Rank 0 of the Awakener Special School - Chapter 73

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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 Awakener Special School
Chapter 73
…Suddenly?
I was taken aback.
But Moon Yu-jin’s expression was far too serious for me to object.
After a brief hesitation, I answered honestly.
“At first, I didn’t really like you.”
A fairly candid answer.
Yu-jin’s gaze settled on me.
“Why didn’t you like me?”
“You know I was bullied, right?”
…….
No reply came.
That must be a yes.
“You weren’t the one directly doing it, but you were complicit by staying silent. It’s hard to think well of someone like that. And honestly, I still feel that way now.”
I sat down on a plastic chair nearby.
“But… my opinion has shifted a little. Because I’ve come to see that you’re not a bad person.”
I’d actually received quite a lot of help from Moon Yu-jin.
If asked whether I think poorly of him now, I can say no.
But why is he asking this all of a sudden?
I answered because he asked, but now Yu-jin seemed lost in thought.
The sky had turned pitch black without my noticing.
Under stars small as grains of salt, a voice—slightly subdued—drifted down.
“…I didn’t know.”
“Know what?”
“That you were being bullied. I didn’t know.”
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
“What are you talking about? Are you saying you didn’t know I nearly fell apart in the eighth grade?”
“…Yeah, I didn’t know.”
He didn’t look like he was lying.
But it couldn’t be true.
I knew that Moon Yu-jin was indifferent to the world around him. But not this—not in a school where we’d been climbing together since elementary. How could he possibly not know?
Perhaps reading my thoughts, Yu-jin stepped a little closer.
“I’m serious.”
His silver-gray eyes fixed directly on me.
“I went overseas after graduating elementary school. For three years.”
…….
“I transferred back to Gaon starting the high school entrance ceremony.”
…….
The nameless chirp of a cricket drifted across the silence.
After a moment, I let out a breath—half-laugh, half-sigh.
I didn’t know.
That Moon Yu-jin had gone overseas.
If he’d been away from Gaon from elementary graduation until the high school entrance ceremony, that matched exactly when Ji-hyo was being bullied.
If that was true…….
It meant I’d gravely misunderstood Moon Yu-jin.
“…You should have said something earlier.”
As I muttered it bluntly, Moon Yu-jin replied as if he’d been waiting.
“I should have.”
Then silence again.
I felt oddly sorry and couldn’t bring myself to speak, but unexpectedly, Yu-jin broke the quiet.
“So… it’s fine now, right?”
“What is?”
“The misunderstanding. It’s cleared up?”
I blinked slowly.
“I already told you. Regardless of what happened before, I know you’re not a bad person. I don’t hold any ill will.”
“That’s a relief.”
At that moment.
Moon Yu-jin smiled faintly, as if relieved.
“I was afraid you hated me.”
The unexpected words caught in my throat.
As if… he’d been anxious all along that I might dislike him.
Even knowing Moon Yu-jin couldn’t possibly be like that, something felt strange.
So I shrugged, trying to shake off that peculiar feeling.
“You think like that?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, with a face like yours, most people couldn’t possibly hate you.”
I walked over to the counter and pretended to count the coins Yu-jin had left out, moving my fingers mechanically.
Watching my back, I thought of that girl who’d handed me a red envelope during the festival.
The one who said she’d fallen for me at first sight.
That girl who’d developed feelings based on appearance alone.
When I’d heard it, my emotions hadn’t stirred at all. Compliments about my face were as familiar as perfect test scores—commonplace.
But now…….
“Do you?”
“Hm?”
“Do you also think my face is decent?”
My hand counting coins stopped.
I turned my head unconsciously, and our eyes met.
His silver-gray eyes gazed at me as if searching for something, piercing and intent.
Whoooosh…….
A warm night breeze swept in.
For some reason, I couldn’t quite breathe.
I lowered my head, looking away from his gaze.
“I have eyes too, you know.”
With my head bowed, I grumbled slightly—as if to ask how he thought I couldn’t tell.
Then a faint laugh drifted through the warm breeze.
That laughter vanished like an illusion, swallowed by the wind just as quickly.
“…Then that works.”
Moon Yu-jin stepped closer and began counting coins alongside me.
Unlike the warm air circling around us, he carried a calm, cool scent.
I moved my fingers idly over the coins.
‘…Where did I count to?’
Strange. Arithmetic was my forte.
But I couldn’t remember for the life of me.
* * *
After the brief festival ended.
Students received their first semester report cards and test results, reactions mixed.
And as time passed, summer break came rushing upon us.
Most classes before the closing ceremony were self-study periods.
In the remaining time, students either participated in club activities or prepared to return home.
“Yu-jin, what are you planning? Heading straight home?”
“Yeah, I should.”
After school.
Yu-jin and Han-gyeol were playing catch in the open space around the High School Dormitory.
Han-gyeol threw the ball toward Yu-jin and asked.
“There’s Special Class activity during break too, right? So you’ll be back at school soon.”
“Probably.”
“What about Ji-hyo?”
“He’s in the Special Class too.”
“…Lucky him.”
Smack.
Yu-jin caught the ball in his gloved hand.
It was his turn to throw, but for some reason he only stared at the ball in his grip without making any move to throw.
“……? You’re not throwing?”
As Han-gyeol asked with a puzzled expression, Yu-jin’s gaze shifted slowly from the ball to him.
“You asked Seol Ji-hyo to be your partner at the festival, didn’t you?”
“Huh? Oh… you found out.”
Han-gyeol scratched the back of his head.
“I worked up the courage and gave it a shot, but it didn’t work out.”
Yu-jin already knew that.
During the campfire, he’d looked for Seol Ji-hyo and Han-gyeol from a distance but couldn’t find them anywhere.
He’d found him later near the lake, outside the Annex Building where no one was around.
Seeing him with Nam Rae-in, Yu-jin had felt as if entranced, and he’d taken him away from there—.
…….
The ball he’d been about to throw toward Han-gyeol froze in midair.
“Listen.”
“Yeah?”
“…Am I handsome?”
“What?”
Han-gyeol’s expression was one of utter bewilderment.
“What are you suddenly saying? Did the heat get to you?”
…….
Yu-jin fell silent for a moment, then suddenly threw the ball hard at Han-gyeol.
“You like Seol Ji-hyo, don’t you?”
Thud! Tumble-tumble…….
The ball Han-gyeol failed to catch dropped onto the grass.
“…Huh?”
Without even picking up the ball, Han-gyeol just stared blankly at Yu-jin.
Why was he acting like this all of a sudden?
No, more than that…….
“Why are you asking out of nowhere?”
“Just curious.”
“……Curious about that?”
“Every time you come to our class, you bring Banana Milk for him.”
At Yu-jin’s answer, Han-gyeol’s mouth went quiet.
…It was unexpected.
The Yu-jin he usually knew would never ask something like this, nor would he care about it in the first place.
“…Truth is, I’m not sure myself. The partner request was half a spur of the moment thing.”
“Spur of the moment?”
“Yeah. Remember after the soccer match? How you and I had a bit of an argument? That’s when I heard Ji-hyo had a fiancé, and… I don’t know, I suddenly felt anxious.”
“Then you like him, don’t you?”
“I… I suppose I might.”
Han-gyeol bent forward slightly and picked up the ball that had fallen near his feet.
As he brushed the dirt from the ball, he added quietly.
“I’ve decided to let it go.”
“…You’re giving up on someone you like?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to cause him any trouble.”
“How would you liking Seol Ji-hyo cause trouble?”
“That’s pretty nosy, Moon Yu-jin. When did you become so curious?”
Han-gyeol smiled lightly and swung his arm, throwing the ball with force.
The ball cut through the air in an instant and stuck cleanly to Yu-jin’s glove as if clinging to it.
Seeing this, Han-gyeol’s face broke into a relieved smile.
“Anyway, there’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m already out of the picture.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean.”
Han-gyeol took off his glove as if that was the end of it.
“Let’s go. I need to pack.”
…….
The sound of footsteps on grass faded away.
Yu-jin gazed at the white ball nestled in his glove.
– You know what I mean.
Normally, he would have asked “Know what?” in return.
But this time, he didn’t.
He seemed to understand.
Or rather, he already did.
That inexplicable feeling which had surged up the moment he’d seen Nam Rae-in and that boy coming out of the Annex Building on the day of the festival.
He wasn’t fool enough not to know what that feeling was.
In fact, he’d been quite pleased to hear there would be Special Class activities during the break.
The reason was probably that he could see that boy even during the summer.
And he’d hoped that Han-gyeol wouldn’t like that boy.
And the reason for that was probably…….
“Han-gyeol.”
Yu-jin called out to the receding figure.
“Then I’ll exclude you.”
An abrupt declaration.
But at that clear voice, Han-gyeol let out a soft laugh.
“As you wish.”

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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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