429
[Chapter 124]
[C Between B and D (2)]
Two days until the start of the first semester comprehensive evaluation.
While friends seemed busy trying to find information, Eun-ha was extremely relaxed.
Unlike friends training at the academy on weekends, Eun-ha decided to rest well at home.
Just then, as Eun-ha was leaving the academy, Eun-ah called.
"Yes, noona. What's up?"
He happily answered the call that came early in the morning.
It felt like his morning drowsiness completely disappeared.
[Where are you now?]
"I just left the academy, is something wrong?"
[It's not that something's wrong... Even though I know how strong you are, I'm still worried. The comprehensive evaluation next week, it'll be really hard.]
"I know it'll be hard. But it won't be as hard as you're worried about."
[Still... You're saying that because you haven't experienced it and don't know well.]
Eun-ha gave a bitter smile.
Eun-ah's worry feels good.
But even if she doesn't worry, Eun-ha could be confident about how this comprehensive evaluation will go.
Though he couldn't tell her directly, he had experienced it once in his previous life.
[And you, kids like Min-ji and Ha-yang ask us in detail but why don't you ask anything at all?]
"Uh... that's because I can hear through the kids?"
[Eun-ha. I'm so worried about you. I feel like you're taking this comprehensive evaluation too lightly. I'm so worried you might not be preparing properly, you know?]
"...Sorry."
[Come to think of it, you're always like this Eun-ha. You only do homework when I ask 'Do you have homework?', and I often have to pack your things for you...]
"Noona, that was in elementary school..."
[Eun-ae does her homework well and packs her things well on her own even without me saying anything, but why haven't you changed at all from then to now?]
"Haha..."
Eun-ah's scolding continued.
Eun-ha couldn't properly refute her voice scolding in a seemingly stern tone.
The conversation went in a strange direction in the middle but he let it be.
He just bowed his head like a criminal to her words.
Of course, there were questions he could answer.
[How long do I have to spoon-feed you?]
"...Forever?"
[Sigh... Eun-ha, how are you going to live without me.]
"I can't live without noona, what... Why are you asking the obvious?"
[Hmm... really?]
"Of course!"
Eun-ah making a phew sound.
Eun-ha spoke even more exaggeratedly as her mood softened.
Now she even burst into laughter on the other side of the smartphone.
[Anyway. I can't live because of you.]
"I can't live because of noona too."
[Phew, hmph. Anyway, do you have time now?]
"I have time. Why?"
[The morning request seems like it'll end soon so I was thinking of having lunch with you Eun-ha. It seems better to meet and tell you information about the comprehensive evaluation. I know your personality, you didn't listen at all even if Min-ji told you, right?]
"...I listened properly because noona told me."
[You lie well. Anyway! Noona will buy you food today! Come here!]
It's a proposal that raises the corners of his mouth.
He didn't have anything particular to do besides going home.
Eun-ha decided to have lunch together with Eun-ah who he'll meet after a long time.
[Ah, that's right!]
But she spoke as if she remembered just before hanging up.
[Yeon-hwa will eat together too! She's been feeling hurt saying you haven't contacted her at all lately?]
[When did I...]
Yeon-hwa's voice was heard through the smartphone.
It seems she was beside Eun-ah.
It's been quite a while since I saw Yeon-hwa noona too.
Eun-ha who heard Ryu Yeon-hwa's voice after a long time nodded his head.
It's been 1 year since she graduated.
The times he contacted her during that time could be counted on one hand.
"Okay, got it. See you later."
Eun-ha readily agreed.
Then he suddenly remembered one thing.
"Ah, that's right."
[What?]
"Then is Chang-jin hyung eating together today too?"
[No. Chang-jin isn't in Seoul now because of another mission. Why? Do you miss him?]
"No. I just need to see noonas."
Han Chang-jin isn't there.
Eun-ha inwardly rejoiced after confirming that.
It seemed he would be able to eat lunch satisfactorily.
☆
Luminous Viking located in Jongno-gu.
