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Chapter: 15
Hadam thought for a moment.
Should I talk about the artifact museum?
But I don’t even know if it has anything to do with Do I-gyul, and all that would come out is that I sneaked out of the dorm at night…
Hadam quickly decided to pretend not to know and opened his eyes wide.
“I felt something like that earlier, though.”
“Earlier? When?”
Ungyak-san straightened his posture and asked sharply.
Hadam, his face full of question marks, replied,
“During homeroom dismissal.”
“I didn’t feel anything.”
“Well, maybe because… the teacher was the cause?”
Finally, Ungyak-san snorted in disbelief and explained,
“Not me.”
“There was nothing from I-gyul either.”
“If you ever feel that sense from I-gyul, tell me immediately.”
Hadam stared silently at the teacher’s very serious face.
He wanted to ask why, but couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Ungyak-san, as if reading Hadam’s thoughts, averted his gaze and let out a sigh.
“It’s dangerous. That’s why. Dangerous.”
“What’s dangerous? You don’t mean…”
Hadam glanced around before leaning closer. He also lowered his voice.
“…Turning into a tiger?”
“You really are something else.”
“You don’t know me that well, teacher.”
“On the contrary. Not knowing you is the hard part.”
…That’s true.
Especially since I-gyul already knows I turn into a rabbit.
But Hadam didn’t give up and asked,
“So, I’m not completely wrong, right?”
“No comment.”
“Then tell me something else.”
“What?”
“Was I-gyul ever bullied at Taebaek Hall?”
“B-bullied? I-gyul?”
Ungyak-san stretched the word and then laughed heartily, almost incredulously.
His huge body shook, sending small ripples through the quiet staff room.
The other teachers craned their necks to look, but Ungyak-san didn’t care and continued laughing.
“You have quite the imagination. I-gyul? If there are a hundred people, he’ll isolate ninety-nine of them by himself.”
“Ah… I thought so. Good. Honestly, even I thought he wouldn’t just take it lying down.”
“Why did you think that?”
“I was trying to figure out why he came to the main campus.”
“If you get closer later, you can ask him yourself.”
“Can’t you just tell me?”
“No. That’s it for today. I have another meeting, so go on.”
Ungyak-san cut the conversation sharply and glanced behind Hadam.
By then, Byeol Yun-seong was opening the staff room door to enter.
Even after homeroom ended, Yun-seong lingered, pretending to organize his notebook.
The short glance the homeroom teacher gave him was not hard to understand.
Since Seon Hadam was called in, you can come down slowly.
It wasn’t until the ticking of the clock echoed through the empty classroom that Yun-seong finally got up.
He held the club application form in his hand.
Before stepping forward, his eyes casually scanned the names on the form.
His gaze stopped as if nailed to one spot.
[Byul World (Astronomy Club): Seon Hadam, Do I-gyul]
Seeing the neatly written names side by side twisted something in him.
Objectively, it was actually quite efficient.
Since they often move together, it would be much easier to track their movements.
Yun-seong forced himself to shake off his unpleasant feelings and walked toward the staff room.
Every student he passed on the stairs greeted him warmly. It was annoying, but Yun-seong kept a polite smile. Reputation was a cornerstone for the Zara clan among the beastmen.
“Protect the value of the family. That’s how we survive in this world.”
This lesson began before he even knew what honor was.
For a child, parental teaching is absolute. Now, he realized it was a form of indoctrination, but it had already become part of him.
When Yun-seong reached the staff room door, a Chinese teacher coming out recognized him warmly.
“Oh, Yun-seong, you’re here for a meeting too? Is it because of the new friend? Everyone’s so busy. Hadam is here too.”
“Hasn’t left yet, I see. Thank you for telling me, teacher.”
“Not at all. By the way, Yun-seong, your father really is incredible. The donation amount this time was huge! You must be proud.”
The teacher winked, and Yun-seong gave an embarrassed smile.
Since the Kinsu Academy was the only school for beastmen, the annual school development fund overflowed every year. Among them, the Zara family stood out.
“Anyway, if you have any difficulties, come and discuss them anytime.”
“Yes, teacher.”
“Alright, do well in your meeting.”
