Chapter 92 – Later Story – Haru
“You’re very busy with the orchard these days, Lope-kun, right?”
“It’s my first time doing it, so I’m clumsy. But I should get used to it quickly.”
“Actually, Lope-kun is still at the age of attending the academy. Do you have any plans to enter the academy now?”
“I’m fine. Rather than that, I want to do one person’s share.”
“Humans strangely have such an obsession. There’s no need for that.”
The principal looked at me with a warm smile. But that smile didn’t last long. She put on the most pensive expression I’ve ever seen, then she opened her mouth heavily.
“Then let’s get to the main point. You already know why I brought Lope-kun here, right?”
“Yes. It was a matter related to Haru.”
“…Eup. Ugh.”
“I want to say again and again that I’m sorry for calling you while I’m busy. But it’s beyond the level of warning.”
“I understand. I know Haru’s personality well.”
“Eup… Uh…”
“…So I’m telling you, can you loosen that muzzle? He really hates being stuffy.”
“Eup! Eup!”
Haru strongly agreed with my words and waved his arms. But her rector restrained her with her stern gaze.
“No. It was you who broke the promise, Ms. Haru.”
“Eup! Eup!”
“Not an hour, just 30 minutes. I asked you to stay still during that time, but you couldn’t stand it, and you made trouble. If you take off that muzzle, I’ll take the most serious action I can take. You know?”
“…”
Only then did Haru stop her arm. Of course, that didn’t mean he calmed down, so he burrowed into the sofa with a heartbroken expression on his face.
Seeing this, the principal let out a deep sigh. He felt as if the lines on his face were more drawn than when he first saw them. I don’t know if this expression is correct for the elf, but since Haru entered the school, she has been growing old day by day.
“Then let’s talk in earnest now. What kind of situation Haru-yang is in these days.”
“I think you’re putting too much weight on it. He’s a nice guy even if he’s a little loud.”
“At first, I tried to understand it as just a cultural difference between races, but I couldn’t. Haru definitely went too far.”
“We don’t talk about that at home.”
“Then let me tell you one by one. I’m not criticizing you, so don’t worry. I’m just giving you the facts.”
She opened one of the cabinets behind her. From the names written on each drawer, she seemed to have information about the academy students. Because each student has different characteristics, each student had a different size, but among them, there was a drawer that boasted an overwhelming amount.
Of course, the name of Haru was written on it. After the rector picked up an armful of papers, almost half of them remained. While I, already tired of the scale, pressed my forehead, she began to read the writing on her paper slowly.
“11 times of being late without notice. 5 times of leaving without notice.”
“It seems like he left on time and came back on time.”
“And 2 unauthorized school trips.”
“What is unauthorized school attendance?”
“On the Sabbath, I incited my classmates to occupy the academy without permission and hold a running contest, even inside the classroom.”
“Um…So what rank was it?”
“Lope-kun. There’s still a lot left besides that.”
The president couldn’t help but take out his glasses. He couldn’t even imagine how stressed he was that an elf needed glasses.
“There are more than 10 cases in which the teacher pointed out that I was habitually talking or sleeping during class. That’s why even the reports came in to me.”
“Is there any possibility of confusion? Haru always closes his eyes, so it’s hard to tell the difference between sleeping and sleeping.”
“There are 10 cases of snoring that have been pointed out. In addition, 7 cases of non-compliance with teacher orders. 5 cases of violation of school rules.”
“Well… Life at the academy is a bit of a deviation…”
“15 cases of violation of facility usage rules. 3 cases of vandalism. 6 cases of prohibited items.”
“Hmm…”
“There was even a time when they brought and sold raw water, claiming it was dragon’s tears. Regardless of the authenticity, it is a serious violation of school rules for a student to sell something at the academy. Lope-kun.”
At this point, I had nothing more to say. Seeing my embarrassing expression, the president let out a deep sigh.
“To be honest, I don’t intend to criticize Haru too much. Causing trouble means, in a way, that you are adjusting well to this life. If you create such a lively atmosphere, it will be easier for other human students to adapt.”
