Episode 120: The Heroines Stole My Regression


Episode 120: End of semester (1)


A peaceful—no, an overwhelmingly peaceful weekend morning.


Rustle rustle.


Cheon Yeoul rolled around on the bed, wrapped in a blanket up to her toes, staring blankly at the ceiling.


She felt so drowsy that everything seemed blurry.


That world in the game… No, she didn’t want to call it a game anymore.


Those happy moments—


If she closed her eyes for just a second, it felt like the sensation still lingered at her fingertips.


She had to hold onto it… without letting any of it slip away.


That’s when it happened.


Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz


Her watch vibrated with an incoming message.


From inside the covers, Yeoul carefully pulled out her arm to check it.


[RIN]: lol


[RIN]: Did everyone enjoy it?


It was the group chat.


Kang Arin’s mischievous messages, full of playful teasing.


[RIN]: Why aren’t you praising me yet?


[RIN]: I thought about it a lot, you know.


Of course, Arin’s original intention had been a one-on-one scenario.


But in the end, the ultimate goal had gone exactly as planned.


Yeoul stared at the screen for a long time, then finally nodded.


“…Fine. I admit it.”


Even Yeoul had to admit it this time.


It was a method she could never have imagined—


Bringing out that ridiculous board game and making them all play it.


That psychological barrier around him, like a steel wall, had completely collapsed.


Even before her regression, she hadn’t achieved that.


She remembered the look in Jung Haein’s eyes as he drank coffee.


His pupils trembling like aspen leaves, unable to look anyone in the eye.


The moment they saw that, every woman present could tell:


‘Something’s changed.’


His wall had crumbled.


Tap tap.


Yeoul quietly typed a message.


[1000_y]: I admit it.


Truly, this was a golden opportunity.


Whether it was a temporary lapse or a complete collapse of his defenses—


If she kept pressing forward, there might just be meaningful progress.


But the problem was… the next turn belonged to Yu Hana.


She had already somehow managed to schedule a trip to China with Jung Haein, just the two of them.


That was a major headache.


“Ugh…”


Yeoul stretched wide on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.


Then, once again, she tapped on the watch screen.


[1000_y]: Congrats, I guess? To the MVP—Yu Hana.


And as for Yu Hana, the one being called the biggest beneficiary…


She was sitting on a bench in her sweat-drenched martial arts uniform, looking down at the message on her watch.


She had just finished her morning training and was still catching her breath.


The message was still on the screen.


She was struggling with how to reply.


“……”


Hana took a deep breath and slowly set the watch down.


A solo trip with Jung Haein.


It was something she had dreamed of for a long time.


She wanted to be with him—faster than anyone else, closer than anyone else.


If she had to go right now, she could. No hesitation.


And yet, something in her heart stirred uneasily.


Strangely, the scenes from the game kept surfacing in her mind.


Her desperate desire, her attempt to take someone else’s man—


A voice deep inside her was screaming:


‘Let the others go on the trip first!’


And after that, she could slip in between them…


A quiet hunger began to rise within her.


“I’m insane.”


Hana shook her head and let out a dry laugh.


These were emotions she never would’ve imagined having under normal circumstances.


This game… it was messing everyone up.


Shwik. Shwik. Shwik.


As if trying to clear her head, she swung her sword with all her might—


Three sharp slashes through the air.


“……”


But the embers smoldering deep in her chest didn’t seem ready to go out anytime soon.


***


Meanwhile…


I sat in the middle of Vanquisher’s base—in the middle of its vast underground training arena.


Today, I was training with Park Gwangchul for the first time in a while.


I had personally requested this session.


Quietly, I adjusted my posture and closed my eyes.


Meditation.


I remembered something Kang Arin had said.


“Aftereffects? Hmm, it’ll probably last at least a week? Maybe longer?”


But that didn’t apply to me.


[Unwavering Clarity]


A focused mind, undisturbed by distractions.


It was the evolved form of Serene Mirror, Still Water, born after my final battle with the Apostle.


A mental technique that allows one to focus on a single thing, dispelling all stray thoughts.


In other words, if I focused on training, I would not waver.


I couldn’t waver.


“Bullshit.”


I feel like I’m actually going to die.


My head’s been a mess for days now.


‘What are the others doing right now?’


‘Yeoul’s probably lying in bed… Arin’s probably working…’


‘Sion went to watch a movie with her grandpa… Chaeha’s probably passed out sleeping…’


‘Oh right, I promised Hana a trip to China…’


‘…Nothing strange is going to happen there, right?’


I can’t even trust myself anymore.


The stray thoughts in my mind just keep coming one after another, endlessly.


Was my mental strength always this weak?


I’ve never been like this before.


Honestly speaking, I just want to call someone. Anyone.


Just call them out, grab a meal together, and see their face.


That alone would probably make me feel better.


Unable to endure the flood of thoughts anymore, I finally opened my mouth.


“Hyung… one more sparring match, please.”


Park Gwangchul looked at me with a sigh.


“What the hell’s going on with you?”


He raised an eyebrow like he couldn’t believe me.


We’d already sparred three times to help clear my mind, and I got wrecked each time.


My whole body was aching, but at least physical pain was better than this mental chaos.


“Why are you so desperate today? Did you get dumped or something?”


I flinched.


Five different faces flashed through my mind.


I gave a sheepish laugh and shook my head.


“It’s not that… Things have just been kinda complicated lately.”


“Seriously?”


“I said no, didn’t I?”


I replied.


That’s when Park Gwangchul let out a disbelieving laugh and patted my back.


“Man, I thought you’d never date in your life. Now you finally seem like a real student.”


“…What?”


I frowned.


