Although Yong Jegun was absent, the schedule for the night went ahead as planned.
At first, the campfire that we planned was simply about exchanging gifts, eating delicious foods, and having good conversations between the teachers and the students.
In other words, just a chill time to be spent with one another.
However, the Third Year Class Zero seniors had a different tasteful plan.
Before the campfire was set just after sunset, the seniors distributed paper cups with flower candles that they made themselves.
‘Don’t tell me this is… Are we about to do the legendary candle lighting ceremony?!’
Everyone who experienced a youth retreat knows what campfire candle lighting is.
It’s a ritual of historic traditions where emotions are stimulated with cliché words exchanged between young students during youth retreats.
Just as expected, Woo Kihwan naturally became the host and began to set the mood.
When Woo Kihwan signaled, a Class Zero senior who was part of the Korean Traditional Music Department began to play the Haegeum.
(T/N: Haegeum is a traditional string instrument.)
The instrument seems to be borrowed from the musical center of the resort.
The campfire, candlelight, and haegeum don’t seem compatible at first, but the senior who played the Haegeum was so outstanding that the atmosphere felt all-natural and nice.
Even the teachers admired the clear notes from the haegeum.
“In the deep darkness where you can’t see yourself, your friends, your teachers, and your surroundings, I will light the candle that will ignite the light of hope.”
Players can see well in the dark with their night vision.
There’s no way we can’t see anything.
I thought so, but I decided to let it slide.
After lighting all the candles…
Against the background music of haegeum playing the song “Like Flowers Bloom and Fall,” Woo Kihwan spoke seriously.
“Now… Close your eyes and think about yourself, your friends, your family, and your parents.”
Sentimental words that I’d never imagined to come out of Woo Kihwan’s mouth touched the hearts of the other kids.
The sad tune being played with the haegeum and Woo Kihwan’s low voice stimulated the emotions and conscience of the adolescent teenagers.
Eventually, a number of students started crying.
“Mom…”
It was Bang Yoonseob who whimpered.
I wonder if it’s because he had a difficult time with Tak Geosan’s training and being attacked by the Class Zero zombies, or if he just has a lot of sins to his mother.
As soon as Woo Kihwan stirred the mood, Bang Yoonseob, who already had tears in his eyes, couldn’t stand the continued emotional attack and began to wail.
Moon Saeron announced in advance that she plans to create a commemorative video, so she would thoroughly and continuously film throughout the trip, especially during group activities.
The scene of Bang Yoonseob wailing is being recorded vividly, and I don’t know if this guy would remember it and regret it in the future.
“I’m feeling emotional.”
“I miss my mom.”
“…Hng.”
In our class, Saeum, Min Geurin, and Song Daesok cried.
As expected, my playable character is full of emotions.
“Along with the light of our candles, let’s blow all the mistakes that we’ve made in our life so far and open up a new tomorrow. On the count of three, let’s put out our candles. Three, two, one…!”
Although the candles were extinguished and the haegeum performance ended, the atmosphere was still devastated.
Many of the kids struggled with Woo Kihwan and his group’s emotional plays.
“Our lives are short, and the time we’d spend as high school students is even shorter. Friends and teachers… Value the precious relationships and connections that you’d build during the short days that we are in high school.”
In the midst of the commotion, Woo Kihwan started talking nonsense.
“Teacher and student. The relationship between the two should become closer and tighter. And for that reason, we are going to have a Yaja Time. Ya, Im Yeonhwa!”
(T/N: Yaja Time is when juniors or younger people get the chance to “talk down” or drop honorifics to their seniors or people older than them.)
Woo Kihwan must’ve lost his mind.
So all the buildup so far was just an excuse to have a Yaja Time.
A loud barrage of words broke out from the microphone held by Woo Kihwan.
“How could you do that to me and my classmates, Im Yeonhwaaaaa?!”
Im Yeonwa responded to Woo Kihwan.
“Yes, Kihwan-ah? What is it?”
Im Yeonhwa’s face was still at ease.
Rather than getting angry at the sudden drop of honorifics, she seemed to wonder what her “cute students” have to say.
“How could you! How could you tell us that we’re of no help during the attack from the second world and then tell us to get lost?!”
