Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: First Day Back at School
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When I came to my senses, the first day of the semester had arrived.
I'd already submitted my retake application form at the department office, so I'd spent a relaxed month waiting for classes to start.
Honestly, it'd be a lie to say I wasn't nervous.
I had no idea what to say if I ran into my male classmates.
And even though the department head said she'd talked to the professors, I wasn't sure how much that would actually stick.
Worst case, I might even have to out myself as a Mutant.
But then again, was it really that big a deal?
So what if I mutated? As long as I wasn't hurting anyone, that should be fine, right?
I felt like I was overthinking it, so I decided to chill out a bit.
Just go with the flow.
My pounding heart settled in an instant. I could just give my classmates a quick explanation, and if the professors hadn't been informed, I'd explain to them too.
Any attention coming my way would fizzle out soon enough anyway.
* * *
That's what I thought.
There was one thing I'd overlooked.
My current appearance wasn't just pretty—it was downright stunning, the kind anyone would call beautiful.
The stares from people around me were insane.
Hey, you guy passing by.
You look like a campus couple, but your girlfriend's been glaring daggers at you for a while... You good with that?
Suddenly, a chilling thought hit me.
With this level of attention, there had to be at least one attention-seeker or whatever who'd try to ask for my number.
Oh god, horrifying.
Please, nothing weird on the way to the humanities building.
Fortunately, no guys dared approach me.
My looks were beautiful, sure, but I basically radiated a "stay away" vibe.
As Yoon Seo-ah put it, I looked like eye contact alone would freeze you solid.
I headed straight to the assigned classroom as soon as I reached the humanities building.
First class... Understanding Modern Literature, taught by our department head, Professor Kim Yeon-hwa.
A relief, in a way.
She already knew who I was and what had happened to me.
The classroom was still empty when I got there. Not just sparse—totally deserted.
Which made sense.
I'd come super early on purpose to avoid running into people.
I stared blankly at my smartphone, head down.
My usual haunt: the Mutant community boards.
Today, what drama would unfold? I checked with a bit of excited curiosity, and sure enough...
Our High Elf friend had apparently caused some major chaos again.
[Argh, save me!!!]
The tree's pissed off!!!!
It says it'll grow over 100 meters tall if I don't transplant it to prime soil right now!!
-What's this idiot up to now?
-Just periodically chats with plants and hits some berserk button lololol
-High Elf my ass, looks like a retard Elf
-100-meter tree? What bullshit lololol
-This is a giant sequoia, it might not hit 100 but 80 meters easy!!!!!
-How the hell do you even grow a giant sequoia? You Korean or what?
-I am Korean, but I'm a black-haired foreigner living in California!!! Moved there after mutating lol
-So what'd you say to set the tree off?
-Teased it for being a giant sequoia but so damn small and it went full throttle!!!
-Crazy bitch lololololol
-Korean Elf scale is on another level compared to ours;; Giant sequoia??
-Fr real, I just grow seedlings on my rooftop or whatever but this one;;
-But aren't High Elves supposed to make other Elves bow their heads?
-Who gives a shit about that in modern times? Never met one. Honestly with this one, no urge to bow... Acts just like my niece ㅇㅇ; Kinda jealous she can talk to trees tho;;
-Fr lololol so what happened with that garden keeper gig last time?
-Uh... Rich family wanted to hire me so I got the job ㅇㅇ pay's good too
-O
Holy crap. California black-haired expat.
No wonder that tree pic she posted last time was ridiculously huge.
I was grinning like an idiot when I gradually noticed people trickling in.
But then... someone started heading my way.
"Um..."
I looked up, and there was a familiar face.
Lee Si-hyun.
The underclassman I'd saved.
* * *
Si-hyun had been searching for traces of Seo-hyun the whole time.
Beyond rumors of Dragon-type Mutant sightings, she'd even delved into the Mutant communities full-on.
But she'd vanished without a trace. Like she wasn't doing any outside activities at all.
A Dragon-type Mutant should've drawn tons of interest, yet she never showed her face anywhere.
