On the top floor of the First-Year Dormitory Building 1, Hong Yeon-hwa was residing.
She chose this place, entering as the second in rank among 613 cadets of Class 121.
Her practical exam scored full marks, but her written exam was just a tad lacking, allowing Baek Ahrin to snag the top position.
As a top scorer, she could have received housing, but she decided it would be more convenient to stay in the same building to meet friends, thus opting for the penthouse.
The facilities were pretty decent.
Even someone used to a luxurious lifestyle like Hong Yeon-hwa found it fully equipped.
Thanks to this, living here wasn’t a problem at all.
“Hoo…”
Since it was her first day, there were no special lectures.
They simply outlined the course and explained how things would proceed from tomorrow, along with a friendly sparring session.
At 8 PM.
After finishing her personal training post-lecture, Hong Yeon-hwa came back after a late dinner, casually tossed her outerwear aside, and flopped onto her bed.
The plush bed enveloped her. It had been messy in the morning, but now it was all neat and tidy. Apparently, Ariel had done the laundry and arranged everything.
She wasn’t particularly tired. Her body wasn’t at a level where fatigue would accumulate from a schedule like this.
Officially, she was a cadet, but Hong Yeon-hwa possessed enough strength to immediately take on a team leader role in the clan.
If there was any fatigue, it was mental.
“…I wonder if he’s okay.”
She grabbed a spare pillow and hugged it tightly. Burying her face in its soft texture, she mumbled randomly.
For the past few days, Hong Yeon-hwa’s sole focus had been on Lee Ha-yul.
The first and only student admitted through special consideration.
A cadet at the center of recent gossip.
“He looked quite pale this morning. His dark circles seem to have gotten worse… His face also looks thinner. Is he really eating properly? He barely ate during lunch. Was the food bad? No, he said it was good… Maybe he just said that out of politeness?”
Her thoughts felt cramped. They flowed with concern, naturally aimed at Lee Ha-yul.
“Sigh…”
This must be the nth sigh she’s let out today. It was incredibly frustrating. Ugh… Face buried in the pillow, she flailed around. Her feet hit the bed repeatedly for no reason.
“What should I do…?”
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t interested at all from the beginning.
What kind of qualities does he possess? How immense is his potential? What could possibly have drawn the attention of the cradle’s owner, who had been silent for over a century?
Even the forces of superhumans and regular society were focused on him. If word got out that Lee Ha-yul was outside right now, people would swarm in from all corners.
Before the welcome party, information control was somewhat effective, but now it has faded, and much information leaked out.
In other words, if Lee Ha-yul stepped outside, many would recognize him.
Hong Yeon-hwa felt curious. She wanted to meet him just once and see what kind of person he was.
She had also considered visiting him once the semester started. If that first meeting had happened, she might have approached him first at the new student welcome party.
The first meeting.
Instead of a sweet resonance, it was a melody filled with regrets…
Yet another sigh escaped her. The breath caught in the pillow hit her face.
“Ugh…”
After stretching a bit, she flipped over. Staring vacantly at the ceiling pattern, she activated her smartwatch.
Swiping through holograms, her finger suddenly stopped at Lee Ha-yul’s number.
“……”
– Ding
The hologram fluttered open.
▶Lee Ha-yul: Thanks to Hong Yeon-hwa-nim, I got in safely (Yesterday 11:12)
▶Lee Ha-yul: I really appreciate it. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve been in big trouble. I’ll definitely repay you when I get the chance (Yesterday 11:13)
▶Lee Ha-yul: You even apologized. That’s more than enough (Yesterday 11:15)
▶Lee Ha-yul: I was the one who caused trouble instead (Yesterday 11:16)
‘He has such a nice way of speaking.’
As she read, a sense of comfort washed over her from the kind messages filled with consideration for others.
▶Lee Ha-yul: I enjoyed my lunch today. Next time, I’ll treat you (Today 19:57)
“Ah.”
There was a newly arrived message. It said lunch was good. She had heard that during lunch, and this message could just be out of courtesy, but it put Hong Yeon-hwa’s mind at ease a bit.
Her fingers, shining with excitement, began moving.
▶Me: Really? I’m glad to hear it…
Glad… Glad… Oh…
Her finger, which had been dancing like a beam of light, abruptly halted. Her thoughts slowed down, causing her fingers to follow suit.
‘What should I say?’
The very tone of the message she was typing felt awkward. The usually silent Hong Yeon-hwa glanced at the hologram again.
[Group Chat Room (6)]
▶Shin Seo-yul: [Breaking News] Hong Yeon-hwa’s character controversy in the Gop-hwa Clan (Two days ago 19:11)
▶Yi Si-eun: Outrage over saying to a blind person, “Can’t you see in front of you?” (Two days ago 19:13)
▶Yang Yoon-ha: Just reading this makes her seem like a total jerk (Two days ago 19:14)
▶Shin Seo-yul: This is the latest, right? (Two days ago 19:14)
▶Me: Damn it, you guys (Two days ago 20:17)
.
.
▶Me: Quick, recommend a good eatery (Today 1:11)
▶Yang Yoon-ha: Guys like spicy pork (Today 1:12)
▶Baek Ahrin: Why did Yeon-hwa abandon us? (Today 1:12)
▶Yang Yoon-ha: One guy caught her eye, and she instantly tossed us aside (Today 1:13)
▶Shin Seo-yul: You ditch all your friends? Ditch all your friends? Ditch all your friends? (Today 1:13)
▶Yi Si-eun: The guy who might become her husband > her ten-year friends, that’s right… (Today 1:15)
▶Me: Quit messing around (Today 1:21)
.
