Academy’s Villain Professor

Chapter 128 : Outing (2)

Ho-cheol muttered, sounding a little bewildered.

“Our destination is the same, so I don’t see why not.”

He looked at the car Da-yeon had pointed to earlier and asked.

“Weren’t you planning on taking that car? Is it okay to just leave it behind?”

Da-yeon was about to say it was fine, of course, but she closed her mouth.

Instead, she glanced back and forth between Ho-cheol and the car for a moment before nodding her head as if she had made up her mind.

“Just a moment.”

She ran back, stuck only her head through the passenger side window of the car, said something brief, and then returned to Ho-cheol.

“I told them. It’s fine now.”

“Alright. Let’s go then.”

Ho-cheol once again picked up the shopping bags, his hands full.

As they waited at the bus stop for a moment, the bus that went directly to the cemetery arrived.

Ho-cheol got on the bus first, and Da-yeon followed.

Ho-cheol put the bags down in the rearmost seat and turned around.

Da-yeon was still dawdling in front of the fare box.

To be precise, she was empty-handed, repeatedly tapping her palm on the card reader just as Ho-cheol had done.

Ho-cheol, dumbfounded, walked back to her side.

“What are you doing?”

“What. What am I supposed to do?”

When Ho-cheol had put his palm there just a moment ago, it made a beep sound.

But for her, there was no reaction at all.

Ho-cheol pointed at the terminal she was rubbing with her bare hand, looking astonished.

“You’re supposed to tap a card, not your bare hand.”

“Ah, a card.”

She hurriedly took a card out of her wallet and brought it to the terminal.

She repeatedly rubbed the pitch-black card against the terminal, but the machine showed no reaction.

“Doesn’t seem like it’s registered as a transit card. You can pay with cash otherwise.”

“Ah.”

But after opening her wallet and having a short conversation with the driver, she turned her head back.

She looked on the verge of tears as she asked Ho-cheol for help.

“……They said they don’t accept 50,000 won bills here.”

“Haa.”

In the end, Ho-cheol walked back to the front, took a crumpled bill out of his wallet, and put it into the fare box.

Sitting in the seat next to Ho-cheol at the very back of the bus, Da-yeon blushed and muttered softly.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Well, things like that can happen.”

“It’s my first time on a bus like this……”

To be precise, it was her first time ever on a bus like this, one that wasn’t a chartered bus.

She also didn’t know because the monorail that went around the academy grounds was free.

Her confession, spoken in a voice that was almost a crawl, was filled with nothing but embarrassment.

Ho-cheol let out a chuckle.

“It’s like a rich young lady’s experience of commoner life.”

“It’s not like that……”

She denied it, but in fact, it was true.

Traits were also a talent, and although there was no precisely established theory, it was a well-known fact that if the parents’ generation had outstanding traits, the ones inherited would also be outstanding.

The generation above the Sword Demon, that is, Da-yeon’s grandparents, also possessed excellent traits, and the same was true for the generation above them.

Even if they weren’t heroes, there were plenty of ways to make money.

The wealth accumulated in such a way went beyond that of a simple affluent class, to the point where they could easily be included in the category of a conglomerate.

“I should spread this rumor in the department group chat.”

“Please don’t……”

Along with Ho-cheol’s teasing, the bus finally closed its doors and departed.

On the bus heading to the Hero National Cemetery.

For two people sitting right next to each other, no conversation passed between them.

Ho-cheol, in the window seat, was staring blankly out the window, and Da-yeon was only gazing silently at Ho-cheol’s side profile.

At this rate, even when they arrived at the cemetery, the conversation they had earlier might be the only one they had until the moment they returned to the academy.

At that ominous premonition, Da-yeon clenched her fists tightly.

Opportunities to be alone with Ho-cheol were rare.

No, it was no exaggeration to say they were nonexistent.

She searched her memory, recalling situations where she had been alone with Ho-cheol.

The time he saved her from the villains who had kidnapped her during the MT.

And the time she confessed her past in the warehouse at the Invention Day Expo.

Only twice.

For some reason, opportunities only arose when the situations were extreme.

In that sense, she couldn't miss this opportunity to talk with him, when their daily life was so peaceful.

Although her personality was usually far from sociable, Da-yeon made up her mind and spoke first.

“Um, Professor.”

“Huh?”

Ho-cheol, who had been blankly watching the scenery outside the window, turned his head.

Any topic would do.

Thinking that, Da-yeon’s lips parted.

But the words just wouldn't come out.

Her everyday conversational skills were excessively poor compared to her peers.

Out of 100 points, could she even get 20?

This was after it had been less than 10 at the beginning of the semester, and had grown to this extent thanks to a dramatic improvement from acting as the class president this semester.

