Looking for the Runaway Heavenly Maiden - Chapter 4

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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4.

The hallway was silent as a tomb.
I pulled out my phone from my pocket and checked the time.
8:35 AM. According to the school schedule Yerim had given me, it was still morning self-study time.
About five minutes remained until self-study ended. After that would come a brief assembly, then break time, and then first period.
Fortunately, I’d managed to arrive in time for the assembly.

‘Now that I think about it, I never even thanked him for saving me.’

Regardless, my safety was entirely thanks to Cheonhaerang.
His sudden appearance had left me so flustered. I decided to thank him properly, even if it was late.
I briefly considered using formal speech, but since he was just Cheonhaerang at this school, I decided to speak casually with him.
I stole a glance at Cheonhaerang walking beside me.
He really was devastatingly beautiful. Just admiring him made time seem to slip away.
Since descending to the Human Realm, my eyes had been strained. It wasn’t like this in the Heavenly Realm. Walking through the Human Realm’s streets, there was nowhere for my eyes to rest.
That’s why I’d been purifying my eyes with the people Yerim showed me on her screen. Today, it seemed I wouldn’t need that.

“You can just look at me openly, Jiho. You don’t have to hide it.”
“…No, I wasn’t looking.”

I flinched and quickly denied it. Cheonhaerang let out a small laugh.

“Sure, if you say so.”
“I’m serious.”
“Okay.”
“I really wasn’t looking at you.”
“Right.”

I strongly denied it, but Cheonhaerang didn’t buy a word of it.
It wasn’t that I felt wronged, but rather a sense of frustration welled up inside me.
The Yerim I remembered from long ago wasn’t like this. It seemed the Human Realm had corrupted her with its murky waters.
My intention to thank her vanished in an instant.
I turned my head sharply and walked forward, eyes fixed ahead. Cheonhaerang watched me go, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.
Honestly, he hadn’t meant to tease me like this. But I was too adorable. If he could, he would have locked me away somewhere and kept me all to himself.
If I ever discovered how twisted his heart had become, I might flee. Of course, he had no intention of revealing such feelings to me just yet.
As for the future… well, who could say?
Cheonhaerang suppressed the surging emotions in his chest and stopped walking. He would have liked to walk with me longer, but we had already arrived at the Faculty Office.
I stopped walking alongside Cheonhaerang and lifted my gaze to read the nameplate. The characters reading “2nd Year Faculty Office” were clearly visible.
I stared at the firmly closed Faculty Office door. An inexplicably uneasy feeling washed over me.
I dismissed it, thinking I was just on edge from what had happened earlier.
Cheonhaerang carefully knocked on the door.
Knock, knock. The sound echoed through the quiet hallway. Then Cheonhaerang pulled the door open with a soft creak.
At the same moment, a clear melody filled the hallway.
♩ ♪ ♬ ♪
It was the school bell. Morning self-study time had ended.

“Good morning, teacher.”
“Oh, if it isn’t Cheonhaerang. What brings you here?”

Someone greeted Cheonhaerang warmly.
As Cheonhaerang opened the Faculty Office door, I quickly hid my body behind his and peeked over his shoulder to see inside.
The teachers inside were all standing, apparently preparing to head to their respective classes for morning assembly.
So the gazes of all the teachers in the Faculty Office concentrated on Cheonhaerang and me.
My eyes met those of one of the teachers—a man with a strikingly handsome appearance, rare to see in the Human Realm.
I quickly read the nameplate placed on the desk partition.
2nd Year Class 4. Mathematics. Kim Jeonghyeon.

“A new transfer student is joining our class today, so I brought her along since we happened to meet.”
“Is the one hiding behind you the transfer student?”

Startled by those words, I quickly stepped forward and bowed at a ninety-degree angle to greet them.

“Hello everyone. My name is Jiho, and I’ve transferred to Sunhwa High School starting today.”

For a moment, silence filled the Faculty Office. Then, cheerful laughter burst out from various corners.

“My, how very polite. Our Jeonghyeon is so lucky.”
“Sigh, I wish I had students like this in my class too.”

With those words, the teachers filed out of the Faculty Office one by one. One teacher even patted my head affectionately as she left.

“So, you’re Jiho. It’s nice to meet you.”

A warm voice rang out from above my head. I straightened up from my bow to get a proper look at my homeroom teacher.
It was Kim Jeonghyeon, the math teacher for 2nd Year Class 4.
Looking at the teacher smiling kindly, I felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.

