Chapter 21

Principally, Academy students are strictly prohibited from external access.

Still, there are a few exceptions, such as when they go out briefly under the supervision of their academic advisor.

In such cases, the academic advisor must directly inform the supervisory assistant, so I quickly called the supervisory assistants of the two.

Assistant Bae Ye-bin, who manages Han Min-ha’s students, answered the phone with an overly formal politeness.

[Of course, Professor! Thank you very much! I kindly ask for your care of Min-ha!]

Next was Yu Hye-won’s supervisory assistant.

Yu Hye-won’s supervisory assistant was a veteran assistant named Kim I Bit Na, a peculiar name.

She has been working as an Academy assistant for ten years, a veteran among veterans.

But the reason she hasn’t become the top assistant or an assistant professor, despite her long tenure…

[Hello?]

“Professor Hyun from the professorate, Kim Assistant.”

[It’s Kim I Assistant, not Kim Assistant.]

“Ah, yes. Kim I Assistant.”

[Why are you calling?]

She’s so rude.

Knowing Kim I Bit Na’s temper, I continued without hesitation.

“For a counseling session, I’m planning to take student Yu Hye-won out for a while and wanted to inform you.”

[Hmm… until what time will you return?]

Kim Assistant sighed heavily.

“We’ll be back before the main gate closes.”

[With all due respect, Professor, isn’t nine o’clock a bit late?]

“It’s not that we’ll return exactly at that time but at the very latest before then.”

[Professors give lectures and go home, so you wouldn’t know, but taking students out so late in the evening is somewhat…]

Since she was the supervisory assistant of the guidance student, I smiled and let it pass easily.

“Haha. Yes, I know how hard you work. Next time, we’ll coordinate the time in advance.”

[Understood.]

She briefly answered and ended the call.

As the call ended, I heard Kim Assistant muttering to herself.

[Ah, really… this is so frustrating…]

Hmm…

Looking at the darkened screen of my cell phone, I immediately called Kim I Bit Na again.

[What is it? I’m busy now…]

“Kim Assistant.”

[It’s Kim I Assistant, not Kim Assistant…]

I calmly cut off Kim I Bit Na’s words.

“I thought Kim Assistant had been managing assistants for ten years because she found it suitable and fulfilling.”

[Excuse me?]

“I know that being a supervisory assistant is hard work, but that’s because you’re an assistant, not because I’m taking Yu Hye-won out for dinner, right?”

[What exactly are you saying?]

“My point is this: there is a distinct difference between academic advisors and supervisory assistants, and that difference is hierarchical. More simply put, I am someone that Kim Assistant cannot treat like other junior assistants.”

Kim Assistant didn’t say anything on the other end of the phone.

As a senior assistant in the academy, she has probably never heard such words face-to-face.

But everyone knows why she has remained in that position all this time without advancing beyond a managing assistant.

So, know your place and just do your role well.

Don’t unnecessarily nitpick at things that don’t even violate the rules, and certainly don’t challenge professors.

“Isn’t that right?”

“That is correct.”

Realizing the situation, Kim Assistant’s voice softened.

“Let’s maintain proper conduct.”

[Understood, Professor.]

“Thank you for your hard work.”

As I ended the call, Yu Hye-won, who had been listening nearby, made a round ‘O’ with her mouth.

“Our managing assistant is famous for being rude, but you’re something else.”

“I’m not sure who’s talking to whom. Anyway, let’s go.”

“What do you mean? Professor, what did you mean by that?”

“Let’s go.”

Ignoring Yu Hye-won’s protests, I left the lecture room.

Han Min-ha followed closely behind me like a shadow.

***

My car is parked in the faculty dormitory parking lot.

“Get in first. I need to grab something from the dorm.”

I opened the door for her.

I was going to pick up the suspension liquid I had saved when her stomach was upset the last time we ate burnt ribs.

If I don’t take that beforehand, I might end up endlessly running to the bathroom like last time.

When I returned to the parking lot, Yu Hye-won was nowhere to be seen, and only Han Min-ha was waiting by the car.

“Get in.”

“Still, I think the professor should get in first…”

Such…

“Where’s Student Hye-won?”

“She got in first.”

Looking inside the window, Yu Hye-won was arrogantly sitting in the backseat.

Anyone would think this is the carriage of a noble lady from a royal academy.

Still, her natural demeanor and the aura she exudes are undeniably classy and imposing.

I feel it too, being a professor, but how stifling must it be for someone like Han Min-ha, her classmate and, to top it off, the bottom of the class?

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

As Han Min-ha got into the front passenger seat, I started the engine and left the parking lot.

Looking in the rearview mirror, Yu Hye-won was carefully inspecting the inside of the car as if she were a customer buying a car.

“I thought you drove an old junk twenty years old, but this is unexpected. And it even has a GPS and a black box.”

“An academy professor’s salary is about that much, Student Hye-won.”

“Is it? How much do you earn? Ten million won?”

Casually starting with amounts in the tens of millions, it’s clear she’s a silver spoon.

No, calling her a silver spoon might be an understatement; she’s a diamond spoon.

“I earn enough not to starve. Thank you for your hard work. The professor and two students.”

Showing my employee ID to the regiment soldier guarding the main gate, I lowered the window for them to confirm the passengers.

“I’m taking my guidance students out for dinner and will be back before nine.”

“What on earth could they possibly be trying to stop with such weapons?”

