My Childhood Friend’s Stock Will Never Fail Chapter 36

[Congratulations! You have cleared the fifth side scenario, “Somewhere Between Friends and Lovers”!]

[As a reward, you have received sponsorship from the Constellation, “Galaxy YOLO Tribe.”]

 

Yoohee let go of the hand that had been wrapped around Joohoon’s waist so she could catch the candy falling from the sky.

 

‘……?’

 

But Joohoon didn’t move an inch.

 

As Yoohee’s hand awkwardly hovered in midair with nowhere to go, the status window flashed into view.

 

[Looks like your hands are occupied! We’ll put the candy in your pocket instead!]

 

Ding. The status window disappeared.

 

Yoohee was still in Joohoon’s arms.

 

“Um, Joohoon…?”

 

“……”

 

“Joohoon. I think we’re done now.”

 

“……Hm? Ah, already?”

 

Had the guide been too short?

 

Looking reluctant, Joohoon slowly pulled away from her.

 

“Want me to do a little more?”

 

She asked just in case.

 

For a brief instant, Joohoon’s eyes lit up.

 

But he quickly shook his head.

 

“No. We can’t push it too hard. I’m fine now. I feel much better.”

 

Joohoon smiled gently, and Yoohee couldn’t help feeling pleased.

 

“That’s a relief. If you ever need it again, just tell me. I’ll do everything I can.”

 

Supporting herself with both hands on the bench, she smiled brightly back at him.

 

***

 

After Joohoon arrived, classes went by without a hitch.

 

Even practical training, which had once felt like standing on the border between life and death, no longer frightened her. Just having Joohoon sitting beside her in class made her feel reassured.

 

The girls who showed interest in Joohoon still shot her sharp looks, but… it wasn’t really a problem.

 

“Hey, your childhood friend is seriously popular.”

 

It was a bright afternoon during break, outside the Black Panther Class.

 

Jinhee, whose classroom was right next door, had come over and was looking at Joohoon, who was surrounded by students.

 

She stared at him as though she’d just spotted a legendary unicorn.

 

“Seriously, where do you have to live to end up with a childhood friend like that?”

 

“…I guess I just got lucky.”

 

A face beautiful enough to rival a flower deer, exceptional height, a gentle personality…

 

And on top of that, an A-rank Esper with the rare Ice attribute.

 

Even Seo Hyunho, the original novel’s true male lead, hadn’t been this perfect.

 

After all, Hyunho had one major flaw—his personality.

 

“Aren’t you nervous? I mean, he’s that popular.”

 

“Hm… not really.”

 

Unless the thirtieth transmigrator showed up again, she wasn’t particularly anxious or on edge.

 

“If Joohoon ever changes, I’ll know right away.”

 

Because she’d receive a notification if his affection level changed.

 

So far, though, both Joohoon’s and Seo Hyunho’s affection levels remained unchanged.

 

She hadn’t run into the thirtieth transmigrator again either.

 

Things were so peaceful that it almost felt like the calm before a storm.

 

Still, she did have one emergency backup plan.

 

The White Day candy she’d received as the reward for clearing the fifth side scenario.

 

She could give it away immediately if she wanted, but she’d left it in her pocket for now.

 

Just in case.

 

It was basically emergency rations for a worst-case scenario.

 

“Oho…”

 

Seeing Yoohee remain completely unfazed, Jinhee stroked her chin with interest.

 

Just then, across the hallway, Teacher Daeil appeared carrying two enormous boxes.

 

“Whoooa—”

 

Watching Teacher Daeil wobble precariously under the weight, the students nearby instinctively split apart like the Red Sea.

 

You’d think someone would step in to help, but instead everyone simply got out of his way.

 

“…Don’t you think someone should help him?”

 

Yoohee asked uneasily.

 

But Jinhee seemed to sense trouble brewing and deliberately looked away.

 

“Oh, right. I have to move classrooms next period. See you.”

 

“What?”

 

Jinhee quickly disappeared into the Kestrel Class.

 

The remaining students in the hallway scattered like a trail of ants.

 

And when the hallway had been completely cleared of everyone except Teacher Daeil and Yoohee—

 

“Well, this works out perfectly, student.”

 

Teacher Daeil set the large boxes down on the floor and met Yoohee’s eyes.

 

“Could you give me a hand?”

 

The large boxes were even heavier than they looked.

 

Come to think of it, she vaguely remembered hearing something like this before.

 

“If Teacher Daeil catches you, you’ll be stuck helping until dinner. At first I thought I was just doing a good deed too… but he seriously overdoes it.”

 

Back then, she’d brushed the warning off without much thought.

 

Now she finally understood why all the students avoided Teacher Daeil.

