[Reader #2 Just Wants to be a Fan Girl] 25
Chapter 25
Min Dorim is a character who ranks 6th on my list of ultimate favorites.
He's a year above us, and he's expected to be elected as the vice president of the student council in the upcoming election.
In the original work, he was described as someone who looked like he jumped straight out of a martial arts novel, and that was spot on.
His long black ponytail suits him perfectly.
His features are so distinct and pretty, but at the same time, his overall lines are bold, highlighting his masculinity.
He's 59,000 times better in person than in the illustrations!
His visuals are superior, indeed!
'It would be great if he just kept his mouth shut, though.'
To be honest, I didn't really like Min Dorim in the early parts of the story.
There were two major barriers to entry for me.
First, his personality just isn't my type.
Personally, I prefer characters in novels who struggle a lot, but Min Dorim was too laid-back. He's a carefree loafer with no sense of responsibility, and on top of that, he even pretends to be a playboy.
Second, Min Dorim often rebelled against my other favorite character. And by "favorite," I mean Yu Seoha, the student council president who ranks 5th on my list of ultimate favorites.
Who is Yu Seoha?
A celestial beauty who captivates both men and women! An overwhelming presence that enthralls the masses! The academy's number one genius with the spear! The heir to the Azure Dragon Guild, boasting the greatest wealth in the story! Sharp intellect and a personality that cares for those around her! "Unni, take everything in the world!!!" is what you'd want to shout.
Some people thought she was a bit rigid, but this hard-working genius, beautiful, rich, spear-wielding sister perfectly hit my preferences. But Min Dorim was the one who always threw a wrench in the works whenever my unni tried to do something.
"Haha, shouldn't the President be a little more flexible?"
"Aww, our President is always in such a hurry. Is someone chasing you?"
Honestly... he was an eyesore.
What made Min Dorim enter my top favorites was the "Training Camp Incident."
In ❮Doomed Academy❯, large-scale events always bring about a storm of gruesome deaths, and the training camp was no exception, with a mastermind appearing without fail.
A somewhat predictable development where the professors are lured away to another location while the freshmen are massacred in the meantime. The person who noticed this development was none other than student council president Yu Seoha.
Yu Seoha ordered the student council to evacuate the freshmen and then fought the enemy alone to buy time. The opponent was a very powerful mastermind. It was a battle with no chance of winning, and she was aware of that. But she still stepped up, because that's just who my unni is.
Since it was what it was, this time Min Dorim didn't object and quietly followed Yu Seoha's instructions. He carried the freshmen away, and then all he had to do was enter the safety zone himself...
But Min Dorim couldn't bring himself to do it.
Instead, he started running back the way he came.
"That idiot woman!"
He shouted as he did.
That's when Min Dorim finally realized it.
That he was in love with Yu Seoha.
Probably from the moment he first saw her.
Min Dorim, who had always preached safety first, ended up risking his life for the first time to protect Yu Seoha.
It wasn't entirely hopeless.
It's just that he didn't put in the effort, but Min Dorim was still one of the most outstanding swordsmanship geniuses in the academy's history.
But his lack of training held him back, and the mastermind's fangs dug into a hapless Min Dorim, who couldn't even lift a finger.
It was just when Min Dorim closed his eyes with a self-deprecating smile that it happened.
— Thwack!
It wasn't Min Dorim that the fangs pierced.
Because Yu Seoha had shielded him.
Watching Yu Seoha collapse powerlessly, Min Dorim awakened a new ability and with the help of Ki Hyunmin, who appeared late, defeated the mastermind.
But when they returned after finishing everything, Yu Seoha was already cold.
Min Dorim held her body and confessed his feelings belatedly, but the confession, now without its intended recipient, echoed in the air and faded to dust.
Ugh, just thinking about it tears my heart to shreds in real time.
Anyways.
After that incident, this carefree loafer became a self-destructive pessimist who drove himself to the point of exhaustion.
Because the reason he gained a new ability was all thanks to Yu Seoha's death.
An ability that couldn't do anything to save her when it was needed most.
An ability gained by sacrificing the woman he loved.
Min Dorim came to despise his new ability and took on only dangerous roles, engaging in high risk battles that were more akin to gambling.
