Chapter 101
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: How Could You?
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Looking around the room, I spotted bunk beds, two desks, and a wardrobe.
...Honestly, the dorm was way cleaner than my own room.
It wasn't ridiculously small either.
'Still, sharing with a total stranger for three whole days...'
Anxiety over the unfamiliar surroundings weighed heavily on my chest.
Swoosh—
I sat on the bed and hugged my bag close.
Not out of any particular attachment—just hadn't decided where to put it.
'...Wonder what kind of person it'll be.'
With nothing else to do, my eyes naturally drifted to the door.
I could say something like "Why be shy now?" but...
Passing by people in an open space is one thing; sharing a cramped room night and day with a stranger is a whole different level of pressure.
The difference between somewhere you can bolt from if needed and somewhere you can't is huge.
Plus, outside there was always that sense of someone nearby, but now...?
'Is Brüel still around somewhere...?'
For now, I didn't sense her distinctive presence anywhere close.
Maybe the building was just too big.
...She didn't ditch me, did she?
Thump thump.
In the quiet room.
All I could hear was my tiny heart pounding away and the faint sound of my breathing.
Sweat started beading on the palms gripping my bag.
'...!'
That's when I felt a presence approaching from down the hall.
Step, step.
Room 4...
Room 3...
Room 2...
The presence drew closer, passing Room 2.
Only my Room 1 left...!
"H-hic...!"
By the time it reached the door, I was in full-blown light panic.
Click.
"!"
The doorknob turned......
Creeeak—thud.
"Excuse me... Huh?"
The door swung open to reveal a girl who looked like she hadn't even hit high school yet.
She'd opened it cautiously, but her casual clothes and features radiated an irrepressible energy.
Spotting something odd as she entered, she tilted her head.
"A bag?"
There on the bed sat a massively bloated backpack.
The kind of huge one guys might sling around carelessly.
Except it had these short little legs poking from the opening.
Peering inside, she saw plump legs atop a chubby little butt.
The door had opened, and without thinking, I'd hidden in the bag.
"Um...?"
Eek!
Her voice so close made me tremble.
'...What do I do now?!'
Trapped in the dark bag, I regretted everything.
"Hellooo?"
Shiver shiver...
No way I could just pop out casually now.
I'd look like a total weirdo.
Her voice sounded like a young kid's, though...
"Fine then."
"!?"
Her fingers started tickling my pudgy calves and tiny soles mercilessly.
"Tickle tickle tickle."
"Eek, hic, kkh...!"
I squirmed to escape, but forward was the bag's depths.
Only option was to scoot backward.
"If you don't come out, I'm coming in~!"
"H-heh-hek, s-stop!"
Riding the momentum, she shoved her hand in and mercilessly attacked my armpits.
"Hyaaah!"
I finally couldn't take it and burst out of the bag.
Well, more like flailed my way free.
End result was the same, so whatever.
"Heh, hek..."
"Whoa! So cute!"
I panted, utterly bewildered.
What kind of rudeness is this?
Not that I had room to talk, hiding in a bag like that—but tickling a stranger before even seeing their face?
Whatever. The ponytail girl launched right into her introduction anyway.
"Hi! I'm Kim Haneul. You're my roommate? What's your name?"
"K-Kim... Su-hyeon."
...Right. Fresh start from here.
Haneul plopped down on the bed's edge, and I scooted away a bit before answering.
"Su-hyeon! Wow, how old are you? Six? Five?"
"N-no..."
"What's with the hair color? Awakening power? Can I touch it?"
"...Kinda. Ah, no touching."
"You even talk so clearly! Why were you in the bag? Playing hide-and-seek? I used to do that alone as a kid too..."
"W-wait!"
"Yeah?"
I shoved the clinging girl back and declared firmly.
She was sneaky about closing in, but mostly, she talked way too much.
Hard enough answering one question at a time—why were they piling up?
"What's wrong?"
Thinking she was like me a few months ago would be a mistake.
I'd changed physically and been through stuff.
No more waffling—I could assert myself clearly now!
Would've been nice from the start, but oh well.
"Um, first off, could you not use casual speech? I'm... older than I look. Y-yes... show some respect."
"Really? I'm older than I look too! We're alike!"
"Eh, huh?"
What? She hears me but doesn't?
But I'd said it—no backing down.
"...How old?"
I crossed my arms under my chin and looked down at her.
