Chapter 8: Violence
After the short interview in the principal's office ended.
“Then, I ask you to take care of this matter well.”
“Oh, no. I should be the one.......”
Through the gaze of Lee Si-wang who was lifting his head after slightly bowing, the pale face of the principal was seen.
Well, it couldn't be helped.
Although it was a short time, the principal must have clearly felt the Returnee, that is, Yoo jin's power.
“If possible, I ask you not to let the matter about Teacher Yoo jin leak outside.”
He didn't reveal that he was a Returnee.
Even if they were maintaining a good relationship, he wasn't part of the Ignis Guild family.
Although they sent him to school, Ignis Guild had not yet given up on the monopoly of the Returnee.
“Of course. Do not worry.......”
“Thank you. Once again, thank you for accepting the unreasonable request. Guild Master-sir also said he would convey his gratitude separately.”
“Yes. Yes. Then.......”
Ma Jae-min, who was making eye contact with Lee Si-wang, looked to the side with a sidelong glance.
“Look at the time already. I held onto busy people for too long. I also have a schedule so.......”
Making an awkward expression, he tried to sneakily leave the spot.
Lee Si-wang, who confirmed that the principal's gaze was stopped on Yoo jin, roughly got the hang of it and opened his mouth.
“Yes. We were also about to leave. We each have schedules after this.”
At Vice Guild Master Lee Si-wang's voice, the principal's face brightened.
“Ah, ah! Is that so? Then I shouldn't hold onto busy people like this, I will go first.......”
The principal who was reading the room quite a bit even while saying that.
Lee Si-wang felt pity for such a principal, so to wrap up the situation quickly, he spoke to Yoo jin.
“Since it's wrapped up for now, let's go ba.......”
Lee Si-wang couldn't finish his sentence.
Because the person he was trying to speak to wasn't listening to those words at all.
Into Lee Si-wang's gaze, Yoo jin staring intently somewhere entered.
Not only were his ears already closed, but as if the principal reading the room in front of him was meaningless, Yoo jin's mind was already focused elsewhere.
The evidence was that he didn't notice even though he was staring intently right next to him like this.
‘Where on earth is his mind sold on?’
Out of doubt, Lee Si-wang tried to turn his body to the end of Yoo jin's gaze.
It was then.
“Excuse me, Mr. Principal.”
Yoo jin's voice rang out.
Lee Si-wang's gaze moved again and captured Yoo jin.
And the principal, who was trying to leave the spot by sneaking backward, was startled and took a position of attention.
“Yes! Yes....... No, what is the matter? Eu... Yoo jin Teacher.”
The principal, who almost forgot he was the superior, soon came to his senses and fixed his posture.
Although a little time had passed since the principal's voice was heard, the answer that should have returned was not heard.
And even in Lee Si-wang's gaze capturing that face, Yoo jin was still only looking at one place and not paying attention to this side at all.
It was understandable.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Footsteps treading on the ground.
Three full of confidence.
And one footstep like being dragged to a slaughterhouse.
Through Yoo jin's gaze, four students walking toward the secluded place of the old school building were seen.
And among them, there was one familiar face.
Jin-ho.
The student Yoo jin met for the first time after coming over from Alkarthus Continent.
And that student who returned from Ignis Guild with him today.......
Was being dragged away.
He had no choice but to judge so.
Laughter did not cease on the faces of the students ahead, but Jin-ho in the back was following behind them looking only at the ground without even a small change in expression.
‘Even if it's not you, I'm already dying of hardship!’
Jin-ho's voice he heard in the morning echoed in Yoo jin's head.
Yoo jin, who finished organizing the situation quickly in an instant.......
“Mr. Principal.”
Finally opened his mouth.
“Yes, yes!!! Ah, no.......”
A voice ringing out suddenly.
At Yoo jin's time-delayed attack, the principal trembled as if having a seizure.
Blushing at answering in honorifics again.
However, even this time, Yoo jin didn't even give a glance and only said his own words.
“Um, then from when am I a teacher?”
“Well, registering in the school system, and there are procedures here and there, but.......”
The principal, who was reading the room while making eye contact with Lee Si-wang, slowly opened his mouth.
“Well...... From now, I suppose?”
At that last voice.
Grin.
Yoo jin smiled.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Ugh.......”
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Dull sounds and groans rang out off-beat.
Taewoon High School.
Old school building.
Among them, the incinerator where teachers and students rarely set foot.
Jin-ho was there.
Making a painful expression.
Thwack!!
At the powerful kick, Jin-ho grabbed his stomach and knelt.
The student who threw the kick exhaled a large breath.
“Whew....... Wow, Jin-ho has grown a lot. Before, you used to vomit after just two hits, but now you endure quite well?”
The student who was wearing the same school uniform as Jin-ho lifted a finger and wiped the sweat formed on his forehead.
“Hey, then we did a good deed. We trained the endurance of a hopeless D-class nobody. Jin-ho, we won't take the gym fee, instead, get ours too during the gathering class this time.”
At the voice of the bowl-cut student standing in the back, the student who threw the kick at Jin-ho chimed in.
