Late at night. Namgung Il was heading towards the central area as Cheon Hong-ryeon had said.
‘It's been a while since I've wandered around at night like this.’
It was the first time since he had gone out to save Dang Wol-yeong.
Of course, at that time, he had come out secretly and had not been able to walk around confidently, so he had not had the leisure to look at the surrounding scenery like now.
‘It's... unnecessarily large.’
Even though only day and night had changed, the scenery of the academy was creating a completely different atmosphere.
The streets, which were usually bustling with students, were empty, so it felt somewhat gloomy.
In a word, it was an atmosphere where a ghost might appear.
“……”
Of course, Namgung Il didn't particularly believe in the existence of ghosts, so he continued to walk down the road with an indifferent face.
Rustle—.
Just then, a presence was felt moving from somewhere.
At the same time, a figure suddenly appeared from the front.
In the darkness, someone was threatening Namgung Il, raising both arms high.
“Boo—!”
“……”
“……Boo—!”
“What are you doing.”
Namgung Il said with a pathetic expression.
The identity of the person who had suddenly appeared in front of him was Ak Simin, and as Namgung Il showed a dry reaction, he lowered his raised arms as if embarrassed.
“Not fun.”
“……”
“If a senior made this much effort, you should at least flinch.”
Was that action just now to scare him?
It was so clumsy that Namgung Il realized that fact belatedly.
“……Ah, you scared me.”
Only then did Namgung Il say that and raise both hands.
An expression and voice that did not feel a speck of emotion.
Seeing that reaction, Ak Simin felt a sense of self-loathing for no reason.
“Forget it. You brat. If you're going to react like that, don't do it at all.”
“Really?”
As if he had been waiting, Namgung Il lowered his hands back to their original position.
“By the way, senior, what were you doing here?”
“I was walking down the road and saw you. I wanted to see your terrified expression, so I stealthily approached.”
“That's not it... why are you out at this time?”
“Ah, was that what you were curious about?”
Ak Simin had a mischievous smile on his lips and slightly raised his right hand.
“It's the same reason as you.”
“……?”
“Aren't you also out now because of the night search?”
Only then did Namgung Il understand why Ak Simin had suddenly appeared here.
Was Ak Simin also chosen by Cheon Hong-ryeon, just like him?
Namgung Il clicked his tongue as if he were pitiful and said to Ak Simin.
“How did you get into this... You should have refused.”
“Sorry, but I don't have the right to refuse.”
“……?”
“The class president is also a member of the student council in a way. So I have to follow the student council president's words if possible.”
That was something Namgung Il had learned for the first time.
To think that there was such a relationship between the class president and the student council, Namgung Il felt a sense of pity for Ak Simin for some reason.
“Senior, you were a truly pitiful person.”
“……?”
“Cheer up. Isn't that just how life is?”
If he had been in Ak Simin's position, it seemed that only a sigh would have come out.
Because the person who was giving him instructions was that Cheon Hong-ryeon.
To think that he didn't even have the right to refuse, it seemed truly hopeless.
“……I don't know what it is, but hearing that from you makes me feel strange.”
“I'm serious.”
“……Well, forget it. But why are you here?”
Since Ak Simin had heard the story in advance, he knew that Namgung Il would be joining the night search team.
As soon as he heard that, he had tilted his head.
The Namgung Il he knew would never do such a troublesome thing, and he was a little curious what trick Cheon Hong-ryeon had used to lure Namgung Il in.
“You said it yourself earlier, senior. Of course I'm here because I'm on the night search team.”
“I don't mean that, I'm asking why you volunteered when you don't have to do it forcibly like me.”
“Ah, that? The student council president said she would give me merit points if I did this.”
“You volunteered for the search team because of that?”
Ak Simin could not help but be puzzled at those words.
Although he had needed merit points at that time because of the bet with Hwang Dong-jae, that was not the case now.
Given Namgung Il's personality, it didn't seem like he would place much significance on merit and demerit points.
“Yes. If I get merit points and the Vermilion Bird Class's score goes up, it's good for everyone.”
“……”
“I've caused some trouble recently, so I'm trying to pay it back this time.”
Trouble... was he talking about what had happened in the forbidden area?
Of course, because of that incident, the Vermilion Bird Class had received quite a lot of demerit points, but he didn't know that Namgung Il was concerned about that.
Because Ak Simin thought that it was more Hwang Dong-jae's fault than Namgung Il's.
Although there was something about that answer that didn't sit right, Ak Simin soon had a smile on his lips and lightly patted Namgung Il's back with his hand.
