Rank 0 of the Awakener Special School - Chapter 24

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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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Rank 0 at the Special School for Awakeners
Chapter 24
“…Why are you bringing me Banana Milk?”
She’d taken the bait.
To Jo Bit-na’s question, Ji-woo perched herself casually on the desk and answered.
“Oh, this? Ever since I came back to school, he’s been bringing it to me every day. It’s kind of awkward sometimes.”
She toyed deliberately with the Banana Milk bottle while wearing an embarrassed smile.
Jo Bit-na, who had been watching her intently, took the seat in front and swept her hair back.
That smile—the one that had vanished—had returned completely, as if it had never been gone.
“That’s just how Han-gyeol is.”
“Just how he is?”
“He’s naturally kind. He treats everyone without prejudice. He can’t bring himself to ignore kids who don’t fit in at school. There are definitely some kids who misunderstand and think they’re special because of it, but…”
Jo Bit-na glanced at the Banana Milk and added,
“I feel kind of sorry for those kids. Han-gyeol is kind to everyone, but they think they’re different from the rest. That’s just excessive self-consciousness.”
“I see. So you must have received some too, then?”
“…Received what, exactly?”
“Banana Milk. You said he gives it to everyone.”
Ji-woo waved the bottle in front of her, and Jo Bit-na’s lips pressed into a tight line.
“…I already told you. Han-gyeol is kind, so he can’t ignore kids who feel left out at school. He’s giving charity to the pitiful ones.”
Ji-woo tilted her chin thoughtfully as she listened.
“But why doesn’t he give it to you?”
“…What?”
“From where I’m sitting, you look pretty pitiful too.”
A hairline fracture appeared across Jo Bit-na’s smile, which had held steady until now.
Ji-woo gave a light shrug.
“I’m joking. But the way you’re reacting, it seems like you—”
“…….”
“You like Bae Han-gyeol?”
Ji-woo deliberately raised her voice by a notch.
It was clear and loud enough for the other kids in the class, who had their ears perked toward the conversation, to hear easily.
“Wait, Jo Bit-na likes someone…?”
The class began to stir.
Jo Bit-na’s shoulders trembled slightly.
“Hold on. Wasn’t Bit-na dating Gu Min-jae just recently?”
“They broke up now, so who knows?”
“No way. I heard she’s been flirting with some third-year senior.”
“Wait, really? I thought she just got confessions from guys. Does Bit-na actually have a crush?”
As the attention accumulated around her, Jo Bit-na answered while trying to hide the twitch at the corner of her mouth.
“Like Han-gyeol? Where did that come from all of a sudden?”
“Just had a feeling, so I asked.”
“Sure, Han-gyeol is a good person, but I’ve never thought of him that way. We’ve been close since way back, so I just know him well.”
“Really? Then why are you so interested in the Banana Milk? If Bae Han-gyeol really gives it to everyone like you said, you didn’t need to ask me about it in the first place.”
“…That’s…”
“You do like Han-gyeol, don’t you?”
“No…”
“Why not? Bae Han-gyeol’s handsome. Tall, athletic, kind. If I were you—”
“I said no!”
Bang!
Jo Bit-na shot to her feet.
“Stop saying ridiculous things. I don’t like Bae Han-gyeol. Why would I like him first when there’s someone I like more?”
Silence.
The class fell completely quiet.
It wasn’t just because of Jo Bit-na’s sharp side, which they’d never seen before.
“Um… Han-gyeol.”
Flinch.
Jo Bit-na’s shoulders jerked, and she turned her head around slowly, creaking.
Standing at the open back door of the classroom was Bae Han-gyeol, his eyes wide open.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to overhear…”
Han-gyeol scratched the bridge of his nose awkwardly.
“I found a reference book in my bag that I’d borrowed. I thought you might not need it anymore, so I came back to return it. Um.”
Han-gyeol approached Ji-woo quickly and returned the reference book he’d borrowed, then turned away sharply.
Jo Bit-na caught him just as quickly.
“Wait, Han-gyeol. What I just said—”
“I know, Bit-na. You’re doing well with that third-year senior, right? I’ll cheer you on. Don’t let a misunderstanding cause problems.”
“No, I—”
In front of Jo Bit-na’s confusion, Han-gyeol broke into a bright smile.
