Chapter 216
In the empty lecture halls, including the library, quite a few students still remained in their seats.
"Professor Shin Jae-yu? No... I haven't seen her..."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
A female student, who rarely got questioned by Lee Hyun, shook her head with a reluctant expression.
"I've been in the library all day studying for the exam. I'm sure."
"...Alright. Thanks for telling me. I'll repay you next time."
After Lee Hyun gave a light farewell, he turned around. From behind, he heard, 'Did you hear that? What he just said to me? He said thank you! His voice is so amazing...' but he didn't bother to pay attention.
When he stepped outside the library, Jin Yeseo, who had taken a walk around the area, was waiting for him.
Somehow, she had her lips pushed forward in a pout.
"...What's with you?"
"Must feel nice, huh? Even just a simple greeting makes them all go crazy."
It seemed that Jin Yeseo was the one who actually paid attention to the fuss.
"If you had taken off your mask, they probably would've fainted on the spot..."
However, Lee Hyun quickly shook his head.
"Nice? It's just burdensome."
"You talk so well..."
Contrary to her grumbling words, Jin Yeseo's expression was already melting.
"How was it?"
Then she shook her head at Lee Hyun's question.
"None of the students I asked saw the professor."
"Same goes for the library. I don't think she came this way..."
Jin Yeseo frowned as she fell into thought.
"That's strange. Where could she have gone? There's no sick leave or outing record in the Academic Affairs Office...No matter how big the building is, it's odd that no one saw her..."
"...Let's keep looking. There's still the second floor left."
Before long, a hint of unease seemed to creep into Jin Yeseo's mind.
In that discomfort, they resumed walking.
Far ahead, a tall female student walking down the corridor recognized Jin Yeseo and waved as she approached.
"Yeseo?"
"Jain! What were you up to?"
"Me? I've been practically living in the lab all day. But..."
The female student, who seemed close to Jin Yeseo, clasped hands with her as they exchanged a warm greeting. Then she glanced behind.
"Uh, um...who's this...?"
"That's..."
"You know Professor Kwon Chanyul from the Department of Magical Chemistry, right? He asked for a favor!"
Just as Lee Hyun was about to speak hesitantly, Jin Yeseo urgently interrupted in front of him.
"So, I ended up tagging along. Seriously, it's such a hassle...having to deal with this sinister guy..."
"..."
Jin Yeseo deliberately ignored the gaze from Lee Hyun boring into the back of her head.
"Oh, I see. But a favor...?"
"Yeah. Have you seen Professor Shin Jae-yu today by any chance? He asked me to help find her."
"Professor Shin Jae-yu...? Hmm..."
Unlike the others who shook their heads, the unfamiliar female student seemed to be lost in thought.
Lee Hyun, feeling awkward, took a step back and watched the two.
"Come to think of it..."
And then the female student opened her mouth again.
"I think I might have seen her earlier?"
Her words were casual and ordinary. However, Lee Hyun's brows furrowed as he keenly sensed a small but distinct shift in her tone.
He suddenly pondered the reason for this dissonance. It was faint and uncertain, yet unmistakably familiar.
And it was something he had encountered very recently.
But it lingered in the realm of sensation, beyond conscious thought, making it hard to recall.
"What? Really?"
Meanwhile, Jin Yeseo, oblivious to this, exclaimed with excitement on her face.
"Yeah. You know the Western Research Building, right? The building at the very end of B Wing."
The female student nodded with a subtle smile.
"I saw her in the underground laboratory there."
"Laboratory...?"
"I'm sure. She's probably still there. I saw her about 20 minutes ago..."
"Thanks! You're the best, Jain!"
Jin Yeseo ran toward the female student, hugging her in gratitude. The latter waved her hand dismissively as if it was nothing.
"Oh, come on. It's nothing between us. And also..."
For a moment, the female student's gaze turned behind. Lee Hyun sensed something hazy in her eyes as they met his.
"...?"
But the moment passed in a flash, and the female student with the gentle smile soon shook her head.
"...It's nothing."
"What? That's anticlimactic..."
"Hehe, well, I'll get going now. Have fun?"