Sounded super cool, but really, she was sitting on the bed and I was standing beside her.
'Hmph, bet she's not even 20.'
Haneul looked 16 or 17 tops.
I didn't know much about girls' growth spurts, but surely not beyond normal like mine.
"23."
"...?"
She really was older than she looked...?
"...For real?"
I was stumped.
"Yeah, want my ID? Oh, you know what an ID is? This thing..."
"I know!"
The ID she dug out confirmed she was born in '18.
"And you, Su-hyeon?"
"...23."
"What?"
Haneul blinked, then burst into giggles.
"Aha! Su-hyeon hates losing, huh? Trying to match your big sis's age?"
"..."
I'd figured she wouldn't believe me.
After all I'd been through these past months.
Instead of arguing, I pulled out my own ID and flashed it.
Haneul's eyes went wide.
The corner of my lip twitched up.
Now what reaction?
Shocked, apologize?
Say she didn't realize I was an adult too?
Come on, bow your head, you rude girl.
More talkative than excited Brüel, louder than Min-ji.
'Sorry, that was rude for a first meeting!'
Haneul in my head jumps up and bows frantically.
'Heh.'
But instead of standing, she scooted even closer.
"Whoa, same age? We're friends then!"
"Eh."
That's how it works...?
"Same room, same age, stuff in common! Perfect, right?"
She grabbed my hands—pinned against the wall—and shook them up and down in glee.
Slosh slosh.
The bed rocked wildly in sync.
"Ugh, uh, un?"
Overwhelmed by her endless energy, I just nodded.
"I'll take the top bunk! Might be risky for you. Oh, want the top?"
"N-no... whatever. Sure..."
"Thanks!"
She bounded up the ladder like a rocket and flopped onto the bed.
The whole frame shook.
She dangled her head over the railing.
"Haneul in the sky-heaven. Pfft."
And cracked up to herself.
"...Haha."
No good. This won't work.
Ga-eun at our first meeting was a total angel by comparison.
Facing the ultimate bad-match human, I shuddered.
Later, at the orientation gathering.
I was utterly exhausted.
Not from the strangers—but my roommate.
If strangers were the issue, I never could've gone to school.
Anyway, how bad? Haneul had me in a hug, chin on my head, and I couldn't even resist.
They say even puppies can outlast tiny humans in stamina.
But if something could out-stamina a tiny human, it'd be Kim Haneul.
"So yeah. That's how I ended up a Hunter...?"
Her nonstop chatter finally paused as she ignored whether I replied.
A shadow fell over me.
"Su-hyeon, you..."
"Mmph?"
A savior's voice reached my wilted self.
Turning, I saw a tall woman with a slightly shocked expression.
And beside her, a short-haired woman in glasses.
Ga-eun, here with her roommate.
The short-haired one glanced confusedly between Haneul and me.
Trying to guess who knew Ga-eun.
"Oh, Ga-eun unnie? This is who you came with...?"
"The little one."
"Ah, aha...?"
The woman's head tilted.
Little sis...?
"Ga-eun...!"
I croaked out weakly.
Social butterfly Ga-eun could totally handle this monster.
"...Earlier you were all 'Please don't go,' but look at you, all buddy-buddy with your new friend already?"
"...Huh?"
Ga-eun sounded a bit prickly.
"Ah! You two know each other!"
Judging from that, Haneul greeted them.
"Hi! Friends with Su-hyeon? I'm Kim Haneul. Um... Lee Ga-eun and Han So-yeon?"
"Haneul, hi."
"H-hello."
"Friends of Su-hyeon? Sit here! Spot's empty!"
"Oh, thanks. Don't mind if I do..."
Ga-eun happily took the seat.
Back to her usual smile, unlike moments ago.
"H-hey, that's... my seat."
"You can just sit there, right?"
I protested late, but Ga-eun shot back coolly.
Sensing the weird vibe, I shriveled again.
Ga-eun didn't feel warm and fun like usual—more hurt.
Legs crossed elegantly, she muttered beside me.
"Hmph. I was worried I'd have to pick you up before orientation, but nope—you're already cuddling up to someone else."
"...Ga-eun?"
"Hugging just anyone who comes along? Even someone you met minutes ago."
...Something off about her words?
I sneaked a peek.
"...Mad?"
"No?"
"Then why..."
"What."
"N-nothing."
She says no, so whatever. I just looked down.