Chapter 15: I Became the Last Place in the Academy

Yun Hamin was stunned by my words.

He mumbled a few times, as if chewing over what he'd heard, then quietly asked again.

It felt like that wasn't enough for him.

"...You want me to smile?"

It wasn't an incomprehensible reaction. I even thought it was a natural one.

If it weren't for me, he wouldn't even have a reason to agonize like this, and it must be perplexing for the cause of it all to be saying something like this.

It probably seemed strange that I, who was just scraping the bottom of the barrel at the academy, was worrying about the top student, and he probably wondered why I was acting so friendly when we weren't even that close.

Yun Hamin didn't know me, but I knew Yun Hamin.

Given my position, it was probably inevitable.

So, there was no way to bridge the gap between us.

I knew so much, but there were just as many things I couldn't say.

"Yeah."

I answered calmly.

My lips twitched. My emotions kept trying to run wild.

The last sentence kept replaying in my mind, and I felt like my brow was furrowing.

Yun Hamin just stared at me blankly.

"...Why?"

I smiled bitterly at those words.

It was a smile to hold back the tears that felt like they were about to burst.

Was it because my heart was too tender?

Because I empathized too well, I often shed tears at sad sentences.

The tears that flowed because my tear ducts were too weak, soaked the screen, saying they were only for you.

How much more so when the protagonist was right in front of me?

"Because we're friends."

I returned the words Yun Hamin had once said to me.

With this reason, he wouldn't be able to find anything to say.

Thinking that, I turned my head.

"...I, I guess so."

It seemed strange, but perhaps unable to find anything to say, he hesitated and then remained silent.

I quietly looked at him, who I had been facing, then turned my gaze to where the horizon was swallowing the sunset.

Yun Hamin couldn't protect anyone.

He lost the comrades who put their arms around his shoulders and the lovers who patted his back.

He fought at the forefront more than anyone else, and even if he died, he tried to protect peace with his death. His end,

Despite being more of a hero than anyone else, was unheroic.

He survived pathetically alone, creating a path with his tears.

It was as if I had seen it all, as if I could picture his back.

"Thank you, for believing me."

I walked away with my back to him.

As I did, I expressed the emotions I had gained this time.

There was no reply, but I just continued to speak alone.

Honestly, I wanted to confide in someone, anyone. I just wanted someone to listen to me.

"Thank you for searching together, even though it's an absurd story, saying there might be evidence, and thank you for coming when I contacted you again like this."

The pace of my steps didn't slow down.

Afraid that he might see my distorted expression, I just walked along the barrier as if running away.

Then, this time, there was a voice chasing after me.

"...But there's something I want to ask."

"Huh?"

I secretly moistened my parched lips with my tongue.

Since I was walking ahead anyway, there was no way he could see it.

Yun Hamin paused for a moment, then immediately asked the question.

"Can I ask what this has to do with me smiling?"

"Ah..."

For a moment, an inorganic answer like, 'I guess so,' almost slipped out, and what came out after holding it back was a small sigh.

It was because it was too far in the future, and I couldn't think of a suitable excuse.

In fact, even in the story, he seemed like he would always be happy and never lose his smile, but it was suddenly taken away, so I wondered if what I was doing now was right.

But he's a hero.

Because he's the hero Yun Hamin.

I thought that if he acted more like a hero than anyone else, his lips might turn up.

If he protected those around him before losing them, if he protected those around those around him before they disappeared, and if he protected those around him like that, wouldn't he eventually be able to maintain Yun Hamin's happiness? That's why I started this.

I don't really know either. There was nothing certain.

Just like Yun Hamin's happiness was suddenly taken away, I was afraid that this world would suddenly steal Yun Hamin's smile.

I was just scared that everyone would die like this, and the inside of this barrier would be filled with bloodshed.

I chose my answer carefully.

This was about saving someone I didn't even know.

Really, it was like saving the family of a student somewhere in the academy.

So, even if I did something like this, Yun Hamin wouldn't have a reason to laugh.

He would just feel relieved, or wonder if it was really happening.

That's why there was no such thing as a normal answer.

Even so, I threw the answer at him.

"You know. If I'm doing this, you can keep smiling."

I answered like that and glanced back at him.

Then, I slightly raised my right hand, which was wrapped in bandages, and pointed to where the barrier was.

"What...?"

I didn't say anything more and kept walking.

Yun Hamin still seemed puzzled, but he didn't turn around, saying I was a crazy bitch, or declare that he couldn't trust me anymore and would go back.

Only after the horizon swallowed the sunset and starlight spread across the beautiful night sky did I stop walking.

"Is there nothing more?"

As I muttered, Yun Hamin hesitated for a moment and then looked at me.

"Kanna Aurora. Thank you for your hard work."

"...You too."

"But what you really want..."

He continued to agonize, and just when he seemed to be about to say something, he frowned and swallowed the words he was about to say.

I tilted my head, but he shook his head, as if to say it was nothing, and chuckled as he turned around.

"It's nothing, let's go."

He said that and headed for the bus stop.

I quietly followed behind him.

***

I couldn't go on the weekend because Kanna Aurora told me several times not to come.