.
▶Shin Seo-yul: (Photo of vanilla chocolate parfait) (Today 18:33)
▶Shin Seo-yul: You want to eat this, right? You want to eat this? (Today 18:33)
▶Yang Yoon-ha: Piggy (Today 18:35)
▶Shin Seo-yul: K (Today 18:39)
▶Hwang Si-yeon: +0.3kg (Today 18:41)
▶Shin Seo-yul: Yup~ I’m a superhuman, so I don’t gain weight~ (Today 18:42)
▶Shin Seo-yul: To those who ditched their friends for some guy and went stuff themselves with tasty food, listen up (Today 18:43)
▶Me: Do you want to die? (Today 18:52)
▶Shin Seo-yul: Oh no, a death threat (Today 18:54)
▶Me: See you tomorrow (Today 18:55:12)
▶Shin Seo-yul: Sorry (Today 18:55:13)
“……”
Chaos reigned. Beneath the scrutiny of others, everyone seemed perfectly fine, but once they gathered among themselves, they turned into absolute lunatics.
She quietly closed the chat room. Her feelings, once healed towards Lee Ha-yul, now felt rotten and decayed.
Rotten and decayed.
Her mood sank instantly. Memories from the past replayed in her mind.
The health room glowing in the sunset. Lee Ha-yul, who had been sleeping like a forest fairy. The burn scar covering his right hand.
The mark of Gop-hwa.
“Damn.”
Her insides churned. Anger boiled over, prompting her to swear.
Gop-hwa.
The name of her clan and the name of the inherited unique ability. A name she was rather proud of.
The founder of her clan was a standout figure during the ‘Great Change’ over 200 years ago.
When monsters were rampant all over the world, and dungeons were going haywire, flipping the world upside down—an era that felt like a magical realm.
Through that chaos, the person who slayed countless monsters and saved humanity was her ancestor, Hong Yeon-hong.
As famous as the Tower Lord who established the current world’s system, she was a great hero. The Gop-hwa Clan, inheriting her bloodline, held one of the world’s most formidable powers.
Overflowing with old grudges and enmities.
Following the legacy and principles left by their ancestor, the past heads of the clan and the council had strived to walk a path they deemed just.
As superhumans, their duty as the strong and the rulers.
They eliminated dungeons that wreaked havoc on the world and burnt to ashes the monsters that spread chaos. They condemned villains who oppressed innocent citizens, actively working to stabilize the world.
But after 200 years of history, hoping that no disorderly elements existed among the clan’s members was as dreamlike as it gets.
Those who defy the ideology, abandon their duties, seek only their own rights, and trample others for their pleasure inevitably arose.
200 years of history. For Hong Yeon-hwa, just having crossed twenty was beyond her comprehension.
Yet, it was overly hopeful to wish that there hadn’t been any troublemakers throughout that time. She remembered the scandalous behavior of a member from her generation.
– Crunch!
A horrific sound echoed from her tightly clenched jaw. The metallic taste of blood in her mouth jolted her senses.
“……”
Nothing is confirmed yet.
When exactly did Lee Ha-yul come in contact with Gop-hwa? She could guess, but nothing is certain.
What kind of, treacherous bastard’s doing is this? Still unknown. What was the purpose? Was it intentional? She has no idea. She knows nothing.
What’s certain is this.
She’s caused Lee Ha-yul a lot of trouble, and the burn on his right arm is damage inflicted by her clan.
Hong Yeon-hwa is the one who manifests Gop-hwa. She knows well what kind of power it possesses, the damage done by its touch, and even if you survive Gop-hwa, the aftereffects can be devastating.
Is Lee Ha-yul’s frail body somehow linked to Gop-hwa? Just thinking about it made her blood rush to her head.
Realizing she was getting so worked up over Lee Ha-yul, the blood rushed to her head. Though they barely had a week-long connection, she knew she was being overly attentive and had deep feelings.
But so what?
She has never been the type to think deeply, always turning her feelings into actions.
There’s guilt. She’s repeatedly caused trouble during their first meeting. She carries the mark of Gop-hwa on her.
Her appearance… With looks that could make ten out of ten people turn their heads on the street, isn’t it attractive enough to cultivate feelings?
Her actions showed she made efforts to consider others. Even the trouble Hong Yeon-hwa had caused didn’t seem to bother him; he even offered her comfort.
This was motivation enough to want to get closer.
Feeling her emotions calm, Hong Yeon-hwa closed her eyes.
The unique ability called Gop-hwa always stirs the emotions of its owner.
As her emotions grew intense, Gop-hwa flared up alongside, but this came with the risk of clouding her reason and narrowing her personality’s spectrum.
This is why Hong Yeon-hwa has a quick temper and is irritable.
Especially because the output level of Gop-hwa she possessed is abnormally high, the amplification of her emotions was substantial.
As a result, nearly half of the training she received from her clan was about emotional control.
A little late, Ariel’s scolding blended into her awareness, and she fell asleep.
‘This will do.’
No matter the reason, Hong Yeon-hwa wanted to wash away the guilt. This is enough to feel drawn to someone.
This will work.
.
.
.
The next day.
[Good morning!]
“……”
Arriving at school earlier than usual, Hong Yeon-hwa came face to face with Lee Ha-yul, whose face was covered in blue bruises.
“…Pudik.”
Hong Yeon-hwa’s eyes blazed like hellfire.
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