Eun-ha waiting in front of the entrance greeted Eun-ah and Yeon-hwa who caught the attention of passersby.
"Eun-ha! Were you very hungry?"
Eun-ah's face who discovered Eun-ha was instantly dyed with a bright smile.
Eun-ah who met him after a long time since Eun-ha entered high academy hugged him tightly without caring about people's gazes.
"Noona, you're not hurt anywhere right? Hmm? Did you shower?"
"I sweated a lot earlier so I hurriedly showered and came. Right, Yeon-hwa?"
"Yes, that's right. Hello? Long time no see."
"Long time no see, noona."
Yeon-hwa who approached the two next.
She with short blue hair soon greeted Eun-ha who poked out of Eun-ah's arms.
Though he wasn't even visible hidden in Eun-ah's arms a few years ago.
Now Eun-ha is even taller than Eun-ah so it looked like he was hugging her rather than her hugging him.
"You don't know how hurt Yeon-hwa was. Just now when I was on the phone with you, she stuck close to my side, you know?"
"When did I."
"Then who was the person who worked hard today saying they'd finish the request quickly?"
The two people look close.
Eun-ha quietly watched Eun-ah now teasing Yeon-hwa clinging to her arm.
And
It was amazing that the two people causing a sensation as rising stars in the industry now were right in front of his eyes.
In a way, it felt new.
Because he realized the future he knew had changed.
By the way, there are a lot of people's gazes.
Eun-ha then realized that passersby kept stopping and glancing at the two.
There seemed to be people who knew the two, and people whose eyes were simply drawn to the two's appearances.
Nevertheless, the two were acting as if they couldn't feel those gazes.
They must have gotten used to it.
That they are becoming influential players to the public.
Regardless of the two's opinions.
"Let's not just stay here and quickly go inside. I'm hungry."
"Let's do that! I'm really hungry too!"
"Me too."
Before long, the world will interpret the two with just a very small, trivial word or attitude.
In the end, that's what it means to have influence.
Eun-ha didn't want to unnecessarily draw attention here and burden the two.
"Hello. Is this your first time at Luminous Viking... Ah..."
"Please guide us."
"Yes, understood. Thank you very much for visiting our store today."
Fortunately, Luminous Group affiliates manage customers by grade while providing special benefits for high grade customers.
Eun-ha presented a card he received from Lee Yu-cheon at some point that could be used as the highest grade at any Luminous Group affiliate.
The employee whose eyes changed in surprise seeing the card politely bowed and guided them to the VIP area.
This should be okay.
It's quiet and secluded, and people don't try to pay attention to others here unless necessary.
They were even assigned a separate room.
There didn't seem to be many people using it as not many visit the VIP area for lunch.
Only then did Eun-ha discover Eun-ah's relieved face.
It must have been hard pretending not to know the gazes pouring on her.
Eun-ha was satisfied and picked up a plate to look around at the food.
"Anyway Eun-ha. Know you'll get scolded by me if you live recklessly."
"Eun-ha must have reflected too."
"Yeon-hwa you don't know because you don't know. Eun-ha will just laze around all day if someone doesn't nag him!"
"Really?"
"That's what they say!"
Soon the three who brought food chatted comfortably in the room.
Though Eun-ha felt like sitting on pins and needles when Eun-ah's sharp gaze turned to him.
Each time, Yeon-hwa repeatedly stopped her, then widened her eyes hearing about Eun-ha's past from Eun-ah's mouth.
Then the topic naturally moved to the comprehensive evaluation scheduled for next week.
"For us it was that."
"That? What was it?"
"...Min-ji or Ha-yang didn't tell you? See, I knew you must have heard."
He was caught.
Eun-ha awkwardly avoided Eun-ah's gaze who was glaring.
Then Ryu Yeon-hwa who was silently chewing on fried dumplings suddenly cut in.
"It was a question asking which sound this is closer to while playing monster cries."
"What kind of sound?"
Eun-ha showed interest in Yeon-hwa's words.
Eun-ah sighed and grumbled but added to Yeon-hwa's explanation.
"Meow meow. Woof woof."