Looks like he’s still upset about Im Yeonhwa telling him and his classmates to get lost at the otherworld attack at the frozen point.
Im Yeonhwa replied as if she couldn’t understand what Woo Kihwan was saying.
“I never told you to get lost though?”
“You told us to stay in one corner because you think we’re hesitating and getting in the wayyy! That’s the same as telling us to get lost!”
Im Yeonhwa answered kindly when she saw Woo Kihwan getting teary-eyed.
“But it’s true that you were hesitating, Kihwan-ah. You guys are too weak. Is it because you’re still young and your muscles aren’t fully developed yet? Ah, but you guys now are weaker than when I was your age and in military high school… no when I was in middle school.”
In the end, the Yaja Time planned by the Class Zero seniors had no blow on Im Yeonhwa.
Rather, Im Yeonhwa was delighted, saying that she felt closer to her cute students.
Im Yeonhwa spoke in a motivated voice.
“Kids, I didn’t know that you hate the weak version of yourselves so much. From now on, I will train you even better!”
Hearing Im Yeonhwa’s words, the leader of the primates Woo Kihwan grabbed his neck and collapsed on the spot due to stress.
“Looks like the Class Zero sunbaenims and Professor Im Yeonhwa are really close. Will we have that kind of relationship with Professor Ham Geunhyung when we reach the third year too?”
“Shall we do Yaja Time too?”
“Geu-Geunyung-ah… Ah, no I can’t!”
I felt relieved that my kind-hearted classmates aren’t influenced by the jerks in class zero senior class yet.
When Woo Kihwan collapsed, the atmosphere among the first-year students returned to normal and we all enjoyed a fun campfire.
* * *
A long time ago, the Bear Goddes chose the word “Sad” as her modifier.
The Pure White Bear had his eyes blinded by his family.
With that, a suggestion was made out of pity for the goddess’ situation.
— Your tragedy cannot be prevented by my power, nor can it undo it.
— But whenever your favorite red tiger gets hurt, I’ll tell you when, where, and why it happens.
— So, stop being sad and wake up. If you fall here now, how can you protect your beloved red tiger from evil?
After accepting the favor from the superior being, the Bear Goddess rose again.
With her name now being Sad Bear Goddess, she became an important character in the Bear Clan as one of the Eight Real Bears.
In the territory of the Tiger Clan, the Red Tiger destined to be tied up was tied up in the end.
Although it didn’t do much damage to his body, things changed after the collision between the worlds.
The Red Tiger was released from being tied up and became able to move again for the Tiger Clan.
Red Tiger seldom gets hurt because he can hide and protect himself with his red fog, but he’s already been hurt twice this year alone.
One time was in the hands of the Jogangreyob, the head of the Pig Clan.
The second was in the hands of the Bear of Agony, one of the Eight Real Bears.
Whenever the Red Tiger gets hurt, the Bear Goddess recalls what she heard that dawn of January 1st.
— The one from the myth… No, the Red Tiger derived from the legends will die within one year.
It was someone who hid and spoke with a false appearance, the Red Wall Thief, who said so.
It turned out that the daring Red Wall Thief, who spoke in front of the three-eyed cane of truth, was not lying.
On that day, the powerful man who destroyed the Hwangmong Auction was none other than the Red Wall Thief.
The Sad Bear Goddess trusted the words of the Red Wall Thief, and she handed over the “Weight of Wealth and Life” item card.
‘One of the Weight of Wealth and Life was used inside the Eungwang High School. The Red Wall Thief is in Eungwang High.’
Although she knows where the Red Wall Thief is, the Eungwang High School is not a place that the Bear Goddess can access because it’s a sacred place for the Tiger Clan.
It was only after the Red Tiger’s encounter with the Sangbosimgeumpa that the Bear Goddess actively moved.
‘He’s of Tiger Clan, and if the area where the Red Wall Thief is located is in Eungwang High, then it’s impossible for me to personally help him.’
Thinking like so, the Bear Goddess contacted another person of royal lineage and close to Eungwang High who she could trust and cooperate with in finding the Red Wall Thief.
It was none other than Yong Jegun.
