"When are you going to stop wearing that mask?"
Baekdo, who had been sleepily staring at my face since the morning, asked this as I got ready to go to the academy after washing up and putting on my mask.
"Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"Why wear a mask that's not even necessary?"
"Oh, this?"
I casually tapped the mask I was wearing.
"You don't think it suits me well, do you?"
"Of course not."
It was a design that made me look less attractive just by wearing it. It might have been fine during my ugly days, but now it hardly suited my face. However, there was a reason I wore the mask. It played a supportive role in manipulating magical power, making it almost an essential artifact during fights or competitions.
"I always used to wear it because I couldn't fight without it. It became a habit."
"Don't you think you can do without it now?"
That was a fair point. My skills were certainly not lacking anymore. I wore the mask out of habit more than necessity. If I had to give a reason, maybe it was because it was the item I was most attached to among all my possessions?
I had been using it since I arrived here, so I found myself reaching for it often.
"There was a time when I was really ugly."
"I know. You still look ugly to me."
"…Anyway. I used to face discrimination back then, but the mask helped. It changed how people saw me—from a criminal to just a suspicious person."
"Then you should take it off now. Honestly, it looks too frivolous."
"Thanks for your concern."
Baekdo pouted and turned her head away.
'I guess… It's time to stop wearing it.'
I felt a small crack with my fingertips as I caressed the mask.
'Does the mask really look that bad?'
"Hmm."
I looked closely at the mask in the mirror.
My body had slimmed down, and my muscles had firmed up, so now anything I wore fit well.
"Should I go without it today?"
That might be okay once in a while.
I adjusted my hair after setting down the mask. Looking in the mirror, I felt a mix of awkwardness and excitement without the usual discomfort. Baekdo, standing beside me, covered her mouth and gagged.
"Ugh…"
Why did she make such a face when she was the one who suggested I go without it?
Irritated, I slapped her pale, exposed leg, prompting an infuriated Baekdo to kick me in the chest.
"Ouch!"
A single tear rolled down.
What a mess this morning was.
…No, it was just another typical day.
Gulp, gulp.
The refreshing cold water quenched her thirst.
Jin Dallae had been waiting since 6 AM. She glanced at the empty seat beside Guseul and braced herself.
She moved a bit closer than usual as if it were the most natural thing.
She recalled Guseul's advice to smile sweetly, tilt her head, and listen with an ear forward—just one step closer than usual.
Guseul's silently mouthed words caught her attention.
'Fighting.'
She shyly turned her head away, embarrassed by the word.
Click.
The door swung open.
Jin Dallae shifted her gaze from Guseul and faced forward.
Simultaneously,
A nearby female student uttered a surprised sound.
"…Huh."
The young man who had just entered was an unknown figure to the students.
His abrupt entrance, with no concern for timing, incited murmurs among some students.
"Who's that? A professor?"
"Looks about our age. Maybe from a different class?"
The wave of curiosity rippled to the back of the classroom, with other students craning their necks to see.
Normally, such whispers would have subsided quickly, but they persisted due to the man's striking appearance.
'Lee Shiheon?'
Jin Dallae questioned her own eyesight at the sight of him.
The astonishment was so intense that it swept away all her prior resolutions and thoughts.
'Could it be a mistake?'
But soon, Jin Dallae refused to acknowledge the truth.
It was impossible for someone to transform so dramatically in such a brief span.
"Hey, you're not wearing the mask today?"
It couldn't be possible.
She thought so until Jung Siwoo raised his hand and spoke.
"Are you all healed up?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
The two, who seemed to have grown closer recently, engaged in playful banter.
This sparked another stir in the classroom.
Although rumors of Lee Shiheon's looks abounded, few students had actually seen him.
Of late, his skills had eclipsed his appearance, spawning rumors about his prowess.
"Wow, amazing."
"Why did he wear a mask if he looks like that?"
Some students whispered in jealousy, while others voiced genuine admiration.
Sneak peek.
Lee Shiheon cast a somewhat anxious glance at Jin Dallae.
Her obsession had yet to subside.
"…Huh?"
However, Jin Dallae was far from obsessed; she merely couldn't mask her confusion.
Unlike Lee Seyeong and the Peach Trees, who constantly monitored for changes, or Sansuyu, who had witnessed the enhanced looks from the beginning, Jin Dallae's recollection of Lee Shiheon's face was decidedly unattractive, personal preferences aside.
She couldn't help but be taken aback.
The sentiment echoed throughout the room.
"Pfft, what? Decided to show your face? Sent the mask to the cleaners?"
"Oh, the mask? I noticed it was cracked."
"Hey, you look pretty handsome!"
Jung Siwoo and Guseul.
As they reacted, a number of friendly students joined the banter.
-I watched your last match.
-You were strong.
Comments on the tournament shifted to casual conversation.
Jung Siwoo, sitting beside Lee Shiheon, led the chatter with more enthusiasm than high school girls discussing idols.
Unbeknownst to them, their camaraderie had grown. The talks spread, and the initially awkward atmosphere seamlessly integrated.
EveryDay was bound to be boisterous for some time.
"Right, everyone else is here, but I don't have your number, Shiheon. Can you give it to me?"
Jin Dallae, who had been blankly staring at Lee Shiheon, snapped out of her reverie at the bold approach of another female student.
For her, the change in appearance was not the important part.
Lee Shiheon chatted and giggled with a girl he had just met.
Jin Dallae felt a tightening anxiety in her chest.
She quickly realized what that emotion was.
