Rank 0 of the Awakener Special School - Chapter 46

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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 in the Awakener Special Academy
Chapter 46
That was precisely why Tae Ga-young’s report caught him off guard.
Mun Yu-jin was indifferent to others, after all.
Even toward Bae Han-gyeol, who was closest to him, he’d never shown any sign of emotional disturbance.
“Oh, and one more thing.”
At the sudden continuation of Tae Ga-young’s voice, Orion lifted his head from his thoughts.
“What else is there?”
“A decent new recruit came in after a long time, so I was thinking of holding a welcoming party while we’re at it. I wanted to ask for your approval.”
“…A welcoming party? Do Min-gi would absolutely hate such a pointless event.”
“It was Do Min-gi’s suggestion.”
That too was unexpected.
The Do Min-gi that Orion knew wasn’t the type to propose such unnecessary projects just because a new recruit had joined the Special Division.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Orion drummed his fingers slowly on the desk.
“…There’s an empty annex near the Northwestern Lake. Feel free to use that place however you like.”
“Thank you for your generosity!”
Tae Ga-young’s face brightened at once.
At times like this, she looked like nothing more than an ordinary high school girl who enjoyed having fun.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
As if saluting, Tae Ga-young placed her left hand firmly against her chest and turned with the precision of a soldier.
“Ga-young.”
Orion called her back from behind.
“The Rift has been extremely unstable lately. The other two locations are the same, but the Rift that Gaon possesses has been particularly unstable.”
“…? Yes, I’m aware of it.”
The two children who had been discovered recently were elementary school students reported missing over a month ago.
The important part was that the children didn’t remember the circumstances of their disappearance themselves. How they’d survived in the Rift for over a month without addiction was an even deeper mystery.
‘If it weren’t for Do Min-gi, they might never have been found. The thing is, there could be more children like them.’
Inexplicable incidents that couldn’t be explained or proven had been occurring more frequently in recent years.
And at the center of it all was the destabilized Rift.
“There’s much work ahead for the Special Division to do. You already know, don’t you? This is also atonement.”
Orion spoke quietly, still looking at Tae Ga-young.
“Don’t forget what matters most to you right now. That way, you won’t fall apart.”
In that instant, the excitement about the welcoming party that had filled Tae Ga-young’s expression hardened.
“Was that unnecessary concern on my part?”
“…No, it wasn’t.”
With her head bowed, Tae Ga-young gripped the Sword Sheath at her waist tightly.
“I’ll take your words to heart.”
* * *
The next day.
Seol Ji-u attended school as usual.
A Special Division mission, entry into a Rift, and a day’s hospitalization at the Medical Building on top of that. How many days had it been since his last attendance?
‘…My body’s still a bit heavy.’
Seol Ji-u touched his sore shoulders gingerly.
The injury he’d received from Do Min-gi still ached.
It was strange. However light the wound was supposed to be, by this point regeneration should have started—yet it hadn’t.
‘Did I overdo it?’
Since entering Gaon, he’d used his Core several times, whether intentionally or not.
Until now, So-young had constantly nagged him not to use his Core, so incidents like this were rare.
At most, he’d just use his Telekinesis Core to grab things like remote controls without reaching.
‘It should get better soon.’
Whatever else, he was confident in his physical recovery.
Even if his condition was a mess now, it would bounce back quickly, so there was no need to worry deeply.
Seol Ji-u slid open the back door and entered the classroom.
Mun Yu-jin, who’d come to school a day earlier, fixed his gaze on Seol Ji-u the moment he spotted him.
“…Hey.”
Seol Ji-u waved lightly, and Yu-jin’s brow furrowed slightly.
“I heard you were hospitalized.”
“I was discharged.”
“Already?”
“Yeah.”
He pulled out a chair and sat down with a scrape.
“What’s first period today?”
“…Rift Theory.”
“Thanks.”
Mun Yu-jin watched Seol Ji-u prepare for class out of the corner of his eye.
Any sign of injury…
‘Doesn’t seem like it.’
