Anything But Study - Chapter 17

Feeling strangely uneasy, no one stepped toward the relic with the red light.

It wasn’t even material for the assignment in the first place.

Even so, maybe because they were curious about an object with an effect that stirred instinctive curiosity, everyone stole glances at it.

Melia was no exception.

But her reason was different from everyone else’s.

Since she liked archaeology, she wanted to know about any relic.

A relic whose full nature still hadn’t been revealed was even more precious.

It meant she wouldn’t have a chance to see it unless it was at a camp like this.

‘I’m curious.’

But since everyone was avoiding it, it felt oddly bothersome to approach it alone.

‘I’ve already looked at everything else.’

Truly, only that was left.

As Melia’s gaze kept landing on the relic that gave off a red aura.

Hailon, who noticed, asked, “You want to see that?”

“Huh? I mean, it’s not in a weird way, it’s just out of pure curiosity…!”

“Then let’s go see it.”

Hailon sprang to his feet.

But Melia quickly grabbed his sleeve.

“W-wait a second.”

“Why?”

“Uh, th-that….”

Hailon probably wouldn’t understand her feelings.

If Hailon observed it while standing there plainly in view, what would happen?

That relic that everyone was already stealing glances at, combined with Hailon Alfred.

Everyone’s attention would concentrate to the point that Melia would end up being the one observed.

That was too much pressure.

“I mean, um. If we go now, I think everyone’ll stare….”

“Then it just can’t be now?”

Could it really be that simple?

Melia thought for a moment, then nodded slightly.

“Later, in the evening. Come see it for a bit then.”

“In the evening, wouldn’t that be after all the activities are over…?” Melia asked back.

At that time, they’d keep students from approaching.

“So what?”

But Hailon lifted his chin slightly, like what did it matter.

“I-is that so?”

If it were Melia normally, she might’ve said they still couldn’t.

But maybe because it was with Hailon?

Strangely, if he said it could be done, it felt like it was possible.

In the end, without even realizing it herself, she nodded once with the meaning of yes.

***

Evening came.

Following the instruction not to go far and to stay inside the tents as much as possible, most students didn’t come outside, so it was quiet out there.

In truth, it wasn’t so much that everyone faithfully followed the instruction, but that there was nothing to do even if they came out.

Even so, Melia felt nervous for no reason even before she left the tent.

Gulp.

‘Ah, I won’t get caught, right?’

Even after telling Hailon she understood, it still bothered her.

Just as Melia tried to go out of the tent while hiding her tension and acting like nothing was happening, like it was no big deal-

“Where are you going?”

At the sudden voice, Melia flinched in surprise. It was Rosha, who was sharing the tent with her.

She was just going to slip out and come back.

With the situation changing from her plan, Melia forcibly hid her panic.

“Huh? I, um, I’m g-going to get some air.”

It was a total failure. Anyone could see Melia looked suspicious. Even she was aware of it.

One fortunate thing was that Rosha’s eyes were full of sleep.

Since she was half-asleep, she didn’t seem to care much about why Melia was going out.

“It’s cold, so don’t stay out too long.”

“Yeah, I’ll come back in a bit.”

Melia made an excuse and hurried outside.

Thump, thump.

Her heart was pounding.

It was her first time doing something like this without others knowing.

That was probably why she was nervous.

But it was strange.

The surroundings were quiet, and she felt sure there was no way she’d get caught.

Then her heart should’ve gradually calmed down, but the closer she got to the tent, the more she trembled….

Why?

Because she was excited at the thought of observing the relic?

No, rather than that….

‘Will Hailon be there already?’

It had to be just her imagination that the object of her excitement wasn’t the relic, but Hailon.

It had to be that the trembling of doing something like this in secret, and the expectant heart toward the relic, had briefly gone astray.

‘I must’ve been too startled earlier.’

She didn’t know why her chest was pounding like this.

Tap- tap-

The sound of grass being stepped on felt like it was needlessly louder.

