Chapter 40
Chapter 40
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Dialectology Group Project
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, even if they push me off a cliff, I can fly.
In any case, we made plans in the blink of an eye, like stir-frying beans in lightning, and spent the day that way.
Today was dialectology class.
As expected, the moment I stepped into the lecture hall, I could feel people's gazes sticking to me like burrs.
But now, even those stares felt familiar. They say humans are animals of adaptation, and it was exactly that.
"Hey, hello, sunbae!"
The moment I sat down, a familiar voice rang out. It was Sihyun. I could see her approaching me with a pretty lively attitude.
Did something good happen? Her voice sounded brighter than usual today.
"Hey, hello."
"Sunbae, don't you think it's about time we dropped the formalities?"
Just then, Nam Soo-yeon peeked over from Sihyun's side and chimed in.
"Hmm... you think so?"
"Yes. It feels too distant."
I could see Sihyun looking a bit disappointed. It seemed like she was genuinely bummed that I'd grown close with my classmates while putting up walls with the underclassmen.
Sure enough, I'd put up those walls pretty thick, huh.
It felt like it was about time for me to start warming up to the underclassmen too.
After all, I'm technically the head of a national agency now. It wouldn't do me any good to get a reputation as the sunbae who just builds walls behind everyone's back.
Plus, I knew the underclassmen right in front of me were pretty good kids.
"Alright, then let's do that—no, we will."
"Oh."
"By the way, did everyone finish the assignment?"
"We did it, but... I don't know if we'll get good scores."
"It's fine. Professor Kim Jin-young doesn't grade regular assignments too harshly. As long as it's decent, he gives fair points. The problem is the group project, though."
"We heard from other sunbaes that the group project is insanely tough..."
"Last semester, I mutated right in the middle of this one... Man, and now I have to do it again."
"Really?"
Sihyun's eyes went wide as she said it.
"Yeah. Right after I finished organizing the papers and was about to start on the PPT, I stepped out for some fresh air at dawn, got hit by a mutation beam—bam!—and when I opened my eyes, three months had passed. Had to retake the whole semester."
"Ah."
"If the topics are similar, we can reuse what I did back then. Though... I don't know how the groups will turn out. Professor Kim always assigns them randomly."
"Random sounds kinda scary..."
"No helping it. It's up to the professor."
"Please let me be in a group with people I know..."
Soon after, the professor walked in.
"Haha. Hope everyone's been well? I checked the assignments, and you all did a good job... I think it's about time to announce the group project details."
Professor Kim Jin-young jumped straight into the group project announcement the moment he arrived.
About half the students let out sighs at that.
The professor gave a wry smile at the sighs but showed no signs of backing down from the group project.
He said it was to give us early experience in collaborating with others, since we'd have to do it eventually later on.
"So, I've assigned the groups arbitrarily again this time. Starting with Group 1: Yoon Seo-hyun, Lee Si-hyun..."
No surprise, I was obviously the leader of Group 1. And Sihyun was in my group. Soo-yeon ended up with Han-gyeol.
Of course, it wasn't just Sihyun in the group.
The professor instructed us to gather and sit with our group members. Same as last semester.
At least so we could get familiar with the people we'd be doing the project with.
"Hello."
And so, the members of Group 1 faced each other. Me, Lee Si-hyun, two Chinese international students whose names I didn't know, and finally, one underclassman I was seeing for the first time.
A male student from the Class of '17.
His name was Kim Min-seong.
The two Chinese students greeted me awkwardly in halting Korean, and the one underclassman also seemed a bit intimidated as he bowed.
"Uh, hello..."
I could see he was a young guy who wasn't great at dealing with people.
But somehow, he struck me as someone who'd be amazing at group projects.
The type who's used to getting things done on his own.
I couldn't expect much from the two Chinese students, but with me, Sihyun, and Kim Min-seong here, it felt like the group would roll along just fine somehow.
"I did this group project last semester, so I'll give you a rough guideline and tell you what to prepare. Don't worry too much or feel burdened."
"Yes."
"And this is really important—if you've ever touched a PPT before, raise your hand."
"I know how to make them."
The moment I brought up PPTs, Kim Min-seong's slightly dopey-looking expression changed.
Oh...
My eye for people definitely wasn't off.
That guy was 100% a pro, battle-hardened from countless group projects.
"Great. Then PPTs are on you, Min-seong. Sihyun, you and I will handle the research and paper writing together. I'll show you how to structure the paper."
