“Stu… What?”

Alan asked back as if dumbfounded. I couldn’t contain my excitement and anger, and words poured out rapidly.

“Are you also closing dungeons to get into the Ivy League? Is that why you’re working so hard? You distracted me on weekends, while you were closing dungeons and racking up bonus points behind my back? Didn’t your parents tell you I’m obsessed with academic credentials? Or is this some elaborate sabotage? Since college admissions are relative evaluations, were you trying to distract me to ruin our team’s performance? Just so you could get into a good college! Is that it? Is that what this is?! Answer me clearly!”

“What on earth are you talking about, Juno? You need to explain so I can understand.”

Alan hesitated for a moment, then let out a long sigh. He gently took my hand and lowered it.

But I still found it hard to accept.

The reason why Alan came to Connecticut every weekend to spend time with our family.

When I made a suspicious expression, Alan chuckled.

“I get what you mean. The college bonus points for closing dungeons, right? I don’t need those. I have no intention of going to a good college.”

“…Really?”

I took a hesitant step back, creating some distance.

“Then why are you closing dungeons so diligently?”

“Well, New York is one of the top areas for gate openings in America. Since I joined the team, I just thought we should close all the open gates.”

“Then why do you visit our house every weekend?”

“New York and Connecticut aren’t that far apart. I don’t think I’m going somewhere I shouldn’t.”

Alan trailed off for a moment.

He looked off into the distance as if holding something back, then turned back to me with a practiced smile.

“And I also wanted to see you, Juno.”

As if asking why I would even ask such a thing.

“When you secretly brought me here to say something you couldn’t before, I thought you were going to confess or something.”

“Why would I?”

“Well. Because your aunt and uncle kept hinting at it?”

“…Do you think I’m a mama’s girl? That I’d immediately like someone just because my parents picked them out?”

Alan shrugged at that.

“Of course, I never saw you as a romantic interest when we played together, but that was when we were young and you never know with these things. For now, I’m just glad to see high school Juno…”

“Stop, stop. Why are you like this too?”

Hearing Alan’s words, the excitement that had risen to the top of my head quickly cooled. Even though I grimaced, Alan continued.

“Why, don’t you remember us playing house when we were little? I was the Hulk husband and you were the Wonder Woman wife. Elder brother Timothy was just the dog we were raising…”

“I don’t remember!”

“Ah, really?”

I pushed Alan away in disgust.

“Actually, I was just joking too.”

Then he grinned and took a step. That look was strangely annoying.

“Anyway. Are we done talking? Shall we go back together?”

“…No. I’ll make a call and come back later.”

“Alright, come back soon after your call.”

After sending Alan back towards the campfire, I quietly opened his status window.

‘I didn’t have the courage to ask about this.’

I opened Alan’s character information window again, which I had looked at before.

Name: Alan Jade

Rank: S

I quietly let out a sigh.

After Alan first came to our house and returned to his hotel, I was able to view his character information alone thanks to opening his status window in advance.

And I learned an unexpected fact.

That Alan was an S-rank awakened.

“Huh? How…”

I thought he would be A-rank at best. S-rank would be difficult to awaken skills without me.

Exclusive Skill: Magic Swordsmanship (S)]

It’s not even in a locked state.

But that wasn’t the only surprising thing.

My eyes drifted once again to the last line.

* * *

After awakening, I had opened the status windows of everyone at our school, but I had never seen anyone with a title like mine.

‘Predator’, huh.

Wasn’t that an epithet usually given to sharks?

Unfortunately, the status window didn’t show how Alan had obtained such a title.

In my case, I got mine after gawking at S-rank Adrian, thinking he’d be my ticket to college. But how did Alan end up with such a title? What effect could it have?

I’m curious, but I can’t suddenly pretend to know about his title and ask how he got it.

That night, I went into the container and said to Alan,

“Sorry, but these sudden weekend visits are a bit burdensome. As you probably heard from my parents, I’m quite busy preparing for college admissions. With closing dungeons and studying, time is tight, so I’d appreciate it if you could refrain from these sudden visits. How about we only meet on special occasions?”

They say to strike while the iron is hot. Of course, I had been swept along with Alan for a month, but I wanted to stop before it was too late.

But was the timing bad?

Alan, with flour on his face, looked at me while attaching latticed bread dough to an apple pie.

He was wearing a pink apron around his neck.

“…I’m realizing this anew, but you’re really good at housework.”

Those words came out of my mouth before I knew it.

Alan not only made homemade strawberry ice cream at home, but also naturally joined in cleaning our house, doing chores together.

