IDWF 7

Karsion always felt something strange whenever he looked at Lien.

Every day, she teased him, and every time, he ended up unable to say anything back—only his face turning red in silence.

Karsion thought he should stop tolerating her teasing, but he still couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Because he didn’t want to see or hear her again—her guilty face, her apologies filled with regret.

And yet, whenever she played tricks on him, he was undeniably flustered.

Eventually, whenever club time came, he would fix his eyes on a book and avoid looking at her as much as possible.

This strange, delicate routine continued until less than a month after the club had been formed.

It was Lien’s casual remark—“Karsion looks kind”—that made him finally realize he liked her.

Only then did Karsion begin to understand his own strange behavior and the unfamiliar emotions he had been feeling.

Now that he thought about it, it might have been love at first sight.

Strangely enough, he couldn’t act like himself whenever she was in front of him.

It took him a little time to realize his feelings, but accepting them was quick.

Karsion spent countless moments thinking about what he should say when Lien entered the club room.

Eventually, he decided on a simple “You’re here?” and waited anxiously for her.

But Lien didn’t appear until the end of the scheduled club time.

Repeating “You’re here?” in his head, he finally asked Fior in a trembling voice:

“Fior, why isn’t Lien coming?”

Seeing Karsion’s anxious expression, Fior looked dumbfounded.

Oh my.

In all their club sessions, he had only ever heard Karsion call Lien “hey” or “you”—this was the first time he had ever used her name.

After realizing Karsion liked Lien, Fior had no idea what he had been thinking while waiting for her.

…It almost looked like he had been building imaginary closeness on his own.

“I already told you earlier—the incident happened today. Maybe she’s tired and didn’t come.”

“In a club of three people, one is late and another doesn’t show up without a word. What do you think about that, Fior?”

“We both had our reasons.”

“You probably just went out laughing like usual, not because of any reason.”

“And you think that’s a good thing for me?”

At Fior’s words, Karsion looked away indifferently, then suddenly stood up.

“Whoa, what’s wrong? Why are you getting up all of a sudden?”

“I’m leaving.”

“Where are you going?”

“The dormitory.”

“You’re leaving early? Let’s go together.”

Since they lived in the same room, Fior’s suggestion was natural.

But Karsion frowned slightly and refused.

“Don’t come.”

“What do you mean don’t come? It’s not even your room alone.”

“Not our room. I’m going to see Lien.”

“Lien is in the girls’ dorm, though?”

“I’m going there.”

Fior doubted his ears, wondering if he had heard his friend correctly.

Not only was it unbelievable that Karsion had feelings for someone—but now he was planning to enter a restricted area just to see her.

“You’re insane?”

At that, Karsion lowered his gaze and met Fior’s eyes calmly.

“Do you think so too? I guess I do.”

He was beyond reasoning now.

Fior realized there was no stopping him anymore and only said one thing:

“Just don’t get caught.”

“Of course.”

Even Fior, who was known for his bright and friendly demeanor, had a side so abnormal that only Karsion in the entire academy knew about it.

Lien, after calming her trembling body in the clubroom, went to the only person she thought could help her without hesitation.

That person had to be someone friendly toward her—and well connected.

In her small circle of acquaintances, there was only one such person.

“Hey.”

“Sorry, I don’t know who you are, but let’s talk later. If I’m late for club again today, Karsion might literally split me in half.”

“It’s me, Fior.”

At those words, Fior narrowed his eyes, processing the voice.

Soon, recognizing her, he smiled warmly.

“Oh, Lien. I didn’t recognize you with that blanket wrapped around your face. What’s wrong? Want to walk to the clubroom together and talk?”

Lien had never thought she would be able to ask him for help like this.

When she first met Fior, she thought it would be impossible.

He always smiled, but she could sense that his feelings underneath weren’t entirely kind.

Still, Lien didn’t care much.

She had seen people like that before.

She only began to think Fior might actually be kind when a day passed after exactly two weeks and one day of club activity.

As usual, she lay on the sofa, teasing Karsion expressionlessly.

Karsion, as always, could only endure it.

That day was the first day after the club correction period had ended.

Of course, that “correction period” had been something Karsion made up to handle the situation.

Fior, upon entering the clubroom, laughed loudly as if the world itself were collapsing and showered Lien with praise.

Then he suddenly asked her, almost pleading:

“Let’s be close from now on. No, please be close with me.”

From that day on, Fior always looked at Lien with obvious goodwill.

Lien thought Fior simply enjoyed seeing Karsion being teased.

And from that day onward, Fior seemed to constantly fight with Karsion whenever they made eye contact.

The fights were childish, but fortunately—or unfortunately—he was still kind to Lien.

The famously friendly Fior was especially ruthless only toward Karsion.

“Yeah… that’s what real friends are like.”

Lien now thought she could trust him.

So she handed him a recording device containing everything that happened that day.

“Fior, can you spread what happened today throughout the academy?”

After hearing the full story, Fior agreed immediately.

It was slightly surprising that he agreed to keep it hidden from Karsion as well, but still.

For Lien, spreading the incident was a safety measure.

The students who had provoked her would likely be expelled, but she wanted to ensure it through public opinion.

Public perception always mattered.

Thus, their expulsion was nearly guaranteed.

Even if they somehow remained through power or money, they would never have an easy time.

“Why did I even have to go this far…”

Lien closed her eyes quietly as the memory resurfaced.

Knock knock.

At the sound of knocking, Lien slowly pulled down the blanket that had been wrapped around her from head to toe.

She had no friends—so it couldn’t be someone worried about her.

It must be someone coming to inform her of something.

That had been the only type of visitor she had received since entering the academy.

Too lazy to walk to the door, she considered pretending no one was home.

But the image of someone standing outside lingered in her mind, so she got up anyway.

“I’m coming.”

She walked over and opened the door—

Bang!

And immediately slammed it shut.

She turned around, wondering if she had gone to the wrong room.

But everything inside was hers—she had no roommate yet.

This was definitely her room.

Maybe she was hallucinating?

She opened the door again cautiously.

The same curly cherry-pink hair was still there.

Bang.

She shut the door again and blinked rapidly.

Her sleepy mind snapped awake.

‘Isn’t this the girls’ dorm? Why is he here?’

“Lien.”

A faint voice called her name from outside.

Her confusion deepened.

Karsion had never called her name. Not even once.

But the face she saw earlier was definitely his.

There was no way she had mistaken that handsome face twice.

She swallowed and opened the door just a small crack.

“Pink hair?”

“Yes, Lien.”

He called her name again.

She studied him through the gap.

Their eyes met in the air—

No, they almost did.

The moment his blue eyes met her black ones, he looked away.

Lien sighed.

She didn’t even know if that sigh was relief or frustration.

‘If he’s caught in the girls’ dorm, this will be trouble.’

More than his behavior, she was more worried about him being seen.

She quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside.

Karsion stumbled in as if he had no will of his own.

After locking the door, Lien looked down at him—head lowered, fidgeting.

For someone so cute in personality, he was annoyingly tall.

“Pink hair. What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Something must have.

Karsion couldn’t meet her eyes and looked flustered.

…Strange.

This was the kind of reaction he only showed when she teased him too much.