NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7: Class [4]
"Ah...hem...Ms. Kang?"
She didn't respond. She just stood there, silent, her mouth still hanging open.
'Uh oh... Did I answer wrong?'
I thought to myself, and, in truth, yes, that wasn't the answer I was supposed to give.
Looking closer, these kinds of answers were way beyond the grasp of someone like me, a mere teenager.
"Did you see that? The teacher looks shocked—"
"Yeah, probably because that answer must be ridiculously complicated to decode."
"Wait, I don't get it. Is that really the answer to the question? It's completely out of context."
I could hear the other students whispering behind me, all trying to make sense of what had just happened, until Ms. Kang cleared her throat, silencing the entire room.
"Hm...hm... Well, Cadet Kim Sugil, your answer... is... correct. Congratulations. You may return to your seat."
I wasn't expecting that. I thought she would either refute my answer or ask me how I came up with such a response.
Without saying anything else, I returned to my seat.
As I sat down, Kim Sae-jin called out to me:
"Hey, so you're actually a genius, aren't you?"
His words made me a little embarrassed.
"Oh, you know, it was just a question anyone could have answered... I didn't do anything special—"
I said, turning my gaze away slightly. I could still hear Sae-jin chuckling.
"So your name's Kim Sugil, right?"
He asked.
"Eh? Ah, hem, yes..."
He smiled before looking back at the board.
"Nice name."
.
.
'W-what?'
[Information: A character from the story is taking an interest in you.]
I was so caught off guard by what Sae-jin had just said that I completely ignored the system's notification.
'Kim Sae-jin likes my name?'
I scratched the back of my head and tried to focus on Ms. Kang's lesson like the rest of the class. The hours flew by like dust in the wind, which was a blessing because the lesson was incredibly dull.
Before I knew it, it was lunchtime. As I left the classroom, I heard a voice calling out to me.
"Hey, Kim Sugil!"
"Huh?"
I turned around to see Kim Sae-jin waving at me.
"Kim Sae-jin? Is something wrong?"
"Hey, you didn't wait for me—you were just about to leave without saying anything!"
"Not gonna lie, I'm starving, and that class was exhausting..."
Kim Sae-jin laughed.
"How about we eat together?"
'Ah... Again...'
It felt like Sae-jin was becoming more and more interested in me, even though I wasn't supposed to be here in the first place.
At that moment—
"K-Kim Sae-jin!"
Both of us turned toward the voice shouting Sae-jin's name.
'Oh, there she is...'
It was Sun Daehyun, running toward us.
"Ah... Sun Daehyun."
Kim Sae-jin replied.
When she reached us, she had this slightly annoyed expression, like her pride had been hurt.
"Why? You know I didn't need your help, right?! I could've handled that bastard myself!"
"Haha... Yeah, I know, but I just couldn't help lending a hand to a friend in need!"
"Geez, you're always like this! It's so frustrating! And what if the council had decided to kick you out, considering you already missed the first day?!"
Watching them bicker, I couldn't help but smile. Then, I sighed.
"Kim Sae-jin, I'm heading out. See you later."
"Oh...hem, alright..."
Sae-jin replied.
I walked away, leaving the two of them behind.
"Sae-jin, who was that nerdy-looking guy?"
"That's Sugil! A really nice guy!"
"..."
"What is it, Sun Daehyun?"
"...I don't know. I just don't trust that guy..."
.
.
.
.
While wandering through the academy hallways, searching for the cafeteria, I realized after ten minutes that I was lost.
"Ugh, this is nothing like the novel—this school is way too massive!"
'Damn it, I should've stayed with Sae-jin and Daehyun!'
I walked for a few more minutes before spotting a student ahead of me.
She had long blonde hair that cascaded down to her hips.
In her hands was a stack of notebooks, and her expression... well, it was hard to describe. Her eyes were closed, but it felt like she knew exactly where she was going.
'...Why does she look so familiar?'
'But oh well, she's the first person I've seen in a while, and I'm starving, so I should ask her where the cafeteria is before it's too late.'
"Um, excuse me?"
I called out to her. She calmly opened her eyes and stared at me intensely.
"Do you know where the ca—"
I didn't even get to finish my sentence before she walked away.
'Who does she think she is?!'
I was angry, but I kept a polite smile on my face.
'Fine, I'll figure it out myself—'
At that moment, my phone started vibrating. I pulled it out, and...
It was a call from "Eve"?
[Quest: Reach Level 5 during the entrance exam
Rewards: New card abilities of 1 or 2 stars, gain points in STR and END.
Failure to complete the quest within the time limit will result in penalties for the next 10 days. Quest difficulty: RANK F.]