How Not to Be Ignored
It feels a little awkward to say this about myself, but the me of right now fell firmly into the “quite handsome” category.
So I had more or less expected it—that the girls’ gazes would start gathering on me. I had even prepared myself for it to a certain degree, but…
Once it actually becomes reality, it’s so hard to endure.
A few stares I could handle. Right now, though, there were far too many. It was overwhelming. I wanted to bolt from this place on the spot. For a moment I even considered dropping out temporarily. That damned trauma was about to drive me out of my mind.
I knew full well these weren’t looks of contempt. They were looks of interest. And yet…
Every so often you meet people who have never suffered trauma themselves and still spout nonsense that doesn’t even begin to make sense. What’s the big deal about trauma? You’re just mentally weak. Take some meds. Work out hard. Once your head clears up, the trauma will vanish in no time. How carefree those words were. This wasn’t a cold. Anyone who had never experienced it had no idea—trauma was not something you simply “got over.”
Maybe I should try going to a psychiatrist again sometime.
In my previous world it hadn’t helped at all. This world, however, would be different. There were hospitals that treated mental illness with magic. I decided that when I had the time and money to spare, I would pay one a visit.
…For now, I’ll just have to hold on with sheer willpower. Surely I won’t actually faint.
I clenched my teeth. I managed my expression. I left the sweat beading on my forehead alone and simply walked forward, eyes fixed straight ahead, ignoring every surrounding gaze as I headed toward the cluster of boys.
And then—
“Um, h-hey… Hi?”
A female student greeted me shyly. I didn’t even glance her way. I ignored her and kept walking.
“Ah. He ignored me.”
“I told you. You can tell just by looking that he’s got a rotten personality.”
“Yeah, he really does act like his face is everything. But that’s what makes him even more attractive?”
“You’re insane.”
Getting cursed out was unavoidable. Conversation was off-limits in this situation. One wrong move and I would be branded a total loser from day one.
“Hi. You’re a freshman too, right?”
Another girl called out in a sly tone.
“Hey, so… I want to get close to you. If you’re free, want to stand in line with me?”
Naturally I didn’t give her a look either.
“…Whoa. He doesn’t even spare me a single glance and just walks off.”
“If someone hit on me like that on first meeting, I’d ignore them too out of pure awkwardness.”
After navigating countless obstacles like that, I finally reached the place where the boys had gathered.
Phew. I made it.
Only then did my heart settle a little. The frantic pounding in my chest gradually calmed. I pushed deeper into the cluster of male students until I was completely surrounded by them. It felt like a protective wall had gone up, and that was reassuring.
The boys still stole glances at me. Even from other men, other people’s stares remained a burden—but far less so than the gazes of beautiful girls.
The entrance ceremony began. An introduction to the academy. The oath by the student representative. The headmaster’s speech. And so on. It was a thoroughly ordinary ceremony.
I stared blankly up at the stage while organizing my thoughts on how I should act from now on.
Wherever you go, first impressions matter most… For now I’ll stick with what I’m already doing. Silent type concept.
If talking to girls was hard, I would simply keep my mouth shut. If a situation forced a reply, I would answer in short, clipped words. Pretending to be the quiet, taciturn type was far better than stammering and trailing off like an idiot. That way I wouldn’t look easy to push around. No matter how handsome you were, the moment people realized you were a loser, academy life would become hell.
And also…
No nervously scanning the surroundings with an anxious face—that was advertising my own weakness. Keep my head up. Always hold my neck straight and proud. If meeting a girl’s eyes was too hard, simply ignore them and never make contact. Act completely uninterested.
That should about cover it.
After sorting out my behavioral guidelines, I briefly reviewed my future plan. First establish an image that was not to be taken lightly. Then make plenty of same-sex friends. After that, take my time healing the trauma and only then start building friendships with the opposite sex.
Perfect plan.
Good. I would act exactly like this. I swore it to myself once more. I would build healthy relationships, properly enjoy academy life, throw myself into classes, and grow into a capable hunter with real social skills.
Before I knew it, the entrance ceremony had ended. Before heading to our assigned classrooms, we freshmen were lining up at the counter in the building next to the auditorium to receive our Hunter IDs.
“Here you are.”
Finally it was my turn. A woman with a blank expression held out the card. Even with glasses on, her face was strikingly beautiful. Apparently a mere pair of spectacles couldn’t hide a pretty girl’s looks.
It still hits me every time… Every single woman in this world is gorgeous.
I was happy. It had been so long since I could freely stare at a pretty girl’s face up close. Normally I would never have dared. Because she never looked at me at all—eyes fixed downward the entire time—it was possible. She probably had zero interest in me. That was actually perfect. Thanks to it I got my fill of pretty-girl viewing.