Where is Hailon?

While looking around, when Melia arrived near the place where the relics were displayed-

Swoosh-

“Eek!”

Someone grabbed Melia and yanked her in.

Without even a chance to resist, she was dragged into a large tent in one swift motion.

She didn’t wonder who it was.

It was an all too familiar scent.

Lately, it was a scent that always stayed by Melia’s side, so it tickled the tip of her nose.

“Hailon?”

There was no way she could mistake it.

This scent, these solid arms, this broad embrace.

Melia, who didn’t even doubt it could be anyone else, let her question scatter into the air.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

As if pleased that she recognized him right away, Hailon answered in a whisper.

‘He came first.’

The tension in Melia’s shoulders, which had been somewhat stiff, eased.

From the moment she was with Hailon, it felt like her nerves disappeared. For some reason, it felt like no matter what happened, he’d solve everything.

The tent where the ancient relic exploration program had been held during the day was quiet.

When she turned her gaze to the left corner, the red-light relic she wanted to observe came into view.

Melia’s feet naturally moved in that direction.

“Wow.”

It was amazing. She’d never seen a red light before. Most of what she’d seen in books were in the green or blue range.

Melia’s eyes, as she approached and observed the relic, were glittering with happiness.

Looking down at that expression, Hailon’s eyes naturally curved too, as if he found the sight adorable.

“You were curious about this?”

“Yeah! Unappraised relics are rare, and if it isn’t at a time like this, I don’t think I’ll even get a chance to see it. And red, even for me, I’ve only barely read about it once in a corner passage in a book….”

Melia’s words, chattering excitedly, trailed off.

“Ah, s-sorry.”

Because she realized she’d gotten absorbed and rambled on her own.

“You probably aren’t even interested. Thanks for coming with me.”

She meant it. There probably wasn’t a single student at the academy besides her who was interested in archaeology.

But Hailon came here with her at this hour just because she was interested.

With her younger brother’s matter, her uncle’s incident, even now.

It felt like she was only ever receiving help from Hailon every time.

“I’ll work really hard on the report.”

She planned to work that much harder on this camp report to help raise his grades.

Of course, tutoring was the same.

“You like it that much?”

The corner of Hailon’s mouth lifted as he asked.

“Yeah. …I do.”

“Yeah, that’s good.”

As if telling her to look as much as she wanted, Hailon flicked his eyes toward the relic.

“Huh?”

But to Melia’s eyes, the red relic looked like it was shining more.

It didn’t seem to be glowing this brightly earlier.

When Melia, curious, tried to step even closer, taking one more step.

Drip-

“Huh?”

Of all things, why did there have to be a stone right there!

Melia’s body, having lost its balance, began to tilt.

“Melia!”

Hailon immediately reached out his hand to catch her. Fortunately, he succeeded in grabbing Melia, but.

Thud-

He failed to pull back Melia, whose body had already tilted far over.

In the end, with him holding her in his arms, Hailon’s body rolled across the ground.

Melia snapped back to her senses.

Because even though her body had clearly hit the ground, the sensation of pain that should’ve come didn’t.

In front of her eyes, instead of the ground, was his broad chest.

That meant.

“I-I’m sorry! What do I do….”

Realizing that because of her, Hailon had ended up falling to the ground, Melia didn’t know what to do.

But for some reason, he didn’t move at all, holding her tightly.

Did he get hurt somewhere?

Startled, she got worried, but.

Squeeze-

“Hailon?”

He hugged her even tighter instead. Melia, without even realizing it, went blank for a moment.

She welcomed the sense of security that this wide embrace gave. Even his body scent, filling her dizzyingly from the tip of her nose all the way into her head. Embarrassingly, she didn’t want to pull away.

Thump, thump.

Her heart began to pound again, like it had before she entered the tent earlier.

Why, I want to stay like this?

Just as Melia was having that thought.

‘…Huh?’

From where their stomachs were pressed together, something hard was gradually growing in size.