"What are you guys up to again?"
A group of students, including Hamin and Haewoon, entered the room, seemingly returning from the cafeteria. Seeing Sihyun release his hand from Hamin, who was startled at the sight of me and Seowoo holding hands, Sihyun shrugged nonchalantly.
"Settling a dispute?"
"Had a fight?"
"Something like that."
"If you look closely, Kang Sihyun is really a tough guy."
"Me? Why?"
Why is he picking a fight again? I really don't know what this tough guy thing is about.
Narrowing his eyes, Sihyun casually walked forward, pulled a chair, and sat down, while Hamin handed him one of the breads he had brought. Tilted his head, he tore it and put it in his mouth.
"You must have fought the most with the kids here."
"You and Haewoon fought the most."
"I just had a casual fight with him. No need for a separate reconciliation. But you, aren't you different? Who's left now? Baek Geonu? Kang Haewoon? I think you had a round with Jeong Daun last time."
"...."
Saying that, it was indeed quite troublesome. I didn't realize it when there were arguments or clashes, but now that I think about it, I seemed to have clashed with more than half of the Class A members. Seeing my surprised expression, Hamin swallowed the bread he was eating, looking at me as if he had a separate place to chew.
"Tell me who you're going to fight with next. Practice eating while watching your surroundings."
"Easy there, Hamin."
"Oh, me?"
"Yeah."
In disbelief, he tapped his foot and accused me of being a tough guy. Sihyun, raising an eyebrow, pinched Hamin who was eating a piece of bread with his arm on his desk.
"Hey, crazy. You pinched me with your nails. If you really don't want the next batter to be you, be reasonable."
I had left my nails at a reasonable length for this day. Threatening to insert my nails if he provoked me again, I pinched his arm, causing him to flinch and rub the pinched area.
"You're crazy with those nails. Just hit me if you want. Seriously, I can't joke around with you."
Making playful remarks. Sihyun immediately turned his head and looked at Haewoon, who was talking and laughing with Gunwoo.
"Haewoon, he wants to play with you."
"Oh, did Min finally admit his feelings for me?"
"What are you saying? Get lost!"
Hearing the conversation, Haewoon, who had run towards us, began to playfully argue with Hamin. Seeing Haewoon pushing Hamin away, he yelled, "Ah, Kang Sihyun!" loudly, creating a peaceful scene.
"Why are you getting so angry? It's just a joke. Right, hyung?"
"Huh? Uh..., yeah."
As Haru returned to his seat, I asked for his opinion without really knowing what was going on, and he just nodded with a grin. Hamin's face crumpled in confusion. He sighed, wondering why I was treating him like this, and playfully thumped his chest. It looked somewhat like a gorilla, making for a humorous sight.
The laughter that started with Haewoon spread like a virus, infecting the kids' faces. Sihyun also joined in, lightly chuckling, and the atmosphere became more cheerful.
The students of Class A laughed together.
Without knowing what the next class would entail.
***
"I really can't take this anymore...."
Haru, sprawled out in the group training room, muttered with a tired voice. Of course, it had to be the instructor's class for the last period. It would have been better if it happened in the morning. Sitting for a long time, his back aching and exhausted, he rolled around as if he would burst into tears at any moment. Even the liquid that could have come out as tears seemed to have turned into sweat.
Feeling like his vision was spinning, Sihyun, with tightly closed eyes, agreed with Hamin's words with a nod. Taking advantage of faking pain since the first period, Haewoon, who had pretended to be sick and skipped training, approached the collapsed Hamin. Eventually, a boy, who casually said something like, "Hamin, want to become S-Class?" had his nose pinched. Listening to Haewoon's scream, which reached a high pitch like a 4-octave scale, Sihyun, lying down and hearing it, got up to go wash.
By this time, it would be nice if they had showers in the auditorium or the group training room. However, this stubborn school insisted on showering in the dorms. Down, who had become sweaty and irritating, began to criticize the lack of a shower room in an annoyed tone. There was no strength to support him.
"Shall we go to the room?"
Standing with tired legs, struggling to stand up immediately, Seowoo asked. Nodding, I agreed to go together. Considering offering my hand since he seemed to be in pain, but it seemed scary that he might fall together if I grabbed his hand, so I held back. As he finished talking, Down, who was next to me, made a puzzled expression.
"To the room?"
"Why go together to shower?"
"What?"
How did he end up thinking that way? Raising my shoulders with a cool expression, the girl who had lowered them once spoke while wiping her sweaty forehead.
"We have the same room."
"Shower together?"
"What?"
How did it come to this? Feeling a bit puzzled, I alternately looked at Seowoo and Down. Down opened her mouth as she wiped her sweaty forehead.
"It's not limited to Yoo Seowoo; it seems like everyone has become a bit more... intimate overall."