Yu Hye-won muttered something while briefly looking at the bulletproof-vest-clad regiment soldiers armed with machine guns.

“Maybe they’re trying to stop parents from complaining to the academic advisor?”

“…”

The words made Han Min-ha laugh through her nose, something she had never done since I’ve known her—her most intense emotional expression so far.

Was that really that funny?

“Hey, why are you laughing? Huh?”

Yu Hye-won kicked the back of the front seat with her foot as she pressured Han Min-ha.

“Sorry… It wasn’t laughter. Suddenly, my nose started itching…”

“Rubbish. You laughed. Professor was clearly talking for me to hear. Funny, isn’t it?”

“No… Sorry…”

“Don’t say sorry, I said!”

“Ah, right…! Sorry… No, no… Hmm… I apologize…”

“Damn, what a fool!”

Professor’s car where Yu Hye-won not only kicks but also refers to the professor’s words as ‘that’.

But for some reason, it doesn’t feel as hateful as it does in the original work.

Rather, compared to what she did in the original, her current actions seem more like cute mischief typical of a naughty student at that age.

It appears that the author has deliberately remodeled Yu Hye-won.

If something like this continues, perhaps with enough guidance, she could become a good kid.

If I can properly manage Yu Hye-won, raising Han Min-ha will become even easier.

Glancing over, Han Min-ha was sitting quietly, looking ahead.

So, Han Min-ha is really the problem now.

***

“Suuup… Haah…”

While eating burnt ribs, Yu Hye-won continuously gasped for breath, stuck out her tongue, and wiped her sweat.

“Are you okay, Student Hye-won?”

“Yes…”

“You don’t seem fine.”

Even though she suggested eating burnt ribs first, she’s the one who can’t handle it the most.

I took suspension liquid out of my pocket and handed it to her as she guzzled down multiple bottles of Colpis.

“Take this to protect your stomach lining before eating, okay.”

“I’m fine. Suuup… Just because of this… Suuup…”

“Do you really like burnt ribs? Is this not your first time trying it?”

“It is my first time, but I’m not allowed to eat such things at home. Haah… Damn, it’s spicy…”

Using the spice as an excuse, she subtly talks to me casually, but I’ll let it slide.

However… A family that doesn’t let her eat burnt ribs gives off a different sort of background entirely.

“At least eat while there’s no one to scold me. Once school break comes, it’ll be back to that annoying organic stuff… Heek… Hey, pass me that Colpis you’ve got there.”

Han Min-ha handed over the Colpis in front of her, and Yu Hye-won drank it directly from the bottle without pouring it into a cup.

“Phew… I’m alive. When else will I ever get to eat stuff like this?”

“This isn’t your first time eating out, is it?”

“My first?”

“Yeah. Or rather, my first at ‘a place like this.'”

Ah… Pretending to do cosplay as commoners by eating Tteokbokki might actually be real cosplay for her.

“Make sure not to tell my parents if they call, alright? Professor will be in trouble too if they find out.”

“Will there even be trouble? Who made me come here by holding the activity fees hostage?”

At that, Yu Hye-won gave a sarcastic laugh.

“Ha! Don’t you underestimate my parents, professor? They’re the kind of people who don’t bleed even when you stab them.”

“I see. I haven’t had a direct conversation with them yet, so I’m not entirely sure…”

“Here! Another order of steamed egg, please!”

Yu Hye-won interrupted my words and loudly placed her order without listening to the end.

“Also, some Corn Cheese.”

“Corn Cheese too!”

Compared to Yu Hye-won, Han Min-ha silently eats as usual, not saying a word.

Watching her eat without breaking a sweat intrigued me, but when our eyes met, Han Min-ha averted her gaze.

“I like spicy food…”

“Eat more. If it’s not enough, I’ll order more.”

“Yes, thank you, professor. Would you like some, professor?”

Looking at my clean plate, Han Min-ha cautiously said,

“I plan to eat it with the upcoming steamed egg.”

Hearing this, Yu Hye-won, who had been on her phone, turned her gaze toward us with an incredulous expression.

“Huh? Professor… that’s supposed to be mine?”

“Then I’ll order another one.”

“Damn…”

Watching my guidance students, who were earnestly eating burnt ribs with red lips and sweating profusely, gave me a strange feeling.

I’m a reader who’s reincarnated into a ruined academy story.

I clearly understand that the real world and this fictional world are separate, and all the people before me, including the customers at the nearby tables, are characters from a novel.

Moreover, a strong mental barrier is protecting my mentality, making it hard for me to feel significant emotions toward others.

However, looking at the eerie black-haired girl and the rude blonde in front of me, I was experiencing something akin to a sense of responsibility.

I cleared my throat and opened my mouth.

“Although there were some minor challenges, we’ve come to establish our ties. Until graduation, let’s aim for mutual development…”

“Should we take a picture?”

Cutting off my speech, Yu Hye-won raised her phone.

“Student Hye-won. Let me finish what I was saying…”

“Hey, Han Min-ha, you’re not smiling?”

“Ah… Um…”

Han Min-ha awkwardly smiled and leaned into the camera frame.

“Okay, professor, smile. Cheese.”

“Alright… Cheese…”

Click.

“Uh, hold on. I didn’t turn on the filter. Let’s redo it. Smile!”

“Um… Hehe…”

“Wow, you’re so eerie. So eerie that even the filter doesn’t work on you.”

For some reason, despite there being only two of them, everything feels so far from smooth…