Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Reunion (2)
The first thing that catches the eye in the full-length mirror is a smooth and pristine white mask covering the upper half of the face.
Below that are Cradle’s uniform with a white background embroidered with gold threads and a navy-blue necktie.
On the right lapel, there is a badge engraved with a symbol representing the 1st year.
The outfit is completed with pants of the same color as the top and neat black dress shoes.
“…”
Th i s w a s co p i e d fro m k i n g m t l . o r g
Somehow, it feels like wearing ill-fitting clothes, with each piece feeling extremely awkward and unnatural.
Instead of the crude mask I used to wear in the unit, Sa Jaehyuk had a new one custom-made for me, but when paired with the uniform, it looks even more unsightly.
If encountered at night, there would be no room for complaint if mistaken for a black magician or a criminal.
“Sigh…”
Although a sigh automatically escaped at that ridiculous appearance, there was nothing I could do about it now.
Resigned, I checked the time and picked up my luggage bag before leaving the room.
T h is w a s c o p i e d f r om k i n g mtl .or g
Time had flown by quickly, and it was already Monday. And today was also the day of Cradle’s entrance ceremony.
The hotel staff, having received prior notice from the principal, had arranged personal transportation for me, so I used it to depart for Cradle.
The car left the western outskirts of the capital and drove for a long time. Tall buildings had disappeared from sight at some point, and the scenery gradually turned green. Endlessly stretching vast plains and the distant blue sea replaced the city.
How much time had passed? The number of vehicles and pedestrians coming and going around the road had noticeably increased. In the distance, the appearance of another barrier slowly began to rise beyond the horizon.
At first, I thought it was a small city, but the huge signboard at the front, which read “No. 1 Specialized Magic Academy,” indicated that the entire administrative district functioned as a single academy.
I remember being told that Cradle was a nickname and that was the official name. I think I know why they use the nickname. It’s too long and rigid for everyday pronunciation.
After sending the car back nearby, I walked straight towards the gate.
Around me, security guards wearing black particle-resistant suits were conducting strict inspections.
They all seemed to be magicians, as each of them had particle arrangers installed on their wrists.
I also had to present my ID and proof of enrollment to them before I could enter. What was interesting was that the security guards here didn’t pay much attention to my mask.
Perhaps it was because, as the principal said, unusual students frequently came and went. I hope other students won’t pay much attention to it either, just like them.
Beyond the gate, a wide-open scenery unfolded before me. The vast lawn, lake, and square in front were the first things that caught my eye.
Seeing students dressed in the same clothes as me gathered in groups of three or five, chatting away, it finally hit me that this place was indeed Cradle.
Around the lawn and square, buildings of varying heights and widths were densely packed without any gaps.
Some buildings were made entirely of glass, reflecting the sunlight with a sparkle, while others had no windows at all, making it difficult to guess their interior. Signboards were erected here and there, indicating the names and purposes of each building.
Since outsiders were not allowed inside Cradle, it was common to see students nearby saying goodbye to their families or acquaintances.
Some patted their shoulders proudly, while others burst into tears, overcome with joy…
“…”
Being alone amidst such a scene somehow made me feel a bit gloomy.
In this place where everyone was happy, I was the only one floating around.
I even felt a bit of regret for not dissuading the sisters when they said they would come to the entrance ceremony.
It seemed like I would be consumed by depression if I stayed in this spot any longer, so I decided to leave this place first.
I’m pretty sure I heard that the entrance ceremony would be held at a place called Hwayangkwan.
Although there was still plenty of time, there shouldn’t be any big problem with going there early and waiting.
I looked around for signboards leading to Hwayangkwan. It wasn’t easy to find with so many buildings erected everywhere.
“Excuse me… Wait a moment…!”
Just as I finally found the way and was about to head over, a sudden female voice from behind caught me, as if calling out to me.
But the voice sounded familiar. I’m sure I’ve heard it somewhere before. Yet, it’s not the voice of someone I know. Where on earth did I…
T h is w as c o pie d f ro m k i n g m tl . o rg
“…?”
I turned around to identify the owner of the voice. Behind me stood a female student, panting for breath.
Judging from the uniform she was wearing and the badge of the same shape as mine, she was probably a new student.
T hi s w a s c o p i ed f ro m k in g mtl . o r g
“Phew… Phew… I’ve been calling you like that for a while, seriously…”
The female student, after catching her breath for a moment, raised her head to look at me.
T h is w a s c o p ied f ro m ki n g m t l . org
Reddish-brown hair, eyes of the same color.
Small, delicate features harmoniously combined to give a seemingly harmless impression at first glance.
The corners of her eyes were gently downturned, and faint freckles were visible on her cheeks, where a light blush bloomed.
Before long, I could recognize the identity of the female student.
We had already met last Friday.
“That mask…! I thought it might be… It is you…! You…! You’re the person from last time, right!! The one who helped me…!”
“…”
“Oh my gosh, to think we were both new students at Cradle… I never imagined we would meet again here…!”
The female student chattered away while looking at me. I didn’t imagine it either. Who would have thought that a prospective student of a prestigious academy would be chased by lowlifes in a back alley?
“Hehe, this is really amazing. What a coincidence, right? Ah, I’m Yena. Ha Yena. You can just call me Yena. What’s your name? Your major? Emission-type? Circulation-type? I think you look like a Circulation-type. Why do you wear a mask on your face? To make a lasting impression?”
“…”
“Excuse me?”
“…”
“Ex-cu-se me~?”
The female student reached out her arm and waved her hand in front of my face. That strange behavior drew the attention of the people around us. On top of that, they made frightened expressions upon seeing my mask.
