Partner (1)
A few days had passed since the incident with Soyeon's cigarette. I had begun attending classes at the Academy in earnest, slowly adjusting to this unfamiliar school life while dealing with all sorts of things. However….
“Soyeon, um…”
Before I could even finish speaking, Min Soyeon ignored me completely and walked away.
“…Sigh…”
Her indifferent back as she turned and left without a second glance. A heavy sigh escaped me from the sheer frustration.
…This is bad. Really bad….
Even after that first day of school, I still hadn’t managed to have a proper conversation with Soyeon. On the day we first ran into each other, had I done something wrong?
As I returned to the classroom, I slowly replayed the events of that day in my mind.
After discovering my daughter smoking and receiving a massive shock, I had fallen into deep contemplation. As someone who was no longer her parent, what should I do if I wanted to act like one?
After countless worries, the choice I made was simply to offer one warm sentence.
Cigarettes are bad for your health, so smoke in moderation.
I thought it was the best I could do at the time. But… had I been too shortsighted?
Soyeon had left behind the words “Don’t butt into other people’s lives” before turning on her heel and vanishing.
“…”
The short phrase my beloved daughter had thrown at me pierced my heart like a sharp dagger.
Other people’s lives…? From the day she first came into this world and cried her lungs out, through kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school, her image was still vivid in my eyes. And yet she called it “other people’s lives”!
The single phrase “other people’s lives” that my precious daughter had uttered tore my heart to shreds.
After that, even though I tried speaking to her several times after starting at the Academy, she ignored me every single time.
Thanks to the label “Daughter of the Sword Empress,” she received plenty of attention from the other students… but she didn’t treat me coldly out of spite. She pushed every student away equally and stubbornly insisted on being alone.
I wasn’t sure whether to call that fortunate or not….
Ironically, quite a few students approached me as well. But since I only cared about Soyeon, I had no desire to get close to anyone else. Still, some students kept trying to talk to me. That was about it.
Neither Soyeon nor I had any interest in others, so naturally, we ended up with very little interaction with the rest of the students.
That’s right. Father and daughter had both become outcasts together.
The price of becoming an outcast wasn’t as bad as I’d expected. In fact, it might even have been a good thing.
“Alright everyone, have you all chosen your partners?”
The large, middle-aged combat instructor, Lee Daesan, addressed us.
At his words, the students naturally paired up and moved around. Only two students remained without partners.
Min Soyeon and me.
“…”
The eyes of the entire class turned toward us. Then the young female teacher standing beside Lee Daesan, Lim Chakyung, spoke to us.
“…Why don’t you two have partners? Perhaps the two of you could…”
“…No.”
Min Soyeon’s curt, sharp reply made Lim Chakyung look slightly awkward.
And at that moment…
…Huh? Isn’t this a chance?
The thought crossed my mind that this might be an opportunity.
The Academy had a “Partner” system. Two students with different ability types would form a pair for one year.
With so many students at the Academy and such a wide variety of abilities, some were suited for direct combat while others focused on rear support. Of course, no ability was inherently superior or inferior.
My ability was magic—specifically, I specialized in natural elemental magic. Fortunately, I had awakened with the exact same ability as in my previous life. Though its power was weaker than before, the proficiency I had built up over the years would make it far better than starting from scratch with a completely new power.
The profession of Hunter had an extremely high retirement rate. Although gate stabilization had progressed significantly in recent years, gates were still dangerous places where all kinds of accidents occurred. I had died in one of those accidents myself.
For that reason, hunters usually worked in pairs, and the Academy’s curriculum was designed accordingly.
Both Soyeon and I had to find partners. If I took advantage of this opportunity, I might be able to close the distance between us.
Alright…
Having made up my mind, I casually moved closer to Min Soyeon and spoke naturally.
“Soyeon. Neither of us has a partner yet, so how about we—”
But at that moment, Min Soyeon gave me a cold glance and cut me off.