It was like the desperate struggle of a beast who couldn't die.
Until the very last moment, Min Dorim couldn't free himself from the chains of guilt.
If you had survived instead of me, if I had listened to your nagging a little more, if I had realized it just a little earlier... would things have been different?
He closed his eyes for the last time regretting that.
‘Seriously, the author was too much.’
It's cruel, so cruel.
I've re-read it several times, and there's something else I've noticed.
It wasn't explicitly stated, but looking between the lines, it's clear that Yu Seoha liked Min Dorim too.
Min Dorim thought that Yu Seoha saved him because of her duty or responsibility as the student council president, but that wasn't it.
She gave her life to protect the person she loved, and she smiled as she watched Min Dorim awaken his ability before passing away.
'I'm going to make sure they're a couple in this life, I swear!!'
I can't help but clench my fist with determination.
I don't really like romance mixed into fantasy novels, but these two deserve to be together.
While I was making that resolution, Min Dorim was striding towards me.
His violet eyes, having spotted me, widened slightly.
"Wow, we have someone amazing here! What's your name?"
"Yeon Sora."
[Affinity with a character has been formed.][Would you like to check now? Y/N]
I immediately dismissed the pop-up window.
Meanwhile, Min Dorim whistled with a sly expression.
"Our dorm is going to be quite bustling this year, huh?"
"Excuse me?"
"Beautiful flowers are bound to attract bugs.”
"If you ever have a hard time, feel free to tell me, I can help. It doesn't have to be school-related, even personal matters are fine."
He finished with a wink.
So cheesy...
My stomach felt greasy as if I had eaten a whole pint of butter, goosebumps rose on my arms, and my body trembled, but... at the same time, my heart swelled.
'He's still so innocent!'
Because Min Dorim, alive, is standing in front of me.
Not the miserably wailing beast, but the frivolous Min Dorim of his carefree days.
I'm so happy that tears even start welling up in my eyes.
'My baby, let's be happy in this life! This noona will help you! Trust me!’
As I was internally simping hard,
"Senior."
Suddenly, orange hair appeared in my vision.
Yeom Juwan had stepped between me and Min Dorim.
"That kind of remark can be misunderstood."
Yeom Juwan stepped forward to protect me like a loyal guard dog.
If he were bigger, he'd give off a large dog vibe, but right now Yeom Juwan is a little kid before his growth spurt.
A situation where a large dog has been shrunk down to a small dog due to physical limitations.
But,
‘Crazy!’
This is so unbelievably cute.
Aww, our chihuahua! Did you want to protect Yeon Sora?
If there weren't so many eyes watching, I would have done 33 somersaults out of excitement, but thinking about Yeon Sora's reputation, I had no choice but to cover my mouth and let out a silent dolphin-esque scream.
Meanwhile, Min Dorim is looking at Yeom Juwan with a similar expression to mine.
"Who is this adorable young master?"
"Yeom Juwan."
"Okay, Yeom Juwan. What misunderstanding are you talking about?"
"Saying 'I can help with personal matters, not just school-related ones’ while winking can surprise the other person.”
Saying that, Yeom Juwan's gaze flew and landed on me.
Following that gaze, Min Dorim also looked at me.
They both morphed into expressions of shock.
‘Oops!’
I only then realized it.
That there were frivolous tears of simping welling up in my eyes.
Even my left hand is performing the task of covering my mouth.
In other words, I'm covering my mouth and my eyes are full of moisture.
It's the perfect situation for people to misunderstand that a soft-hearted elf girl is crying because she received a wink.
Why did they put in such an uncomfortable setting for me? It doesn't seem to be of any use.
Anyway, because of that, the atmosphere became strange from the very start of my dorm life.
I was racking my brain thinking about how to fix this, but Min Dorim moved one step faster.
"Haha, I showed you a strange side of me from the very beginning!
Once again! I'm Min Dorim, the dorm leader! As you can see, I'm a bit lacking, but I'm not someone who can't communicate at all, so if you think I've crossed the line, just tell me honestly."
Min Dorim reverted to the carefree loafer he was when we first met and approached the freshmen with a swaggering gait.
His nonchalant tone loosened the tense atmosphere.