The academy's retreat was not much different from the school trips that high school or middle school students went on.
If anything, it was a matter of whether adults or teenagers were having fun. It was more akin to a Membership Training (MT) event.
I had not experienced it, so I could only imagine based on the schedule posted on the notice.
-11:00–12:00 Arrival, assigning rooms
-1:00 Lunch
-2:00 Forming groups and deciding on slogans
-3:00–5:00 Group games
-6:00–7:00 Dinner and rest
And so on.
Games involved expensive liquors or betting on meals. Friendships were built over drinks in the evening.
Of course, it was quite different from ordinary MT or retreats.
Day 2 – 12:00 Martial Arts Contest.
'These crazy battle-loving people… Can't they go a day without fighting?'
The organizer's intention to have fistfights even at the retreat was glaringly obvious.
Checking EveryDay on my phone, I saw loads of valuable advice from seniors.
To the rookie students, do you know why there's a martial arts contest on the second day?
It's there to resolve any conflicts from the drinking sessions the night before, LOL. If you're upset, go fight it out, LOL.
[Comments 10]
-Anonymous 1: For real, LOL. Last year, a fight broke out over martial arts techniques; it was legendary.
-Anonymous 2: Is this for real?
└Anonymous 3: Yeah, it's a must-watch. It's hilarious.
Of course, the usual issues of MT were not absent.
Remembering the retreat reminds me of this.
I woke up to go to the bathroom and heard moaning outside… It was such a shock. I couldn't sleep after that.
[Comments 21]
-Anonymous 1: At first, I was shocked too, but now it just seems funny.
└Anonymous 2: Yeah, you just laugh it off as being bold and adventurous.
└Anonymous 3: Totally agree, LOL.
└Anonymous 4: If you do it, be sure to use protection. Don't get carried away by the mood. A pregnancy would be a disaster on top of the academy's intense curriculum.
Aside from a few events, everything seemed to stay within the bounds of common sense.
From a certain day onward, there were helpful events like meeting successful hunters, so I looked forward to a few days of indulging in food and fun, thanks to the substantial funding from the World Tree Foundation.
'The real problem is something else…'
My head swirled with worries.
That damn relationship issue.
I couldn't have a proper meeting with Jin Dallae even until I boarded the plane for the retreat.
'Dallae…'
I needed time to think.
'Well.'
I had made a mess while drunk… The things I said could easily be misunderstood.
But.
I had always been formal with Jin Dallae, and maybe because I didn't show it, I didn't see her romantically.
I do like her as a person.
Despite our rough start, I knew Jin Dallae had a good nature.
If she weren't decent, I wouldn't be tormented by guilt and suffering alone.
I respected and really liked that about her.
But for the reasons mentioned, this obsession wasn't entirely welcome.
'I am grateful, though.'
Hwangdo and Lee Seyeong, why did they like someone like me?
I turned my head to look at Lee Seyeong, who sat next to me, sipping wine.
"…Why are you staring like that? Turned on again?"
"..."
First-class on the plane.
It should have been normal for students to travel together in a noisy group, but Lee Seyeong's scheming changed that. I knew some nobles were taking their private jets, but I hadn't expected to be one of them. And Lee Seyeong, who arranged this without asking me, was impressive.
"No, I'm just happy to be together after a long time."
"Ugh. Haven't seen you in a while, but you've become so cheesy. That's not like you."
"What should I say, then?"
"Hmm… a tramp? Keke."
It was maddening.
I laughed bitterly and carelessly sliced a piece of steak in front of me, taking a bite. My mind was so preoccupied that I couldn't tell if I was eating through my mouth or nose.
"Why? What's bothering you now?"
After I hurriedly finished the meal, Seyeong casually asked.
"Did you notice?"
"Obviously. What is it this time, girl problems?"
"..."
"See, I told you before. You're cut out to be a playboy."
I had no excuse.
Seyeong, with a somewhat bitter but bright face, reached out and gently tapped my cheek.
"But you came because I called, so you must like me."
Well…
I nodded, and Seyeong leaned in close.
A brief silence, filled with tension, ensued.
"That's enough for me."
Softly speaking, Seyeong pulled back, giggling. The warmth lingered on my lips.
Gulp.
I swallowed the wine that had unknowingly entered my mouth. The rich taste of grapes lingered.
Her mischievous smile was so charming.
She playfully tapped my back, starting to chuckle.
"So, how many have increased? Who are they?"
"Not increased…"
"Don't be vague. Tell me clearly. Or I'll get angry."
"Just one."
"Just?"
"The future is uncertain."
"You brazen thing."
Seyeong raised her glass, still containing some wine, and signaled to me. I also lifted my glass. She brought hers forcefully, aligning it with mine.
Cheers.
The pleasant sound of glasses clinking resounded.
"Do as your heart desires."
I appreciated her sentiment, but I couldn't agree with the idea of increasing lovers without care.
"I think I'd go crazy if you were with another man."
"Don't worry, that won't happen. I'm devoted."
"…How can someone so devoted say it's okay for me to see other women?"
She just smiled slyly at my slightly mischievous remark.
"Maybe because I can't handle your sexual appetite?"
A playful response.
She always knew how to hide her deepest feelings.
I wasn't sure what those true feelings were.
Sigh.
I sighed and brought the wine glass to my lips.
Enough with the deep thoughts.
I decided to enjoy this special day, or it would be a waste.
I tilted the glass, savoring the drink.
Even this moment, sharing drinks on the plane would become a memory.
One laced with the aftertaste of pleasure and fun.