“Oh! You're right. I didn't know why we had to gather food stuff anyway. You do it for us, Jin-ho. Since you're D-class anyway, you have to practice a lot. Since you'll join the porter or gathering team later anyway.”
“Ah, come to think of it, we are helping Jin-ho again. Even thinking about his future. Jin-ho, there are no friends like this.”
“Right, hahahaha!”
Whatever was so exciting, the students laughed with their shoulders shaking.
Joyful laughter that didn't match the situation.
In contrast, there wasn't a speck of laughter on Jin-ho's face.
No, let alone laughter, there was only one emotion revealed on Jin-ho's face.
Emptiness.
An expression that had become too familiar now.
It was better when it was despair.
At that time, at least anger arose from deep inside the body.
However, it wasn't now.
Within the violence repeated every day, nothing remained now.
To the extent that he even had the illusion that the pain repeated every day and this violence were natural.
And amidst the discrepancy that he himself thinking such thoughts was strange, and the teachers and adults who neglected this might rather be the normal ones.
Today too, Jin-ho was only waiting for the bell signaling the end of the break time.
It was then.
Thud.
Thud.
Another student, who was sitting on a sofa abandoned in the incinerator, approached the fallen Jin-ho.
Taewoon High 2nd year's best talent.
Furthermore, a promising Hunter prospect whose future was expected.
It was A-class Kang Tae-wook.
Eyes looking as if looking at something trivial.
With those cold eyes, Kang Tae-wook looked down at Jin-ho.
“Jin-ho, I am so happy. That we are in the same class in the 2nd year too.”
“.......”
Jin-ho, who didn't even have the strength to answer, looked up at Kang Tae-wook.
“But I guess you aren't? I heard you snitched on me to the new homeroom teacher again?”
“.......”
“Answer something. A friend is asking.”
Even at Kang Tae-wook's voice, Jin-ho didn't say anything.
That it wasn't true.
That he had never done such a thing.
That he didn't trust teachers anymore.
That he just had an interview with the homeroom teacher because of special admission.......
He didn't even make excuses.
Because he knew now.
That whatever he said anyway, this guy wouldn't listen.
“.......”
As Jin-ho still only stared at him without a word, Kang Tae-wook's eyebrows became a straight line.
His eye corners too.
And the corners of his mouth together.
“It was more fun to bully you when you attacked me like before.”
As Kang Tae-wook snapped his fingers.
Snap!
Behind the clear and fine sound.
Crack!
Kang Tae-wook's fingertips began to freeze.
At that appearance, a crack occurred in Jin-ho's expression, which had no noticeable change until now.
In that small gap.
“Kuh, as expected, bullying is only fun when the opponent reacts, you know?”
Kang Tae-wook lifted one corner of his mouth.
Although his mouth still didn't open, Jin-ho was in a greatly shocked state.
Although he used violence for over a year until now, Kang Tae-wook had never used his ability even once.
Even when Jin-ho used his unique skill shouting self-defense at the beginning of the bullying, Kang Tae-wook did not use his ability.
Because he could win against a D-class with just physical strength.
Such a guy, although weak.
Took out his unique skill for the first time.
Perhaps liking Jin-ho's shaking eyes, Kang Tae-wook spoke in a tone higher than just before.
“It's my first time using it on a person too, Jin-ho. Still, I did always think about it. That if I use it on a person, I should test it on you first.”
“.......”
“It's not because you mentioned my brother. That has become stale since I hit you a lot...... the real reason is.......”
“.......”
“Because I think no one will blame me even if I use it on you.”
Grind.
Jin-ho's mouth, which was firmly closed, opened.
“Bad bastard.......”
Kang Tae-wook's eyes became twice as big.
“Wow, only now you open your mouth. I waited, you know.”
“It's truly dirty that a guy like you is the class president and a candidate for student council president.”
“Don't worry. The world looks at me more favorably than you.”
Jin-ho's body began to tremble.
Kang Tae-wook, who was laughing as if enjoying that reaction, slowly began to drop his finger.
The finger falling onto Jin-ho's shoulder.
Jin-ho only captured the finger coming to his shoulder in his eyes while biting his lips.
Naturally, he tried to run away.
However, when did they come.
Because two henchmen were grabbing his both arms and binding him.
No matter how much he struggled.
A D-class could not overcome the strength of B-class ability users.
“Ha.......”
He was scared.
For the first time.
“Do.......”
He was angry.
For the first time in a while.
And strangely, the event in the morning came to Jin-ho's mind.
“Don't do it!”
He reacted for the first time in a while.
He always endured to not touch their nerves.
He didn't want to make them feel fun.
But even if regret rushed in.
There was nothing he could do.
“Don't worry. The shoulder won't show marks.”
Kang Tae-wook's finger touched Jin-ho's shoulder.......
“Oi! Brats!”
A newly appeared voice.
At that voice, Kang Tae-wook's finger stopped.
And into Kang Tae-wook's gaze.
“What? You?”
An adult he saw for the first time at school entered his eyes.
“Me? From today.......”
Yoo jin waved his hand.
“Someone who is a teacher.”