Chapter 68 : Chapter 68
Chapter 68: Jeju Island and Fan No. 1
A few days later, an announcement was posted that all Zero Academy freshmen would be moving to Jeju Island.
It stated that midterm evaluations and MT would take place while staying in Jeju Island.
“……We plan to stay in Jeju for ten days to conduct training and midterm evaluations, and proceed with various membership training activities, so please prepare necessary luggage individually. Essential items are listed in the announcement, so refer to it.”
Class 2’s morning announcement time.
As Instructor Hojin’s monotonous voice resonated through the classroom, vitality returned to the room.
“Are we really going to Jeju Island?”
“Wow, that’s insane. I’ve never been to Jeju.”
“But is it really good since they say we’ll take exams and train? Aren't we just going to suffer there for no reason?”
“Still, going there is something. Better than being stuck here. Agree?”
Expectation flowed from everywhere.
Even if the main purpose was exam evaluation, the fact that the location was Jeju was enough to make hearts flutter.
The Mecca of hero training and development.
The island that heroes and aspiring heroes from all over the world seek is Jeju.
A place where you can often see heroes appearing on TV or billboards.
Stories of witnessing heroes resting in groups at a street corner café, or famous heroes active overseas landing at the airport were frequently heard.
“If we go there, we might even see heroes from other countries, right? Though the timing has to be right.”
“My wish is to meet Flash once.”
“Pack goods for autographs just in case. It really depends on luck.”
As fuss-mixed reactions constantly arose.
“Departure is tomorrow. But that doesn't become a reason for you to act noisily right now.”
Hojin’s low warning fell.
“…….”
The classroom regained silence in an instant.
***
The next day, the airship carrying Zero’s cadets touched the ground.
As soon as they passed the dock connecting the airship and the airport and entered the airport, the changed air permeated deep into their lungs.
Air rich in ‘Maso.’
Clear and cool energy wrapped around their bodies, making them feel naturally energized.
“The air is crazy.”
“This is what clean is. I want to collect this air and take it with me.”
Exclamations burst out from here and there.
Just when they were moving along like that, someone pointed ahead.
“Hey hey, look over there. Isn't that Ray Jamez? That tall man over there.”
“Uh? Looks right? Hey, it’s true. It’s real. Next to him is…… Flash!”
“King Jamez and Flash are together?”
In an instant, a stir arose among the Zero Academy cadets.
S-class hero affiliated with LA, USA, ‘King’ Ray Jamez.
And Korea’s proud S-class hero, Flash.
Two people were walking like ordinary tourists.
Just seeing that scene, excitement began to spread among the kids.
“Should we go get autographs?”
“They’re moving right now. Don’t bother them for no reason, look for a chance later.”
“Ah damn, I don’t think there will be a chance. Won’t people be waiting outside?”
While some cadets were contemplating while following behind.
Finally, they reached the domestic arrivals hall of Jeju Airport.
“Waaaaaa-!”
As they stepped into the domestic arrivals hall, cheers loud enough to deafen ears burst out.
Already, a countless crowd filled the place.
“Flash! Over here, over here!”
“King! King! King! King! King!”
Somehow knowing it, they seemed to already know that ‘King’ Ray Jamez and ‘Flash’ would arrive.
Dozens, hundreds of people lined up densely on both sides of the passage.
Various pickets, banners, and flags waved.
A voice shouting “I love you Flash!” rang out through a loudspeaker.
From young children to gray-haired elderly, the fan base was diverse.
A child wearing a cape with Flash’s face drawn on it jumped up and down.
Caricature flags mimicking Ray Jamez’s muscular physique were also visible.
The heat was reminiscent of an idol concert hall.
People holding selfie sticks, lights from mobile phone cameras. Screams added to the cheers.
Amidst shouts of “Ray! Ray! Over here!” ringing out.
The two S-class heroes were moving their steps like stars walking on a red carpet.
Reporters were also guarding the place without fail.
Approaching the two, they shouted at the top of their lungs, louder than anyone else.
“King Jamez! You moved your association affiliation from Miami to LA this time, was there a special motive!”
