Chapter 86

While enjoying food and beer together, we exchanged various stories.

Mostly, Yu Hye-won led the conversation with Professor Han responding, while Song Do-yoon silently listened without a word.

“What’s this semester-end evaluation about? What did you say? Something about teams?”

“Team capability evaluation.”

“So, if they mess up, does that mean my grade could drop as well?”

“Think about it the other way around. If Student Hye-won does well, the grades of Students Min-ha and Do-yoon will rise accordingly.”

Yu Hye-won glanced sideways at the other two students.

“So, in the end, these two are just going to ride on my coattails, right?”

“That’s what a team is. In real-life cooperative combat, everyone has to go together. Thinking otherwise is incorrect. Moreover…”

“Ugh, stop the lecture already.”

Yu Hye-won waved her hand, slightly flushed from the drink.

“Professor, your lectures are too much. Is it because you’re old? You’re always so boring.”

“Hye-won. Don’t talk to the professor like that. The professor only gives us lessons that truly benefit us.”

Han Min-ha wagged a finger in a lecturing manner.

Han Min-ha had taken off the top of their gym uniform because of the heat, but because of the tight white tee, it was rather difficult to look properly.

Yu Hye-won was dressed the same way, but perhaps due to differences in body structure, Min-ha seemed especially awkward to look at.

“And the professor isn’t old. Try naming someone who’s forty and looks as youthful, if you can.”

At that, Yu Hye-won reeled off a list of celebrities, and Han Min-ha countered that those were celebrities and not valid comparisons.

Next to the noisy children, Song Do-yoon hugged their knees and sipped their beer.

“But I have a question.”

“What is it, Student Hye-won?”

“Upon checking, I found that most professors seem clueless about cooperative combat, but you don’t seem the same, do you?”

“Where are you going with this?”

“See, this semester suddenly shifted to team systems and cooperative combat, right? But heroes usually fight alone, at best dragging along a few sidekicks.”

“True.”

“And based on that, other professors seem to not know much about cooperative combat. They give off a book-smart vibe. But you seem like you’ve known about it for a long time.”

“I see…”

Yu Hye-won is really sharp if that’s the case.

Unless, the other professors really are just poor at guiding cooperative combat.

I don’t care how others teach, but since Yu Hye-won has likely heard from other students…

“So, my conclusion is this: there’s definitely something in your past, professor.”

“!”

At that, Han Min-ha, who was drinking beer, started coughing violently.

Han Min-ha knows I’m a former Sikrito.

I told them about my parents’ death, after all. And they promised not to tell anyone.

“Ah, disgusting!”

While wiping beer off the sports uniform, Yu Hye-won scrunched her face and Han Min-ha apologized profusely.

“Sorry, I accidentally started coughing…”

“Eh, really. Anyway, it seems like you’ve got a past, professor. Seriously, I looked up information on you, and there isn’t even a single line of records, right?”

“I think I mentioned this in a lecture before: I’m C-rank, and due to the nature of my specialized technique, I’ve never been in the spotlight.”

“That’s funny. A C-rank can’t be an academy professor, especially here. And professor, didn’t you retire? But here only active-duty heroes are dispatched as professors.”

Han Min-ha was silent, alternating between looking at me and Yu Hye-won, and Song Do-yoon, showing some interest, leaned toward Hye-won while sipping beer.

“Someone without past records or academy professor qualifications here, yet thoroughly knowledgeable about team combat that even active heroes aren’t familiar with. Hmm.”

Yu Hye-won stroked her chin like a detective.

“The answer is this.”

“What is it?”

“You used to work in a secret organization under the management bureau and carried out a highly important mission. In return, your position as an academy professor was secured. Am I right?”

Han Min-ha covered their mouth and Song Do-yoon snorted with a laugh before turning their head away.

“Hey, why are you laughing?”

“How can such nonsense not make you laugh? It would be stranger if it didn’t.”

“But where exactly am I wrong?”

Song Do-yoon took a sip of beer with an indifferent expression.

“Professor hiding a covert operative’s past? Might as well write a well-crafted web novel.”

“What?!”

“Great material, right? A once rough and ruthless operative becomes an academy professor, teaching students while finding meaning in life. But for some reason, they reveal their true self again, not shying away from evil deeds for the sake of their students. Sounds good, right?”

“Hehe, yeah, that’s right. Hye-won, there’s no way the professor could have such a past. That’s something only in movies.”

Han Min-ha quickly agreed with Song Do-yoon.

Smiling, I said to Yu Hye-won.

“If I were such a person, wouldn’t it be faster to ask your granduncle Chun?”

“Granduncle? He’s old! Besides, if it’s a secret organization, my dad wouldn’t tell me something like that!”

“If that logic holds, no matter whether I say yes or no here, the truth remains unknown, doesn’t it?”

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me suspiciously.

“So, you’re neither denying nor confirming it?”

“Believe what you will, Hye-won. Even if I said anything, it would be the same, wouldn’t it? Of course, your guesses are baseless.”

“Then how did you become an academy professor? Your conditions clearly don’t qualify you.”

“Just luck. Since there were no specialists in defense, I was specially recruited. That’s all.”

