Episode 63. 1.㏘ Detective Game
Episode 63. 1.㏘ Detective Game
Korean class.
"I promise before this witness, but during the time I borrow you in this world, I will cherish, love, and then someday when that time comes, I will politely return you. Dumb! In my life, you are my precious dumb. Dumb! Dumb! Dumb!"
Scritch scratch.
Listening to the Korean teacher's voice enthusiastically reading the text as if possessed by a theater actor, I busily took notes.
'It's tough trying to study hard after such a long time.'
My fingers felt like they were going to break from all the writing.
Glance.
I blinked my eyes and then secretly peeked at Seyeon's notebook, which was my original goal.
'Huh, what the.'
The amount Seyeon had written was much less than mine. She had barely moved her hand.
"......"
Looking at that, I felt like I was about to realize something.
'So that's how you take notes.'
Filling an entire page densely by writing down everything the Korean teacher said like I was doing was just stupid and inefficient.
Kids who are really good at studies like Seyeon only extract and organize the key points from there.
"Oh......"
I gave up my greed to write down everything and started copying from Seyeon's notebook.
'Wait, but I didn't peek to learn note-taking techniques.'
The important thing is the content.
Maybe they were exchanging some suspicious written conversations. Like in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
But there was nothing like that.
It was just notes related to studying.
"The characteristics of a play are that there is no narrator-......"
Feeling somewhat like I had become a detective, I decided to wait for the next class period.
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Math class.
"A new number that is not a real number and when squared equals -1 is called-......"
Scritch scratch.
"Hmm hmm......"
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English class.
"Every day during lunch, Jamie enjoys a soft drink and has a decision to make-......"
Scritch scratch.
"Hmm hmm hmm hmm......"
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"What is this?"
When I came to my senses, a perfectly organized notebook was placed in front of me.
Just filled with Korean, math, and English.
"What did I even do......"
This, I just studied hard, that's all.
'Well... I guess the idea of talking through notebook messages was too fantastical.'
Besides, who would have such a secret conversation in a place with almost over 30 people? Even if it's written communication.
'Am I an idiot?'
The time-honored method of tailing someone seemed much better.
I spent the 4th period in reflection like that, and soon it was lunchtime.
As soon as the bell rang, I followed the boys running like crazy to the cafeteria with my friends and thought.
'How should I excuse myself to eat separately?'
The original goal was to watch Seyeon eat from a distance.
But honestly, if I ask, it's clear Seyeon will cling to me.
Because she likes me.
'It's a bit embarrassing to say, but she said it herself.'
A suspicious S-rank beauty from somewhere in the province is obsessed with me.
I let out an involuntary chuckle.
"Why are you suddenly laughing?"
"No, just... but Seyeon-ah."
"Seyeon?"
"Huh?"
I turned my head.
Standing next to me wasn't Seyeon but Eunbyeol.
"What, where's Seyeon?"
At my question, Eunbyeol looked around, scanning the area.
"Not here. I thought she came with us. She always follows you around."
"That's... true."
What? Why isn't she here?
As Eunbyeol said, Seyeon tries to stick with me as much as possible. Like I mentioned earlier.
But why of all times would she disappear now?
Even risking being separated from me.
'This is my chance!'
"Eunbyeol-ah, I need to go to the bathroom for a sec."
"Huh? Okay."
I immediately left the line and dashed down the hallway.
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The place I quickly ran to was our classroom.
I peered inside through the window on the back door, just like this morning.
'Oh, she's there.'
Seyeon was there, sitting at her desk.
Instead of reading a book, Seyeon was sitting up straight, staring blankly straight ahead.
In the quiet classroom, empty of anyone else.
'What the...?'
The atmosphere felt strangely eerie.
Maybe something was written on the blackboard?
There was a window on the front door too, so I could check, but that was within Seyeon's line of sight, so it was hard to recklessly show myself.
"What is she really doing?"
I muttered in a very small voice.
Then suddenly.
Whoosh!
Seyeon instantly turned to look behind her.
'......!'
Startled, I quickly crouched down.
Was I caught?
I sat down almost simultaneously.
No way?
"......"
I held my breath and remained crouched.
And then.
Screech-!
A chair scraping sound was heard, followed by the sound of footsteps.
'Is she coming out?'
Judging by the footsteps getting louder, it seemed so.
