Ji-yeon and Miss Choi walk with Wo-jin from the training grounds back to the second floor. The air is heavy with tension.
"Mother, why has the headmaster made this sudden decision? The duel was supposed to be in five days," Ji-yeon asks softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I believe the headmaster has found out about Kangha's attempt to enter his office. He likely wants to distract Kangha by forcing him into the duel early, hoping to weaken or occupy him," Miss Choi replies, her tone steady yet serious.
"Do you really think he knows?" Wo-jin questions, a hint of doubt laced in his words.
"But, Mother, Kangha's condition isn't good enough for a duel. He has a serious shoulder fracture," Ji-yeon says, concern evident in her voice.
The three continue climbing the stairs to the upper floor, their footsteps echoing against the cold stone walls. Each step adds to the growing unease among them.
"I still believe that's the reason," Miss Choi replied to wo-jin.
"But only Kangha can tell us how he feels." Her words hang in the air as they approach Kangha's room.
Wo-jin steps forward, opening the door carefully. Inside, Kangha lies on the bed with his eyes closed, his face pale and exhausted. His bare chest reveals the thick bandages wrapped tightly around his injured shoulder. The sight of the reddened, swollen bandages makes it clear that his injury is indeed severe
"How are you feeling, Kangha?" Wo-jin asks, sitting on the right corner of the bed in the front of him.
Kangha glances briefly at Ji-yeon, who enters the room after Miss Choi. Ji-yeon meets his gaze but remains silent, her expression unreadable. Turning back to Wo-jin, Kangha replies with a faint smile, "It doesn't hurt much, but my shoulder won't move at all."
"It's probably the cold weather. You should warm it up and adjust the temperature in your room," Miss Choi says as she moves to Kangha's other side and sits beside him on the bed.
Kangha's eyes linger on Ji-yeon, his smile soft but persistent. Even while Miss Choi speaks, his attention doesn't waver from Ji-yeon, who now sits silently beside Wo-jin, directly across from Miss Choi. Her face is devoid of any emotion—neither sadness nor happiness—just calm silence. Observing her closely, Kangha speaks again, his tone thoughtful.
"How will you manage to fight in the duel tomorrow, Kangha?" Miss Choi asks, breaking the momentary quiet.
"Hhhhhh! Huhhh! I'll try my best to avoid getting hurt." Letting out a small chuckle, Kangha replies, His voice carries a mix of humor and resignation as he shifts his attention to Miss Choi.
"That's not possible," she says, her tone sharp yet concerned. "You can't win by simply avoiding injury. I think you need to reconsider and plan ahead for this duel."
Wo-jin nods in agreement, adding, "She's right. You won't be able to defend yourself and win at the same time. You'll need to come up with a better strategy if this fight can't be postponed."
The room falls silent again as Kangha looks down, pondering their words. The tension among them grows heavier, yet beneath it.
Kangha speaks up again, breaking the silence. "There is a solution to this problem."
"What is it?" Wo-jin asks, leaning forward slightly.
"If my shoulder heals in time. Listen, I've read in books that sometimes muscles shift out of place when they're strained repeatedly. If we try to force them back into position, they can tear. But if we use sun therapy, they can heal in just a few hours. We can amplify the sun's heat and light by using a mirror rays. Since it's cold today and there isn't much sunlight, we can concentrate whatever light we find onto my shoulder—or any other injured area. This will improve blood circulation, and with that, the muscles could recover. Along with this, we can use MRM technology to aid muscle repair, or we can secure the area with tools designed for such treatments," Kangha explains with conviction.
Miss Choi nods thoughtfully. "The idea of using rays is good. It's worth a try."
But Wo-jin shakes his head, clearly unconvinced. "This is foolish. We've already tried something like this in class. We don't even know the correct amount or intensity of rays to use. That's meant for inanimate objects, not humans. Machines like that aren't designed for human experimentation."
"If anything goes wrong, I'll tell you. You can just turn off the machine," Kangha insists calmly.
"This is ridiculous," Wo-jin retorts, his tone firm, trying to dissuade him.
"It's not ridiculous!" Kangha replies, his determination unwavering.
"Kangha, this isn't something to experiment with. Your muscles shifted because of excessive strain. If we try anything like this, we could cause more damage than repair," Wo-jin warns, his voice filled with concern.
"Let's just try it," Kangha says, standing firm in his decision.
Miss Choi, after a moment of hesitation, speaks gently. "I think you should reconsider, Kangha. This could be risky."
"Nothing will happen, you'll see," Kangha says with a smile.
Kangha's idea isn't bad. He has thought of a clever solution since the duel cannot be postponed. If the headmaster has moved the date forward, it's undoubtedly deliberate. But the idea of repairing muscles using sun rays is risky. Sunlight helps repair damaged or torn muscles in minimal amounts, but those are different muscles—not ones that have shifted out of place. When muscles shift, they leave a gap, essentially creating empty space. Using concentrated rays through a mirror is highly dangerous; it could burn the skin or cause severe damage.
It's the first time that ji-yeon intruped in conversation.
"That machine you're thinking of,it's powerful enough to tear through your flesh. "To repair the body, the right amount of heat and mental relaxation is critical. Massage could be much more effective. .I'm a nurse. I can give him a massage treatment to help his body relax and repair the muscles."
