Memorize Chapter 220

The rift between Baek Hangeol and Cha Yuna was starting to widen. It wasn’t a complete break, but likely, despite Park Hwan-Hee’s persistent persuasion, Baek Hangeol hasn't budged, so Cha Yuna had stepped in herself. In the process, they probably had an argument due to their differing stances.

Since I had a rough idea of Park Hwan-Hee’s strategy, I decided to sabotage it again. From that day on, I aligned my supervision schedule exactly with Baek Hangeol’s.

During every training session, Baek Hangeol arrived alone and trained alone. Occasionally, I saw Cha Yuna, sitting next to Park Hwan-Hee, glancing at him, but he stubbornly turned his head away. Still, the loneliness etched on his face was unmistakable.

In the meantime, my role was to fill the void left by Cha Yuna.

This strategy worked remarkably well. While we’d grown somewhat close before, there had always been a certain distance. But by acting like a caring older brother and soothing his loneliness, that gap closed rapidly. To exaggerate a bit, Baek Hangeol started clinging to me almost as much as An-Sol did in her prime.

As our relationship progressed quickly, I felt the need to contact Go Yeon-Joo. Rather than deciding things on the spot at the academy, I thought it’d be better to discuss it with her beforehand and give her time to think.

When I went to get an exit pass, Park Hyun-Woo offered to let me use the Golden Lion’s communication facilities upon hearing my plan. I firmly declined. Using their internal system risked eavesdropping or leaving a record. It was better to spend a bit of money and use a disposable communication device in Babara.

After a couple more insistences, I secured the exit pass and arranged a communication schedule with Go Yeon-Joo through a messenger.

On the day of the scheduled call, Go Yeon-Joo listened attentively to my explanation. As soon as I finished, she smiled softly and spoke.

(My goodness. That guy’s insane.)

“…”

(Oh, I didn’t mean you, honey.)

“Wait a second. What was that nickname just now? Did I hear that right?”

At my interjection, Go Yeon-Joo covered her mouth and giggled.

(Let’s not sweat the small stuff. Anyway, that Park Hyun-Woo—he’s got some nerve.)

“Go Yeon-Joo, I don’t think this is something to take lightly.”

Sensing she was treating it too playfully, I spoke with a slight reprimand. She immediately stopped laughing, though the smile lingered on her lips. Slowly, her gracefully curved lips parted again.

(Su-Hyeon, don’t trust the Golden Lion.)

“…”

Don’t trust the Golden Lion. A simple phrase, but it carried heavy implications. Go Yeon-Joo looked at me with clear eyes before continuing.

(You made the right call not deciding on the spot. Thanks for telling me in advance. It gives me some time to look into things.)

“You’re the one doing the heavy lifting, not me. I’m sorry.”

(Oh, come on, don’t say that. It’s a wife’s job to support her husband on a business trip, you know~)

“Haha.”

Trying to lighten the awkward mood, the Shadow Queen was acting cute in front of me. I couldn’t help but chuckle. There wasn’t a hint of burden in her expression. Instead, she batted her eyes playfully with a sweet voice, likely her indirect way of telling me not to worry.

“Alright, then I’ll see you after the eighth week.”

(What? You’re hanging up already?)

“I need to head back.”

(Then give me a kiss before you go. I won’t let you leave otherwise.)

Go Yeon-Joo pouted and pressed her lips close to the communication crystal. I stared at her soft, thin lips for a moment before lightly brushing my own against the image on the screen. In that instant, I saw her face flush with surprise, her eyes widening.

(…?!)

“See you next time.”

(S-Su-Hyeon? Su-Hyeon!)

Her voice, laced with shock, called out, but I quickly ended the call and crushed the crystal. Stepping on the shattered fragments, I headed back to the Player Academy. The breeze brushing my face suddenly felt refreshingly cool.

Time passed quickly. The eighth week was gradually coming to a close. In fact, the training was practically over. Special training had long been discontinued, and weekends were treated as rest days for the new players.

Tomorrow, Go Yeon-Joo will visit the academy. However, instead of coming straight to me, she planned to meet Park Hyun-Woo first to settle things, so we pushed our meeting time back a bit. Since I needed to keep tomorrow free, there were a few things I had to wrap up today.

