Combined Class #1
Combined Class #1
The instructor started calling names.
"Leona. Ahn Do-min. Alice."
Guess we're doing groups of three?
Too bad I probably won't be with Leona. This is a combined class, so the whole point is mixing us with the Mage Class kids. Can't do anything about that.
And looks like they stuck the two class officers together right away. The one named Alice was a foreign girl with a big nose.
"Ryu Cheon-hwi. Brian. Sim Hyeon-seung."
"Oh! Mister Draaagon! You and watashi are souuru brothers!"
"Shut your damn mouth, you cultish foreigner freak...!"
Ryu had a fit, but the roll call kept going.
"Lee Si-hoo. Woo Yu-ri. Seo Su-ji."
Seo Su-ji was the telekinetic we just saw. Si-hoo and Yu-ri said something, then went to talk to her.
"And... Kim Geun-cheol? Park Ha-yul. Ma O-hun."
My group got decided right after.
That shy girl who used the barrier, and Ma O-hun? A pudgy guy in glasses was looking around cluelessly before he stepped forward.
"Alright."
So those two are the teammates I'll have for the first combined class of second semester. Let me go make contact. Park Ha-yul already said hi, so that's fine.
"Over here! Park Ha-yul! Ma O-hun! Come this way!"
I grabbed a spot and called them over. The two of them walked up. Ma O-hun just looked indifferent. Park Ha-yul came over all hunched over.
The three of us gathered and stood there.
But.
"Ah, ah, u-uh... uhm..."
Park Ha-yul couldn't seem to settle down. Like she had ADHD or something, she kept twisting her hair around her finger and peeking at us, all twitchy.
"..."
When I quietly watched her, it got even worse.
"What? We just met."
"Huh?!"
"Can't settle down because you feel like you have to say something?"
"N-no! Th-that's...!"
So I was right.
"It's fine. Relax a little. Hey. If you keep trembling like that you'll never fight monsters. You've gotta be confident."
"H-heek! I-I knew someone like me...!"
"What?"
"Th-that I can't even fight monsters properly...!"
Why's she suddenly doing this!
She's suddenly all sad!
"No! No! Hey! That's not what I—!"
"Eek!"
"Oh for the love of—!"
I don't know why, but the moment I tried to stop her she got spooked. Okay. Slowly. Let's relax. When you think about it, physically these cadets are superhuman, but mentally they're basically still minors.
You have to handle them carefully.
"I didn't say you can't fight. Yeah? I'm saying let's try to do a little better. Park Ha-yul? Let's take a moment and calm down. Why wouldn't you be able to fight monsters? You learn how here and then everybody fights. Got it?"
"B-but I'm not good at attacking..."
"So you're specialized in barriers? Then couldn't you just protect people while the rest of us fight? I'll protect you."
"Uh, uhm... I-I protect people and..."
Park Ha-yul, who'd been shaking, quieted down soon after. I guess talking to her slowly helped her get a grip. I mean, geez, but this feels like her mental is way too weak.
Even Kim Geun-cheol on Day One of admission wasn't this bad. No clue what she was doing all first semester.
"Anyway, to re-introduce myself, I'm Kim Geun-cheol from the Warrior Class. I'm ranked 5th in the class. Overflowing with talent, that type. I can fight well in all sorts of ways so don't worry about that."
After re-introducing myself, I looked at Ma O-hun and asked.
"Ma O-hun, what about you?"
A pudgy guy in glasses.
But for a superhuman, he looks seriously overweight... must be because he's a Mage Class kid and doesn't burn as many calories?
As long as he's good with magic, doesn't matter to me at all. If his mobility is garbage, then me, a Warrior Type, can just carry him around and that solves it.
"...so."
"What?"
"Curious about my ability?"
"Yeah. I'm curious."
The bastard's glasses flashed.
"Heh... secret."
"Huh?"
Secret?
"Secret."
Having said that, Ma O-hun dropped his head and pulled out his phone.
"If you wanna know about me, you'll probably have your chance soon enough."