He looks cold with his expressionless face, but inside he’s the king of housework.

‘Anyway, his cooking skills are top-notch.’

I guess it’s a habit he developed from cleaning and cooking alone in place of his busy parents. I enjoyed the food Alan made too, of course.

But being grateful is one thing, and being uncomfortable is another matter.

I mumbled with my lips for a moment before blurting out.

“Anyway, it’s inconvenient for you to come every week like this. So could you refrain a bit? I’m a high school student and you’re a high school student… Your school’s dungeon team must be busier than ours, so you must be more tired than me.”

Alan tilted his head at that.

“Not really? I came because I wanted to.”

“…I’m saying I’m uncomfortable…”

At my words, Alan quietly wiped his face with the back of his hand. I caught a glimpse of his thick eyelashes above his downcast eyes.

“Alright. If you’re uncomfortable, then I’ll refrain from now on. I guess I was too caught up in enjoying time with your aunt and uncle after so long. I didn’t think to consider you. I’m sorry.”

I slightly relaxed my expression at his compliant answer.

I was worried I might have spoken too harshly because of my personality, but fortunately, the atmosphere didn’t turn too heavy.

I cleared my throat with an “Ahem.”

“Right, it’s not that I dislike you, it’s just that I’m busy. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to play with you. From now on, just come for really important events and we’ll see each other a few times…”

“You’re sure it’s not because you see me as a man and it makes you uncomfortable?”

“What?”

“Sorry. Your aunt and uncle keep saying things like that.”

“Don’t be ridiculous… It’s not like that!”

When I immediately got serious, Alan let out a small laugh.

Anyway… Alan promised to come only on important days.

I wanted to tell him to contact me in advance every time he comes, but that seemed too fussy.

“I guess it’s resolved well.”

For the time being, my weekends should return to normal.

After talking well with Alan over the weekend, it became a weekday again.

I walked down the school corridor, heaving a sigh of relief.

And then I bumped my nose into someone’s chest.

“Ouch, ugh…”

“Are you okay?”

As I rubbed my nose bridge and looked up, the familiar face I saw made me feel like even the remnants of morning sleepiness were washed away.

A coolly rising corner of the mouth. Dark eyes full of welcome.

Seeing that, even though it was a face I always saw, I somehow felt like it had been a long time.

‘Was I too tormented by Alan lately…?’

Victor put his hand on his waist and looked down at me with a smirk.

“You didn’t activate that skill this time. That squirrel-like skill, I mean.”

If you’re talking about ‘Extra’s Basics (A)’, it’s probabilistic so it doesn’t always activate.

Instead of explaining, I grinned and looked Victor up and down.

He was wearing a white football uniform that fit him just right, as if he had been training, and beads of sweat were forming on his tanned forehead.

After being tormented by Alan for over a month, I was now glad to deal with Victor.

At least Victor doesn’t interfere with my weekend schedule.

As I stared at him intently, Victor raised his gently curved eyebrows sharply.

“What’s with that look? Staring blankly.”

“Nothing. Just glad to see you. I’m in a good mood too.”

“Huh? Glad to see me?”

Victor’s eyes widened as if he had heard something unexpected.

“The squirrel is in a good mood? The sun must be rising in the west.”

“There you go with that again… It’s not that rare an occurrence.”

I looked Victor up and down with my arms crossed.

“By the way, you’re in football gear? Were you practicing even during lunch break?”

Come to think of it, Victor was wearing black pads stuck all over his white sportswear. The white pants and sneakers stained with dirt caught my eye belatedly.

Just those football pads on his shoulders must weigh several kilos.

Victor let out a long breath and wiped the sweat on his chin before speaking.

“No, during class time. There’s a competition coming up soon, so they’re letting us skip some classes.”

“A football competition? It’s not even fall yet?”

“It’s more of a friendly match, but since it’s with our school’s rival, we’re practicing intensively. Even college teams are coming to watch.”

“When is it?”

“This Friday.”

“Ah.”

“We can’t fall behind because of closing dungeons. Have to work even harder.”

I felt a bit guilty for taking away that practice time.

Victor, who seemed like he would leave right after exchanging a few trivial words, lingered in front of me.

When I didn’t say anything, Victor stared at me blankly for a moment before opening his mouth.

“So, about that.”

“Yes?”

Victor barely managed to pull something out of the pocket of his tight white pants.

It was a light green ticket folded a couple of times.

“Come watch if you have time.”

Victor said, as if giving in reluctantly.