“…I’d rather not.”
…This kid, seriously….
I desperately swallowed my rising frustration and tried to continue the conversation.
“Still, we have to take the class somehow, right?”
Min Soyeon let out a deep sigh, as if the very idea disgusted her.
…Is that it? Nothing else?
I was taken aback by her icy reaction.
“…Student Min Soyeon?”
At that moment, Lim Chakyung’s voice came from behind us.
When Min Soyeon and I turned around, Lim Chakyung was standing with an unfamiliar male student.
…Huh?
Curly golden hair, tall stature, pale skin. He looked like the kind of guy who could make girls cry.
As Min Soyeon and I stared blankly, Lim Chakyung gently pushed the boy forward and introduced him.
“A student from the neighboring class said he wanted to partner with Student Min Soyeon, so I brought him over.”
What?
Our Soyeon… with this pretty-boy parasite?
Once the introduction was over, the male student stepped forward as if he had been waiting for this moment and greeted Min Soyeon.
“Hi! I’m Jang Suwon.”
Min Soyeon glanced at the hand Jang Suwon offered, gave a slight nod, and that was it.
What a consistent child.
Even though it must have been awkward, Jang Suwon burst into loud laughter and continued.
“…Min Soyeon, I came specifically to partner with you.”
…Huh?
I was slightly taken aback by Jang Suwon’s direct words. Soyeon didn’t seem to know who he was… Was this a one-sided crush?
Leaving me behind, Jang Suwon smiled brightly at Min Soyeon and said,
“If it’s okay with you, would you like to be partners with—”
At Jang Suwon’s action, I quickly moved between them.
“Wait a second.”
With my back to Min Soyeon, I stared straight at Jang Suwon and said,
“Sorry, but Soyeon already promised to partner with me.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. So it’d be faster if you found someone else—”
At that moment, Min Soyeon lightly pushed me aside and spoke in a low voice.
“Hey. Why are you deciding my partner for me?”
“S-Soyeon?”
Jang Suwon watched our exchange, seemed to catch on to something, and smiled faintly as he spoke.
“…That’s a relief. Looks like you haven’t decided yet, so how about partnering with me…”
“No, I told you Soyeon is planning to partner with me.”
As Jang Suwon and I argued back and forth, Lim Chakyung, who had been quietly watching, gently intervened.
“It seems both of you want to be partners with the same person. Let’s let Student Soyeon decide.”
Min Soyeon’s choice.
At Lim Chakyung’s words, every eye turned to Min Soyeon. Feeling the pressure of all the attention, she lowered her head slightly and avoided everyone’s gaze.
…Still, we’re in the same class… and we already know each other. She’ll probably pick me, right?
With a small spark of hope, I gazed at her with earnest eyes.
Did my desperate feelings reach her?
Min Soyeon, who had been looking down, let out a short sigh. Then, with an annoyed look in her eyes, she glanced back and forth between us and muttered,
“…I don’t want either of you.”
In the end, we were both rejected together.
Regardless, we couldn’t go against the school rules. Fortunately, another unpaired student had appeared from another class, so partners were forcibly assigned. But both Jang Suwon and I kept staring at Soyeon, waiting to be chosen.
The only thing left was Min Soyeon’s decision.
It was a little pitiful for the student left alone, but it couldn’t be helped. I had a reason why I absolutely had to become partners with Soyeon.
And so, Jang Suwon and I, left in a corner of the training ground, had been running in parallel lines ever since.
Jang Suwon seemed incredibly determined to become Soyeon’s partner; he showed no sign of backing down.
“Yu Jihwan. Yield this time. I’ll take the partner this year, so next year…”
“Soyeon is my partner this year and next year.”
Our heated arguments drew slightly sharp glances from the surrounding students.
In the meantime, Min Soyeon seemed to have lost interest. She had dumped the decision on us and was now mingling with the other students.