She said that if she found anything, she would really take a picture and send it to me this time, but the fact that I haven't received a text message with a picture attached means she hasn't found anything.

In fact, if you ask me if I really believe it, the answer is ambiguous.

It was such an absurd and nonsensical story that I wondered how I could believe it just by hearing it when I hadn't even seen it yet.

But for some reason, my intuition was on edge.

Looking at Kanna Aurora desperately searching for something like that, I wondered if it would be even more amazing if it was acting.

Besides, the words 'I want you to laugh' kept lingering in my head, so I didn't even think about going back with my brow furrowed.

She wants me to laugh?

Have I not been smiling all this time?

No. I definitely wouldn't be smiling when I was concentrating on studying.

I definitely wouldn't be smiling when I was engrossed in training.

But I seemed to laugh a lot when I was chatting with Orca or other students.

I touched my lips with my hand.

I groped to see if my lips were drooping, but I couldn't find out anything else.

"...What are you worrying about so much?"

Orca Ramiris, who was sitting next to me, asked.

Orca Ramiris, with her blonde hair and blue eyes, flaunting that she was the daughter of a noble family that seemed to have something, looked at me with concern.

I stared at her for a moment and then groaned.

"It's nothing. I've been studying a lot lately..."

"Hehe, then we can have a real competition this week."

She, who had a strong desire to win, seemed to want to beat me fairly in a competition.

She lost the first test, and she was dissatisfied with the second test because I couldn't study because I was following Kanna Aurora around, so I missed a few questions on the written test, so it couldn't be helped that I felt like this was the time.

"I guess so."

Even as I answered like that, the ivory-colored hair and violet eyes kept popping into my head.

Those sad eyes, looking at me.

Smiling in that world that seemed like it would be dyed red by the sunset.

―Because I want you to smile.

Actually, we weren't that close.

There was no one at the academy who I was that close to.

It was still the beginning of the semester, and it was just the fourth week.

I just have friends I'm close to.

For some reason, I felt like Kanna Aurora's gaze towards me was a little different.

"...Hmm."

I flicked the pen in my hand around.

If I used the Abilities 'Stars Attract Each Other', the pen wouldn't fall out of my hand and would spin more flamboyantly.

The more I worried, the more I thought, the faster and more flashy it spun.

As I was spacing out during class, Orca nudged me.

"...Yun Hamin."

"Ah, sorry."

Is it because it's Monday?

I sighed deeply, thinking of nonsense.

I tried to concentrate again on the sunlight that was heading towards the warm afternoon.

That's how a peaceful day went by.

Kanna Aurora went to check the barrier again today, but I couldn't follow her.

I thought I couldn't disappoint the teacher this time, and I decided to focus on studying.

Tuesday was similar,

And that's how Wednesday came.

It was the Wednesday that Kanna Aurora had mentioned.

Kanna Aurora came in with a haggard expression right before the test.

"...Ah."

I couldn't even say hello.

She just glanced at me and went back to her seat powerlessly.

She sat down on the chair with a thud, and dark circles were deeply under her eyes.

I was worried, but the test was about to start, so I couldn't go and ask her everything.

I didn't think she had said she would be doing this late yesterday, so I wondered if she had stayed up all night and wandered around on her own.

I thought there had to be moderation in everything.

And the test started and ended quickly.

The written test was in the morning, and the practical test was held in the morning and afternoon.

When all the tests were over, it was earlier than usual.

The incident that Kanna Aurora had mentioned didn't happen.

All that remained was the thought that I didn't know whether to be relieved by that fact or to have other feelings.

Carefully turning to Kanna Aurora with mixed feelings, I saw her holding her report card and quietly looking at it.

"I guess I lose if I do it properly..."

Orca Ramiris seemed to be looking at her report card and trying to compare it with mine, but I turned away from that and approached Kanna Aurora.

"Kanna Aurora."

"...Yeah."

Kanna Aurora was ridiculed by others in the practical test again today.

Her Abilities never touched the scarecrow, and when she tried to do martial arts, she couldn't do anything, not even breakfalls or attacks, so it was an unfortunate environment for her, who was destined to be last.

She can't go to a good place even if she graduates.

She'll be transferred to a more remote place.

You won't be able to walk around with peace of mind where someone like that is.

Kanna Aurora, who seemed to be barely enduring amidst the many laughs and taunts, looked like she was about to collapse at any moment.

What do you mean, 'because I want you to smile'?

Aren't you the one who can't smile right now?

Actually, I can't really be sure or believe it.

I've never seen any evidence, and as the teacher and Orca said, nothing has been proven to be true.

But if you're the one who wants to make me smile,

I hoped this would make you smile, even a little.

If that hand didn't really erase the totem, but was a trace of self-harm out of sadness, I hoped she wouldn't do it again.

"...Today, you won."

A story no one else could understand.

Kanna's gaunt eyes widened at those words, and she looked at me.

At the same time, the report card in her hand crumpled.

It was clearly a report card announcing her last place, but it meant nothing to her now.

If what Kanna said was true, Kanna had essentially protected the peace of today.

So, I spoke to her so she could laugh.

And what came back was a trembling voice.

"...Yeah."

And with that, Kanna smiled.

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