NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 44
On the way home, Yeonhwa scolded me, saying I should properly apologize to Blanca later.
“Yeah, I will.”
Because I messed up. When I said that, Yeonhwa gave me a mysterious look and seemed frustrated.
“Then it doesn’t make any sense… Seriously, Jinhyeon, I always think this, but you’re so immature, so much.”
“Immature? What do you mean?”
“How you interact with people. You’re too indifferent and thoughtless towards others. Way too much!”
“Well…”
I was going to say it couldn’t be helped.
Because honestly, not many were used to having decent conversations with others up until now. I’d always kept my distance.
Too busy suppressing my feelings to even care about others.
So I didn’t know how to interact with people.
But I didn’t want to make excuses like that. I didn’t want to take the easy way out and hide behind excuses. If I did, I couldn’t change.
I wanted to change.
“…You’re right.”
“Oh, you knew all along?”
“I just realized it not too long ago.”
If it weren’t for Blanca, I might have never figured it out. Without her, I wouldn’t have had good friends or abilities.
Just a coward hiding alone, afraid of getting hurt.
“I see? Hmm, this isn’t good. Huh, well, you do want to get better, right?”
Yeonhwa was twirling her ponytail, then looked at me straight on while asking.
The answer was obvious.
“Yeah.”
I wanted to improve. I wanted to learn more. I wanted to get closer to Blanca.
I wanted to know more about others and the world. Because up until now, I had been running away from the world.
To become an outstanding Hero, and to judge what is Justice and what is Injustice, I had to know a lot, a whole lot.
“Alright, I’ll help you! But you have to make an effort too, okay?”
Yeonhwa seemed to take my desire to change very positively and beamed like a bright sun.
I genuinely thought I was lucky to have someone like Yeonhwa nearby.
* * * * * –
On Tuesday afternoon, I was heading to the clubroom called by Meilin.
“Hey, Blanca!”
I wasn’t even thinking of changing into my school uniform, just casually strolling to the Research Building in my gym clothes when Jinhyeon spotted me from a distance and came over to greet me “cheerfully.”
Of course, it was not cheerful at all.
It was a thoroughly practiced smile.
Not a smile that had become familiar after a long time, but one literally just learned, causing discomfort among those around him.
His mouth smiled, but his eyes and eyebrows didn’t move at all, making it look even creepier.
That kind of smile was what he put on as soon as he saw me this morning to say hello.
Using that smile to apologize and chat like it’s all normal.
Like Yeonhwa.
“Jinhyeon, don’t take this the wrong way, but please answer honestly. Did you trip down a staircase, get hit hard during that attack, or maybe take the wrong medication and hurt your head?”
Unable to hold back my curiosity, I ended up asking.
I had tried my best to hold it in. There might not be any gods, but if there were, I swear I tried hard to keep myself together.
I’ve tried to be accommodating and even ignored it completely. But in the end, I couldn’t bear my curiosity.
What the heck happened to this robotic guy that made him even more of a mess than usual?
Jinhyeon seemed caught off guard by my question and quickly wiped that awkward smile off his face, reverting to his usual self.
“Actually…”
And the truth was even more deflating and pathetic than I expected.
Not knowing how to treat people, Jinhyeon had sent a help call to Yeonhwa, and the kind-hearted Yeonhwa was more than willing to help him, he said.
But looking at his condition, it seemed like it didn’t work out so well.
“Yeonhwa was super confident that this would work…”
Jinhyeon had a look that said he didn’t even know what went wrong.
I wanted to tear that calm face apart.
A kid who was born with everything normal acting like he’s abnormal.
This guy thought he was really abnormal, but he wasn’t.
Everything about him was normal. Emotions, logic, instincts—all of it.
Once his mental scars healed, he’d probably fit in with everyone else like nothing ever happened.
…While some have to wear masks their entire lives without ever having any emotional scars.
Real abnormal folks would be furious if they saw him.
“Why are you acting like you have something when you don’t?”
“…Well, that’s because you’re different.”
Trying hard to suppress the urge to strangle him, I gave advice while putting on a calm facade.
“Different…?”
