26 – small cracks in relationships

The backyard of a gorgeous mansion located near the academy.

“Ah, is it not over yet…?”

“I know. It will take a long time.”

Two women were looking at an iron gate that felt a peculiar sense of separation.

kiik-

The iron door opened on the other side, and the people inside began to come out one by one.

“Huh! The steam is gone, the steam is gone! What kind of guy is there? ”

“Aren’t we good?”

“It’s not fun, it’s fun. Where is the guy who spit out information just because he pulled out a fingernail? Is that bastard really a liberation executive?”

Three men with strong physiques.

The leader of the dispatch team, ranked 4th in the Explorers Association.

Vice-Chief of the Exploration Corps under direct control of the Korean government.

Academy Senior Professor.

All of them were followed by a young man with dark hair behind the famous figures in the searcher industry.

“Suhan!”

The identity was Kim Soo-han, the academy’s freshman year chief.

The women waiting outside ignored the first three and rushed at Kim Soo-han like a dog meeting its owner.

“What do you think? Did you find out anything?”

A woman with long blonde hair down to her waist, stopped in front of Kim Soo-han and smiled broadly.

Han Ah-reum.

He is the second-generation conglomerate whose father is the owner of this mansion and runs an artifact production company.

And it was a woman who was in the 3rd year of Daehan Academy.

“···not really.”

Kim Soo-han, who found out a lot, but didn’t feel the need to tell Han Ah-reum, shook his head as if he hadn’t made any progress.

Upon seeing the scene, the dispatch team leader smiled and waved to Kim Soo-han.

“Then I go first. kid.”

“Don’t call me kid.”

“At 20, you’re a kid, you bastard. Anyway, call me tomorrow. Because we have a lot to talk about.”

“Yes.”

For others, it was a pretty awkward combination.

Unlike those high-ranking explorers,

Kim Soo-han is only an academy student.

Because I was never in a position to be here.

Nevertheless, the reason I was able to participate in this event was because I was recognized for my contribution in capturing the main culprit of this incident.

Of course, it was also possible because he had built up friendships with high-ranking investigators.

In particular, the dispatch team leader had strong trust in Kim Soo-han. To the extent that even if Kim Soo-han chose the place of interrogation, he would accept it without saying anything.

“Well. I’ll go too. See you tomorrow.”

“I will go too. Even the best students should enter carefully.”

“Yes.”

Han Ah-reum, who confirmed that all three dull men had left, asked Kim Soo-han with their shoulders.

“Soohan, are you hungry? Do you want to go in and have some food?”

“The rice is done. Rather…”

Kim Soo-han took his gaze away from Han Ah-reum and continued talking while looking at the other.

“Senior Sumin. Didn’t everything happen at the academy today?”

Park Soo-min.

A student in the 2nd year of Daehan Academy with short emerald hair.

And she was no different from a loyal slave who obeyed Kim Soo-han’s requests, no, orders.

“Yes! Nothing special, nothing special!”

“A report?”

“Hey, here! lol···.”

Park Soo-min handed over the documents he was holding tightly to Kim Soo-han.

It was a report that carefully recorded the incidents and accidents that occurred at the academy.

While looking over what happened today, Kim Soo-han read a paragraph written at the bottom and slightly frowned.

‘··· Baek Chi-yeol dropped out?’

It wasn’t anything to worry about.

But there was a reason this news caught my attention.

‘The future has changed again.’

A novel that Kim Soo-han read.

It was a flow that didn’t exist in “Academy’s Explorer”.

‘This is because of Lee Hyun-seong… it’s not. If you go back, is it because of me in the end?’

Kim Soo-han looked back on the past.

Lee Hyeon-seong, who had been severely humiliated by himself, suddenly showed signs of growth and eventually overpowered Baek Chi-yeol in Dalian.

From there, Baek Chi-yeol threw a pad lip at Lee Hyeon-seong.

According to the original story, Baek Chi-yeol’s pad-lip incident would happen in a sparring with another student, not Lee Hyun-seong, a month later.

