Nam Yu-ri’s club activities had never been an important element in the game.
It was never revealed which club she joined, or whether she was even active in one at all.
Considering her personality, how she disliked being tied down and reacted with irritation to requests, persuasion, or orders, it wouldn’t have been strange if she hadn’t joined any club in the first place.
Even if she had joined one on a whim, it was easy to imagine her falling out with the other members, becoming isolated, or being forced to quit altogether.
That was exactly why I never expected to run into her in the same club.
What is this? Did she only attend the orientation or trial session and end up not joining the Mystery Exploration Club after all?
As Nam Yu-ri approached me with a wide grin, waving her hand cheerfully, I ran through several possibilities in my head.
It was only after I heard her explanation that I finally understood what had happened.
“Huh? Why am I here?” she said, tilting her head. “Hmm… Gyeon-woo, Gyeon-woo, you kind of look like you’re uncomfortable seeing me here.”
“That’s not it,” I replied. “I was just surprised. I didn’t expect to see you here, that’s all. It’s been a while since the entrance exam, hasn’t it? Have you been doing well?”
“Yeah, yeah! I’ve been doing okay, more or less! What about you, Gyeon-woo? It’s such a coincidence we ran into each other here! Just like during the admission ticket scramble. Do you think this means we’re connected by fate or something?”
“Calling that scramble ‘fate’ feels a bit much…”
“But after that, we even went to that mine… Oh! Right, that was something we weren’t supposed to talk about, huh? Anyway, stuff like that happened too! Ah! That’s right! I was explaining why I came here, wasn’t I? So what happened was… I’ve been super stressed lately. Like, really piled up. And then, you know…”
Her explanation wandered all over the place, but if I were to boil it down to the key point—
She had grown bored with academy life, stress had been building up, and at some point, she remembered something I had said.
Back at the Dreamlike Hotel, I’d casually told her to eat something delicious whenever she needed a change of mood.
While that thought was resurfacing, she happened to come across the Mystery Exploration Club and, acting on impulse, decided to attend the orientation session.
Seriously… what are the odds?
I never imagined that something I’d said without a second thought would create a butterfly effect like this.
Coincidences could be truly strange.
Still, I benefited from it.
Thanks to this, I no longer had to worry about how to get closer to Nam Yu-ri.
“By the way, Gyeon-woo, don’t you think you’re being kind of mean to me?”
“Huh?”
“You promised we’d eat together once we enrolled at the academy, and then you never contacted me! Do you know how long I waited, thinking you’d ask me out to eat? I’m hurt, you know?”
As if to emphasize how sulky she was, Nam Yu-ri lowered her head, planted her hands on her hips, and tapped the floor with one foot.
Seeing her puffed-up expression jogged my memory.
Come to think of it, I had casually suggested that we grab a meal after enrolling, back at the Dreamlike Hotel.
It had just been a polite remark, but apparently, she’d taken it as a serious promise.
Still, I had a rebuttal.
“Do you even have my number?”
“Huh? No, I don’t.”
“I don’t have yours either. How was I supposed to contact you? I was going to ask after the scramble exam ended, but when I came back from taking care of something, you were already gone.”
“…Wait. Does that mean this is my fault?”
“It is your fault. Apologize.”
“…Huh? Uh… sorry?”
In truth, it wasn’t really anyone’s fault.
I gently patted Nam Yu-ri on the head as she stood there looking confused.
Maybe because she was short, she felt more like a younger sister than someone my age.
More than anything, her hair was so fluffy that she reminded me of a furry animal.
It felt like petting a sheep.
Of course, considering what she really was, she was less like a sheep and more like a venomous snake hiding deadly poison.
“What are you doing!? Don’t touch my head! I’m getting mad— huh? Wait? Uh?”
“Oh, sorry. If that bothered you, I’ll stop. I got a bit too familiar—”
“No! Touch it more!”
“…What?”
“You’re a friend I’ve acknowledged, Gyeon-woo! So you can touch it as much as you want!”
“….”
Nam Yu-ri grabbed my hand just as I was about to pull away and placed it right back on top of her head.
