I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 171 : Grandmother's Outing (2)

Meeting Su-hyeon in an unexpected place and situation, Kim A-yun stuttered and lowered her head, then raised it again to glance at Su-hyeon.

"I, I was... escorting my grandmother."

"I see."

"What about you, Su-hyeon?"

"I had some business to take care of too."

"Mm-hmm."

Joy settled in Kim A-yun's expression as she blinked her large eyes.

"It's been a while."

"Yes!"

Kim A-yun smiled broadly.

"But it's disappointing. I had such a struggle catching them, but you subdued them with one hit."

"Th-that's not true."

Kim A-yun fidgeted.

"Besides, Su-hyeon is much stronger than me."

It was just then.

"Don't move!"

"It's the Execution Force! You are completely surrounded!"

The Execution Force arrived with perfect timing.

"......?"

"......What's this?"

The robbers who had been thoroughly beaten, the robbers who had been blackened by electric roasting, and even the citizens looking at Su-hyeon and Kim A-yun with moved expressions.

The Execution Force members' expressions were colored with bewilderment.

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"Cadet Su-hyeon."

"Yes."

"Are you perhaps something like Batman? Or maybe Conan?"

Su-hyeon sighed at the Squad Leader's bewildered reaction.

"......I'm stressed too."

"At this point, we should hire you into the Execution Force immediately."

"I still need to graduate, don't I?"

"Hehehe, you said you're doing your internship with the 1st Unit? Someone like you could easily become an ace there too."

"Is that so?"

"Well, anyway, thank you so much for your hard work. I express my gratitude on behalf of the Execution Force."

"It was my honor to be of help."

"Hmm, leave the follow-up to us. The reward will be paid soon."

"Yes."

"Kim A-yun, was it? I express my gratitude to you as well."

"Ah, it's nothing."

The Squad Leader smiled.

"Then I'll take my leave first."

"Yes, thank you for your hard work."

As the situation was wrapping up, Kim A-yun hesitantly said to Su-hyeon.

"Su-hyeon, what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. Originally I planned to take care of business and have lunch."

"I see."

"What about you?"

"I..."

Kim A-yun's gaze turned behind her.

Looking at her grandmother who seemed to be dozing off despite the commotion that had occurred, Kim A-yun glanced at Su-hyeon nervously.

'Ah. I see.'

"Is that your grandmother?"

"Yes. Grandmother receives her subsidy monthly. My dad is on a business trip, so I came with her."

Su-hyeon recalled that Kim A-yun was indeed in quite difficult circumstances.

'Her father is barely managing to cover her tuition by working outside.'

Kim A-yun was in a similar situation to Kwon Seung-yeon, if similar.

And the reason Kim A-yun was showing such an appearance now was probably due to a kind of inferiority complex about her own situation.

Watching Kim A-yun slightly bite her lip, Su-hyeon thought.

'By that logic, I'm an orphan.'

"Grandmother."

"Hmm?"

When Su-hyeon bent down and spoke to the grandmother, she woke from her light sleep and looked at Su-hyeon.

"Hmm? What a handsome young man."

"Grandmother, are you awake?"

The grandmother, who alternately looked at Kim A-yun who had hurriedly approached and Su-hyeon, chuckled.

"Are you A-yun's friend? I see a handsome young man is close with my granddaughter."

"Yes. We're classmates."

"Oh my, please take good care of our A-yun. Our granddaughter is a bit timid..."

The grandmother, who was laughing somewhat innocently, looked around the chaotic bank and asked.

"By the way, A-yun, did something happen? Everyone looks so confused."

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Hmm. Is that so?"

Conscious of Su-hyeon's gaze, Kim A-yun quietly whispered.

"...My grandmother is a bit at risk. She's fine now, but I'm being careful to prevent it from getting worse."

"I see."

Su-hyeon, who knew about this situation, nodded with a dark expression.

"Sorry. The atmosphere became heavy."

"Why are you apologizing for that?"

Su-hyeon said.

"...Mmm."

'She's intimidated again.'

But Su-hyeon, who well understood that feeling, inwardly sighed.

'Her clothes are quite worn out.'

Seeing the grandmother's attire, Su-hyeon fell into thought for a moment.

"Su-hyeon?"

"Kim A-yun."

