Episode 70 New Member (2)
Because of the aftereffects of the shock, I skipped my afternoon classes.
‘How can you contact me after seeing a poster like that?’
It didn’t make sense. If you applied because you were influenced by such an absurd sense, you must not be a normal person.
‘Even Weapon, that guy had an expression of disbelief.’
Weapon stared blankly at the black liquid crystal display for a long time. Then he straightened his neck and pounded his chest.
It was ridiculous and funny how he acted so confident but then he himself was surprised.
“…by the way.”
I sometimes have this thought that maybe I’m a spy sent by some hidden force targeting me.
Aren’t you still unaware of what the female instructor and Rain Sean were trying to say? Otherwise, there’s no way you’d contact me after seeing that poster.
‘There’s nothing wrong with being suspicious.’
After organizing my thoughts like that, I checked the time. There were 10 minutes left before the last class ended. In a little while, it would be time to meet a new person.
By the way, this time Speed Weapon didn’t know who his opponent was. He said that he was wary because the call came from an unknown number, which is why he tilted his head earlier.
Since Weapon is acquainted with most of the major characters, he is someone they don’t know, so he probably isn’t a key character. Well, you can just meet him and check for yourself, so there’s no need to worry too much about it.
I looked out the window at the sunset. The sun was slowly hiding itself at the edge of the horizon.
An orange glow was bathing the land.
“Okay, that’s all for today’s class.”
While I was dazed for a moment, I heard the sound of the professor’s chalk marking the end of class.
At the same time, Ryozo and Chloe stood up on either side like wings. The two nodded to each other and quickly finished preparing.
These two seemed to have similar thoughts to me. I quickly packed my bags and headed to the meeting place.
* * *
After leaving the professor’s office, we gathered at the main building’s Starbucks.
The price of coffee is a bit high, but since it’s an interview, I can’t call you out to the backyard.
I ordered an espresso and sat down at a convenient seat. Chloe sat down on either side of me, holding an avocado smoothie and a Ryozoh Yokan Dolce Latte, as usual.
At some point, these two began to take charge of my left and right sides, sharing the burden nicely.
At that sight, all eyes in the cafe turned to me. The eyes of the female cadets were filled with contempt, while the eyes of the male cadets were filled with jealousy and envy.
“Oh, what’s up? You all came early?”
Weapon, who arrived late, leaned back on the remaining chair. He took out the club-related documents and tapped them on the table to neatly organize them.
A strange atmosphere permeated the café. Everyone sipped their drinks in silence, contributing to the silence. A variety of complex emotions spread across the room. Expectations, anxiety, and doubts were all mixed together.
“excuse me.”
We all turned at once when we heard a voice from behind.
He had shoulder-length green hair and thick glasses. The shiny lenses seemed to be covered in a thick fog, making it difficult to see beyond them.
Apart from a somewhat vague impression, his height and appearance were very ordinary.
The only unique thing about her was her skin, which was almost transparent. She was pale and pale, like someone who had never been exposed to sunlight.
“Are you by any chance a member of the travel club?”
“Oh, yes, yes. Please sit down.”
Weapon, who had been looking dazed for a moment, gestured toward the empty chair.
She bowed deeply and sat down quietly. Ryozo covered his mouth with his hand and whispered in my ear.
“What, it’s more ordinary than I thought?”
I nodded slightly in agreement.
Then he turned his gaze to the road applicant.
The various thoughts were embarrassing, but the applicant was extremely ordinary. Surrounded by people with unique personalities, it felt rather bland.
‘… But strangely, the atmosphere seems similar to someone else’s.’
As I tilted my head to look at her, she put her middle finger on the bridge of her nose and adjusted her glasses. The glasses, which were very large, looked like a mask covering her face.
“Thank you for applying to our travel club”
“Can you introduce yourself?”
Ryozo cut off Weapon’s words in one breath. He tried to raise his voice, but saw Saki’s sidelong glance and grumbled quietly.
Then Ryozo rested his chin on his clasped hands and spoke.
A face with a faint smile, but an eerie absence of emotion.
In order to gauge someone you don’t know, it’s essential to hide your true feelings.
“Oh, yes. My name is ‘Sanhana’ and I’m in the second year class. Oh, my hometown is Busan.”
“Are you Korean?
“Oh, yes yes.”
When I asked, Sanha nodded while holding her glasses with her index finger.
‘… But is there a surname called San in our country?’
Just a moment of thought, this is not Earth, it is another world.
Even if there are one or two unique surnames, it is not at all strange.
‘Anyway, I am also a member of the Seori Kang clan, which does not exist on Earth.’
I thought he was a foreigner because of his fair skin and green hair, but he’s actually a Korean.
Besides, I had also been to Busan before. I was secretly happy and blurted out whatever I wanted.
“When I lived in Busan before, I ate a lot of pork soup.”
“Oh, really? The pork bone soup is delicious. It’s great when you mix rice with dadegi and jeongguji in the white broth and eat it.”
Contrary to his calm impression, his taste buds seem to be very old-fashioned.
It seems unusual for them to spout out local terms. Even the old men’s characteristic throat-scraping sound is natural.
‘He’s a true Busan person.’
Ryozo frowned and poked his side with his elbow. Then he moved his lips and muttered a word.
‘Hey, are you out of your mind?’
At those words, I inadvertently hardened the broken boundaries. Since it was the first time I had seen a Korean since entering Joaquin Academy, I relaxed a little.