"Huh? What sound is that?"
"You don't know dog sounds? Woof woof!"
"That's right. Meow meow."
Eun-ah suddenly imitating a dog.
Yeon-hwa even cupped her hands and imitated a cat.
For Eun-ha, he was just dumbfounded by the two's sudden reactions.
Regardless, the two shuddered.
"Just thinking about that time really... My goodness, they made us go all the way down to Jindo to take a proof shot with a pure white Jindo dog?"
"I had to go all the way to Gimnyeong in Jeju Island because of a question asking if the cat in the box was dead or alive..."
"...You must have had a hard time."
High academy's comprehensive evaluation that starts with ridiculous questions and sends students to far regions.
Eun-ha comforted the two speaking as if complaining.
By the way, Han Chang-jin apparently had to journey to Dokdo to meet a Sapsaree dog.
"So what I want to say is please don't take this comprehensive evaluation lightly."
"I agree too. It's good to pack things like emergency medicine preparing for long distances. You have to doubt and doubt every question."
The two advised.
Eun-ha silently nodded his head and listened to the two's advice.
Though Eun-ha who experienced the comprehensive evaluation once in his previous life was confident about the future, it felt good that the two were worried about him.
"I'll go get dessert now."
"Okay. I'll go later."
By the time they had filled their stomachs.
Eun-ah who was in the middle of expounding her experiences stood up from her seat.
Now only Eun-ha and Yeon-hwa were sitting in the room.
The conversation should be over to some extent, Eun-ha decided to change the topic.
"How's noona's clan li..."
"Eun-ha."
"Yes?"
But Yeon-hwa suddenly cut off his words while wiping her mouth.
She hesitates for a moment then continues speaking.
"From now on─, you don't have to use honorifics. No, don't use them from now on."
"..."
Eun-ha tilted his head.
He couldn't understand why she was suddenly telling him to speak casually.
They had been conversing just fine until now.
There was no need to use casual speech.
She must have felt that too.
Ryu Yeon-hwa hastily added words while looking embarrassed.
"Eun-ah and I are the same age... It's strange that you use casual speech with Eun-ah but formal speech with me."
"Well, that's true."
"And... I feel distance too."
Hearing her words, Eun-ha finally realized quite a lot of time had passed since he got to know her.
Her words had a point.
Come to think of it, I do seem to recall
In the previous life, the two formed a connection through a girl named Ha Baek-ryeon.
It was purely a business relationship.
But in this life, he formed a different relationship with Ryu Yeon-hwa through Eun-ah.
As she said, it was strange to use speech that felt distant even though years had passed.
Therefore, Eun-ha decided to change his speech as Ryu Yeon-hwa suggested.
"─Okay then. If noona says so, I'm fine with it."
She's noona's friend.
As Yeon-hwa said, there was no need to treat her formally.
Eun-ha started speaking comfortably in that sense and─.
"─Yes, call me like that from now on."
Yeon-hwa responded brightly.
Like snow melting and flowers blooming.
But then does that mean I have to speak casually with Han Chang-jin too?
Meanwhile, Eun-ha frowned at the thought that suddenly occurred to him.
Soon he decided to just drop the uncomfortable thought.
There's nothing to lose anyway, right?
He says he didn't feel the need to call him comfortably.
☆
Life in Japan was limited.
As a foreigner, she could encounter rough treatment if she went out alone.
So when she had to go out, she had to take exclusive players with her.
She also had to get permission from her secretary.
"It's not possible, young miss. A large-scale mana imbalance is currently occurring in the city so it seems you'll have to stay in the hotel for the time being."
But Japan surrounded by sea on all sides was often engulfed in frequent mana imbalances even though protected by the Cocoon.
At those times, she couldn't even go to high school and had to stay obediently in the hotel.
"...It's stifling."
Today too, a large-scale mana imbalance occurred.
Han Seo-hyun decided to stay in the hotel following her secretary's instructions.
It was good that she didn't have to see those who unconsciously discriminated against her, but staying in the room all day was just stifling.