“Miami is concerned about the loss of citizen safety power, regarding that…….”
While the two heroes sucked up all the spotlight and made the airport chaotic, Zero’s cadets stood naturally avoiding attention.
Among the cadets watching that scene, a low resolve bloomed.
“Later, I’ll stand there.”
“Me too…… I’d have to sign autographs all day if it’s like that. But I’m envious. Except for reporters sticking to you.”
“Ah, I knew it would be like this. I even brought a Flash cape but won’t be able to get an autograph. Getting it earlier was the right move!”
As the two heroes passed straight through the path, the crowd also moved following them like waves.
Guided by bodyguards, they headed to a separately prepared conference room.
The place where the two big shots left.
But lingering heat still remained in the arrivals hall.
This time, the crowd waiting for Zero Academy began to catch the eye in earnest.
“Lily! Welcome to Jeju!”
“Junhyeok-gun! Can you take a photo with me just once?”
“Seol Hayun! I love you!”
Voices bursting out from everywhere.
Although it couldn't compare to the crowd for S-class heroes, about a hundred people still kept their spots.
Each chanting the name of the cadet they especially supported.
Those shouting cheers holding handmade signs in their hands.
Even cosplay outfits imitating Zero Academy uniforms were visible.
“Wow, we have fans too.”
“We are Zero. There are many kids famous even before admission.”
“But not you.”
“Shut up.”
Before they knew it, voices mixed with surprise flowed among the cadets.
A heat with a different atmosphere from hero fandoms.
Even in front of Zero Academy cadets, airport staff and bodyguards controlled the citizens, creating an exotic scene.
Some cadets waved or smiled at the crowd as if accustomed.
Heroes were also a kind of entertainment industry. To them, citizens were subjects to protect and simultaneously like precious fans.
Whether a hero or a prospect to become a hero, they had to possess fan service abilities.
“Hayun-yang! Would it be okay to ask for an autograph?”
A woman who finished the belongings check approached Seol Hayun and carefully held out a pen and a t-shirt.
Seol Hayun smiled awkwardly and left an autograph on the t-shirt.
Just as she was about to take a photo together at the fan’s request, the woman waved her hand as if refusing.
“Ah! Sorry Hayun-yang, could you possibly wait for a moment?”
Where the woman’s gaze turned looking back.
There, a small child with bobbed hair coming down to her ears and wearing a cat character hair clip stood hesitantly.
Hands repeatedly clenching and unclenching seemed to transparently show a shy personality.
“It’s my younger sister. The kid is very shy.”
When the older sister brought the child and explained with a smile, the child sneakily hid her body behind her older sister.
Watching that, the corners of Hayun’s lips went up softly. Feeling her heart soften.
“Want to take a photo together?”
When Seol Hayun bent her knees to meet eye level and asked, the child met eyes for a moment and soon lowered her gaze. And in a small voice.
“……Yes.”
The child answering shyly.
Watching that, the older sister spoke to the child playfully.
“Our Jihyun, shall we ask that oppa to take a photo together too?”
Seol Hayun tilted her head and looked at the older sister.
Then the older sister immediately took out her phone and smiled brightly.
“Ah, actually she has a cadet she likes separately.”
On the screen she took out, a photo from the award ceremony was displayed.
It was a photo capturing Seol Hayun receiving an award in the front row, and Ryu Jinwoo standing next to her together.
“Ah, not this photo…… there was one that came out well. Just a moment.”
“I know who it is.”
Seol Hayun answered first.
The older sister widened her eyes roundly and nodded as if glad.
“Really! I’m actually Hayun-yang’s fan, you know you received an award a while ago? I felt so good about that so I shared it here and there. But when I uploaded it to the family chat room, she saw this photo.”
The older sister stroked the child’s head affectionately.
“Then she asked who this oppa is. She really shows signs of fangirling just like me.”
Seol Hayun met eyes with the child.
And asked carefully.
“Do you like this oppa?”
The child’s cheeks flushed red.
Hesitating while mumbling, the child eventually nodded.
“……You have an eye for people.”