His voice was weirdly low as he tacked that on, looking like the coolest guy in the world, so what the hell just happened to me?
"Wh-what's with this guy. Hey. Ma O-hun? Uh, can you tell us a little about your ability?"
"Chh."
"Chh?"
"Don't bother me. You'll find out soon enough anyway... heh."
"Crazy bastard."
I'm starting to think my combined class might be screwed.
"Park Ha-yul?"
"Uuh?!"
"No, why are you jumping again. Ha-yul. Um, Ma O-hun? Can you tell us a little about what kind of ability this guy has?"
I asked figuring she'd at least know since they're in the same class.
"W-well, actually I don't really... know, s-so..."
Oh my god, and this girl says she doesn't know what ability her own classmate has either.
"You seriously don't know?"
"S-sorry..."
"Why are you apologizing. You might not know."
Seems like it really is screwed.
I never thought I'd miss the BKM Trio this much. At least when I went to the otherworld with those guys, we survived in good shape.
"Maybe the class atmosphere is just different from the Warrior Class? Anyway. Guys. We've got our groups so we're gonna have to do class together. So we should know a little about each other."
Ma O-hun, this bastard, is busy playing a phone game. Doubt it's that important anyway, so let's just let him do whatever he wants. No big deal.
"Park Ha-yul? Can you tell me about your ability in more detail?"
"Uh, uhm... o-okay..."
"Talk! Without stammering! Slowly! Look me in the eye while you talk!"
"Hurgh!"
Eye contact, right away!
"Quick! Don't avoid my eyes! Look at me!"
"Uh, uhm...!"
People like this need to be led along firmly. I don't know about Ma O-hun, but Park Ha-yul at least seems to have the bare minimum of cooperativeness, so let's focus on getting along with her for now.
"What kind of ability do you have?"
"It creates a barrier around me... yeah. Th-the defensive power is on the strong side."
"Oh, yeah? How strong are we talking by Mage Class standards?"
"It even blocks the class officer's attacks..."
"It does?"
Guess you could say her defense is top tier in the Mage Class, then. Later I should test it out, partly to show off my own skill—ask her to let me smack her barrier a bit.
"Let's test it next time."
"Next time...?"
"Yeah. We just got put in groups, so I figure we'll be doing class as a team at least once or twice, right? If we wanna do it well, I should let you see my strength too."
"Got it."
"Ma O-hun? How about it? Is it about time to reveal a little of your secret?"
"...Not yet."
"Okay."
Moving on.
While we were talking like that.
"Have you all exchanged greetings with your team members? I hope so. Since you've been assigned teams, you'll be doing class together for the time being. There is no separate practical drill today, so please use this time to talk, learn about each other's abilities, and hold tactical discussions. That is all for class. It's break time."
The instructor announced break.
Freedom, fuck yeah.
"Yo, Kim Geun-cheol. How are yours?"
When break started, Yu-ri came sauntering over with her hands in her pockets and spoke... maybe it was because she got Si-hoo in her group. Her face didn't show a single damn worry.
Meanwhile I'm already getting whiffs of a disaster.
"Yu-ri, how was yours? I feel like mine's kinda weird."
"Weird? That girl who used the barrier? She did look a little timid."
"No, that's not the problem..."
From what I've seen, she is not the problem.
Ma O-hun is the problem.
"Eh, they're a different type, so I can't really say right now. I'll tell you once I know more."
"Sure."
Yu-ri answered like it was nothing and glanced over at Park Ha-yul for a second.
"More importantly, that girl, Park Ha-yul."
Then.
"Thing is, hers are pretty goddamn big, aren't they?"
She said that while drawing a big semicircle on her own chest with both hands, the hell?
"The hell, man?"
"Look. They're totally obvious... you sleazy little shit. Look at you pretending you didn't notice."
Why is she elbowing me in the gut!
"What do you mean, pretending not to notice! I didn't pay them any damn attention!"
"Bullshit. You're full of it. Fuck, I saw you. You completely ignored the guy in your group and only talked to the girl. Saw the whole thing, you bastard. You seriously wanna die?"
