New School Year
Three days before the new school year began.
My friends and I returned to the academy and set about moving dormitories.
Naturally, hardship was already part of the plan.
‘Having to move dorms every semester is a ridiculous hassle. I guess I should be grateful that magic can at least lighten the burden.’
Cha Eunsol, who had lazed around in peace by herself during the second semester last year because there had been no changes in the dormitory assignments, was no exception this time.
With Do Sieun and the 143rd class graduating, a whole slew of people ranked above us had disappeared.
Whether she wanted to or not, she ended up moving with Go Eunbi, Lisa, Bak Sagun, and the triplets to Blue Jade Dormitory, the next best after Diamond Dormitory.
“Ugh… What a pain.”
‘Serves you right.’
After being expelled from the Circulation Cha Clan, Cha Eunsol had been forced to live without anyone to do things for her.
Thanks to that, I got to watch her groan and struggle as she moved her luggage herself.
It was not as if she relied solely on her body; she did borrow the power of spirits when needed.
Even so, it was quite the rare sight.
‘Her lips are sticking out a mile.’
Ah.
Cha Eunsol sent me a plea for help with tearful eyes.
I refused with a smile.
“You’re really too much…”
“You need to become more independent. You should know how to do things like this on your own.”
“You said you’d take responsibility for everything… Liar. You’re mean.”
“Yeah, saying that won’t make me help you. I’m off. Work hard.”
Whether Cha Eunsol grumbled or not.
I turned my back on her to finish moving my own things.
Then I headed to Diamond Dormitory.
Starting today, this was where I would live.
Together with Gang Hanbyeol, Yeon Haneul, Nam Yuri, Yong Haerang, and Min Arin.
‘I won’t have to worry much about moving dormitories from now on. All that’s left is to move upward within Diamond Dormitory. Though that comes with the condition that I maintain my grades, at the very least.’
Three days later.
The class assignments for second year were announced.
* * *
In truth, there was no need to go out of my way to check the class assignment results.
I already knew the outcome anyway.
That was because So Hyeyul had promised before that she would arrange for my friends and me to be in the same class.
‘To be precise, she said there would be issues with putting all of us in one class, so she’d split us into three classes. Still, that’s more than enough.’
In reality, our class assignments turned out quite satisfactorily.
As I had hoped, I ended up in the same class as Yeon Haneul, Gang Hanbyeol, and, as a bonus, Cha Eunsol.
Second Year, Class 7.
And Lisa, Min Arin, Yong Haerang, and Bak Sagun were assigned to Second Year, Class 13.
Go Eunbi, Nam Yuri, and the triplets were assigned to Second Year, Class 21.
At this result…
“A miracle happened! As expected, it was worth setting out water and praying yesterday.”
“I know, right? I thought they’d split us all up for the sake of balance, but this was unexpected. I think it worked out well. I was worried about having to adjust to a new class, but now I’m in the same class as all of you. Sagun, we’re in the same class again this year too. I’ll be in your care.”
“Yeah. I’ll be in your care too. It’s a shame I got separated from Hanbyeol, though…”
“Yes! I’m in the same class as Eunbi-kkabi! I wasn’t expecting it at all, but this is great!”
All my friends were purely delighted.
Yeon Haneul in particular was still so excited, even as we were on our way to class.
Her rabbit ears kept perking up, and her red eyes sparkled like jewels.
“How can this be? To think I’d be in the same class as you… I guess we really are connected by fate.”
“You’re that happy?”
“Then are you not happy?”
Yeon Haneul, who had been holding my hand and swinging it widely while chattering away.
She looked up at me with her lips pressed tightly together.
Her gaze, as if asking whether she was the only one who was happy, tickled my heart.
I naturally broke into a smile.
“If you’re happy, then I’m happy too. What I think is what you think. I guess we really are connected by fate.”
“Right? I knew it. Maybe last year was just cursed? Ah, or maybe it was decided that way because I was fated to meet Eunbi… Then that would mean you were fated to meet Arin… No, I shouldn’t think about it like this.”
“What are you muttering to yourself about?”
“Nothing. You don’t need to know.”
As if she had never done so at all.
Yeon Haneul, who had been making a sulky face, soon smiled.
Watching her, I had no choice but to let the corners of my mouth rise.
‘I’m glad I made that deal with the Chairwoman. Haneul is this happy….’
I had no desire to throw cold water on Yeon Haneul, who was praising fate and coincidence for no reason.