“Hmm…”

Seeing Hye-won’s unresolved doubts, Song Do-yoon, who had been silent, finally spoke.

“Really, gathering on a Friday night to drink and talk about such absurd baseless fantasies.”

“You crazy one!”

“Whoa! Stop it! We’re drinking with the professor for the first time, should we really start fighting?!”

With Han Min-ha in the middle crying out, Yu Hye-won closed her mouth but still glared at Song Do-yoon.

After a sideways look at such Yu Hye-won, Song Do-yoon calmly tilted their beer can.

As the atmosphere calmed down, Han Min-ha asked me hesitantly.

“Um… Professor… Why haven’t you gotten married yet?”

At that, Yu Hye-won and Song Do-yoon, who had been arguing moments ago, both looked at me.

“Marriage?”

“Professor, how come someone so handsome and cool is still single?”

“Maybe I’ve never thought about it.”

“I see.”

Yu Hye-won raised her finger again.

“Professor, you’re gay, aren’t you?”

“Wha?!”

Song Do-yoon started coughing violently, beer spraying everywhere.

“Khh…!”

“Yikes?! Do-yoon, are you okay?!”

“Ah… I’m fine…”

Seeing this, Yu Hye-won clicked her tongue.

“Tsk, look at how jumpy you are. Don’t get drunk today, tank.”

“Eh? Why?”

“Don’t you know? That crazy hag over there is eyeing you to stomp and crush you.”

“Huh…?”

While wiping Song Do-yoon’s mouth with a tissue, Han Min-ha moved to sit apart.

“Anyway, professor is gay. You have a hidden boyfriend, don’t you?”

“Frankly, the theory about me being a former covert operative seems more plausible. I’ve just been too busy to think about love or anything.”

At that, Han Min-ha’s face lit up.

“So… does that mean you’re freer now? Hehehe…”

Yu Hye-won’s relentless remarks, Han Min-ha’s innocent overtures, and even Song Do-yoon…

Again, I felt as if my mental barrier was wavering.

Not that it’s actually wavering, just the feeling.

Well… these three guidance students really seem to take the wind out of the teacher’s sails.

Still, it’s not bad.

Considering the difficulties of welcoming Hye-won and Min-ha at the start of the semester, and Do-yoon’s inclusion, simply having them all talk this freely already feels almost miraculous.

Right, let’s keep it up this way.

Perhaps in my life, which once had no hope or future, these children…

“Professor! Let’s play a drinking game, hey! Let’s!”

“Alright. Xskinravins 31 then…”

“Ah… that game is ancient…”

* * * * *

The first to drop was Professor Hyun.

Unable to adapt to the new drinking games of the young generation, he had to keep downing penalty drinks.

Thus, Professor Hyun collapsed onto the sofa, saying he’d rest for a bit, and promptly fell asleep with his head against the wall.

The second to fall was Han Min-ha.

It was partly because he had helped drink some of Professor Hyun’s penalty drinks, claiming to be the “black knight,” and his naturally weak tolerance for alcohol.

“Goodbye, kids… See you tomorrow…”

Han Min-ha claimed a spot beside Professor Hyun, using his arm as a pillow, dozing off while saliva dripped down.

“Hey, tank… why are you still fine?”

“Because I don’t get drunk easily.”

“Damn… you’re tough…”

Mumbling something, Yu Hye-won pulled Professor Hyun’s hand onto her chest.

“You can touch the chest… pinch the nipples too… Tonight I’ll be…”

With that, Yu Hye-won buried her head in Professor Hyun’s chest and began snoring.

Song Do-yoon stared fixedly at the three from above.

Seeing the professor encircled with these two, Song Do-yoon realized there was no place for them.

These three have been together since their first year, whereas Song Do-yoon joined midway like a stone rolling in.

Song Do-yoon fidgeted with Professor Hyun’s toothbrush, still hidden deep in their jacket pocket.

At the same time, they stared intently at Professor Hyun’s half-open lips.

An almost unbearable impulse rose inside, but they clenched their own lips to suppress it.

Pull yourself together, Song Do-yoon. You came here because of Han Min-ha, didn’t you?

That’s absurd. He’s a man.

But even at the sight of Han Min-ha, shirtless and asleep with his chest exposed, nothing stirred inside them.

Instead… if I had pushed Han Min-ha aside and taken that spot…

Sigh… I really don’t know. I don’t understand what these feelings are.

Intellectually, I know, but emotionally I can’t accept it.

And… Professor Hyun must surely hate me.

For tormenting a cherished student and because I’m a deviant woman who likes the same gender…

Therefore, too painful…

What do I really want?

Even if I don’t know, there’s one thing I want now.

I want to be part of this group.

I want to be in the professor’s embrace.

Again, I want to feel the arms that saved me when the villain nearly killed me.

But there’s no place for me…

Thus, Song Do-yoon slowly crouched between Professor Hyun’s legs.

Leaning their head against his thigh, they let out a faint sigh.

I should be satisfied with this much…

And like that, the Golden Vipers and the Gray Mold gathered snugly on the sofa and dozed off.