Do You Have a Boyfriend?
'Yesterday was incredible too.'
Yoo Ara shuddered as she recalled Kim Siu's tutoring session from the day before. It wasn't even supposed to be a lesson day. But she hadn't wanted to just send him away, so she'd coaxed him to stay for a bite of ramen—and that had led to the mood shifting, culminating in a full mana rotation session.
"He won't misunderstand, right?"
Stay for ramen? It was one of those cheesy pickup lines from the old days. What had possessed her to say it? Even now, she couldn't make sense of it. She could've just let him go.
No, that wouldn't do. If Kim Siu had left then, she never would've felt that ecstasy.
"Ecstasy...? Snap out of it, Yoo Ara. It was just part of the lesson."
She shook her head vigorously, chasing away the stray thoughts. Yeah, it was just a standard training method. Nothing special. Even if it meant stripping naked and baring her skin to him, there were no personal feelings involved. There couldn't be. Otherwise, what she and Kim Siu were doing wouldn't be lessons—it'd be something indecent.
"Hoo, calm down."
Focus on getting stronger. No other thoughts allowed. Pass the exam without a hitch, graduate, succeed. Her family's future rested on her shoulders. Succeed for the family that had sacrificed so much because of her. That was Yoo Ara's goal.
As she ignored the faint itch between her legs, a voice piped up.
"G-good morning..."
Lee Hye-ri arrived. Unlike usual, her face was a bit flushed as she took her seat. Normally, she'd plop right next to Yoo Ara, but today she sat one desk away.
What's her deal?
Lee Hye-ri wouldn't even meet her eyes, fumbling with her bag instead.
"What're you doing?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"Why sit there? Come to the front like always. This feels awkward."
"Oh, uh, really?"
Her stammering and averted gaze were off. Suspiciously so.
"You sick or something?"
"N-no, not that... Well, kinda. I think I've got a fever. Might be contagious, so better sit apart."
An awakener catching a cold? With their bodies several times tougher than a normal person's, it'd have to be a nasty bug. That explained the sudden weirdness.
"Got it."
As Yoo Ara prepped for class, she felt eyes on her. Turning, she locked gazes with Lee Hye-ri—who whipped her head away like she'd been caught.
Her intentions were obvious.
"Not telling you."
"H-huh? T-tell me wh-what?"
"My secret technique? No way."
She couldn't let another girl steal Tutor Siu. She wanted him as her little secret tutor. If he took on too many students, lesson quality would drop. It wasn't like she saw him as a boyfriend or anything—definitely not. She'd never even thought about dating while at the academy. Of course, if he made a move, she probably couldn't say no.
"S-secret technique, huh. H-haha. Y-yeah... Right. Must be hard to share."
Lee Hye-ri hesitated, rolling her eyes before leaning in.
"Ara, um... do you have a boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend?"
"Yeah."
"No? Why?"
What's with her? Asking about boyfriends out of nowhere?
"You don't have a boyfriend?"
She looked more shocked than Yoo Ara, like she'd been dead certain she did.
"Yeah. Where would a repeat student find a guy to date?"
"No way. You got second in the regular exam, you're super pretty, and your body's amazing. No way you don't have one."
"Thanks, but really, no."
"Really?"
"Yeah. But why ask all of a sudden?"
"Oh, nothing. Just curious."
Yoo Ara caught her muttering about no boyfriend. What's her problem today? Normally, she'd be begging for the secret by now, clinging on. No sign of that. Must be feeling really rough. Good thing she wasn't pushing. Yoo Ara wouldn't have minded even if she was a bit annoying today. After signing that extra contract with Kim Siu, tutoring stress was gone.
Come to think of it, class with him was today. More exciting than academy lectures. The relief of surrendering her body to him, the fullness of mana swelling in her lower abdomen—it made her flush just remembering.
"Oh no..."
A momentary thought of Kim Siu, and her core was wet. From reliving what they'd done. This wasn't good. Calm down. Breathe deep.
Too focused on that, she missed Lee Hye-ri's heated stare.
Professor Park Ji-yoon finished class and was reviewing references for her urban combat lecture. Among countless papers and videos, the most cited was always:
Urban Combat Basics A-Z
Author: Shadow Mask
"So easy to understand."
Written so even newbie hunters fresh out of the academy could grasp it. Shadow Mask, once top graduate, packed in his know-how, experiences, and conclusions.
Jungle Combat Basics A-Z
Desert Dungeon Basics A-Z
Dungeon Conquest Basics A-Z
His "A-Z Series" covered basics to advanced, step by step. Undisputed best in academy combat curricula. He'd conquered urban, jungle, desert dungeons, etc. Despite no active skills. Top graduate without actives? Seemed impossible, but his analytical prowess made it real. His books advanced hunter combat by at least a tier.
"The bigwigs won't admit it, though."
Korea's top prospect, rival to Daesung. Weak in raw power, but his knowledge would nurture future hunters. Sadly:
He'd killed a teammate in a dungeon.
"Sigh."
License revoked, no more books—a shame. But his existing ones helped. Sparked new perspectives in combat guides. Anonymous authors kept dropping innovative strategies. Academy banned them for unknown origins, but Park knew: they were revolutionary. Using colder chill against ice golems, absorbing desert heat to cut losses. Even she was impressed.
"Hunter Association's still so conservative."
Gates and society stabilized. Change scared them. Past chaos bred clinging to order. She got it—change wasn't always right—but strategies must evolve.
That's why those anonymous works appealed.
"What a pity. Really."
She sighed deeply.
"Wherever you are, I'd love to meet you."
Then Yoo Ara entered.
"Excuse me, Professor. You called for me?"
"Ah, there you are."
Biggest turnaround this exam. From repeater to second place. Dramatic. She'd have doubted it otherwise. Academy rankings were precise. Rare extra awakenings boosted some, but this leap? Unheard of in ten years.
Who was her teacher?
"Not scouting you for grad school, relax."
"Oh, okay..."
Yoo Ara sat opposite.
"Congrats first. You're top scholarship pick. First place was Lee Hye-ri's, but she refused it, so it goes to you."
"Hye-ri refused?"
"Said she's second, wants second prize."
"Ah..."
Yoo Ara clenched her fist. Whatever. Park continued.
"Poor second exam results could still drop you. Keep it up."
"Yes, Professor."
"And Ara."
Now the real question.
"Who'd you study with outside academy?"
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"Who?"
"Huh?"
"Who taught you? Not interrogating—just scholarly curiosity. How'd they grow you so fast?"
"W-well..."
"Academy encourages tutoring. Makes stronger hunters for humanity."
Yoo Ara bit her lip, then bolted.
"S-sorry!!!"
Park didn't stop her.
"Doesn't want to share."
She got it. Hoard the one who flipped her fate. Special bond.
"Won't spill easy."
Urban combat prof and Class D advisor Park Ji-yoon eyed the empty seat.
"Gotta build some rapport."
"Someone was definitely watching."
Curious eyes on the room. Who? A master who hid their presence—even I didn't notice till they eyed me. Despite focusing on Yoo Ara's lesson. If an enemy...
My head would've rolled.
"Annoying."
Innocent gaze, but I hated being caught off-guard.
"Been off the field too long."
Going soft.
"Can't face my students like this."
Hunter world was survival of the strongest. Weak get eaten. Yoo Ara's physicals were low, fine for now—but future students might not be mages.
So.
"Time to retrain."
Appraisal work and tutoring. Training meant dropping one. Couldn't ditch tutoring.
"Team leader!"
I yelled at the appraisal team leader, chin in hand, soft-faced.
"I'm quitting! Here's my resignation!"