I Became the Academy's Disabled Student-Chapter 309: Closing Ceremony

My mind feels hazy. My reason is scattered, and my body and mind are sluggish and stuck.

It’s not that I feel completely relaxed; rather, I’m not in a pleasant state.

I cannot face reality, and I’m stuck on the floor, blankly staring, feeling as if I’m completely broken.

It’s like being trapped in a swamp. On the outside, it seems comfortable, but in reality, I’m stuck in a sticky swamp, unable to move, slowly sinking to my death.

At some point, I wonder if I’ve fallen too deep to get out on my own. It makes me feel a sudden fear.

[Happiness]

[Comfort]

[?]

“Chup chup...”

It wasn’t entirely uncomfortable at this moment. I was sure that I could shake off this feeling.

If I were alone, I would have quietly given up and let myself die, but now, I definitely didn’t want to die.

I had just woken up, but my mouth wasn’t dry.

I moved my mouth, and then leaned my head against someone’s arm supporting my head.

The warmth of their arm, clearly noticeable, was that of Yeon-hwa.

“Kooh...”

Yeon-hwa was still deep in sleep. Her chest, rising and falling, pressed against my nose.

I could also see various unsightly marks on her skin. Red, heated traces, and small bite marks.

[Apology]

[Embarrassment]

...

[Satisfaction]

...Now that I think about it, I also have some marks on my body, so it might be fair. Of course, I have a lot more than she does... Anyway.

I felt a little regretful that I couldn’t see her beautiful eyes, as her eyelids were closed.

But I couldn’t wake someone who was sleeping peacefully. I gently rested my head on her arm and closed my eyes.

The laziness and comfort after waking up. And a heavy, warm emotion filled my chest.

“Chup chup?”

It was then that I heard the chirping of birds in my ear. It’s a sound often heard in the morning, though it’s more likely late lunch by now...

‘Why are they so high up?’

I blinked. This was Yeon-hwa’s old dorm, at the penthouse of the tall building.

I wondered why the sparrows, like sticky rice cakes, had come all the way up here to chirp.

“...Why are they sticking to my chest from the morning? Or... haven’t they fallen off?”

It was then. The hand that was supporting my head moved, and I was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace. I smiled without surprise and burrowed into her arms.

“Yeon-hwa, are you awake?”

“Mm. I slept well... heehee.”

At my greeting, Yeon-hwa smiled and pulled me even tighter into her arms.

Although still drowsy, I felt a sense of relief from her bright laughter, but out of caution, I gently patted her back.

“Is there anywhere that hurts?”

Although my body had no experience just until yesterday, I had seen plenty of stories online that happened to catch my eye.

They often say that the body aches a bit after intimacy, even when waking up.

“No, I’m completely fine.”

Fortunately, Yeon-hwa said she was okay. I felt the sensation of her fingers tapping on my back as I blinked.

I watched her carefully, unsure if she was just saying that to reassure me, but she really seemed fine.

No, in fact, she seemed to be in better condition than yesterday.

“Ha... What should I say? It’s a bit different from what I heard. It’s not really painful, just... pleasant...”

It seemed like Yeon-hwa was having similar thoughts, and at the same time, she blushed and smiled sweetly.

“...Mmm.”

But at some point, her voice grew quieter, and her cheeks flushed like an apple. Reading the emotion that brushed across her face, I smirked.

“Heh.”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Hehehe.”

I could tell what memory Yeon-hwa had recalled.

It was a different sound from the usual confident and cool Yeon-hwa. Even I, who was half-conscious, was startled by that sound.

It would be polite to bury those embarrassing memories together, but I hadn’t forgotten how Yeon-hwa teased me yesterday.

I hid the smirk that appeared at the corner of my lips and chuckled.

“Clumsy.”

“......”

Hearing my teasing, Yeon-hwa’s face cracked with a visible, funny expression. From the gap, a mix of emotions leaked out.

...

“We’ve come after a long time, but thankfully, nothing has changed.”

We left the dormitory and looked for a nearby restaurant. Sitting across from Yeon-hwa, who casually surveyed the shop, I nodded in agreement.

It had been a long time since we came to this restaurant, just as she said. It was a place with some nostalgic memories.

[Table 12, menu arrived]

[Two servings of stir-fried pork]

Several dishes were placed on the table. Among them, the most appetizing were the bright red stir-fried pork and soft tofu stew.

“I remember eating so well that time... Do you remember, Ha-yul?”

“Yes, how could I forget?”

It was the restaurant Yeon-hwa and I visited when the first semester had just started.

Smiling as she recalled those memories, I nodded with a strange expression on my face.

It was a happy memory eating with Yeon-hwa for the first time, but if I limit it to just my state back then, it wasn’t a pleasant one.

At that time, I was like a ticking time bomb, even looking at myself now.

Though I don’t think I’m perfectly healthy now, I still have a reason to live.

Back then, there was no real reason to live. Maybe it was just to rebel against my deceased parents?

I could understand why the top leaders treated me like a fool and created various systems and facilities.

“Phew... Phew...”

Yeon-hwa scooped some bright red soup into a spoon and blew on it.

“Here, ah~”

“......”

Then, the spoon, now filled with warmth, was suddenly pushed toward me. I kept my mouth shut, and Yeon-hwa, smiling warmly, tilted her head.

“What’s wrong, does something hurt after a bit of time?”

“No, I was just lost in thought for a moment.”

“Really? You’re not lying, are you?”

The sourc𝗲 of this content is frёeωebɳovel.com.

“It’s true...”

