Chapter 33 Part 3: Connivance.

I blankly looked around as I was being dragged along.

I had no idea there was such a large shopping center near the academy.

It was grand and enormous, as if to justify the name Busan International Academy Shopping Center.

Thanks to that, my eyes were treated the whole way there.

Of course, next time I’d prefer to just take a car.

Enjoying the scenery and having sore legs were two different things.

But these girls were laughing and giggling as if they weren’t tired at all.

It seems like the more they walk, the more energetic they become. This must be the privilege of youth.

“Ah, we’re here! This is it!”

“Wow, this is my first time coming here.”

“Everyone ready? Today, Kang Xia is treating us!”

Immediately after, I heard a chorus of ear-splitting giggles.

I briefly debated whether to cover my ears, but decided to just smile.

Well, it must be fun to go out after working hard at school.

More than anything, I didn’t feel bad.

It was a sort of… indescribable feeling.

After thinking that far, I quietly followed the others.

Fortunately, the dessert cafe wasn’t far from the entrance of the shopping center.

They say it’s the largest cafe in the area… and it certainly was quite huge.

“Alright, let’s go inside!”

As soon as someone excitedly spoke, the six of us entered the cafe.

And right after, a completely pink spectacle unfolded before my eyes.

Very… girly sensibility.

Was it because I’d never imagined such a scene before?

Soon after, I wanted to run away out of embarrassment, but I held it in and looked for a place where six people could sit.

“Ah, over there! Yeji, let’s go sit over there.”

“Okay.”

“This is the best spot, the best spot. Don’t you think so?”

“Y-Yeah.”

Normally, I would have tried to hide in a corner, but these students… they’re good.

They quickly filled up the outer seats and sat me in the center as if they had been waiting for it.

Moreover, they soon opened the menu and started chatting away.

Caught in the center of attention, I desperately tried to engage in the conversation.

Honestly, I’m still not good at girls’ conversations.

So I was trying to mainly respond, when Jang Yuna placed her hand on the table and said.

“Should we start by introducing ourselves?”

“…Introducing ourselves?”

“Yeah. It’s kind of awkward… and you, Lee Yeji, are bad at remembering people’s names.”

“No, I’m good at remembering people’s names…”

Right after saying that, I remembered that I only knew the faces of people I hadn’t interacted with much.

In the end, I had no choice but to go around and introduce ourselves.

Fortunately, since it hadn’t been long since we enrolled, it seemed like everyone didn’t know each other well.

…It seemed like I was the only one who didn’t even know their names.

The girl who controlled the yokai I saw last time was named Choi Dohwa.

She was a student with characteristic black hair that reached her waist… with a somewhat cold impression.

On the other hand, the student who leisurely danced during the tag game, Jin Yuyun, had a warm impression.

With her moderately cut bob and various accessories, she gave off a cheerful and lively feeling.

“My ability is innate. I don’t know if it’s a real yokai or not.”

I nodded and kept that in mind.

It might be helpful to refer to later when dealing with her.

“I can freely control the wind. Unfortunately, I’m only good at defense.”

“Aha, so you need to practice offensive aspects too?”

“That’s right.”

No wonder she was just dancing.

It was clear that she was trying to give off the impression that she shouldn’t be messed with since she didn’t have many offensive options.

Both of their abilities weren’t perfect, but it was necessary to keep them in mind.

Just as I thought that, Kang Xia and Kim Aram came with trays.

I briefly looked at what was on the trays and blinked.

You know those sweet desserts that girls like?

There were so many of them that I didn’t know where to look.

It was a strange feeling… like my blood vessels would clog just by eating them.

“Everyone, enjoy!”

As Kang Xia said that, thanks were poured out as if they had been waiting.

I reflexively expressed my gratitude and slowly fixed my gaze on the tray.

Appetizing fruit cake. Chocolate cookies. Bread with whipped cream and chocolate cornet.

There were macarons with tanghulu on top and… even bizarre things like mint chocolate cookies.

…I really felt relieved that I ordered a drink that wasn’t sweet.

Well, I’m the type to eat anything that’s given to me, so I didn’t have any aversion.

I started eating even the mint chocolate slowly.

It’s not like I’m paying, right? In times like these, eating is winning.

“Xia, thank you. Thanks to you, I get to eat a lot of delicious things.”

“Hehe, it’s good, right?”

“Yeah.”