 

“I’m really busy today. Could you help me carry these boxes?”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yes. Who else is here?”

 

Teacher Daeil naturally handed one of the boxes to Yoohee.

 

“I’m not asking you to carry both. Just one is enough. You know where the library is, right? Take it to the training ground storage room nearby.”

 

In the end, the training ground storage room was all the way up a hill, and from Building B, where Yoohee had been, it was quite a long walk.

 

“I’m sorry, but I have class.”

“If you hurry, you can get there and back during the break.”

“To be honest, I’m not very strong.”

“Then think of it as exercise. If you keep making a habit of not moving around, it’ll only get worse, you know?”

 

Is this what they call an impenetrable shield?

 

No matter what argument she tried, Teacher Daeil’s shield remained unbreakable. In the end, Yoohee had no choice but to carry the heavy box all the way to the training grounds.

 

“…Huff.”

 

At last, after reaching the training ground storage room, Yoohee set the box down in a suitable spot and breathed heavily.

 

Thank goodness she had raised her Strength stat. Otherwise, her arms might have fallen off.

 

Phew…

 

Just as she was catching her breath—

 

Creeeak—

 

The iron door at the entrance to the storage room groaned as it moved.

 

Bang!

 

It slammed shut with a deafening crash that made her ears ring.

 

Did someone come in?

 

Step. Step.

 

Footsteps echoed.

 

The storage room was silent except for the sound of someone’s approaching footsteps, and Yoohee felt herself shrinking with unease.

 

Hardly anyone comes here… Who is it?

 

An inexplicable sense of dread washed over her. She tightly gripped a box of training discs sitting on a nearby shelf.

 

If it comes down to it, I’ll smash them in the head—

 

No, wait. They might be an Esper.

 

I’ll drop the box to distract them, then run for my life.

 

Step. Step.

 

The presence drew closer.

 

Yoohee’s heart pounded just as loudly.

 

The unfamiliar figure rounded the corner.

 

“Now’s my chance—! Ah, Joohoon?”

 

The person standing before her was none other than Joohoon.

 

The moment her tightly clenched box suddenly became very embarrassing.

 

Yoohee awkwardly let go of it, and Joohoon smiled brightly as he spoke.

 

“So this is where you were. You suddenly disappeared, so I got worried.”

 

“You were looking for me?”

 

“Yeah. You never came back to the classroom. Actually… I wanted to stay with you during 

break too.”

 

Lowering his gaze, Joohoon muttered in a slightly disappointed tone.

 

The sight made Yoohee’s heart sink.

 

“Were you uncomfortable being around everyone? I’m sorry. I thought you’d changed after living in America.”

 

“I wasn’t uncomfortable. I just like being with you more.”

 

Joohoon smiled faintly as he sat down on a folding chair inside the storage room.

 

“But I guess it worked out. We’re alone together after all.”

 

“I’ll pay more attention next time.”

 

He had said he was fine, but it seemed adapting to the unfamiliar academy wasn’t as easy as he’d claimed.

 

The thought that she’d left him alone weighed on her heart.

 

With a quiet sigh, she sat down beside him.

 

In a low voice, Joohoon asked.

 

“Hey, Yoohee. I know this might be a little early to ask… but would it be okay if I asked you something? Just answer honestly.”

 

“Sure. What is it?”

 

“What do you think about imprinting?”

 

Imprinting.

 

At the unexpected word, Yoohee’s eyes widened.

 

“What do I think…?”

 

“You know, some Awakened people don’t like the idea of imprinting. I was wondering how you felt about it.”

 

“Well…”

 

She had never really thought about imprinting before, so Yoohee hesitated.

 

A vow that bound two people together, allowing them to guide only each other—imprinting.

 

If she ever did it, she had always assumed it would be with Joohoon.

 

But because they’d known each other since childhood, it was strangely difficult to imagine them imprinting on one another.

 

Then again…

 

The method of imprinting was… a little intimate.

 

Besides, they could still live as a pair without going through with it.

 

“…You don’t like the idea?”

 

Seeing Yoohee lost in thought, Joohoon cautiously prompted her.

 

Unable to give him a definite answer right away, Yoohee scratched the back of her neck.

 

“It’s not that I don’t like it. I’ve just never really thought about it before, so I don’t know. What about you, Joohoon?”

 

The moment she turned the question back on him, his ears instantly flushed bright red.

 

It seemed he found the method of imprinting just as embarrassing.

 

“…I don’t mind. We don’t have to be bound together by something like that. If it scares you, we don’t have to do it.”

 

Joohoon cleared his throat a couple of times before answering.

 

It was a very Joohoon-like response.

 

Yoohee smiled softly and nodded.

 

“But… if we ever do…”

 

As he gently touched his now-burning cheeks with one hand, he continued.