‘The sun’s already setting.’

This morning, I visited Baek Hangeol to give him some snacks I’d bought during my last outing.

Seeing him tucked away in a corner of the dorm made my heart ache. Park Hwan-Hee and Cha Yuna were ruthless, I thought. Especially Park Hwan-Hee—he was the type who knew how to manipulate people’s personalities and emotions, just like me. Baek Hangeol relied heavily on his girlfriend and was prone to loneliness. If I hadn’t been around, he probably would’ve been swayed long ago.

When I secretly handed him the snacks, Baek Hangeol looked up at me with a bright smile. His delicate features were so striking that, for a moment, I felt a bit dazed. He clearly wanted to eat together, but with a busy afternoon ahead, I couldn’t oblige.

Around lunchtime, I attended the ninth-week training meeting, and at Sung Hyun-Min’s strong insistence, we had a meal together. By the time it was over, the day had already turned to dusk. What started as a meal with just the Han Clan grew as members from the Reverse Clan and others joined, dragging it out longer than expected. With the vibe of an all-night affair, I made excuses to slip away.

Thus, the sixth day of the week (Hall Plain follows the same time system as the modern world) came to an end, and I headed back to my quarters. As I turned into the hallway, I noticed my dorm door wide open.

‘Huh? Why are they…?’

Two players stood at the door. One was Kim Han-Byeol, whom I knew well, and the other had their back to me, so I couldn’t see their face. But they weren’t unfamiliar. Narrow shoulders, a soft, curved figure, and a hesitant, fidgeting posture. I immediately called out.

“Hangeol?”

“O-Oppa… Instructor?”

“Ah, ah!”

I’d clearly called for Baek Hangeol, but both he and Han-Byeol turned around simultaneously. Han-Byeol’s face, initially sharp, shifted to surprise as she turned away. Baek Hangeol looked distressed, but the moment he saw me, his expression lit up like he’d seen a savior. I walked straight toward them.

“What’s going on? Why are you two talking here?”

“Well, a new player wanted to see you, Instructor.”

Kim Han-Byeol shot Baek Hangeol a skeptical glance. Their attitudes made the situation clear. If I hadn’t slipped away earlier, I might’ve missed this opportunity. Feeling like I’d dodged a bullet, I patted Baek Hangeol’s head. Han-Byeol’s face clouded with confusion.

“Hangeol, what’s this about?”

“W-Well…”

When I spoke softly, Baek Hangeol shyly raised his hand. In it were the snacks I’d given him that morning, barely touched.

‘He hardly ate any. Did he bring them to give them back? Why?’

My question was answered with his next words, which completely dispelled my doubts.

“I didn’t want to eat them alone… I wanted to eat with you, hyung…”

“Hyung?”

Han-Byeol’s sharp voice made Baek Hangeol shrink back. Feeling the need to defuse the situation, I raised a hand to calm her. She still looked at me with bewildered eyes.

“I told him he could call me that when we’re alone.”

“Even so… Ugh, fine. But why come here? This is clearly the instructors’ dorm. New players—”

“I said he could come. There’s no rule against it, and I have the authority to allow it.”

“But…”

Since reuniting at the academy, Han-Byeol had generally followed my lead and been accommodating. But today, for some reason, she was acting like her old self. I didn’t know why, but regardless, I had been waiting for Baek Hangeol’s visit and had no intention of letting this opportunity slip. Placing a hand on his back, I ushered him into my quarters.

“Come on in.”

“Th-Thank you.”

Baek Hangeol gave a slight bow to Han-Byeol, who was still standing there, and cautiously stepped inside.

I pushed the approval tablet on the table to one side and had him take a seat. He looked around the instructor’s quarters with curious eyes, as if it were his first time here, then blushed when our gazes met.

The atmosphere still felt a bit awkward. I dumped the snacks he’d brought onto the table and asked Han-Byeol to get some drinks. She let out a quiet sigh but rummaged through a box as requested. Baek Hangeol silently watched me, clearly not planning to speak first.

“So, I doubt you came just to share these snacks. Is something bothering you?”

