Since the Two Moon incident had occurred around the start of the school season, all schools had to delay their opening by at least half a year. The teachers, who were on paid vacation, were the only ones happy about the situation. When things settled down and society returned to normal operations, schools began their opening a semester late.

“School is starting in the fall[1], huh.”

I had been working hard to break through the 19th floor when I received a notice about the delayed opening ceremony from the college I had enrolled in. It was now the start of September, which was a time when cool winds washed away the heat of summer.

As I headed towards my school to attend the ceremony, I idly mused about how all of this would mess up my eventual graduation. With all the freshmen gathering with their puffed up cheeks, one would think it was a toad reunion. While I was laughing silently to myself, I felt someone silently brush past me.

“Whoa.”

“…”

I was surprised to find out that the person was a girl, not a guy. She was covering herself with an oversized gray hoodie, but her clear eyes and full lips strongly suggested that she was a cute girl. My earlier shout had clearly surprised her as she stared at me fixedly for a moment before tilting her head and walking away.

There was something strange about her. She was clearly physically brushing past people as she walked through the busy crowd, but no one other than me seemed to notice. Although it could have been a coincidence, I knew that there was a more likely explanation for this.

“Damn, she is an ability user.”

I had almost revealed my identity to someone who had powers on Earth. Ability users were not required to join Guardian or Freedom Wing and fight monsters, but it was looked down upon. After that close call, I reminded myself to act more unfazed by weird things as I continued on my way.

“Everyone must know by now how fortunate they are to be able to enter college at such a tumultuous time and be taught by professors equipped with new found knowledge and passion! Before we send you off into society as a proud alumnus of our school…”

Like my high school principal, the president of the university also had the skill of curing insomnia whenever he gave a speech. As I pinched my thighs to keep myself awake, I suddenly sensed a strange gaze directed at me.

I could tell that the person staring at me wasn’t doing so out of hate, but instead out of curiosity. Was it the ability user from before? Since I had vowed to act more normal a moment ago, I ignored the feeling even when I could sense that the person was continuing to stare at me. Although it appeared to contain a hint of killing intent, I continued to feign ignorance.

The opening ceremony was a very long and boring event, and I felt my eyes glaze over as I continued to endure. I truly believed that fighting two Dark Ratman at the same time would be more fun than this.

After the opening ceremony finished, almost all of the new students left to attend an introductory party per school tradition. However, I had an important mission in the dungeon, so I chose to skip it. As I secretly snuck out of the auditorium, I felt a presence approaching me.

“Ahhhh.”

With a sigh, I started walking away while trying to ignore the presence. However, the presence continued to follow me and was approaching from the right side. Should I ignore it? Or should I avoid it? After thinking briefly, I made the ultimate decision to continue to ignore it. However, the presence immediately clung to me. As I had suspected, it was the hoodie girl from before.

“Who are you?”

“Ah, you surprised me!”

I feigned being startled and brushed her aside. I actually was truthfully surprised as I did not expect her to jump on me like that. When I glared at her, she glared back at me.

“Who are you? How did you see through my stealth?” she asked sharply.

I countered, “What about you? At first, you brush past me, now you suddenly jump on me.”

“I’m an ability user.”

“Ah…”

Well, I knew that. I should have thought a little harder about my question.

She snapped, “I’m not affiliated with any group. You came after me on purpose, right? To take me to Guardian or Freedom Wing?”

“Nope. Sorry to disappoint you and hurt your ego, but I’m just an ordinary guy. Guardian or Gardevoir, Freedom Wing or Gundam Wing, I don’t care. Are we good? I’m off then,” I replied sarcastically.

“W-Wait!”

“Adios!”

If you’re an ability user and you want to avoid people’s attention, you’ll have to do more research!

Everyone was lined up along the parking lot, looking as if they were waiting for rides to the freshman opening party. I could have escaped without anyone noticing had it not been for that hoodie girl confronting me.

However, I was not afraid. A man had to be bold! I ignored the people who were now looking at me and continued forward. In situations like this, it was important to act confident. Unfortunately, the hoodie girl kept following me.

“Are you really an ordinary person?” she continued to question me.

“Yep.”

She exclaimed, “You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

“Then how did you see through my stealth? That was the first time it happened.”

I retorted, “Stealth is walking through people with your head down? I didn’t know that.”

“Ahem, my stealth is like that. As long as I don’t release it or attack something, I won't be discovered. At least, that’s how it worked until now.”

“Then you can modify your data with what happened today. Good? I’m off then.”

“Ohhhhh, you said that just to make me reveal details about my ability, right?”

My blood pressure was rising with this conversation that never seemed to end. I thought Palludia was the most annoying girl in the universe, but apparently there was someone else in the running for that title. At this point, I was feeling too lazy to even deign her with a response, so I walked out of the plaza. Unfortunately, she hurriedly ran after me and clung onto an arm.

“What are you doing!?” I snarled.

She gave me a confused look. “What?”

“Aren’t you going to the freshman opening party?”

“…You’re asking about that?”

I was starting to wonder if this hoodie girl was an idiot as I replied, “No, I’m not.”

“Aren’t you a freshman?”

“I am.”

“Your name?”

I felt like I was getting investigated. Since I was already knee deep in my pretense, I decided to continue with the act.

“I won’t tell you.”

Her eyes lit up as if she had caught me. “You can’t say it because you’re not a freshman, right?”

