[AM 06:00]
My smartwatch chimed to signal the time was 6 a.m.
Stop already. I’m already out.
This morning exercise routine had been ingrained in me for the last ten years without a single day missed. If I ever skipped, I’d get beaten up.
The March dawn was still cold. I zipped up my hoodie all the way and started running.
After about ten minutes of running, the once chilly morning air had become familiar. Every time I feel this at this hour, the stillness of the city before it wakes up is strangely calming.
“Hm, it is pretty expansive.”
The Academy’s grounds were vast, living up to its nickname as an Academy City.
Even its facilities alone formed a small town. Besides the main building, there were scenic paths, gymnasiums, research facilities, and shopping districts for the students – everything needed for life without ever leaving the compound.
The course I was running on circled the Academy’s perimeter, and the long straightaway gave a true sense of the grounds’ scale. About the time my breathing started to quicken, I heard the light sound of footsteps from behind.
-Tak, tak, tak.
At first, I didn’t pay it any mind. After all, I wasn’t the only one out exercising this early.
-Tak, tak, tak.
But soon, I noticed the steps were matching my pace steadily. Naturally, I turned my head.
“… Yoo Hana?”
Her azure hair sparkled in the morning sunlight, swinging rhythmically. Wearing a high-end tracksuit top and bottom, she quietly followed behind me without a word.
Was this a continuation of something from before?
I prefer working out alone. These runs are my time to organize my thoughts and train my body, so having someone beside me usually feels inconvenient.
At first, it did irk me. However, since she maintained a steady distance and stayed silent, I quickly forgot about it.
Ah, this is just overthinking.
“She’s probably just out for a run.”
Yoo Hana took no action toward me at all.
Maintaining a respectful distance as if to avoid disrupting my pace, and keeping quiet about the duration of our run.
Her breathing was steady, and even the sound of her footsteps seemed carefully adjusted to match my rhythm.
I unconsciously quickened my pace.
Without surprise, she effortlessly matched it as if she’d been waiting.
It almost felt like I had gained a pace maker.
After running for quite some time,
-Ding-
My smartwatch chimed to signal that I had completed 10 km.
I gradually slowed to a stop.
Coupled with my thudding heartbeat, I glanced at my wrist.
My eyes involuntarily raised when I saw the numbers. It was a personal best.
“Huh, unexpected.”
A record this hard to break usually, but today, it strangely felt easy.
Without realization, I glanced beside me.
Yoo Hana was catching her breath lightly beside me, looking straight ahead. Her breathing didn’t seem to be labored at all, and the sweatdrops on her forehead glistened neatly under the morning sun.
“She doesn’t seem tired at all.”
Just as I was about to casually look away, Yoo Hana turned her head and our eyes met.
“You run well.”
“At the same pace?”
Our words overlapped.
We faced each other in brief silence amidst an awkward atmosphere where our gazes met.
A thin smile soon spread.
“Are you out here every day?”
Yoo Hana broke the silence.
“As long as I can move my legs.”
She smiled faintly at my response.
“Then… can I join you next time?”
I sighed deeply, unzipping my hoodie due to the heat built up during the run.
“That’s not something you need to ask me. It’s your freedom.”
With that, she bowed her head slightly, a distant smile flickering on her face.
“… Thank you.”
I have nothing to lose either. After all, Yoo Hana is the key resource in the story. I anticipated her approach to be difficult, but this natural entanglement is more than adequate.
As a matter of fact, it’s the same with all the heroines.
Ordinarily, I should go through: me → protagonist → heroine. Direct contact is out of the question.
But if that order changes, it’s even better. All I need to do is provide what each one needs individually.
Yoo Hana looked at me for a moment before nodding.
Her azure hair swayed gently under the morning sunlight.
“See you later. Definitely.”
After a brief greeting, she headed down a different path with light steps.
I had the impression that Yoo Hana was someone who bounced around in all directions, but surprisingly, she was not like that at all. Her demeanor now is closer to the Yoo Hana I know from the setting than her previous form.