As I had resolved from the beginning, I decided not to reveal anything about my promise with So Hyeyul.
I would keep it a secret for the rest of my life and take it with me to the grave.
And for that…
‘I need to ask Hanbyeol, who knows about it.’
I glanced behind me.
Gang Hanbyeol and Cha Eunsol were following while chatting quietly.
“Hm?”
Just then, my eyes met Gang Hanbyeol’s.
Avoiding Yeon Haneul’s gaze, I brought my index finger to my lips.
Fortunately, he did not look puzzled and seemed to understand what I meant.
He nodded.
With a light chuckle.
At that moment, Yeon Haneul spoke to me.
“What’s with that finger?”
“This? Uh… My lips felt a little dry.”
“You weren’t picking at them, were you? You shouldn’t. I have lip balm. Do you want to use it?”
“If you have some, that’d be great. Lend it to me.”
“Here.”
The excuse I had made to avoid Yeon Haneul’s suspicion ended up getting me lip balm.
What a windfall.
It was a stick type, too.
Afraid she might change her mind, I quickly applied the lip balm to my lips.
While looking at her, slowly.
‘Ah, her face turned red.’
Pretty.
If I had my way, I would rather apply Yeon Haneul’s lips to mine than lip balm.
It was simply a shame that there were people passing through the hallway.
Forcing down my desire, I had to settle for handing the lip balm back to her.
‘Leaving that aside… I wonder who our homeroom instructor is. I’m curious….’
We could just go and check for ourselves.
Before long, we arrived at Second Year, Class 7.
Then, once homeroom began, the homeroom instructor appeared.
It was someone we knew.
“Hello, kids! Nice to meet you. I’m Yu Noeul from the intelligence track, and I’ll be your homeroom instructor starting today. I’ll be in your care for the year. And Gyeonwoo, we’re in the same class again this year. That’s great. Please help your instructor out a lot from now on.”
According to what I later heard from my friends.
Lisa, Min Arin, Yong Haerang, and Bak Sagun had Seven-Colored Witch Hong Yena.
Go Eunbi, Nam Yuri, and the triplets had Punishment Sword Su Hoguk as their homeroom instructor.
* * *
I had expected it, but once again this year, I was made class representative without fail.
‘The difference from last year is that I’m not the vice representative, but the representative in the literal sense… My responsibility has grown heavier than last year.’
I was not exactly thrilled about it, but there was nothing I could do.
Yu Noeul had recommended me so actively that I almost resented her, and there was no one else suited for the position.
‘Of course, after me, there were Haneul, Hanbyeol, and Eunsol as suitable candidates….’
Unfortunately, because Yeon Haneul was a student council officer, she could not also serve as class representative.
As for Gang Hanbyeol, since he had no experience, he insisted that he would rather be vice representative, choosing the lesser evil instead of the worst.
Lastly, Cha Eunsol was no longer a member of the Circulation Cha Clan, and she herself did not want the role either…
‘And because of her usual lazy behavior, she had no credibility.’
For that reason, Cha Eunsol was excluded from the representative candidates early on.
It occurred to me these days…
That perhaps the most comfortable person in the world was Cha Eunsol.
She enjoyed everything there was to enjoy, while bearing no responsibility.
“I want to live like Cha Eunsol too. The life of a pet pig… no, a pet elephant, really seems enviable.”
“Eunsol? Why bring her up out of nowhere? Still, I think I understand what you mean. I get it. I want to do that too…”
On my way to meet Yu Noeul to receive announcements as the representative, I let out a sigh.
Gang Hanbyeol, who was walking beside me, gave a bitter smile.
‘Still, should I take comfort in the fact that I can see Haneul by attending the representative meetings…? The way Haneul gave a presentation on club promotional activities at the meeting a few days ago was cool. She seemed like a different person… mature, charismatic… It was also refreshing to see her clearly refute a third-year senior. I guess people really do change when they put on an armband. I wonder how it would feel to be denounced by her like that… Should I ask her to do it for me sometime?’
Yeon Haneul’s expression of contempt, as if she were looking at a bug, seemed like it would be appealing in its own way.
She really was a lethal childhood friend.
With such incoherent thoughts wandering through my head, I moved forward.
Eventually, we arrived at the Faculty Building, the second-year faculty office.
‘Let’s see, Instructor Noeul is….’
I remembered where Yu Noeul’s desk was.
Gang Hanbyeol and I moved to find her without wandering around.