Keeping my presence hidden, I quietly ran to the front door and hid behind the corner. Luckily, our classroom was at the end of the hallway.
As the sound of the sliding door opening was heard, I peeked out just my head to check the situation.
Fortunately, Seyeon was walking in the opposite direction. She didn't even look around, so she probably hadn't noticed me.
'Then I can tail her like this.'
I quietly followed Seyeon, keeping some distance.
Tap, tap......
After walking a bit down the 3rd-floor hallway, Seyeon turned near the central staircase.
Quickly reaching there to check, I saw Seyeon going up to the 4th floor.
"Hoo-hoo......"
Is this really okay?
A strange sense of guilt pricked at my heart.
I really felt like a stalker.
'...We're both girls, so what's the big deal.'
After rationalizing it like that, I continued tailing her.
Seyeon walked all the way to the end of the 4th-floor hallway and reached the skybridge.
The skybridge connects the New Building and the Main Building, and there are vending machines selling drinks and bread there.
Because of that, many students gathered there, and I almost lost sight of Seyeon.
'You should eat school meals instead of bread, kids.'
That's better for your health.
Kids these days have eating habits that are too Westernized.
If you're Korean, you should eat rice, not bread. Ugh......
I clucked my tongue and crossed the skybridge.
"......Euk."
Upon reaching the New Building, I felt goosebumps on the back of my neck.
The atmosphere suddenly felt different.
The surrounding sounds disappeared as if sugar was dissolving in water, and the empty space was filled with a chilly coldness.
The New Building was used by 3rd-year students. Nominally, that is.
According to the curriculum, 3rd-years are supposed to attend classes.
But from what I know, about half of the 3rd-years don't come to school.
Those with promising futures get scouted by guilds and graduate early, and those who aren't so promising change career paths early, transferring or dropping out.
Even the few who do attend are said to come just to use the Academy's training facilities.
So the New Building is always sparsely populated.
A deserted school always feels strangely frightening. Especially if you're secretly stalking someone.
Tap, tap-tap-......
The hallway was so quiet that even the smallest footsteps echoed loudly.
Walking carefully, the soles of my slippers kept slapping the floor with a thud, so I eventually took off my slippers and followed in just my socks.
'Do I have to go this far?'
Seyeon turned her body at the central staircase again, just like before.
'Going up again this time?'
There's really nothing on the 5th floor.
Just special classrooms like the student council room or subject research rooms.
Thump, thump.
My heartbeat gradually quickened from the strange tension.
I swallowed my thickened saliva with a gulp and continued tailing Seyeon.
"Hoo, hoo......"
It looked a bit ridiculous, but to suppress my breathing sounds, I opened my mouth wide and breathed slowly as I went up.
"Hey! Pass it here!"
"Waaa......"
The voices of boys playing soccer on the field without goalposts could be heard, as if they had already finished eating.
While other kids were eating and playing like that, the thought that I was creepily tailing a girl from my class made the tension pile up layer by layer.
"Hoo......"
Wiping the sweat that had filled my warmed hands on the hem of my skirt, the place I arrived at was......
'The bathroom?'
Seyeon went into the bathroom.
No, it seemed like she didn't actually go in. I didn't hear the sound of the door opening.
Since school bathroom doors usually go into the wall unlike regular classrooms, it seemed like she was standing in that space between.
'...This feels familiar somehow.'
A subtle sense of déjà vu rising from a corner of my mind made me tilt my head.
Why?
Anyway, I hid in a suitable spot, waiting for Seyeon to move.
About 3 minutes passed.
"Hello?"
'......!'
A phone call?
I approached the bathroom as much as possible without being detected.
"What's the matter?"
Seyeon's clear, ringing voice echoing like a echo in the empty hallway where only the two of us were.
I crouched down a little smaller.
"I don't think there's a need to call. Of course I'm doing well. Why would you be disappointed about something like that."
Oh.
First, I could tell she was receiving a call from someone higher than her. Because she was using honorifics.
But... "doing well," she said?
What is she doing well?
I decided to listen to more of the conversation.
"There are no particular problems with living. It's somewhat fun. There are some kids I don't really like, but I can just ignore them."
Living?
Maybe she's talking about school life.
'I'm glad she finds it somewhat fun.'
I felt that way for some reason.
And the kids she doesn't like... must be like that boy from this morning.
"Everyone treats me well. Probably because I'm pretty."
So Seyeon knows she's pretty too.
