“As expected, fast foods are always the most delicious food.” Haebin said, her stomach that may have been slightly bulging due to overly full. Usually she has to work part time at this hour and have to skip dinner.

Alea raised an eyebrow with an expression implying her reluctance to believe what she had just seen in the Dining Hall earlier. “Are you sure you’re a kitsune? Not a kind of pig or maybe a raccoon? How can you eat all that food before? Or maybe you were possessed by a glutton demon or something?”

“Glutton demon? Yah, have you overdosed with drama?”

Alea scratched her head and smiled awkwardly. “It’s possible, right? You know, this school is filled with a variety of strange creatures. So I think that kind of creature might be hanging around here, too.” Alea shrugged her shoulders before pushing her dark (but actually cobalt) blue hair back so it wasn’t falling in her face. “After all, do you think I would react casually to see you eat that much? 4 bowls of ramyeon, 2 bowls of rice, a box of Pizza, and God knows how many burgers. Is your stomach okay?”

Haebin glared at her with the annoyance she did not hide “Of course. Do you think I’m the only one eating that much? Don’t you see how much Leo seonbae ate earlier?”

“Still, not as much as you eat.” Alea said in a mocking tone as she re-positioned the glasses that were hanging off her nose. Leo Seonbae? Looks like I didn't see him in the Dining Hall. Or he might have left while I was still waiting for Haebin to finish her foods. For the sake of starving reapers that flew around Reapers Lake, I wouldn’t even be able to finish it within a week.

“Talking about Leo seonbae, why does he never allow anyone but N seonbae to call his real name? It sounds good though.” Haebin whispered while looked around, afraid of being caught by the person she’s talking about.

Alea suddenly stopped her step and Haebin bumped into her a few seconds later. What is this? I seem to have heard this question, she thought to herself. And suddenly a flash of memory filled her head.

Little Alea was playing a seesaw with a tan-skinned boy who looked a few years older than her. The boy didn't listen to the little Alea who had been protesting that the boy was too heavy and her feet hadn't even touched the ground since they started playing. Instead, the boy envying the other boys playing soccer. He was not even aware that Alea's head had just hit by the soccer ball until one of the boys came up to them - more precisely Alea - and apologized to her while her hair.

“By the way, why does that Leo boy never allow anyone but you to call his real name? It sounds good though.” The tan-skinned boy asked after the other boy – who turned out to be called Leo - return to the field to continue their soccer game.

“It’s because he hates his name.”

“But why?”

“It’s Leo oppa’s secret, so I can’t tell you. Just ask him if you want to know.” Alea answered coldly, clearly still annoyed.

“Then, do you also hate your real name? You also don’t allow anyone to call your real name.”

“I love it. But my mother will be sad if someone calls me by my real name.” She replied as she looked away, not wanting her new friend to see another weirdness about her if she couldn’t hold back her tears. “Ah, do you also want to have a nick name?” She asked moments later after she was sure that the colored contact lenses she was wearing were still in good shape.

“Uh? Nick name? Sounds good to me.” The boy was obviously very excited, proved by him who suddenly descended from the seesaw with a happy smile, which of course caused little Alea to crash into the ground and cried because her hurt. “From now on I want to be called–”

“Eonni!” Haebin called, and all that memories disappear instantly.

“Uh–what–pardon? What did you say? Sorry, I was daydreaming.” She replied after stammering in the beginning. But what was that? Memories? Mom never told me that I have friends or even discussed friends’ issues – other than yesterday by phone; it’s just to make small talk. And why is there a boy named Leo in my memory? – If that’s even a memory.

“Aish you scared me. I thought you were possessed by a spirit or something. I’ve called you more than ten times but you didn’t answer me.” Or it could be Haebin who would startle Alea because there were five tails sticking out from her skirt and her eyes were yellow with cat-like pupil. “But are you okay? You look so pale.”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” physically, but not mentally. “So what did you say?”

“I gotta go to class now. And you'd better hurry to your class now. Just now Prof. Seo is headed there.”

“I know–who? Prof. Seo? Why didn’t you say that earlier?”