I stared at her retreating back for a moment before checking the time.
[AM 6:36]
There was still plenty of time.
I was ready to greet the first official day at the Gaon Academy.
Up until coming to the Gaon Academy, at regular military schools, the separation between males and females was strict.
Interactions were strictly prohibited, and there were no opportunities to release the excess energy of teenagers.
But Gaon is different.
Here, there are no rules against romance. In fact, it could even be said that they’re lenient toward it.
The first day where boisterous late-teens gather without consideration for age differences – the built-up curiosity toward each other finally bursts forth.
‘They’ve probably done a lot already.’
Decisively, it’s a story that has nothing to do with me. Their ages are still young, and if you consider my age before the transmigration, there’s a gap of over ten years.
The male students talk louder than usual with exaggerated tones while the female students appear indifferent but slightly increase their laughter to draw attention.
Absolutely adorable. Youth is indeed the best. Ah, am I still young now?
At any rate, it’s good for them to laugh a lot now, as they’ll soon have difficulty doing so.
Because the first class of the protagonist’s class is surely going to be…
Once again, I took the seat at the back corner.
After a few minutes of observation, the door creaked open and footstep sounds entered the classroom. The students immediately fell silent. A large and powerful presence stood there.
“Hush.”
At just one word, the classroom was instantly enveloped in silence. The instructor was wearing a characteristic military uniform, not casual clothes. His closely-cut hair and sturdy frame reminded one of military training.
“I welcome you to the Unit class. I’m Instructor Park Chang-myeong.”
His voice was low but firm.
“The unit activities we’ll be conducting this semester are part of Gaon’s essential curriculum. It carries the most weight in grading and also represents the most important virtue necessary once you become heroes out in society.”
“You will be moving together with the members of the unit assigned to you for the entire semester. This includes academics, training, and practical sessions.”
The instructor continued while moving toward the blackboard.
“Then, before we draw the groups…”
He grinned, revealing his teeth. At that moment, he stood in front of the blackboard and unleashed a strong magical power.
Instantly, the entire classroom shook and a gray aura rose around the students.
“Mass Teleport.”
The magical power took form, slowly unfolding before my eyes. It’s essentially a form of spatial movement technique.
It seems convenient enough to just walk, but this is all part of the instructor’s flair.
As my vision turned stark white and gradually cleared, a new scenery unfolded.
The sight of a dense forest and a magical barrier made with spells limiting the area behind it came into view.
This must be the outdoor practice field inside the Academy. All 70 of us must be scattered in sections across this extensive practice field.
There were five people in front of me, four excluding myself.
Among them was Yoo Hana. She gave me a bright smile and a wave.
I looked at her briefly and nodded lightly.
That’s when a male student stood up confidently.
“Hello.”
His voice was gentle.
The neatly combed hair and perfectly dressed school uniform exuded confidence.
“My name is Yoon Sanghyuk. My current ranking is 60th. Nice to meet you.”
His tone was smooth and well-organized.
However, before he could finish, someone from the side interjected.
“Hey, why use honorifics? We’re all the same age. Let’s be informal.”
An adjacent student jumped in, seemingly having some sort of friendship with him.
“Ah… shall we?” Yoon Sanghyuk scratched his head, looking a little flustered.
“Is everyone okay with it?”
However, his gaze immediately fixed on Yoo Hana.
Though the question appeared to be directed toward everyone, his eyes were focused solely on her.
“Yoo Hana, is that okay? Can we be informal?”
Yoo Hana gave him a blank stare.
A brief silence, and then she briefly nodded.
“Sure.”
Her reply was concise. But Yoon Sanghyuk did not let the momentum slip. Smiling, he took a step forward.
“Wow, really lucky. How does someone as famous as you end up in our group? I’ve heard so many stories about you even before entering the school. They say unit activities are really important, so we shouldn’t have to worry, right?”
“Please take good care of me! Yoo Hana-sama!”
Yoon Sanghyuk and the student next to him enthusiastically continued talking.