“Pet me, pet me.”
“Uh… okay…”
What kind of emotional shift had just happened inside her?
Still bewildered, I complied with her request.
She leaned into my hand as if enjoying the sensation, clearly pleased.
Her expression reminded me of how Mong-sil and Mong-sun used to look when they enjoyed being petted.
“This works out nicely. Give me your number. While we’re at it, let’s eat together sometime soon.”
“Okay! Sure! I’m in, I’m in!”
That was how I ended up exchanging numbers with Nam Yu-ri.
Since I already had my phone out, I tried to do the same with Cha Eun-sol.
“Eun-sol, you too—”
“Oh, you’re only noticing me now?”
“Yum.”
“….”
As Cha Eun-sol ate her sausage, Yeon-ha-neul and the others all turned to look at me.
Among them, Yeon-ha-neul’s gaze felt especially sharp.
“H-ha-neul…?”
“You two look really close.”
“….”
“Laughing and chatting just the two of you, leaving us out… and now you’re even making plans to eat alone together?”
“Uh… well… do you want to join us? The three of us, or better yet, everyone together—”
“Before that.”
“….”
“Shouldn’t you introduce her to us properly first?”
As Yeon-ha-neul spoke on behalf of the group, the others nodded in agreement.
“Yum.”
“….”
Cha Eun-sol alone seemed uninterested, calmly peeling the sausage wrapper with a blank expression.
Anyway.
I should introduce her to everyone.
We’d be going through plenty together from here on out.
I decided to give Nam Yu-ri the chance to properly meet the others.
It definitely wasn’t because Yeon-ha-neul’s glare intimidated me.
“She’s someone some of you might recognize from the entrance exam. She’s also a first-year student like us. Nam Yu-ri of the Yeonseong Nam House—”
“Wow! A bunny! A bunny!”
“Kyaa! What are you doing all of a sudden!?”
“….”
Before I could even finish my introduction, Nam Yu-ri’s attention snapped to Yeon-ha-neul, and she charged at her in excitement.
Caught completely off guard, Yeon-ha-neul was subjected to her enthusiastic harassment.
“D-don’t touch me so casually… ah…!”
“My name’s Nam Yu-ri! I’ve heard a lot about you! You’re Gyeon-woo’s childhood friend, right!? That means you’re my friend too, so let’s get along from now on!”
“If you want to get along, then please let go—”
“Wow, you’re so soft!”
“Will you listen to me…! Ah, ugh… G-Gyeon-woo, help…!”
“…Yu-ri, that’s enough.”
“I was having fun and wanted to do it a little more! But since you asked, Gyeon-woo, I’ll stop!”
Nam Yu-ri withdrew her hands reluctantly.
Finally free, Yeon-ha-neul didn’t even bother fixing her clothes as she ran straight to me and hid behind my back.
Peeking out cautiously, she spoke in a trembling voice.
“Gyeon-woo…”
“Y-yeah?”
“I don’t like her…”
“Well… she’s more forward than Eun-bi, but if you get to know her, she’s actually a good person. Probably. Let’s take it slow and get used to each other.”
“Hey, Gyeon-woo? Why are you dragging me into this when I didn’t do anything!?”
After that, we continued chatting noisily until the orientation began.
“Yum.”
While Nam Yu-ri was busy teasing Yeon-ha-neul, Cha Eun-sol watched the scene as she carefully chewed her sausage.
“Wow, you’re so soft!”
“Will you listen to me…! Ah, ugh… G-Gyeon-woo, help…!”
Yeon-ha-neul hated it.
She was asking for help.
Cha Eun-sol, who had been spacing out, was prepared to step in as a friend.
If Do-gyeon-woo hadn’t intervened, she would have used spirit magic.
“Yum.”
But since the situation resolved itself, there was no need for her to act.
As if nothing had happened, Cha Eun-sol pulled out another sausage.
Her green eyes, however, remained fixed on Nam Yu-ri.
She’s… a real mess.
Cha Eun-sol’s eyes were special.
She could see the soul, the core of existence itself.
