Chương 97: DOUBTS AND PROMISES

Jimin entered the terrace, finding Hyun-woo standing near the railing. There was a gentle breeze blowing, rustling the leaves of the nearby trees.

"Here for some fresh air?" Jimin asked. But Hyun-woo didn't turn around right away.

"Yeah… It's tiring," he replied softly.

"Being around so many people." He finally looked back at Jimin with a small, weary smile.

"You here for some fresh air too?"

"Y-Yeah… I am," said Jimin, walking over to stand beside him. He rested his elbows against the railing, staring ahead for a moment. Silence settled between them.

"Actually…" Jimin said at last, "there's something I've wanted to ask you." Hyun-woo turned toward him.

"What?" Jimin hesitated for a few seconds before finally speaking.

"I know we've both been busy since my Awakening..." he said slowly.

"But... why had you suddenly become distant after that?" Hyun-woo gave no reaction for a long moment, just staring intently at Jimin.

"What are you talking about?" he finally said with an awkward smile.

"That's just me being me." Jimin shook his head.

"I think I know you better than most," Jimin countered gently.

"That wasn't you being you." Hyun-woo's smile gradually faded. He again gave no answer, maintaining a heavy silence as he turned back to face the railing. Then-"There's nothing much to say…" he said, letting out a defeated sigh.

"It's just… I found out that your bullying got even worse after I graduated." His voice became quieter.

"Especially that they were taunting you because I was your friend… You get it, right?" Jimin remained silent.

"Then your Awakening day happened… I knew things were only going to get worse after that," Hyun-woo continued, clenching the railing.

"I did everything I could while I was still at school. But at that point… It felt like I had become one of the reasons behind it… And there was nothing I could do about it." His head lowered slightly.

"I just... Couldn't bring myself to look you in the eye anymore… I'm sorry." Jimin had been quietly listening until the very end. And the dots finally connected. Back in school, Hyun-woo had never hesitated to step in whenever someone crossed the line. Fights between students were common. Nobody batted an eye at squabbles between kids. But a licensed Rifter beating a school student was a completely different issue. Jimin understood his point of view perfectly.

Which was exactly why he felt no resentment toward his friend. If anything, he was just disappointed by how much guilt Hyun-woo had been carrying alone.

"You silly guy…" he muttered.

"Hmm?" Hyun-woo murmured, glancing at him.

"I had long made peace with my situation," Jimin said, with a soft smile.

"You didn't need to beat yourself over it." The words hung quietly in the air. A profound moment of silence formed between them, the lingering tension in the air finally evaporating. Suddenly- Hyun-woo chuckled, nodding his head as an expression of relief washed over his face.

"You win," he said, the old familiarity returning to his voice. Jimin simply smiled back. The wall between them finally began to dissolve.

"Anyways," Hyun-woo continued, "Instructor Ryu gave me updates every now and then." He looked at Jimin with an amused grin.

"I heard you were actually doing pretty well. In fact... A little too well." Jimin let out an awkward, humble chuckle.

"Yeah…"

"I'm happy for you," said Hyun-woo, his eyes sincere. Jimin nodded, with a genuine smile.

"I'm happy for you too." Neither of them said anything for a while. They simply stood there together, looking far as the cool evening breeze swept across the terrace. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. And just like that- The lingering distance that had quietly remained between them for a while had finally disappeared, leaving their bond stronger than ever.

After that, they simply stood there chatting, as if they were trying to make up for the conversations they had missed over the past few months. At some point- Jimin brought up the big question.

"So, when are you applying to Eastern Horizon?"

"Well, about that…" Hyun-woo hesitated, scratching the back of his neck.

"It's a secret for now. So, you can't tell anybody… At least before the official applying day starts, alright?" Jimin squinted his eyes, hinting him to spill it already.

"I already got a scholarship offer from Eastern Horizon," Hyun-woo admitted.

"What!" Jimin's voice echoed across the quiet terrace, his jaw dropping. Hyun-woo slowly explained everything to him. By the time he finished-"That's insane…" Jimin muttered. Hyun-woo shrugged.

"Well, Congratulations," Jimin extended his arm with a smile. Hyun-woo accepted it with a grin.

"Thanks." But then, his eyes gleamed with a sudden competitive spark.

"By the way…" Hyun-woo suddenly said.

"The things Instructor Ryu has been telling me sounded quite interesting. Like how you've been improving at a ridiculous pace." Jimin's eyebrows curled. Hyun-woo grinned.

