#19 Chapter 5. Discipline (1)

March 14th, around 11:30 a.m. If my guess wasn't off...

Sea was in an incredibly good mood right now.

Click-clack, click-clack. A sound like something snapping came from the living room. Peeking in, I saw Sea steadily munching away on something. Long stick snacks coated in chocolate—Pepero—one clutched in each hand as she nibbled contentedly. It was honestly mesmerizing to watch... She wasn't some little kid anymore; she was a high school sophomore. How could anyone be that cute? Sure, it might be the hopelessly biased opinion of a much older brother, but who cared? To me, she was adorable. Like a rabbit hunkered down, happily grazing on grass.

But right then—

Sea, who'd been staring straight ahead, suddenly turned her gaze my way.

Too absorbed in watching her eat, I couldn't react in time. A frosty question flew at me.

"...Why?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Lunch is soon—don't eat too many snacks."

"Just this much."

Sea replied primly, pulling two more Pepero sticks from the bag. Normally, "just this much" would refer to what she already had, right? I was tempted to tease her about it, but the fact that her iciness had thawed even a little was victory enough. Time to wrap it up.

"I'll call you when lunch is ready."

"..."

No verbal reply, just a barely perceptible nod—a split-second motion I caught as she kept munching.

As I heated oil in the frying pan, I sent a hologram message: a light apology mixed with thanks. Sorry for snapping earlier. And thanks. I hadn't expected it to work this well... I wanted to pat myself on the back for blowing over 100,000 won at the convenience store last night. Around 10,000 won in, her hologram had popped up: something interpretable as, 'Buying more is just wasting money—keep it moderate.'

But I'd breezily ignored it, grabbing every expensive, tasty-looking thing in reach. What did a data fragment know anyway? Even if it had zero practical utility, my little sister deserved to pig out on snacks. The hologram's effects capped at 10,000 won, but the leftovers stayed in the house. Seeing Sea snack nonstop since morning filled me with immense pride.

Only one issue...

"What's wrong? Not hungry?"

"No."

Sea denied it softly, but her chopsticks told a different story—lackluster at best, picking out grains one by one. Over-snacking was clearly the culprit. I'd put real effort into lunch, so it was a bit deflating.

A couple minutes passed like that. Sea forced down a few more bites, then suddenly asked me,

"Not going out today?"

"Not really? The kids played so hard yesterday, no one's calling me."

I fudged it—couldn't exactly say we'd had fun. Sea just stared at me steadily. Then, quietly,

"Anyone besides friends?"

"No one's meeting up with your oppa."

For now, it was easier to frame things as dating Seo Yeon-hee in disguise after breaking off with Se-ra. But at this point, I couldn't say it openly. Sea looked skeptical but didn't press. She barely emptied half her bowl.

"Give me the leftovers—you eat them."

"That's what I ate from."

She shot back in disgust, standing up. She quickly cleared her remnants, then scooped a fresh bowl from the rice cooker and set it on the table. Caught off guard by the unexpected kindness, I asked my unusually sweet sister,

"For me?"

"You said you were hungry."

She'd meant don't waste it, give to me—not eat more. Still, appreciating the gesture, I pulled the bowl closer. With relations on the mend, I mustered courage for a suggestion.

"After lunch, want oppa to help with studying? You said you needed to recheck that magic dynamics construct. If there's stuff you don't get, I can—"

"...I'm practicing."

Half of me was proud she'd tackle it solo; half regretted it. I could've helped her lap someone like Jin Yu-ri.

The next day, March 15th—Monday. I headed to school in the morning, finished prepping tomorrow's class, brushed off Seo Sang-wook's persistent attempts to recruit me as his direct researcher, and clocked out.

Since I was out, I detoured to the mart for groceries on the way home. It was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an awkward hour, so not crowded. Scanning for decent side dishes...

"Excuse me."

A voice from behind. Turning, a stranger—a woman—stood there. Her skin was strikingly pale and flawless, her lightly made-up features delicate and pure. Height around 160 cm. Not tall, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her proportions and figure were impeccable. One more standout trait: hair blacker than most East Asians', swaying gently with her steps as she approached, tidying it neatly.

Something felt off. A total stranger, yet oddly familiar...

Up close, it clicked. Didn't she... look a bit like Sea? More precisely, like Sea grown up in two or three years.

She stopped in front of me and blurted,

"I like you—can I have your number?"

"...Pardon?"

Reflexive double-take. In a mart?

Regaining composure, I replied firmly,

"Sorry. I have a girlfriend."

