Chapter 109: Focusing on the Present

After that, Do Ihyeon tried sneaking into the Dungeon Management Bureau using invisibility, and I tried slipping in secretly by turning into a shadow.

For a while, we kept a close watch on the Director.

The Director no longer dared to even bring up Nada’s “I.”

Whenever the topic came up, he anxiously looked around as if worried I might be nearby.

‘He probably won’t even order anyone to investigate my identity anymore.’

As I worried, Ban Eun-hyeol and Do Ihyeon’s reputations didn’t suffer.

Everyone already knew Nada was an Other from a different dimension, so the consensus was that losing was only natural.

Some even thought it was brave of them to try to uncover Nada’s true identity.

[Evidence that the Dungeon Management Bureau fabricated the Suwon Dungeon Break Incident has been uploaded online…]

“No way, is that even possible?”

“These guys have lost their minds.”

Unable to overlook the Bureau’s atrocities, we uploaded evidence on the internet proving they were the masterminds behind the whole affair.

Naturally, public opinion exploded, and the Director, who had orchestrated everything, kept bowing his head repeatedly, apologizing profusely.

Of course, the end result was his resignation.

“Dana, you’re starting Third-Year High School today, so you have to get to school early, okay?”

“I was just about to leave now.”

“Alright, study hard too.”

My parents, who had been cursing the Dungeon Management Bureau while watching the morning news, looked at me as they said this.

Before their nagging about studying got worse, I hurried out of the house.

When I first possessed this body, I never imagined I would even make it to Third-Year High School, but time really had flown by.

Standing in front of the classroom door, I took a deep breath and then opened it.

Clack—

The old wooden door creaked open, and then I saw faces that stood out as if they were under a spotlight.

‘Is it because it’s a new grade and a new classroom? Why do the students’ faces seem to shine brighter than usual today?’

Admiring my friends’ looks anew, I stepped into the classroom.

The class assignments were exactly as I had expected.

The only difference was that the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon were in the same class as me.

‘I figured the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon would be in the same class, but I thought I’d be separated.’

The Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon were obviously happy I was in the same class, and while I was glad too, I had a bad feeling this Third-Year High School life wouldn’t be smooth sailing.

Of course, now that I was an Awakened, no one would dare stage a kidnapping or gang assault against me, but there were plenty of ways unawakened students could bother an Awakened, so who knew what strange incidents might happen.

“Is this a dream? I’m actually in the same class as the Four Heavenly Kings before I die…?”

“Her face is insane…”

The girls in the class murmured in disbelief that they were in the same class as the Four Heavenly Kings.

Some even slapped their own cheeks as if trying to confirm whether this was a dream or reality.

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon, so when I appeared among them, their gazes suddenly sharpened.

I didn’t care and greeted my friends in the morning.

“You’re here?”

“Same class again this year!”

After the brief greetings, the only empty seat was the one beside Ban Eun-hyeol.

“Same seating arrangement as last year?”

“It’s familiar, so I like it. Nobody’s sitting here yet.”

Yeon Ha-yeon answered my question as she tied back her falling hair.

Eunbada beside her also put on her glasses, getting ready to study seriously.

‘I think I know why no one’s sitting here.’

It was already rumored which classes the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon were assigned to, so it seemed they purposely left the back row at the far end of the classroom empty.

“Wow, studying on the first day of school already?”

“The March mock exam is coming up.”

“Ah… the exam, huh.”

Seeing Eunbada and Yeon Ha-yeon at the very back studying with passion as if it were exam season, a sense of crisis washed over me.

I’d never really thought about the March mock exam, but now it truly felt like I was a Third-Year High School student.

“Wanna study at my place?”

I was debating whether to take out my workbook and study when Ban Eun-hyeol propped his chin on his hand and asked me.

His words made the girls’ eyes in the class almost pop out.

Everyone knew we were close, but apparently, they didn’t expect us to be friendly enough to visit each other’s homes, so the girls’ eyes burned with jealousy.

“I’d rather not.”

In the past, I would’ve cared about each reaction like that, but by now, I was used to it.

I waved my hand to decline Ban Eun-hyeol’s offer.

“I don’t want to study like that again.”

But not long after, I regretted rejecting his offer.

“Here’s your March mock exam report card.”

When the teacher handed out the March mock exam report cards, the class atmosphere grew gloomy.

