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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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1st year.
The first festival I had after becoming an adult.
The Polaroid photo with my first boyfriend.
The headbands that were a bit cute for a grown young man to wear.
In-wook who seemed to be smiling shyly.
And me who couldn’t help but find him lovable.
The photo in my wallet of us looking at each other and smiling brightly.
“Huh? Answer me. I said let’s go take a photo together?”
Ji-eun casually tugged on the collar of the man who was mine.
In-wook, who made brief eye contact with me, looked at me with a complicated expression.
Should I step aside?
Is this no longer a place for me to be involved?
I slowly got up from my seat with sluggish movements.
I was afraid to hear what In-wook would answer.
While wishing he would refuse, I had no right to even feel disappointed in him.
I thought about going out for a walk, but my feet wouldn’t move.
When In-wook didn’t answer promptly, I closed my eyes tightly and turned my body.
Yeah. The reason he can’t answer now is because I’m watching.
You’re uncomfortable… Not even an ex-girlfriend… But an ex-wife…
Yeah… Of course I…
I bit my lips hard.
I had to run away before the waves of sorrow swallowed me up.
That’s when it happened.
“…Sorry.”
In-wook’s decisive answer came from behind.
“Aw~ I said let’s take a photo together in costume during the festival? When will we get to wear it again!”
“I don’t really like taking photos.”
“But it’s with a beauty like me?”
“Then take it with someone you like.”
He… rejected her…
I didn’t know the actual reason he refused, but I was still happy.
I felt my tension release at In-wook’s single word of apology.
I thought that if he had accepted, I might have run out of the afternoon class.
I got up from my seat, then walked out into the hallway as is.
The students seemed excited for their first festival as they were chatting loudly.
Can I smile and ask him to go somewhere again?
When I first regressed, the happy future of us shone so vividly…
Lost in my previous life’s memories again, I wandered the hallway until the break ended and went back in.
I really wanted to see the faded Polaroid photo I had cherished.
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In the afternoon, our class was busy holding meetings to determine the operation policy of the pub.
“So you’re saying it’ll be difficult for you to help on the second and third day because of student council patrols, In-wook?”
“Yeah. I think so. Sorry.”
Although I was inevitably missing out due to academy work, I felt sorry since the number of available personnel for the class was reduced by one.
“No, no. It can’t be helped. The others will understand too.”
“In-wook. I don’t understa– Ow!”
I pounded the head of Ji-eun who was butting in next to me.
“Stay still for a bit.”
“Still, there’s no need for you to hit my head that even my mom doesn’t hit, In-wook.”
Ji-eun rubbed the hit spot as if she was genuinely upset.
“You two seem really close even though you just transferred. Did you know each other before?”
When the class president spoke, I was about to say we just got to know each other recently, but Ji-eun interrupted my chance to answer.
“Our first meeting…”
Hey. Don’t make an expression like the intro of a pure love comic. They’ll misunderstand.
Ji-eun, trailing off her words, looked at me and grinned.
You’re trying to tease me openly.
“It’s nice to get along well. Anyway, In-wook, so you can only come out on the evening of the first day?”
“Yeah. Will that be enough?”
“I think so. If there’s a vacancy on the last day, I’ll contact you then.”
“Got it. Thanks for understanding.”
The class president, who organized the list, took a photo and uploaded it to the class-wide notice group.
“Everyone, check and let me know if there are any issues. I’ll post a vote about the costume budget tomorrow.”
I was painfully realizing that you should never take a position with ‘head’ in the title wherever you go.
Thinking about that, I really did well as the student council president.
Maybe I was too young to know how hard it was back then.
“Then let’s end the meeting here for today! Everyone, please cooperate!”
“Yes~”
Everyone seemed to be in a good mood since we ended a bit early without having classes.
I was no exception either.
I briefly hesitated about going to the club, but decided to skip it today.
“In-wook, you’re done early today, so what are you doing now?”
“Home.”
“Aw~ The weather is nice for a change, and you’re just going home?”
