I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

Chapter 47

The call Rohan made to Juyeon was brief and to the point:

He was on his way to the Security Bureau and politely asked if she could come.

Without hesitation, Juyeon closed the book she had been reading and got up to leave.

Tap!

Arriving at the Elysium Security Bureau parking lot, Juyeon stepped out of her car.

Though it was a day off for Orion Academy, she was dressed in a sharp suit, her bright red hair swept back as she moved with purpose.

"Excuse me!"

She strode into the Bureau headquarters, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.

The officers on duty recognized her immediately, as well as the likely reason for her visit, and made way for her without question.

Click, click, click.

Juyeon didn’t need to ask where Rohan was. She simply followed the faint trace of his presence.

Suppressing the urge to take the most direct route, she quickened her pace.

A few steps later, she spotted Rohan sitting among the officers.

"Instructor! Over here!"

"...!"

Despite the cheerfulness in his voice, Rohan was covered in bandages.

The sight brought back memories of the past, overlapping with the present.

Juyeon closed her eyes tightly, pushing away intrusive thoughts, and walked toward him, her footsteps heavy.

Before addressing Rohan, Juyeon approached the medical officer who was organizing supplies, intent on first understanding his condition.

"I’m Juyeon, an instructor from Orion Academy. What’s the status of Cadet Rohan? Is he seriously injured?"

"He has a variety of cuts and abrasions distributed across his body. While some may leave scars, there are no injuries severe enough to cause permanent damage."

Hearing the detailed explanation, Juyeon finally allowed herself to feel reassured and turned her attention to Rohan.

Seeing him composed and confident, she guessed that he wasn’t here because he had done something wrong.

"Rohan, what in the world...?"

"Instructor, I’m really sorry for calling you on a weekend."

"That’s fine. Are you in pain anywhere?"

"It looks worse than it is. I’m fine."

"...Haa."

Juyeon let out a heavy sigh and sat in an empty chair beside him.

The surrounding officers, recognizing who she was, straightened up and fell silent, while the youngest officer quietly left to fetch drinks.

"Can you explain what my cadet got involved in?"

"Instructor, I can explain—"

"Quiet. I’ll hear it from you later."

Juyeon silenced Rohan with a sharp glance, then turned her attention to one of the officers.

A man with a build rivaling Gilbert’s picked up a file from the desk and began to speak.

"Lady General Juyeon—oh, I mean Instructor—allow me to explain."

"Thank you. Please proceed."

"The organization Cadet Rohan eradicated is called Hwangseomdan, also known as the Yellow Toad Gang. They were involved in human trafficking and organ smuggling."

"Eradicated...? Rohan took down a human trafficking ring...?"

Juyeon blinked, stunned by the unexpected revelation.

The officer nodded mechanically and continued.

"Yes. With assistance from foreign authorities, we’ve confirmed that the individuals apprehended match those on our wanted list. Officers are currently sweeping the area, but it appears the gang has been completely eliminated."

"..."@@@@

"Cadet Rohan rescued a total of fifteen hostages, all of whom have been transported to a hospital for treatment."

"..."

Juyeon processed the situation calmly, her mind racing with thoughts.

The young officer returned with drinks, placing one in front of her while the senior officer offered a word of praise.

"You have an exceptional cadet under your guidance."

"Thanks to your efforts in protecting Academy City’s safety, your chances of becoming a Security Officer after graduation just skyrocketed."

Suppressing the urge to say something harsh, Juyeon reached out and playfully pinched Rohan’s cheek.

It was both a gentle reprimand and an affectionate gesture.

"I’d already been considering that career path," Rohan replied, his cheek pulled and stretched by her hand.

"A potential Security Officer, huh? Seems like you’re keeping your options open."

"I’ve already decided on a general direction, though."

"Once you’ve made up your mind, make sure to let your instructor know."

"Of course, I will."

Despite his battered appearance, Rohan’s quick and earnest responses amused Juyeon, prompting her to tug on his cheek again.

"Ugh...!"

"You endure pain in training without a word, but now you’re whining?"

Caught off guard, Rohan immediately quieted down.

Juyeon, her lips curving into a more pronounced smile, lightly scolded him.

"What you did today deserves a hundredfold praise. But from now on, exercise even more caution. Understood?"

"Yes! I’ll also train harder!"

The current scene reminded Juyeon of days spent with her younger sibling.

Suppressing the swell of emotion, she offered heartfelt advice.

"...If you get seriously injured, there’s no undoing it, no matter how much you regret it. It’ll hurt you the most, but it’ll also bring pain to those around you."

"I’m sorry. I’ll keep that in mind."

Rohan picked up on the gravity of Juyeon’s tone and briefly fell silent.

But only for a moment.

There was something he needed to say.

"Instructor."

"Go ahead."

"If the same situation happens again, I’ll act the same way."

"..."

Juyeon pressed her lips together, lost in old memories.

No other cadet evoked these feelings in her. Only Rohan brought these buried thoughts to the surface.

"I’m apologizing in advance."

Rohan’s apology for the future made Juyeon let out a dry laugh.

"You don’t look it, but you’re quite the troublemaker."

Rohan tried to brush it off with an awkward laugh.

Juyeon observed him quietly before standing and walking over to the Security Officers.

After a brief discussion, she returned to Rohan.

"Rohan, can you walk?"

"No problem at all!"

Rohan jumped to his feet, even spinning around in a circle to reassure her.

It was partly an attempt to ease her worries, but he was genuinely unharmed enough to move without issue.

"Good. Follow me."

"Does this mean I can go back to the dorm now?"

"No. We’re going to my house."

"...What?"

Rohan’s confusion was evident, his expression suggesting he had misheard.

Juyeon, in a rare moment of playfulness, clarified.

"The search for any remaining members isn’t over yet, and the investigation at the scene isn’t complete. If you’d prefer, you can wait it out here at the Security Bureau—but that’ll take hours."

"..."

Rohan’s deliberation didn’t last long.

Quietly, he trailed behind Juyeon, his self-proclaimed guardian.