“Should I just chug this?”
Saying that, Ban Eunhyeol grabbed the paper cup with anchovy extract and downed it in one go before anyone could say anything.
I wasn’t the only one surprised by his unexpected response. Ban Eunhyeol, who had never shown any signs of dating or liking someone, was avoiding the question?
We all stared at Ban Eunhyeol, frowning at the empty paper cup.
To drink that so nonchalantly and show no change in expression…
‘He’s a tough one.’
Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing. Ban Eunhyeol looked around at us, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and uttered just one word.
“What.”
At his sharp gaze, my classmates quickly spun the bottle to pick the next target.
Curious but unable to ask about his intention for drinking the anchovy extract, the kids only started talking about it after the school trip ended.
The rumor that Ban Eunhyeol might have someone he liked spread throughout the school in an instant.
The school was completely turned upside down because of the rumor.
Every female student who even briefly talked to Ban Eunhyeol was put on the suspect list.
Of course, Yeon Hayeon and I were among them, but we weren’t called out of the classroom or deliberately picked on with obvious intentions.
‘It’s nice and convenient when your rank is known.’
I rested my head on my desk, turning to look out the window.
Now, if only homeroom would end, I could go home, but looking at the scenery outside, I really didn’t feel like walking out the school gate.
The problem I had intended to slowly think about after the school trip was now uncomfortably close.
“Isn’t that Baek Jiwoo out there?”
Yeon Hayeon, who seemed to have seen exactly the same thing as me, spoke, looking out the window.
Then the Four Heavenly Kings glanced outside and each said something.
“It really is! It’s the number one of the Gwanak District Western Alliance!”
At the mention of Baek Jiwoo, I quietly covered my ears. I wanted to say, ‘Do you really have to call him that?’ but since it was one of the natural everyday terms for students in this world, I couldn’t say anything.
To live according to my original personality and not be suspected of being an outsider, I had to give up one or two things.
For example, these words, these situations.
“Why is he all the way out here?”
As Eunbada mumbled in confusion, Ji Ganghan, who had been continuously looking out the window, turned slightly and looked at me.
“Looks like he came to see you.”
I let out a low sigh.
Han Jibin, Eunbada, and Yeon Hayeon seemed to have finally realized the purpose of Baek Jiwoo’s visit after seeing my reaction.
After the school trip, upon hearing that I intended to join one of the guilds, several guild masters from the Seven Great Guilds actively contacted me, wanting to recruit me.
The Four Heavenly Kings’ guild originally operated only among themselves without other guild members, so they had nothing specific to say to me.
However, Yeon Hayeon, Baek Jiwoo, and Do Yihyeon tried everything to recruit me into their guilds on the day my A-rank was measured.
The Milky Way Guild was made up entirely of men, and there was a reason they could only recruit men, so they weren’t particularly interested in me.
While guilds with student guild masters, excluding Black Flame Dragon and the Four Heavenly Kings, were sending love calls, it was curious that guilds with adult guild masters hadn’t contacted me.
If I was A-rank, they would surely want to bring me into their guilds, so it was strange.
Baek Jiwoo was waiting for me outside the school gate, receiving the gazes of all the students.
Since I hadn’t decided where to go and was stalling for time, he seemed to have decided to make direct contact.
“Hey, let’s go out the back gate.”
Ban Eunhyeol, who had already packed his bag, whispered lowly, pointing to the back gate with his thumb.
As soon as the homeroom teacher’s short concluding remarks ended, he shot up, threw his bag over one shoulder, and headed for the back door.
Just as I was getting up, judging that it would be better to go out the back gate as Ban Eunhyeol suggested, Yeon Hayeon grabbed my wrist, stopping me from following Ban Eunhyeol.
“Do we really need to go out the back gate?”
Then she slightly raised my hand and continued,
“It’s a problem that ends if you just say you’ll join our guild anyway.”
My classmates, who had only checked who was outside after homeroom ended, watched us with excited expressions.
Ban Eunhyeol, who had long legs and had walked to the back door without even checking if I was following, turned around and looked at me.
His gaze dropped from my face, which probably had “What do I do?” written all over it in large letters, to my wrist, which Yeon Hayeon was holding.
His slightly furrowed brow showed Ban Eunhyeol’s discomfort.
“It’s not decided yet. I need to think about it more and decide slowly.”
I gently pulled Yeon Hayeon’s hand off my wrist and said.
Yeon Hayeon nodded with a disappointed expression.
However, as soon as I pulled Yeon Hayeon’s hand away, another person appeared, trying to recruit me into Hyulhyang.
‘I can tell who it is just by the sound.’
Along with the sound of someone running in the hallway, I heard girls’ flirty remarks and screams.
Soon after, the back door was violently opened, and green hair came into view.
“Noona! Did you see outside? The Jizon Guild Master is here.”
It was Yeon Hyeonggwang.
