HBWnovel Chapter 23
Chapter 23
After finishing her call with Ji-Ah, Si-Hyun returned to watching TV.
Momo wasn’t able to complete the game by the end of the day’s stream, but Si-Hyun was satisfied.
‘My heart is racing...’
She felt a mixture of worry over whether she could really handle the job and excitement at the chance to reclaim a lost dream.
The excitement outweighed the worry.
She had a strong desire to be acknowledged by someone—a need that had been deeply rooted in her subconscious for years.
“This isn’t the time to be daydreaming.”
Si-Hyun picked up her smartphone.
While it wasn’t urgent, she would need more clothes if she actually took the job. It might be jumping the gun, but the process itself was exciting.
She eagerly searched the internet to find what kind of clothes professors usually wore.
A little while later, Si-Yoon came out of her room.
Si-Hyun was lying on the couch, humming a tune from the game she’d just watched on Momo’s stream, kicking her legs back and forth in a playful rhythm.
Si-Yoon couldn’t help but smile as she approached her sister.
“Unni, what are you looking at so intently?”
“...Oh? Ah, just looking for some clothes.”
Si-Hyun showed her the screen.
“Wow... My sister, looking at women’s clothing? You’ve become quite the lady, haven’t you?”
“...Don’t twist it like that. While you’re here, why don’t you recommend some shopping sites?”
“Sure, why not?”
Si-Yoon showed her some of her favorite sites and helped her install an app that mainly sold women’s clothing.
When the app opened, a variety of women’s clothing popped up with ads and suggestions. Si-Hyun’s mouth dropped open slightly, letting out a small “Oh!”
“See, you can search by body type and check detailed reviews to see if it’ll fit.”
“Oh, I see...”
You could search by height, weight, and other measurements, and even save your body data on the app.
It might seem like nothing special to others, but for Si-Hyun, everything felt fresh and exciting.
Her eyes widened with fascination.
This was the app that so many women used...
She felt like a whole new world had opened before her.
“How about buying a few new outfits while you’re at it? Didn’t you earn quite a bit from that last job?”
“Hmm... should I?”
She thought back to the reward from the A-rank dungeon she’d tackled with Ji-Ah. Despite sharing a good portion, the payout had been substantial, enough to keep her financially secure for a while.
Si-Hyun gave a small nod, and Si-Yoon’s enthusiasm doubled.
“This outfit is cute! How about this one?”
“...Isn’t it a bit revealing?”
“Oh, come on. Are you really going to bundle up like it’s winter when summer comes?”
“It’s not like that...”
Si-Hyun scratched her cheek and awkwardly turned her head.
Seeing her sister like this, Si-Yoon couldn’t resist teasing her a little more, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
“Unni, I need to buy a new swimsuit for summer. You’re coming with me, right?”
“Uh... Summer already?”
“What’s the big deal? You have a nice figure, so swimsuit shopping will be fun!”
“...”
Si-Hyun couldn’t help but picture herself in a swimsuit. And the first thing that came to mind was... a bikini. Her expression instantly soured.
“Haha, are you that opposed to the idea?”
“...You’re teasing me on purpose, aren’t you?”
“Yep.”
“...Grr.”
Si-Hyun shook her head.
She knew that eventually, she would have to adapt. She was aware that her old self and her current self were different.
But there was still a lingering sense of discomfort, making it hard for her to accept it right away.
Future me, I’m sure you’ll be able to handle it. Hang in there, future me!
For now, she decided to ignore the reality.
“Unni, did you know?”
“Know what?”
“When we went shopping last time, I remembered all your measurements.”
“Y-You did?”
“Better get those clothes on your own, or I might just buy them for you.”
“...Okay.”
He hadn’t expected such an adorable show of gratitude. Was their relationship progressing just a bit?
Suppressing a smile, he replied, “...It was my duty. Looking forward to working with you.”
– “Yes, same here.”
After exchanging pleasantries, they ended the call.
Without realizing it, the chief clenched his fist.
Finally, his efforts were paying off.
He felt an immense sense of accomplishment.
---
The next day, I met Ji-Ah at a nearby café.
With drinks in front of us, we started our conversation.
“So... thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”
“Haha, no need to thank me for something like this.”
Ji-Ah chuckled, taking a long sip through her straw.
The drink had small chunks in it that looked tasty. I made a mental note to try that next time.
“Technically, you can teach as a D-rank Hunter, but most professors are C-rank or higher, so keep that in mind, okay?”
“That doesn’t bother me. What I’m worried about is...”
“Yes?”
It felt a bit embarrassing to say it out loud, but there was no one else I could talk to about it.
Despite my hesitation, I slowly voiced my concern.
“What if I open a class... and no one signs up...? That’s kind of a fear.”
“Haha!”
“Don’t laugh so much!”
Ji-Ah covered her mouth as she laughed. After chuckling for a bit, she finally replied.
“Si-Hyun, you know
who I am, right?”
“Huh?”
“I’m a former party member of none other than the academy’s headmaster.”
“...Oh!”
I couldn’t help but clap my hands in awe.
Ji-Ah blushed slightly, turning her head away.
“Ahem! Anyway, just focus on preparing your lessons. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Wow, so reliable...!”
“Remember, you’ve already met the headmaster, so everything will go smoothly.”
“You planned that far ahead, didn’t you?”
I was genuinely impressed.
Was this what they called foresight? All hail Ji-Ah.
“Not quite, haha! Anyway, good luck!”
“Thanks! I’ll give it my all!”
Smiling brightly, I took a sip of my coffee.
With such a trustworthy friend, everything felt easier.
“The academy has both mandatory and elective courses, you know?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Since you won’t be teaching your core abilities directly, you’ll likely start as an adjunct for an elective.”
“Right, right.”
I listened closely as she explained.
Ji-Ah’s expression turned serious as she asked,
“Do you have any specific subject in mind? This is probably the most important part if I’m going to help.”
“Oh, um...”
Come to think of it, I didn’t.
I’d only imagined an ideal version of myself. Maybe I was too impulsive...?
“...Could you suggest something? I’m not really familiar with what subjects the academy offers.”
“Haha, how about this? I thought of it as soon as you mentioned it yesterday.”
Ji-Ah tilted her head slightly, looking at me with a small smile.
She recommended a subject—a course already established at the academy, with a steady enrollment.
“How about it?”
“Wow, that sounds perfect!”
I felt confident that I could handle this.
It seemed I was surrounded by smart people.