I had thought I just needed to maintain my previous grades, so I didn’t have much on my mind—at least, until I got my report card.

Rubbing my eyes in disbelief, I checked my grades again.

“I dropped.”

Ban Eun-hyeol glanced at my report card and teased me.

I had thought it was enough to stay in the middle-lower tier, but my grades had fallen further.

If I kept neglecting studying like this, dropping to the bottom tier would be only a matter of time.

“What about you? What’s your grade?”

I didn’t recall Ban Eun-hyeol studying hard over the break.

When I took his report card, I was stunned by the unbelievable grades.

“This is basic.”

He spoke arrogantly, but I couldn’t help but acknowledge it. His grades were even better than last year.

“If you want to raise your grades, just ask anytime, kid.”

Patting my head, Ban Eun-hyeol smiled slyly.

Girls nearby grabbed their noses, overwhelmed by his charm.

***

I trudged home clutching my report card.

“You’re back? I heard report cards came out today.”

The moment I entered the house, my mother greeted me with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, then quickly held out her hand as if demanding to see it.

I took the report card out of my bag and gave it to her, then fled to the kitchen as if escaping.

“What is this? You dropped even more?”

“Ah, well…”

“I knew it since you were just closing gates instead of studying during vacation. How many times do I have to tell you the gates won’t stay open forever? When Others return to their original dimension…”

“I know, I know. I… I’m just going to meet a friend for a bit.”

“Meeting friends when your mother’s talking?”

“I’m going to ask Eun-hyeol to help me study.”

“Oh, really? Then go ahead and meet him.”

As soon as the Other dimension came up, it was hard to endure her nagging, so I lied about meeting Ban Eun-hyeol, but my mother sent me off kindly, as if she hadn’t nagged at all.

Out on the street, I immediately contacted Ban Eun-hyeol.

Sitting on the playground swings, tapping the ground impatiently, I waited for him.

“Why did you call me out all of a sudden?”

When I asked to meet, Ban Eun-hyeol immediately sat on the swing beside me.

“You know I possessed this body suddenly, right? So I don’t know when I might suddenly disappear. Is it worth preparing for the future here?”

“Creative way to say you don’t want to study.”

“Not exactly. My parents and Ha-yeon said if an Other goes back to their original dimension, the gates will disappear too, so I can’t be an Awakened forever.”

Ban Eun-hyeol’s expression darkened compared to before.

“Yeah, I guess that’s a possibility.”

The swings I’d been pushing back and forth stopped moving.

Since I’d brought it up, I also told him about a dream I had before—the soul of Dana residing in my body, saying she didn’t want to return to that dimension, and how the gates were gone there.

Each time I mentioned it, Ban Eun-hyeol’s brow furrowed deeper.

“So it was a dream? Not something that actually happened?”

“It definitely was a dream, but it left me unsettled. It felt so real.”

“Have you had any dreams like that since?”

“No.”

Ban Eun-hyeol seemed lost in thought for a moment, then got up from the swing and walked over to me.

“You must be pretty anxious.”

He crouched down to meet my eyes and spoke in a softer voice than usual.

“But if you worry about an uncertain future and do nothing, you’ll just get more anxious. It might be better to spend your time doing something.”

He glanced at my expression for a moment before continuing.

“What do you want to do? Do you want to stay here?”

“If I could, I’d want to keep living here.”

“Then if you suddenly disappear, I’ll find you somehow.”

“How?”

“There must be some way. So don’t worry and focus on the present. Study with me.”

Though he hadn’t found a solution, hearing him confidently say he’d find me if I disappeared eased my anxiety a little.

I chuckled and stood up from the swing with energy. Ban Eun-hyeol stood up too.

“Yeah! Like you said, I’ll focus on the present. Thanks for saying that. Study… yeah! Let’s do it together.”

“You look way better now. If that’s settled, I’m off.”

Ban Eun-hyeol smiled and put his hands in his pockets, turning his back. Feeling reluctant to let him go so soon, I grabbed his arm suddenly.

“Already leaving?”

“Why, want me to stay longer?”

A strange atmosphere flowed between us for a moment.

I quickly let go of his arm and shook my head vigorously.

“No, no. I have to go home.”

I had no idea why I grabbed his arm, but feeling the awkwardness of the moment, I walked out of the playground first.

Though it was still cold because of the lingering cold snap, I felt a heat rising only in my face.