“Yeah. Yeonhwa’s methods work because she’s Yeonhwa. Even if you try to copy her, it won’t work! You’re not Yeonhwa.”
But of course, it was impossible not to let some thorns slip through my words.
“Yeonhwa’s methods only work because she’s earned them over 16… no, 17 years of refining it to match her character and nature.”
You’re whining that it doesn’t work after learning it for only a day.
“…I see.”
“What do you mean you see? If you got it, stop your awkward acting. Find your own way. Seriously, do you think just because I said to trust others you can just take that literally? If I said to jump off a cliff, would you?”
Hearing him naively say “I see” with no awareness made me feel like I might explode.
“Ugh, fine. I guess you’ll figure it out.”
So I just shut up. Talking more felt like it would just end up hurting me in the end.
Yeonhwa truly was pitiful. How did she get wrapped up with such a guy?
How many great guys are out there compared to him?
Of course, if the Boss showed any interest, I wasn’t going to sit quietly.
“Blanca!!! You really seem fine, just like the rumors said?!”
“Yes, yes. We even texted about it last week. So why are you acting surprised?”
“Hey, not many people who say they’re okay are really okay! Everyone’s just pretending. So I thought you’d be like that too, but you’re not!”
Meilin seemed genuinely relieved, and with everyone gathered, she said she had something to ask.
“…I’m really sorry to ask you guys, but did anyone perhaps awaken their abilities or… realized something during that fight?”
Minho and Lucia, who were already there, shook their heads.
Lucia did mention she could attack that clone, but it seemed Meilin still hadn’t grasped Wang Tai-lun’s abilities, so she just noted it down.
“Then… Blanca. Did you realize anything?”
“Not at all. Oh, I did realize one thing. I desperately need to do simultaneous fusion, and I have to know how to control the direction of my attacks.”
“So you didn’t awaken any new abilities?”
“Nope.”
“That’s a shame. You were fighting like crazy, so I thought you’d awaken something.”
“Did you have… footage…?”
Lucia seemed ready to scold the seniors.
“Oh, it’s certainly not for personal gain! We officially receive it from Heros Company, after all. To yield great research results, we need plenty of samples, right, juniors?”
“Uh… I guess that makes sense… without autopsies, medicine wouldn’t have advanced.”
Minho spoke hesitantly but seemed to understand.
But then Jinhyeon started thinking deeply and displayed another tone-deaf behavior.
“That doesn’t really sound like a just thing to do.”
“Not everything in this world goes right, junior. Sometimes, you have to do wrong for the right reasons. Now, let’s move on! Our dear Jinhyeon… showcased some fire this time. Was there a reason for it?”
“That was caught too…?”
“Yep! It was enough to melt the camera!”
Jinhyeon hesitated for a bit before revealing why he used the fire.
To save me.
“Wow, that’s kind of romantic!”
“N-no, it’s not that.”
“In the beginning, everyone feels that way~ So, how did it feel using fire?”
“…It felt like putting all the terrors of the world into a box and peeking through the cracks.”
“Hmm~ That’s a shame. It seems like you can’t use your powers properly because of your trauma. How cruel of the gods. But alright! It seems like everyone is safe.”
“Is that why you called us?”
Noticing Meilin was trying to wrap up the meeting, I asked if she was really ending it for good.
“Yeah. I just wanted to see with my own eyes. Plus, you guys didn’t show up last week. Other clubs may be different, but all the members of our club are first-year Class A, right?”
So, I just called you because I was lonely to see our cute juniors’ faces.
Meilin said this as if bragging about her modest chest while folding her arms.
“Sorry for calling you during your busy time~ You guys can go now. Oh, but you have to come this Thursday, okay? It’s a promise, juniors!”
Minho and Lucia looked just as confused, as if to say, “What’s this all about?” while staring at Meilin.
But regardless of that, Meilin saw us off.
“What a strange… person…”
“She does seem a bit unique, our senior Meilin.”
Minho’s comment was directed at Lucia, but his gaze was fixed on Jinhyeon.
He was sending quite a meaningful look.
But since I couldn’t make out what it meant, all I could do was quietly observe them.