And to her, Nam Yu-ri felt deeply unnatural.
Human, yet not human.
Standing on the boundary of humanity, she appeared incomplete.
If the fragile balance sustaining her were ever to collapse—
Just as that thought crossed her mind—
“Why are you staring at me?”
“….”
“Do you have something you want to say?”
Nam Yu-ri, who had been greeting others, walked over to Cha Eun-sol and tilted her head.
Her smile was innocent, but her slightly narrowed violet eyes were filled with caution.
Cha Eun-sol met her gaze without looking away, then slowly shook her head.
“No. Nothing.”
“Really? I’m Nam Yu-ri from the Yeonseong Nam House. Nice to meet you!”
“I’m Cha Eun-sol.”
Getting involved in Nam Yu-ri’s circumstances would only lead to trouble.
It was best to stay indifferent.
Having reached that conclusion, Cha Eun-sol decided to keep her distance.
After the Great Cataclysm, the dimensions of this world became dangerously unstable.
As a result, humanity was placed under constant threat from gates, dungeons, and monsters.
When Grace, an empire from another world, crossed into this one, it brought with it the World Tree, which helped stabilize the situation.
The World Tree anchored the unstable dimensions and played a role in restoring balance.
Thanks to that, the frequency and danger level of anomalies occurring worldwide decreased significantly.
However, the burden placed on the World Tree grew heavier, and the atmospheric mana and dimensional state of the surrounding area became increasingly fragile.
Because of this, anomalies occurred frequently in the academy city designed around the World Tree.
“The anomalous phenomena you are familiar with fall into only the most basic category,” Kim Sa-mo said. “Within the academy city, far more diverse and mysterious phenomena have been observed. For instance, there is even a phenomenon where calling a certain shop during a specific time window connects you to someone from the past.”
Anomalous phenomena, also referred to as Mysteries.
The club dedicated to exploring such phenomena was the Mystery Exploration Club.
Kim Sa-mo, who had been appointed club president for the year, was explaining the club to the students who had come to the orientation.
“We usually conduct our activities on weekends, searching for mysteries throughout the academy city—”
In truth, mysteries were difficult to verify, and explaining them was even harder.
More often than not, members were misled by rumors and returned empty-handed.
As a result, the Mystery Exploration Club suffered from vague objectives and unclear activities. Above all, its achievements were unreliable, which caused it to be treated poorly.
Every year, it hovered on the brink of dissolution.
This year was no different.
I have to stop the club from being shut down, no matter what.
The very first notice Kim Sa-mo received from the student council after becoming club president was a warning regarding the club’s continuation.
If the number of members and measurable results failed to meet a certain standard, the club could be dissolved next year.
That was why he had to stake everything on keeping it alive.
His worries had been overwhelming.
Thank goodness…
Now, however, he felt he could ease his anxiety just a little.
Yeon-ha-neul, the top-ranked student of the year and disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch.
Do-gyeon-woo, second-ranked overall and the direct heir of the Divine Sword Dao Family.
Gang Han-byeol, disciple of the Fighting Ghost Seo Jeong-jin.
Yong Hae-rang, top entrant of the martial arts division and member of the Righteous Hero Yong Family.
Nam Yu-ri of the Yeonseong Nam House, top-ranked in alchemy.
Lisa Grace, princess of the Grace Empire.
Min A-rin of the Magecraft Min Family.
Cha Eun-sol of the Cycle Cha Family.
Not only had these highly influential freshmen attended the orientation, they had also filled out the membership applications on the spot without hesitation.
Am I dreaming?
He honestly wondered.
Kim Sa-mo felt deep gratitude toward Do-gyeon-woo, who had apparently persuaded his friends to join.
If there hadn’t been others around, he might have dropped to his knees and bowed deeply in thanks.
The future of the club looked bright.
With them as members, the club could rise from obscurity and become one that everyone admired.
The only concern was that their personalities were far too strong.
“So you’ve been secretly hanging out with such a cute girl, Ha-neul! But no matter what, you know I’m your best friend, right?”