His expression did seem a bit subdued, but his face wasn’t particularly expressive to begin with.
At that moment, as Seol Ji-u pulled out his textbook, he suddenly turned his head.
“What?”
Their eyes met directly—blue irises to dark ones.
“Do I have something on my face?”
“…Huh?”
“You kept staring.”
…Did I?
Mun Yu-jin quietly withdrew his gaze.
Yet for some reason, every nerve in his body seemed still focused on his right—on Seol Ji-u.
He pondered the reason for this alone.
Then, suddenly, Mun Yu-jin realized there was something he wanted to ask Seol Ji-u.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“…Why did you choose Team 2 back then?”
This time, Seol Ji-u was the one who looked at Mun Yu-jin first.
His head tilted slightly, as if questioning why he’d ask such a thing.
“If you don’t want to answer—”
“Nam Rae-in.”
…What?
Mun Yu-jin’s neck froze mid-turn back.
“I’m interested in him. There are things I want to understand about him.”
Mun Yu-jin’s lips parted slightly.
“Why are you curious about that?”
This time Seol Ji-u asked the question.
At that question, Mun Yu-jin was inwardly flustered.
Right. Why am I curious about that?
– Are you worried? That they won’t come back?
– But this is really unexpected. I didn’t know you and the new recruit were that close, Yu-jin.
…Why on earth were the captain’s words suddenly coming back to him now?
“Ji-u.”
Someone approached their desks.
It was Lim Ri-sa.
“This—I organized the lecture notes while you were gone. Do you need them?”
“Yeah, I really do.”
With Lim Ri-sa’s arrival, Seol Ji-u’s gaze didn’t return to Mun Yu-jin.
Mun Yu-jin gazed at Seol Ji-u’s profile as he talked with Ri-sa for a long while.
Class started like that.
Time passed, and soon it was lunch period.
“Hey, everyone!”
As always, Bae Han-gyeol stopped by Yu-jin’s classroom.
Carrying bundles in both hands.
“My club senior made lunch boxes today. But as you can see, there’s a lot. Would you guys want to eat all together on the Rooftop?”
“All together? Then me, me too…?”
Lim Ri-sa, standing beside Seol Ji-u, asked in surprise.
“Of course. You, me, and Yu-jin, plus Ji-u and Ri-sa.”
“…!”
“I’m in.”
As Lim Ri-sa silently rejoiced, Seol Ji-u nodded.
Hanging around with these people would definitely draw attention, but if they were eating on the Rooftop, that would be fine.
Besides, looking at Ri-sa’s expression, he had no desire to refuse Han-gyeol’s suggestion.
“Let’s go. This senior has a Taste-related Core. That’s why—”
It was as the four of them were about to head out the back door.
“…Oh.”
Bae Han-gyeol’s steps stopped mid-stride.
At the same time, another voice came from over Han-gyeol’s shoulder.
“Seol Ji-u, you here?”
Platinum-blonde hair—bright as sun-warmed beach sand—about a head taller than most.
Hair cascading down, carelessly pinned back with a glittering clip.
A boy with an unnecessarily flashy appearance.
Recognizing him, Seol Ji-u blinked.
“…Nam Rae-in? What are you doing here?”
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
Passing by Han-gyeol, Nam Rae-in stood before Seol Ji-u.
“Hey, hey, um…”
“What’s with Seol Ji-u and Nam Rae-in?”
“Weren’t those two fighting? Just recently they were completely ignoring each other. Was that all just a rumor?”
“What rumor?”
“You don’t know? Those two—”
The murmur grew louder.
Nam Rae-in, meanwhile, looked around the classroom with complete composure as if he couldn’t hear a thing.
“…”
Then his gaze fixed on Mun Yu-jin.
The moment their eyes met, Nam Rae-in’s lips seemed to tilt in a slight smile.
With his gaze still on Yu-jin, Nam Rae-in leaned in slightly and whispered to Seol Ji-u.
“You got a minute?”
In that instant, Mun Yu-jin silently clenched his fists.
Nam Rae-in’s smile deepened.

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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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