Shortest, surest rejection—no need for details.

But she brushed it off casually.

"Doesn't look like it— you're lying, right? Come on, just give me your number. I'll buy—coffee at a cafe or—"

"Sorry."

I cut her off decisively and wheeled my cart away. What a weirdo. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Why hit on someone who clearly wasn't interested?

That's when my pocket phone buzzed.

Vrrr—

"..."

The caller ID on the screen explained everything.

I picked up. Into the receiver:

"Having fun?"

Why lie when I asked nicely? Give it then.

"No... I mean, fun?"

"It's fun, so I'm messing with you."

The woman who'd just asked for my number sidled up beside me, grinning. Appearance changed, but no doubt who it was.

Seo Yeon-hee.

The odd sensation made me grimace.

"You're imitating Sea, right?"

"Nope? Just made it up."

"Why change it?"

She planned to stick with this look awhile, apparently... I hated it. The old one was better. Seeing something like Sea felt weird overall.

But Seo Yeon-hee hummed back,

"Stuck with the old look too long, right? Been busy lately—time for a switch. I'll give you the new number at the cafe."

"Doing groceries, heading home."

"Haven't bought a thing?"

"..."

In the end, I left the mart with Seo Yeon-hee. To avoid eyes, we grabbed a taxi to a busy district and settled in the first visible cafe. Only then did I ask,

"So, why? I figured we'd lay low ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on Phantom stuff for a bit."

At least until end of month. We'd shown our faces a tad too much.

Appropriate timing would bring bigger moves, but not yet.

Her answer surprised me.

"Nah, not that. Wanted you to get used to the new face, grab some tea, hear about school. We barely talked yesterday—too busy."

"...True."

My fault entirely—I nodded silently. Should've discussed plans at the hotel, spent time together. I'd unilaterally bailed.

"Anyway... how long you planning to keep working?"

Translation: no prying specifics, but when would I hit my goal?

I answered fairly honestly.

"Dunno. Next month? Might wrap then, but not sure beyond."

Progress had jumped nearly 15% in just four days since March 11th. It fluctuated with the unidentified protagonist's actions—whatever events he'd faced, training he'd done. Progress didn't scale linearly with time, so Volume 1 end couldn't be far. Some incident soon, and I'd play my role as the final boss they couldn't yet fathom.

"Got a plan."

"What?"

"Might need help... I'll tell you when."

The hologram quest: boost my National Academy 1 attention. Nothing more. How—through what events or actions—was entirely up to me.

Something occurred to me. I asked Seo Yeon-hee,

"Know what 'self-suspension' means?"

"Skipping class?"

I grinned.

"Planning that."

No rule saying only students could. Professors had cancellation rights too.

March 16th, Tuesday—nearing 1 p.m.

Lee Sea let her right-side seatmate Yoo Hae-bin's grumbling slide in one ear and out the other.

"Ugh, so stingy. What's one piece worth?"

"Buy your own."

"Class starting soon—when would I hit the kiosk? Come on, just one piece."

She sneakily reached out. Target: snack bag on desk corner.

But Lee Sea swatted it away sharply. Yoo Hae-bin looked betrayed.

"Whoa... you hit your friend over a snack?"

"When did I hit? I blocked you from stealing."

"Fine, whatever—but you hated junk food. Why the snack obsession since yesterday?"

"Tasty."

Half true, half lie. Sure, they tasted good, but she wasn't a junk food fan.

Oppa bought them as a gift.

That's why. Just eat these and save the rest... eat only when I really crave.

Stockpiled at home—for special occasions only.

Around 1 p.m.—

Thud, scrape.

Someone strode to the back row, plunked a bag on Lee Sea's left seat, and pulled out the chair.

Yoo Hae-bin, face-planted on her desk, asked incredulously,

"Who're you?"

"No one's here. Can't I sit?"

Jin Yu-ri, abruptly relocated from her de facto front-row throne, fired back without backing down.

"Picking another fight? Go to your seat."

"Don't like it? Go forward yourself."

"..."

Lee Sea sighed, sandwiched between their bickering. A premonition that today's class wouldn't go smoothly.

About then—footsteps approached from outside.

Classroom chatter halted en masse; all eyes turned to the door.

Rattle— It slid open. Two entered.

The actual professor, Seo Sang-wook. But he was irrelevant.

The man who'd ascended to true teacher status in students' eyes after one class alone.

Lee Dojin scanned the wide lecture hall with a bright smile.