If she were at least at the average of 50 points, she would have started the conversation by asking about his well-being after the end of the semester.

If she were over 70 points, she would have talked about the villain incident that happened earlier, and how she found the parents of the lost child.

If she were at 100 points, she would have continued the conversation on the topic of the bookstore logo shopping bag placed between Ho-cheol’s feet or the flower pot peeking out from between the black plastic bags.

But the topic she, a 20-pointer, brought up was.

“Professor, you’re going to see that person who saved your life back then, right?”

“That’s right.”

“I’m going to see my mother……. Ah.”

“Ah.”

Belatedly, Da-yeon shut her mouth.

Only after speaking did she realize what she had just said.

No matter how little responsibility Ho-cheol had for her mother’s death, and even if she had forgiven him.

That was a completely separate matter.

Indeed, the atmosphere instantly grew somber.

Ho-cheol himself had turned his gaze from looking straight ahead back to the window.

Even 20 points was too much.

It was a complete 0-point topic.

The flow of conversation was cut off again.

Cold sweat began to trickle down Da-yeon’s forehead.

Come to think of it, after running around so much outside, she hadn't even been able to properly wash up, let alone wipe away her sweat.

An enclosed bus, herself drenched in sweat, and Ho-cheol sitting right next to her.

The answer derived from these three conditions was singular.

Swallowing hard, she shot up from her seat.

For a moment, her body swayed as she stood up on the moving bus, but she managed to catch her balance and sat not in the seat next to him, but the one next to that.

She had only moved because she was worried about smelling, with no ulterior motive.

Seeing this, Ho-cheol muttered with a displeased expression.

“What the.”

“Ah, that is. I.”

But Ho-cheol’s gaze as he looked at the hesitating Da-yeon, unable to answer, was unusual.

To be precise, it was close to half sadness, half disappointment.

She brought up his mother, the mood sank, and even Da-yeon moved to sit away from him.

What this situation implied.

There was no room for doubt.

He wore an expression as if he understood, yet a little sad.

“Ah. Right. It’s normal for you to be uncomfortable with me. How thoughtless of me……. Just because I was forgiven doesn’t mean that’s the end of it.”

Da-yeon gasped.

Her own casual action had led to an absurd misunderstanding.

She was too embarrassed to tell the truth, but no other plausible excuse came to mind.

But if she continued to stay silent, Ho-cheol’s misunderstanding would surely solidify into truth.

Given the personality she had seen from Ho-cheol so far, it was obvious he would distance himself from her again.

In the end, she lowered her head deeply and confessed the truth.

“I, I……. Don’t I smell like sweat? That’s why I moved……”

If Ho-cheol were to answer that she did smell, she felt like she would want to jump out of this window that could barely fit an arm.

“Ah.”

Ho-cheol’s expression brightened a little.

What a relief.

But that feeling soon disappeared.

To think she’d stir up his guilt at a time like this for such a trivial reason.

And wasn’t her explanation quite late, too?

Da-yeon, who was so embarrassed she couldn’t even meet his eyes, seemed a little vexing.

That’s why, although he would normally pretend not to have heard and moved on, Ho-cheol deliberately asked again.

“Smell?”

He twitched the end of his nose.

But then he tilted his head and leaned sideways.

He brought his head close to Da-yeon’s shoulder and took a light breath.

She let out a small scream.

“Hyaak Th-that’s gross!”

“Of course you smell. But.”

He reached out and gently squeezed Da-yeon’s cheeks with his thumb and forefinger, forcing her to lift her head.

“Why did you sweat so much today? It wasn’t just because the weather was hot, was it.”

She answered, stammering.

“Because I was carrying out evacuation measures outside, and finding the parents of a lost child.”

“Right.”

Only then did Ho-cheol let go of Da-yeon’s cheeks.

“How can the sweat you shed while saving people be gross? Right?”

As if unable to meet his eyes, Da-yeon’s blue pupils shook violently from side to side, leaving afterimages.

“I like this kind of smell.”

Her face, already fair-skinned with silvery-white hair, was now flushed red, making it particularly conspicuous.

Her blush spread all the way to her neck.

Chiiik Poof!

Her body, which had been leaning against the backrest as if all strength had left her, slid down and went limp.

By the time Da-yeon came to her senses again, the bus had already arrived at the stop near the cemetery, their destination.

Her cheeks were still tinged with red; if one were to place the back of their hand on them, they would feel feverishly hot.

In the end, she hadn’t been able to talk with him much, but even this was close to a lethal dose for her.

Getting off the bus, she finally realized what she had forgotten and muttered.

“Ah, the flowers.”

