The Academy's Ace
It was the second day. The early morning air was still cold, with the fog yet to lift. A female student stood atop a small hill, quietly gazing down at the training grounds. Kim Jeong-a's day always began with an empty-stomach morning workout. Today, after finishing her usual refreshing exercise, she had been about to head back to the dormitory when something caught her eye.
"That guy again…"
There was one person who had been standing out to her lately. A male student running laps around the academy's training field at full speed. And not just today—he had been doing this every single day.
Kim Jeong-a furrowed her brows. She had known Ha Yeonjun for a long time. Among the boys, he had the smallest build and was always called the "kid." On top of that, his stamina had been so poor that he was always the first to drop out during endurance runs. At least, that was how she remembered him.
But at some point, his entire presence had changed.
"Hmm."
After watching him for a while, Kim Jeong-a finally turned toward the dormitory only after he stopped running.
He's not a kid anymore.
The first floor of Emperor Hall featured a vintage lounge that students passed through in the hallways. As she opened the door and stepped inside, the early-rising students all greeted her. The loudest among them was Class President An Gyeong-tae.
"Jeong-a! Good morning!"
"Yeah, good morning."
Kim Jeong-a responded with a casual smile. She had no idea that her pretty smile would have the opposite effect. Class President An Gyeong-tae was already lost in his own delusions, grinning like an idiot.
"Sh-she just smiled at me. Does Jeong-a maybe… like me too?"
"Ugh…"
Kim Jeong-a ignored him and turned away. Just then, a female student wearing a student council badge approached her.
"Jeong-a! Can you send me the survey results right now?"
"Huh? You didn't get them last night? I definitely…"
"Never mind, it's fine! It was An Gyeong-tae again, wasn't it? That guy never does his job properly."
The student council girl placed her hands on her hips and glared at An Gyeong-tae. Kim Jeong-a sighed and replied.
"I'll send it again as soon as I get to my room."
"Thanks, Jeong-a. You're the only one I can count on!"
The students trusted the vice president, Kim Jeong-a, far more than Class President An Gyeong-tae. It wasn't just because she was Principal Kim Chong-jae's daughter—her sharp and reliable personality played a big part too.
The elevator doors opened at that moment.
Ding-dong.
Kim Jeong-a stepped out on the third floor and entered her room. It was a spacious, modern, and clean space, though the interior had a rather luxurious feel. She flopped down onto the sofa, which was already occupied by various stuffed animals.
"Haa."
Still sweaty, Kim Jeong-a leaned back against the sofa and let out a tired sigh. There was a reason she kept so many stuffed toys around. To others, she might seem like the perfect girl, but Kim Jeong-a carried a deep trauma—nyctophobia and monophobia. She was terrified of being alone in the dark.
This fear stemmed from an unfortunate incident in her childhood. The year she turned fourteen, young Kim Jeong-a had been playing in her room with a duck stuffed toy she had received as a gift. Her parents were always busy, so the house was empty, but she was used to being alone. In fact, playing by herself felt natural to her.
Click.
Then she heard the front door open. Thinking her parents had come home early, the girl excitedly tossed her toy aside and ran out. The moment she opened her door without a second thought… an unexpected face appeared before her.
Who is this uncle…?
That day, the girl was kidnapped. Kim Jeong-a was locked away somewhere with a hood over her face for ten long days. The terror of darkness. The scar etched into her heart was born on that day.
But on the tenth day, Kim Jeong-a finally saw the light. A gentle male voice reached her ears.
"Are you okay, kid?"
The girl squinted as she looked up at the person who had removed her hood. He looked like… a hero. In reality, the man was the "Demon Hunter," but to the young girl, he had seemed like a hero. From that day on, Kim Jeong-a began to admire heroes.
"Haa."
Kim Jeong-a stood up. Ever since then, she had been working tirelessly to overcome her trauma. That was also why she was so obsessed with training.
Now, Kim Jeong-a stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower. True to its reputation, Emperor Hall's shower room was elegant and classic. Water poured down from a crystal showerhead.
