Chapter 79. Attraction (3) (2/2)

“…Kim Hajin?”

Kim Hajin was leaning against a tree, seemingly having watched his sword training. Kim Suho put his sword away. Kim Hajin approached him with a smile.

Kim Suho quickly asked.

“Are you also here to train?”

Kim Hajin shook his head.

“No, I’m just on a walk. Anyways, it’s still early in the semester, but you sure are hard at work. If someone saw, they would think you’re trying to conquer a Dungeon alone.”

“….”

Immediately, Kim Suho’s body shook slightly.

Kim Hajin maintained his smile as he continued to chatter uncharacteristically.

“No way, am I right?”

“…No.”

Kim Suho denied with a smile. However, Kim Hajin’s eyes were narrowed, giving a meaningful look. Faced with his eyes, which seemingly pierced through everything, Kim Suho shrunk back slightly.

“You went out last week, right? To Kamak Mountain. I saw you on my way back.”

“….”

Kim Suho silently stared at Kim Hajin.

Resonance of the sword.

That was what Kim Suho felt from Kamak Mountain.

At first, he had climbed the mountain to feel its life energy.

However, a sword qi buried in the mountain called him. This strange yet desperate call attracted his attention, and when he went to the epicenter of the sword qi, he found an unidentified Dungeon.

“…How did you know?”

Kim Suho asked, his voice vigilant.

“I saw you coincidentally. You know how I like to go out a lot. And not to brag or anything, but my eyes…”

Kim Hajin tapped his eyes as he spoke.

“If I climb Kumgang Mountain, I can see up to Seoul… no, Uijeonbu.”[2]

Kim Suho continued staring at Kim Hajin without talking. Silence usually made people anxious. However, Kim Hajin was completely at ease as he continued to say what he wanted.

“If you really plan on conquering a Dungeon, let me join. I’m pretty useful outside of Cube.”

“….”

“We’ll split the loot 9:1. If you get a tree branch, I’ll only take a few leaves.”

**

A week passed by in the blink of an eye, and Monday came around once again. There were only two days left until the team submission deadline.

“Hmm….”

Chae Nayun was in thought, looking at the notebook on her desk.

There was one spot left on her team. She needed a cadet outside of the top 100.

In team challenges, a team with a lower average rank was given bonus points. Naturally, you wanted a cadet who was cost-effective, and that had to be… Kim Hajin.

She sneaked a peek at Kim Hajin’s seat.

Kim Hajin’s name popped up often in the class group chat, which showed just how popular he was for the team challenge selection. However, Chae Nayun was fairly confident that he would choose her if she asked.

There was only one reason that she hesitated to ask him.

She was worried that Kim Hajin would misunderstand.

She wanted him to join her team for the team challenge. There was no ulterior motive.

“Hm….”

“What, are you having trouble forming your team?”

At that moment, Shin Jonghak, who was sitting behind her, asked.

Shin Jonghak already had his team – Kim Horak and three others. Because 2nd ranked and 17th ranked cadets were in the same team, the other three were way below average in rank, but since it was Shin Jonghak, he would find a way to squeeze out their potential.

“No, I’m just thinking—”

“Let me see.”

Shin Jonghak suddenly reached forward and stole Chae Nayun’s notebook.

“Ah, HEY”

“Hazuki, Raymond, and… Kim Hajin? Kim Hajiiin?”

He repeated Kim Hajin’s name loudly. Immediately, the attention of the class fell on her. Naturally, Kim Hajin was included.

Kim Hajin was staring at her. Chae Nayun felt her face growing red like a tomato.

“Eeee, ee….”

“Didn’t you say Kim Hajin—”

“Shut your mouth!”

“Uk!”

Chae Nayun struck Shin Jonghak’s solar plexus.

Shin Jonghak was completely caught off guard by Chae Nayun’s sudden attack.

Slumped down on the desk, Shin Jonghak endured the pain.

“…uuu…. uuuu….”

Shin Jonghak’s scream rang out intermittently.

“Don’t steal and look at other people’s stuff. Hey, Kim Suho.”

Chae Nayun quickly changed the subject. Kim Suho was sitting next to her.

“Who are you going to team up with?”

“….”

Kim Suho was silent. He was tapping on his notebook with a pen, seemingly thinking about something.

“Kim Suho?”

“…Huh? Oh.”

When she called him again, he finally turned around in a daze.

Chae Nayun peeked at his notebook.

“What, you’re asking Kim Hajin too?”

Kim Hajin’s name was written in his notebook.

“Huh? Oh, um, I guess so.”

“…Everyone’s asking Kim Hajin.”

“A fitting… combination….”

At that moment, Shin Jonghak reined in his pain and muttered just barely.

“Two… trifling commoners….”

“Shut it. Yoo Yeonha, what about you?”

Yoo Yeonha, who was staring at her smartwatch, raised her head.

“Me? My team’s already decided.”

Yoo Yeonha formed her team with people she could easily manipulate. Although she also coveted Kim Hajin, she was more comfortable with people whom she could handle with ease.

“Hm….”

At that moment, the theory instructor walked in.

He placed a thick textbook on the podium and started taking attendance.

“Oh, by the way, there will be team challenges for theory classes as well.”

That was what the instructor said next.

Chae Nayun decided as soon as she heard those words.

Bless Kim Hajin.

*

“That’s it for today. Make sure you review it before next class.”

The class ended. Chae Nayun snapped up from dozing off. She got up quickly and chased after Kim Hajin, who just left the class.

“…Hey.”

She grabbed Kim Hajin’s shoulder.

Kim Hajin looked at her and asked what was going on with his eyes.

Chae Nayun felt a bit nervous.

“Um, about your team….”

When she was about to ask, someone walked past her.

Blonde hair and delicate fragrance.

It was Rachel. With an innocent face, she tilted her head and asked.

“Team?”

“Huh? Oh, it doesn’t concern you…”

“Hajin-ssi decided to team up with me.”

“…Eh?”

Chae Nayun’s facial expression became stiff. She swallowed hard, then turned to Kim Hajin. Kim Hajin nodded somewhat regretfully(?).

“Uh, um, really? Well, I, uh, didn’t think you had anyone to team with, so I thought I’d save you. You know, as a fellow traveling club member. Right… well… good luck.”

Without knowing what was coming out of her own mouth, Chae Nayun turned around after smacking Kim Hajin’s shoulder.

At first, she didn’t know what to think. She was just in a daze. But while she was walking, she suddenly got annoyed and turned back around.

She coincidentally met eyes with Rachel who was going the same way.

Rachel gave a small nod in greeting. Chae Nayun clenched her teeth.

Same sex, but opposite personality and similar grades (theory excluded).

Rachel was someone who Chae Nayun regarded as a rival second only to Kim Suho. No, nowadays, Rachel had surpassed Kim Suho to become her soul rival.

‘…Why her of all people?’

Chae Nayun stomped away like a raging bison.

1. (philosophy)

2. Uijeonbu is a city that’s slightly closer to Kumgang Mountain than Seoul.

1. Kim Hosup was introduced in chapter 0.