"Don't call me dorm leader, just call me hyung comfortably! If we're in the same school and the same dorm, we're practically brothers! What's your name?"
"Do Junkyung! Ah, hello!"
"Don't waste so much energy just greeting me! You'll get tired of life if you live like that?"
"Yes, sir!"
"You have a good grip! Are you aiming to be a prosecutor?"
"Yes! It's been my dream since I was a kid, so I'm going to work hard!"
"Let's not jump to conclusions too quickly! Life is long, so you can take your time to figure things out, right? Haha!"
Min Dorim shook hands with the freshmen one by one and gave them advice-like words.
Could I even call this advice, though?
They can all be summarized into "We only have one life, so let's all live comfortably~" Come to think of it, there's a subtle resemblance to my "Motto of Giving Up"?
We have similar life mottos!
Min Dorim, who had given advice to the chicks one by one, stood in front of Yeom Juwan.
"Yeom Juwan, I'm sorry about earlier."
"It's okay, senior."
"I told you to call me hyung instead of senior, didn't I?"
"Ah, yes..."
Min Dorim is smiling brightly as he looks at Yeom Juwan.
Yeom Juwan took a step back, flustered by the excessive affection.
"You're a pyromancer, right? The rumors are already spreading~"
"Yes..."
"That's amazing! You know that pyromancy is in the top 10%, right?"
"I guess so."
"I'm jealous! Compared to elemental magic, swordsmanship is just hard labor."
Jealous my ass.
It's true that Yeom Juwan's disaster-level pyromancy is a very excellent ability, but Min Dorim's skill is a super rare ability.
It's also one of the skills I covet the most.
Anyways, Min Dorim seems to like Yeom Juwan quite a bit.
"If you're a magic type, mana manipulation is important, and I'm quite talented in that area, you know? How about, as an apology..."
Min Dorim reached out to put his arm around his shoulder, but Yeom Juwan flinched openly.
His embarrassed right hand floated in the air before landing back around Min Dorim's waist.
"Haha! I've kept you all for too long. You must be tired, so go to your rooms!"
Wait a minute.
I think you were about to say something important just now...
Why did you stop talking?
Min Dorim is a character who ranks 6th on my list of ultimate favorites.
He's a year above us, and he's expected to be elected as the vice president of the student council in the upcoming election.
In the original work, he was described as someone who looked like he jumped straight out of a martial arts novel, and that was spot on.
His long black ponytail suits him perfectly.
His features are so distinct and pretty, but at the same time, his overall lines are bold, highlighting his masculinity.
He's 59,000 times better in person than in the illustrations!
His visuals are superior, indeed!
'It would be great if he just kept his mouth shut, though.'
To be honest, I didn't really like Min Dorim in the early parts of the story.
There were two major barriers to entry for me.
First, his personality just isn't my type.
Personally, I prefer characters in novels who struggle a lot, but Min Dorim was too laid-back. He's a carefree loafer with no sense of responsibility, and on top of that, he even pretends to be a playboy.
Second, Min Dorim often rebelled against my other favorite character. And by "favorite," I mean Yu Seoha, the student council president who ranks 5th on my list of ultimate favorites.
Who is Yu Seoha?
A celestial beauty who captivates both men and women! An overwhelming presence that enthralls the masses! The academy's number one genius with the spear! The heir to the Azure Dragon Guild, boasting the greatest wealth in the story! Sharp intellect and a personality that cares for those around her! "Unni, take everything in the world!!!" is what you'd want to shout.
Some people thought she was a bit rigid, but this hard-working genius, beautiful, rich, spear-wielding sister perfectly hit my preferences. But Min Dorim was the one who always threw a wrench in the works whenever my unni tried to do something.
"Haha, shouldn't the President be a little more flexible?"
"Aww, our President is always in such a hurry. Is someone chasing you?"
Honestly... he was an eyesore.
What made Min Dorim enter my top favorites was the "Training Camp Incident."
In ❮Doomed Academy❯, large-scale events always bring about a storm of gruesome deaths, and the training camp was no exception, with a mastermind appearing without fail.
A somewhat predictable development where the professors are lured away to another location while the freshmen are massacred in the meantime. The person who noticed this development was none other than student council president Yu Seoha.
