Chapter 26: Academy Heroine's Right Diagonal Back Seat

 Chapter 26

"...I have something to talk about, just the two of us, so could you step outside for a moment?"

When someone you like says something like that, it's natural to get your hopes up, right?

Watching Scarlet turn and leave the classroom, Yoon Si-woo thought so.

She walked briskly, without waiting for him, heading to the back of the school building.

He forcefully shook his head to dispel the scene from his dreams that was starting to resurface and quickly followed her.

"...What did you want to talk about?"

He asked, blushing with anticipation.

"It's nothing much, I just wanted to ask you something."

But she opened her mouth calmly, her usual expressionless face betraying no emotion.

Of course.

Feeling a bit embarrassed about his own excitement, he regained his composure and asked her business.

"Yesterday, I was late. Did you say anything to Sylvia before I arrived?"

"...Did you hear something from Sylvia?"

"I did hear something. That's why I'm asking what you said."

Seeing her glaring at him, his heart sank for a moment.

He recalled what had happened with Sylvia yesterday.

Like most of the other girls he'd met, Sylvia also harbored feelings for him—something he was aware of.

Being human, he didn't treat those who liked him coldly, but yesterday, after seeing how Scarlet was doing, he had been so heated that he ended up saying something hurtful to Sylvia.

Since it wasn't uncommon for girls to hold grudges and fight just because he showed favoritism to one, it wouldn't be strange if Sylvia, after hearing his words, vented her anger on Scarlet.

Maybe she had said something harsh like in those verbal battles he'd heard of: "a vulgar bitch who wasn't properly raised by her parents" or "a loose woman who spreads her legs for anyone."

If Scarlet heard such things... It wouldn't be surprising if she suspected that he had said something to Sylvia about her.

But he hadn't said anything like that.

Why would he badmouth someone he liked?

Feeling wronged, he waved his hand and answered.

"I really didn't say much! I just told Sylvia to stop receiving macarons from you!"

Upon hearing this, Scarlet's face turned icy.

Listening to his words, she asked in a small voice.

"......What did you just say?"

"...I told Sylvia to stop receiving macarons from you..."

She gritted her teeth and growled.

"Why the hell... did you do that on your own..."

Her face contorted with anger.

From her perspective, he could understand why she was upset.

But knowing the truth, he couldn't just stand by.

He knew that Sylvia didn't see Scarlet as a friend when accepting those macarons.

He knew that Scarlet was doing such things to earn money for buying those macarons.

He couldn't just leave her be.

"Buying macarons for Sylvia every day must be a burden for you."

He wanted to ease her burden.

He wanted her to stop doing such things.

He wanted her to value herself a bit more.

"Who are you to decide that on your own..."

Her words felt a bit harsh.

He didn't want to raise his voice either.

He was just thinking of her.

"I was just thinking of you-!"

"If you really cared about me-!!!!"

Hearing his thoughts slip out, she shouted.

It was the first time he saw her shout like that,

And it was the first time he saw her cry, her face twisted in anguish.

Though he was prepared to be hated, her reaction was beyond what he had imagined, and it pained him.

She took a step closer and continued.

"Please..."

Her plea, much quieter than her previous shout, hit him even harder.

She took another step closer.

"Please..."

Even though she was crying, she looked him straight in the eyes as she approached, causing him to instinctively take a step back.

But she quickly reached out and grabbed his collar.

The slight resistance he could easily break free from felt overwhelmingly heavy.

Her tears fell on the collar she was holding.

Her words hurt him as much as those tears.

"Please, don't concern yourself with me anymore..."

It's true.

With the soft whisper of the sword of truth, she turned and ran off somewhere.

He hadn't done it to see such an expression.

Yoon Si-woo stood there, as if rooted to the spot, until the tears on his collar dried.

---

The weather was clear, but Yoon Si-woo's mood was gloomy.

No matter what Lucy said to comfort him, it didn't help much.

It was all just a depressing shade.

As Yoon Si-woo opened the classroom door, the ripple in his otherwise stagnant emotions was caused by the sight of Scarlet’s smile.

Scarlet, who was usually expressionless except for the rare times she smiled in front of Sylvia, was smiling from the morning.

The other students were simply fascinated by the rare sight of her smile, but having seen her cry yesterday, he couldn’t accept her smile at face value.

Feeling a sense of discomfort, he could only sit in his seat, the memory of her asking him not to concern himself with her anymore lingering in his mind.

First period was sparring class.

Yoon Si-woo grew increasingly anxious as names were called one by one.

And, just as he feared.

He sighed as he heard Eve call his name.

After what happened yesterday, just standing opposite her felt awkward, and to make matters worse, his opponent was Scarlet.

While donning his protective gear, he glanced at her; she was still smiling, as if yesterday’s events never occurred.

He wondered if she really didn't care, but once they faced each other, he realized that wasn't the case.

She slightly averted her gaze, avoiding eye contact with him.

Considering how important it is to read your opponent’s gaze in a fight, it was clear she was extremely conscious of what had happened yesterday.

All he could do was finish the sparring as quickly as possible.

“Ready... Start!”

As soon as the spar began, he launched himself forward to conclude the match swiftly.

It seemed she also wanted to finish quickly, as she charged forward without hesitation.

She was fast, but he was faster.

Utilizing his ability to summon the Sword of Humility at will, he grasped the sword that appeared in mid-air and swung it at her.

She evaded the horizontal slash by lowering her stance.

He admired her agility in dodging the attack so narrowly, but it was a pattern he had seen in the previous sparring session.

Knowing it, he wouldn’t fall for it.

He sheathed the Sword of Humility and summoned the Sword of Protection to deploy a barrier.

Her fiery attack was strong, but not strong enough to break the Sword of Protection’s barrier.

As her attack was blocked, he switched swords again and swung at her.

He thought it was over.

It was a strike meant to stop just before making contact.

He hadn’t expected her to block the incoming sword with her hand.

Blood splattered.

By the time he forcibly halted his attack in shock, the sword had already pierced her hand.

It was a moment where her entire hand could have been severed.

And she, in such a situation, was still smiling without any change in expression.

She’s broken.

Seeing her casually wipe the blood from her face as if it were nothing made him think so.

How accustomed to pain must she be to act like that?

The image of her crying and contorting her face from yesterday suddenly came to mind.

If someone as used to pain as she cried so much, just how much had he hurt her with his actions, which he thought were for her sake?

What was for her sake?

I was just forcing my thoughts onto her.

Just as he was about to apologize, she spoke as if reading his mind.

“Don’t concern yourself.”

‘Please, don’t concern yourself with me anymore…’

The words she tearfully told him yesterday.

As if saying he didn’t even deserve to apologize, she told him not to worry about her, and Yoon Si-woo couldn’t say a word.

PREVIOUS | TOC | NEXT