“You're a fine junior. I praise you very much.”
“……”
“The chat was a bit long. Let's go to the assembly point before it's late.”
Ak Simin said and lightly pushed his back with his hand.
The two who arrived at their destination side by side, accompanying each other like that.
As if they had arrived at the very end, many people had already gathered at the assembly point.
Flicker—.
Torches were placed at the assembly point, so the surroundings were very bright.
As the two approached, gazes naturally gathered.
Among them, there were faces that Namgung Il knew, and there were also people he was seeing for the first time.
‘As expected, that brat was here too.’
Namgung Cheon's figure was also visible at the assembly point.
Since he was the class president of the Azure Dragon Class, it seemed he had been forced to come, just like Ak Simin.
Just then, Ak Simin had a bland smile on his face towards the people who were looking this way and bowed his head slightly.
“It seems we're a little late.”
“……”
“Are we perhaps late?”
When Ak Simin said that, Namgung Cheon turned his head back to its original position as if he were not interested.
Just then, a person approached the two.
The person who had called the people here, Cheon Hong-ryeon.
“You're not late, just barely.”
“Ah, is that so? That's a relief.”
After having such a pointless conversation with Ak Simin, Cheon Hong-ryeon looked at Namgung Il.
“You came without forgetting?”
“……”
“I was waiting and waiting, and you didn't come, so I thought you weren't coming.”
“I was trying to come on time. But Senior Ak did something strange on the way, so I was a little late.”
“……?”
When Namgung Il said that, Cheon Hong-ryeon's gaze turned to Ak Simin again.
“Something strange?”
“Well... I played a little prank on the way.”
“……”
“It wasn't very fun because there was no reaction.”
“Really? I thought it was very fun.”
Cheon Hong-ryeon looked at Namgung Il with a meaningful smile.
Since he seemed to roughly know the meaning of that smile, Namgung Il turned his head sharply as if he were displeased.
“Huhu—.”
Cheon Hong-ryeon, who was smiling as if even that reaction were amusing.
Soon, with a smile on her lips, Cheon Hong-ryeon said to the two.
“We'll be starting the search in pairs of two soon.”
“……”
“For now, I'm trying to form groups with the same class as much as possible. How about it, Namgung Il. Do you want to be in the same group as me?”
“I respectfully decline.”
Namgung Il answered immediately this time as well.
Unless he was crazy, there was no way he would be in the same group as Cheon Hong-ryeon.
If he were to be in the same group as Cheon Hong-ryeon, he would have to be wary of what Cheon Hong-ryeon would do anytime, anywhere, rather than being careful of a strange man.
“See? Isn't it fun?”
“Uh... I guess so.”
“Then, good work today.”
Cheon Hong-ryeon said and moved away to her original spot.
Ak Simin looked at her for a moment and then said to Namgung Il in a whisper.
“The student council president seems to like you very much.”
“……”
“What on earth did you do? I'm very jealous.”
Although he said that, anyone could see that his tone was now teasing Namgung Il.
Namgung Il, who was still not saying anything with a displeased expression.
As if he had now figured out when to hit and run, Ak Simin quickly moved a little away from Namgung Il's side.
“Aigoo, I should stop talking now.”
“……”
“I might get hit if I keep this up.”
Twitch—.
Senior or not, should he really hit him once?
Namgung Il was seriously thinking about what to do in his heart.
***
Fortunately, the tragedy of Namgung Il hitting Ak Simin did not happen.
Flicker—.
Ak Simin, who was walking down the road holding a torch. And a little distance away, Namgung Il was following behind him.
“……”
The area that the two were in charge of patrolling was the southern area.
Just as they had formed groups with the same class, the areas they were in charge of were also designated as the places where the dormitories of each class were located if possible.
Because they would know the geography of the area they lived in better than other places.
So the two were in charge of the southern area, where the dormitory of the Vermilion Bird Class was located.
Yawn—.
Just then, Ak Simin yawned as if he were bored.
“It's still two more hours until the sun rises.”
“……”
“Don't you have any fun stories?”
Ak Simin asked Namgung Il.
Judging by his expression and tone, he did not feel any tension at all.
Namgung Il answered as if he were dumbfounded.
“Senior, aren't you too relaxed? You don't know when or where a strange man might appear.”
“I may look like this, but I'm sufficiently wary of my surroundings.”
“That's the most unbelievable thing I've ever heard.”
“I'm serious. Do I not have that much credibility?”
“No.”
At that moment, Ak Simin's body staggered.
