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Chapter: 13
Yuna stared at I-gyeol with her eyes gleaming brightly—she looked almost… like a madwoman.
“The next problem after the one you solved earlier was even harder. Can you solve that one too?”
Bombarded with questions, I-gyeol stared back at Yuna.
“…Aren’t you eating?”
“Of course I am. Hadam, how about the three of us eat together and have a deep, high-level discussion about math problems?”
Her exaggerated tone was so ridiculous that Hadam burst out laughing.
Still, it was rare for Yuna to be this proactive, so Hadam turned to I-gyeol.
“If you’re okay with it, let’s eat together.”
“Sorry, but Woong-ssaem called for me. Next time.”
“Woong-ssaem? You mean our homeroom teacher?”
“Yeah. Eat without me today.”
Leaving those words behind, I-gyeol slipped out of the classroom.
“Guess it can’t be helped.”
Disappointment spread across Yuna’s face.
Comforting her fell entirely to Hadam.
Though she wasn’t sure if “comforting” was really the right word.
“Ugh, the wind is no joke.”
Yuna shuddered as she pushed open the rooftop’s iron door.
The wind was so sharp it made the midwinter cold seem mild by comparison.
Hadam quickly zipped up her padded jacket.
“Maybe we should’ve come when it got a little warmer. It’s just us.”
“Isn’t that better? No one to interrupt us. Hadam, hurry up.”
Yuna, who had already headed toward the railing, urged her on.
After lunch, taking a light stroll on the rooftop had been a routine shared by just the two of them since their first year.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t much of a stroll—more like leaning against the railing, looking out over the school, and chatting.
“The weather’s nice.”
“Yeah.”
Beneath the piercingly white sky, the school grounds stretched out wide and unobstructed.
Because the school was built along a sloping ridge, it almost felt like viewing the scenery from the top of a mountain.
For Hadam, who could never leave the school grounds, the view even brought a sense of freedom.
“Phew.”
She was enjoying the moment, breathing out warm puffs into the frozen air.
“Haa…”
Yuna exhaled too, but with the opposite feeling.
“What’s with the sudden sigh?”
“The world you see from here is so pretty… but it’s also so unfair.”
Once again, a long plume of white breath spilled from Yuna’s lips.
Hadam let out a hollow laugh.
Yuna had already spent the entire lunch break passionately talking about I-gyeol’s solution.
“He might’ve studied way ahead, you know.”
“I did too. A lot.”
“Then maybe he just did a little more than you.”
“It’s not easy to do more than me.”
“…That’s true.”
In reality, Yuna had spent the entire winter break holed up in the library, doing nothing but studying.
“You know I’m all about effort. But he’s different. You can tell just by looking. There are kids whose brains just spin nonstop. That’s the kind of vibe he has.”
To Hadam, Yuna herself looked like a genius, so she couldn’t quite agree—but she didn’t argue.
“Do they push studying harder in the Taebaek Hall?”
“Maybe.”
“Should we just ask him? I mean, honestly, what’s the problem? Taebaek Hall isn’t some taboo. We don’t avoid the topic because it’s forbidden—just because we don’t know.”
“That’s true, but… we’re not even that close yet. Would it be okay?”
“You get close by asking things like that. From what I can tell, he’s totally a ‘my way or the highway’ type. It’s not like he’d answer everything just because you ask.”
“Fair point.”
If it came to having questions, Hadam would probably rank first.
“Still, he seems pretty friendly toward you. So if you bring it up first later—”
Yuna suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
“What is it?”
“Isn’t that Do I-gyeol? Why is he walking over there? Didn’t he say he was going to meet the homeroom teacher?”
Yuna pointed toward the walking path to the right of the main building.
Furrowing her brows, Hadam followed the direction of Yuna’s finger.
But all she could see was a vague, blurry shape.
Unlike Yuna, a crow shifter with sharp eyesight, Hadam couldn’t tell right away.
Yuna continued, her voice doubtful.
“It is I-gyeol, I’m sure. Earlier, when he left, he wasn’t wearing a coat—just his uniform jacket. He’s dressed the same now. But this is really suspicious.”
“What is?”
“If he went to see the homeroom teacher, he should be on the first floor of the high school wing. But he’s coming down from the relic hall side.”
