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Chapter: 16
After grabbing a quick bite to curb his hunger, Lee Gyeol planned to loosen up with some light exercise at the gym. But he quickly changed his mind. A few students had been following him, pretending not to.
Looks like working out at the main campus is off the table for a while.
Clicking his tongue, Lee Gyeol turned toward the dormitory. The moment he did, the students tailing him naturally melted away.
He entered the dorm building and paused in the hallway, listening closely.
Though not as cold as outside, the air inside the building was still frigid. Perhaps because of that, the corridor was empty.
Aside from idle chatter drifting from various dorm rooms, there was nothing else to be heard.
After confirming that things had settled down, he turned back around. This time, he moved with even greater care to ensure no one followed him.
The cold weather helped once again. No one was strolling around campus in the biting wind.
Without encountering a single obstacle, he headed straight for his destination.
“Don’t come this way anymore. Drawing attention won’t do you any good.”
Although the principal had warned him just yesterday—
“I’ll try.”
He hadn’t taken it seriously.
“That’s not a very reassuring answer.”
Because he was certain he’d need to go to Taebaek Hall sooner or later.
Taebaek Hall was packed with equipment fit for professional athletes.
Even just once or twice a week, he needed to reawaken his physical senses.
Sure, he’d get an earful if he were caught—but so what?
Better that than making a mistake on a mission because his body felt stiff and sluggish.
Lee Gyeol slipped into the tall grass behind the Artifact Hall. Untouched by human hands, yellow-brown leaves had grown thick up to his ankles.
Just as he stepped into a place where you wouldn’t even know there was a path—
“Student.”
At the low voice, he turned his head.
A stranger was watching him, holding an unlit lantern in his left hand.
The man wore a deep navy work uniform and had a wide-brimmed hat pulled low, obscuring his face.
Since when was he there?
Lee Gyeol hadn’t sensed a thing.
He immediately went on alert. The flow of the wind, the faint vibrations in the air—his sharpened senses took everything in.
But that was all.
Among the sensations reaching him, there was nothing that could be identified as the man’s presence—no trace, no “scent.”
The man jerked his chin toward the grassy path Lee Gyeol had been about to take.
“That area is off-limits.”
His voice was flat.
The completely even tone, devoid of any warmth, sent a chill down Lee Gyeol’s spine.
Keeping his guard up, Lee Gyeol replied,
“I’m not restricted from entering.”
“And who are you supposed to be?”
“A Taebaek Hall student. Didn’t you hear? There’s one student who transferred from Taebaek Hall to the main campus.”
“Didn’t hear. I’m just a guard.”
A guard watching the area between the main campus and Taebaek Hall?
That was news to him.
Taebaek Hall relied almost entirely on automated systems, so there hadn’t been guards in the first place.
“Then you know now. I just need to head to Taebaek Hall for a bit.”
As Lee Gyeol moved, the man instantly stepped in front of him.
The distance between them closed in a blink. The man’s face was still hidden in the darkness, but Lee Gyeol knew he was being stared at directly.
“Name.”
When Lee Gyeol didn’t answer, the man tucked the lantern under his arm and pulled out a small notebook and pen.
“If you don’t answer now, it’s demerits.”
Damn demerits.
If there was one thing Taebaek Hall and the main campus had in common, it was the demerit system.
According to what Woong Yaksan had told him, punishments tied to demerits were milder on the main campus—but the sheer hassle was on another level.
Reflection essays. Writing lines. Campus cleaning. Class duties. Event assistance.
At least in Taebaek Hall, you just suffered physically and got it over with.
Three hundred push-ups or five hundred squats even helped your health.
Reluctantly, Lee Gyeol opened his mouth.
“…Do Lee Gyeol.”
“Grade and class.”
“Second year, Class Three.”
The man scribbled something in his notebook, then said flatly,
“Alright. Now go back.”
“And who are you to say that?”
“I told you. I’m a guard.”
His irritation was rising fast.
“I’m just going back to where I was for a bit. Why is that not allowed?”
“If you really want to go, bring an access pass or a permit. With the principal’s official seal.”
“I doubt he’d give me one…”
Lee Gyeol muttered in complaint.
He’d literally been told just yesterday to behave himself on the main campus.
Had the principal known this would happen?
“Then all the more reason you can’t go.”
The man didn’t yield an inch.
Lee Gyeol let out a short sigh and nodded obediently.
“Fine. I’ll go back.”
The guard waved his hand outward, as if urging him to leave.
Lee Gyeol retraced his steps at an exaggeratedly slow pace.
To make it look like he’d completely given up, he deliberately made his footsteps loud.