Yun-seong gave a brief bow.
The hand that tapped his shoulder on the way past was disgusting.
Once the teacher disappeared from view, Yun-seong shook his shoulder irritably.
He braced himself against the foul feeling and stood in front of the staff room.
He could have waited longer but didn’t want to.
The important conversation had already been had anyway.
Yun-seong wiped his expression clean, opened the staff room door, and headed straight for Ungyak-san’s desk.
Hadam jumped up in surprise in the distance but didn’t even look at him.
Fortunately, Hadam also passed by coldly.
Ungyak-san raised an eyebrow and said, surprised,
“You’re treating each other like invisible people. I thought you got along well.”
Instead of answering, Yun-seong handed over the club application form.
“Quick, huh.”
Ungyak-san scanned the names and muttered,
“Astronomy Club…”
“…”
“Yun-seong, you… Chemistry Club? Not the Student Council?”
“If you’re class president or vice president, you automatically belong to the Student Council.”
“Really? Everyone said you’d become the real president. Does that mean you’ll do two clubs?”
“Something like that.”
“I see.”
Ungyak-san scratched his chin with his thick fingers.
Is Taebaek Hall operating on a completely different system?
Even though it’s the same high school, why don’t they know something so basic?
Yun-seong frowned slightly in confusion.
Ungyak-san sighed lightly.
“That I-gyul kid seems to like Hadam quite a lot. That’s fortunate, I guess.”
“Why is that fortunate?”
Yun-seong asked sharply, without realizing it.
He vaguely thought it wasn’t a coincidence that Hadam was paired with him…
The homeroom teacher slowly lifted his head.
Yun-seong didn’t avoid the predator-like eyes staring at him and met them straight on.
“It’s good to have at least one place to feel attached in a strange place, isn’t it?”
Their gazes clashed fiercely in the air. Yun-seong slowly spoke,
“…Yes, that’s true.”
Then Ungyak-san contorted the scar on his left cheek and raised his cheekbone menacingly.
“I know your father well. You probably aren’t much different.”
The homeroom teacher gestured for Yun-seong to come closer. Yun-seong reluctantly leaned forward slightly.
In a low growl, Ungyak-san whispered,
“Even so, you’re still a student. I’m your homeroom teacher. So let’s trust each other and get along, Yun-seong.”
It was a laughable suggestion.
Anyone who mentions his father, no matter their position, knows how blinded by ambition Yun-seong can be.
“You probably aren’t any different either.”
“….”
Yun-seong chose silence instead of answering, as always, letting the other think whatever they wanted.
Carefully closing the staff room door, Hadam let out a sigh.
The teacher would probably find it strange.
But that didn’t mean he could greet Yun-seong warmly.
No matter how many teachers were present, Yun-seong would never greet him.
Hadam would only make himself look foolish.
As Hadam justified this to himself, someone approached.
“What did the homeroom teacher say?”
“Majio.”
Hadam was a little surprised. Although he had been in the same class as Majio before, they had never really hung out or talked much.
Majio asked with an expressionless face,
“They called you because of the Taebaek Hall kid, right?”
“How did you know?”
“Always be careful.”
“Huh?”
“I just don’t understand what teachers are thinking.”
Majio shook his head and turned around.
Hadam hurriedly grabbed Majio’s shoulder. Majio, barely 160 cm tall, was easily caught.
“You… at the artifact museum…”
But the sudden encounter left Hadam’s jumbled thoughts unable to form proper sentences.
As Hadam hesitated, Majio looked at him over his glasses and spoke slowly,
“It’s not a rumor. I’m not the kind to make conspiracy theories.”
Hadam lowered his awkwardly raised hand. Majio glanced around.
Since some time had passed after homeroom, the first-floor hallway was empty.
“I think you, and all of us, should know more about the school. You know the saying, right? There’s no smoke without fire. Conspiracy theories don’t arise for no reason.”
Hadam couldn’t even open his mouth as Majio whispered in a low voice. He didn’t know how to react.
“Anyway, come visit the History Research Club later. There’s a lot of interesting stuff.”
Majio’s eyes shone brighter than ever. Hadam nodded absentmindedly.
