Seoul Dragon - Chapter 40

Even if they push me off a cliff, I can still fly.

Anyway, I spent the day making plans as abruptly as popping beans in a flash fire.

Today is the day of the Dialectology class.

Without fail, I feel people's stares sticking to me when I enter the classroom.

But I've gotten used to those stares now. They say humans are creatures of adaptation, and that's exactly how it is.

"Oh, hello, senior!"

Just as I take my seat, I hear a familiar voice. It was Sihyun. I can see her approaching me with quite an energetic attitude.

Did something good happen? Her voice sounds especially bright today.

"Oh, hello."

"Senior, isn't it about time we dropped the formalities?"

At that moment, I saw Nam Suyeon approaching slightly from beside Sihyun.

"Hmm... should we?"

"Yes. It feels too distant."

I could see Sihyun speaking as if she felt somewhat hurt. It seems she was upset that while I was close with my classmates, I was putting up walls against the juniors.

I definitely did put up quite a severe wall, didn't I?

I thought it might be time for me to start approaching my juniors too.

After all, I'm officially the head of a national agency now, so it wouldn't be good to be known as a senior who keeps juniors at a distance.

And I know that the juniors in front of me now are quite good kids.

"Then that's what I'll do, I mean, that's what I'll do."

"Oh."

"By the way, has everyone done the assignment?"

"I did finish it... but I'm not sure if I'll get a good score."

"It's okay. Professor Kim doesn't give stingy scores for regular assignments. You'll get decent scores even if you just do an adequate job. But... group projects are the problem."

"I've heard from other seniors. That the group projects are incredibly vicious..."

"I mutated last semester while doing this... and now, I'm doing it again."

"Oh, really?"

Sihyun's eyes widened as she spoke.

"Yes. Just as I was finishing up the paper and was about to make the PowerPoint, I went out for some dawn air and got hit by the mutation beam and boom! When I opened my eyes, three months had passed, and I had to retake the entire semester."

"I see."

"If the content is similar, I could use what I did back then. Well... I don't know how the groups will be formed. Professor Kim usually forms groups randomly."

"Random selection makes me anxious..."

"Can't be helped. It's the professor's decision."

"I hope I get grouped with people I know..."

Finally, the professor entered.

"Haha. Have you all been well? I checked the assignments, and everyone did quite well... I think it's about time to make an announcement about the group project."

Professor Kim Jinyoung announced the group project as soon as he arrived.

About half of the students let out sighs at his words.

The professor smiled bitterly at their sighs but showed no intention of abandoning the group project.

He said it was to give us early experience since we'd have to collaborate with others in one way or another later in life.

"So, this time too, I've set up the groups arbitrarily. Then, I'll call out Group 1. Yoon Seohyun, Lee Sihyun..."

The leader of Group 1 was clearly me. And Sihyun was in my group. Suyeon ended up in the same group as Hangyeol.

Of course, Sihyun wasn't the only member of our group.

The professor instructed group members to gather and sit together. This is just like last semester.

He said at least group members who would be working on the project together should get to know each other.

"Hello."

And there were the members of Group 1. Me, Lee Sihyun, two unnamed Chinese international students, and lastly, a junior I was seeing for the first time today.

A male student from the class of 2017.

His name was Kim Minseong.

The two Chinese international students awkwardly greeted me in broken Korean, and the junior also greeted me somewhat nervously.

"Ah, hello..."

I could see this was a young man who wasn't skilled at dealing with people.

And somehow, he seemed like he would be really good at group projects.

He gave the impression of someone used to accomplishing things on his own.

It's hard to expect much from the two Chinese international students, but I feel like things will go smoothly with me, Sihyun, and Kim Minseong.

"Since I've done this group project last semester, I'll guide you on what we generally need to prepare. So don't worry too much, and don't feel pressured."

"Okay."

"And, this is really important, raise your hand if you've worked with PowerPoint before."

"I know how to make it."

As soon as I mentioned PowerPoint, the slightly awkward expression on Kim Minseong's face changed.

Oh...

Indeed, my judgment wasn't bad.

He's one hundred percent an expert trained through all sorts of group projects.

"Great. Then I'll entrust the PowerPoint to Minseong. Sihyun, you and I will handle the research and paper writing. I'll show you how to write the paper."

"Yes!"

"The rest of you, please research and send the materials to me. I'll select from them and create the paper with Sihyun."

"Yes."

The two Chinese international students looked at me with curious gazes. Well, I'm used to such stares now. I don't expect them to properly research anyway.