I accepted the Hunter ID without a word and turned to leave. While walking toward my assigned class, I examined the card I had just been given.
Name:Kang Hahwi
Affiliation:17th Academy, 66th Class, Class 3
Role:Undecided
Simple design. Probably because it was only a preliminary card. From what I had seen online, official Hunter IDs were quite flashy. I flipped it over to check the back.
Huh? What’s this?
Taped to the reverse side was a piece of paper folded in half. I peeled off the tape and unfolded it to find a neatly written memo.
010 - xxxx - xxxx
If you ever have questions about the academy, feel free to contact me anytime~ I’ll treat you to a meal and explain everything kindly~
…Now I understood. That woman earlier hadn’t been uninterested in me. Just like me, she had simply been too embarrassed to look up. No wonder her eyes had stayed fixed downward the whole time.
I’m happy, but… it’s still too soon.
Right now, talking to a woman was difficult for me. So I decided not to contact her.
I’ll just keep this in my pocket.
I had no intention of throwing it away. Ignoring someone was free, but coldly discarding a note like that felt wrong. I would store it carefully and reread it whenever my self-esteem hit rock bottom.
That was the thought running through my head as I started to tuck the note into my pocket—
Whoosh—!
A powerful gust of wind swept through.
“Ah…!”
I accidentally let go of the note. I lunged for it a second too late. The paper was already sailing away on the wind, far out of reach.
“……”
It had been an unavoidable accident.
Hunter ID issuance counter. After every new student had left, the staff all stepped outside for coffee and a short break. Among them, one glasses-wearing female employee heaved a long, gloomy sigh. In her hand was a single note—the very note she had secretly slipped to Kang Hahwi.
Magic had been cast on it. If the note left its owner’s possession within ten minutes of being unfolded, it would automatically return to the person who had enchanted it.
“I guess I really don’t stand a chance.”
“Cheer up…”
The dejected glasses employee received a comforting pat on the back from a coworker.
“Haa. I fell for him at first sight, you know. Couldn’t even meet his eyes.”
“Just forget it. He’s not the only guy in the world. Want me to set you up with someone?”
“Nah. From now on I’m only into 2D male characters. I don’t need real men.”
And just like that, the nameless glasses beauty’s one-sided crush came to a hollow end.
I found the sign for my assigned class—Class 3.
I’m getting a little nervous…
If it had been an all-boys class, the tension would have been lower. Unfortunately, every class was co-ed. Basic lessons were taken together; only when learning Shinbi and magic did the boys and girls separate. If that was the case, why not make separate boys’ classes from the start?
…I had thought that, but apparently there was a reason for the setup. I had heard that our academy actively encouraged romance between male and female students. Probably because of the low birthrate. Rumor even had it there was a motel on academy grounds… Of course, that wasn’t confirmed information—just something I had overheard other boys whispering about.
Enough stalling. Just go in already.
The classroom door stood open. I swallowed dryly, kept my face carefully calm so the tension wouldn’t show, and stepped inside. Plenty of students were already seated. Thankfully, none of their eyes locked onto me. No one was even looking toward the entrance.
More than that… it really does feel like an old-fashioned school.
The headmaster had mentioned it during his speech. The 17th Academy valued tradition and romance, so every classroom had deliberately been styled after old schoolrooms. Wooden floors. Wooden desks and chairs. Even the teacher’s podium was wood. Behind it hung a green chalkboard, and resting on its frame were a chalkboard eraser and white chalk. The perfect picture of a classroom from decades past.
I quickly scanned for empty seats. Not many left. Five in the very front row. One by the window at the back. Six seats total. The front row felt too exposed, so I was about to head for the rear when—
“Ahem!”
A rabbit walked in through the front door. Bipedal, naturally, and dressed in a sharp suit.
“Nice to meet you all, carrot! I’m the professor in charge of your Class 3, Professor San Toki Toki! You can just call me Santoto for short!”
It wasn’t a strange situation. I had heard that among the intelligent monsters born in dungeons, some occasionally sided with humanity. Some even worked as hunters.
“Carrot?”
Oh no. I had been standing there blankly and met Santoto’s eyes.
“Why are you standing there all by yourself?”
At the professor’s words every head turned toward me at once. Attention focused on me again.
“Huh? That’s the guy from earlier. The handsome one.”
“What? He’s in our class? Nice.”
“Whoa…”
“…He’s decent-looking, I’ll give him that.”
While the students stared and murmured among themselves—
“Hmm. So you’re the type who likes standing? Well, I was about to have everyone introduce themselves anyway, so this works out perfectly, carrot!”
The rabbit pointed at me with the carrot she was holding.
“You first—come up to the front and introduce yourself!”