Through Yeom Junyeol, the Bear Goddess handed the ‘Sign of Absence’ item card to Yong Jegun and urged him to find clues about the Red Wall Thief.
If Yong Jegun, who has excellent intuition skills, uses an item that connects sensation through Kimopolea, he’d be able to see through the Red Wall Thief which borrows other people’s appearances.
Yong Jegun shows a favorable attitude toward her son.
Therefore, it’s obvious that he’d cooperate in finding the Red Wall Thief who can save the Red Tiger.
“That day, the Red Tiger did get hurt a little while protecting Shinrok. Did you call me because of that?”
Yong Jegun quickly had a grasp of the situation.
Red Tiger got hurt during the youth retreat of Eungwang High, and this vacation was kind of a continuation of that interrupted trip.
She knew for a fact that the First Year Class Zero students would be present on the trip to Joo-OH Island.
In addition, the Eungwang High website shows that Yong Jegun is a teacher who teaches the Class Zero freshmen.
With that information, the Bear Goddess found an opportunity to meet with Yong Jegun.
When reminded of the fact that the Red Tiger was hurt, the Sad Bear Goddess smiled vaguely and did not reply properly.
“…Huhuhu, I’m not sure.”
Yong Jegun didn’t question further, but he looked ecstatic for a moment when he looked at the hem of the Bear Goddess’ red dress.
“Did you know that Mr. Red Tiger and Shinrok reconciled?”
Hearing the word “reconciled,” the Sad Bear Goddess’ eyes slightly opened wider.
In order to hide her expression, the Sad Bear Goddess raised a folding silk fan and covered her face.
At the end of Yong Jegun’s short story, the Bear Goddess was smiling behind her fan.
“I called you out here to give a fun story, but in the end, I’m the one who received interesting news from you.”
“Because the item that you gave me was that useful. Thanks to you, I had a good year.”
The Bear Goddess adjusted her expression before folding her fan and bringing up the main point.
“The day after the typhoon hit the Korean Peninsula, the people of Devil Race who knew me grumbled to me. Something that’s hidden around here was broken. There was another thing they said aside from the complaining.”
“What is it?”
Yong Jegun asked with an intrigued face.
“Yong Jegun, when was the last time you visited the Dragon King’s Palace?”
“The last time I went to see the Hwangryong’s face during the succession ceremony of the Dragon King’s Lady Shaman. So that’s about… fifty years?”
“So the Dragon King’s Shaman changes every fifty or so years?”
“Yep. Next year, we’ll have the ceremony again after the new shaman is chosen.”
Hearing Yong Jegun’s words, the Bear Goddess nodded.
“It’s best that we’ve met before the sunset.”
“It’s soon time for me to go, though. Does that anything have to do with Red Tiger?”
The Sad Bear Goddess slightly tilted her head.
It’s a gesture that made her look unsure.
“I do not know if it has something to do with him. But I want to prepare for the risk. Because I think the man who can hurt him badly has something to do with it.”
The one who can seriously injure the Red Tiger is related to the Dragon King’s Palace?
Yong Jegun wanted to ask more, but knowing that the Bear Goddess wouldn’t have information further than that, he closed his mouth.
It was the Bear Goddess who broke the silence.
“If this continues, it’s true he’s really going to die within a year.”
Saying so, the Bear Goddess’ eyes became full of life.
Yong Jegun took notice of how the Bear Goddess phrased it.
It was as if it was information she obtained from someone else.
Yong Jegun asked right away.
“Who said that Mr. Red Tiger is going to die?”
“…The child who took the appearance of the descendant that the dragons adore very much.”
There’s one student who immediately came to Yong Jegun’s head.
Jo Euishin.
He was the Red Wall Thief who borrowed the appearance of Yeom Junyeol.
‘The Red Tiger will die in a year? … I don’t think it’s referring to the retreat where the Red Tiger was hurt, or where he’d be seriously injured.’
The Sad Bear Goddess whispered to Yong Jegun.
“Tell this to that child. Tell him that there’s something he shouldn’t forget if he intends to keep on wearing a crow mask.”
Yong Jgeun listened to the quiet voice of the Sad Bear Goddess who spoke to his ear softly.
