A Sleepless Night and a Sudden Invitation
Early morning. Having arrived at school much earlier than usual, Yujin sat with a completely dazed expression. He was struggling to hold back his yawns. A thin sheen of moisture clung to the dark circles under his eyes. No sooner had he wiped away the tears with the back of his hand than another yawn escaped him.
"Yaaawn..."
Yujin blinked his heavy, sleepy eyes. He hadn't expected to feel this exhausted after pulling just a single all-nighter. Normally, he could easily push through a day without sleep, but right now, an unbearable drowsiness was washing over him. Was it because he had pushed his body and mind too far?
He couldn't get what had happened in the infirmary out of his head. It came to him when he was doing nothing, when he was swinging his sword, when he was eating, and even when he closed his eyes. Those arms wrapping warmly around him. Her scent slowly drifting over. That pleasant warmth, and the soft, yielding sensation that shifted and molded with every movement. For Yujin, who had lived an ascetic life entirely consumed by training, it was far too much stimulation.
Yujin's life was governed by a strict routine. Sleep early, wake early. As always, he had laid down in bed when 10:00 PM rolled around. Having repeated this lifestyle for years, he usually fell asleep the moment his eyes closed. But last night was different. Even with his eyelids shut, something lingered behind the darkness. Every time he tried to sleep, a shiver ran through his body. A heat that started in his chest quickly spread, wrapping around his entire frame. His back and abdomen, in particular, burned with a stinging sensation. The areas where Lucia's skin had made the most contact felt as hot as if they had been burned. The breath brushing against his neck. The sweet scent of her sweat. The soft warmth and her gentle voice.
Yujin simply couldn't sleep. Even when he closed his eyes and pulled the blanket over his head, sleep eluded him; instead, his mind only grew sharper. In the darkness, the scene from a few hours ago replayed itself. No matter how hard he tried to push it away, it kept looping on the same track. Each time, his heart pounded wildly from a strange sense of guilt and an unfamiliar, tingling sensation. He was drenched in sweat as if he had just finished an intense workout, his pajamas clinging stickily to his skin.
Realizing he wouldn't be able to sleep like this, Yujin decided to exhaust his body instead. He figured that if he made himself tired enough, his mind would clear, and sleep would come naturally. Since curfew had already passed, he couldn't leave the dormitory. Thus, he decided to do whatever exercises he could inside his room. Maybe some simple sit-ups. A few dozen reps, and his stray thoughts would surely vanish.
Instead, Yujin ended up staying awake until sunrise. 100 push-ups. 100 sit-ups. 100 squats. When that wasn't enough, he ignored the curfew entirely, snuck outside, and went for a 10-kilometer run. Once he had repeated this cycle about twenty times, he lost count. How many sets had he done? He didn't know. He had intended to move in a trance until he collapsed from exhaustion. However, having recently crossed the threshold of awakening, Yujin did not tire easily, and his intrusive thoughts refused to fade. In the end, as he stared blankly at the dawning sky, Yujin gave up on sleep altogether.
The real problem started after that. Yujin's efforts did have an effect—just far too late. The moment he could no longer afford to sleep, a wave of drowsiness crashed over him. It was as if a dam holding back his exhaustion had burst, making his eyelids feel incredibly heavy. He had washed off his sweat and headed to school, but now his cheeks practically ached from yawning so much. He felt like he would pass out if he stayed still.
Just as he was pinching his thigh to force himself awake, the classroom door slid open with a rattle.
"The great me has arrived!"
"Huh?"
It was a cheerful, boisterous voice. Yujin turned his head reflexively. A boy with familiar tanned skin strode confidently into the classroom. He was someone Yujin knew very well. For Yujin, whose social circle was extremely narrow, this boy was one of the few people he could confidently call a friend. Just a few days ago, they had even been hospitalized together. Yujin was about to greet him warmly, but he frowned as a strange sense of mismatch struck him.
"Leo...?"
"What's with that face?"
"No, it's just..."
At first, Yujin thought his sleep-deprived eyes were playing tricks on him. But while his eyelids were heavy, his vision was perfectly fine. Yujin asked, his voice filled with confusion, "What's with your hair?"
"Ha! What do you think? Suits me pretty well, doesn't it?"
"I mean, it does suit you, but..."
Leo proudly squared his shoulders. Yujin's gaze locked onto Leo's head. His hair, which had originally been black like Yujin's, was now dyed a bright blonde. It wasn't that it looked bad on him. It actually harmonized quite well with Leo's wild appearance—if only it didn't make him look so much like a delinquent. Yujin gave a wry smile as the image of a troubled youth squatting and smoking in a dark, deserted alleyway flashed through his mind.
"Why the sudden dye job? What got into you?"
"It's a declaration of my resolve to make a fresh start with a new mindset. No big deal."
"And what does that have to do with dying your hair?"
"You just don't get it. Changing your appearance is a huge help when it comes to steeling your resolve. I'll be reminded of it every time I look in the mirror, won't I?"
Hearing Leo's seamless explanation, Yujin nodded, thinking that actually made some sense. Once that question was resolved, another immediately took its place. Yujin asked, "But what do you mean by making a fresh start?"