"Yes? What is it?"

"Have you had lunch?"

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"Grandmother, does it suit your taste?"

The place Su-hyeon took them was a quite famous Korean restaurant.

"Yes, it's very delicious."

Kim A-yun's grandmother smiled brightly.

"It tastes like what my mother used to make a lot in the old days."

"Right? I heard this place has been around for several decades."

"How interesting for a young man to know such a place."

"Please eat a lot."

Kim A-yun blinked her large eyes at Su-hyeon's unfamiliar appearance of warmly caring for her grandmother like his own grandchild.

"What?"

"Nothing, I just thought Su-hyeon has this side to him too."

"People are naturally multi-faceted."

When Su-hyeon smiled faintly, Kim A-yun's face turned red.

'He seems to have become even more handsome since I last saw him.'

Nibble nibble.

The grandmother scolded Kim A-yun, who was unnecessarily lowering her head and repeatedly moving her spoon.

"This child. They say if you eat so nibblingly, your fortune will leave? You need to eat heartily to gain weight and grow taller."

"I can't gain more weight."

Kim A-yun timidly protested.

"Eih, what are you saying, all skin and bones?"

The grandmother clicked her tongue and scooped a handful of rice for her.

"Hurry up and eat."

'As expected.'

It seemed that in grandmothers' eyes, grandchildren always appeared worryingly skinny.

'My grandmother was like that too.'

Before entering the game world.

Su-hyeon smiled as he recalled his paternal grandmother whom he hadn't seen often.

'Whenever we met, she would feed me all day, and just staying for two days would make my face round.'

"So, young man, your name is Su-hyeon, right?"

"Yes, Grandmother."

"My, how tall and handsome you are. How did you become friends with our A-yun?"

"A-yun is such a capable friend. I've received a lot of help from her too."

"Well, our A-yun may be a bit timid, but she takes after her father and has a strong will."

"She must take after you, Grandmother."

"Hmm? Well, I was quite popular in my heyday. After meeting my husband and going through hardships, I've become wrinkled now..."

"I'm sure you're still popular among the grandfathers even now?"

"Eih, you can't tease an old woman!"

Seeing the two people conversing warmly, Kim A-yun's mood improved and she grinned.

'Su-hyeon called me by my name.'

......There were also some parts that were a bit off-point.

The three people who had finished their meal were now walking down the street for a stroll.

"Thank you, Su-hyeon. That restaurant was expensive... I keep imposing on you."

"It's nothing like that."

Su-hyeon answered nonchalantly.

And Kim A-yun's gaze toward him warmed.

It was almost laughable how she had worried he might think badly of her.

The gaze she had always received from those around her, the sympathetic looks as if looking at a pitiful person, her worth and identity defined by her unfortunate environment.

She had become timid because of her characteristic from a young age, and had suppressed her emotional expression.

She had grown up in a not-so-affluent environment with her grandmother in a single-parent family.

Her father's depression.

Her grandmother's sacrifice.

And her grandmother who, at some point, began showing speech and behavior that differed from her memories.

The guilt she felt toward her grandmother, and the resentment and understanding toward her father who couldn't take care of her grandmother enough due to difficult livelihood.

And in the midst of all this, the situation of having to leave her grandmother's side to attend the academy.

The concerns that Kim A-yun faced when she returned home for vacation after completing the intense first semester were all heavy.

That's why when she unexpectedly met Su-hyeon while subduing the bank robbers, she felt so embarrassed, as if her vulnerabilities had been exposed.

But now, Su-hyeon was even more warmly taking care of her grandmother than herself.

It wasn't strange at all that Kim A-yun was moved.

'Su-hyeon is such a good person.'

It was as she was thinking this while walking.

"?"

Suddenly the grandmother stopped walking and fixed her gaze on a mannequin displayed in a clothing store, and Su-hyeon asked.

"Would you like to wear it?"

"The clothes are so pretty."

Without saying she wanted to buy it or wear it, the grandmother just smiled innocently, and Su-hyeon smiled too.

"Would you like to try it on?"

"Su-hyeon!"

Kim A-yun was startled and grabbed Su-hyeon's arm, but.

"Shh."

Su-hyeon put his index finger to his lips.

"Think of it lightly. I've received some money recently from being involved in various incidents."