"Hey! It's not like that!"
Ignoring Jin Yeseo, who was jumping in protest, the unfamiliar female student hastily disappeared from view.
"Sheesh, what's with her... Saying weird things... Do others really see us that way? Do we look that good together..."
Jin Yeseo barely managed to compose her expression, fanning herself with her hand, and then deliberately tugged Lee Hyun's hand.
"What are you doing? Let's move quickly."
Even as she walked briskly, she nodded with a confident expression.
"See? I knew it all along, huh?"
"..."
"Since she's holed up in the lab, of course no one saw her. She must've been preparing for class or something. Seriously, all this fuss...If she gets penalized and loses points, I'm just going to stuff Choi Woojin into a drum..."
"But...don't you think it's a bit strange?"
Deep in thought, Lee Hyun finally spoke, and Jin Yeseo looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"What is?"
"Your friend, I mean."
"Jain...? Why her...?"
"At first, she said she 'thought she saw something.' But then suddenly, she changed her words and said she was sure..."
"What? Oh, come on, I thought it was something serious."
However, Jin Yeseo waved her hand dismissively as if it was nothing.
"Maybe she just slipped up while talking. Jain wouldn't lie about something like that. We're really close, you know."
"...Really?"
"I told you. Let's just move quickly. It's so hot walking around like this... ouch."
Meanwhile.
Jin Yeseo suddenly bumped her nose against something and let out a stifled groan.
When she looked ahead, Lee Hyun, who had been walking, suddenly stopped in his tracks, focusing his attention on something.
And just as Jin Yeseo was about to question his actions.
"What the... Why all of a sudden... Hmph."
Without warning, the male student raised his formidable hand. Then, he firmly covered Jin Yeseo's mouth, leaving no room for even a drop of water to escape.
Next, pulling Jin Yeseo into his arms, he forcefully pushed her through the shadows of a large pillar protruding into the passage.
The entire process was incredibly swift, leaving no room for resistance.
"Mm...! Hmph...!"
No matter how fiercely Jin Yeseo squirmed in shock, the male student paid no attention. He pushed her further into the shadows and brought a finger to his lips, uttering just one word.
'Quiet.'
"Hmph, hmm..."
It had been a long time since she felt this overwhelming presence—the only person capable of dominating her.
As Jin Yeseo naturally let her body go limp, she began to contemplate the cause of the situation.
She rolled her eyes frantically, scanning her surroundings.
The massive stone pillar was so wide that even an adult man couldn't wrap his arms around it. The long shadows of the afternoon cloaked their presence like a curtain.
As if to suggest that no matter what vile acts they committed beneath it, the shadows would hide them.
In the end, Jin Yeseo could only arrive at one conclusion.
'Could it be...? Here...?'
The 'pretend to be friends and close the distance, then accidentally cross the line' plan was unfolding exactly as she'd expected.
Even if he was a bit dense, he was still a boy in his prime.
By making excuses like self-defense practice or being her closest friend, she had been gently increasing physical contact to provoke him. She thought that at some point, he'd unintentionally cross the line.
Once that happened, things like engagements would no longer matter. Surely, he wouldn't abandon her, crying and begging.
She had been progressing the plan step by step, but she hadn't expected it to work out this well.
Jin Yeseo silently cheered to herself.
She couldn't say she had no fear of the unknown, but it was entirely different from the time she had been half-forced to follow during the First City incident.
Now, she even regretted not driving the nail further into their relationship back then.
Of course, there was a bit of doubt about his sudden behavior. But then, remembering that he had some twisted, abnormal preferences, Jin Yeseo accepted it in her own way and moved on.
'Seriously... Who else but me could cater to his tastes...?'
Finally, she closed her eyes comfortably, preparing herself for what was about to happen.
Lee Hyun, still tightly covering her mouth, stared sharply beyond the stairs.
"Hmm~ hm~"
Soon, a faint humming sound could be heard, and a female student appeared. Swinging on the edge of her jacket was a name tag with the name 'Kwon Yuri' written on it.