“There are pretty girls all around you, and yet you’re always wearing that grumpy expression, lost in thought, keeping everyone at arm’s length. Try living a little like your age, man. That’s how you find energy. Anyway, it’s a good thing.”


That was the first time I’d heard something like that.


I’d never thought of myself as abnormal.


But maybe… I was wrong.


Is this what’s normal?


In the past, there was no room for stray thoughts.


I set a goal, and I lived solely to achieve it.


Naturally, the people around me were just stepping stones for growth, or comrades.


I never thought of them as anything more.


But now… just a little, I feel like my eyes have been opened.


Even if it’s slightly off-track.


I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been too mechanical in the way I treat people.


Getting a bit more personal… might not be such a bad thing.


I smiled quietly to myself.


And muttered softly.


“…Yeah.”


I’ve been living with my heart too closed off.


For some reason, I feel a bit lighter now.


***


Recently, Gaon has been peaceful and quiet.


The professor still doesn’t bother the students, and the students make good use of their freedom.


But today is a little different.


A regular class has been scheduled.


What that likely means is…


‘Midterm grades reveal.’


That’s the most probable explanation.


Thanks to that, the classroom was packed for the first time in a while.


I walked into the room right at 9 AM and headed straight to my assigned seat in the back row.


Yoon Chaeha was quietly dozing off with her arms folded on the desk, and Cheon Yeoul was resting her chin on her hand, staring out the window.


Cheon Yeoul noticed me and raised her hand lightly in greeting.


“You’re here?”


“Yeah.”


I sat down and greeted Yoon Chaeha as well.


“Good morning.”


Without even turning her gaze, Yoon Chaeha mumbled a quiet reply.


“…Mm.”


I acted naturally.


Like nothing was out of the ordinary.


But then, Cheon Yeoul quietly leaned toward me.


Usually, that’s a sign she’s about to tease me.


“…Honey?”


Of course.


Cheon Yeoul, who couldn’t leave that alone, asked me with a playful grin.


I let out a small chuckle and met her gaze.


And in a slightly lower voice, slowly—


“What is it, my dear?”


I gave it right back.


That was the reply I used to give her all the time in the game.


Cheon Yeoul’s eyes widened.


“U-Uh?”


She clearly hadn’t expected me to actually respond. Her face flushed red. She blinked a few times, then lowered her head awkwardly.


I smiled and added,


“Don’t push your luck.”


“O-Okay…”


Her response lacked energy, and soon her ears turned red, too.


—Press.


At that moment, I felt a gentle pressure under the table.


Yoon Chaeha, sitting to my left, was pressing down lightly on the top of my foot with hers.


I glanced in her direction, and she acted like nothing was happening, just gazing out the window.


Before, I would’ve wondered what she was doing—but now that my perspective has shifted, everything she does feels kind of cute.


“Yoon Chaeha…”


Just then—


—Bang!


The classroom door suddenly burst open.


“Good to see you all.”


Instructor Do Han-seong, dressed in a crisp uniform, walked into the classroom.


At that moment, everyone simultaneously realized what today was.


Grade announcement day.


Tension immediately filled the room.


“I’m sure you all know what we’re doing today.”


Instructor Do glanced at the watch on his wrist.


He tapped it with his index finger and took a slow, measured breath as if counting the seconds.


“I’ll now explain how the rankings and grades were calculated.”


The ranking system was simple.


Midterms, finals, written exams, and practical evaluations.


Points for extracurricular activities, volunteer hours, and entrance rankings.


For students who transferred from Kalos, their grades from their previous school were also considered, and exchange competition results were used in place of the midterm.


The entrance rank carried considerable weight.


That’s why I honestly had no idea where I would place.


“What rank do you think you got?”


I quietly asked Cheon Yeoul, who sat next to me.


“Hmm… I don’t know.”


Typical carefree Cheon Yeoul.


Then, the instructor’s voice echoed again through the classroom.


“Everyone, check your watches now.”


At once, all the students raised their wrists and activated their watches.


Notification sounds, screen swipes, and soft breaths rippled throughout the room.


I quietly opened my own screen as well.


[Rank 1: Kang Arin]


As expected, Kang Arin was first.


From cumulative scores to practical exams, written tests, volunteer hours, and extracurricular activities—


She was nearly flawless.


But the moment I saw second place, my eyebrows rose involuntarily.


[Rank 2: Jung Haein]


Way higher than I expected.


I must’ve climbed the ranks after being named MVP for midterms, the exchange event, and finals—surpassing the cumulative wall to land in second place.


I even overtook Yohan.


[Rank 3: Cheon Yeoul]


[Rank 4: Yu Hana]


[Rank 5: Yoon Chaeha]


[Rank 6: Joo Seo-jun]


[Rank 8: Ha Sion]


The key characters, myself included, had neatly lined up in the ranks.


Seeing the list gave me a quiet sense of pride.


It meant I was on the right track.


“…?”


But something felt off, like there was a missing name. I slowly scrolled down.


[Rank 10: Yohan]


Ah.


…Let’s just pretend I didn’t see that.


I looked up and glanced at Cheon Yeoul.


She didn’t seem bothered by the rankings, smiling just as brightly as before.


Yoon Chaeha was the same.


She wore a subtle, relaxed smile—her expression calmer than usual.


I lowered my gaze back to my watch.


[Rank 2: Jung Haein]


From “Unranked” to second place.


All around the classroom, there were sighs and gasps, students lowering their heads or staring at their watches in disbelief.


Honestly, I thought I wouldn’t care about rankings. It was just another step along the way, after all.


But I was wrong.


The relentless effort I poured into last semester… in this small number, I felt a flicker of reward.


“…Not bad.”


I let out a quiet breath.





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