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 [Chapter 166]

[The Beginning of the End (2)]

Students are busy taking photos.

Even if they weren't close before, they took pictures to remember this moment.

"Ara! Let's take a picture together!"

"Hey you! You're not going to pretend you don't know us when you become successful later, right?"

"Let's eat together next time!"

Jo Ara was the same.

She had to be called around by surrounding students incessantly.

But she wasn't tired.

Rather, she felt fulfilled.

I must have done well. Seeing how many people are calling for me...

Of course, she had eyes too.

While there were really close friends, there were also those who approached with some intention.

She saw through what kind of mindset those approaching her had.

So she treated them with the same attitude.

Sigh... I've changed a lot too.

Now I can smile naturally. In the past, I would have smiled awkwardly.

Since joining Noh Eun-ha's group,

She realized that those approaching her didn't always have pure intentions.

And she learned how to deal with such people with the help of her friends.

Now she was used to it.

In the meantime─

"─Why doesn't Tae-yang know that guy..."

Jo Ara spotted On Tae-yang.

On Tae-yang mingling with students who decided to join the Dangun Clan.

He was laughing heartily with his arms around their shoulders.

But she noticed that the students around him didn't purely think of him as a colleague.

If you watched carefully, you could see them trying to gain their own benefits while outwardly praising On Tae-yang.

"Moreover, the rumors aren't good either..."

Additionally, as a member of Noh Eun-ha's group, she knew all the rumors in the academy.

So she also knew what kind of things they usually did.

Even if I tell him, he won't listen...

It was like that now, but it was like that before too.

She had implored On Tae-yang indirectly that it might be good to make other friends.

But On Tae-yang got angry and refused to budge.

In the end, she could only watch to make sure they didn't use On Tae-yang.

But because of that, her evaluation in their group kept falling.

"─You take care of others well, but why don't you take care of me..."

Then she began to wonder.

Her situation felt pathetic and miserable.

Being next to On Tae-yang made her feel like a worthless person.

The time spent with him was no longer enjoyable.

And as On Tae-yang got closer to Hong Ye-hwa, the direct descendant of Dangun Ilbo─

─Ah, I guess Tae-yang doesn't see me as a woman.

Jo Ara woke up from her fantasy.

At that time, she gave up on her feelings for On Tae-yang.

Nevertheless, the reason she didn't want to leave On Tae-yang's side was because she was worried about him as a friend.

But even that disappeared before she knew it.

The part of On Tae-yang she hadn't seen, no, the part she had tried not to see until now, came into view.

Above all─

'─I'm serious. Let's cut ties. I don't want to be involved with you anymore.'

On Tae-yang tried to kill Eun-ha.

At that time, the On Tae-yang she knew, the On Tae-yang she had tried to understand, was nowhere to be found.

That's when she completely let go of her expectations for On Tae-yang.

'Ara, that's not it...'

Of course, she later heard On Tae-yang's true intentions.

But that wasn't important.

What was important was that On Tae-yang had betrayed her expectations of him.

That was why she declared to cut ties.

Eun-ha did wrong too, but...

What I expect from Eun-ha is different from that.

Eun-ha is different from On Tae-yang.

He thinks of her.

And it's fun being with him.

Above all, she felt he would take care of her no matter what happened.

Because she had such confidence in him, she couldn't have negative thoughts about Eun-ha.

She might be a bad person.

She thought that even if he was evil, it was fine as long as he treated her well.

Sorry to the aunt, but that's how it was.

"Ah..."

"..."

That's when it happened.

She had been staring at On Tae-yang for a while.

So he felt her gaze and noticed her presence.

Their eyes met.

Jo Ara let out a soft groan.

""..."

Should I pretend I didn't see him, or not?

Jo Ara deliberated for a while.

Then, with what little affection remained, she decided to take a picture with On Tae-yang.

She moved after finishing her deliberation.

"Congratulations on graduating. Shall we take a picture?" "...Congratulations to you too. Let's do that."

Could it be called finishing well?

Jo Ara deliberately smiled brightly.

Then On Tae-yang's friends wondered why she had come, saying it was unusual.

She ignored their words.

She entrusted her smartphone to them, intending to take a picture with On Tae-yang.

"I'll take the picture when I say one, two, okay?"

A male student gives the signal.

Jo Ara turned her gaze towards the smartphone lens.

"Ah..."

She was about to.

If Eun-ha hadn't caught her eye.

He was chatting with his friends, now clan members, not far away.

"One."

She couldn't hear the male student's voice.

She blankly stared at Eun-ha.

Perhaps feeling her gaze,

Noh Eun-ha turned his head.

He discovered her and waved his hand high.

Pfft, what's that? The clan lord has no dignity.

If she hadn't been taking a picture,

She would have burst into laughter.

Instead, she smiled at Eun-ha and decided to quickly go to him.

"Two."

"Do you like him that much?"

"Huh?"

"No... You kept looking at him."

Eventually, the picture was taken.

Since her gaze was directed at Eun-ha, the picture couldn't have turned out well.

When she belatedly realized this, On Tae-yang standing next to her spoke gruffly.

"..."

Jo Ara looked up at On Tae-yang.

She wondered if he was jealous now.

Unfortunately, she felt nothing.

So she giggled and answered.

"You probably don't know how cool Eun-ha is, Tae-yang." "..."

"He does better than you."

"...!"

Well, he treats me very well.

Jo Ara felt triumphant.

Soon she received her smartphone and decided to go where Eun-ha was.

"Ah, I'm hungry. Didn't they say we're having a dinner later? I hope it starts soon. I want to eat."

I'm craving meat today.