There will be a basic language barrier, which I can understand.

If they at least make an effort to appear enthusiastic about sending materials, I'm willing to carry them.

After all, materials related to dialectology are still in my cloud storage.

I could actually do it alone, but I don't intend to shoulder the entire burden this time.

"I'll handle the presentation, so keep that in mind."

"Okay."

"The deadline is generous, but it's hard to do everything at the last minute, so we'll start this week. The professor has already provided the topic, so I'll recommend appropriate literature for the topic, and you just need to summarize from those sources."

"Yes."

After giving a brief guide for the group project, I could see relief on the members' faces.

And I'm relieved too. I have faith that they'll do well with just this much guidance.

Especially Kim Minseong. Excellent.

He has the right attitude.

He's on a completely different level compared to another class of 2016 guy I saw before.

That one told me to my face that he didn't know how to make PowerPoint.

What was his name... probably Seong Yunhwan?

I hope not to run into him if possible. I tend to hold grudges since I was a bit of a timid person.

When I arrived home, I saw Yoon Seoa with a half-dead expression.

What's with her now?

"Hey, are you dead?"

"Don't bother me."

"Why, tired from suddenly becoming famous?"

"Nooooo! Really, ugh... why are they being so annoying!?"

As soon as I poked her, my sister exploded like a volcano.

I grinned at the sight.

"It's tough, isn't it? I told you, dummy."

"No, but at least no one dares to mess with you."

Mess with her? Who?

"Did someone mess with you?"

"As soon as they saw I appeared in the photo spread, there are too many guys testing the waters."

"Guys? What about girls?"

"There are girls too. I generally get along with everyone in my department, but since summer vacation, factions have formed, and there are some who don't like me."

"I see..."

It's an understandable position. It's not easy to be friends with everyone in university.

Especially with the characteristics of humanities departments, which aren't completely female-dominated but have a higher ratio of women than science departments, there's a saying that when three girls gather, three separate chat rooms are created after summer vacation when cliques form freely.

Our department was like that too, and there's no reason economics would be different.

And there's also the inferiority complex, where people unconsciously antagonize those they perceive as superior.

Though I hate to admit it, my sister would probably seem like the perfect child to others.

She hit the genetic jackpot with good looks, good grades, and good athletic abilities.

Even so, that's one thing... and other things are different.

"Who's messing with you?"

"No one's actually messing with me yet, but they're starting to bite, you know? There have been some political maneuvers from people who disliked me from the beginning... and with today's photo spread, it feels like that's intensified significantly?"

"Ah. So what are you going to do?"

"What else? Just ignore it. Do they think this will lead to bullying or something? We're not in high school anymore."

"As a freshman, it could happen. Well, you're thinking the right way. It doesn't matter if people who won't be of any help in your life gossip about you."

"If someone tries to physically mess with me, I'm going to call you."

"...It might be better to call me. If that brooch malfunctions and affects them, it could be a big problem."

"Oh, right. You said it causes cardiac arrest, didn't you?"

"Yeah, anyway, I understand. Contact me immediately if you notice anything. I can't use physical force right now, but at least I can make sure they can't say anything."

"Yes."

"So you're buying dinner tonight."

"Well, I can do that much. What do you want to eat?"

"Let's see... chicken, pizza, anything you're craving?"

"I'm not really in the mood for greasy food..."

"Then let's just order udon."

"Okay."

By the way, I definitely think she's got a lot to be tired about.

"But do you think they would physically mess with you? If they saw the photo spread, they'd know you're my sister."

"Sis, the world is wide, and there are many crazy people out there."

"...That's true."

"Earth's writer has been breaking common sense for ages. There might even be humans who dare to be rude in front of a dragon, right? And they might even try to take advantage of the fact that you're the director of a national agency."

"That's usually called being thoughtless. I already said at the press conference what happens if someone messes with my family."

"I don't think they'd go that far either... but well, I'm not sure. Emotions can't always be controlled rationally."

"You're right. Hey, do you know why the person who dislikes you does so?"

"It's a bit f***ed up to say, but... the guy she likes keeps bothering me."

"Ah."

I immediately understood.

If there's an emotion that paralyzes rational thinking, it might even drive someone to try to bully a person whose family includes a dragon.

"So I told that guy. To stop approaching me. That I have no interest in dating. Then that clueless idiot said that in front of the girl. And he doesn't even know she likes him. It's a total mess."

"How did you end up in a romantic drama in just one semester?"

"My thoughts exactly..."

She sighed as she said this. She seemed to find it absurd herself.