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[Chapter 162]
[Belonging Nowhere (5)]
Day 4 of the comprehensive division tournament finals.
People who watched the 3rd and 4th place matches in the morning returned to their seats after eating lunch.
The seats were already full even though the match hadn't started yet.
The viewing rooms set up throughout the academy grounds were also full.
Even people who couldn't get into the viewing rooms gathered in front of monitors set up in the middle of the field.
"Where is all this money coming from? This year is a huge hit? People are buying everything we sell."
"Everyone came to see Senior Noh Eun-ha and Senior Eun-hyuk's match. When I asked my friend working on the cultural festival management committee yesterday, they said this year's sales are record-breaking."
"How much did they make?"
"Not only is it the highest sales since the academy opened, but they achieved that on just the second day."
"What!? Isn't that a bit exaggerated? How on the second day..."
"I heard something even more surprising, want to know what it is?"
"What, tell me."
"They said yesterday's sales almost matched the combined sales of the first and second days."
"Crazy... That's amazing."
"Not just amazing, it's a mega hit. So the student council kids are worried."
"What are they worried about?"
"All the seniors are graduating next year. So the cultural festival sales will drop, and the kids who have to prepare next year's festival are really worried."
The students were excited.
The students who had been working busily non-stop had huge smiles as they earned a considerable amount of money, enough to be called record-breaking.
It was the same now.
People who found seats anywhere to watch the comprehensive division tournament finals were updating the sales of students selling food as they walked around nearby.
Meanwhile, people enjoying the cultural festival were just as excited.
"Hey, this is what a match should be. What kind of match is it when kids just slash at each other with swords? What's fun about that..."
"There are so many kids pleasing to the eye this year. Especially the matches Noh Eun-ha shows are on a different scale! The kids fighting him get suddenly stronger during the match!"
"Choi Eun-hyuk, was it? I'm looking forward to seeing what the champion from two years ago will show."
The previous day, Noh Eun-ha and Mok Min-ho's match had excited people.
They were so excited that they told everyone they met about the match content, and even broadcasting stations that came to film the cultural festival aired the two's match, which was talked about for a long time.
It was just one night.
But the ripple effect brought by one night was truly beyond imagination.
People who had no interest in the academy cultural festival flooded in the next day.
As a result, instructors were busy controlling the cultural festival while exhausted, and they also had to set up additional match broadcast monitors.
And so─.
"─Ah! They both came up!"
"Looks like it's about to start."
Receiving much attention from many people.
Finally Noh Eun-ha and Choi Eun-hyuk appeared in the arena.
☆
Day 4 of the academy cultural festival.
This was the day of the comprehensive division tournament finals.
So Eun-ha had to wake up early in the morning to prepare for the tournament.
He should have, but─.
"─I'm not sure if I slept or not."
Eun-ha woke up with a groggy face.
He hadn't been able to sleep at all.
It was because of Han Seo-hyun.
I couldn't sleep comfortably because I slept with this noona in bed, and I thought I was going to die from being so nervous.
A few hours earlier.
Han Seo-hyun who was drunk fell asleep in his bed.
She fell into such a deep sleep that Eun-ha couldn't wake her even after 3 AM passed.
So he had no choice but to let her sleep overnight─.
'─It's my bed, does it make sense that I have to sleep on the bare floor?'
Eun-ha didn't want to sleep uncomfortably on the floor without even laying out a blanket.
So he pushed Han Seo-hyun to the inside and slept in the bed too.
For him who had a lot of experience camping with friends, he didn't feel any particular discomfort sleeping with the opposite sex.
That's what Eun-ha thought until then.
...Is it because sleeping in my own bed feels different from sleeping outside?
Eun-ha was very aware of Han Seo-hyun right next to him.
Not only did he touch her body if he moved even a little, but even without touching, her warmth transmitted from right next to him.
Moreover─.
─Why is this noona sleeping on her side?
Han Seo-hyun slept with her head on the pillow facing the direction Eun-ha was lying.
As a result, if Eun-ha turned his head even a little, he would be looking directly at Han Seo-hyun.
In the end, he had to lie looking at the ceiling with his hands tightly clasped together as he tried to sleep.
There's no way he could sleep comfortably like that.
