I'll Win Him Back No Matter What
Scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch... In the dark room, only the eerie sound of pencil on paper echoed. There was even a hint of madness in her eyes and expression.
The class president had always been diligent, but never to this obsessive degree. Yet now, she was clearly pushing herself too far.
And it was all because of Yujin.
Snap! Finally, the pencil couldn't take the strain and broke. That was the signal for her hand to stop dead.
She stared at the snapped lead tip and let out a sigh.
'What the hell am I doing...?'
The class president had thrown herself into building her knowledge and skills. But it wasn't the healthy drive for self-improvement people usually talked about. It was closer to obsession with one man.
Specifically, her feelings for Kim Yujin had twisted her into this.
'But if I don't do this, Yujin won't look at me again.'
She had helped with Yujin's training for a while. And as a result—or so she thought—Yujin had grown in ways he hadn't before.
In truth, Yujin had felt nothing of the sort. He could have replaced her anytime.
She had deluded herself into thinking he needed her.
'I never meant for it to turn out like this...' She bit her lip hard without realizing it.
Suddenly, dark emotions welled up from deep in her chest: guilt, jealousy, envy, doubt, obsession, regret. They tangled together, complicating her heart.
Unable to bear it, she slammed her face onto the desk.
Even then, one face floated up unbidden. Kim Yujin, of course.
In this mess, just thinking of him made her heart race against her will. Now, she even resented these feelings.
"Ugh..."
She had chosen Kim Yujin. Betrayed her close friend and gone to him.
'He doesn't even deserve my apology.'
She still remembered Cheolsu's face when she told him. The memories with Cheolsu and Younghee lingered in her heart.
She had seen with her own eyes what Yujin had done to those two.
Knowing all that, she still chose Yujin. She told herself to feel guilty if she must, but never regret.
'I never imagined Yujin would reject my help with training.'
Her foolishness and cowardice made her tremble with rage.
What gave her the right to think Yujin would want her?
The power she had sensed in Yujin was immense. Any help she provided was probably just wishful thinking on her part. To him, it might have been a waste of time.
'Did I abandon a friend who needed me... for a guy who doesn't?'
The vague thought crystallized into words, stabbing her heart like a sharp dagger.
She forced herself to stop thinking. If she didn't, that dagger would twist and shred her emotions.
'No, that's not it. Yujin said he found someone to replace me. That means my power did help, at least.'
Kim Yujin wasn't the type to beat around the bush or lie. He might be blunt and hard to understand, but if he said it clearly, it was probably true.
Which meant there really was someone who could take her place.
'But who the hell...?'
!
!
......
It might be arrogance, but her abilities were extremely rare. A unique training method using mana flow reading, plus her personal research and experience.
Even mages with exceptional control couldn't replicate it easily. In the academy, she could confidently call herself unparalleled.
Finding a replacement that quickly was downright abnormal.
'Did Heukcheon have someone with similar abilities?'
It wasn't impossible. Heukcheon was one of Korea's largest guilds, infamous for its power. Its members included far stronger mages than her.
Yujin might have heard her explanation and thought of something similar. And as Heukcheon's heir, they wouldn't skimp on investments for his growth.
'...Annoying.'
Whoever it was, the fact remained: they stole Yujin from her.
She had given up everything for him. Betrayed a precious friend. Abandoned her pride as a hero aspirant.
And now it was snatched away in an instant? Unforgivable.
'I'll take him back...'
Someone to replace her? Then she'd become irreplaceable.
It was all she had left. Having thrown everything away for Yujin, losing this would crush her.
She'd be buried under her own pathetic guilt.
'That's my only option now.'
She didn't care how great Heukcheon was. As long as she proved her value to Yujin, he'd choose her—no matter the reason.
She had to make it so. Her choice couldn't be wrong.
'Whoever it is, I'll get Yujin back. I won't let them have him.'
Her one-sided emotions, born of long torment, had twisted into obsession. Blind to how deep and dark they grew, she thought only of Kim Yujin and picked up her pencil again.
Scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch... In the room of a girl lost in love, the pencil's eerie scratch echoed once more.
The next day at the academy.
Yujin gritted his teeth at the scene before him.
'Goddammit.'
He'd known something like this might happen someday. He'd anticipated it from the moment he entered the academy.
But not this soon. He'd let his guard down.
There hadn't been any signs lately. No time to prepare mentally.
"Alright, now I'll announce the teams for the survival assignment on the island."
Yujin mentally facepalmed at the homeroom teacher's words.
Group project! The school event where you team up with barely-known classmates you've only awkwardly greeted and somehow get shit done!
The dread rivaled standing alone when they said, "Today, form teams with your close friends~."
For an outcast loser like Yujin, just hearing it made his stomach churn.
'Ah, I hate this so much...'
Of course, he understood the purpose. Teams head to the island, survive for days, hunt monsters—a survival test.
Builds teamwork, gains experience, boosts combat power. Essential for future heroes.
Most kids loved it for the real combat practice.
But for Yujin, far removed from such enthusiasm, it was unwelcome news.
Not that it was impossible, though.
In fact, purely based on Kim Yujin's "abilities," it was ideal.
'Survival? I've got experience bunking with Master.'
Days with Kim Taejin were survival incarnate. Deep in the woods, handling food, clothing, shelter from nature.
Fire-starting, foraging, hunting—all primitive.
Fail at gathering or hunting, and lunch was skipped. Basic physical prowess helped, though.
Point was, survival itself was no big deal for Yujin.
'Hunting monsters... well, I hate it, but I can manage.'
Monsters still scared him. But his mindset had changed.
Like an adult man shrieking at cockroaches or rats.
He knew he was strong. Saving the class president confirmed it.
A monster even top-scorer her couldn't handle? He dispatched it in one go.
'The problem is sticking with near-strangers for days!'
Sitting through class with them was hard enough. 24/7 together? Too much!
Impossible for an outcast! Grounds for a human rights complaint!
'Asking to be excluded would just make me look insane.'
Not much he could do. Beg to team with somewhat friendly kids?
His actual friends: Younghee, class president, Suhyun, Cheolsu.
Suhyun in different class, so excluded. Realistically, three.
'Younghee always talks first, class prez got closer after that incident. Cheolsu... awkward, but better than total strangers.'
Way better than classmates he couldn't even chat with.
Of course, he didn't expect the miracle of all four together.
All top academy performers. No way they'd group them.
At least one on his team? That was the prayer!
'Please! These three are already tight—don't make me the awkward loner!'
Days of that? He'd die of tension and stress!
Yujin prayed fervently as he checked the team assignments.
And the result was—
Team Assignment
• Kim Yujin
• Kim Cheolsu
• Lee Younghee
• Seo Yura (Class President)
Yujin double-checked, thinking he'd misread.
No change. His name at the top, then Cheolsu, Younghee, class president lined up.
A real miracle!
'Aaaahhhhhh!!!'
-Gasp?! Lime jolted awake in his soul, startled.
Yujin let out an inner cheer of joy, oblivious to what this assignment might bring.