“Maybe he’s just taking a walk? Looking around the campus by himself…”
Even as she spoke, her voice trailed off, lacking confidence.
Yuna slowly shook her head.
“He’s definitely not sightseeing.”
“Then what?”
“Someone near the relic hall is waving at him. Like they’re seeing him off.”
“Who?”
“…The principal.”
Hadam sucked in a sharp breath.
For an ordinary student, it was normal to have no opportunity to speak with the principal at all.
Especially at Taegum High School, the principal also served as the chairman overseeing the entire Geumsu Academy, making him even harder to meet.
Because it was a school for beastfolk, special permission had been granted for the principal to hold both positions, but that also meant he was extremely busy.
In other words, casually running into him was exceedingly rare.
Even Byeol Yunseong, the student council president, or Yuna, who never lost her spot as top student, didn’t meet the principal privately.
Only Hadam—who turned into a rabbit—had personal counseling sessions four times a year.
“He really must have something going on.”
Her heart began to pound softly.
Just like herself, who transformed into a rabbit—did I-gyeol also meet the principal because he transformed?
“Does he really turn into a tiger? It’s kind of scary to imagine… but I’m curious.”
“Seon Hadam. No curiosity. Curiosity is forbidden. Questions are forbidden.”
Yuna’s voice suddenly turned serious.
“Ah, why not?”
When Hadam answered in a sulky tone, Yuna turned around, grabbed both of Hadam’s shoulders, and made her face her.
“Let’s say Do I-gyeol really does turn into a tiger. And you see that right in front of you. You’d instinctively sense danger. Your heart rate would spike. And then you’d turn into a rabbit. If you turned into a rabbit—do you think a tiger would just sit still?”
Yuna spoke without taking a breath, her expression grim.
“But even when they turn into animals… they still have their personality…”
Hadam tried to protest timidly, but it didn’t work.
Yuna narrowed her eyes.
“Get a grip, Seon Hadam. You’re a special case. Don’t you remember what we learned in Beastfolk Studies? When a beastfolk transforms, their animal instincts become much stronger. If he really does transform, no amount of caution would ever be enough.”
At the almost solemn tone, Hadam let out a deep sigh.
She knew Yuna’s nagging came from concern.
Still—
“Basically, they live as humans. Having stronger animal instincts doesn’t mean they give up being human…”
“Ah, I know. That’s not what I meant, I just—”
Yuna flustered for a moment, trying to explain herself.
Watching her, Hadam spoke calmly.
“I know. Thanks for worrying about me. And like you said, I won’t do anything dangerous. I’m just… a little glad, thinking he might be in a similar situation to me.”
Whether it was a desire for simple kinship, or a need to confirm she wasn’t alone, was unclear.
But one thing was certain—it wasn’t just idle curiosity.
Yuna’s awkward expression gradually softened.
“Don’t worry so much. I’ll always be careful, okay?”
Hadam asked for agreement once more.
A few seconds of silence passed, reflecting Yuna’s complicated feelings.
Finally, Yuna slowly nodded.
“…Alright.”
Hadam pulled the corners of her mouth up into a bright smile.
As if conceding, Yuna followed suit and smiled back at her.
It was ten minutes before the end of lunch when they returned to the classroom.
I-gyeol was still sitting in the same position, as if he’d never left.
Earphones in, looking at his phone.
Hadam carefully pulled out her chair.
Sensing her presence, I-gyeol looked up and tugged on the cord.
The earbud popped out and dangled uselessly in midair.
“You’re late.”
“We went for a walk.”
“Where’d you walk?”
“On the rooftop with Yuna. Why?”
“I was bored, alone.”
“What do you mean bored? Weren’t you busy too?”
Hadam casually set the stage.
On the surface, she kept her face as neutral and uninterested as possible.
“Why would I be busy?”
“You said the homeroom teacher called you.”
“That ended quickly.”
“Oh, so that’s why you had time to stop by the relic hall?”
“The relic hall?”
I-gyeol asked back, as if he had no idea what she meant.
Hadam replied nonchalantly.
“I saw you coming down from that direction earlier.”
In truth, it was Yuna who’d seen him.
Only then did I-gyeol close his mouth, looking slightly startled.
Hadam didn’t miss the moment and added,
“Why did you meet the principal?”