“Why are you getting jealous over something like this? Okay, okay, I get it…”
“…Ha-neul, am I not included?”
“Yum… I’m not your best friend?”
“Huh? Hey, guys, of course Lisa and Eun-sol are best friends too—”
“Yes! Ha-neul said I’m her only best friend! Ha-neul belongs to me now!”
“Eun-bi!? When did I ever say that? What I meant was—”
“That’s right, Go Eun-bi. You need to listen properly. In the first place, if Ha-neul had only one best friend, it would obviously be me. What’s with you?”
“There he goes again.”
“He’s always like that when it comes to Ha-neul.”
“Doesn’t he ever get tired of it…?”
“Gyeon-woo, Gyeon-woo, and you guys! You’re having fun fighting over such weird things!?”
“Hmph! You might not know this, but true friendship only blossoms after a fistfight! In other words, you can only be best friends if you’ve exchanged punches!”
“This is seriously giving me a headache. Could you please stop shouting on both sides of me?”
“Han-byeol, looking at the promotional pamphlet, the club’s activities seem surprisingly solid.”
“Oh? Really? What does it say?”
While Kim Sa-mo worked hard to continue his explanation, Do-gyeon-woo and the others chatted among themselves.
It put him in an awkward position.
“Um, everyone? I’m sorry, but could you please be quiet for just a moment?”
“Yes.”
They answered obediently, but the effect lasted only briefly.
As if nothing had happened, they soon burst into laughter again.
“Eun-sol! You like eating snacks, don’t you? Then how about this… I’ll give you a Pepero if you become my best friend!”
“Pepero? Sure, okay. Let’s do it. Yum.”
“Yes! I’m best friends with Eun-sol too! But this kind of feels like I’m feeding my pet hamster. You’re so cute!”
“…Eun-bi, I have gummies.”
“What? Ha-neul is feeding me? Then I’ll eat them!”
“…You’re not giving me any? Yum.”
“I’ll give some to Eun-sol too.”
“…Ha-neul, I have nuts. Would you like some?”
“Wow! I love nuts! I want some too, Lisa, Lisa!”
“I don’t really know since you’re the only girls I know, but… girls are kind of amazing. You always seem to carry snacks around. Are you really that hungry? Min A-rin, do you carry them too?”
“It’s not because I’m hungry. It’s because my blood sugar drops. I carry emergency rations too. Yokan. Why? Do you want some? If you say ‘please,’ I might consider it.”
“Gyeon-woo, don’t eat stuff like that. Eat gummies instead. I have other things too. Want more?”
“Wait a second, Yeon-ha-neul. What do you mean by ‘stuff like that’ exactly—”
“Thanks, I’ll enjoy it. By the way, that’s not just one bag. Does all of that really fit in your bag?”
“Are you just ignoring what I’m saying now!?”
“If you pack it, it fits.”
“It all fits.”
“Of course it does.”
“Yum.”
“Sorry! I prefer traveling light, so I don’t carry anything!”
“Yeah, you guys are impressive. Carrying all that around must be a hassle…”
“Hmm, Do-gyeon-woo. I think I understand. Isn’t it the same principle as carrying sweet potatoes and chicken breast to replenish nutrients at the right time?”
“…I see. When you put it that way, it does make sense.”
“In that case, Do-gyeon-woo, how about eating sweet potatoes and chicken breast with me? I brought plenty, just in case.”
“…Hae-rang, you really are a good friend.”
“Well, you can’t neglect protein if you want muscles. That’s why I always carry it with me. It’s about time for me to eat too.”
“You guys carry that kind of stuff as well? Hae-rang, Sa-gun! Can I steal a bite? I’ll prepare something next time!”
“….”
Listening to their endless, chaotic conversation, Kim Sa-mo thought to himself.
Am I the one being eaten alive here? Am I going to end up being taken over by these kids later?
The possibility wasn’t zero, which made him quietly anxious.
More than anything—
Can I even handle them?
Kim Sa-mo shook his head internally.
For the remaining two years until graduation, he felt like he would be run ragged, completely at the mercy of Do-gyeon-woo and his friends.
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