“What are you doing…?”
“Huh?”
The relationship between Rohan and Noah is ambiguous.
It’s hard to say they’re close. But when they do talk, it’s not exactly awkward either.
This was something that greatly defied Rohan’s expectations.
‘Who would’ve thought I’d get closer to Ichinose faster than Noah, even though we’re in the same class…’
Isn’t Noah Frozenheart supposed to be straightforward and easygoing?
Rohan expected to become friends with Noah, one of the main characters, the fastest, but reality wasn’t so simple.
Noah in real life, not in Abyss City, has literally infinite stamina.
Every break time, she’s running around the academy, making it hard to even catch a moment to talk.
“Isn’t this the dawn partner of Nose?”
*Meow!*
Noah picked up a cat lying flat on the ground.
Then, as if to show off, she dangled the cat and smiled so wide her sharp canines showed.
Rohan could only let out a forced laugh at the potentially misleading comment.
“…Well, it’s not wrong since I do exercise with Ichinose.”
“Are you going to exercise with Nose again today? Where did Nose go?”
“Ichinose went back earlier than me? It’s the weekend today, so I left a bit late.”
“Aha!”
Before the conversation could continue.
Noah put the cat she was holding back on the ground.
From Rohan’s perspective, it didn’t make much sense, but it seemed like she had established her dominance.
“Go on! Be careful of cars from now on, okay?”
*Meow!*
The cats answered with their cries and went back somewhere.
Watching this, Rohan naturally brought up a question.
“How do you talk to cats?”
“Huh? You want to learn how to talk to cats?”
“It’d be nice if I could. I’m curious about what they usually say.”
Noah wagged her tail and crossed her arms.
Then, as if shaking off her round ears, she moved them and shook her head.
“Sadly, ordinary people can’t. Tigers are part of the cat family, so it’s possible for me.”
“Oh ho… So that’s how it works.”
“Actually, if you dig deeper, it’s not really a conversation, more like giving orders? Or conveying intentions? Something like that.”
This was a new story to hear.
For Rohan, whose mind is mostly filled with information about Abyss City, this was fresh and interesting information.
“So, the cats didn’t understand language and act accordingly just now?”
“Right.”
Perhaps she got bored staying still.
Noah walked over to the horizontal bar and hung upside down like a bat.
Rohan, taking it in stride, stood beside her and asked.
“How’s the theory studying going? You’ve been working hard lately.”
“Ugh, just opening the book makes my head feel like it’s going to explode. The textbooks…”
“I feel like I’m committing a sin by asking the Instructor and Noah too many questions.”
“Same here.”
A pained expression was clearly visible on Noah’s face.
Rohan thought the best he could do was sympathize with her.
He wasn’t in a position to give advice on theory anyway.
“I should treat Noah to something delicious, but where should I take her? The Instructor probably won’t go even if I ask…”
“Are you trying to repay her for teaching you?”
“Yeah. Do you know any good places? Noah’s a light eater, so if I pick based on my gut, she’ll struggle.”
There was a sense of conviction in Noah’s words, as if she’d learned from experience.
Rohan stroked his chin, pondering, and then came up with an answer.
“First, getting results in the midterm exam is the best way to repay her.”
“…I guess so.”
“Material rewards can wait until after that. Forget about it for now.”
“Hmm?”
The girl, who had been staring straight ahead, turned her head toward Rohan.
Rohan’s eyes met Noah’s, who was hanging upside down. Her blue eyes were deep and intense.
They locked eyes briefly in silence.
Then Noah moved.
“Whoosh!”
With a springy motion, she flipped and landed gracefully.
Her movements were nothing short of impressive.
“How and when did you get close to Noah?”
“…Suddenly?”
“Don’t overthink it, just tell me. I’m curious.”
“It’s nothing big. Why are you curious?”
Noah, with her hands on her hips, laughed brightly.
Watching her, it felt transparent. She was clearly reminiscing about some past moment.
“Noah never hung out with guys since she was little. Even when she talked to them, it was always polite and minimal.”
“So you’ve known Ichinose since way back?”
“Our parents know each other.”
Rohan asked, even though he already knew.
The flow of the conversation just led him there.
“So, how did you get close to Noah?”
“Like I said, it’s nothing big. We just started talking about swords, and that’s how it happened.”
“Ah-ha!”
Noah let out a short exclamation and nodded as if she understood.
“You understood just from that?”
“Sort of? You’re good with a sword. Even if your magic’s weak, you’re probably good at fighting.”
Could there be such a straightforward compliment? A raw, unfiltered lump of praise.
But it wasn’t sarcastic.
Knowing Noah was sincere, Rohan chuckled gratefully.
