122 - I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

Rohan found himself standing before Ichinose, who had opened her mouth, waiting with the eagerness of a baby bird anticipating a meal. "Churai! Churai!" urged Noa, gesturing enthusiastically for him to go ahead. Chuckling softly, Rohan opened the cutlery case and retrieved a clean pair of chopsticks. He carefully selected a mushroom from the hot pot, steam rising fragrantly from it, and cut it into smaller pieces with a pair of scissors before gently blowing on it to cool it down. "Ha!" At the sound of Rohan cooling the morsel, Ichinose's ears twitched like those of a small animal. "Here it comes," Rohan announced in a lighthearted tone as he drew closer. Ichinose's tongue tensed up with anticipation. "Hut!" With a swift motion, Rohan placed the food on her tongue, his chopsticks brushing her gently before retreating. Ichinose let out a soft, embarrassed sound at the ticklish sensation. "Is it hot?" he asked. "No, not at all," she mumbled, immediately adopting a serious expression as she started chewing. Despite the simplicity of the dish, Ichinose figured out the answer after just one bite. "Deer... rear mushroom." "Correct!" cheered Rohan. "You see, Noa, she knows her stuff," he added with a proud smile, which drew a similar one from Noa, who was pleased on her behalf. The way "rear" slipped from Ichinose's mouth added a unique flavor to the conversation. "I want to try too!" Noa exclaimed, opening her mouth to Rohan. But Ichinose, recalling a past prank, ended up feeding her raw garlic instead. They continued chatting and enjoying a more leisurely lunch than usual when Rohan’s phone began to vibrate. Bzzzz—! Bzz—! [Clara] Unusually, it was a call, not a message. With a sense of urgency, he stood up immediately. "Just a moment. I'll take this outside." "Sure," Ichinose replied. "See you in a bit," Noa added. ... "I understand. Yeah, let’s go out for dinner. I’ll hang up now." Finishing the call from the grassy front yard, Rohan turned back to the establishment. Luckily, the call wasn't about anything major. It was simply Shion and Clara checking in to see if he’d had a proper lunch. Relieved to hear there was nothing wrong, he chatted briefly to ensure they had eaten themselves and even suggested they visit a good restaurant he’d found next time. Claiming the leisurely mid-day, Rohan reflected on the happiness of everyday life as he headed back to his room. But he stopped in his tracks upon seeing unexpected figures at the counter. A familiar pair of rabbit ears caught his attention, prompting an immediate reaction. "...Instructor?" "Enjoying your lunch, I assume," greeted Juyeon, unfazed as if expecting Rohan to show up. Standing next to her was another familiar face. The towering rabbit ears were impossible to ignore, and Rohan quickly offered his greetings. "Instructor Carrot! Hello!" "Hello!" she chirped back. "Did you come here for lunch as well?" he asked, curious. "No need to worry. We are just on our way out," Juyeon replied. Indeed, this quiet and delicious spot was one worth seeking out. ‘This Anshin Cafe... it's a perfect spot to meet anyone from Samhwa Nation residing in Academy City,’ Rohan thought. "This student, Rohan, seems quite popular, doesn't he?" "Excuse me?" Carrot made a heart shape with her hands, giving him a playful wink. Rohan was momentarily stunned by her teasing before her lighthearted eyes put him at ease. Given the two with him are Noa and Ichinose, it wouldn't be hard for them to figure it out. These instructors naturally possess the skill to identify those around them without needing to ask. But against such mischief, Rohan, who’s been around the block, remained unfazed. "We've been comrades through adversity, just strengthening our camaraderie," he replied with a knowing smile. "Is that so~?" To someone like Carrot, who asked out of mere curiosity, his neutral response was like throwing water on a fire. A nonchalant answer was truly the best approach. "Really? Even with such pretty girls around? Could it be you prefer guys, Rohan?" "I don't fancy men. I'm a perfectly ordinary heterosexual who likes women," he clarified. By now, he expected Juyeon to rein in Carrot’s antics, but instead, she regarded him with an unusually concerned gaze. "Rohan." "Yes,?" "To avoid unnecessary trouble, it's wise to make your own position clear." Her serious tone momentarily left him speechless. Unlike Carrot's playful banter, Juyeon's words carried genuine weight, and Rohan could sense it. "There's a reason they call a horde of admirers a kind of calamity. If the focus of such affection doesn't handle it carefully, things can get dangerous. Behave wisely." Although Juyeon didn't have direct romantic experience, she’d observed enough to assert that with certainty. "I’ll keep that in mind," Rohan replied earnestly, prompting Carrot to retreat from her playful