They were straining to make a good impression on Yoo Hana in any way they could.
They truly are hardworking.
“Yeah.”
Her reply, however, was short.
“Haha… We can be informal if you like.”
Yoon Sanghyuk tried to lighten the mood with a slightly awkward laugh.
But her next words immediately shattered that attempt.
“No, I find the honorifics more comfortable.”
A clear and cold response. Yoon Sanghyuk’s expression stiffened subtly. He tried to maintain his smile, but the ends of his lips were visibly trembling.
Then, as if he had found a new target, his gaze shifted to another student.
“I’m Kim Daehyun, ranked #541. Nice to meet you. My main weapon is the shield.”
The new speaker was a robustly built individual with a sturdy physique.
“Hmm… alright, #541. Nice to you too.”
Yoon Sanghyuk had a brief exchange with Kim Daehyun before finally approaching me.
He extended his hand with a bright smile.
“Jung Hae-in. No current ranking.”
I shook his hand lightly, replying.
“No ranking…?”
His gaze flickered momentarily before nodding as if realizing something.
“Ah, I see. You’re a ‘special student’, aren’t you?”
He smirked meaningfully, his smile carrying a hint of ridicule.
That intonation deliberately emphasizing the words ‘special student’.
Without comment, I withdrew my hand. It seemed as if he had some sort of misunderstanding.
Yoon Sanghyuk returned to his seat, slightly tilting his head with the air of having won a small victory.
As soon as he sat down, the announcement resonated across the practice field.
“This is the first task. Form your unit.”
The instruction was simple.
However, the announcement did not specify that the team must be formed exclusively from those present or dictate a particular method.
Just “Form your unit.”
When the announcement ended, Yoon Sanghyuk whispered something to the student beside him and then grinned.
“Yoo Hana.”
Yoo Hana replied without looking at him.
“Yes.”
“No matter how I think about it, I don’t think we necessarily have to form the team only from the members here. Just…”
He continued with a meaning-laden smile.
“Them.”
Yoon Sanghyuk tilted his head slightly, gesturing towards Kim Daehyun and me.
“How about we form a unit with just me, her, and the other guy? After all, our rankings would be similar, and it’d be nice to be in a team with people of similar standards. Honestly, if we give them a free pass from the start, their habits might worsen.”
I didn’t expect him to say such things in front of everyone, but I’ll give him credit for his audacity.
Listening from the side, Kim Daehyun already looked deflated, his gaze on the ground.
I was also in a dilemma. Should I go along with it nicely?
Or challenge it?
However, my thoughts did not last long.
Yoo Hana listened to Yoon Sanghyuk’s words and gradually broke into a laugh. Her laughter was neither light-hearted nor warm, but rather tinged with some incredulity and cold disdain.
“Standard?”
“You said ‘standard’?”
Yoo Hana approached me, never making eye contact with him as she moved lightly.
With a bright expression, she asked.
“Jung Hae-in.”
She stopped in front of me and tilted her head slightly as she questioned.
“Would you like to be in a unit with me?”
Yoon Sanghyuk bristled from where he stood.
“Hey, what’s this…!”
Ignoring his voice, Yoo Hana continued calmly.
“One year ago, at the East Coast Catalyst Explosion that led to a surge in monsters, the sole combatant who eliminated all the enemies.”
Yoon Sanghyuk’s eyebrows twitched slightly at Yoo Hana’s words.
“I heard about a spear specialist who’s extremely handsome…”
Yoo Hana tilting her head as she examined my face, then suddenly extended her hand and lightly pinched my cheek.
“Yep, that’s true.”
Her gaze was steady and piercing, focused solely on me.
“Seems the ‘special’ entry student in the truest sense. Right?”
As she spoke, Yoon Sanghyuk’s expression stiffened progressively. At first, he appeared confused, but then his expression hardened as if he had understood something.
“Anyway…”
With a slight smirk, Yoo Hana looped her arm with mine.
“Our standards probably match better here.”
She then stuck her tongue out playfully.