Even though I said that, I felt full after only eating a little.

I tried to pick only the least sweet desserts, but there weren’t many.

In the end, I ended up just pouring caffeine into my stomach.

Meanwhile, my friends were enjoying their food.

“Ah, Aram! I was going to eat that lemon cream cookie!”

“Ah, sorry.”

“That’s too much, really.”

“I’ll give you this instead. It’s a lime cream cookie.”

“Lime and lemon are different!”

“…Are they?”

“They are!”

I briefly watched the two’s banter and chuckled.

“Ah, Yeji! Why are you laughing? Do you also think lime and lemon are the same?”

“Yuna, aren’t they similar in taste?”

“Lee Yeji, you too…!”

I turned my head away from Jang Yuna and casually assessed the atmosphere.

The other students were also happily chatting and quickly emptying their plates.

Surprisingly, Kang Xia was quiet… I wonder if it would have been different if Kang Siwoo was here.

I briefly imagined that scene in my head and discreetly put down my empty cup.

But suddenly, scales sprouted all over my body.

Immediately after, a sticky fear crept up my spine, and without realizing it, I was lifting the table.

“Ye, Yeji!? What are you doing!?”

“Lee Yeji!”

I heard someone else shouting, but I couldn’t make out the details.

Memories of being abused during my time as an experiment subject surfaced, and I broke out in a cold sweat.

Then, as my emotions reflexively disappeared, fragments flew from the table with the sound of gunfire.

People in suits, who had appeared at some point, started shooting continuously.

And the people around us, including us, immediately ducked.

I wasn’t flustered, but the other students were clearly panicked.

“Should we… call the police first…?”

Jang Yuna said with a face that looked like she was about to cry.

I nodded and slowly took a deep breath.

If those guys had come with cold weapons, it wouldn’t have mattered.

I could have fought without fear in that case.

But Korea is a country with a long history of gun prohibition.

Not only is the power of guns a factor, but the lack of opportunity to encounter them makes one panic.

But before long, the other students began to steel their resolve to fight.

I could tell just by the silent exchange of glances.

Well, it was only natural.

As academy students, they would have a stronger sense of justice than others.

So I could rest assured, but anxiety suddenly popped up.

I wondered what I would do if those guys were targeting me or the other students.

Immediately after, the anxiety evaporated, and I whispered a plan.

“Yuna, you bark to stop the people.”

“B-But… wouldn’t everyone get caught up in it?”

“I think I can block their ears with wind.”

Jin Yuyun hurriedly interjected.

And as if waiting, Choi Dohwa spoke.

“I’ll use a yokai to cover their eyes, so we can get out in the meantime, right?”

It wasn’t a bad idea.

First, cover their eyes, and before the stiffened people can do anything, rush in.

In this situation, it was the best possible plan.

Kim Aram seemed to be contemplating something, but she didn’t offer any particular opinion.

Kang Xia seemed to have already decided on a plan, so she didn’t say anything.

The remaining students continued to share their opinions.

I listened to them for a while, reinforced the barricade with nearby furniture, and caught my breath.

The citizens were already frozen in fear and not moving.

Since those guys were strangely only shooting at us, the situation wasn’t bad.

If we could just maintain the standoff as long as possible, things would somehow work out.

But we didn’t know when they would make a strong move.

Moreover, these students were calmly thinking of subduing them.

I had a feeling that someone would jump out soon even if I didn’t stop them.

In the end, I gave the signal to execute the plan.

“Yuna, block them!”

“Woof!”

As soon as the yokai covered their eyes, Jang Yuna barked loudly.

I saw the men in suits stiffen, and then I charged forward.

Kang Xia, who had drawn a sword from somewhere, followed behind me, and Kim Aram also jumped over the barricade.

After that… well, it was nothing much.

The men in suits were subdued after being beaten up by us in a few seconds.

I looked around just in case, and when I realized that the unique feeling of firearms had disappeared, I breathed a sigh of relief.

And just as I was about to tie up the people, I suddenly heard a sound that seemed to tear through the air.

“This is…”

“A, Arrows!”

An arrow stuck in the floor suddenly vibrated and emitted sound waves.

I thought it was nothing, but I soon realized what was happening.

I looked at the other students, who were blankly standing with their abilities lost, and sighed deeply.

It seemed that the enemies weren’t just these guys, but there were more.

And it seemed like Kang Xia and I would have to deal with them, just the two of us.