Shhhhhh—
As she washed away both sweat and trauma, someone came to mind. A few days ago, Kim Jeong-a had witnessed Ha Yeonjun inside the labyrinth. And what she saw was none other than Professor Lee Jun-gyeom, consumed by evil. Kim Jeong-a hadn't been able to move. Professor Lee Jun-gyeom's vicious expression had been enough to trigger the trauma buried in her heart.
But in that moment, Ha Yeonjun had taken him down. That day, Kim Jeong-a had overlapped the past with him. The image of the hero she had seen as a child…!
A moment later, Kim Jeong-a turned off the shower. Her wet hair clung to her shoulders. She murmured to herself.
"Ha Yeonjun is definitely hiding his power!"
The scene she had witnessed at the training center was no mistake. So why was he hiding his strength…?
Kim Jeong-a moved to the sink and looked into the mirror. Her face was faintly reflected in the fogged-up glass. She was curious. What kind of person was Ha Yeonjun, really…?
So she wiped the moisture from the mirror and spoke to herself.
"I need to find out!"
Her eyes sparkled.
*
Break time at Raven Academy was always lively. A male student walked alone down the hallway, sipping milk through a straw. Ha Yeonjun was currently lost in deep thought. By completing the "Exercise Mission" and "Study Mission," he had been able to finish his daily missions with ease. The problem was the mission that came after.
Love Connector…
Ha Yeonjun bit his lip. Her missions weren't excessive. In fact, they might have been the easiest ones. The mission that appeared yesterday could be completed in just one second.
[Greet Yu Hae-rin. (0/1)]
That was why he had approached Yu Hae-rin and greeted her.
"Hey, hello…"
"Hic!―"
Of course, she only hiccuped and didn't return the greeting. Just then, someone blocked Ha Yeonjun's path. It was the golden-haired Yu Hae-rin and her friends.
Ha Yeonjun awkwardly stepped aside to let them pass. Yu Hae-rin spoke sharply.
"Why didn't you greet me even though you saw me today?"
Meanwhile, Kim Jeong-a was secretly watching the entire scene from behind a pillar. Seeing their expressions, she began to form her own misunderstanding.
What? Are those two dating?
But it wasn't just Yu Hae-rin. Other female students were also hiding behind display shelves, secretly watching Ha Yeonjun. Lately, the number of girls interested in him had increased significantly. She remembered that even Eun-ji and Su-bin from their class had said they were interested in him.
Kim Jeong-a began to look Ha Yeonjun up and down.
He definitely has something…
Just then, a male voice called out. Kim Jeong-a jumped in surprise and turned around to find Lee Dae-han standing there. She shouted.
"Hey! You scared me!"
"What were you looking at so intently?"
As he spoke, Lee Dae-han shifted his gaze in the direction she had been staring. There stood Ha Yeonjun. Just as the oblivious Lee Dae-han was about to open his mouth…
"Shh! Be quiet."
Kim Jeong-a pulled him back and pressed her index finger to her lips. Lee Dae-han's eyes widened. The academy bell rang at that exact moment.
Ding-dong-dang-dong!―
It was the bell signaling the end of break time. Kim Jeong-a walked into the classroom with a completely normal expression. She sighed and said.
"Let's go. Class is starting."
But Lee Dae-han remained standing there. From behind the pillar, the boy alternated his gaze between Kim Jeong-a and Ha Yeonjun.
"……"
His eyes lingered especially on Kim Jeong-a's retreating figure. He placed a hand on his chest. Lee Dae-han, the promising young talent, felt an indescribable emotion today.
*
I entered the classroom and took my seat. When I glanced behind me, Kim Jeong-a still seemed to be watching me. She had been like this since morning… I turned my gaze forward again. I had considered asking her why, but decided against it. After all, I needed to focus on my own tasks.
Today's daily mission was violence. So I recalled the faces I had seen in front of the crosswalk two days ago. They were the same delinquents I had encountered in District 6 before. This time, a man who looked like the "big brother" was with them, and they were roaming around threatening innocent citizens in broad daylight.
"In that case…"
I clasped my hands together and stared straight ahead. I wasn't some kind of hero… but it seemed like the time had come to wield justified violence once again.