Gate Field Trip - 2
I ran into Lee Ji-ah in the hallway outside the shower room, right by the drink vending machine. Unlike my loose tracksuit, she wore a skin-tight training uniform made of latex-like material. The combat suit had a black base with geometric white patterns, but the standout feature was the transparent section running from her solar plexus down to her lower abdomen.
She's actually going to fight in that? With every weak point on full display?
Lee Ji-ah's snow-white belly radiated a woman's healthy vitality. It was an outfit genuinely harmful to any male. The tightly compressed combat suit revealed her figure with zero room for imagination. Maybe it was my imagination, but it looked like a distinct camel toe around her groin. No, it had to be fabric folds. Just folds. That was all.
Since she wore it so confidently, I had nothing to say, but my eyes didn't know where to land. Specifically, the memory of thoroughly enjoying that same female body just days ago kept overlapping, making my own crotch increasingly uncomfortable.
"Hi. Looks like you had a sparring match?"
Lee Ji-ah pulled the drink from her lips and waved.
"I went a round with the supervising professor."
"Hehe, Professor Baek Seol-hee?"
"Yeah. Ugh, I can't even imagine trying to handle that woman."
"It is tough. Even I'm only fifty-fifty against her."
"...Fifty-fifty?"
"If my condition's good that day, I win. If not, I lose. Simple as that."
Fifty-fifty my ass. My win rate doesn't even hit one percent.
The one victory I'd scraped together was only because Professor Baek Seol-hee had gone easy on me. No matter how many times she threw me, I kept clinging like a leech until she finally let me win once. After that, her finishing moves switched to joint locks. She told me to "find a way to escape the joint techniques." If I could pull that off, wouldn't I basically be a fucking invertebrate?
I swallowed a sigh and changed the subject.
"Speaking of which, did you hear about the gate field trip?"
"Yes, I did. I'm planning to apply. Are you going too?"
"I figured I'd do some observing and think seriously about my career path. Have you decided on yours?"
"I've settled on long-range attacker or scout."
Lee Ji-ah showed me her left palm as she spoke. Sparks of electricity danced across it. It looked like a lightning-attribute special ability. Attacker-type Awakened commonly possessed it, and it was excellent for aggressive use. After all, electric shock treated every living creature equally.
Since she was also considering scout, she clearly had multiple special abilities. Scouts handled search and reconnaissance for parties. Her other ability was probably stealth-related?
In contrast, my only special ability was Rigid Body, which simply hardened my physical body. While others could summon lightning in style or hide their bodies, I had to fill the tank role with nothing but durability.
The heavens sure are unfair...
A mysterious sage time washed over me.
"It's okay. Special abilities can be acquired later in life too."
Lee Ji-ah's comforting hand on me felt anything but welcome.
My likely path would be tanker or close-range attacker, but with only Rigid Body, I'd literally be nothing more than a meat shield. Professor Baek Seol-hee's brutal practical training seemed aimed at triggering a special ability awakening in extreme conditions. Yet instead of any new ability, it felt like I was only gaining toughness and muscle mass.
Can't I get something cool too...
"Anyway, I'm going on the field trip to learn whatever I can."
"It's awkward applying alone, so this works out nicely. Want to go together?"
Lee Ji-ah looked at me and slowly licked her lower lip. The tongue she briefly revealed between them left a vivid red afterimage.
"No, aren't you in the middle of training? Let's apply separately."
It was an unintentionally arousing sight, but popping a boner in the underground sparring room would be a nightmare to deal with. I deliberately turned away and waved.
"I'll contact you later~"
Leaving her relaxed yet somehow seductive voice behind, I headed for the library.
── The Jangwon University Library, located right next to the Hunter Department building, was a favorite spot for students. The design featured high ceilings and an entire wall of glass to create an open, airy feel. Because the library sat at an elevated position with a bustling downtown area nearby, its night view received especially high praise.
I'd heard plenty of couples had formed here after locking eyes while studying. In fact, one of my department classmates had gotten his girlfriend that way. I'd semi-ghosted the guy because he was constantly lovey-dovey with her at all hours, but still.
Let's see, where were the public PCs again?
After wandering around for a while, I finally spotted the public computers tucked in one corner. The horribly uncomfortable chair and desk setup nearly made me dizzy, but the PC specs were decent enough that I finished the application without any trouble.
Now what?