It feels just like being trapped in a cage.
Well, that's how it originally was.
Soon Han Seo-hyun gave a bitter smile.
Looking back, she had lived under her family's control from birth until now.
The reason she didn't realize this was because she sometimes had free time within that daily life.
"I'll call if anything happens, so please wait outside everyone."
"Yes, understood."
No Eun-ha.
Han Seo-hyun who recalled memories spent with him felt her chest tighten.
She needed time alone to clear her stuffy chest.
She sent the secretary and exclusive players all out of the room, and flopped down on the bed.
"The communication state won't be good either..."
A large-scale mana imbalance occurred.
Of course, there was a high possibility that communication wouldn't go smoothly due to the thick mana.
As expected.
She checked the communication state on her smartphone and let out a small sigh.
Han Seo-hyun's mood became low as she had nothing to do since she didn't feel like reading a book today either.
Then she swipes through her smartphone screen and opens Fine Talk.
「Me」: I'm bored (8:48 AM)
Since coming to Japan.
She developed two hobbies
One was going around looking for good restaurants while being escorted by exclusive players to relieve boredom.
The other was taking selfies or sending messages to herself or someone when communication wasn't working, to relieve boredom.
「Me」: A mana imbalance occurred today too. So I can't go to school and I'm like this. (8:51 AM)
Using the excuse that communication wasn't working, she sometimes vented her inner stress, sometimes said things she couldn't say out loud.
Since no one would see it anyway.
The Fine Talk containing her true feelings doesn't send normally and a resend button appears.
「Me」: Hey
Answer me
Dummy
Idiot
Aren't you going to answer? (8:53 AM)
The people she mainly sends Fine Talk to besides herself are Han Seo-yeon and No Eun-ha.
Today she wanted to send to Eun-ha.
She lay on the blanket hugging a pillow and fiddled with her smartphone with an expressionless face.
「Me」: Eun-ha (8:54 AM)
She calls his name.
Then she hesitated for a long time.
She moved her fingers in the air, lost in thought about what to type next.
─I miss you.
She writes and erases repeatedly.
It's not like her.
She shouldn't show a weak appearance.
Then she suddenly had a different thought.
Since communication won't connect anyway, it doesn't matter what she writes, right?
No one will see it anyway.
Her weak appearance.
"...!"
Just as she was about to press the send button after hesitating.
Suddenly communication connected.
The last message sent, and soon after the number '1' disappeared.
Han Seo-hyun hurriedly deleted the message and turned off her smartphone.
A moment later, her smartphone vibrated.
「Eun-ha」: ? (8:59 AM)
A reply came.
Seo-hyun stared at her smartphone intently without entering the chat room yet.
She contemplates whether to reply right away, then decides to send later.
And she fell into thought about what to send.
It was a situation where she called Eun-ha as if she had something to say for no reason.
After pondering for a long time, Han Seo-hyun─.
「Me」: I want to eat jajangmyeon (9:03 AM)
─sent an out of the blue message.
Then she's filled with regret.
She might look like someone unnecessarily obsessed with eating.
But the message was already sent, and as soon as it was sent the number 1 disappeared.
Sure enough.
An out of the blue message flew in from him.
「Eun-ha」: You eat that for breakfast? (9:08 AM)
Seo-hyun chuckled.
Eun-ha's dumbfounded face came to mind automatically.
Then another reply flew in from him.
「Eun-ha」: Then I'll have jjamppong (9:09 AM)
「Eun-ha」: That way we can share, right (9:10 AM)
So like No Eun-ha.
And here she was priding herself on knowing how to eat properly now.
She really can't keep up with this guy.
Han Seo-hyun forgot about sleeping and eagerly exchanged messages with him.
But he adds one more line─.
「Eun-ha」: And of course we have to eat tangsuyuk too (9:15 AM)
She can vividly see him saying that with a smug look.
Han Seo-hyun clicked her tongue looking at her smartphone as if facing Eun-ha.
"Is there a beggar in your stomach?"
Though her tone was prickly.
Her expression was soft.