On the way, we exchanged brief greetings with instructors we were acquainted with when our eyes met.
“Witch, hello. What’s that on your desk? It looks like food. It looks good.”
“…What else would it be? Cookies. Someone I know sent them as a gift.”
“Really? I want some. I can eat them, right? Give me just one. No, two. I’ll give one to Haneul too.”
“You talk like you left something with me… Fine, eat them, eat them. Give one to Haneul too. Hanbyeol, you take one as well.”
“Thank you, Instructor!”
Hong Yena had been working quietly.
Gang Hanbyeol and I approached her and snatched some tasty cookies to eat.
“As expected, other people’s things taste the best.”
“Huh? That was what I was going to say.”
“Sigh… How is it that the two of you ended up in the same class? The interclass competition is terrifying, truly terrifying. And if you’re done eating, why don’t you hurry along? I’m rather busy right now.”
“Yes, we will. Instructor Noeul is at her desk, right?”
“When I saw her earlier, it looked like she was talking with a first-year student.”
“A first-year student?”
It was the beginning of a new year and a new semester.
For Yu Noeul, a second-year homeroom instructor, to have a point of contact with a first-year student was odd.
Had she met them during an afternoon class?
To satisfy my curiosity, I decided to head over to her.
A short while later.
‘Who is she with?’
Yu Noeul came into view, seated sideways in her chair.
She was facing a female student and talking about something.
Judging by the amiable atmosphere, they seemed to be quite close.
‘That girl is….’
A first-year female student with a blue ribbon tied in her hair that brought to mind a butterfly.
She was someone I knew.
‘Why is she with Instructor Noeul? Don’t tell me….’
There was no mistake.
The Night Butterfly of the Hidden Shadow Yu Clan, Yu Gaeul.
The moment I took her in with my eyes, I could not help but feel flustered inside.
That was when our eyes met.
Turning her head toward me, she smiled brightly and greeted me.
“Hello. I’m truly glad to see you again. As you can see, I safely enrolled as a first-year. I look forward to being properly in your care, Senior Gyeonwoo. And you too, Senior Hanbyeol.”
* * *
After advancing to second year, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Yeon Haneul’s mood had recently reached its peak.
Even Min Arin picking fights with her did not bother her.
That was because she had ended up in the same class as Do Gyeonwoo.
Her childhood friend of six years now.
‘Ah, the world is so beautiful.’
Eating breakfast with Do Gyeonwoo, going to school together, attending class, and spending the morning together.
Living that sort of daily life, Yeon Haneul felt as though each and every day were a dream.
So in order to convince herself that it was reality and not a dream…
‘I’m in the same class as Gyeonwoo! I’m in the same class as Gyeonwoo! I’m in the same class as Gyeonwoo! I’m in the same class as Gyeonwoo….’
Like this.
She would repeat it to herself over and over at the drop of a hat.
The same was true even now.
In that state, her steps toward the student council room were nothing but light.
The weather was so clear that Yeon Haneul even hummed to herself.
‘Is this year a lucky year? I hope kind and good kids join the student council like this….’
That day, there were interviews for the first-year juniors who had applied to join the student council.
As one of the student council executives, Yeon Haneul was on her way to evaluate them, feeling both nervous and excited.
She hoped she would be able to work with people she got along with as much as possible.
And so she attended the interview…
“Next group, please come in— Huh?”
“What is it? Did something happen?”
“Is there someone you know?”
“Ah, no… It’s not like that.”
Among the juniors who had come for the interview, she discovered a familiar face and flinched in surprise.
So much so that Seong Dasom and Eun Suhyeok noticed and asked worriedly.
Quickly pulling herself together, Yeon Haneul gave a vague answer.
At the same time, she glanced at the female student sitting down with her back straight.
‘She applied too…?’
A female student with striking dark green hair.
There was no way she could have forgotten the girl she had encountered several times during the entrance exam.
Moreover, as if to imprint herself into their memories, the girl introduced herself in a clear, ringing voice.
“Hello. I’m Ham Minju of First Year, Class 14, from the archery track, and I have applied to the Student Council Disciplinary Department.”
“Ugh…”
Ham Minju, the Wolf Princess of the Tangung Ham Clan.
At this moment, Yeon Haneul was overcome by a premonition that she would end up spending her student council life together with her.
As expected, she seemed to be unfortunate.
Yeon Haneul looked as if she were about to cry.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss