Rank 0 of the Awakener Special School - Chapter 84

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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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Awakener Special School Rank Zero
Episode 84
Whiiing.
The sudden gust of summer wind that blew across the grounds was so cold it sent chills through his entire body.
Moon Yu-jin was just parting his lips to say something in return.
“Oh, you two. You’re already here.”
A cheerful voice swept away the icy tension that had hung between them.
In the distance, a figure waved broadly as she approached—Tae Ga-yeong.
Tae Ga-yeong.
And following behind her, Seol Ji-hyo in her grip on the backpack strap… Ji-u came into view.
When Ji-u saw that Moon Yu-jin and Nam Rae-in were together, he seemed somewhat startled, and his steps came to a halt a short distance away.
More than that, though…….
Something about the atmosphere felt off.
“…What were you two doing?”
“Just talking about how blue the sky is.”
Nam Rae-in replied with a jest and ambled toward Ji-u.
“You actually hung it?”
He gestured toward Ji-u’s backpack with a grin.
Attached to the backpack Ji-u wore was an oddly ugly-looking doll. Moon Yu-jin’s gaze fixed on it as well.
As everyone’s attention converged on it, Ji-u quietly tried to hide the figurine.
“…What else was I supposed to do? I couldn’t just throw it away.”
His voice came out smaller than usual.
Truth be told, after parting ways with Nam Rae-in that day, he’d wrestled with it several times. What was he supposed to do with this doll?
But in the end, he’d hung it on his bag anyway.
It was just one doll, after all.
He knew clearly what he needed to do now, and he hadn’t forgotten his place, so it should be fine—.
That’s what he’d thought when he quietly attached it.
But seeing Nam Rae-in wearing such a pleased expression, Ji-u felt an odd self-consciousness creeping in.
“Since you’re going to hang it anyway, why not put it somewhere more visible?”
Nam Rae-in expertly removed the doll that had been hanging from the bottom zipper of the backpack and smoothly transferred it to the shoulder strap himself.
Everything flowed as naturally and fluidly as water.
“This spot is better.”
Only then did Nam Rae-in find the proper position for the doll, lightly tap it with his fingertip, and smile with satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Ji-u, stealing a glance at the doll, spoke.
“…If I lose it hanging there, that’s on you.”
“Yeah, it’s fine if you lose it.”
As Nam Rae-in replied, his gaze slid away to somewhere else.
Toward Moon Yu-jin, who still stood motionless beneath the tree.
The fingertips that had been tapping the doll drifted naturally toward Ji-u’s shoulder.
“I’ll buy you another one.”
His hand, draped around the shoulder with easy familiarity.
The moment he saw it, Moon Yu-jin’s expression hardened completely.
Nam Rae-in’s smile deepened further.
“No matter how many times you lose it, I’ll keep buying you more.”
* * *
After that, the Special Unit members arrived in turn.
Once Tae Ga-yeong confirmed everyone had assembled, she explained the mission.
“As you all know, Narak near Jeju Island recently experienced a Reversal. Some of you may have already caught on, but this is an Outdoor Mission.”
Outdoor Mission…….
At that word, Ji-u’s heartbeat quickened slightly.
“Currently, we have eight personnel without prior commitments. Since we all familiarized ourselves with faces at Seol Ji-hyo’s welcome gathering, no one here is a stranger to anyone else.”
Tae Ga-yeong, Do Min-gi, Seol Ji-hyo, Nam Rae-in, Moon Yu-jin.
And three senior members whom Ji-u had seen at the welcome gathering.
“Since there are also missions to handle on campus, not all eight of us can be away at once. So four will go to Jeju Island, and the other four will stay on campus. To Jeju Island will be myself, Seol Ji-hyo, Moon Yu-jin, and…… hmm.”
Tae Ga-yeong’s gaze, sweeping across the Special Unit members, came to rest on one person.
“Ra Jun-hyeok, I think you’d be a good fit.”
“Huh? Me?”
“Yes. Since Moon Yu-jin and Seol Ji-hyo are both first-years, it’ll be better to have one more third-year attached. And since Do Min-gi needs to stay here as vice-commander to oversee operations, you’re the perfect choice.”
At that, Ra Jun-hyeok nodded as if convinced.