“…Uh, um… Could it be that you can’t speak…? Come to think of it, you didn’t speak last time either…”
“I can speak.”
“Eek! Oh my gosh!!”
Hearing my voice, the female student leaped up and lightly sat down on the spot. Her appearance and behavior truly evoked the image of a harmless rabbit.
I missed the timing to respond, leaving me at a loss for what to do, but she kept leaning in close to my face, so I couldn’t hold back any longer. Do girls like to lean in close to others’ faces? Even the principal did that last time…
“Hehe, sorry… You startled me by suddenly speaking. But your voice is really nice…!”
The female student, who had lightly dusted off her clothes and stood up, smiled with embarrassment.
“Hey, what’s your name? You don’t mind telling me, do you…?”
“…Yu Jinhyun.”
“I see! Nice to meet you…! Then, can I call you Jinhyun…?”
Th is w a s c op i e d f r o m k i n gmt l . o rg
“…Just call me Hyun.”
It’s been nearly two years since I got my new name, but it still feels uncomfortable and unfamiliar. When I was in the unit, the sisters always called me Hyun too. Anyway, since the new name also includes the word “Hyun,” it shouldn’t be a big problem.
“Hee, okay…! You can just call me comfortably too…! I already told you my name earlier, right?”
“…”
“I was really grateful last time…! If it weren’t for you, I would have been in big trouble. My heart is still pounding, you know. And I’m sorry for not properly expressing my gratitude. At that time, I was so surprised that I couldn’t speak for a moment. By the time I came to my senses, you were already gone… But I never thought we would meet like this here…!”
“I don’t really mind. You don’t have to make a big deal out of it either.”
“Hehe, so you were a kind child after all…? To be honest, I was a bit scared before talking to you… I guess you really shouldn’t judge a person by their appearance…!”
The female student said with a friendly-looking smile. But it seemed her business wasn’t just expressing gratitude. Her lips finally opened after silently twirling her hair with her fingers for a while.
“Um… You know… Do you want to stick together…? My family is far away, so they couldn’t all come. I don’t have any friends yet either… What do you think…? We could use each other’s company too…”
“…”
Caught off guard by the female student’s sudden suggestion, I found myself in an unexpected dilemma.
What should I do? I originally planned to just go to Hwayangkwan early and wait.
“Well…?”
T h i s w a s cop ie d f r o m kin g mt l . or g
The female student asked again when I remained silent. A hint of desperation could be felt in her voice.
But I hesitated to answer.
Actually, since the moment I met the female student again, I had been feeling a strange sensation.
I was currently experiencing an odd sense of familiarity towards her. The only thing certain was that it wasn’t a romantic attraction. I knew it well because I had already been deeply immersed in that useless emotion before.
If I had to compare it, it felt like I had known the female student for decades, no, even centuries or more. It was like a sense of kinship, as if we had come from the same bloodline, or a strong mutual attraction arising from being similar to each other.
However, it was physically impossible for the female student and me to have known each other for such a long time. I was someone who hadn’t even lived for 20 years, and we had met for the first time in the back alley last Friday night.
I repeatedly pondered, but in the end, I failed to define this peculiar feeling. Was I perhaps just too happy to talk to a girl my age after a long time? No, that didn’t seem to be the case at all…
“Sorry. I prefer being alone. Now, we should each go our own way…”
T h i s wa s c op ie d fr o m kin gm t l. o r g
After much deliberation, I decided to decline the female student’s suggestion. Putting aside this discomfort, the sisters had told me to be cautious of girls who approach with a suspiciously friendly attitude…
T h i s wa s c op i e d f r o m k i ng m t l.o r g
“Sni… Sniff…”
However, the female student showed a reaction I had never expected. Teardrops welled up in her round eyes and soon fell, dripping down.
“So-Sorry… I guess it was too much to ask, after all…?”
“…”
“Sorry… for bothering you… I just thought it would be nice to stick together… Sniff…”
This is too embarrassing. Is the current situation so disappointing that it brings her to tears…?
The reason I tried to avoid the female student was that the oddly familiar and comfortable sensation had instead turned into discomfort and unpleasantness for me.
And the reason for that was due to my personal experiences in the past.
T h i s w as c op i e d fr o m k i n g mtl.o r g
But that was entirely my own circumstances and had nothing to do with the female student in front of me.
And come to think of it, it wasn’t the female student who approached me, but rather, it was closer to me approaching her first…
…Perhaps, this time, I might need to change my thinking.
“…Sorry. I misspoke. Let’s stick together, as you said.”
“…No, it’s okay… You don’t have to force yourself…”
“I don’t dislike it. I was just feeling awkward. It’s been a while since I’ve had a conversation with someone my age…”
“Then, really…?”
“Really. Let’s go together.”
Only after hearing my affirmation did the female student wipe away the teardrops that had gathered in the corners of her eyes. Then, as if nothing had happened, she smiled brightly and extended her hand to me.
“Hehe… Then, I’ll be in your care once again…?”
“…Yeah.”
Now that I had no choice, I clasped that hand. A slight discomfort spread from my fingertips, but it was still tolerable to this extent.
…I should try to change. Didn’t Sa Jaehyuk say to actively engage in social interactions to elevate my own and the family’s influence?
Perhaps this might be the first step towards that…
“…Hey, you know. Can I ask you just one thing?”
“What is it?”
“You’re not… a girl, are you?”
“What?”
“Hehe, no, it’s nothing…! Come this way… I’ll show you around…!”
Having stopped crying, Yena suddenly threw a strange question at me. I tried to ask about the incomprehensible words, but Yena just laughed, brushed it off, and led me to Cradle’s campus.
End of Chapter
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koinko
she def a witch bro, run bruh run