Seol Hayun’s lips drew a crescent moon.
Then she raised her head, stood up, and waved her hand towards Ryu Jinwoo who was far away.
***
Chaotic crowd of the airport.
The surroundings were bustling with Zero cadets and people who flocked to see them.
To that extent, the Eye of Deception was activating crazily.
Headache dug into my head at the message window filling up describing emotions I didn't even want to know.
But did Seol Hayun have a reason to call me separately?
I pressed my forehead firmly and moved my steps.
“What’s the matter.”
The moment I spoke to Seol Hayun, a small shadow hesitating next to her caught my eye.
A bobbed-hair kid wearing a cat hair clip.
Hiding behind a woman who seemed to be her older sister, pupils staring up at me intently trembled.
[An Jihyun]
[Flutter, Admiration]
The moment the Eye of Deception message popped up, my steps stopped unconsciously.
“Says she’s a fan.”
“Fan?”
“Yeah, says she likes you.”
Seol Hayun continued speaking while holding her smartphone.
“Let’s take a photo. A selfie should do.”
“Uh uh…… Uh?”
My thinking couldn't keep up with the situation.
It might be because of the headache too.
Fan, meaning this kid says she’s my fan.
“Fan?”
“Yeah.”
“F, A, N?”
“Yeah, that fan.”
I have a fan? It was quite a shock.
“You want to take a photo with me?”
When I asked, the kid slightly pinched the hem of my clothes with her fingers.
“Yes…….”
A mumbling voice with her head bowed.
Instantly my mind went blank.
I was used to the game’s story, event list, training, and recently even fighting.
But a fan? That didn't exist in my brain manual.
I couldn't even realize my body froze momentarily.
At that time, Seol Hayun’s whisper brushed my ear.
“Smile. Fan service is also hero training.”
Ah, I have to smile.
I smiled.
I don’t know if I did well.
Because the child flinched for a moment.
“……You need to practice a lot.”
Seol Hayun muttered while shaking her head.
Click-
The photo was taken.
***
“Ah, freaking hilarious. What’s with the expression?”
Do Haru laughed.
“Flustered because you got Fan No. 1? Cute, totally.”
“……Shut up.”
Do Haru didn't hold back her laughter hearing the story about the photo I took and what happened in the process.
Rising humiliation, just when I was contemplating between hiding in a mouse hole as is or giving Do Haru a noogie to make her quiet.
“Everyone quiet!”
Instructor Kang Mooseong and Instructor Hojin stood in front of us gathered outside the airport.
The one holding the loudspeaker was Kang Mooseong.
His booming voice resonated.
We immediately put tension into our whole bodies and stood upright.
“Was the meeting with citizens at the airport enjoyable? The reason we didn't particularly stop contact with citizens is because that too is a role a hero must perform! It doesn't mean to become arrogant!”
He shouted as if rebuking.
“I’ll tell you once again. The reason we came here, Jeju, today is for growth!”
Kang Mooseong looking around the audience while moving his steps, his arm muscles squirmed threateningly.
“You can’t do anything with a lax mind! The accommodation we will stay at today is ‘Great Hyatt Jeju’!”
At those words, a brief stir arose.
Great Hyatt Jeju, talk about it being a 7-star top-class hotel circulated within the stir.
Just as the corners of kids’ lips were about to ascend again.
“The distance from here to there is 30km in a straight line! But we will take the Olle Trail route!”
The ascending corners of kids’ lips stopped in an instant.
Olle Trail? That’s not a road but a walking and running path.
“So the total distance is 115km! From now on, we run to that place!”
The moment Kang Mooseong’s next words rang out.
Everyone’s lip corners plummeted toward the floor.
Run 115km? That’s torture.
No one made a sound, but.
Gloomy expressions replaced complaints.
‘It would be fortunate if it was simply 115km.’
I thought.
Unfortunately, Kang Mooseong’s words weren't finished yet.
“And everyone carry your own luggage! Luggage starts from 50kg!”
And the moment his final declaration was shouted.
In front of Jeju Airport, that space where Zero Academy cadets gathered became a place quieter than a graveyard.