Haebin raised an eyebrow. “Eonni, are you sure you’re really okay? Prof. Seo even called you but you did not listen.” Alea just gawked at Haebin’s reply that now has her face redden for holding her laughter and finally bursting out even before half a minute later. “Whoa, this is really a big deal, Eonni. Big deal.” Haebin continued between her laughter.

Alea groaned and ruffled her hair. Yeah, this is a big deal. I’m doomed. Bye my precious points. Bye world.

***

“So explain to me who you are talking about. What did my father not know?” Hongbin demanded with a cynical face, both hands folded arrogantly in front of his chest.

“Oh it’s... nothing.” N sputtered. “What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean by nothing’? I hear with my own ears all that you talked about. About the student who would not be allowed to stay here if my dad knows what creature she is. Ah, is she the one who caused all the chaos that happened lately?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you. But don’t worry, this has nothing to do with all the incidents.”

Hongbin stared at him, fire in his eyes. “Just tell me or I will use my ability on you. You know, I can make you tell me anything.”

“You also know that there is no secret between us. And I promise to tell you about this, but not now. She–no, we need time to–”

“Does this have anything to do with the new, blue-haired student? I’ve been suspicious from the very beginning that you know something about her. Do I need to force her to admit her mistakes?”

Hakyeon’s knuckles turned white upon hearing Hongbin’s threat. “All those incidents have nothing to do with her. I wouldn’t hesitate to kill you if you dare to touch her.”

“So it’s true, it’s about that strange student. Don’t worry, I will not act stupid without any evidence against her. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do anything. Sooner or later I’ll know what you’re hiding and I’ll make sure the entire school staff knows about it.” Well, Hongbin was now looked somehow scary, because his smile that usually makes almost all women and even some men fascinated – until they might be willing to sell their lives to the devil just to be able to see his smile every day – now looked eerie.

“This isn’t what you think, Hongbin-ah. I can–” N did not even finish his words because Hongbin has wagged his hand and walked away.

“Hongbin, wait! Yah! Lee Hongbin!!!” Leo – who has re-discovered his voice after being dumbfounded long enough for the sudden appearance of Hongbin – called in a low and commanding voice, but Hongbin didn‘t react to his words. N broke into a jog to chase after him, closely followed by Leo. But instead of finding Hongbin, he accidentally bumped into someone. Hard.

“Yah, watch your– Oh? N seonbae?”

“I’m so sorry” N said as he stretched out his hand, helping her to stand up.

She smiled instantly. Her blue hair was sparkled in the moonlight. “Forget it.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Of course I’m on my way to Prof. Seo’s class, but Ken Seonbae said that we’ll take lessons outdoor today. Because there was a commotion in front of the dorm, so I thought it should be better if I take another way to get to the Spell Casting Grounds and...” Alea scratched her neck while hiding her embarrassment, before finally continuing her sentence, “I guess I’m lost.”

“Why are you still here? Prof Seo may already be there.” Alea asked with questioning look on her face.

“Holy .” N cursed while slapping his forehead. “Woon-ah, I’m sorry, but for now I still need my point.” N said weakly before grabbing Alea’s hand and dragging her to the Training Grounds, while Leo just smiled at them in amused – though in fact he is jealous at them, not in romantic terms, of course.

N suddenly stopped his step. “Wait! Didn’t you say that Ken–”

“Ken seonbae? He said he was doing an important job.” Alea replied before being pulled again – or exactly dragged – by N to their destination.

***

Tsk, she doesn’t recognize me? Whoa, it’s amazing. I've been waiting for her all along, I thought she might come to me sometime until I almost gave up and believed that he had died that day when Hyunshik and his followers set fire to our house, but she just came up this way? Have they been all right and have never tried to look for me? They’ve forgotten me? So they really have abandoned me? MJ cried silently. Okay, this is probably a serious problem, because he just realized that he had made his room – correction, their room, because there were three other residents who were outside the room banging on the door roughly – messed like a pigsty. Apart from two bunk beds and a four-door wardrobe, all other things have been damaged and... You know, were out of shape.

