A Spring Rain Drizzles on the Weekend.
The moment we received the sudden message, we hurriedly gathered at Ban Eunhyeol’s house.
The midterm exams had just finished yesterday, and the rankings were released then.
But as soon as the results were out, Eunbada’s father abruptly announced that she had to prepare for a transfer.
“He said if I keep going to Gamseong High, I’ll be stuck at third place forever. So, he told me to just transfer to another high school.”
“What? Transferring in the third year of high school? It’s not like you’re moving.”
Everyone was dumbfounded, mouths agape as they listened to Eunbada’s story.
She gave a bitter smile and said, “I told him I didn’t want to transfer, but it didn’t work. Looks like I have to go.”
She was the one saved from the sudden gate incident at the hospital, and yet her father treated her like this.
Just hearing it was suffocating, making everyone sigh helplessly.
At least Eunbada’s older brother didn’t seem to disregard his sister like that, but who knows what’s wrong with their father.
We had never imagined that such a problem could split the Four Heavenly Kings, so everyone was deeply unsettled.
“If you have to transfer, where to?”
“I don’t know yet. Dad said he’s looking for somewhere suitable.”
“Wouldn’t it be better just to be the top student at your current school? I don’t see the point of lowering the school level.”
Ban Eunhyeol reacted sharply.
He was right, but we were all careful not to hurt Eunbada’s feelings.
I watched Ban Eunhyeol get up from the sofa, run his hand through his hair, and place it on his waist.
Looking out the window, he took a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm down.
Having grown up in the same neighborhood and school together, it was probably hard for him to accept that his friend was suddenly transferring.
“Do your mom and brother feel the same way?”
Holding onto a faint hope, I asked about Eunbada’s older brother.
He was supposed to be the one who’d give her the drink at the cafe back then.
If he cared for her, maybe he’d oppose the transfer at least once.
“Mom agreed, but I don’t know about my brother. He doesn’t come home often. He lives separately.”
“Oh, so he doesn’t live at the family home.”
“Yeah. As soon as he entered university, he rented his own place. So he’s hard to see.”
Honestly, if I had grown up in such a suffocating household, I’d probably have moved out as soon as I became an adult too.
‘I wish he would say something after hearing about this.’
Right then, Han Jibin, looking distressed, carefully brought up a suggestion.
“Shall we go and ask them not to send Bada away?”
“We couldn’t even get into the hospital director’s office last time. What if they don’t meet us again this time?”
“What if we pretend to just be visiting and find an opportunity to talk? Maybe something will work out…”
At that moment, a quick exchange of glances passed among us.
“That’s a good idea.”
Without giving Eunbada a chance to stop us, the ‘Stop Bada’s Transfer’ project was underway.
***
“Wow… your house is amazing.”
“Haha, thanks. My parents stepped out for a bit. They’ll be back soon.”
We had come over pretending to hang out to stop Eunbada’s transfer, but almost forgot our real purpose.
‘This place is so similar to my old house.’
The living room and bedrooms overlooked the Han River, with marble floors and simple decor—it was too much like my own home from another dimension.
As I reminisced about a home that had become a distant memory rather than a familiar place, Ban Eunhyeol tapped my arm.
“We didn’t come here to tour the house.”
“I know.”
We passed time in the living room, waiting for Eunbada’s parents to come in.
Then, from the kitchen, the auntie who was quietly preparing something placed a tray before us.
In the glasses were red drinks, unmistakably bought from the cafe run by Awakened Ones.
“All your friends are Awakened, right? Have a drink each.”
“Thank you!”
As we all took a refreshing sip and watched the clock, suddenly—
Click
The front door opened, and we heard Eunbada’s parents come in.
Though everyone tried to act normal, tension stiffened our bodies.
The Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon set their glasses down almost simultaneously and stood up.
Soon, Eunbada’s parents entered the living room.
“Oh, so you came to visit.”
Eunbada’s mother, who bore a strong resemblance to her daughter, greeted us warmly.
Her father nodded at our greetings and immediately went into the study.
Before we could even bring up the transfer issue, he was gone, leaving everyone bewildered.