Anyway, Eun-ha felt like he had just closed his eyes for a few hours before opening them again.
On the other hand, Han Seo-hyun seemed refreshed.
'─Did you sleep well?'
'I didn't sleep. Because of someone...'
'Why? Were you nervous?'
'What nervousness.'
Seo-hyun who woke up at the sound of Eun-ha tossing and turning didn't find it strange that she slept in his room.
Rather, she naturally greeted him.
"Sigh..."
Afterwards, the two snuck out of the dormitory, ate a simple breakfast, and parted ways.
Eun-ha had to see her off to the bodyguards who had waited outside all night and prepare for the tournament.
"Should I just sleep more..."
Actually, there wasn't much to prepare.
The device was in good condition.
So Eun-ha who returned to his room immediately flopped down on the bed.
He was going to close his eyes for a bit until the tournament started.
He was going to, but─.
"─What's this call? Is it Ha-yang?"
Jung Ha-yang called.
He answered the phone without thinking and had to suffer greatly afterwards.
[─It seems Seo-hyun unni has gone back? Looks like you weren't caught by the dorm supervisor?]
"...Huh? Ha-yang, how do you know that..."
Eun-ha felt a sense of crisis then.
Extreme cold anger was imbued in the voice coming through the phone.
[I can't even play comfortably because I'm managing the cultural festival...]
"Ha-yang..."
[But it seems someone played all night with their fiancée. And that someone is my boyfriend?]
"..."
[I'm going to tell Eun-ah unni.]
"Ha-yang, listen to me. I think you're misunderstanding something..."
[I'm going to tell Yu-jeong.]
"...!!"
Noh Eun-ah and Lee Yu-jeong.
When he heard those two names then, he felt sleep flee.
Eun-ha who jumped up from the bed had to quickly beg Jung Ha-yang for forgiveness.
Fortunately, they reached a dramatic compromise.
[─I want to sleep in your room next time too. I'll sleep in your bed too.]
"...Okay, let's do that. Then I'll sleep on the floor."
[I'll sleep holding your hand.]
"Okay, hold my hand..."
Eun-ha let out a sigh of relief.
It was fortunate he didn't say he slept in the same bed as Han Seo-hyun.
By the time Eun-ha somehow reached a dramatic compromise with Jung Ha-yang, the tournament time was approaching.
How long did we talk...
I didn't know Ha-yang's gift was this scary.
Jung Ha-yang's gift
Jung Ha-yang with excellent computational processing ability could do administrative work while talking on the phone with Eun-ha.
Thanks to that, she could work while talking on the phone with Eun-ha at the same time.
Eun-ha who truly realized the danger of
"─Captain..."
"It's been a really long time since I sparred with you, Eun-hyuk."
And so on day 4 of the comprehensive division tournament.
Eun-ha who was about to compete in the final match met Choi Eun-hyuk on stage.
Eun-hyuk had a hardened face.
Eun-ha showed a joyful look.
How could he not be happy?
Eun-hyuk is the first talent I cultivated.
He looked forward to Choi Eun-hyuk's growth.
Eun-ha placed his hand on Winter Blooming Coldly.
Soon─.
[─Match start.]
The signal announcing the final match of the comprehensive division tournament rang out.
☆
What kind of person is Noh Eun-ha who he calls captain and follows?
Choi Eun-hyuk had been endlessly worrying before the finals, and was still continuing to worry now.
─Flow
A very long time ago, he seemed to know.
There was a time when he thought he understood Noh Eun-ha.
But now, Eun-hyuk couldn't be completely certain of the feelings he had as a child.
Crescent Moon Slash
While launching a sword strike reminiscent of a crescent moon at Eun-ha.
Eun-hyuk dug deeper and deeper into the past.
Now I'm not sure.
I know the captain is far from the hero I dream of.
But still─.
─Noh Eun-ha was the person closest to the hero he dreamed of.
To Choi Eun-hyuk, Noh Eun-ha's existence was someone he admired and wanted to become before being someone he should follow.
But after entering the academy, Choi Eun-hyuk realized that the feelings he held were gradually fading.
He witnessed Noh Eun-ha's various faces.
And Choi Eun-hyuk compromised with reality and accepted that there are no purely righteous heroes.