"What else? It means I'm never going to get pathetically beaten up like that again."
Leo crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow, slightly raising his arm. Though it was perfectly fine now, that arm had once been snapped like a twig by a high-ranking monster's tail swipe. Yujin fell silent. He understood why Leo had gone as far as changing his hair color to steel his resolve. Leo considered Yujin a friend, but at the same time, he viewed him as a rival. Even someone as dense as Yujin couldn't possibly miss it when it was this obvious.
While Yujin, whom Leo secretly considered his rival, had fought on equal terms with a high-ranking monster, Leo himself had been taken out in a single blow. In the past, Yujin had been slightly stronger, but the gap hadn't been this massive. In fact, if the circumstances were right, it was entirely possible for Leo to defeat Yujin. But not anymore. The gap between their levels had grown too wide. No matter how talented Leo was, he was still at a student's level. Yujin, who had reached a new realm in an instant, had already surpassed the level of a student. It was only natural for Leo's pride to be wounded.
"Just you wait, man. I'm gonna catch up to you in no time," Leo said with a smirk.
Hearing the confident declaration, Yujin blinked before letting out a smirk of his own.
"It won't be easy. I'll be growing just as fast as you chase me."
"Hmph, we'll see about that. I've got a rough grasp on things now. I know what I was lacking."
There was no better textbook than real combat. Yujin wasn't the only one who had fought a life-or-death battle for the first time. Looking into Leo's burning eyes, Yujin thought, Yeah, he can do it. If it's Leo. If I could do it, there's no way Leo can't.
Having a conversation seemed to wake him up a bit. As his hazy consciousness gradually cleared, Yujin looked at Leo's hair, and another thought suddenly crossed his mind.
"Ah, is that it?"
"Is what it?"
"Your hair color. You're copying that man, aren't you?"
"..."
That man. Even without mentioning his name, Leo understood instantly.
"But his hair was yellow, not blonde, wasn't it?"
"...I made it a bit darker on purpose, and you noticed right away? Man, how embarrassing."
"What's there to be embarrassed about? It's only natural to admire someone strong."
"If you say so."
Yujin had only taken a guess because the colors were similar, but he had hit the bullseye. The Captain of the 2nd Division. His name was Karlad, right? The flash of lightning from that day had left a deep impression on both Yujin and Leo. How could they ever forget the moment that terrifying high-ranking monster was sliced in half with a single strike? Even now, goosebumps broke out on his arms whenever he thought about it. In a way, it was only natural to associate Leo's hair color with Karlad. After all, Yujin had also taken that overwhelmingly powerful man as his role model.
"One day, I'm going to become as strong as that man. Strong enough to crush a high-ranking monster in a single blow."
"Yeah, let's work hard together."
Yujin replied with a smile to Leo's firm resolve. This was actually perfect timing. Since they were on the subject, there was something he wanted to brag about to Leo. The completion of his Sun Sword. He might not tell anyone else, but he definitely wanted to tell Leo. Even if it sounded like bragging, he couldn't help it. Leo wasn't the only one who viewed the other as a rival. He wanted Leo to get fired up and catch up to him quickly.
"Hey, Leo, you know..."
But just as Yujin opened his mouth, the door Leo had closed upon entering slid open again. His gaze drifted toward it reflexively. And then, he froze in that exact position.
"Hi. Good morning."
A blonde girl waved her hand in greeting. Any lingering traces of drowsiness instantly evaporated. Yujin awkwardly waved back.
"Good morning, Lucia."
Fortunately, the words came out naturally. He had been worried because his tongue always seemed to tie itself in knots whenever he stood in front of Lucia, but now that he was getting used to it, it was manageable.
"Oh? Leo? You've been discharged? How's your body?"
"Of course, always in peak condition. Don't underestimate how tough I am."
Leo looked back and forth between Lucia and Yujin, then let out a sly, annoying smirk. He patted Yujin on the shoulder and quietly slipped away. Yujin felt a headache coming on. Is he still misunderstanding? I keep telling him Lucia and I aren't in that kind of relationship... yet. Wait, what am I even saying?
"..."
"Hello, Aris."
Aris, who was tightly holding onto Lucia's hand, waved silently. She looked rather reluctant, which made Yujin feel a bit disappointed. However, he didn't let it show and greeted her anyway. Knowing Aris's personality, he figured it couldn't be helped. Though she became incredibly fierce in battle, she was normally a girl so fragile and tender-hearted that it was almost painful to watch. He hoped that one day they would be close enough to greet each other comfortably. Yujin sincerely prayed for that day to come.
"Yujin, could you do me a small favor?"
At Lucia's words, Yujin nodded without a moment's hesitation. A favor from Lucia? Of course he would do it. Come to think of it, even though they had saved each other's lives, Lucia was the only one who had granted him a favor. He felt it was only fair that he should grant one of her wishes in return.
"Of course. Just tell me what it is."
"Hehe, I'm glad."
As he had always felt, Lucia's laugh was incredibly refreshing. It was a pleasant smile that naturally put anyone looking at her at ease. Yujin unconsciously smiled along as he looked at her. But with her next words, Yujin's smile completely vanished.
"Are you free this weekend, by any chance?"
...Excuse me?