After about five minutes—
Only when he reached the entrance of the campus walking path did he stop.
When he looked back, the guard was gone.
As if no one had ever been there, the surroundings lay submerged in silent darkness.
Lee Gyeol turned back toward the narrow path leading to Taebaek Hall. This time, he moved far more carefully, completely suppressing any sound.
But when he reached roughly the same spot as before, he heard that monotonous voice again.
“So you never intended to listen to me from the start.”
This time, Lee Gyeol was genuinely startled.
He’d been walking with every nerve on edge, constantly scanning his surroundings.
“What are you, sir? Did you get some kind of special training? I’ve never met anyone with such zero presence.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“I’m not changing the subject. Seriously, sir—”
Bzzzt.
The strong vibration from the phone in his pants pocket cut him off.
Without taking his eyes off the man, Lee Gyeol pulled out his phone.
It vibrated once more.
Glancing sideways at the screen, his eyes widened, and he lifted the phone properly to check the sender.
[Seon Hadam]
The taut tension melted away in an instant.
Feeling the corners of his mouth lift on their own, Lee Gyeol quickly tapped the screen.
The message filled the display.
[Let’s study together. Yuna’s in.]
[What date and time work for you?]
With a slightly excited expression, Lee Gyeol waved his phone at the man.
“Sir, something urgent came up. I’ll just head back today.”
As he turned away, his steps felt impossibly light.
* * *
Hadam sat on the warm floor, heads pressed together with Yuna, staring intently at her phone screen.
Yuna was frozen, holding a shrimp-flavored snack stick she’d taken from the bag beside her.
Her other hand kept twisting her hair, betraying her anxiety.
Soon, the 1 next to the message disappeared.
She wasn’t sure why she felt so nervous.
Was she worried about a future filled with weekly math study sessions?
Or embarrassed at having to reveal her math skills in front of both a close friend and someone unfamiliar?
Or maybe…
…was it just strange how she kept getting pulled into Do Lee Gyeol’s orbit?
“Haaah…”
Crunch.
Hadam’s long exhale and the crisp sound of Yuna biting into the snack echoed pleasantly through the room.
Then—
[Let’s decide the details when we meet.]
[When do you want to meet?]
[Tomorrow’s fine too.]
The screen filled with messages as the phone buzzed repeatedly.
“He’s decisive.”
Yuna brushed the crumbs off her hands and smiled in satisfaction.
“Then tell him we’ll meet tomorrow morning.”
“No way. It’s Saturday. Let’s sleep in.”
After waking up early all week, was she out of her mind?
Just imagining it made her tired.
Yuna widened her eyes.
“You can sleep when you’re dead. Didn’t you know?”
“That’s just you. I bet he won’t like it either.”
“Ask him.”
“You don’t even need to ask.”
Grumbling, Hadam still typed out the message carefully.
[Would tomorrow morning be okay?]
If you’re a normal second-year high schooler, giving up weekend sleep makes zero sense.
Who in their right mind studies math on a Saturday morning—
A reply came the moment she hit send.
[Yeah. 8 a.m. works.]
“No way.”
Hadam’s jaw dropped. Yuna, who had been watching the screen, grinned smugly.
“I knew he’d say yes. Just make it 9. I’ll be generous and consider you.”
“…Wow. Neither of you is sane.”
Hadam stared at Yuna with a betrayed look.
Unbothered, Yuna smoothly snatched the phone out of Hadam’s hands.
Hadam panicked and reached for it, but Yuna twisted her body side to side, dodging her.
“Gotta reply before he changes his mind.”
“Hey, hey! I’ll do it!”
“Nope, wait.”
Giggling, Yuna’s fingers flew across the screen.
Hadam, resigned, grabbed a snack.
Before long, Yuna exclaimed cheerfully,
“Instant reply! Do Lee Gyeol passes!”
The conversation screen, once the phone was returned, held nothing but despair.
[8 is a bit early, so let’s meet at 9 at the café on the 3rd floor of the Sangmae Hall. Yuna says thanks and she’ll buy coffee and dessert. Let’s also decide how we’ll move forward with studying.]
[Sounds good.]
“Pass my foot.”
Hadam pouted as she crunched on her snack. Yuna, meanwhile, was in high spirits, even humming as she walked over to her desk.
“I should pack the books I’ll need for studying tomorrow.”
“This is a total human rights violation.”
With a sulky expression, Hadam reread the conversation.
He doesn’t seem unhappy at all…
I dug my own grave…
She was just about to turn off her phone in regret when—
Bzzzt.
A new message alert arrived.
Hadam checked the chat.
Then, her watch vibrated as well.