He seemed to have run up as soon as homeroom ended in the first-year classroom, his hair slightly disheveled as he naturally walked into our classroom.
Anyone would think this was Yeon Hyeonggwang’s class by his uninhibited stride.
“Wow, that’s the life of an A-rank.”
“If Jizon is coming all the way here, isn’t that really amazing?”
“I’ve never seen Baek Jiwoo move like that himself.”
With the Four Heavenly Kings, Yeon Hayeon, and Yeon Hyeonggwang surrounding me, my classmates whispered amongst themselves, watching us.
In an instant, I became an amazing person who made the Jizon Guild Master move directly.
“I saw him. I’m going to see the Jizon Guild Master now, so no one follow me.”
I walked past Yeon Hyeonggwang and out the back door.
Bringing the Four Heavenly Kings, Yeon Hayeon, and Yeon Hyeonggwang along would only draw attention from the students.
Besides, there might be a silent battle of nerves between Yeon Hayeon and Baek Jiwoo at the school gate, both wanting to take me to their respective guilds.
Everyone must have listened well when I told them not to follow, as I felt no one behind me.
I walked straight out of the school and to the gate where Baek Jiwoo was leaning.
Baek Jiwoo was leaning against the wall with his bicycle parked in front of the school gate.
As soon as he spotted me, he straightened his stance, balancing on one leg, and greeted me by casually raising a hand.
I was just thinking that the leader of an alliance usually rode a motorcycle, so a bicycle was a bit fresh, when Baek Jiwoo’s words pierced my ears.
“Noona! Why aren’t you answering my calls?”
I was startled and looked at Baek Jiwoo, who had spoken carelessly.
With his white hair, healthy tanned skin, and a lean yet firm body that already made him stand out, he specifically pointed at me and asked why I wasn’t answering his calls.
Sure enough, the female students leaving school looked back and forth between Baek Jiwoo and me, their expressions suggesting they had already finished writing a novel in their heads.
I clutched my throbbing head and quickly moved my feet.
“Let’s talk somewhere else.”
Since our first meeting at the Hunter Association, there hadn’t been much reason to see him, so casual language came naturally.
Baek Jiwoo had already spoken informally from the start, so I didn’t see a reason to use formal language either.
Perhaps because of this, Baek Jiwoo felt as comfortable as a younger sibling.
I walked past Baek Jiwoo quickly and headed towards an empty lot near the school.
Then I paused for a moment.
‘Are they having another gang fight?’
As I turned and walked towards a quiet alleyway, Baek Jiwoo, who was following me, pushing his bicycle, shouted.
“If you’re looking for a quiet place, I know a good one!”
“Let’s go there.”
When I stopped abruptly and said that, Baek Jiwoo grinned, came to my side, and began walking somewhere.
I followed him without a word. All I wanted was to get as far away from the school as possible.
After walking quite a bit, we reached a bustling downtown area and stood in front of a building.
Baek Jiwoo skillfully locked his bicycle wheel and pointed upwards, saying,
“There’s a great cafe on the second floor here, perfect for talking.”
“On the second floor?”
Following Baek Jiwoo’s finger, I looked up and saw a striking cafe sign.
The colorful sign and the round, unusual font for a cafe sign caught my eye.
We climbed the narrow stairs.
When Baek Jiwoo opened the cafe door, the interior of the cafe truly looked like something out of a time warp.
Unlike common cafes, a quaint interior welcomed us.
“Wow, what is this place?”
I followed Baek Jiwoo to the window, admiring the wooden furniture and wood-paneled walls, and the rare yellow-toned interior.
The chairs, which looked soft with cushions, were printed with old-fashioned floral patterns, and the tables had tablecloths with glass tops.
“This is pretty much my regular spot. This cafe is a prime location.”
Baek Jiwoo went straight to the window without even looking at other seats and set his bag down on a chair.
My eyes widened at the unusual scenery.
There were swing chairs lined up by the window.
At first glance, it felt like a princess-themed interior, but it was strangely fascinating to see the cozy, old-fashioned vibe it exuded.
It would probably be more comfortable to sit facing each other, but I ended up sitting side by side with Baek Jiwoo.
I made sure to leave some distance between us.
Baek Jiwoo told me to wait a moment and went to order.
I sat and watched people passing by outside the window.
Then, I realized I was unconsciously swinging my legs back and forth.
Perhaps because the seats were like swings, my legs moved almost instinctively.
“This is something you absolutely have to try when you come here. They even have unlimited refills of toast and whipped cream!”
Baek Jiwoo, who had finished ordering and a quick phone call, came back with a tray holding a parfait, toast, and whipped cream.
I casually looked down at the parfait, then my gaze fixed on a familiar head of hair belonging to someone passing by outside the window.
‘Wait, that striking silver hair…’
Just then, the owner of the shimmering silver hair turned around and looked up.
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