"But. Still."

"It's not for you. It's for your grandmother."

When Su-hyeon said it like that, Kim A-yun hesitated and then lowered her head deeply.

"Thank you."

"Let's go in."

The grandmother, who had excitedly looked around at various things but came out with just one set of the cheapest clothes, smiled brightly and looked at Su-hyeon.

"Thank you, handsome young man. You're considerate just like my husband when he was young."

"It's nothing. You remind me of my grandmother, so I'm the one who's happy."

Su-hyeon asked.

"Is there anything else you'd like to do?"

"When I was young, my mother used to take me to the amusement park a lot."

At the grandmother's words, Kim A-yun made a worried face.

"But the rides... given grandmother's age."

"Wouldn't something not too dangerous be okay? Like a carousel."

"......"

Seeing her granddaughter hesitating with worry, the grandmother smiled gently.

"No, I'm a bit tired from walking around so much. I think it's better to go home now."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Let's go to the amusement park together next time, handsome young man."

Understanding the grandmother's heart, who was giving in knowing her granddaughter's worry, Su-hyeon also nodded.

"Call me anytime."

"I appreciate the thought."

After accompanying them for about two more hours, eating snacks and spending time at a café, the two people rose from their seats saying they should head back now.

"Handsome young man, thank you so much for today."

"Not at all. See you often."

"Hmph."

The grandmother patted Su-hyeon's broad back.

"By the way, the more I look at you, the more I think you and our A-yun suit each other well."

"Grandmother!"

Kim A-yun, with reddened cheeks, screamed, but Su-hyeon calmly smiled and bowed his head.

"Thank you."

"Ah, and one more thing."

The grandmother gestured for Su-hyeon to bring his ear closer and whispered.

"A-yun has no one to rely on, so she always sighs a lot, but today she didn't do that even once."

In that voice, Su-hyeon thought, there was a sharpness that belied the somewhat dim appearance she had shown earlier.

"She kept talking about some young man but wouldn't tell me his name, and now I see it must have been you, our Su-hyeon. Seeing how understanding you are."

"Is that so?"

"It's shameless of an old woman, but I have a favor to ask."

"......I understand. I'll take good care of her as much as I can, so don't worry."

Hearing Su-hyeon's answer, the grandmother smiled brightly and said artfully in a voice loud enough for Kim A-yun to hear.

"Well now, that's a relief. Our A-yun takes after her grandmother and has a good eye for men."

"Grandmother!"

Kim A-yun shouted loudly.

"Your grandmother's ears aren't deaf."

"Seeeing."

Kim A-yun, whose cheeks had turned as red as a radish, mumbled and approached Su-hyeon.

"Su-hyeon, today was really fun. Thank you."

"No need to thank me."

Su-hyeon smiled.

"Ah, and there's one thing I want to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Come over here."

Su-hyeon whispered to Kim A-yun at a distance where the grandmother couldn't hear.

"I think if your grandmother receives proper treatment, she could improve quite a lot."

"Yes, the doctor said the same thing. But......"

"I heard there's a very effective medicine."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's quite a rare item though."

Su-hyeon said.

"I'll look into it. If I can get it, I'll try."

"Su-hyeon......."

As if beyond gratitude and even somewhat bewildered, Kim A-yun mumbled and asked.

"Why go this far."

"When there's a way and a possibility, there's no reason not to do it."

'Especially when the subject is a named character like Kim A-yun.'

Isn't it basic to strengthen relationships with named characters to achieve a clear?

Of course, Kim A-yun, unaware of Su-hyeon's thoughts, saw this only as boundless goodwill and gratitude.

And just as her eyes were about to glisten with tears of emotion.

'......Huh?'

Kim A-yun, who hadn't had a chance to look closely at Su-hyeon's left arm all day, discovered the bracelet wrapped around it and opened her eyes wide.

"Su-hyeon, what's that bracelet?"

"Oh this?"

Su-hyeon was a bit flustered.

"It's a bracelet that has the effect of mana storage and vitality enhancement......"

"Is it perhaps something like a magnesium bracelet?"

Kim A-yun said, as if worried.

"My grandmother bought a lot of those too, but there are usually many scams......"

"......Yeah. Thanks for your concern."