She had forgotten the flowers she had put in the back seat of her car out of habit.

To come to her mother's grave after so long, empty-handed.

Just as she was about to feel disappointed, Ho-cheol took out a bouquet from a shopping bag and held it out.

“Here, she’s not picky about the type, is she?”

“She isn’t, but.”

She took the flowers and asked.

“What about you, Professor?”

“Me.”

He pulled a single stem from the bouquet.

“One flower is enough.”

In truth, he had only intended to buy a single flower.

But the florist was such a smooth talker.

The employee had completely captivated Ho-cheol with their silver tongue.

Thanks to that, when he came to his senses, he had already paid for the entire bouquet.

It was a relief that it found a use like this.

Unlike with a private car, the path from the bus stop to the cemetery was quite a distance.

How long had they walked?

In the distance, the entrance to the cemetery came into view.

And at the same time, he felt a powerful aura from within.

Ho-cheol raised his head and looked toward the top of the hill.

“Aha. Well now.”

An aura that shouldn’t be there… wasn’t quite right, but from Ho-cheol’s perspective, it was quite awkward.

He’s always just active in the neighborhood, what brought him all the way out here?

Moreover, he could feel that the other person had noticed him too.

It was only a matter of time before they met.

And the current situation wasn't just Ho-cheol's problem alone.

“Wait a moment.”

He thought for a moment before calling out to Da-yeon, who was walking ahead.

“Yes?”

Ho-cheol looked at her silently for a moment.

And then he asked.

“You. Are you still on bad terms with the Sword Demon?”

“Yes.”

She answered without a hint of hesitation.

As firm as ever.

“Still, you fought with me, risking your life, for medicine for your mother.”

“That can’t be an indulgence for the responsibility and duties he neglected until now, and the violence he directed towards me, can it?”

Although Da-yeon held infinite trust and affection beyond goodwill for Ho-cheol, as soon as the topic of the Sword Demon came up, her attitude became even sharper than it had been at the beginning of the semester.

“That’s true, of course……. Wait, he hit you?”

Ho-cheol momentarily doubted his ears.

Had that guy really lost his mind?

Da-yeon subtly turned her head and corrected herself.

“Verbal abuse.”

“Ah. Right.”

Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t completely lost his mind.

Should he be relieved it wasn’t actual violence, or not?

“Anyway.”

He let out a sigh.

“I may not be that much older than you guys, but I have a pretty diverse range of experiences, right? And I’ve had some realizations here and there recently, so this is some advice.”

“Advice? I’ll listen to it as counsel.”

Originally, unsolicited advice and counsel weren't that different.

If you like what you hear, it’s counsel; if you don’t, it’s unsolicited advice.

“Once you crumple a piece of paper, it never goes back to its original state. No matter how much you flatten it, the creases remain clear. But.”

Right now, Da-yeon was taking it as counsel, but it seemed likely to turn into unsolicited advice soon.

“Whether that paper remains crumpled, or whether it’s flattened out even with the creases, is ultimately up to the person holding the paper. So, the point of this is.”

Ho-cheol took a short breath and finished his words.

“It’s better to try and flatten it out once. In the end, if it stays crumpled, it’s nothing but trash.”

Though the analogy and expression were a bit vague, considering the question he had asked earlier, his intention was transparent.

Da-yeon asked back calmly.

“Are you telling me to reconcile with that person right now?”

A calm tone, but beneath it, he could feel boiling emotions being forcefully suppressed.

“No. To talk. Just by exchanging a few words last time, you found out that the Sword Demon was actually trying to help with your mother’s illness. Maybe if you talk longer, you’ll find out more than that, and the truth might be a little different from what you knew.”

Da-yeon clenched her fists tightly.

Normally, she would have dismissed it as nonsense no matter who said it.

No, in the first place, a conversation on this topic wouldn't have even been possible.

But because it was Ho-cheol and no one else, Da-yeon thought for a moment before finally sighing.

“No matter how you put it, I… have no intention of talking to that person.”

She understood why Ho-cheol had called it unsolicited advice, not counsel.

Even though they were his words, it was an ordeal just to listen.

But she couldn't bring herself to completely ignore them.

“But. If that person wants to talk first, then I’ll at least listen, like you said, Professor.”

“Ah, that’s a relief.”

Ho-cheol reached out and placed his hand on Da-yeon’s head.

He applied gentle pressure, turning her head to look behind her.

And there, at the entrance of the cemetery, stood the Sword Demon.

“This is as far as I go. I’ve set the whole table for you, and you won’t eat? Just go and die.”

This was the greatest kindness and goodwill that Ho-cheol, the one-time perpetrator, could bestow upon the Sword Demon, the victim.