Team Composition Seems Fucked
Of course, Hwa Yujin didn't buy into clichés like "first kisses taste like lemon"—the kind of line straight out of a pure romance manga. It sounded fishy as hell right off the bat. But even if you tossed aside those bogus metaphors, when it came to yearning for that first kiss, Yujin was no different from any other virgin guy.
What would it feel like to kiss Hyowon?
In this bizarre situation where their first time having sex had come before their first kiss, Yujin's mind fixated especially on her lips among all her tempting features. He wanted to rub his lips against those soft-looking ones. Shoving his tongue in from the start felt wrong. What he craved wasn't some sticky, intense adult kiss but a fresh, tangy lovers' smooch. The goal wasn't pleasure—it was a meeting of hearts. A warm, ticklish vibe building up, their eyes locking in perfect understanding, no one saying "let's do it" first, yet their distance closing naturally until, before they knew it...
Somehow, Yujin had started longing for that exact kind of kiss. If Hyowon heard this, she'd probably snap at him to cut the girly daydreams and tone down the cringey behavior. But what could he do? Humans always seek to fill their voids. Once the physical lust was satisfied, it was only natural to chase emotional cravings next.
Of course, actually trying to kiss Hyowon for real would be overstepping. Not after hearing her sobbing alone in the bathroom post their first time. He was just a tool for her to get stronger. He could never forget that. Even if she moaned in that irresistibly cute voice mid-sex, seducing him, it was all an act to boost the enhancement efficiency. He couldn't cross that line. They were nothing more.
...Or so he thought.
Really? Could he really accept such a reward? At this point, he'd pour every ounce of effort into the comprehensive training, even if it killed him. Especially since "peck" hit him clean in the chest with its pure, soft, squishy innocence—unlike some stuffy "kiss" that might've fallen flat.
Meanwhile, Hyowon—who'd sent this bombshell text—acted like nothing happened after lunch, cool as ever, pulling off total nonchalance. Yujin even half-suspected it was phishing, some imposter impersonating her. Ridiculous, sure, but irrelevant. His heart was already ablaze.
I'll snag that 1st grade for sure and get my peck from Hyowon!
Hwa Yujin, age 20. Good influence or bad? Hard to say. But right now, he dove into training prep with the purest motives imaginable. Hyowon's lips. Nothing else mattered.
※ Excluding exceptions like Hyowon, teams form in groups of three. Since grading's individual, some say team comp doesn't matter. Pfft, ignore the clueless. A good team might help you pass, but it doesn't guarantee top marks. That's certain. But a bad team? Straight-up drags your score down! If your teammates troll and you can't even clear basics, no way your grades shine. Duh.
They say you need the luck to land good teammates. That's training in a nutshell.
In that sense, Yujin's team luck could be called good... or bad, depending on perspective.
"Team's set at three. I'll take leader since I've got the best grades. No complaints, right? It's the most logical choice."
Sana struck first the moment the team assembled. Leader gets bonus points for good team scores but eats penalties for failures, tanking already-low marks further. Takes serious confidence to claim it so boldly. And Sana had the grades to back it up.
Excluding transcendent outliers like Hyowon, Yujin's class had the top trio: Kiru, Esmeralda. And now Sana, teamed with him. Weirdly, all girls. This intake felt girl-heavy. All beauties, too.
Black straight hair, mature face, cold eyes. At a glance, she resembled Hyowon, but where Hyowon evoked an Eastern doll, Sana screamed urban intellectual. (Sexist maybe, but unlike Hyowon's voluptuous curves, Sana's proportions weren't quite as mature.) Personality-wise, total opposites.
"Top grades don't automatically make you leader. Leadership isn't measured by scores."
Josef—the male cadet teamed with Sana and Yujin—piped up. Really, he just hated her presumptuous grab. But he had a point. Leadership isn't score-based. Questionable if someone declaring "I'm top, so I'm leader" has healthy vibes anyway.
Sana didn't blink at the challenge.
"So... you won't accept me as leader?"
"Not that! We need proper discussion!"
"Hah, discussion? What a waste."
Sana folded her glasses into her breast pocket.
"But not bad. Better to show the gap clearly—makes leading easier. Logical."
"What're you—"
"Follow me. We'll settle it with fists. Who suits leader best."
"?"
"?"
※ Never judge by appearances. Yujin learned that from Ayumi. She looks fragile, like she'd faint at a bug, but she's a beast in fights. Anyone who's tasted her fist never challenges her again. If she weren't so sweet by nature, Yujin's childhood would've been hell. So when her weapon turned out to be a spiked mace—looks deceiving—he wasn't shocked. Obvious.
By the same token, watching an intellectual-looking girl pummel a same-age boy without a single clean hit barely fazed him. Girls these days are scary.
"Ugh... ahhh..."
"That's all you got? Pathetic. Whining about leadership with this trash skill... Unfair, right? No one wants a weak leader."
"Eek..."
Sana's pride-shredding words left Josef speechless. A solid counter would've saved face, but zilch? Done.
Leadership isn't just brute force. But yeah, nobody wants a weak one. And this was pure fisticuffs—no qi. If qi entered the mix, Josef couldn't touch her.
Yet he didn't quit. Dumb move. Just bruised ego from a one-sided girl-beating, throwing a tantrum. He clenched his fists, charged like a beast.
But that just set up her counter.
-Crack!-
A blow vibrating bone-deep slammed his face.
"Hopeless idiot. Still no sense of the power gap?"
Indeed. From a step away, Yujin saw the chasm plain. Sana wasn't even half-trying—her form screamed it.
"Ughhhh..."
A normal person would've been hospitalized. But Josef was academy-trained. Instinctive Gather Qi softened it—no visible gashes. Though the counter dazed him silly.
Perfect spot to end the pecking order.
"Best to nip bad elements early. Fear etched in flesh doesn't lie."
Sana raised her fist at the spiritless Josef.
"Enough. That's plenty."
Any more was just violence, not hierarchy. Yujin grabbed her wrist, shivering. How'd this slim arm pack such power?
"You wanna try too?"
"Nah. Don't care about leader. Do it if you want. Strong lead reassures me. But you're going overboard."
"Settle hierarchies thoroughly when you can."
"We'll train together. Pursuit hits just dock team perf. Show some mercy if you're leading?"
"...Our ideas of leadership differ big-time."
Still, Sana released him. Yujin's logic checked out.
"Settled. We revolve around me. Follow orders, meet expectations. Do that, I guarantee 2nd grade."
"My goal's 1st."
"Unrealistic goals aren't ideal."
Sana readjusted her glasses.
"After school tomorrow, extra training. Study group style. I'll plan the menu by then. Prep yourselves."
She dropped her piece and bounced.
"Training with her? We good?"
Wonder if I'll still get that peck...