Nevertheless, to him Noh Eun-ha was an apostle of justice.
He made Noh Eun-ha the object of his admiration.
But─.
'─Noh Eun-ha killed our mom!'
The words On Tae-yang shouted that day.
Caused ripples in the path Choi Eun-hyuk had been walking until now.
The thought that he was firmly convinced he was on the right path wavered.
Truly─.
─Is the captain really the hero I admire?
Doubt sprouted in his heart.
The sprout of doubt slowly bloomed using his worries as nutrients.
And so at this moment, Choi Eun-hyuk was sticking his face into doubt while crossing swords with Noh Eun-ha.
"...Kuk...!!"
He's strong.
As expected of the captain.
Choi Eun-hyuk who retreated clicked his tongue at Noh Eun-ha's skills.
Though he had grown unrecognizably in a few years receiving
The difference in skill is overwhelming.
As expected, he is the object of my admiration.
Sword Spirit Type 1
But is he the person I want to become?
Choi Eun-hyuk couldn't answer.
He circled the arena clockwise and dug into Noh Eun-ha's side.
"You can't face me with just three blades. You need to be able to create at least one more."
All attacks were being read.
All attacks were being blocked.
Choi Eun-hyuk fell into a sea of thoughts while crossing swords with Noh Eun-ha.
He focused on finding the point where he came to admire him.
I first came to look up to the captain because his back looked cool when he saved me in kindergarten.
Soon he returned to the origin point where his current self was created.
In kindergarten, Noh Eun-ha's back as he fought goblins to save him.
Choi Eun-hyuk was drawn to him, seeing him as a hero.
From then on, he continued honing his sword while chasing after Noh Eun-ha.
In the end he─.
─I want to become someone like the captain.
The captain is the person I dream of!
He tried to decide his heart while deliberately ignoring his doubts.
No, he tried to bury them.
He tried not to come out of the frame he created as a child.
It was then.
"─What kind of appearance are you trying to show me? Unlike the other kids, there's nothing that's improved at all?"
"...!!"
"Rather, it feels like you've regressed."
Noh Eun-ha who had been responding as he swung his sword said such words.
At that moment, Choi Eun-hyuk felt disappointment in himself reflected in Eun-ha's eyes.
Flow
Crescent Moon Slash
Not knowing what kind of worries he was having now.
Choi Eun-hyuk suddenly felt upset.
He charged in recklessly.
Of course, his attack was meaningless.
Noh Eun-ha blocked his sword with an indifferent face.
Then he suddenly said.
"─How long are you going to just chase after my back?"
"...!!"
"Am I the person you want to become? That's not it, right?"
The captain's question.
Choi Eun-hyuk felt like he had been hit on the head.
"..."
Choi Eun-hyuk gripped his sword tightly.
Until now, Choi Eun-hyuk had been absorbed in the captain's back.
He had been chasing after only his back to become someone like the captain.
But what about himself now?
...The captain is in front of me.
The person whose back he chased after like a hero was now standing in front of him.
Choi Eun-hyuk was looking at Noh Eun-ha's front, not his back.
I'm, facing the captain.
Only then did he turn his eyes to the fact he had taken for granted.
Time passed.
Now 19 years old, he was now crossing swords with the opponent he had admired.
Though it may not have been equal when he was young.
At this moment, he was standing on the same level as Noh Eun-ha.
They were facing each other.
Ah...
Though he had long since passed the back of the person he was chasing after when he was young.
Who on earth had he been chasing after all this time?
Only then did he realize.
He hadn't been chasing after him, he had just been chasing after the heroic image he wanted to become.
Not knowing that, he had foolishly projected that Noh Eun-ha was his heroic image.
So when he discovered aspects of Noh Eun-ha he hadn't thought of, he needlessly doubted if he was wrong.
The person he wanted to become wasn't actually Noh Eun-ha─.
"─Don't try to become me. Because I'm not you."
It was the hero he dreamed of, 'himself'.
Choi Eun-hyuk finally looked back at himself after hearing Noh Eun-ha's words.
The person he wanted to become was actually not anywhere else but right in his own heart.
─Crack
That realization.
Caused a crack in his worldview.
And thus expanded his worldview.