At the same time, his footsteps stopped.
Ak Simin scratched his head and looked at Namgung Il.
“Hmm... if you answer right away like that, even I get a little hurt.”
“I'm kidding.”
“……?”
“You asked me to tell you a fun story. How was it, was it fun?”
“Uh...”
It seemed like he was getting revenge for what had happened earlier.
Seeing Namgung Il's expressionless face, Ak Simin had that thought in his heart.
“Senior.”
“Yeah?”
“Shall I tell you another fun thing?”
“Uh... what is it?”
Although he had a somewhat reluctant feeling, Ak Simin asked.
Gurgle—.
At that moment, a strange sound echoed around.
Ak Simin was startled by the sound and looked around.
“A-a strange man?”
“……No.”
“……?”
“It's the sound from my stomach.”
When Namgung Il said that, Ak Simin's gaze went down.
To think that that monstrous sound had come from Namgung Il's stomach... he was just amazed at what on earth one had to eat to make such a sound.
“This is big, senior.”
“……?”
“I think it's coming out.”
“Wh-what on earth are you talking about!”
Although he was asking, Ak Simin knew well what the situation was.
Judging by the sound from his stomach just now, it was clear what was about to come out from Namgung Il, who was now twisting his body.
Just then, Namgung Il barely opened his mouth with a crawling voice.
“T-the toilet... if I don't go there now, a catastrophe will happen.”
“……!”
Ak Simin also wanted to avoid such a catastrophe.
But when he looked around, he could not see a toilet, and the nearest toilet was a little further away.
“Hold on a little longer! It's only about half an hour's walk, so until then...”
“I can't.”
“……?”
“I'll poop before that. I can bet my all on it.”
“Why are you betting your all on something like that!”
Rumble— Bang!
Just then, the sound echoed loudly once more.
At the same time, Namgung Il's face, which had turned pale.
Now, even a third party who was not the person involved could see that Namgung Il was in a dangerous state.
“O-okay! Go and poop roughly in that bush!”
“B-but...”
“No one is watching, so it's okay! You can't poop in your pants!”
“Ah, I understand...”
In the end, Namgung Il cautiously crawled into the bush.
Seeing that, Ak Simin, who let out a sigh.
Since he wanted to decline the sound and smell being transmitted to him, he moved as far away as possible from where he was standing.
‘Why on earth is he having a big event at a time like this?’
He had said he would show him another fun thing. Was this it?
Ak Simin was so dumbfounded that a hollow laugh came out.
‘Well... it is fun.’
It seemed he would be able to tease Namgung Il about this for a long time.
As if he were imagining how he would tease Namgung Il when he returned after his big event, Ak Simin stood still and smiled from time to time.
“……”
How much time had passed like that?
Although about an hour had passed, Namgung Il still had not come out of the bush.
‘What, is he still in progress?’
Judging by the sound from his stomach earlier, it seemed that a quite formidable brat would come out... so he thought that was why he was late.
“……”
Another hour passed like that. In the end, Ak Simin could not wait any longer and looked in the direction where Namgung Il had entered.
‘No matter how much, this is too late.’
At this rate, it was at a level of giving birth to a huge rock from his stomach.
Although each person had their own unavoidable circumstances, waiting any longer seemed to cause a problem with the patrol due to time constraints.
Thud— Thud—.
In the end, Ak Simin walked in the direction where Namgung Il had entered.
Just in case, he was holding his nose tightly with one hand, and as he got closer to some extent, Ak Simin called Namgung Il.
“Namgung Il!”
Ak Simin called Namgung Il with a nasal voice.
But even after time passed, no answer came back.
Did he perhaps not hear because his voice was strange? Ak Simin thought so and cautiously took his hand off his nose.
“……?”
As soon as he took his hand off, Ak Simin realized that something was strange.
‘Why doesn't it smell?’
He had been prepared for a smell that would match the size of the big event.
But to not smell anything... at that moment, Ak Simin rushed inside.
“……!”
He's not here.
The traces of Namgung Il's big event, and even the figure of Namgung Il who had surely entered this way just now.
At that moment, Ak Simin realized that he had been tricked by Namgung Il.
“……This is big.”
Just thinking about what kind of trouble that troublemaker would cause was scary.
If he caused an accident, wouldn't he, who was in the same group, also be held responsible?
He had said he would show him something fun... In a different sense, it was no longer boring.
Swish—
Find the disappeared Namgung Il.
From this moment on, Ak Simin's top priority had changed to that.
(End of Chapter)