“I’m not saying it because I don’t want to. And if you want to ask for someone’s name, you should give your own first.” I really wanted to slap my forehead in exasperation at this point.

“I’m Su Ye-Eun from the business department.”

“Got it. Take care, Su Ye-Eun.”

“Your name!”

I snottily said, “I said to give your name if you wanted to ask mine. I never said I’d tell you my name.”

“Eeeek! You’re dodging the question!”

Su Ye-Eun continued to cling to my arm. Her persistent behavior was beginning to get under my skin. Should I make her let go of me by using my power? Wouldn’t it get annoying afterwards? …I’m going to have to continue my act. Argh, I got bit by the worst kind of dog.

“Can you let go of me, please? I’m telling you, I’m not an ability user. Ah, the bus is leaving.”

“Ah.”

Su Ye-Eun made a blank expression. The buses holding students from their respective departments were all leaving. Apparently, it did not take long for all the freshmen to find their way onto their respective buses. It was rather surprising. Regardless, Su Ye-Eun, who seemed to want to go to the freshman opening party, was now left alone.

“Alright, I’m off. Good luck, abandoned Su Ye-Eun.”

“Hey, who’s abandoned!?” she cried indignantly.

“No, I didn’t say that at all.”

“You totally did!”

Su Ye-Eun frowned and continued pulling on me. Her bus was already gone so I didn’t know why she was still pulling on me. Despite that, I kept walking. With my current strength, it wasn’t surprising that she was dragged along with me. Sadly, I was also in the business department. What if I saw her in my classes?

“It’s all your fault! I missed the opening party!”

“That’s because you kept clinging onto me,” I retorted.

“Delinquent, liar, crook!” She flung names at me.

“Shut it, hoodie girl!”

“H-Hoodie girl…”

My university had a clear separation between the engineering and liberal arts campus. The engineering campus was a little ways away from Seoul. The opening ceremony was held at the engineering campus, while the graduation was held at liberal arts campus. Basically, we were now the only ones from our department left in the countryside.

After I completely left the campus grounds, Su Ye-Eun seemed to have grown tired of being dragged around as she had let go of my arm and was now walking by me silently. There was a gloomy aura coming out of her hoodie.

“Ugh, because of this guy…this is the worst…”

I snapped at her, “Stop murmuring. It’s all your fault.”

“Are you really not an ability user?”

“Stop asking, will you? I’m going to report you otherwise.”

“…Then buy me food.”

“Why!?”

This woman’s way of thinking was definitely out of the ordinary. My head was starting to hurt. Before I noticed it, we were near the station. With all the people and cars around, I was thinking about making a run for it. It was then that Su Ye-Eun murmured quietly.

“I have no money…I’m hungry…”

“…”

For the first time since I last interacted with Palludia, I felt like hitting a girl.

I brought Su Ye-Eun to a nearby McDonald’s, and I watched her order a Big Mac with large fries plus extra, then ordered whatever for myself.

“You don’t need more fries?”

She gave me a strange look as if ordering more fries was the norm. I deliberately ignored her, took my tray from the employee, and walked to a seat by the window. Su Ye-Eun asked why we were going there when there were better seats open, then she stole the tray out of my hands and walked to a seat at the center. She then murmured, “Is he really stupid?”

“Ah… Ah….!” I could feel my blood vessels starting to burst.

It’s not too late. I’ll first put in a hook to her stomach, then…! However, she was currently holding onto our food. Since I couldn’t waste it, I decided to hold back. Feeling pitiful, I followed her and sat down.

“Thanks for the food,” she said sweetly.

“You’re welcome.”

Su Ye-Eun unwrapped her Big Mac then took a big bite. Then, she gleefully took a handful of fries from the container and stuffed it into her mouth. Then, she took another handful. When I saw her cheeks puffed up like a greedy hamster’s, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You must have been really hungry.”

“Nom nom… nom…”

She sounded like she was chanting some black magic, but she was probably saying she had been starving since the morning. I gave her my share of fries. A look of disbelief and surprise spread onto her face and she alternated between staring at me and the fries. 

“…Angel?”

“That’s a quick change.”

“You bestowed fries upon me.”

“Don’t talk like that, it creeps me out.”

I also unwrapped my burger and bit down. It was delicious. Since my mother never let me eat food like this at home, it had been a long time since I last had junk food. Mm, maybe Yua would like it too. She might even give me a kiss on the cheek!

In the end, while Su Ye-Eun was in the restroom, I secretly ordered another burger set, entered the restroom, and stored it in my inventory. It was the perfect crime. Time was frozen inside the inventory, so the food would still be hot and crunchy no matter when I took it out.

When we left McDonald’s, she suddenly remembered the odd situation she was and separated herself from me. A guarded look appeared on her face. She now looked completely different from the person who just called me an angel. Was she simply an idiot? Yep, she had to be.

“Are we good? Go home now,” I asked tiredly.

“You…You really aren’t an ability user?”

“I’m not, and you’re an ability user that begged an ordinary person for food after bugging and annoying him.”

“…”

“So can we just go home now…Eh?”

Su Ye-Eun had an odd look on her face. It wasn’t an expression of anger. Rather, it seemed to be frozen completely. Sensing that something was off, I turned around.

In front of us was a six foot tall pigeon that had appeared out of nowhere.

1. In Korea, the school year starts in March ☜