Chapter 140: Variable (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 140: Variable (2)
"Why the hell is this academy so huge?"
The female student who had suddenly appeared fanned herself with her hand. She grumbled, her brow furrowed in deep irritation.
Saki's eyes sank as she stared at her. Her eyelashes half-veiled her light blue pupils. A strange tension settled over the air.
'I've never seen this student before.'
Silver hair that shimmered like platinum in the sunlight, and elegant features. But what caught her eye more than anything was...
'Her black eyes.'
As far as Saki knew, Kang Geomma was the only person in the Academy with eyes like that. No, even beyond the boundaries of the Academy, she had never seen anyone else with them.
When she had first met Kang Geomma, she had even assumed he was wearing black circle lenses. That was how uniquely characteristic those pitch-black eyes were to him.
And yet...
Saki peered closely at the female student. Her eyes were the exact same color as Kang Geomma's.
Black circle lenses? No. Those hollow eyes were natural. Even looking closely, there was no artificial trace of a lens.
And realistically, who would wear black lenses just to look pretty?
Even Saki, when she first saw Kang Geomma, had wondered why his eyes looked like those of a rotting pollack.
However, the silver-haired girl's black eyes carried a different vibe from Kang Geomma's.
While Geomma's eyes were empty like a deep well, the silver-haired girl's eyes held a bit more humanity.
Shake, shake. Saki lightly shook her head to dispel her stray thoughts. She had been completely distracted by the girl's striking, alien appearance.
"Geomma is away on personal business right now. If you have a message for him, could you tell me? I sit right 'next' to him, so I can pass it along immediately."
Saki spoke in a gentle, soft tone, yet she subtly hinted at her special bond with Kang Geomma.
'No matter how I look at her, she seems like one of those girls trying to ride Geomma's coattails.'
These days, Kang Geomma was a hot topic among the female students. He was the focus of attention for all media outlets and hero agencies.
An active Academy student who, at the age of seventeen, had defeated Mao Rang and even headed to the United States to take down All Mute.
Rumors were rampant that the match had fallen through because All Mute refused to fight.
Though they were just rumors, people believed them blindly. In fact, they went so far as to view All Mute as the underdog.
In that case, what if a scandal broke out with someone like Kang Geomma? The other party involved in the scandal would naturally become the talk of the town.
She was probably hoping to reap the benefits of that trickle-down effect. At least, that was what Saki assumed.
'I'm the only one who genuinely worries about Geomma.'
But showing her emotions here would be amateurish. She had to thoroughly hide her true feelings and act sweet.
It was the so-called 'tatemae'. A Japanese social tactic of hiding one's true feelings while sounding out the other person.
'She's got a pretty face, so she probably thinks Kang Geomma will fall for her the moment she confesses.'
Saki snorted inwardly. Once she experienced Kang Geomma's iron wall, that arrogance of hers would crumble in an instant.
Her self-esteem would plummet, and from that day on, she'd find herself staring into the mirror a lot. For the record, this was also Saki's own autobiographical experience.
'...'
Yet, those faintly glowing black eyes and that somewhat detached gaze felt almost sorrowful, like someone completely removed from the mortal world.
The silver-haired girl suddenly leaned her face in close.
"Hmm..."
"?"
"!"
Saki's expression instantly shifted to bewilderment. This unhesitating, casual action was entirely outside her expectations.
Meanwhile, the silver-haired girl narrowed her eyes and observed Saki intently.
"Your eyes are sharper than I expected. Should I say you look a bit like a stray cat?"
"Wait, do you know me?"
"Not intimately, but to some extent? Honestly, how could anyone at Joaquin Academy not know you? Light blue hair, princess cut. You're a celebrity even a passing dog would recognize."
"..."
It was true. Just because Kang Geomma treated Saki so casually didn't change the fact that she was a bona fide celebrity. After all, she was the daughter of the Archery Saint.
The silver-haired girl continued.
"And now your facade has slipped a bit. You were being a bit much just a moment ago. Well, I'll still praise your cautious attitude toward a stranger, though."
Saki's expression froze. This silver-haired girl had easily seen right through her social tactics.
Saki was usually the one reading others; had she ever been on the receiving end like this?
Saki glanced to the side. San Hana was quietly observing the situation with a blank face. Today, the glare on her glasses shone particularly white.