‘What is this? Something feels off…’

Perhaps the lingering effects of meeting that man were still with me.
Ignoring the sensation of my hair standing on end as if surrounded by thick, dark energy, I greeted Jeonghyeon.
I didn’t bow as deeply as before, but instead offered a respectful nod.

“Hello, sir.”
“Did you have any trouble getting to school?”
“No, it was fine.”

Getting to school wasn’t difficult. Yerim had driven me in her expensive car.
The problem came after I arrived at school.
Something quite significant had happened, but there was no need to mention it to a human teacher.

“You and Cheonhaerang are in Class 4 together. Come on, let’s go with your teacher now. Cheonhaerang has had a rough time.”

His tone was gentle and soft. I followed behind Jeonghyeon as he led the way, with Cheonhaerang beside me, studying him carefully.
Not intentionally, but somehow I found myself scrutinizing him from every angle.
His appearance was already excellent—he was tall, broad-shouldered, and had long legs.
His voice was pleasant, and he was a teacher. By any measure, he seemed like a man who had it all.

‘He must be quite popular.’

Of course, if we’re talking about popularity, Cheonhaerang wouldn’t fall far behind.
To the students, Cheonhaerang might actually be more popular than an adult man who seemed beyond their reach.
I had resolved not to do this, yet I found myself stealing another glance at Cheonhaerang without realizing it.
Unlike the gentle smile he’d worn in front of me, his expression was now completely blank.
With such an expressionless face, he emanated an almost chilling aura.
It was the dignity befitting a princess. Those who stood above others needed to possess such commanding presence.
Aside from running away and not listening, she really was a well-raised princess. I felt a sense of pride even as I clicked my tongue inwardly at her antics.
Before long, we arrived at 2nd Year Class 4. Through the window, I could hear the boisterous chatter of students.
With a soft creak, Jeonghyeon opened the door and stepped inside, and the noise immediately died down.
Following Jeonghyeon into the classroom, Cheonhaerang took her seat naturally despite all the concentrated stares from the students.
I hesitated before stepping into the classroom. The curious gazes of the students immediately fixed upon me.
Standing before the teacher’s desk, Jeonghyeon addressed the class.

“Well then, everyone studied hard during morning self-study, right?”
“Yes!”

The students answered enthusiastically. Jeonghyeon seemed satisfied as he raised the corners of his mouth and continued.

“I have good news for all of you today. We have a new transfer student joining our class.”

No way! Look at her! Wow, she’s seriously gorgeous.
The rather unfiltered remarks of the students pierced my ears.
Just standing in front of so many people was exhausting. I wanted to disappear somewhere.

“Well then, Jiho. Why don’t you introduce yourself to everyone?”
“…Yes.”

I steadied myself and tried to calm my racing heart.
Before introducing myself, I scanned the entire class once.
Since these would be faces I’d see for the first and last time, there was no need to memorize them.
Among the unfamiliar faces, there was Cheonhaerang, smiling warmly.
It was strange. Perhaps because I was seeing a familiar face? My heart seemed to gradually find stability.
I greeted the students. Fortunately, my voice didn’t tremble.

“…Hi, everyone. Nice to meet you. I’m Ryu Jiho. I look forward to working with you all.”
“Well then, everyone give her a round of applause.”

Clap, clap! Following the homeroom teacher’s words, the students applauded dutifully.
The excessive welcome made my ears burn.
After surveying the classroom, Jeonghyeon spoke to me.

“Perfect. You’ll sit next to Cheonhaerang. He happens to be our class president. If you have any questions, ask him.”
“Yes….”

…Was this truly a coincidence? How could the seat next to Cheonhaerang happen to be empty at this exact moment? Had it always been vacant?
As I walked toward the seat Jeonghyeon pointed out, an odd sensation crept over me. How to describe it? The closer I approached my desk, the more it felt like stepping into a trap….

‘…It must be my imagination.’

“This worked out really well. Don’t you think, Jiho?”

As I sat down and organized my bag, I saw Cheonhaerang’s face breaking into a bright smile as he spoke to me.
It was a pretty smile, but it didn’t sit well with me.
I thought I could continue my school life normally. What a grave miscalculation.
Then suddenly, I felt the surroundings grow unnaturally quiet. I glanced my eyes toward Cheonhaerang’s vicinity.
A considerable number of students’ gazes were fixed on me and Cheonhaerang. More precisely, on Cheonhaerang.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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