"Saw what! It was just personal stuff and abilities! Ugh! I don't know!"
"Full of it again. Then why didn't you talk to the guy?"
"He refused to talk!"
"Lousy excuse, you weak-ass disciple. Anyway, whatever. Wanna hang out after school today? With swords."
"Ha, Yu-ri. Hearing you talk today, you're just beyond help. Pile up a ton of praise stickers. I'm gonna give you some real re-education."
"Bullshit. Well, I'll look forward to it?"
With both hands on the back of her head, Yu-ri snickered and walked back. I looked and saw her joining up with Si-hoo and the Mage Class kid to discuss tactics. How is their teamwork so damn good right from the start? Meanwhile I'm about to go flying headfirst into a brick wall.
I've gotta be as serious as I can.
Even if they call it a combined class, this goes into our grades. If I fall behind here, my grades are gonna hit rock bottom. Whether Park Ha-yul and Ma O-hun are whatever kind of people, I'm gonna pull high scores.
"Ah, Kim Geun-cheol! Done talking with Yu-ri!"
"Oh, Leona."
Wait, what'd she say?
"Why, though? Were you waiting for me to finish talking with Yu-ri? Why not just come over?"
"Just because. I had stuff to discuss with my own teammates too. Best to get it done quickly. Anyway. Do try to coordinate well with your teammates. Later, when we become official heroes and head into operations, there will definitely be an ability user included in the squad."
"Yeah, I guess that's how it works. Heh-heh-heh, but Leona. Weren't you sulking?"
"Hmph. Sulking? Who says I was sulking?"
Saying that, Leona folded her arms and glared at me, virtually radiating sulkiness.
"For real, Kim Geun-cheol, you really piss me off. I, yeah? I fed you! Did everything for you! And then you just keep hiding things! I'm so furious that I just can't contain it!"
"Oh brother, hiding what! I told you, I was just injured!"
"Hohoho, pretending to be a man of many secrets. Is that how you plan to appeal to me? You're a hundred years too early!"
—Flick!
Having said that, Leona proudly flicked her hair back!
I just absolutely cannot persuade Leona...!
"Hey?"
Right while I was talking with Leona.
"Hmm?"
"You're Kim Geun-cheol, right?"
Ahn Do-min.
The Mage Class officer who was in Leona's group came over, all smiles, acting friendly to me.
"The guy who's ranked 5th in the Warrior Class. That's you?"
"Uh, yeah. You're the class officer, right? That fireball earlier was cool."
"Yeah? Thanks for saying so."
—Grin.
But this dude is just grinning at me.
Is his face just naturally smiley?
A smile brings good fortune.
"Anyway, I had something quick to talk about with Kainus here, you mind if I borrow her a bit?"
"Huh? You had something to talk about?"
"Yeah. We're both class officers, after all. And I've got things to go over as her teammate. Gotta discuss tactics and get a read on each other's specs."
"Oh yeah? Then talk to her."
Why is he telling me about the stuff he has to talk about with Leona?
"So, if you'd just, for a bit."
"Bit?"
This bastard, what's he trying to say to me? With a smiling face it feels like he's talking all roundabout. Kind of an annoying guy.
"Yo. Leona. Ahn Do-min says he needs to do tactical stuff with you?"
"Ah, yes. We were discussing that. Let's do it after break ends."
See, it'd be that simple.
—Briiiing.
And the instant we said that, break time ended.
"It's over. Kainus? Shall we start tactical discussion again? I don't want to waste time. I want to synchronize our teamwork as fast as possible and score high too."
"If that's what you want. Then, Kim Geun-cheol? See you in a bit?"
"Yeah."
And with that, Leona and Ahn Do-min went back to where their teammates were.
"The hell?"
But I was watching.
—Glance.
While walking with Leona, the bastard glanced back at me and smiled.
"Bye."
And a random greeting.
"What the?"
I think that guy's a little weird too.
Are all the Mage Class kids like this?