I spoke with a slightly embarrassed expression, then opened my lips. Immediately, a warm liquid entered my mouth.

...It was just warm. It looked good, but the taste was lacking... it felt like a picture of rice cake to me.

With a strange expression, I picked up the stir-fried pork. The chewy texture of the meat was felt as I chewed. It didn’t taste good, but by now, I had adapted to the tastelessness.

Right now, I felt dissatisfied.

I stirred the tofu stew with my spoon and casually glanced around.

After feeding me a few bites, Yeon-hwa seemed to be getting hungry and was eagerly devouring the pork and stew.

‘...Why is she eating so deliciously? Is it really that good? It’s better than the stir-fried pork I usually serve... No, this isn’t it.’

I suppressed the sharp feeling rising inside me and glanced at Yeon-hwa.

More precisely, I was staring at the outline of Yeon-hwa’s chest, visible even through her clothes.

[......]

I quickly averted my gaze and gently rubbed my stomach with my right hand. It seemed like the warmth from last night still remained in my belly.

I could still taste the lingering sweetness and richness of yesterday’s food on my tongue.

...This is what I ate. The most delicious thing in the world, after almost a year of fasting.

But now, they want me to chew on this rice cake, which looks nice but doesn’t taste good?

People always say that human desires are endless, right?

If you’re standing, you want to sit; if you’re sitting, you want to lie down; if you’re on the floor, you want a bed; if you’re cold, you want the warmth of a blanket.

I was like that too. When there was no other way, I gave in and ate, but now it was hard to swallow so calmly...

“Eh? Aren’t you two students?”

It was at that moment, when I was frustratedly chopping at the pork.

The shop owner, holding a rag in one hand, came out from the kitchen and froze when she saw us.

“Moreover, you two are famous! But why are you here at this time?”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

Yeon-hwa, who had swallowed her food, tilted her head, and the shop owner’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You’re both supposed to attend the closing ceremony soon, right? Don’t all students have to participate?”

“Huh?”

[?]

At the same time, our chopsticks stopped. Yeon-hwa and I blinked at each other in confusion.

Yeon-hwa quickly tapped her smartwatch. The locked symbol appeared, and then the alarm went off loudly.

...To avoid interrupting official matters, I had turned off my detection system, but I turned it back on now.

Various pieces of information flooded my mind.

The closing ceremony was in the auditorium.

I observed the vice president scanning the empty seats with a bewildered look.

And there were also faces that looked confused, expressionless, and even angry.

[Ah]

...

Fortunately, Yeon-hwa and I managed to get to our seats just before the closing ceremony began.

We almost missed it—both of us, the special-entry student and the top freshman, were about to skip it.

I’d have to go thank the shop owner later.

"Wow~ Your skin is so smooth, ma'am? Huh?"

"You're looking pretty pale yourself... No, I'm not joking, you're actually very pale, huh?"

As I landed near the entrance with spatial displacement and rushed inside, numerous gazes pierced us.

Once we sat down, the intensity of the stares around us only grew stronger, focusing on Yeon-hwa and me.

"Yo, you haven't replied to any of my messages all day. I sent like forty texts!"

[Silence]

"Looks like you really forgot about it? Skipping the closing ceremony... What a rebellious student."

It wasn’t a misunderstanding, the physical finger poking my cheek made it clear. Sitting beside me, with a grin on her face, Baek Ah-rin’s attack made me feel the coldness creeping in from somewhere beneath her mask.

"Yeon-hwa, did you pass it on?"

"Uh, uh... Huh? Pass it on? What do you mean?"

"Aha, don’t pretend like you don’t know. We’re not strangers, you know—"

Gak...!

Yeon-hwa was in the same predicament. She squeaked in a high-pitched voice, quickly covering Elia’s mouth with her hand to keep things quiet.

I, on the other hand, whimpered under Baek Ah-rin’s teasing, rolling my eyes in annoyance.

At a distance, through the thick fog of the room, the eyes of two adults stared at me intently.

Although I couldn’t see them with my naked eye, I could feel the stares of Lee Ji-yeon, full of curiosity and complexity.

I clamped my mouth shut and calmly adjusted my expression.

"The closing ceremony marks the end of this year's Birth Festival. While the fireworks will still take place tonight, the official events conclude with this ceremony."

The closing ceremony for the Birth Festival wasn’t as grand as the opening. The proceedings were shortened, and it continued with a gentle atmosphere, soaked in the lingering festive mood.

‘Now, I need to finish preparations.’

While observing the vice president running the closing ceremony on stage...

At the same time, I endured the playful nudging from Baek Ah-rin on my side, trying to focus on my thoughts.

Once the Birth Festival ends, the next week’s winter break ceremony will mark the official end of the second semester.

The winter break will be busy, though.

I’ll have to roam around a vast area non-stop, searching for that entrance.

If I don’t find it, I’ll waste some time, but if I do...

It might feel like it’ll explode at any moment.

In the chilling sense of crisis, I might have to put my head into it.

Although I’ve gained some confidence in my abilities and feel I can handle ordinary situations, this isn’t an ordinary situation.

I need to prepare thoroughly.

‘Oh, but before that, I should meet with the one-horned beasts.’

The one-horned beasts... More precisely, I have something to do with their horns.

...I still find it hard to recall the humiliating memories, but I need to visit them, if only for work.

...

[What did you say?]

At my question, the researcher awkwardly adjusted his glasses and smiled nervously.

“Unicorn... The one-horned beast’s nerves have become sensitive, so... there’s a risk of an accident. The area has been temporarily closed off.”

Of course, now of all times?