“Home.”
“What did you say? You want to take me home? I… I’m not mentally prepared yet!”
…It’s great to see you drumming up the mood on your own, my disciple.
I wondered if she could maintain that tension even after today ended.
“I was thinking of starting the lesson this evening.”
At my words, Ji-eun’s playful expression turned very serious.
“Yes. Master.”
“Come to the gym I mentioned before by 8 o’clock this evening.”
“Understood!”
Ji-eun answered in a voice full of anticipation.
I didn’t know if the lesson would suit her taste or not, but I had no intention of going easy.
The purpose of this lesson was solely to raise her martial arts to a level where she wouldn’t be hunted by Seolhwa Church believers.
Naturally, it was a realm that couldn’t be reached by doing it half-heartedly.
I thought she should at least be A-rank or higher so she could live her daily life with peace of mind.
I hoped Ji-eun wouldn’t disappoint me by dropping out too easily.
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8 PM.
Ji-eun had arrived at the gym before me.
It was my first time seeing her in casual clothes, and she had a different vibe from when she was wearing her uniform.
Her hair was tied up for training.
Her white nape was fully exposed.
Her training clothes were a bit tight, revealing her figure.
Her ankles were really thin…
“You’re here?”
As soon as Ji-eun spotted me, she bounced towards me.
“Yeah. Did you register in advance?”
“Of course~ Do you think I wouldn’t prepare even that~?”
Rummaging through the pocket of the hoodie she was wearing, she held out a can of coffee.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a bribe!”
Ji-eun placed the coffee in my hand with a bright expression.
“It’s like a token of me asking you to take good care of me!”
It wasn’t much, but I felt strangely happy.
“Hey. Bring something expensive next time.”
Not wanting to show my emotions, I answered curtly.
“I’ll treat you lavishly later if you guide me well and I become successful, In-wook.”
“Make sure to keep that promise.”
I entered the gym first, and Ji-eun followed me in closely.
About an hour later.
Ji-eun was lying face down on the gym floor, drenched in sweat.
“Get up.”
I took a sip of the canned coffee and ordered her in a cold voice.
“Haa… Haa… Just a moment…”
“There’s still an hour left of the lesson.”
What I had instructed her to do was extreme aerobic exercise.
She had to keep moving constantly without using any mana at all.
Of course, if she used mana, she could move at a much faster speed and exert less effort.
But it was always better to use as little mana as possible.
If you become overly reliant on mana, the moment it’s depleted, you become extremely vulnerable.
What I considered most important in combat was efficiency.
Using the least amount of mana and achieving the maximum effect.
And always leaving enough mana to ensure safety.
Of course, recently, due to the aftermath of the regression, I had squeezed it until it was empty a few times, but that wasn’t supposed to happen.
“…Are you sure this will make me really strong?”
“If you doubt it, just go home.”
If she couldn’t endure this much, there was nothing more for me to teach her.
“No…”
Ji-eun stood up from her spot again with trembling legs.
“Can you do more?”
I asked her with a grin.
Of course, it was training, but I didn’t lack the desire for revenge on her for burning my insides for the past few days.
Eunuch.
Calling me a eunuch.
Just thinking about it made me feel irritated.
“Yes…”
And so she started running again.
Sitting on a chair, I watched her training while humming.
This feeling of stress relief.
What is this? This refreshing sensation.
I wasn’t used to this catharsis that I had never felt before in my life.
After about 30 minutes, Ji-eun couldn’t get up from her spot as if she had really lost strength in her legs.
Should I stop here for today since it’s the first day?
“Good work.”
I squatted down next to her.
“Haa… Haa… Can I really become like you if I do this, Master?”
“Yes. Don’t doubt it.”
“Then can I ask one more thing?”
“When did you ever ask for permission before asking?”
“In-wook.”
Even while catching her breath, Ji-eun looked directly into my eyes.
“Are you really twenty years old?”
Ji-eun’s red eyes seemed to pierce through me.
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