“I see. Haru’s actions aren’t necessarily so bad.”
“But the problem is that you’re too adaptable. Too much of anything overflows.”
“That’s… I’ll try to solve it somehow.”
“No. I think I’ve exceeded that level. A simple admonition is not enough.”
“…!”
At the words of the president, this time I raised my head for a day. I too looked at her with her slightly nervous expression.
“That means…”
“I didn’t want to do this either, but I can’t just let this go. All the teachers agreed.”
“President. Can’t you just give me one chance?”
“The decision has already been made. It may be a bit harsh, but in the name of one name, I, the president of the academy, to guarantee the freedom and learning rights of other students…”
“…”
The president took a deep breath and looked at Haru. Then, with a voice full of authority, he delivered a heavy sentence.
“…For Miss Haru, we’ll move the vacation one week forward.”
“No dear!!!”
At that moment, Haru could not stand it any longer and took off the plug on her mouth and screamed desperately. The president also had a serious expression, but only I did not understand and tilted my head. In the end, I couldn’t join their mood and cautiously opened my mouth.
“Advancement of vacation. Does that mean suspension?”
“Suspension or expulsion is a punishment that is only given when there is violence. In cases like this, it is usually ordered to volunteer in the school, but I don’t think it will mean anything. Rather, they will be happy to come to the academy without taking classes.”
“Aha…”
“That’s why we decided to start vacation a little earlier, only for Haru-san. There won’t be any disadvantages to her grades with this punishment. It’s just that she has to spend time at home without going to school for a week.”
“I see. Thank you for your merciful treatment, President…”
“How merciful! Where is such a cruel punishment, senior!”
But then, Haru screamed and jumped forward. If I hadn’t grabbed his arm, he’d almost be hugged by the president.
“President, please look at that! We have a really important match tomorrow! I was going to flatten the ears of the elves this time!”
“Again… This time? Looting the food storage? Or secretly pulling the teacher’s hair?”
“Close your eyes and run obstacles.”
“Isn’t that too advantageous for only one person?”
“That’s why it’s more important! It might be my only chance to win!”
“Then that’s even better. I’m going to have to make it official tomorrow, instead of specifically for class. Minus the amount of the day, of course. You let your classmates think about what they did wrong at home while they enjoy their academy life. OK?”
“Such… Such a…”
“If you sneak out, it’s a real suspension this time. You know, Ms. Haru?”
“Aaaaa!!!”
One day, he scratched his head and became irritable. I grabbed him by the waist and forced him to stand up.
“Thank you for your merciful treatment, President. I’ll talk about the rest.”
“Yes, Lope-kun. It’s really hard.”
“The President is having a harder time. Hey, Haru. You should say hello quickly…”
“No! No! It’s illegal! It’s illegal in the name of the great Emperor!”
“Oh my God. Next time, bring His Majesty the Emperor. Miss Haru. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Ahh! Please, President!”
“Goodbye Haru-kun. Lope-kun. Then we’ll see you in three months.”
“Aww!”
The guy resisted, holding on to the doorway until the end. Then he let out a final scream as he slipped out the door.
“If you can’t do it, let me eat the school lunch!”
Haru, who had been screaming until he left the academy, finally stopped talking after a long time. Around the time the sound of his vigorous breathing died down, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Did you scream?”
“…I’m done. I’m going to die of hunger because of that.”
“Be patient. Saya will prepare you something delicious when you get home.”
“I’m saying this because we’re together, but unnie’s cooking is really bad.”
“You were the one who only ate leaves until a year ago. Please understand.”
“I’m sure there are things even elves can’t do.”
We sighed at the same time, spitting out the burnt taste of the meat we had tasted last night. It was the result of a half-elf who was full of motivation but lacking in skills. Even so, the sincerity was so great that the aftertaste of it still lingered in my mouth.
“Anyway, I’m mad, so please carry me home. I have no strength in my legs.”
“Is it good to go to the academy like that?”
“Of course. I feel like I’ve lost everything I’ve ever lived.”
“Then take classes properly. Looking at the report card, it’s a spectacle.”