mood. ZGVPdDc2cnQxMFU0bVlrbnZITXlVckV0dzdRa1dUdHVieDRkWW5KMFlONVVJbDJtQ1pzV1JyZWU4eHI0OTJFaA Juyeon, realizing she might have been overly earnest, quickly made way for him to leave. "Your company must be waiting. Sorry for keeping you with heavy talk." "No problem. Thank you for the sound advice," Rohan responded gratefully. As Juyeon and Carrot exited the cafe, Rohan returned to the room where Ichinose and Noa were finishing their meal, informing them of his encounter with the instructors. Both girls were intrigued, as they had yet to run into anyone they knew at this cafe. As they wrapped up and left the private room, Ichinose reflected aloud on what Rohan had shared. "Instructor Juyeon must miss the taste of Samhwa Nation at times." "Definitely! There are days when I particularly crave Tigrava cuisine!" Noa added enthusiastically. As Noa licked her lips as if still hungry, Rohan's gaze shifted toward her. Despite having eaten so much, Noa's stomach remained flat and her abs firmly defined, making one wonder if she had a black hole inside her. Upon reaching the counter at the end of the hallway, Rohan offered his gratitude once more. "Thanks for the meal." "It wasn't much of a repayment, really," Ichinose replied, handing over a gleaming card to the staff, who smiled warmly. However, the staff didn't take the card and instead nodded politely, informing them, "The payment has already been taken care of by Ms. Juyeon." "!" The three of them exchanged glances. While this sum wasn't significant to Juyeon and her companion, it weighed heavily on Rohan. It was the elegance of a successful adult. An overwhelming sense of gratitude washed over Rohan, prompting him to consider how he could express his thanks. "Of course, we should thank them. Maybe we could get some drinks?" he suggested. "That's tricky," Ichinose noted. "Instructor Juyeon probably wouldn't accept anything from students." "Then how about we just participate diligently in class?" Rohan proposed. "Let's go sing a thank-you song together in the faculty room!" Noa exclaimed. "Noa, we'll probably get kicked out if we sing," Ichinose cautioned. "Doing well in class is the best course." As they headed out to find a taxi, Noa suddenly announced she’d buy a strawberry smoothie and bounded across the crosswalk to a café, leaving Rohan and Ichinose together. Seeing it as a fitting opportunity, Ichinose broached the subject that had been on her mind. "Rohan." "Yeah?" he responded. "This meal was courtesy of the instructor, so I can't really claim I treated you, can I?" "Is that so?" Rohan mused, uncertain. Being on the receiving end made it odd to outright confirm that. "The bill was handled by the instructor, so my words aren't wrong, right?" "Well..." Rohan's response was noncommittal as he watched Noa waving from the café. "Focus on talking to me," Ichinose said, nudging his shoulder lightly. "What I mean is, let’s eat together again sometime. Next time, I'll really be the one treating," she added, rallying her courage to extend an honest invitation. Rohan couldn't help but admire her determination to make further plans. "Little Ichinose!" he remarked, tempted to metaphorically stamp 'Well Done' on her for her effort. "Shh! What if Noa hears you...?" Ichinose cried, her face turning red. "Say 'little' just once, then I’ll stop," he teased. "'Little'? What are you talking about!" she stammered, flustered. Watching her fluster was why he found her so endearing. ... ... Some time had passed since the midterm exams. April, which cooled with the setting sun, had moved on, making way for the first semester finals as warm weather asserted itself. Amidst such a backdrop was Rohan's morning. He prepared for another session at the training hall as usual. Thanks to the elixirs received from Ichinose and Noa, Rohan noticed an improvement in his training efficiency, and his third sword had begun to find its place. 'It's peaceful,' he observed, pondering whether this was the calm before the storm. The main storyline, a touchstone in his life, had quietened down, leaving Rohan directionless regarding future developments. ‘Moments like this are all the more reason to press on,’ he resolved. Rohan understood that with dimensional rifts no longer sparking conversations among Academy City's residents, it was precisely this tranquil time that required the greatest vigilance. Thus, he prepared himself thoroughly each day. With the custom-made scabbard for his dedicated weapon, Radiance, completed yesterday, he finally had a proper home for his sword. His pistol, Brand, was also securely holstered in tough leather. Though the notification screens for quests and other disturbances had become silent, Rohan felt a twinge of unease from the quiet and carried his weapons even for brief jaunts outside his house. He strove to never be without his arms, convinced that a time would come when his readiness would make all the difference.