Somehow it feels strange.
"My closest friend...? Yes, I have one. A girl named Eun Yubin."
"Gulp."
I swallowed my breath instantly. My spine tingled as my name was suddenly mentioned.
"Yes. First impression was kinda cool, I guess...? That was the vibe, but when I actually talked to her, the kid was a bit dense so we became close quickly."
Let's ignore the "dense" part for now.
But... first impression was cool?
"......"
Thinking about it carefully, that's true.
Just looking at appearance, I was closer to what's commonly called a cool beauty rather than cute-pretty.
But actually being an introverted loser inside... I guess girls find that gap amusing.
'So that's why everyone giggles when I just talk.'
Since my story came from Seyeon's mouth, I pricked up my ears even more and focused.
"We meet at 7 every day, I feed her and we exercise together."
"......"
"She's... very poor. I went to her house last time and it was so miserable it brought tears to my eyes."
I tightly closed my eyes.
"Should I send you a picture of Yubin? She's super cute. Ah, you already know?"
?
Knows my face?
My hair felt like it was standing on end.
I racked my brain to review my human relationships.
Friends including Seyeon and Eunbyeol.
Teachers.
Eunbyeol's father (a bit ambiguous).
The Research Institute Director.
So who among these is Seyeon's phone counterpart?
First, exclude friends.
Of course, there's the scenario of "a suspicious organization's executive hiding their identity as an Academy student," but it's hard to dig deep into that with insufficient information now.
Then that leaves teachers, Eunbyeol's father, and the Research Institute Director......
"......"
Too many possibilities.
'Should I listen a bit more?'
Breathing in the cold air, I strained my ears.
"Anyway, she's polite and has a subtly clingy side, so I think you'll like her when you meet her. You know what I mean? Yes, during summer vacation. Anyway, the four of us are more than enough. Please understand since she's a pitiful kid. But Yubin-ah, what are you doing there?"
!!!
My legs instantly gave way and I plopped down on the floor.
Thud-
"Eeek...!"
Then the plug pushed inward, poking my already sensitive intestinal wall.
"Hueek, ugh, haa......"
It felt like my heart was about to jump out of my mouth.
Step, step......
Soon, Seyeon walked over to me.
"......"
"Yubin-ah."
Seyeon looked down at me and chuckled leisurely.
Her face was shadowed, pitch black and gloomy.
I'm screwed.
What's going to happen now?
Will I be dragged somewhere by Seyeon who revealed her true colors and subjected to hypnotic brainwashing torture-
"Are you okay?"
"......?"
Seyeon reached out her hand to me.
"You fell. I asked if you're okay."
"Huh? Uh, yeah......"
Dumbfounded, I stared blankly for a moment before taking Seyeon's hand and getting up.
"Sorry. I was just playing a little prank, didn't know you'd get so startled."
"Prank?"
"Yeah."
Seyeon said that and showed me her phone screen.
A selfie she took with me was visible as the background.
"No way......"
"I was just pretending to be on a call. Hehe."
Seyeon smiled like usual.
Feeling a bit absurd, I scratched my cheek.
"Ah, I see...... But, why did you come here? It's so deserted."
"I wanted to see how far you'd follow me."
"...Since when did you know?"
"You peeked at me through the back door, right?"
"Ah."
So it was from the very beginning.
I flusteredly blurted out an excuse.
"Sorry. I was wondering why you weren't eating school meals."
"You were so curious about that you stalked me?"
"That's... right."
"Yubin-ah, you seem like a pervert. Weird."
My body froze at Seyeon's words.
"Just kidding."
"Hoo-hoo......"
I let out a loud sigh of relief.
"Anyway, let's go eat, Seyeon-ah. We're a bit late but I think we can still make it."
"Okay. But, let's go to the bathroom first."
"Ah, okay."
I didn't need to go, but since Seyeon suggested it, I followed along.
♪♬~
Just as we were about to enter the bathroom together, a notification sound rang from my phone.
A message maybe?
I immediately opened the app to check.
It was a reply from the Research Institute Director.
[Director Yoon Hyejin: Sorry Yubin-ah~~~~ This auntie was too busy and sent it wrong ㅠ.ㅠ
To cut to the chase, there have been no cases with such symptoms so far
It could be a problem with your Mana Core or circuit, but it could also just be your body hurting, so try going to a regular hospital first~~!]
"......"
I stopped dead in my tracks.