Actually, the objection came from elsewhere.
“Wow, you can just split us up like that?”
“Nam Rae-in, is there an issue?”
“I wanted to go with him.”
Nam Rae-in rested his head sideways against Ji-u’s shoulder, as if making a point to everyone.
Ji-u immediately wrenched his shoulder away.
Tae Ga-yeong regarded the two of them, then spoke firmly.
“Your Core and Do Min-gi’s Core have good compatibility. I’ve determined that you two staying on campus will be more efficient. Any other objections?”
With the commander having said as much, Nam Rae-in found it difficult to add further complaint.
He pouted and shrugged his shoulders.
“Got it. But next mission, pair me with him.”
“Noted—.”
“Except him.”
Nam Rae-in indicated with a jerk of his chin the direction Moon Yu-jin was standing.
Moon Yu-jin, who had been checking his bag before departure, lifted his head with a hard expression.
Their eyes met, and Nam Rae-in smiled thinly.
“Why? You don’t want to hang around with me anyway.”
“…….”
Moon Yu-jin stared at Nam Rae-in without responding.
…Or was he glaring?
Ji-u observed the two of them, as if sparks were flying between them.
He’d been thinking it since before, but these two seemed to have a poor relationship.
Especially today, it seemed even more pronounced.
“Why are you all standing there idly? Shall we depart?”
Finally, Do Min-gi’s sharp comment put an end to the situation, and…….
With the decision to head to Jeju Island made, Ji-u left the school gates with the other three.
At the harbor, a single ship had been prepared in advance.
Since Tae Ga-yeong and Ra Jun-hyeok, who were his year, sat beside each other, Ji-u naturally ended up seated next to Moon Yu-jin.
“Then we’ll be setting off.”
Once everyone had boarded, a man who appeared to be a crew member spoke.
‘Jeju Island, huh.’
Wearing a life jacket, Ji-u gazed out the window with a peculiar expression.
Now that he thought about it, back in middle school, Seol Ji-hyo had gone on a school trip to Jeju Island.
She’d brought back tangerine chocolate as a souvenir, along with an ugly stone magnet—a harubang, she’d called it.
‘…I never thought I’d actually go there in my lifetime.’
It was a strange feeling.
Though it was a mission, the fact that he’d end up going to Jeju Island in this way was something he’d never imagined.
From what he’d heard, there were canola flowers that covered the horizon in waves. The season might have already passed.
‘Well…… even if they were in bloom, I won’t be able to see them anyway since I won’t be going inland.’
According to what Tae Ga-yeong had said, they would ride this ship straight toward the waters around Jeju Island.
The Special Unit members here consisted of four total: Ji-u, Tae Ga-yeong, Moon Yu-jin, and Ra Jun-hyeok.
They had decided to divide into pairs and perform the mission accordingly.
Team One—Ji-u and Ga-yeong—had the task of directly entering the waters near Jeju Island, that is, Narak itself, to locate the missing cruise ship.
In other words, they wouldn’t be stopping at Jeju Island proper.
Team Two—Moon Yu-jin and Ra Jun-hyeok—would dock at Jeju Island and then rendezvous with the Purification Unit stationed there.
They would assess the damage to the nearby sea caused by this Reversal, handle transporting the injured, and manage communications with the mainland.
‘It’s going to take quite a while from here to Jeju Island.’
Maybe he should try to get some sleep.
Since returning home, the image of Seol Ji-hyo had clung to his eyelids, and Ji-u hadn’t managed to sleep deeply.
Taking a brief rest before the mission wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Though it was a bit nerve-wracking with someone sitting next to him…….
Moon Yu-jin would be putting on earphones soon anyway. He certainly wouldn’t pay any attention to this side.
And so, before he knew it, Ji-u drifted off to sleep.
How much time had passed since then?
When he opened his eyes again, the ship Ji-u was on sat in the middle of an unfamiliar sea.
‘…I really slept hard without realizing it.’
He rubbed his eyes.
He wondered where they were by now. He was about to let out a quiet yawn and check outside the window when—
“……?”
A strange feeling made him reflexively turn his head, and there was Moon Yu-jin.
For some reason, he was staring intently at the doll attached to Ji-u’s backpack—specifically at it, resting on Ji-u’s knee.

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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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