Plop. A tear dripped onto the hand covering Jin Yeseo's lips, but Lee Hyun paid it no mind. It was trivial in the current situation.
He completely concealed his presence, waiting for Kwon Yuri, whom he had encountered, to leave.
"Hmm~ hm... Huh?"
But alas, hope was futile.
Half-lost in her humming trance, Kwon Yuri suddenly stopped in her tracks.
A hint of suspicion crept into her eyes.
"Sniff, sniff... What's this? I feel like I've smelled this before... wait a second."
Like a dog sniffing around, Kwon Yuri froze, as if recalling something.
Then, an insidious smile that didn't match her innocent impression appeared on her lips.
"This... smells like our cute chick?"
Lee Hyun sighed inwardly and thought to himself. Perhaps Kwon Yuri's family possessed unique magic that amplified their sense of smell a hundredfold.
Otherwise, the current situation was simply incomprehensible.
"Hmm... What brings you here? Coming to study in the library?"
Cheerfully mumbling to herself, Kwon Yuri gradually closed the distance.
Lee Hyun pressed closer to Jin Yeseo, further concealing their bodies, but at this rate, it was only a matter of time before they were discovered.
Just as he was racking his brain, contemplating how to deal with the unexpected intruder.
A surprising savior appeared in this moment of crisis.
"So diligent as always... Fine, this big sister will personally help you..."
"Hey."
"Eek."
Suddenly, at the sound of someone's voice calling her, Kwon Yuri shuddered.
She froze in place and awkwardly turned her head.
Before she knew it, Discipline Head Choi Ireh was walking toward her, slinging a menacing Suppression Blade over her shoulder.
"Oh, oh my... It's my friend Ireh..."
"Troublemaker Kwon Yuri. I've been looking all over for you."
"Oh, pfft... Why say something so hurtful between us? But... what brings you here...?"
"What do you think?"
With each step Choi Ireh took forward, Kwon Yuri trembled and stepped back.
"Well, um... I don't know..."
"The freezer door left open in the kitchen. That was you, wasn't it?"
"Freezer...? What are you talking about..."
"The security camera caught everything. Stop pretending."
Finally, she stood frozen in place.
"Ha, haha..."
Then, with a meltingly radiant smile, she tried to smooth over the situation.
"It's, it's just so hot today... I just wanted to freeze some ice cream... and I forgot... haha..."
Hearing Kwon Yuri's excuse, Choi Ireh pressed her hand to her forehead as if trying to suppress her irritation.
"Hey. Aren't you a mage? You could've just used magic to freeze them."
"Well, yeah, but..."
"But what?"
"Then... there's no romance in that... Eeek...!"
"Hey, Kwon Yuri!!! Are you seriously saying that right now!!!"
For a moment, the surrounding air swirled menacingly. Kwon Yuri's attempt to hold onto her convictions seemed to have struck a nerve as if it had touched a reverse scale.
"Even when I'm already busy, what kind of nonsense are you pulling!!! Hey!!! Get over here!!!"
"I-Ireh...! Getting angry is bad for your skin... Kyah...!"
"It's because of you!! You!! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even have anything to get mad about!!!"
Choi Ireh infused particles into the blade, sharpening it for real, and began swinging it at Kwon Yuri. While Kwon Yuri dodged annoyingly this way and that, as if he had no way to counter, he quickly turned around and fled straight away.
Choi Ireh also disappeared after Kwon Yuri, and the once stormy corridor was left to be filled with calm once again.
"Phew..."
Only after confirming that their presence had completely vanished, Lee Hyun finally exhaled the breath he had been holding and revealed himself.
"Sorry. I don't get along well with Senior Kwon Yuri..."
Just as he sighed in relief and turned his body.
"If she had caught us together, it would've been a hassle for a while. I was so startled..."
Lee Hyun, having discovered something, suddenly shut his mouth.
Jin Yeseo, her face flushed red, was glaring at him with tears welling up in her eyes, filled with resentment.
"Hmm..."
Seeing her look somewhat like a child deprived of her birthday gift, Lee Hyun swallowed a gulp.
And then he fell into deep contemplation, wondering if he had missed something.