Baek Hangeol nodded once.

“Alright. What’s on your mind?”

“Well…”

He hesitated, unable to speak easily. I softened my expression and gently encouraged him.

“Hangeol, you came all this way. Do you really need to hold back in front of me?”

“N-No!”

“Then tell me. Be open.”

“It’s… about my girlfriend…”

Clang! Clatter…

A sudden noise made me turn my head. Han-Byeol was staring at Baek Hangeol with a dumbfounded expression, likely having dropped the drinks she was carrying. I waved a hand to signal it was fine and refocused my attention.

“You mean Cha Yuna? Don’t tell me you still haven’t made up?”

“Yeah. We haven’t spoken a word in the past week.”

“Really? That’s not what it looked like to me. I saw you two making eye contact sometimes.”

“No, that’s not it! It’s not like that! Yuna… Yuna noona is being deceived right now.”

‘Here comes the main point.’

Baek Hangeol let out a soft sigh, clearly conflicted. I watched him quietly, pouring a light green drink Han-Byeol brought into a cup. Then I reached for the snacks spread out on the table. Though I called them snacks, some were quite pricey.

Picking up a small, waterdrop-shaped piece, I dropped it into the center of the cup. The moment it touched the liquid, bubbles surged like a fountain, foaming over like beer. Shaking the cup to mix it, I handed it to Baek Hangeol, who was staring wide-eyed.

“Try it. It’s a vitality recovery drink, but with the crystal mixed in, it should help calm you down too.”

“Wow, thank you.”

How many times had he said “thank you” already? I smiled softly as he lifted the cup. After taking a gulp of the foam, he looked at me with rabbit-like eyes. When I gave a slight smile, he grinned widely and chugged the rest. His face looked much more relaxed than before.

“Feeling better now?”

“Yes!”

“Good. Can you tell me more details?”

“Y-Yes. Just… give me a moment to gather my thoughts…”

Baek Hangeol closed his eyes tightly, as if organizing his thoughts. Just then, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning, I saw Han-Byeol staring at me with a blank expression. I nodded toward an empty chair, and though she sat down, she still looked confused.

After a brief pause, as I glanced at Han-Byeol, who was staring at the cup and considering offering to make her one, I sensed Baek Hangeol opening his eyes.

“So… Hyung, what do you think of Park Hwan-Hee?”

“Park Hwan-Hee? Well, from what’s visible, he’s polite, well-mannered, gets good grades, and is popular. Han-Byeol, what do you think?”

“I don’t pay much attention to others, so I don’t know much. But I’ve heard his grades are decent.”

“Typical Han-Byeol answer.”

Her response was very much like her. Hearing our answers, a trace of frustration crossed Baek Hangeol’s face. He muttered to himself, pouting.

“Why?”

When I asked with a puzzled look, Baek Hangeol frowned for the first time since we’d met.

“You’ve got it wrong, Hyung. Park Hwan-Hee isn’t a good person. He’s just a hypocrite. Everyone’s being fooled by him.”

“Hangeol, calm down and explain. If you just say that out of the blue, I can’t just nod and agree.”

“S-Sorry. But Park Hwan-Hee is really a bad guy. I’m sure of it.”

“Okay. I don’t think you’re lying. Can you tell me why you think that?”

“Yes. I’ll tell you now. But please, keep this a secret.”

“Of course. My lips are sealed.”

Reassured by my promise, Baek Hangeol’s expression softened slightly. He started to speak but hesitated upon seeing Kim Han-Byeol. I quickly reassured him.

“It’s fine. You can talk. She’s a close friend. We went through the Rite of Passage together, so she’s trustworthy.”

“Really? The Rite of Passage… Okay, I’ll talk then. What I’m about to say is actually related to the Rite of Passage.”

“The Rite of Passage… Alright, go ahead.”

I noticed Han-Byeol’s expression stiffening at my words, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it as Baek Hangeol continued. To show I was listening intently, I met his gaze with clear eyes.

“After we got separated during the Rite of Passage… It was the first day, right after it started.”

Baek Hangeol’s voice was low. As if recalling that day, his eyes were half-closed.