"Yes!"
"Everyone else, gather materials and send them to me. I'll select the best ones and make the paper with Sihyun."
"Yes."
The two Chinese students looked at me with curious stares. Well, I was used to that by now. I wasn't counting on them to do proper research anyway.
Language barriers and all—I could understand that.
If they at least pretended to put in some effort, I'd carry them.
My cloud storage still had all the dialectology materials from last time anyway.
I could do it solo if I wanted, but I wasn't planning to shoulder dead weight this time.
"I'll handle the presentation, so keep that in mind."
"Yes."
"The deadline's generous, but cramming it all at the end will be rough, so let's start this week. The professor already gave the topics, so I'll tell you relevant references—summarize those, and we're done."
"Yes."
I gave them a quick rundown on the group project, and I could see the tension ease from their faces.
And I felt relieved too. At this level, I trusted they'd handle the rest on their own.
Especially Kim Min-seong. Excellent.
He had the right attitude.
On a whole different level from that Class of '16 guy I saw before.
That one straight-up told me to my face he didn't know PPTs.
What was his name again... Seong Yun-hwan, I think?
I hoped I wouldn't run into him. I'm the petty type with a long memory.
* * *
When I got home, Yoon Seo-ah was there looking half-dead.
What was up with her now?
"Hey, you dead?"
"Don't touch me."
"What, tired of being famous all of a sudden?"
"Nooooo! Seriously, argh... Why are they all so annoying!?"
Poke her once, and she erupted like a volcano.
I smirked at the sight.
"Tough life, huh? I told you so."
"But at least no one messes with unnie carelessly."
Messes with her carelessly? Who?
"Who's messing with you?"
"The moment they saw I was in that photoshoot, guys started sneaking peeks at me left and right."
"Guys? What about the girls?"
"Girls too. I get along with pretty much everyone in the department, but ever since summer break, factions have split up, so there are some who hate me anyway."
"Ah..."
I got it. That position was easy to understand. It's not easy being friends with everyone in college.
Especially in the humanities, where the female ratio is higher than in sciences—though not quite girl-heavy—the saying goes that after summer break, factions form willy-nilly, and three girls together spawn three group chats.
Our department was like that too. No reason business wouldn't be.
And there's inferiority complex—if someone better shows up, people unconsciously turn hostile.
Hate to admit it, but to others, my little sis probably came off like the perfect daughter everyone envies.
Good genes all around: pretty face, good grades, athletic.
Still, that's that, and wrong is wrong.
"Who's messing with you?"
"Not messing yet, but it's coming. There were already some haters doing petty politics... Feels like it exploded after today's photoshoot article."
"Ah, got it. So what're you gonna do?"
"What else? Ignore them. They think it's high school and they'll bully me or something?"
"First-years might. But good thinking. Kids badmouthing you behind your back won't help your life anyway."
"If they actually try anything physical, I'll call unnie."
"...Better to call me sooner. If that brooch malfunctions and hits them instead, it'll be big trouble."
"Oh, right. It causes cardiac arrest or something?"
"Yeah, anyway, got it? Call me at any sign of trouble. I can't use physical force right now, but I can shut them up at least."
"Yep."
"So you're cooking dinner tonight."
"Fine, I can do that much. What do you want?"
"Hmm... Chicken, pizza, anything sound good?"
"Not really feeling greasy..."
"Then just udon."
"Yep."
Still, I could tell she was worn out in all sorts of ways.
"But you think they'd actually get physical? After the photoshoot, they know you're my sister, right?"
"Unnie, the world's wide, and crazy bitches are plentiful."
"...Fair point."
"Earth authors break common sense daily—people might act up even in front of a dragon, right? And they could twist it against you being agency head."
"That's called having no sense. I already said at the press conference what happens if anyone touches my family."
"I don't think they'd go that far... But who knows. Emotions don't always listen to reason."
"You're right too. Hey, do you know why the ones who hate you hate you?"
"It's kinda lame to say... The guy she likes keeps hitting on me."
"Ah."
Instantly understood.
If there's an emotion that shuts down reason, yeah—even someone with a dragon in the family might get targeted.
"So I told the jerk: don't approach me. I'm not interested in dating. Then that clueless idiot said it right in front of her. And he doesn't even know she likes him. Drives me nuts."
"You're filming a love triangle in one semester?"
"Tell me about it..."
She sighed as she said it, looking like even she found it ridiculous.