“Myungjoon-ah! What’s going on in there? Are you okay? Please open the door!” Concerns were heard clearly from JB’s voice, but that only made MJ angrier as if he sprayed gasoline into the flames.

“Don’t pretend to be good in front of me.” MJ spat. Well, why am I so angry at JB? This shouldn't matter to me because I hate her. Remember, Kim Myungjoon, they’ve abandoned you. Your mother and sister have abandoned you.

“Yah, Im Jaebum! I’ll kill you if you dare to bother her again.” MJ shouted at one of his roommates who had just made it into their shared room after they had broken the door, making the latter stop his step abruptly, a questioning look on his face. What the hell is this, Kim Myungjoon? Why are you ing defending her? Are you crazy?

So, after his roommates – Im Jaebum or mostly known as JB, Wang Jackson or whatever his birth name was, and Kim Namjoon the new transferred student who was begging to be called something-Monster despite looked contrary to his calm and smart looks, and indeed his IQ was above average – rushed to him after successfully breaking down the door, MJ instantly made them the target of his anger which he couldn’t wreak directly to the right person. Okay, JB deserved to get it considering what he’d done to his sister and her friends in the dining hall last week. Or Jackson who attacked his childhood friend and either really forgot or pretend to forget the incident. But it was pity that Namjoon - who had nothing wrong - got splashed by MJ’s saliva. Please don’t let Namjoon know that I haven’t brushed my teeth from this morning, MJ silently praying.

“Why all of sudden? Who the ‘her’ are you referring to?” JB asked, still perplexed by MJ who suddenly got mad at him. Yeah, everyone knew that MJ was a mood-maker among them, but he’s turned cold and rude since the new school year.

The next second MJ found himself pushing JB roughly until he hit the wall and caused a bit of crack there. “What? Smurf? You nicknamed her after those small, blue cartoon characters? Then what do you think you are? Seasoned chicken?”

JB was still gawked when MJ strangled his neck with his hard, rock-like hands. “How dare you push her with your dirty hands? I’m warning you, don’t you dare to bother her again or you’ll find your head as the werewolves’ breakfast.

“MJ, stop it! What the hell are you doing?” Namjoon shouted. He just wanted to mediate this one-sided argument. But unfortunate for him, he got punched in the face, causing him to lose balance and his foot tripping on the already broken door and fell down with one foot landed on it, creating a gaping wound in his left calf.

MJ, who had no intention of hurting Namjoon, was horrified to find Namjoon who winced as he clutched his injured leg – and unfortunately still looked cool – and slowly releasing his stranglehold on JB’s neck. JB instantly curled up in Jackson’s armpits, obviously not taking the risk – read: another attack – of angering MJ.

***

What on earth is this Author-nim??????? Why is this story so inconsequential???

Author: *Instantly dig a hole in the middle of my room and crawl into it* I also don’t know why the plot is like this. Please don’t kill me. Hopefully you still want to read this story.

Haebin: Then why did you make me be a greedy creature? Please explain to the readers that it is not true!!!

Leo: Han Haebin, are you sure that you really saw me in the Dining Hall? I was in the backyard with Hakyeon and Hongbin.

Author: Okay, I admit it was my fault so I’ve re-edited a bit. SATISFIED?!

Alea: I’m the heroine of this story, and according to what you’ve written in the previous chapters, I have a power that... well, you know what I mean. But why it seems like I’ll be the victim of bullying? And please, do not add to my weirdness. I don’t like this cobalt blue hair, so don’t plan anything about my eyes anymore.

N: I don’t agree with you, Author-nim. Just explain it with your own mouth to Hongbin or at least make Leo talk to him.

Rap Monster: Wait a minute! Why am I so unlucky? I’ve done nothing wrong.

MJ: Please don’t ruin my image! I’m the most cheerful person in this school, not a psychopath–

Author: Shut up! SHUT UP!!! Lately I lack of sleep because of Minji (my kitten) who are too active at night and sleep more often during the day. So don’t reduce my sleep quota by re-editing these increasingly obscure characters. Can't you just forgive me and accept it?

I think my brain is already ERROR.