‘After that, he was bullied and committed suicide. After all, he saved his life thanks to me.’

Kim Soo-han thought that Baek Chi-yeol’s future had changed thanks to his actions causing a butterfly effect, and silently handed the documents he was holding to Park Soo-min.

“Did you read everything?”

“uh. I’m going too. See you both tomorrow.”

Kim Soo-han leaves, waving his hand.

All the way back to the dormitory, he brooded over a person’s thoughts.

‘…What should Lee Hyeon-seong do?’

In the meantime, I’ve been paying attention to it because it’s quieter than I thought it would be, but it’s starting to annoy me.

‘Did you say you stopped the monsters alone at the canteen? Even if they grow fast, it’s too fast.’

I heard that the number of monsters defeated by Lee Hyeon-seong was two Rainbow Birds, and the number of two-star monsters was close to one hundred.

It wouldn’t be a problem if he wasn’t an agent of Liberation, but Kim Soo-han, implicitly, had concluded that Lee Hyun-seong must be related to them.

‘I want because there is no evidence…’

It was regrettable that the Liberation executive who had been captured this time did not have any information about the spy.

‘I want to get rid of the unpleasant things comfortably, but it’s really f*cked up.’

It was Kim Soo-han’s way of removing risk factors in advance, but even the same academy students couldn’t get their hands on it.

Academy students are celebrities who attract the attention of the whole nation.

I don’t know if it’s a chaotic second semester.

At this time, if a student goes missing, there will be uproar across the country.

‘It’s frustrating, but I have no choice but to wait until I confess to Cha Yoo-ra.’

Right now, that was the best way.

If you approach Lee Hyun-seong without justification and try to intimidate him and dig out the truth, the image you have built up will collapse in an instant.

‘In order to relieve stress, I’ll have to beat him like a dog and reveal his identity.’

It didn’t matter even if Lee Hyun-sung’s reputation was getting better.

When he confessed, it was enough to frame him for trying to molest him.

‘Because people will believe my words more than Lee Hyun-seong. Even Chayu will help if I can persuade her well.’

Without even dreaming of the fact that the students in the same grade internally rated Lee Hyeon-seong better than he did.

***

Kim Soo-han called Seo Han-bit to the cafe the next day.

“Seo Han-bit, why did you leave your seat then?”

“Yeah? oh···. I guess I just wanted to eat canteen food rather than party food…?”

Seo Han-bit smiled awkwardly and avoided his eyes.

Kim Soo-han, who looked at her disapprovingly, sighed.

“ha. Well, I didn’t call you to ask about that.”

“of course?”

“I heard Lee Hyeon-seong saved you at the canteen?”

Seo Han-bit nodded.

Hearing the reply, “Lee Hyun-seong-nim was really cool back then!”, Kim Soo-han’s expression gradually rotted away.

“It’s cool, bitch. If you have a head, think a little deeper. I heard Lee Hyun-seong sacrificed his body to save you? I’m not that kind of guy, aren’t you suspicious?”

“…do you think it’s suspicious?”

Seo Han-bit tilted his head and asked again.

“It means there is something up. Did you really block it in the first place? Didn’t you see it wrong? You said you were in a panic at the time. There is a possibility that Lee Hyeon-seong and Baek Chi-yeol concocted and lied using that.”

“······Kim Soo-han. Please refrain from insulting my benefactor. And I saw it with my own eyes?”

Seo Han-bit glared at Kim Soo-han with a cold face.

“If you talk like that about Lee Hyeon-seong one more time, I won’t stop.”

Embarrassed by the unexpected reaction, Kim Soo-han twitched his eyebrows and showed his temper.

“Fuck. Seo Han-bit, you seem to be on the side of Lee Hyun-seong from before?”

“Don’t curse. And have you been on the side from before?”

“Why, the other day, when I really educated Lee Yu-na for flirting with her. Didn’t you make a fuss to apologize for being violent?”

“hit. Did you apologize for that?”

When the conversation didn’t mesh at all, Kim Soo-han was frustrated and on the verge of going crazy.