"Oh, I agree with that! Recently, when you see Sihyun, he looks completely proud!"
"Why?"
Barely escaping from Hamin's grip, Haewoon, holding his reddened nose, reluctantly agreed. As the conversation suddenly shifted to the 'current attitude of Kang Sihyun,' I blinked my eyes, and Haewoon chose his words carefully.
"Well, it feels like taming a stray cat."
"Ah... I think I know what you mean."
"Me too."
"Definitely feels that way. He used to be wary of us, right?"
"But these days, he doesn't say much even when we pet him!"
"I think he's just resigned to it."
"Regardless, the important thing is that he stays calm when you approach. He really gives off the vibe of a completely tamed cat."
Except for the person in question, lively conversations were taking place. Right? Seeking agreement from Seowoo, they even got a nod from him. The only ones not nodding along were me and Haru, who were just grinning and looking puzzled.
"Anyway, these days Sihyun is like that. After much effort, he looks at me and doesn't run away, behaving like a tamed cat. Kang Sihyun, is there a special reason for this?"
The atmosphere suddenly turned into an interview. Feeling exhilarated, Haewoon used Down as a makeshift microphone, and I scanned the kids in front of me. Even though they pretended not to, everyone seemed quite interested in my answer. Feeling a bit reluctant to respond, I raised my eyebrows, and Haewoon urged me on.
"Just..."
"Just?"
"...Well, we're friends."
After giving a slight nod, he spoke. The moment when his behavior changed was due to what happened in my room three days before the start of the school term. Knowing this, I thought of expressing it, but Haewoon urged me further.
"Anyway, that's how Sihyun is these days. He's like a tamed cat, calm and not running away even when he sees me. Kang Sihyun, any special reason for this?"
The atmosphere turned journalistic. Suddenly, everyone who I thought would loudly laugh or tease remained silent with dumbfounded expressions. The only ones speaking were Down and Seowoo, who both had a confused look.
"Why are you all like this?"
Asked with a puzzled tone, Jihae scratched her cheek with a dazed expression.
"Well, it's just... It feels awkward because Sihyun said it..."
"That's right. I thought I was still dreaming."
"Did I hear it correctly? We didn't misinterpret it, right?"
"...I'm going to wash up."
Turning away, Sihyun frowned at the overly dramatic reactions. The kids laughed while grabbing onto him. When prompted to sit a bit longer and rest, the topic of conversation, which had been focused on him, shifted to something new.
"So, does anyone know anything about this month-end evaluation?"
Starting with the discussion of whether the math and Korean teachers were dating, the conversation moved to who Down and Jihae's new partners were and how roommates turned out. Eventually, it touched upon the upcoming month-end evaluation, still two weeks away. Usually, by this time, rumors about the evaluation would quietly circulate, but there was still no news around.
"Nothing yet. This evaluation will probably be another practical class, right?"
There hadn't been any evaluations in virtual reality since the first month-end evaluation. Accepting it as a natural progression due to the increasing difficulty, we smoothly transitioned to speculating about the upcoming month-end evaluation.
"Will we go directly into the Irregulars' nest this time too?"
"Since the first semester was conducted with individual matches, partner matches, and team matches, it's likely to be similar this time."
"So, this time, are we throwing ourselves into the nest and competing to kill the most Irregulars in order?"
"I just hope whatever happens, as long as we don't get hit by a teleportation spell."
Various speculations about the next evaluation abounded. The most plausible suggestion was that, similar to the first semester, it would begin with individual matches. Nodding in agreement, when Haewoon expressed his desire to join regardless of the format, the kids looked at him with bright smiles, reminiscent of a scene from a youth comic.
"I don't want to be with Kang Haewoon."
"Me neither."
"As long as it's not Haewoon."
"I agree; Haewoon is a bit..."
"Oh, why!"
For once, I suggested that it would be good to play with them, but Haewoon, who was picked on, complained unfairly when the conversation turned against him. When criticized for his usual behavior, he pursed his lips.
"Just try being on the same team with me next time. I won't give you any buffs."
"Yeah, it's nice not to worry suddenly in the middle of a battle."
"Exactly. It's good not to have to take risks."
"Oh, come on!"
When the previous incident about the sleep occurred, Haewoon, who remembered it vividly, got up from his seat. Then, grabbing his staff, he headed to a corner of the training room. The determined boy turned back with a mischievous smile.
"Watch and learn, I'm going to get my revenge."
"Yeah, make sure to score some points."
"Oh, Ihaemin!"
Haewoon expressed rare annoyance and then left. Haemin, who had a rare victory in their verbal sparring, enjoyed a satisfied laugh. The kids, intrigued by the reversal of roles between the two, applauded in celebration.
Unnoticed, a week passed, and information about the forgotten month-end evaluation resurfaced in the conversation.
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