“Have fun while you’re here.”
Eunbada’s mother smiled gently and then went into the master bedroom.
Left alone in the living room, we blinked repeatedly, unable to take our eyes off the direction of the study and bedroom.
“We didn’t even get to talk.”
Ji Ganghan slumped on the sofa and spoke calmly, taking a sip of his drink.
Han Jibin, who had collapsed onto the floor, looked frustrated and gulped down his drink in one go.
“Should we ask them to come back out?”
“You’d better just stay quiet.”
Yeon Ha-yeon seemed ready to call Eunbada’s parents back to the living room right away, but Ban Eunhyeol gave her a reproachful look, tapping the floor with his finger while lost in thought.
Then, apparently struck by an idea, he beckoned us over.
As everyone leaned in, he whispered quietly.
“How about loudly talking about Bada’s transfer right here in the living room? Maybe hearing us will make them think about it.”
“You should stay quiet too.”
We all deflated at that completely unexciting suggestion and leaned back with disappointed expressions.
“Why? Does anyone have a better idea?”
No one answered Ban Eunhyeol’s question, but then the front door opened once more.
“Huh? No one’s supposed to come.”
Eunbada got up, curious, and walked toward the entrance.
We peeked to see who had arrived—and an unexpected figure stepped inside.
“Hyung? What are you doing home?”
It was Eunhaneul.
I’d heard he rarely came home, so his perfect timing was surprising.
“If it’s something your older brother says, they might listen.”
The dying ember of hope flared back to life. Eunhaneul glanced at us and hung his coat over a kitchen chair.
“The friends I saw last time?”
“Ah, yeah. That’s Ban Eunhyeol, the Guildmaster of Hyulhyang…”
“I know.”
Eunbada awkwardly lowered his arm that had stretched out to introduce me and Yeon Ha-yeon.
Watching their dry sibling exchange, I seized the moment when the conversation stalled to speak up.
“We came to see Bada off before the transfer and say goodbye.”
Eunhaneul frowned, then pushed up his glasses and looked back at me.
“Transfer?”
“Yes! Bada’s suddenly transferring, so we gathered because we’re sad. It’d be great if she could stay at the same school, right?”
Han Jibin, sensing my intention, spoke for me.
At my last question, everyone nodded with looks full of regret.
We had never worked so perfectly in sync before.
But since this was about Eunbada’s transfer, everyone acted intuitively.
“Why the transfer?”
“Well…”
Just as Eunbada was hesitating to explain why she was transferring, her parents, realizing their eldest son had arrived, came out.
“Haneul! What are you doing home without telling us?”
“And what about you? How’s the hospital?”
Their questions made me wonder how long Eunhaneul had stayed away for them to ask such things.
Contrary to expectations, Eunhaneul broke the pattern by not answering, instead speaking first.
“What do you mean Bada’s transferring?”
Their parents looked a little taken aback seeing their eldest son talk before answering.
“Looks like he’s the weak point against the eldest son who got first place nationwide.”
Maybe this would make things easier.
We all silently watched the family talk, hoping Eunhaneul would stop the transfer.
Eunbada’s parents glanced briefly at Yeon Ha-yeon and Ban Eunhyeol but hesitated to answer.
It seemed impossible to say in front of the top two students that Eunbada was transferring because she ranked third.
Still, Eunhaneul seemed to catch on just from their hesitation and chuckled.
“Ah, I think I know the reason without hearing it.”
“You know, right? If Bada looked even half like you, she wouldn’t be transferring.”
His voice was much softer than when we heard him in front of the hospital director’s office.
It was clear how much Eunbada’s father had compared the two brothers while raising them.
Listening without much change in expression, Eunhaneul silently started unbuttoning the buttons on his shirt.
He had undone about half the buttons and was about to toss the shirt backward when—
Ban Eunhyeol suddenly covered my view with his palm.
“What? I can’t see.”
“What are you trying to see?”
“Nothing, I’m not trying to see anything.”
Why was he acting like this?
Just as I was about to pull Ban Eunhyeol’s hand away, suddenly everyone gasped, inhaling sharply at whatever they saw.