Yu Seoha ordered the student council to evacuate the freshmen and then fought the enemy alone to buy time. The opponent was a very powerful mastermind. It was a battle with no chance of winning, and she was aware of that. But she still stepped up, because that's just who my unni is.
Since it was what it was, this time Min Dorim didn't object and quietly followed Yu Seoha's instructions. He carried the freshmen away, and then all he had to do was enter the safety zone himself...
But Min Dorim couldn't bring himself to do it.
Instead, he started running back the way he came.
"That idiot woman!"
He shouted as he did.
That's when Min Dorim finally realized it.
That he was in love with Yu Seoha.
Probably from the moment he first saw her.
Min Dorim, who had always preached safety first, ended up risking his life for the first time to protect Yu Seoha.
It wasn't entirely hopeless.
It's just that he didn't put in the effort, but Min Dorim was still one of the most outstanding swordsmanship geniuses in the academy's history.
But his lack of training held him back, and the mastermind's fangs dug into a hapless Min Dorim, who couldn't even lift a finger.
It was just when Min Dorim closed his eyes with a self-deprecating smile that it happened.
— Thwack!
It wasn't Min Dorim that the fangs pierced.
Because Yu Seoha had shielded him.
Watching Yu Seoha collapse powerlessly, Min Dorim awakened a new ability and with the help of Ki Hyunmin, who appeared late, defeated the mastermind.
But when they returned after finishing everything, Yu Seoha was already cold.
Min Dorim held her body and confessed his feelings belatedly, but the confession, now without its intended recipient, echoed in the air and faded to dust.
Ugh, just thinking about it tears my heart to shreds in real time.
Anyways.
After that incident, this carefree loafer became a self-destructive pessimist who drove himself to the point of exhaustion.
Because the reason he gained a new ability was all thanks to Yu Seoha's death.
An ability that couldn't do anything to save her when it was needed most.
An ability gained by sacrificing the woman he loved.
Min Dorim came to despise his new ability and took on only dangerous roles, engaging in high risk battles that were more akin to gambling.
It was like the desperate struggle of a beast who couldn't die.
Until the very last moment, Min Dorim couldn't free himself from the chains of guilt.
If you had survived instead of me, if I had listened to your nagging a little more, if I had realized it just a little earlier... would things have been different?
He closed his eyes for the last time regretting that.
‘Seriously, the author was too much.’
It's cruel, so cruel.
I've re-read it several times, and there's something else I've noticed.
It wasn't explicitly stated, but looking between the lines, it's clear that Yu Seoha liked Min Dorim too.
Min Dorim thought that Yu Seoha saved him because of her duty or responsibility as the student council president, but that wasn't it.
She gave her life to protect the person she loved, and she smiled as she watched Min Dorim awaken his ability before passing away.
'I'm going to make sure they're a couple in this life, I swear!!'
I can't help but clench my fist with determination.
I don't really like romance mixed into fantasy novels, but these two deserve to be together.
While I was making that resolution, Min Dorim was striding towards me.
His violet eyes, having spotted me, widened slightly.
"Wow, we have someone amazing here! What's your name?"
"Yeon Sora."
[Affinity with a character has been formed.][Would you like to check now? Y/N]
I immediately dismissed the pop-up window.
Meanwhile, Min Dorim whistled with a sly expression.
"Our dorm is going to be quite bustling this year, huh?"
"Excuse me?"
"Beautiful flowers are bound to attract bugs.”
"If you ever have a hard time, feel free to tell me, I can help. It doesn't have to be school-related, even personal matters are fine."
He finished with a wink.
So cheesy...
My stomach felt greasy as if I had eaten a whole pint of butter, goosebumps rose on my arms, and my body trembled, but... at the same time, my heart swelled.
'He's still so innocent!'
Because Min Dorim, alive, is standing in front of me.
Not the miserably wailing beast, but the frivolous Min Dorim of his carefree days.
I'm so happy that tears even start welling up in my eyes.
'My baby, let's be happy in this life! This noona will help you! Trust me!’
As I was internally simping hard,
"Senior."
Suddenly, orange hair appeared in my vision.
Yeom Juwan had stepped between me and Min Dorim.