Ryozo points to the members with a chin gesture. Weapon is still in a frozen state with his arms crossed. Chloe lets down her guard at Sanhana’s ordinary first impression and just sips her smoothie.
‘… The only one who is serious is Ryozo.’
Only Ryozo is suspicious and cautious of the newcomer.
‘As expected, it’s a sweet potato prevention character.’
Ryozo, who was looking at me, immediately put a heartless ring on his eyes and mouth and continued asking questions to Sanhana. His voice was eerily gentle.
“Is there a reason or motivation for applying to our travel club?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Ryozo opened his eyes slightly and scanned Sanhana. His eyes moved tenaciously as if he was trying not to miss a single movement. On the other hand, Sanhana responded calmly.
“I saw on the poster that the club’s main activity was traveling and clearing dungeons. My practical test scores were pretty mediocre this year, so I wanted to clear a few, and I happened to see the announcement and applied.”
“We are strictly a travel club, and clearing dungeons is a side activity. There must be quite a few clubs in the upper grades that focus on conquering dungeons, right?”
Ryozo’s eyelashes only half-covered his pupils. Sanhana let out a small sigh and shook her head.
“When I got to my senior year, there was no place that wanted to take in a normal student like me. Everyone was in a hurry because there wasn’t much time left in the academy. I think it was only natural that I, an incompetent person, would be eliminated.”
“… Well, I didn’t say that. Anyway, I understand.”
Ryozo seemed not to like the answer, but nodded as if he understood.
And the two talked for a long time.
It was a story, but in reality it was an interrogation or a verbal battle. Despite Ryojo’s tone that could have been somewhat harsh, Sanhana responded with sincerity.
“… Well then, I understand your circumstances, senior.”
“Yes, yes, I really want to join this club. Not only to clear dungeons, but since I’m in my second year, I want to make some memories at the academy before I graduate.”
“Hmm.”
After a while, Ryozo nodded to me with just an eyebrow. I guess it meant that it seemed okay.
‘I think this is enough.’
Having worked in the service industry for a long time, I can vaguely guess what kind of person they are based on the atmosphere they exude.
He added the sensitivity of the swordsman’s protection to it and kept watching over Sanhana.
But there is no sign of anything special. Although Sanhana is maintaining a poker face with half of her expression hidden by her glasses.
There is also cross-checking by Saki Ryozo, who has excellent insight. So you can rest assured.
Additionally, we can expect that the ordinariness of Sanhana will neutralize the unique members.
And above all, she is Korean. That alone is a huge plus for me. I made up my mind and spoke to Sanhana.
“Welcome to the travel club, senior.”
“Oh, am I signed up?”
Sanhana asked, tilting her head slightly. I nodded in agreement.
She bowed her head and expressed her gratitude without any change in expression.
“Senior, we are one year younger than you, so please speak comfortably.”
“… Oh, is that so?”
Before she could finish speaking, Sanha responded as if she had been waiting for it. Ryozo, who had been talking to her, also opened his eyes wide. I also felt embarrassed for a moment, but it was nothing to worry about.
‘First of all, since you’re my senior, it’s easier for both of us to talk quickly.’
We’ve been seeing each other for at least a year, so there’s no need to be unnecessary formal. Besides, Chloe was enough to be polite.
“You guys, please speak comfortably. We’re only one year apart anyway, so I don’t want to be treated as the oldest.”
I thought about it for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
“Then I’ll just call you senior.”
As the conversation was coming to a close, one by one, people got up from their seats. There was the sound of the soles of their chairs being dragged across the floor.
At that moment, Weapon made a face as if he had just remembered something and handed Sanha an application form.
“Hey, Senior Hana. Write this up this week, submit it to the administrative office, and then let me know.”
The letters in Sanhana’s glasses were reflected like a mirror. As her gaze went down, it suddenly stopped at a certain part of the documents.
“…The club advisor is the principal?”
“That’s right, the manager accepted the request right away.”
Weapon shrugged and said. Sanhana looked up from her documents and stared at me intently. Her lenses weren’t flashing, but I could feel her gaze.
The corners of her mouth seemed to curl into a round shape, then a soft curve was drawn. It was an expression I had never seen before in an hour since I had met Sanhana. She muttered in a voice that was barely audible.
“Thanks to you, I think my life at the academy will be more enjoyable.”
After waving hands like that, Sanhana left the cafe first.
Afterwards, the members each packed their bags, and I pondered Sanhana’s smile and words.
‘I think it’ll be fun.’
I don’t know where he said that, but his speech and smile vaguely resembled someone else’s.
‘Who was it, ma’am?’
As I pondered over the voice and impression that gave me a sense of foreboding, the lump of my thoughts began to crumble like a sand castle. After standing silently for a while, Ryozo blurted out.
“What, why are you like that?”
“Well, it’s nothing special. Does he look like one of your seniors? Or is it just me who feels that way?”
When I asked, Ryozo gently rubbed his temples with his index finger and then tilted his head.
“Well, no one in particular? I can’t think of anyone. As I said before, I don’t forget a face once I’ve seen it. Actually, his glasses are so big and thick that I can’t see his face properly… … . Isn’t it just that his expression is blurry?”
“I see.”
I scratched my neck. Then I shook my head gently to shake off the floating thoughts.
I didn’t want to start thinking about something when one thing had just been resolved.
“Phew.”