“So, is your curiosity satisfied?”
As Rohan adjusted his clothes, looking like he was about to leave, Noah’s eyes widened.
“Where are you going? I’m bored, push me on the swing!”
“If you’re bored, go back and study. I’m going to study too before I leave.”
“So, you’re doing part-time work too?!”
Noah’s blue eyes started to sparkle like gemstones, filled with interest.
From that sparkle, Rohan felt an intuition that something had gone wrong.
‘Mistake made.’
It seemed like the words meant to fuel competitiveness had instead poured oil on the wrong fire.
“Anyway, I’m off? See you on Monday.”
Rohan, holding a gift for the store manager in one hand, started to walk.
After leaving the park, he turned around. Noah was standing there with a playful face.
“Why are you following me?”
“I’m not following you. Our paths just happened to overlap.”
“What kind of kid are you?”
Rohan laughed, finding it absurd.
As he continued walking, she ended up walking right beside him.
“You’re not planning to follow me all the way to work, are you?”
“Are you embarrassed? Didn’t expect you to care about that kind of thing.”
“…This is driving me crazy.”
So, she talks like this too.
Amused by Rohan’s reaction, Noah laughs.
“I wanted to check out the store where my friend works! It seems fun.”
“Where I work might not suit you. You said reading books gives you a headache.”
“Where do you work?”
“Bookstore.”
“I’m fine with comic books! I used to read them a lot when I was young!”
Rohan stopped walking.
Facing Noah in the alley, he shook his head.
“Still, no.”
“Why! Why not!”
“If a big shot like Frozenheart shows up at the local bookstore, the manager might get shocked.”
“People would probably just think it’s dyed hair. Unless you’re a cadet from the Academy, hardly anyone recognizes me on the streets.”
Rohan was flustered by Noah’s look, challenging him to argue back.
“No, but still… It’s a bookstore that sells books, not a comic cafe or rental shop.”
“I’ll buy them. If I want to read them, I can just buy them all, right?”
“…”
“I mainly look at the pictures in comic books, so I read them quickly. Selling me dozens would be good for the store.”
Coming from a royal of a powerful nation, it didn’t sound like a joke.
Whether it’s a hundred or a thousand books, it would surely be pocket change for Noah.
“Still, no.”
“Tch…”
As if sensing further resistance was futile.
Noah’s ears and tail drooped down.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
The problem stemming from Noah’s dejected behavior was one.
Rohan genuinely felt sorry for Noah, a character he was fond of.
“Sigh…”
Rohan, exhaling deeply, scratched his head in distress.
And came up with an answer.
As they say, no parent can win against their child, and no gamer can resist their favorite character.
Rohan poked Noah’s drooping ear.
“Then, I’ll talk to the manager. But promise me one thing.”
“!”
Her…
She blinks her eyes and wags her tail vigorously, as if telling me to speak.
“Don’t invade the checkout area, don’t do anything that disrupts business.”
“Then isn’t that two promises instead of one?”
“…Don’t nitpick.”
“Got it! I won’t cause any trouble at all!”
Noah regained her energy so quickly that it made me wonder if her earlier slump was just an act.
Rohan touched the corner of his eye, feeling like he’d been tricked.
He checked the time on his phone.
“Hmm… There’s still plenty of time before work.”
“Want to go to the mountains? Let’s play a game where the first one to reach the top wins!”
Rohan grinned at Noah’s excited voice.
But he couldn’t just give in to everything.
“Gotta study. Where do you think I’m going?”
“…!”
“I’m going to study at a café before work. If you’re not coming with me, just know there’s no bookstore either.”
“H-Holding someone hostage is bad!”
“Didn’t you know? I’m a bad person to begin with.”
As Rohan started walking, telling her not to come if she wasn’t going to study, Noah hesitated, stomping her feet before following him.
*****
‘It’s 30 minutes before oppa’s shift…’
Clara, sitting in a corner of the bookstore, tried to calm her racing heart as she checked the time.
Though there were still 30 minutes before his shift started, he’d probably come soon.
Rohan always came around this time to start preparing.
*Ding!*
The sound of the bell on the door ringing.
Just by the sound of the footsteps, it was clear who it was.
‘Oppa’s here! Huh…?’
The footsteps overlapped with someone else’s. Maybe a customer came in with him.
Clara peeked through the gap toward the entrance.
“Manager, I’m here!”
“Wow! You’re here!”
“Keep your promise. Otherwise, I’ll kick you out.”
“I said I got it!”
Rohan appeared.
The sight of Rohan entering, closely followed by a beautiful beastkin woman.
It was clearly visible to Clara.