Her attitude made me a little suspicious. Soyeon should know better than anyone how important a partner was, yet she was acting completely indifferent, as if it didn’t matter to her at all.
…What’s going on…?
While I was lost in thought, Jang Suwon spoke up with a tone that suggested he had no choice.
“…I didn’t want to say this, but…”
I crossed my arms and watched quietly, curious to see what he would say.
“My parents work as hunters. They receive support from the nation.”
“So?”
If they received national support, they had to be at least B-rank or higher.
“Both my mother and father are A-rank hunters. …I’m sure you understand what I’m trying to say.”
…Look at this guy?
Understanding the hidden meaning behind Jang Suwon’s words, I let out a disbelieving snort without thinking. At my reaction, Jang Suwon seemed slightly angered. He lowered his voice and growled.
“Min Soyeon is the daughter of the ‘Sword Empress.’ She needs a partner who matches that status.”
I let out a deep sigh as if to show him and opened my mouth.
“…You haven’t even had your rank revealed yet, and you’re saying things like that…”
And at that moment, I recalled that something similar had happened in the past. Although back then, I had been in Soyeon’s position….
If Jang Suwon was truly after Soyeon’s name value, he would probably take the bait.
Having made up my mind, I quickly twisted the conversation and subtly led him on.
“…Jang Suwon. I understand what you’re trying to say. You want to tell me that you’re more suitable to be Soyeon’s partner than I am, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then let’s settle it with a fight.”
“…What?”
Jang Suwon looked at me strangely, as if he hadn’t heard correctly.
…It does feel a bit childish to do this to a kid….
But it can’t be helped.
I smiled faintly at Jang Suwon and said,
“If you beat me, I’ll cleanly give up on Soyeon.”
Jang Suwon burst into laughter as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. I continued with a bright smile, looking down on him.
“What, no confidence? Didn’t your nationally-supported parents teach you how to fight?”
Whether it was because I had touched on his parents, Jang Suwon glared at me with wide eyes.
“…You really don’t know how to watch your mouth.”
From the beginning, it had been Jang Suwon who brought up backgrounds.
“Unlike someone who has no foundation at all.”
Jang Suwon, who had been trembling while glaring at me, suddenly spun around and walked straight toward Lee Daesan.
It meant he accepted my proposal.
Lee Daesan, who had been talking with Jang Suwon, suddenly let out a hearty laugh and looked at me. It was a positive reaction.
Lee Daesan gladly gave permission, then dumped the rest on Lim Chakyung, telling us to discuss the details with her.
And so, accompanied by Lim Chakyung, Jang Suwon and I explained the situation to Min Soyeon. At the news that they would hold a “friendly match,” she made a slightly fed-up face but spoke as if she didn’t care either way.
“…Do whatever you want.”
Her reaction still showed zero interest.
Since Lim Chakyung had received permission from both Lee Daesan and Min Soyeon, she offered to cooperate actively.
“The rule will be that the first one to give up or subdue the opponent between Student Jihwan and Student Suwon gets to choose their partner. It’s impossible today, so please prepare by tomorrow’s class.”
Jang Suwon and I looked at each other at the same time, both wearing confident expressions.
They must have something they’re relying on to act like this. But I’m not weak enough to lose to a student who has only just awakened their ability.
While Jang Suwon and I were engaged in a staring contest, Min Soyeon, who had been standing beside us, let out a short sigh and left without another word.
“…”
The person in question didn’t seem to care in the slightest, which made all the tension in me drain away uselessly.
Watching Min Soyeon’s back disappear among the other students, a small question arose in my mind.
No matter how much of a teenager she was, could she really show this much indifference?
I recalled the Min Soyeon I had observed so far. She had responded to every bit of attention and goodwill directed at her with nothing but disregard and apathy.
Then, had she ever shown interest in anything even once until now?
No. Not once.
…At this rate, she looked exactly like a child being forced to do something she didn’t want to do.