“Well… Taking classes is still not fun.”
Haru smiled and skillfully fixed his position on the back. He seems to have gotten used to living on one arm.
“It’s fun to play with people. The kids and the professors are like that. At the academy over there, I was treated as an outcast, but here they just think of me as a fun kid, so I’m happy that I can do anything I want.”
“Is that why you’re messing around like that?”
“You think it just makes the academy more lively. The kids here live too rigidly. At first, they came to me and asked me about human medical technology and welfare policies for the disabled. So I It taught me how to live properly.”
“Somehow. Other parents keep coming and telling me that. These days, kids don’t study and just play.”
“That’s society right, isn’t it?”
I couldn’t bear to refute it. Because I know better than anyone how the academy, which only valued practicality and skills, worked. So even though I knew I had to blame it to some extent, I couldn’t.
In the end, I couldn’t tell you to study a little this time. Instead, clichéd requests flowed out.
“Okay, just don’t disturb the class. The professors are in trouble.”
“But they say they’re sad if I’m not there. Rather, how about seniors entering the academy as well? Ah, then, since I’m a senior, the genealogy is so twisted.”
“Is that what you want after all?”
“You know I’m joking. It’s because I think it would be more fun if I had to live with my seniors. As the president said, it’s time for both of you to still be students.”
“Other people say that, but you know. That the time has passed for me.”
“What… Is that so…”
Haru also couldn’t refute my words and blurted out the end. And then I raised my head to the sky that I couldn’t even see. The sky that could not be reflected in the eyes carried the clear light in the wind and sent it to the tip of Haru’s nose. The fresh energy spread to my stomach as well.
When I was enjoying the wind like that, I felt as if the sweat drops I had shed all day disappeared in an instant. This green land always gave me a different taste just by walking on it. Sometimes work ended early, so it felt like a kind of break to go home for the day.
But today, the direction of the steps was a little different. Haru also asked in a questionable voice if he had felt that.
“Um…But senpai. Is it okay to go home here? Something’s a little strange.”
“Why is the scenery different from usual?”
“Yes. I can’t see the usual rhinos and giraffes, and even the sky full of aurora… Shit, I’m kidding. What’s the point again?”
“Well. Maybe what you think is right.”
“Yes? What… I can’t.”
The boy sighed as if he had foreboding something. Then he grabbed my shoulder tightly.
“Senior. I said I was fine.”
“I know. But the professors said it. I wonder if you can’t concentrate because you’re uncomfortable in class.”
“It’s not like that, it’s just because I don’t have the brain to study. You know.”
“I don’t know. And above all, you can’t go on like this forever.”
“I’ve gotten used to it enough to get used to it. So I…”
“I know why. But Haru.”
“…”
“It’ll be more comfortable with a prosthetic arm, though.”
The wind died down for a moment, and the calm atmosphere subsided in an instant. It was like this every time I brought up this story from a week ago. I kept persuading Haru and he kept rejecting me for some reason.
No, in fact, I knew what the reason was. So I couldn’t bear to push through to the end. The weight of the concept of a prosthetic hand must be even greater for Haru.
But even so, I couldn’t leave it like that forever. If the wound is not sutured, the cold wind will seep in through the hole. If you do that, the pain will continue to spread without a chance to form scars.
…
And most of all, I couldn’t just watch him whimper with one arm pretending to be normal on an uncomfortable subject.
“Think about it again Haru. Anyway, two arms are better than one.”
“It would be rather inconvenient if the missing thing came back. I know it best.”
“They say the elves don’t have any side effects. It’s not that heavy.”
“It would be if the only weight it supported was physical.”
It’s always a sunny day, but sometimes there were times when my thoughts were too deep compared to my peers. I’ve been through so much that whatever happens here at the academy may look like child’s play.
So it may be that you keep looking for stimulation and causing trouble.
But today, I was also somewhat determined. Looking up, I saw the place I had already promised with the elves. I continued to shake my head as if I had noticed that to some extent throughout the day.
“Even if I put it on, it will only be uncomfortable. I’m sure it will be.”
