Chapter 67. Guild (1) (1/2)
After finishing his evening training, Kim Suho headed to Cube’s cafeteria. Although Cube had several restaurants and cafes, the cafeteria was the only place cadets could eat for free. As such, Kim Suho and other cadets from non-wealthy backgrounds frequented this place. Most likely because it was summer break, only few cadets were inside the cafeteria.
Kim Suho ordered a dinner set, then headed to grab a random seat.
“Huh? Why are you guys here?”
But on one table, he found two people he never expected to see, Yoo Yeonha and Chae Nayun. They were whispering to themselves and were startled when Kim Suho came up to them. Then, they dodged each other’s gazes with somewhat awkward gesticulations.
“O-Oh, you’re here.”
Chae Nayun then spoke up.
“What were you two talking about?”
“Nothing.”
Kim Suho sat down next to Chae Nayun, then Chae Nayun sniffed him.
“Did you come from the Fitness Center?”
“What’s the point in sitting around, right?”
“…You’re obsessed. Can’t you take a break for a day?”
Chae Nayun narrowed her eyes.
“Rather than that, why are you guys here? I thought you didn’t like cafeteria food.”
Kim Suho couldn’t understand what Chae Nayun was doing here. She was well known for eating her every meal at restaurants. No one would have expected to see her in the academy’s cafeteria.
“Well… I realized during the final exam that my pickiness can become detrimental.”
Chae Nayun was speaking in a grave tone, but Yoo Yeonha immediately added a piercing jab.
“You stopped eating after three spoonfuls.”
“…I wasn’t hungry.”
Hearing Chae Nayun’s excuse, Kim Suho lightly smiled as he picked up his spoon.
Yoo Yeonha and Chae Nayun glanced at him, then met each other’s eyes.
In truth, Yoo Yeonha and Chae Nayun were talking about what one would expect from girls their age. The topic of their conversation was the person who was at the center of many emotions and mysteries, Kim Hajin.
Suddenly, Yoo Yeonha had a mischievous thought. She tapped Kim Suho’s shoulder.
“Kim Suho.”
“Hm?”
“Are you close to Kim Hajin?”
Chae Nayun reacted strongly to Yoo Yeonha’s question. She furrowed her brows and glared at Yoo Yeonha. Meanwhile, Kim Suho answered.
“No, I’m not that close.”
“But you’re probably the closest one out of all the male cadets.”
“Huh?”
At these words, Kim Suho tilted his head. The corner of Yoo Yeonha’s mouth curled up to a smile as she continued.
“Isn’t it weird? Out of everyone in our class, only a few have talked with Kim Hajin. Be it a guy or a girl, Kim Hajin never approaches them first, and he responds coldly to anyone who approaches him, driving them away.”
At this point, Chae Nayun’s face contorted to a frown. Yoo Yeonha seemed to be planning on telling Kim Suho about everything they had talked about.
“But there’s one person Kim Hajin is noticeably interested in. Can you guess who?”
Kim Suho stared at Yoo Yeonha for a moment, then made a thin smile.
“Of course, I’m not that dense.”
“…Really?”
“Haa.”
Meanwhile, Chae Nayun sighed with mixed feelings and massaged her temples. On the other hand, Yoo Yeonha’s face was filled with an even greater enthusiasm.
“Who is it?”
Rather than answering, Kim Suho looked at Chae Nayun. Chae Nayun also looked back at Kim Suho. Their eyes met, and that was enough of an answer.
“…Agh.”
Chae Nayun clenched her head and leaned against the back of her chair. Then, as though she found a counterargument, she faced Yoo Yeonha with sparkling eyes.
“Wait, Yoo Yeonha, wasn’t Kim Hajin close to you at first?”
However, Yoo Yeonha cut down her counterargument instantly.
“He approached me because he wanted something from me.”
Just like Chae Nayun said, Kim Hajin had approached her first. However, his interest disappeared completely once he received the Desert Eagle. Of course, Yoo Yeonha wasn’t disappointed or sad. In fact, it was a clear exchange that Yoo Yeonha preferred.
After striking down Chae Nayun’s argument, Yoo Yeonha quickly asked again.
“So, what are you going to do?”
“Do what?”
Chae Nayun didn’t answer. She was concerned about Kim Suho who was sitting next to her.
Chae Nayun then glanced at Kim Suho. To provoke jealousy, Chae Nayun asked.
“…Hey, what do you think?”
“About what?”
Kim Suho’s reply was completely innocent.
“Oh yeah, you’ve been single your entire life.”
“…So have you.”
“What? No, I’m not. I’ll have you know when I was 7….”
“Oh~ You guys are here too?”
At that moment, Yi Yeonghan appeared out of nowhere. He sat down next to Yoo Yeonha, and Yoo Yeonha scooted to the side with clear displeasure.
“Yi Yeonghan, you didn’t leave yet?”
“Yeah, and it looks like I came just in time for the interesting part.”
“You should’ve left.”
“…Aren’t you being too mean?”
At that moment, the cafeteria door opened once again. Speaking of the devil, the person who walked in was… Kim Hajin. He seemed to have come from the Fitness Center just like Kim Suho as he pushed up his wet hair and pulled out a meal ticket.
Yi Yeonghan chuckled and spoke.
“He’s here too. At least he’s working hard, right?”
Seeing Yi Yeonghan talk condescendingly, Yoo Yeonha felt a deep disappointment. Yi Yeonghan clearly had no clue what he was talking about.
“You should work hard yourself.”
“Huh? I am! My end of the semester grades are higher than his.”
“…Sure, just focus on your grades for the rest of your life.”
At that moment, Kim Hajin received his food in a to-go box, then turned around. He stared at them for a moment before turning around. Although he only looked at them for a split second, Yoo Yeonha made a big fuss.
“You see that? He was looking at Nayun just now.”
“Okay! I get it! Can you stop talking?”
Chae Nayun yelled, half-embarrassed, half-annoyed. Yi Yeonghan then widened his eyes and cut in.
“What? Chae Nayun likes Kim Hajin?”
“What, where did that come from? Screw off, Yi Yeonghan.”
Chae Nayun reacted sensitively. One reason was that Kim Suho was sitting next to her, but another was that Yi Yeonghan was known for being a loudmouth.
Knowing this, Yoo Yeonha gave Yi Yeonghan the fuel he needed.
“No, we think it’s the other way around.”
“Ah, really? Kim Hajin likes Chae Nayun? But didn’t you guys argue and fight? Oh, is it like what happens in dramas? You know… love sprouting up while arguing and fighting…. Uh, I guess the gap in your strength is too far for that. Right, rank 4 and rank 934 is too far apart.”
Feeling Chae Nayun’s deadly killing intent, Yi Yeonghan quickly changed his tune in the middle of his speech.
“Screw off.”
After blurting out fiercely, Chae Nayun glanced at Kim Hajin, purely out of curiosity. But Kim Hajin just happened to be looking at them again, and their eyes met. Chae Nayun quickly averted her gaze, then scratched her face awkwardly.
**