I still had some time before my next class. I considered grabbing food, but decided against it. Getting beaten senseless by Professor Baek Seol-hee had killed my appetite.
Then a book on the nearby shelf caught my eye.
You Can Do It Too! Self-Awakening Techniques That Even a Pet Dog Can Do!
It reeked of total pseudoscience. Who the hell had put a book like this in the library? Checking the label, it looked like the library had officially acquired it—the management number was stamped clearly on the spine.
Even a pet dog can do it...?
Maybe that was why. After the crushing sense of inferiority I'd felt talking with Lee Ji-ah earlier, I desperately wanted to resolve it somehow. Before I knew it, I'd pulled the book out. When I checked the author, the name Jane Do jumped out at me.
They're not even trying to hide that it's a fake name.
The internal conflict didn't last long. Returning it on time would cost nothing, and when I was desperate for even a single special ability, I had to clutch at any straw available. The only real loss would be my time.
"I'd like to check this out."
I walked to the service desk and handed both the book and my student ID to the student worker. The pretty girl with short black hair took them, then glanced up at me.
What? Why are you looking at me like that?
Her eyes seemed to say "Wow, someone is actually borrowing this," and it made me want to disappear.
"Yes, the loan period is two weeks. There may be daily penalties if returned late."
"Thanks. Have a good day."
With my mood thoroughly soured, I took the book and student ID and left.
I'll find a quiet, out-of-the-way corner to read this before heading to class.
I somehow secured a seat in a secluded spot with almost no foot traffic and opened the book.
Whoa, there are more awakening methods than I expected. Some involve special items, and some are hereditary?
Unfortunately, both my parents were completely ordinary civilians. I'd heard one of my great-uncles was an Awakened, but I'd never even met him. Maybe he and my father didn't get along?
The content was deeper than I'd anticipated, and I found myself absorbed, flipping pages steadily, when a loud noise shattered my concentration.
What the hell? Who the fuck is making this much noise in a library?
I lifted my eyes from the book and immediately spotted the source of the commotion.
Not far away, in a nearby seat, a man and woman were arguing. The guy kept pestering her for her number while she continued to refuse. The persistent bastard showed no signs of giving up.
But the problem was...
Why the hell are you here?
A woman of medium build with gold-rose dyed hair. She wore a loose off-shoulder t-shirt, hot pants that completely exposed her thighs, and massive earrings. Despite the flashy outfit, what truly captured every gaze was her overwhelmingly massive chest. She was the textbook example of a "party girl" and my childhood friend from next door—Yoon Seo-yeon.
Why was she here? She wasn't even a student at this university.
Yoon Seo-yeon used to occasionally make accessories by hand and show them to me. I remembered her earning multiple certifications just to create pieces that met her own high standards. She'd always been good with her hands and loved making things. Instead of going to college, she had wanted to jump straight into real work. She'd ignored her family's objections, run off, and started her own business. After that, both of us got busy and lost touch...
There's a silver ring shining blatantly on her left ring finger, yet this guy is still pushing.
Unaware I was watching, the argument between them grew more heated.
"Ah, come on! I told you I have a boyfriend. Why do you keep bothering me?"
"Just because there's a goalkeeper doesn't mean the ball won't go in. I'm only asking for your number. Why are you being so stingy?"
"Excuse me? Did I hear that right?"
"You heard perfectly. Just give me your number and I'll stop bothering you."
"No. Why should I give my number to you?"
"Because you're seriously my ideal type."
"Ha, this is unbelievable."
Yoon Seo-yeon suppressed her anger and tried to leave. The guy suddenly grabbed her wrist in a desperate move.
"Let go! I'm calling the police!"
"Just talk with me for a second, okay?"
The two had already drawn every eye in the library. Sensing the massive wave of stares, Yoon Seo-yeon's face began turning bright red.
The thick-skinned guy still refused to release her wrist.
Sigh. Fuck.
Then my eyes met Yoon Seo-yeon's as she desperately looked around for help. Her gaze screamed, "You showed up at the perfect time. Why are you just standing there?" It looked like lasers might shoot from her eyes.
If I hadn't noticed, maybe I could have ignored it. But now that I knew she was in trouble, I had to do something.
If she tells Aunt about this, I'm in for hours of lecturing.
I straightened up, organized my things, and waved at her cheerfully.
"Hey, Seo-yeon. What are you doing?"
"Ah! Honey! Why are you only coming now♡"
What the hell?