LIGHTNOVELONLINE CHAPTER 19 – Locket of Hope (Part 1)
It was finally Sunday. Today was the day when we were going to Seoul for the Traveling club’s freshman’s orientation.
There were supposed to be 14 cadets on the club. But I don’t know If I’m part of those 14, or if I’m a +1, making it 15, the novel didn’t make clear if the president was also part of those 14, or was counted as a +1, so to summarize, there could be up to 16 cadets today. And all of them would be involved in the accident. Though, only two of them, three if we count Kim Hajin, would fight directly inside the museum.
Well. In any case. Today will be the day Hajin goes through the first waking up call, finally realizing that not everything is going to go as he hopes.
{I would love to help you man. But I have other plans. And you need to wake the fuck up. At least I hope you prepared as I told you.}-I thought while hoping out of bed and going to the bathroom.
After getting out of the shower, I wear my cadet’s uniform, and grab my backpack. It would probably be good to bring a sword. But sadly, being the Traveling club, it is against the rules, that’s why Hajin is going to hide his gun inside the cross-bag.
“Well, I’m going without sword. Won’t probably need it. As an old friend of mine once said, time to punch everything to death.”-I murmur as I turn the doorknob and go out of my room.
After getting to Cube’s Portal Station. I was surprised to see Hajin already there. Well… Not really, I knew I was one of the last to get here, scratch that, the last one.
Apart from Hajin, there were all of the cadets that were supposed to be here, including the main cast, namely Kim Suho, Chae Nayun, Yi Yeonghan and Yoo Yeonha, that were supposed to be here. So, with the exception of the president of the club and I, all the cadets were here.
And yeah, they were 16 cadets. But I guess that the one that wasn’t accounted wasn’t the president, but Hajin himself, now that I thought a bit about it. While uselessly thinking about it, I go towards Hajin who is apart from the rest of the group. {Huh. Shy, aren’t we?}.
“Hey.”- I salute him with my hand once I got close.
“Oh hey, you really don’t like getting early right?”-Answers him
“I’m not late. You’re all earlier.”
“Getting here basically at the appointed hour is considered to be late… You know?”
“Says who?”
“I don’t know. Maybe some kind of rule of good manners?”
“I’m from Latam dude. There not being late by half an hour is good manners.”-I murmur to him for the others not to hear me.
“…”-And he just blankly stares at me.
“What?”
“No… It’s just that somehow all have sense right now…”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Well… How you basically have no manners when speaking, or why you are rough when acting or stuff like that.”
“… Just now… Did you just go all xenophobic with me?”
“… It’s not like that. It’s just…”
“That you don’t have a good impression of Latin America, right?”
“Well… not really, sorry… But you do have some beautiful women, right? Or, well, that’s what I heard.”
“…Look at you! Xenophobic and even objectifying women! You’re on a rush dude. Keep going.”- I jokingly said to him.
“Hey… Sorry. I haven’t been outside Korea ok? I don’t know too much of other worlds, even less when it comes to Latin America.”
“*chuckles* Relax man. I’m messing with you. We’re not that stuck up on that side of the Earth. We like to joke about Latin America and how it is a constant desire to leave that place. And yeah, I know why would you think about me like that. But don’t misunderstand. Not all Latin America is like that. We’re like everywhere else, with good people and bad people, and also good people who acts like bad people or bad people who acts like good people.”
“So, kind of normal right?”
“Well… We do have a bigger crime rate. The difference is just insane. Even more when I come from.”
“And where is it?”
“At least invite me to some coffee first if you want to ask. I’m not so easy on the first dates.”- I joke with him again.
“Wa-wait… It wasn’t-”
“Hello, I’m the club president, Oh Hanhyun. I didn’t believe it when I saw so many club applications, but… it’s real. Who knew such amazing cadets would join my club?”-The club president, Oh Hanhyun interrupted the flustered Hajin, grabbing everyone’s attention.
The president was a really average guy, not so tall, and with a somewhat gentle face. It seemed like he could be trusted, but also like the kind of guy that would be easily played by someone else. Especially if that someone was a beautiful woman.
“First, I’ll give a short introduction about the traveling club.”-He said, while taking out a paper from his pocket with a bashful smile.
*Kuhum*
“Once or twice a month, we will leave Cube to travel. The purpose of the travel is to relax. So, training during trips will be strictly forbidden. It’s also why our club is called ‘Healing Rain.’”-He said after clearing his throat. Add ‘timid’ to his profile. His face is slightly red. Well, it’s normal if he didn’t expect so many people watching him talk.
*Kuhum*
“Today, as part of the orientation, we’ll take a short trip to Seoul.”-He said after clearing his throat once again. “We’ll have a theme for each trip. Since today’s meant to be an orientation, we’ll just have a free trip without anything complicated. But instead of traveling alone, we’ll split into groups of two.”
So he says as he takes out a box, probably with our names written there.
“Then we’ll start by drawing lots.”
I turn to look at Kim Hajin. He should probably be thinking about how he could choose who he wanted to go with, and trying to pick the best option. {Sadly for you man, someone is faster and didn’t have to overthink.}-I thought as I sense Yoo Yeonha putting her hand up and walking to the front, to where Oh Hanhyun was.
“I’ll go first.”-Well, now’s time for her to choose Kim Hajin.
*Cristopher*-Or so I thought… Fuck… Another crazy one…
Once she saw the name, she tried looking around, I guess trying to find me who is out of reach from the rest of the group.
“I’ll go next!”-Said Yi Yeonghan as he passes Yoo Yeonha.
