execution.

"No matter what, I'm going to beat Kim Geun-cheol's ass to a pulp...!"

Watching him burn with fighting spirit was honestly pretty positive. Yeah. This is how people should be. Positive. Feeling deeply gratified, I stroked my philtrum with my index finger and basked in the afterglow.

"What are you looking so gratified about!"

"Just 'cause."

Anyway, I took my seat too. But looking around, Yu-ri and Leona still hadn't shown up. The instructor was due in 15 minutes, and both of them were cutting it ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dangerously close.

—Bzzz.

Right as I was thinking that, my phone buzzed.

"What?"

Who's calling this early in the morning?

I answered immediately.

"Is this Geun-cheol?"

A soft, gentle voice—the kind an older woman has—seeped into my ear.

"Ah, yes. Hello. That's me. But who is this?"

"Yeah. It's me, Cheon-hwi's sister."

Ah.

No wonder the voice sounded familiar. It was Ryu's older sister, Ryu A-ra. But what business did Ryuna have calling me?

"Oh wow, good to hear from you. Good morning. That meal last time was absolutely delicious, thank you so much."

"Heh heh heh, really?"

"Seriously amazing. Ah, but what's the reason for your call?"

I can't really think of anything Ryuna would need to call me about.

From what I've heard, she's the type who gets dispatched overseas for work—sabotage, terrorism against monsterkin groups or the Villain Alliance. Basically a genuine National Intelligence Service high-level operative kinda vibe.

She was genuinely terrifying, I'll say that much.

"Nothing major. I was just wondering if our Cheon-hwi's doing alright with school life."

"School life?"

"Yeah. As you know, our Cheon-hwi's a little lacking in the social skills department."

"Heh heh heh, there is a bit of that, yeah."

"So I called because I was curious if he's getting along okay."

How am I supposed to describe this?

She was one intensely devoted older sister. Did normal sisters look after their younger brothers this much? I wouldn't know, since I didn't have one, but anyone would appreciate having someone like Ryuna looking out for them.

Ryu, you bastard, I'm so jealous.

Wish I had a pretty older sister.

"So what I'm getting at, Geun-cheol—would you mind keeping an eye on Cheon-hwi and letting me know how he's doing with school life?"

So basically, she wants me to surveil her little brother. Spying on Ryu? Hardcore spy mission? Okay. Request accepted. I'll do this one for free. A-ra gave her blessing, so I can go all out.

"Well, of course. I'll keep an eye out and report back."

"Heh heh heh, thank you."

"Yes. I'll send you an update after school. Take care."

"Okay. It's reassuring to know our Cheon-hwi has a friend like Geun-cheol."

"Heh heh heh, I am pretty reassuring, I admit. The mission entrusted to me! I shall carry it out with full responsibility!"

And with that, I ended the call.

—Ding.

The instant I pulled the phone from my ear.

—Ding-ding.

"Huh?!"

How many chicken gift coupons did she just send me?!

"Whoa!"

A full ten chicken gift coupons from Ryuna! Ten! My god! I saluted Ryuna in my heart and savored the gratitude.

Today.

I shall become a Ryu-exclusive spy, surveilling only Ryu, and report his every single move.

"Thank you, Ryu-sister...!"

That alone is how I can repay this kindness.

"Geun-cheol? What's ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠going on?"

"Ah. Just a sec, Si-hoo. It's something important, I'll tell you in a bit."

"Something important?"

"I've got a mission to run immediately."

—Smooth turn.

I swiveled right around and stared at Ryu, in the back row, earbuds in and a sleep mask covering his eyes.

"Ryu-staring."

Staring hardcore. My mission today was to observe Ryu all day long. I whipped out my notebook and jotted down notes.

"Before morning assembly. Ryu is engaged in sleep, equipped with earbuds and a sleep mask, not conversing with anyone. But is he truly listening to music and sleeping? Perhaps he has turned the music off to eavesdrop on his surroundings, and beneath the sleep mask, his eyes are actually wide op—"

"You Taliban bastard!!!"

"Ack! You startled me!"

Suddenly, Ryu ripped off his sleep mask and earbuds and shouted!

"What are you mumbling on about!"

"Weren't you listening to music, you ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠jackass!"

"Your muttering drills straight into my brain! And hand over that notebook right now!"

"Eeek!"

—Fwip!

A strike.

Ryu's hand shot out swiftly and snatched my notebook!

"Thief!"

"And now you're a spy on top of everything else! What in the world are you writing! It's giving me chills, you Taliban spy bastard!"

Ryu, absolutely furious, face red, jabbed his finger at my precious notebook as he yelled.

Then.

—Burst!

He wreathed his hand with mana and blew the entire page to dust!

"You crazy—! What did you do to my notebook!"

"That's my line, you moron! Do you not grasp that I'm the one who should be lodging a complaint here!"

"Why are you making it so a man can't even defend himself!"

I've already got an overflowing amount of material to report to Ryuna!

"In any case, the notebook is confiscated! If I catch you writing about me again, I'll destroy it!"

"Tch...!"

After shouting that, Ryu put away his sleep mask and earbuds.

That moment.

"Yo! Kim Geun-cheol! Fighting with Ryu Cheon-hwi again?"

I heard Yu-ri's gleeful voice. I looked, and Yu-ri was grinning as she strolled over, all swagger, and plopped her hand on top of my head.

"Hey, Yu-ri."

"More importantly, I'm here—aren't you going to say hello?"

"Greeting? Hold on. About that."

"Huh? You're not gonna?"

—Clamp!

"Gahk!"

Yu-ri put me in a headlock again!

Her chest!

Her chest is touching me!

"No! Why are you suddenly acting like my older sister?!"

"Calling you ‘Master’ is cringey as hell. Let's just say you're my older sister. It's casual, and you're older than me anyway."

Is that how it works!

"That bastard Kim Geun-cheol...!"

For some reason, Mun Min was glaring at me and muttering my name, but I couldn't figure out why, so I let it go.

"Tap! Tap!"

Anyway, I'm tapping out.

"Oh my! Woo Yu-ri! Are you seriously fighting with your friend right now! Stop this instant!"

Leona burst in and saved me!

"Oh! Leona, thank you! I'm saved!"

"Woo Yu-ri! What is this! You were tormenting Kim Geun-cheol!"

"Leona, nice one! She was bullying me."

I immediately hid behind Leona and jabbed a finger at Yu-ri.

"Hey, you little shit! I wasn't bullying him! It was messing around! And stop running your mouth and get out here!"

"Messing around, you say! It may be messing around to you, but to Kim Geun-cheol...!"

Leona grabbed my wrist and checked my face. She's clearly planning to hear my testimony. So I immediately pretended to cry and gave my statement.

"Hngh...! Leona! It's okay! This isn't bullying! It's simply messing around!"

"He's this sad, can't you see!"

"Ah, that bastard is just putting on a show! Hey! Leona! Look at this objectively! Objectively! Would he be acting like this if he were actually sad?!"

"Bwa-ha-ha-hahng!"

"Is he not crying!"

"Kim Geun-cheol, you bastard, you are so dead!"

Watching Yu-ri shout in pure frustration while I fake-cried was so funny I nearly died.

Yeah, Yu-ri.

This is what they call "strategy."

"Seriously, you're like a mom. We'll see each other at actual training."

In the end, Yu-ri raised the white flag, left behind that ominous remark, and returned to her seat.

"Kim Geun-cheol? Are you okay now?"

Only then did Leona ask me that.

"Hngh, yeah. I'm okay."

I said, wiping away tears.