"That kind of remark can be misunderstood."
Yeom Juwan stepped forward to protect me like a loyal guard dog.
If he were bigger, he'd give off a large dog vibe, but right now Yeom Juwan is a little kid before his growth spurt.
A situation where a large dog has been shrunk down to a small dog due to physical limitations.
But,
‘Crazy!’
This is so unbelievably cute.
Aww, our chihuahua! Did you want to protect Yeon Sora?
If there weren't so many eyes watching, I would have done 33 somersaults out of excitement, but thinking about Yeon Sora's reputation, I had no choice but to cover my mouth and let out a silent dolphin-esque scream.
Meanwhile, Min Dorim is looking at Yeom Juwan with a similar expression to mine.
"Who is this adorable young master?"
"Yeom Juwan."
"Okay, Yeom Juwan. What misunderstanding are you talking about?"
"Saying 'I can help with personal matters, not just school-related ones’ while winking can surprise the other person.”
Saying that, Yeom Juwan's gaze flew and landed on me.
Following that gaze, Min Dorim also looked at me.
They both morphed into expressions of shock.
‘Oops!’
I only then realized it.
That there were frivolous tears of simping welling up in my eyes.
Even my left hand is performing the task of covering my mouth.
In other words, I'm covering my mouth and my eyes are full of moisture.
It's the perfect situation for people to misunderstand that a soft-hearted elf girl is crying because she received a wink.
Why did they put in such an uncomfortable setting for me? It doesn't seem to be of any use.
Anyway, because of that, the atmosphere became strange from the very start of my dorm life.
I was racking my brain thinking about how to fix this, but Min Dorim moved one step faster.
"Haha, I showed you a strange side of me from the very beginning!
Once again! I'm Min Dorim, the dorm leader! As you can see, I'm a bit lacking, but I'm not someone who can't communicate at all, so if you think I've crossed the line, just tell me honestly."
Min Dorim reverted to the carefree loafer he was when we first met and approached the freshmen with a swaggering gait.
His nonchalant tone loosened the tense atmosphere.
"Don't call me dorm leader, just call me hyung comfortably! If we're in the same school and the same dorm, we're practically brothers! What's your name?"
"Do Junkyung! Ah, hello!"
"Don't waste so much energy just greeting me! You'll get tired of life if you live like that?"
"Yes, sir!"
"You have a good grip! Are you aiming to be a prosecutor?"
"Yes! It's been my dream since I was a kid, so I'm going to work hard!"
"Let's not jump to conclusions too quickly! Life is long, so you can take your time to figure things out, right? Haha!"
Min Dorim shook hands with the freshmen one by one and gave them advice-like words.
Could I even call this advice, though?
They can all be summarized into "We only have one life, so let's all live comfortably~" Come to think of it, there's a subtle resemblance to my "Motto of Giving Up"?
We have similar life mottos!
Min Dorim, who had given advice to the chicks one by one, stood in front of Yeom Juwan.
"Yeom Juwan, I'm sorry about earlier."
"It's okay, senior."
"I told you to call me hyung instead of senior, didn't I?"
"Ah, yes..."
Min Dorim is smiling brightly as he looks at Yeom Juwan.
Yeom Juwan took a step back, flustered by the excessive affection.
"You're a pyromancer, right? The rumors are already spreading~"
"Yes..."
"That's amazing! You know that pyromancy is in the top 10%, right?"
"I guess so."
"I'm jealous! Compared to elemental magic, swordsmanship is just hard labor."
Jealous my ass.
It's true that Yeom Juwan's disaster-level pyromancy is a very excellent ability, but Min Dorim's skill is a super rare ability.
It's also one of the skills I covet the most.
Anyways, Min Dorim seems to like Yeom Juwan quite a bit.
"If you're a magic type, mana manipulation is important, and I'm quite talented in that area, you know? How about, as an apology..."
Min Dorim reached out to put his arm around his shoulder, but Yeom Juwan flinched openly.
His embarrassed right hand floated in the air before landing back around Min Dorim's waist.
"Haha! I've kept you all for too long. You must be tired, so go to your rooms!"
Wait a minute.
I think you were about to say something important just now...
Why did you stop talking?
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