It left Si-hyun feeling oddly unsatisfied.
Searching just by the name Yoon Seo-hyun was impossible anyway. How many Yoon Seo-hyuns were there in Korea?
It might not even be her real name. A Mutant this reclusive would obviously use an alias.
The whole break, that scene from that day dominated her mind.
The hero who'd blocked a monstrous Mutant to save her life.
'Someday, maybe we'll meet again? I want to at least once. She's a Dragon-type, so she'll show up somewhere eventually.'
Chewing on that regret while prepping for the new semester, she headed to class with the classmates she'd gotten close to last term.
Subject: Understanding Modern Literature.
Department head's class, but not too intense, and the exams were pretty lenient—super popular.
"But I heard this one has group projects... Hope we end up in the same group."
Si-hyun nodded as her classmate Nam Soo-yeon spoke.
"Yeah. Hate getting split up and suffering through group project hell."
"From what upperclassmen said last semester, it's no joke. Some group leaders straight-up ghosted."
"Really? Who bailed?"
"Dunno. Some scary senior... Can't remember the name exactly. But from the details, sounds like something came up. Medical leave or whatever... Heard some third-year guys say he collapsed from overwork carrying six group projects like logs on his back."
"Six!?"
"Yeah. And with tons of international students, he was basically prepping presentations solo."
"At that point, I'd bail too. Insane? Who thinks they can shoulder all that."
"Heard he was super responsible. Our department doesn't pull that hazing crap anymore, right? Apparently he beat it out of the now-fourth-years proper."
"What kinda legend is that?"
"Legend if it is one, hehe. But he went so hard against the upperclassmen back then that even second-years were scared to hang with him."
"Sounds like a martyr."
"Total martyr. Used to be the second-years now getting rekt by fourth-years were the ones hazing nonstop."
"Shouldn't they be grateful instead of scared?"
"Mentally yeah, but he's got walls up huge, they say... Other third-year guys drag him to meetups and he just dips. Says he's not used to that stuff."
"Hmm... What's his name?"
"Told you I don't know? Wait, hold on..."
Soo-yeon tapped her phone, asked around the other classmates, and soon gave Si-hyun the answer she wanted.
"Hey, someone else said. That senior's Yoon Seo-hyun."
"...What?"
"Now that I hear it, vaguely rings a bell. Remember orientation? That fierce-looking, scary-faced senior who showed up once. Huge build. That's him."
"...Kinda rings a bell."
There was a senior who'd popped in briefly at orientation.
His face didn't match the Mutant who'd saved her at all... but could it be?
Of course, might just be a name coincidence.
"Any rumors about that senior?"
"Nah. Heard after ghosting on group projects last year, he vanished completely."
"..."
A disappointing answer for Si-hyun, who'd hoped for some news.
"But why the sudden interest in him?"
"No, not interest... Ah, class is about to start. Let's head to the room and talk."
"'Kay."
Si-hyun opened the classroom door—and froze.
There was a woman in all-black clothes, silhouette weirdly familiar.
Outfit that'd look drab on anyone else, but it suited her perfectly.
And the big hat on her head.
She remembered that hat crystal clear.
Head down, staring at her phone, Si-hyun found herself walking toward her before she knew it.
"Whoa... Who's that? We got someone like her in our major? Other department? Hey? Yo, Lee Si-hyun, where you going?"
"Be right back."
With that, Si-hyun approached Seo-hyun.
"Um..."
"Yeah? Oh."
Their eyes met. Seo-hyun smiled softly at Si-hyun.
Seeing that smile convinced Si-hyun this was her savior.
"Th-that day... You're the one who saved me, right?"
"We've met before, right? How've you been?"
"Uh, no, I mean..."
"Surprised to run into me like this, huh, underclassman?"
"Un-underclassman?"
"Yeah. Yoon Seo-hyun, class of '14. Lee Si-hyun, class of '18, right?"
"Y-yes."
Si-hyun nodded dazedly without thinking.