A minor scuffle she'd had with the glasses senior before the final exams. Back then, the senior had also caught her off guard.
She had even offered subtle encouragement, saying, 'I'm rooting for you and Kang Geomma the most, Saki~'
She had paid even closer attention to her social mask since that day, yet the silver-haired girl in front of her had pierced right to the core far more deeply than the glasses senior ever had.
Was her poker face sloppy? Or was her smile too stiff?
Saki's pupils swirled. Her stray thoughts expanded in a rapid chain reaction.
Weapon, who had been silently watching the situation, furrowed his brows.
"Hey. If you came looking for our department head, shouldn't you identify yourself first? We're a bit sensitive about that kind of thing, you know."
Weapon's tone was unusually cold. Having gone through so much with Kang Geomma, Weapon had also changed a lot.
Even the smallest detail could potentially harm Kang Geomma later on.
Until now, Kang Geomma had stepped up to solve everything, but they couldn't rely on him forever.
Blocking suspicious approaches in advance. That was his role as the friend and 'aide' of the future Seven Stars.
"Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Yoo Se-in. First-year, Star Class."
"Star Class? I have a lot of connections, so I know almost everyone in the Star Class, but you're a total stranger."
"I transferred in today."
"A transfer..."
Come to think of it, the Star Class had been in a stir this morning. The male students in particular had seemed incredibly excited. Was she the reason?
Weapon stole a glance at Se-in. She was a beautiful girl who didn't pale in comparison to Saki, a renowned beauty. If she was in their class, it made sense why the male students had cheered.
'...She is pretty, though.'
But the cognitive dissonance was severe. To speak in such a blunt, clipped tone with a face like that. Even taking her beauty into account, it completely ruined her image.
Weapon shook his head. He continued his interrogation of Se-in.
"Then that makes it even weirder. A student who just transferred today is looking for Kang Geomma during lunch on her very first day? Isn't that way too suspicious?"
"Ooh, punk hair. Sharp, aren't you?"
"Punk hair...? Me?"
Se-in's eyes said, 'Yeah. Who else?' Weapon felt a surge of anger but merely bit his lip. He couldn't reveal his dark history of a botched dye job that resulted in two-toned hair.
By the way, how did he understand her with just a look? It was as if telepathy had been beamed straight into his brain.
"Don't worry. It actually suits you."
"...It suits me?"
'Yeah.' Se-in's brief response. A dimple subtly formed on Weapon's cheek. It was the first time anyone had ever complimented his hair color.
"Anyway, punk hair."
Se-in said, tapping the corner of her eye with a finger. Her delicate fingernail pointed toward her black iris.
"See this? Geomma and I are like distant relatives."
"?!"
Weapon and Saki's shoulders jolted in unison. Distant relatives? Geomma's relative? Then, family? A storm of thoughts rushed through their minds.
Indeed, if the silver-haired girl—Yoo Se-in—was Kang Geomma's family, it explained a lot. From those pitch-black eyes to the sense of déjà vu they felt while talking to her. She shared many similarities with Kang Geomma.
But had Geomma ever mentioned his family? Kang Geomma never spoke of his family at all. Moreover, their surnames were different. Kang Geomma, Yoo Se-in. Was she a distant relative on his mother's side?
Honestly, it was still puzzling. Even if Geomma was notoriously tight-lipped about himself, still...
'But...'
Saki thought. If by some chance... if Yoo Se-in really was Kang Geomma's distant relative! She absolutely did not want to make a bad impression.
"Well, looks like I won't be able to meet him today. I was thinking of coming back later, but there's an EXP burning event later. You're Saki, right? The one sitting next to Kang Geomma."
"Y-Yeah."
"Then tell him to meet me in the backyard here after school. Got it?"
"But if you're relatives, don't you have his contact info?"
"Ah, about that."
Se-in paused slightly before adding:
"Kang Geomma, he rarely answers his phone. And since we're distant relatives, it's a bit awkward to just casually reach out."
"...I suppose that makes sense."
Saki replied, her eyes softening. The sharp corners of her eyes, which had flared up like an angry cat's, returned to normal before she knew it.
"I'll pass it along."
"If he seems really skeptical, just say 'Status Window' and he'll come find me on his own. It's like a secret code only used in our family."
"Status Window...?"
She wondered what kind of secret code that was.