Meanwhile, Yoo Yeonha is looking at me, or well, she barely glanced at me. After that he turned to my left, where Hajin was, and frowned slightly for a second. Barely noticeable with eyes like mine or Hajin’s.
After that she comes to me.
“Hi Cristopher-ssi, I guess we don’t know each other, right? I’m Yoo Yeonha.”-She says with a professional smile, that one you put when you say hi to that part of the family you don’t truly like in the reunions.
“Yeah, same here.”-I answered unconsciously. But it seems she didn’t like that answer, as she furrowed her brows again.
By the way, things changed this time, because Yi Yeonghan, who was supposed to go with the teacher, was with Kim Hajin this time. At least Chae Nayun was still with Kim Suho, it seems the luck of Hajin helped him evade the worst outcome. The rest of the cadets, well, honestly, I didn’t care about them.
{Oh well, it will be easy to separate from this one. Even more now that I wasn’t that polite to her. Really. Don’t know what they have with the polite speech and all of that… We’re classmates and even of the same age… This just don’t happen back at home, at most, you don’t act too friendly with each other.}
After all the pairs were made up and gathered, we all went to the portals. 15 meters tall giant gates, that lead you almost everywhere. Really convenient. Too much of a hassle to install, but it seems that’s the best they can do at the moments.
I could probably build something better with my limited power right now. I at least have the magic engineering and rune graving knowledge to make smaller gates with what small resources I can gather right now.
“Cadet Cristopher, confirmed”-Said a portal’s worker who was giving each of us a seal to go through the portal. By the way, Cadets from Cube have an amount of free passes each month, totally free of charge. I would really love to use them sometime.
“Let’s go.”-Said the president of the club once everyone had their seal.
Everyone started going through the gate that leads to Yongsan Station. “I’ll go first.”-Said Yoo Yeonha while looking at me before she also went through the gate.
“Ehew… Good luck man… She’s not easy to deal with…”-Said Hajin to me.
“And you think I care because?”
“Well… She’s a principal character right? Isn’t it a great idea to have some connections with her? She’ll even become the so called Queen of Seoul.”-Murmured Hajin.
“… Yeah, sure, you’re right. You do that, make the connection and then give me some recommendation letter. Will ya?”-I say while going to the portal.
“There you go again. I’m beginning to believe you don’t really like people.”-He says while going behind me.
“You think so? I don’t know. I pretty much think I really tolerant to people.”
“*sigh…* If you say so…”-Said Hajin while shrugging his shoulders. “But really. Consider it while you’re with her.”
“Sure. I’ll think about it.”-I said, finally passing through the portal and getting to Yongsan Station
“It’s 12 P.M. right now, so we’ll meet back here at 6.”
Once we got to Yongsan Station, everyone divided in their respective pairs. I was walking with Yoo Yeonha in the way to the bus station that would take me to the Orphanage, while she suddenly stops and turns to look at me.
“Hey, Cristopher-ssi, I need to do some stuff that isn’t really important and would probably be a hassle for you. What if we go our separates ways so you don’t have to go through all that trouble?”- She sure is a good politician. Staying polite while slightly rejecting without you thinking that she’s keeping you at bay.
“Sure, whatever. Don’t care.”-I said while going my own way. Sorry girl. But I’m not one to play political games, so you can keep them to yourself and your friends while trying to act like grown adults.
“…”-She glares at my back. Probably thinking mean things about me. Well, I just hope she doesn’t try to do something behind my back. I wouldn’t like to have to react against her or someone else.
“Could you please stop being so informal with me? We’re not friends. Not even acquittance.”-She says to me, before I get out of her reach.
“And why should I?”-I answered, turning to look at her.
“This is the last warning. Stop being so impolite with me.”-She sure likes to act like an adult huh. Freaking kid has a lot of pressure trying to inherit her mother and father’s business, and then people ask why she went insane with delirious thoughts at such a young age…
“…”-I look at her silently, without answering.
*sigh…*{Fuck Hajin. You better put her on your side faster. She’s problematic as hell.}-I thought while turning away on going my way.
“…”-She keeps glaring at my back. But I honestly don’t give a fuck unless she tries to do something directly to me.
Right now, I’m standing in front of a really old and wasted building. Whoever sees it would probably think it would end up falling down any moment.
I’m standing on the entrance of an old metal fence, that leads directly into the building’s main door. And the only thing I can truly say is salvable is the garden. That is well cared for. Probably constantly.
{You don’t make this easy for me… *sigh…*}-I mentally sigh, as I look at the building.
Right when I was starting to make my way inside the garden, the main doors open and someone familiar walks out with a broom and a trash scoop. She’s Fran. And it seems she’s on cleaning duty today.
“Huh? Well! Look who it is!!! What brings you here so soon?”-She says as soon as she sees me.
{Perfect. Now you’re going to help me with that little ‘prank’ of mine.}
“Well, things just were perfect for a quick visit.”-I said, while approaching her, who is also walking to the middle of the path leading to the main door. “By the way. It has been some time since I last saw the kids. So what if you help me play a little prank on them?”
“Mmm… Sounds fun!! Sure, let’s do it!!!”-She answered exalted.
“Don’t you want to hear me first before accepting?”
“Nah, that’s just losing time. Just tell me what I have to do.”-She seriously answers me.
This… Just… {What’s wrong with the women of this world? Well, whatever. It works for me.}
“Okay… Listen carefully.”-I slowly start explaining my “prank” to her. Hope this helps me bypass the problem of my memory.