“Why am I apologizing for that?”

“I had to apologize for being violent.”

“under. I guess I didn’t see you because you weren’t there, but did you know that Lee Hyeon-seong tried to molest Lee Yu-na?”

So, in the end, he even lied.

Although Lee Hyeon-seong was excessive in his words and actions at the time, he did not commit s*xual harassment.

However, stop manipulating information.

There was no problem if I asked Lee Yu-na to adjust her words.

Of course, Seo Han-bit’s answer was similar to Kim Soo-han’s expectation.

“Suddenly? You didn’t say that at the time, did you?”

Because she couldn’t believe this without any evidence.

Instead, I thought the story would be different if there were witnesses, so I hurriedly added my words.

“They covered up the incident generously. Only me, senior Sumin, and senior Areum who were nearby knew the truth, so rumors didn’t spread.”

Kim Soo-han had no doubts that the women he had put forward as witnesses would agree without hesitation if they asked for their cooperation.

“If you don’t believe me, ask the seniors or Lee Yu-na directly tomorrow.”

“···Nope. I will ask Lee Hyun-seong.”

“Are you kidding me? If you ask the perpetrator, will he admit it?”

“ah. It’s rude to ask, so I’ll just not ask. Yesterday, I had a sincere conversation with Lee Hyun-seong for a long time, but he’s never like that.”

Kim Soo-han’s patience was exhausted.

I couldn’t understand how much I’d known him so much to believe in Lee Hyun-seong.

It’s like eating sweet potatoes.

Kim Soo-han drank hot coffee at once to relieve the feeling of choking, and nervously put the empty cup down on the table with a bang.

I felt like shit.

It felt like Lee Hyeon-seong had taken away the light of the letter.

Kim Soo-han had a personality that he enjoyed being robbed, but hated being robbed.

whether it be a thing or a person.

And because he firmly believed that he was the main character of this world, he had no choice but to be more frustrated.

The main character, who knows nothing, must monopolize all opportunities.

Kim Soo-han had no doubt that the writer who was watching him would agree with this idea.

These days, even if someone intercepts a small reward, they are criticized as a sweet potato.

But what if it’s a woman?

There is no sweet potato like this.

I didn’t even think that this thought was mine.

It’s all just the privilege of the main character.

When the main character is subjected to NTR, he froths and has seizures, but readers feel that NTL is enjoyable.

At least, I thought so when Kim Soo-han was a reader.

A human sent by a divine being who wears the mask of a writer himself.

Even the writer told me to unfold the cider development, so it’s a definite protagonist position.

So, to lose anything was an unacceptable development.

“···ha. It sucks to tell me, really. ······Yes, it’s up to you whether you believe in it or not. ”

He’s a suspicious guy, so you’d better keep your distance.

Kim Soo-han spat out those words in order not to give any space, but

“Who is Kim Soo-han, who is telling me this and that about my friendship?”

“Don’t overreact. This is my advice as a friend.”

“I don’t need that kind of advice.”

Rather, Seo Han-bit felt upset because Kim Soo-han seemed to be acting like a lover.

Kim Soo-han was obviously a good friend.

However, it did not mean that he had feelings as a member of the opposite s*x.

Besides, the relationship didn’t last too long.

before entering the academy.

Seo Han-bit first met Kim Soo-han when he volunteered at an orphanage.

Han Seok-ho was there on the first day, but for some reason he didn’t come out from the second day onwards.

In reality, Kim Soo-han injured Han Seok-ho on the pretext that he wanted to try sparring because he was going to enter the same academy, but Seo Han-bit did not know about it until now.

If Seo Han-bit had known the truth.

He must have hated Kim Su-han, who applied for Dalian to Han Seok-ho, who did not have a job at the time.

Anyway, Seo Han-bit did not know such a fact even in his dreams.

Kim Soo-han and the two of them continued their volunteer work and became close.

But it was just there.

Kim Soo-han is a good-hearted friend who does volunteer work without expecting anything in return.

It was nothing more and nothing less.

However, the more I looked at his behavior recently, the more I questioned whether his heart was really kind.