Then he gently but firmly removed Jo Bit-na’s hand from his arm.
“I’m fine, really. I don’t mind about things like this at all.”
He doesn’t mind…at all?
“I should get going then.”
Click.
Jo Bit-na stared blankly as Han-gyeol disappeared beyond the closed back door.
His posture was rigid, completely still. But Ji-woo saw it clearly.
That profile—crumbling, falling apart.
Jo Bit-na trembled slightly, unable even to look in the direction Han-gyeol had gone.
Ji-woo picked up the Banana Milk from her desk and thrust it toward Jo Bit-na.
“You need this. I don’t like it anyway.”
“…”
“Oh, and.”
Ji-woo handed over the Banana Milk and leaned close enough that only Jo Bit-na could hear her.
“Don’t cross me again. There won’t be a second time.”
A perfect crack shattered across Jo Bit-na’s face where only a hairline fracture had existed before.
Just then, the bell rang to signal the start of class.
Ji-woo took her seat with a satisfied smile, and…
“Jo Bit-na, why aren’t you sitting down?”
Jo Bit-na didn’t budge from her spot until the teacher came in.
Her hands clutching the Banana Milk like it might burst.
* * *
Afternoon classes were Basic Core Training.
A moving class held not in the classroom but in the Training Room.
When Ji-woo returned to the classroom after the lesson ended, she glanced sideways toward the next section.
Since what happened that morning, Jo Bit-na hadn’t made eye contact with Ji-woo all day long. And beyond that, she’d been unusually quiet.
It seemed Bae Han-gyeol had far more influence over Jo Bit-na than Ji-woo had anticipated.
But even so, it didn’t seem like someone would give up this easily…
Ji-woo’s thoughts were partially correct.
‘What’s this.’
The moment she reached for her bag to prepare for the next class, Ji-woo sensed something wrong.
—It was gone.
The butterfly-shaped keyring that had been attached to her bag.
The one Ji-hyo had given her as a gift.
‘Where did it go?’
Her heart dropped.
She looked around to see if it had caught on something, but it was no use.
‘Did I drop it on the way to school?’
Normally, she wouldn’t make a careless mistake like that. Not with something like this.
‘…Did Jo Bit-na take it?’
It was a natural train of thought.
During moving class, all students leave the classroom empty. So if she had wanted to, she’d have had plenty of time to steal it.
…But there was no clear evidence.
Even if Ji-woo confronted Jo Bit-na right now, she’d just play dumb. And even if there happened to be a witness, they’d never take the side of “Ji-hyo” over Jo Bit-na.
‘I’ll look around a bit more first.’
Whoosh!
Ji-woo sprang from her seat and hurried out of the classroom.
“…”
From the corner of the classroom, Jo Bit-na—gazing into a hand mirror—followed Ji-woo’s retreating figure with her eyes.
Time passed, and the day’s classes all came to an end.
“Yu-jin!”
After school, Han-gyeol came to find Class 2-1. Because his closest friend, Moon Yu-jin, was in Class 2.
And her too.
“Hey, where’s Ji-hyo?”
As he opened the back door and naturally headed toward the back seat, the face he was looking for wasn’t there.
Instead, Yu-jin looked up and answered.
“She bolted out during break and hasn’t come back.”
“Huh? She bolted out? Where?”
“Who knows? Not me.”
“…Could she have gone to Som-i first?”
Han-gyeol murmured.
Yu-jin, gathering her bag, glanced at him sideways.
“Som-i?”
“Oh, didn’t I mention it? We’re looking after a stray puppy behind the dormitory.”
“You are?”
“Well, technically Ji-hyo is. I just go and play with it.”
Han-gyeol, who had been anxiously nibbling at his nails, made up his mind and turned to leave.
“Something might have happened to Som-i. I should go check. Yu-jin, what about you?”
“I…”
It was just as Yu-jin began to move her lips to answer.
“Han-gyeol.”
Someone approached quickly.
“Oh… Hi, Bit-na.”
“Hi. Do you have a moment right now?”
“Actually, I have somewhere I need to be…”
“It’ll only take a second. I really need to tell you something.”
“Tell me? Me?”
“Yeah.”
Jo Bit-na approached Han-gyeol naturally, and with a subtle linking of arms, she whispered,
“It’s about Ji-hyo.”

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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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