Miss Choi's eyes widen in surprise. "Why didn't you mention this earlier?" she asks, a mix of relief and curiosity in her voice. "My dear, if you can help Kangha's shoulder heal, please do it. It's crucial for all of us."
"M-Am--Me?" Ji-yeon stammers, her voice trembling. It takes her considerable effort to speak. "I'm not just repair it, I think, I fully recovered it. " She reaches out, showing her hand to her mother with hesitation.
Miss Choi's gaze shifts to Ji-yeon's hand, which is stained red with blood. Her eyes narrow with concern as she notices the unnatural heat radiating from Ji-yeon's palm. The warmth is so intense that it feels like a small flame is burning beneath her skin.
"What… what is this?" Miss Choi asks, shocked, as she gently touches Ji-yeon's burning hand again.
"Mother, I can heat things… anything, to any temperature. It's my power."
Ji-yeon exhales deeply.
Miss Choi releases her hand, her expression unreadable. "Then heal Kangha's shoulder," she says firmly.
"I… I can't," Ji-yeon replies, lowering her gaze to the floor.
"Why not?"
Miss Choi asks, her voice gentler this time, though confusion lingers in her tone. She cannot fathom why Ji-yeon would refuse to help someone in need.
Ji-yeon takes a shaky breath before explaining. "To heat or transfer temperature to someone, I need to touch them directly. Without direct contact, I can't do it. And Kangha…" She stops mid-sentence, her voice faltering as her thoughts spiral. She seems trapped between the possibilities of right and wrong.
Miss Choi watches her daughter intently before speaking with finality.
"Ji-yeon, if you can do it, you must heal him—by whatever means necessary." Her tone leaves no room for argument. It's clear she will not entertain further objections.
Ji-yeon swallows hard, her thoughts racing as the weight of her mother's command settles over her.
Kangha stares at Ji-yeon with a mix of curiosity and surprise. Everything about this situation feels new to him, but by now, he's grown used to such oddities.
Wo-jin steps closer, sensing Ji-yeon's hesitation. His voice is calm but firm, offering reassurance.
"Look, Ji-yeon, tomorrow's duel isn't just Kangha fighting alone. We'll all be standing with him. This is the headmaster's game, a strategy to distract or weaken us. I think you need to help Kangha because, honestly, there's no other option—for any of us, including you."
Kangha, watching Ji-yeon closely, notices an unusual fear in her eyes. He leans forward slightly, his voice gentle.
"Ji-yeon, are you afraid of me?"
"N-No, I'm not,"
she replies quickly, almost too quickly, as though trying to convince herself as much as him.But her trembling hands and labored breathing betray her. She's on edge, each breath a struggle, her fear palpable.
"Alright, then,"
"Miss Choi, leave her here with me. She'll heal me, won't you, Ji-yeon?"
Kangha says with a small smile, his tone surprisingly calm.His playful grin is meant to lighten the mood, but Ji-yeon doesn't respond.
Her silence only deepens his suspicion, her unease casting a shadow over the room. What was she so afraid of? Kangha's eyes narrow slightly, as though trying to read her thoughts, but he says nothing.
Sensing the tension, Kangha shifts gears and addresses Miss Choi, his tone now serious.
"Were you in the library today? Did you find anything about the school's rules or its protective systems?"
Miss Choi shakes her head, her expression troubled. "No. All the books detailing the school's protections are missing. It's strange. Over the past three or four years, so much has changed in this school, and yet we've been blind to it all."
Kangha exhales deeply, his brows furrowed. "My grandfather set up certain systems here. We'll rely on them. Soon, we'll find a way to not only protect ourselves but also expose what's been happening in this school."
"With Felix here, reaching that system is impossible," Wo-jin says, his voice sharp and filled with anger. "Without Grandfather, we're completely stuck. And we don't even know where to start. We had five days to learn more about Grandfather's plans, but Felix took all that time from us by forcing this duel." Wo-jin clenches his fists in frustration and said.
. "We're trying. We'll figure something out. We have to." Though she speaks with reassurance, the worry in her eyes is undeniable.
"I'm going to the students. Maybe one of them knows something—anything—that can explain why all of this is happening."
Wo-jin exhales sharply and steps toward the door.Without waiting for a response, he storms out, his determination evident in his hurried steps.
The room falls silent, the air heavy with tension. After a few moments, Ji-yeon stands, hesitant but ready to leave. Miss Choi's sharp voice stops her.
"Sit down, Ji-yeon,"
she commands, her tone unusually cold. "You're staying here. Kangha's recovery is essential for all of us, and you're the only one who can help him."
Ji-yeon looks at Miss Choi, startled by her stern demeanor. Miss Choi's usually calm expression is now tinged with frustration, perhaps even anger. Ji-yeon quietly lowers herself back into the bed, feeling the weight of Miss Choi's expectations pressing down on her.
Miss Choi crosses her arms, glancing at Kangha, whose eyes are closed as he tries to rest. "Don't be afraid, Ji-yeon," Miss Choi says, her tone softening slightly. "This isn't just about Kangha. It's about all of us. Do what you need to do."
Ji-yeon nods, her heart heavy with doubt but knowing she has no other choice
Yes! Mom..