Chapter 13: Echoes of the Ordinary
Chapter 13 – Quiet Days, Loud Hearts
Two days had passed since the events of that chapter.
Nothing extraordinary happened during them…
Ordinary lectures, giant screens, teachers explaining, and students pretending they understood everything.
Yet within that "ordinary," there was a small chaos—
one only noticeable to those who truly observed.
Aileen sat close to Sooho throughout the day.
She didn't speak much, didn't get too close—
she was simply there.
A quiet closeness, like a shadow on a sunny day.
Sooho, for his part… was holding his breath.
He sat straighter than necessary, eyes fixed on the screen,
while his mind was somewhere else entirely.
Shuang-Yu remained silent as always.
Her gaze steady, her focus sharp.
Yet anyone paying attention would notice—
she was watching everyone… without exception.
In the front row, Reinhardt and Emily were engaged in their daily, pointless argument.
"Western pizza is better—more variety!"
"Nonsense! Italian pizza is the origin! Everything else is cultural vandalism!"
"You're biased just because you love cheese!"
"And you love anything with meat! You have no opinion at all!"
Kevin suddenly jumped in, waving his arms.
"SMAAAASH BUUURGEEER!!!"
Silence.
Everyone turned to him with deadpan expressions.
"…"
"Shut up."
"Not now, Kevin."
Kevin shrank into his seat.
"One day… you'll understand the greatness of smash burgers…"
The day ended.
Sooho stood up quickly, like someone waiting for the bell to save his life.
He left the hall without looking back, his chest heavy with emotions he had suppressed all day.
"KIM SOOHO."
He froze.
Slowly, he turned.
It was Aileen.
She stood two steps away, hands clasped behind her back, her gaze hesitant yet sincere.
"Since that day… you've been acting strange.
Did I… do something wrong?"
Silence.
He didn't know where to begin.
The words in his mind weren't meant to be spoken.
He took a deep breath, then said quietly:
"No… it's not your fault.
You just… resemble someone dear to me.
Someone I've missed for a long time."
She looked up at him, silent.
He continued, as if the words slipped out without permission:
"And since the first moment I saw you…
you entered my heart without asking,
like dawn entering the homes of the sleeping."
Her eyes widened.
And he—
realized what he had just said.
His face flushed all the way to his ears.
"I—I… I'm sorry!"
Then… he ran.
Ran like a child who had committed a terrible sin,
nearly tripping from embarrassment,
asking himself as he fled:
Why did I say that?!
What did I just do?!
Aileen remained where she stood,
watching his back as he disappeared.
She stayed silent.
Then her cheeks slowly turned red…
a strange warmth she didn't know how to name.
She felt the gazes of other students on her.
"Ah—!"
Then… she ran too.
Without direction.
Without dignity.
Like a complete fool.
That night…
Sooho lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
He took out his phone, hesitated—then called.
Hours later.
A luxury restaurant in one of Newland's districts.
Warm lighting. Elegant tables. Soft music barely audible.
Sooho sat calmly cutting his steak, waiting.
Detective Park arrived.
"You're late."
"You're the one who chose a distant restaurant."
Park sat down.
"How are you?"
"Still alive. That's progress."
Park chuckled softly.
"I heard you entered the academy.
A wise decision."
Sooho lowered his gaze.
"If it weren't for you… I wouldn't be there.
I wanted to thank you."
Park raised an eyebrow.
"Thanks? That's new."
"There are things… that can't be solved with force.
I'm… starting to understand that."
Park pulled out a small envelope and slid it across.
"Entry permits for two gates.
Choose wisely."
Sooho looked at it, then raised his head.
"I won't waste it."
Park smiled, lifting his glass.
"Then eat well.
Tomorrow is always harder."
A week later…
Lecture: Magical Mechanics.
A massive hall.
A giant screen.
Equations multiplying like poisonous fungi.
Sooho sat beside Kevin.
The scene was… cartoonish.
Eyes drifting apart.
Half-paralyzed stares.
Mouths half open.
Two minds struck down by "scientific nonsense."
Sooho (whispering emptily):
"Did he just say mana rotates backward… because it feels embarrassed?"
Kevin (eyes crooked):
"Smash… bu… jo…?"
In the front row, Reinhardt and Emily were taking notes like their lives depended on it.
On the other side…
World War Three began.
Aileen turned suddenly.
"This is your fault."
Shuang-Yu raised an icy eyebrow.
"No. This is on you."
"What does the fall of the Byzantine Empire have to do with me?!"
"And what do I have to do with your stupid Western history?!"
Reinhardt whispered to Emily:
"Should we… stop them?"
Emily smiled nervously.
"No… let it be."
Professor Kang Yura stood at the board, staring.
Her left eye watched an equation.
Her right eye watched the world burn.
"…Fine. That's enough for today.
There will be a break for the rest of today, tomorrow, and the day after.
Faculty meetings.
You're allowed to leave the academy."
No one cheered.
Everyone's brain had shut down.
That evening, at the gym…
Sooho and Reinhardt trained together.
Weights. Machines. Sweat and laughter.
"I didn't expect you to be this strong."
"I didn't expect you to be this normal."
They laughed.
Then froze.
"Where's Kevin?"
Silence.
Then—
a scream.
From the courtyard.
A massive tree shaking.
A huge figure jumping between branches.
"Ooooga!!!"
"Smash buuugo!!!"
Reinhardt stared.
"…He's really become a monkey."
Sooho sighed.
"We knew."
And so another day passed—
filled with childish nonsense and laughter.