I want to eat meat.

She skipped along happily.

☆

After dealing with the juniors was over,

Now he had to take pictures with family and friends continuously.

But it didn't stop there.

"Let's all take a picture together!!"

""""Sounds good!!""""

It's not clear who shouted,

But the students gathered in a rush upon hearing someone's shout.

They ended up taking a group photo unexpectedly.

What are we doing...

We're going to be crushed like this.

Eun-ha, who got separated from his friends after being caught in the crowd of students, let out a small sigh.

Then, of all things─

""─..."

In the process of lining up,

Eun-ha ended up standing next to On Tae-yang.

The two were very flustered.

Just as On Tae-yang's face was starting to harden with displeasure─

"─Why is it so gloomy here? Ah, I should come in and be the flower!"

"What flower..." "Hey! Can't you even just say I'm a flower as a compliment?"

"Okay, you're really pretty." "Okay, I'll give you a chance."

Jo Ara suddenly intervened.

She grabbed Eun-ha and On Tae-yang's arms, trying to prevent the two from fighting.

Eun-ha was grateful for her consideration.

"Okay, I'll take the picture when I say one, two. Ah, should we all do a fighting pose?"

Including the photographer,

The reporters who came to photograph the students decided to give the signal.

Eun-ha made an indifferent face at being told to do a fighting pose.

But he did as told.

Right then─

─What is this kid doing now?

Eun-ha flinched for a moment.

He turned his head to the side.

Jo Ara was grinning.

Don't do it.

Okay.

Eun-ha mouthed.

She mimicked him exactly.

But contrary to what she said, her mischief continued.

What is she doing on my back?

So that others couldn't see,

Jo Ara tickled Eun-ha's back with the hand not doing the fighting pose.

"One."

Then she moved her finger and wrote something on his back.

Eun-ha, who had been telling her not to play around, focused his senses to figure out what she was writing on his back.

Meat

When the photographer said "two",

Eun-ha could guess what she had written on his back.

So Eun-ha grumbled softly while facing the camera.

"Why meat?"

He heard giggling from the side.

Jo Ara was laughing.

Then she whispered to Eun-ha as soon as the shooting ended.

"─I want to eat meat. Let's go eat quickly when this is over. I'm so hungry right now."

"Then stay still and don't play around."

She must have been quite bored.

Eun-ha soothed her like calming a child.

Nevertheless, she continued to play by stroking Eun-ha's back with her finger.

"Now let's try doing a finger heart!"

"Hey, why don't you stop now?"

"Why? It's fun." "It's not fun at all." "It's fun for me."

The photographer requested another pose.

Eun-ha said to Jo Ara while showing a finger heart.

She retorted as if it was no big deal.

In the end, she didn't stop her mischief and kept tickling Eun-ha's back.

"One."

This kid, really.

Eun-ha muttered inwardly.

It wasn't ticklish, but it was annoying.

"Ah, the student with yellow hair over there! Look at the camera, not to the side!"

"S-Sorry!"

So he grabbed her hand firmly with his left hand.

She must not have expected him to hold her hand.

Jo Ara was visibly surprised.

Thanks to that, she got scolded by the photographer.

"Tch..."

"I told you not to do it."

The photographer was going to signal again.

Jo Ara grumbled.

On the other hand, Eun-ha looked at the camera with a calm face.

He thought she wouldn't play around anymore since he was holding Jo Ara's hand.

But─

─Okay, I give up.

Just do whatever you want.

Even with her hand held,

She says she played with Eun-ha's hand using her fingers.

Eun-ha resigned himself.

☆

After taking the group photo,

The students started to disperse.

Jo Ara, who got a flick on the forehead from Noh Eun-ha, decided to finish saying goodbye to her friends and follow Noh Eun-ha.

"Ara." "...What?"

At that moment,

On Tae-yang called her.

Jo Ara tilted her head.

As far as she knew, she thought there was nothing more between him and herself.

"Um..." "What, say it."

What could he be trying to say?

She became slightly interested.

She decided to wait for On Tae-yang's words as he hesitated while holding her back.

"Let's..."

"..."

On Tae-yang couldn't even finish his sentence.

But she realized what he was trying to say now.

He's probably going to say something like let's get along again...

Her interest quickly faded.

There was no need to wait for such words.

So Jo Ara preempted him.

"─Tae-yang."

"Huh?"

"It was fun all this time."

"..."

"I hope you do well in the future."

Honestly, at this point, Jo Ara didn't feel disappointed in On Tae-yang.

Now On Tae-yang's existence had no meaning to her.

So now she could be casual when looking at On Tae-yang.

She could sincerely wish for his well-being.

Only then did she realize.

─I'm really walking a different path from him now.

That On Tae-yang no longer exists in her life.

On Tae-yang wasn't in the path she wanted to go, nor in the future she would create.

"Take care."

A feeling like a hole had opened in a corner of her heart.

It felt refreshing.

She turned away from On Tae-yang.

She exits the main auditorium.

"From now on, I'm becoming Jo Ara of the Pandora Clan. It feels strange even saying it myself."

She graduated from the academy.

The 3-year curriculum that felt both long and short.

It had come to an end.

Standing at the end of that path, she decided to walk a new path now.

After one story ends, a new story will be waiting.

With that mindset, she moved her steps towards Eun-ha and her clan members.

☆

Even though the graduation ceremony was over,

Many people still remained at the academy.

It was because of the graduation match.

The graduation match between Noh Eun-ha and On Tae-yang.

"─Hehehe, let's see how good this guy is."

A young man who looked like a Player.

But he chuckled like an old man.

The man joined the line of people heading towards the arena.