‘Similarly to Baek So-ah… What are they saying, don’t approach Hyunsung Lee? I’m really dumbfounded…’

The conversation between the two of them, which was continuing the workshop, was cut off,

It took a while for a cold air current to flow while glaring at each other.

Kim Soo-han, who lost the snowball fight, stood up first.

“done. do whatever you want.”

Discord like this doesn’t help the relationship.

Kim Soo-han, who judged that, decided to avoid the seat first.

I can’t afford to miss the healing shuttle because of this incident.

‘Isn’t it because I don’t have a high level of liking yet? You’ve got a lot of angst, Pingchang bitch.’

Kim Soo-han, who had been cursing inwardly for being too picky about subjects that were not actually human, left the cafe without looking back.

‘Fuck really, I’ve become too immersed. I spend my emotions on the characters in the novel… Anyway, after the dungeon training week is over, I’m going to be sick of it if I only do blood phobia relief events, so let’s not worry about it now.’

Seo Han-bit’s blood phobia had already improved to the point where he didn’t have to help anyone, but Kim Soo-han didn’t know about it yet.

***

Seo Han-bit was a little disappointed at first.

Even when he sees himself with a small burn on his chin and his swollen cheeks, Kim Soo-han shows no concern.

At least if you are friends.

Isn’t it normal to ask how you got hurt or not?

Seo Han-bit felt sorry for Kim Soo-han, who didn’t even say if he was okay.

And it wasn’t long before I felt the emotion of anger.

Lee Hyeon-seong is the benefactor who saved his life.

However, Kim Soo-han openly insulted the benefactor.

‘Why do you say that when you don’t even know Lee Hyun-seong?’

For some reason, Kim Soo-han’s face at that time looked disgusting and ugly.

‘I wasn’t that kind of person originally, but have you been acting while hiding your true nature…?’

If everything you’ve done so far is a lie.

Now, even as a friend, he was a man I didn’t want to hang out with.

‘It’s too early to conclude… I need to watch a little longer.’

Seo Han-bit was thinking about that.

Knock it!

A yellow light came on on the screen of the cell phone that was placed on the table.

—

『Hyeonseong Lee』

「Ointment Gifticon」

[I heard from So-ah that you were beaten a little after being dragged out yesterday? It’s because he also has a misunderstanding, so I hope you don’t take it too seriously. I was wondering whether or not to send the ointment yesterday, but I just didn’t send it, but thinking about it today, I thought it would be appropriate to send an apology instead of So-ah. Seo Han-bit can’t even heal himself. Anyway, apply the ointment and have a good weekend.]

—

“…”

Seo Han-bit stared blankly at the text message sent to Lee Hyun-seong.

‘Lee Hyun-seong knows everything about my final skill and that self-healing is impossible. That means he’s interested in me…?’

While forcibly holding back the corners of his mouth going up, he read Lee Hyun-sung’s text twice or three times over and over again.

Knock it!

[And I couldn’t tell you yesterday, but it wasn’t me who saved Seo Han-bit, it was a doppelganger-like pet. So don’t have a sense of debt for nothing.]

Another text arrived.

Seo Han-bit, who confirmed the contents, smiled brightly, raising the corners of his mouth that he had been patient with.

‘You’re trying to lighten the burden by telling lies like this. He’s such a nice person.’

The stigma that ＜Lee Hyeon-seong is irredeemable trash＞, which had been firmly entrenched in Seo Han-bit’s heart, was washed away cleanly at some point.

The appearance he showed so far was just a vicious injection.

Thinking that now would be his true self, Seo Han-bit wrote a reply to Lee Hyun-seong.

‘I’d like to send you a gifticon too. Mmm. What shall I send?’

That’s how I sent a chocolate milk gifticon with a long reply.

Then the alarm rang again.

I immediately checked to see if there was a reply saying that I would eat well, but it was not from Lee Hyun-seong.

—

『Kim Soo-han』

[I’m sorry today.]

—

“…”

Seo Han-bit did not reply and turned off his cell phone.