Chapter 16 — The Sudden Test
That morning, the atmosphere suddenly turned lively. Kang Dae Yeon strode confidently down the corridor, greeting nearly every student he passed.
"Hey! Morning, bro!" he shouted, patting a few kids from other classes on the shoulder.
"Yo, good luck for today!" he added with a bright laugh.
Some students looked puzzled, some awkwardly returned the greeting, but most ended up being pulled along by his overly familiar aura.
From a distance, Ki Hyun watched with a sour face.
(What's with this guy? He wants to greet everyone, act like he's close with everyone. Disgusting…)
But his surprise grew when Kang Dae Yeon casually greeted Ji Hoon, who happened to pass by.
"Ji Hoon-ah! Whoa, we meet again. Man, the world really is small, huh?" Dae Yeon said cheerfully.
Ji Hoon froze, his face slightly awkward.
Ki Hyun immediately narrowed his eyes. "Even with Ji Hoon too?" he asked sharply.
Casually, Dae Yeon replied, "Oh yeah. When I delivered a package to his house, we had a little chat. He's a good guy. In fact… he's the one who told me about Silent Guardian's fight with Crimson Souls at that old industrial yard."
Ji Hoon gasped. "H-huh?!"
Ki Hyun was even more shocked, his eyes widening. "That… was you?!"
Ji Hoon quickly bowed slightly. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean anything by it."
Ki Hyun restrained his anger, but seeing Ji Hoon's innocent face, he sighed and nodded. "Forget it. I'm the one who should apologize. I misunderstood."
Kang Dae Yeon only smiled in satisfaction seeing them reconcile. "That's better. Life's easier without grudges."
They parted ways since their classes were different. As soon as Kang Dae Yeon entered his classroom, cheers erupted.
"WOOOOOAH!!! Kang Dae Yeon!! Silent Guardian is back!!"
"Our hero has arrived!!"
The cheer echoed down the corridor, stirring up other classes. Meanwhile, Crimson Souls had been unusually quiet lately. Students started whispering, gossip spreading quickly.
"Hey, they say Crimson Souls already lost to Silent Guardian."
"They're just keeping quiet now, not daring to make a fuss."
---
In Ji Hoon's class, the teacher entered with a stern face. "Everyone, your attention please. There's an important announcement. Tomorrow, there will be a sudden test."
The class instantly exploded.
"WHAAAAT?!"
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Kim Seo Yeon immediately raised her hand. "Sir! How can you spring this on us out of nowhere? There was no prior notice!"
Jung Minji added, "We haven't even reviewed the material, this isn't fair!"
Jae Hwan slammed his desk. "Seriously? A pop quiz? We're human, not robots!"
Jae Hyuk chimed in, "Even a system needs maintenance, sir. You can't expect our brains to be ready 24/7."
The teacher remained calm. "This is a direct instruction from the school. All classes will participate. No exceptions."
"That still doesn't make sense!" Jae Hwan barked.
"She's right, sir! There should be proper rules!" Minji backed him up.
But Han Shi Woo just sat there with a cold expression, silent, observing the commotion. Park Ji Ah kept her head down, resigned.
Ji Hoon, meanwhile, turned pale. (Damn it… if the test is tomorrow, I can't go to my part-time job tonight. My plan's ruined…)
Protests and complaints echoed from other classrooms too. The whole school suddenly felt like a marketplace.
---
At lunch break, Ji Hoon walked to the cafeteria with Jae Hwan, Han Shi Woo, Jae Hyuk, and the girls—Jung Minji, Park Ji Ah, and Kim Seo Yeon.
Just as they sat down, Kang Dae Yeon strolled over casually, with Ki Hyun trailing behind him, looking annoyed.
"Yo! You guys are all here? Perfect! Let's form a study group tonight so tomorrow's test won't be such a panic."
"Hey, that's a good idea," Minji said quickly.
Seo Yeon nodded. "I agree. Better to prepare together."
Jae Hwan immediately got fired up. "Yeah! Studying in a group will be way easier."
Ji Hoon, though still troubled, finally nodded. "Yeah… alright."
Kang Dae Yeon grinned in satisfaction. "Great. Tonight we'll meet up. I'll arrange the place."
Meanwhile, Ki Hyun only sat expressionless, glaring at Dae Yeon with irritation. (Why does this guy have to show up everywhere? He's suffocating.)
The conversation carried on with laughter and banter, though occasional tension lingered beneath the surface.
---
When school ended, a luxury car stopped in front of the gate. All the students turned their heads.
"Whoa, whose car is that?"
"Feels like a drama scene…"
From the car stepped a private driver. Kim Seo Yeon walked gracefully toward him. But before entering, she turned to Ji Hoon.
"Ji Hoon… I'll head home first," she said softly, with a subtle emotion in her voice.
Ji Hoon looked at her, but only nodded plainly. "Oh… okay. Take care."
Seo Yeon's face stiffened instantly. Her bodyguard, Ryuiri, immediately stepped forward with a furious glare.
"You have a handsome, dashing appearance, yet you dare treat the young lady coldly?!" he barked.
Without warning, his foot swung hard into Ji Hoon's stomach.
THUD!
Ji Hoon was thrown back, collapsing in pain.
Seo Yeon gasped, rushing to stop Ryuiri. "Stop! Don't do that!"
Ryuiri glared sharply. "I act under the CEO's orders. To protect your dignity and safety from trash like him."
Several students covered their mouths in shock at the scene.
Jae Hwan sprinted forward. "Hey! What the hell's your problem?!"
Kang Dae Yeon also stepped up. "You've gone too far!"
Ryuiri smirked, provoking them. "Oh? You want to interfere too? Then… let's see what you've got."
In an instant, Ryuiri's rapid strikes landed. THUD! THUD! Blood streamed from Jae Hwan's and Dae Yeon's noses.
Yet they still stood, together with Ji Hoon, who forced himself up. The three of them stood side by side, glaring at Ryuiri with blazing eyes.
Ryuiri slipped off his jacket, his muscles tightening.
"You three are interesting…" he said coldly, stretching his arms. "Let's have a little fun."
Seo Yeon panicked. "RYUIRI! Don't!!"
But Ryuiri's eyes were already burning with the thrill of battle.
The air grew tense, as if a new battlefield had just opened.
To be continued…