"It makes me want to fight you… Maybe we should have a duel at some point." Jimin started chuckling awkwardly. But underneath the humor, a strange feeling quietly surfaced inside him. For as long as he could remember, Hyun-woo had always been someone he chased from behind. The talented one. The one everyone admired. Deep down, there had always been a small inferiority complex buried inside his heart. But things had changed drastically in the last three months.

For the first time in his life, he didn't feel beneath Hyun-woo anymore. He felt equal. Because he had finally grown stronger. And after watching Hyun-woo fight at the arena, a tiny itch had quietly settled in his chest. A desire to find out just how far he'd come. He felt he could go head-to-head with him. Maybe even surpass him soon.

"But not now," Hyun-woo said, interrupting his thoughts. Jimin blinked.

"Hmm?"

"Let's wait until you get into an academy too," Hyun-woo added. Jimin thought about it for a moment, calming his rising excitement. There is indeed a huge level and stat-gap between us at this point. In fact, I actually stand a much better chance if we fight at a later time. When I have somewhat closed the gap.

"Alright then…" Jimin agreed, matching Hyun-woo's confident look.

"We've got ourselves a promise." They both smiled, sealing the deal with a firm handshake. Then, Jimin stretched his shoulders.

"Well, I should head downstairs now… I left Yuna alone down there," Jimin said.

"Alright, go ahead. I'll be here for a few more minutes," Hyun-woo said. Jimin nodded and headed for the terrace door. Right then- BANG! The door suddenly burst open and Yuna stumbled in.

"Huff... Huff..." she was breathing heavily as if she had just run a marathon away from a Rift boss.

"That was terrifying… I need some fresh air," she gasped. But then-"Hey! You almost knocked me unconscious," Jimin shouted. That's when Yuna noticed Jimin standing right behind the door. She exploded instantly.

"So, you were here?!" Yuna shouted back.

"And why did you leave-" She froze mid-sentence as her eyes wandered past Jimin's shoulder, noticing Hyun-woo standing back near the railing. And as their eyes met, her brain short-circuited from embarrassment. As she didn't want him to see her like that. And just like that, her soul left to fetch some cake.

"Yuna!" Jimin yelled, trying to snap her out of her trance. While Hyun-woo just stood there with a confused expression.

After a while, the three of them finally headed back downstairs together. The rest of the party went relatively well. Except for the minor detail that Instructor Seong-ho became way more frank as he got way more drunk, spouting unfiltered warrior wisdom to anyone within arm's reach. And of course, Hyun-woo's mom kept grinning, stealing amused glances at a thoroughly embarrassed Yuna from time to time. At one point, Jimin just looked at Yuna with a concerned smile. I pray for your soul, Yuna.

The party finally wrapped up at 8 o'clock. It was time to leave. So, Hyun-woo walked Jimin and Yuna to the front gate.

"Oh, right," he suddenly said.

"I'm actually free tomorrow." They looked back at him.

"So, I'll stop by the school before you guys leave for the Rift," he continued with a smile.

"Someone has to wish the future Rifters good luck." Yuna smiled. Jimin chuckled.

"Trying to act like a senior already?"

"I am your senior."

"Barely." Then-"Anyways… Good Luck for tomorrow," Hyun-woo finally concluded. For a brief moment, the three of them exchanged smiles.

"Thanks," said Jimin and Yuna in unison.

"We'll do our best." With that, Jimin and Yuna left for their homes. After reaching the orphanage, Jimin completed his usual routine. And managed to gain one last stat before his big day. [+1 PSY] A small smile formed on his face. Perfect. Soon, he went to bed. And though the excitement and anxiety for tomorrow didn't let him sleep easily, Jimin eventually closed his eyes. At dawn, Jimin was still in his bed. Because he had decided to take it easy, first thing in the morning.

So, he had skipped training, since it was a big day. Man, luxury really is just lying awake under a warm blanket doing absolutely nothing. A content smile appeared on his face as he buried himself deeper beneath the blanket for just a little longer, sleeping it away. Eventually, sunlight spilling through the window persuaded him to get up.

Later, Jimin stepped out of the orphanage fully geared up. The kids and Mrs. Han stood at the door, waving energetically and shouting.

"Good luck, Brother Jimin!"

"Come back safely!" Mrs. Han smiled warmly.

"Don't push yourself too hard." Jimin looked at all of them. His heart warmed.

"I'll come back with my license," he said with a confident smile. Waving one last time, he turned toward the road. The morning air felt crisp against his face.

"Alright…" he murmured. A grin slowly spread across his face. It's time to get my license. Nothing can stop me.