Nonetheless, Saki nodded.
"Alright, I got it."
"Thank you, thank you. And..."
Finally, Se-in's gaze rested on San Hana. She stared at San Hana for a moment before speaking in a low tone.
"You look like you're having quite a bit of fun, too."
"..."
With those final words, Se-in walked away with long strides. Leaving after saying only what she wanted to say—perhaps because she was Geomma's relative, Se-in also possessed a straightforward, no-nonsense personality.
Saki watched Se-in's retreating back, then suddenly glanced to her side. In the next instant, Saki's pupils dilated.
...!
San Hana, who always insisted on a poker face. The glasses senior who, no matter what happened, would only offer a small smile and never show any further change in expression.
But right now, her face was overflowing with emotion. Clear hostility. A blue flame burned quietly behind her glasses.
* * *
"A relative? To me?"
This was the response that came immediately after lunch, right after she delivered the message to Kang Geomma. He asked again to confirm.
"Are you sure? She said she was my relative?"
"Yeah. She said you guys are very distant relatives."
"Even if she's distant... there's no way I have one."
At his skeptical reaction, Ryozo's face also filled with confusion. Kang Geomma looked as if he had seen a ghost.
"She said her name is Yoo Se-in. Apparently, she transferred to the Star Class today. Have you never heard of her?"
"...Yoo Se-in."
Kang Geomma rubbed his temples, lost in thought.
'Is the existence of a distant relative really that shocking...?'
Saki looked at Kang Geomma's profile with a sense of awkwardness. She had a gut feeling that his family history must be incredibly complicated.
People who grew up in complicated families tend to avoid talking about them. Having grown up in a complex household herself in many ways, Saki could vaguely sense it.
Up until now, Kang Geomma hadn't said a single word about his family. And the reason was likely not much different from her own.
In fact, there was a high probability that Kang Geomma's situation was even worse than hers. Perhaps Kang Geomma's highly independent nature stemmed from the absence of family.
Of course, Saki's hacking skills could have easily dug up the truth. But she hadn't even tried.
At least when it came to Kang Geomma, she wanted to hear it directly from him.
'For Geomma, does it feel like a family member he never knew existed has suddenly appeared...?'
Thinking about it that way made her eyes grow slightly misty. Saki quickly turned her head away. A suffocating tightness welled up from the depths of her emotions.
She could understand Kang Geomma's reaction now. He must have lived completely alone, so for a family member to suddenly appear out of nowhere, it would be stranger if he weren't confused.
Just then, the last thing Se-in had said before leaving flashed through her mind. Saki wiped the corner of her eye with her index finger and composed her expression.
Saki spoke up cautiously.
"There's something she said before she left. 'Status Window'? She said if I told you that, you'd understand immediately—"
Before she could even finish her sentence, Kang Geomma bolted upright. Without a word, he headed straight for the door.
Startled by his sudden action, Saki reached out toward his retreating back.
"Where are you going?!"
"...Star Class."
Kang Geomma replied without turning around and walked straight out of the classroom. At this, the atmosphere in the room began to stir.
"There's less than three minutes left until the next class, and he's suddenly leaving?"
"Yeah. His expression looked really dark just now... D-Don't tell me, is he going to take someone out again today...?"
"He said he's going to the Star Class! Oh my god! Let's follow him!"
Saki shot a cold glare at those students.
"Everyone."
Her pupils, sharply slit like an eagle's. The wide vision of an archer swept over every single face in an instant.
"Only those who can keep their mouths shut and their feet still will be able to handle the consequences. Understood?"
...
The students fell dead silent in an instant. Having made sure everyone's mouths were shut, Saki dashed toward the Star Class.
Even as she ran, Saki barked into the phone that had suddenly appeared in her hand.
"Hi, Vixbig. Access the Joaquin Academy security system. Command: Delay class alarm by ten minutes."
[※※Verifying command.※※]
Beep!
[※※CODE. HKEY_CLASSES_ALARM (10) MIN. has been successfully executed.※※]
[※※The 5th period class bell for Joaquin Academy has been delayed by 10 minutes.※※]
A dry, mechanical voice. Then, a cascade of 0s and 1s scrolled across the screen.
Saki put her phone away.
"Geomma, no matter how urgent it is, you still have to manage your attendance. It's the first day of the new semester."