“Then try it for a while. They say it doesn’t matter if you put it on and take it off right away.”
“And I don’t think it was made for elves. How would they know human bodies?”
“It’s the other way round. They said that it was originally made for humans and then developed so that elves could use it. Rather, the basic form is tailored to the human body.”
“Then it must be very expensive. I’d rather eat something delicious with that money.”
“How much can I not use for you?”
Haru’s stubbornness was also broken for a moment at the carelessly thrown word. I also continued to speak in a slightly subdued voice.
“Who made your arms like that?”
“Don’t talk like that. If you put it like that, who am I to be here?”
“You know that applies to all of us.”
“That’s why it’s even more troublesome. If you persist until the end, there will be no end.”
“Day.”
I paused and exhaled deeply. And then he gave one last word.
“Even if you know you can’t shake it off, you have to try.”
“…”
“And if you have a prosthetic arm, won’t the part where you can win against the elves increase at least one?”
…
“Ha… Indeed…”
A sigh escaped from the mouth of the silent Haru. It somehow felt like a core of resentment coming out. And, as if that feeling was not wrong, Haru eventually broke down his stubbornness and nodded his head.
“Okay damn it. Maybe I should try it. If you don’t like it, you can take it off.”
“Thank you for understanding. Then let’s start the procedure right away.”
“Yeah. Then right away…Wait, Baro? Like this, with no room for relaxation?”
“Who knows if you’ll be capricious again if you wait.”
“No, but…”
The guy opened his mouth in bewilderment, but everything was already ready. Looking at the elf doctor walking from the other side, I casually greeted him.
“Oh, hello sir. We’re a little late, aren’t we?”
“No. You’re on time, Mr. Lope. Then shall we begin?”
“Yes, please start without delay.”
“What? Wait…!”
My doctor and I put our struggling day straight on the operating table. The touch of cold metal on his back instantly stiffened him, and in the meantime, the elves busily moved to prepare for surgery. I hesitated a little, then took a small step back.
“Um…Then should I go out, sir? I’ll get in the way…”
“No. There’s no need for that. It’ll be over soon.”
“Slitting and stitching…Doesn’t it have to be like that?”
“It’s only a prosthetic arm. Well, Mr. Lope, please stand next to the patient and keep reassuring him. It will sting a little. More than that, his name is Miss Haru, right?”
“Yes.”
“It’s an unusual name. When I first heard it, I thought it was an elf.”
She nodded her head nonchalantly and walked towards the people. It was only then that I began to have a slight curiosity and leaned toward Haru.
“Come to think of it, that’s true. The name Haru is unusual.”
“Does that matter now? Damn I was tricked!”
“If you start something, you can finish it in one fell swoop. Anyway, that’s why your parents gave it to you? With an elf name?”
“I don’t think so. Those indifferent humans.”
Haru took deep breaths to see if he was still nervous. Then she answered in a barely trembling voice.
“I named it myself. Named after the only elf I know.”
“Is there an elf you know other than Saya?”
“Then I sang elves and elves songs all the time without any connection.”
“I’ve never met you before.”
“Because I was unconscious at the time. Didn’t I tell you about this?”
It was a bit of an interesting story to tell loosely like this. So I knelt down on the floor and listened.
“I told you about it. My mom and dad bullied me terribly. One day it was so bad that I almost died. I’ve been beating people for almost three hours, so that’s what it is. The last time they kicked me in the head. Consciousness was blown away.”
“Because crazy people are locked up.”
“But when I woke up the next day, I was lying in an inn room, not in a coffin. It was a top-notch facility that I could never dream of. When I asked the owner, he said that an unknown woman had taken me there and left.”
“What about your parents?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since.”
There was no emotion in Haru’s voice as he talked about his parents. It seems that worn-out wounds have eventually become embedded in the skin.
“So I asked him if he hadn’t heard his name, and he said it was a day. But I don’t know if that’s his real name or not. Maybe he just asked me to sleep for a day.”
“Hmm.”
“But at least he wasn’t an ordinary person. He left quite a lot of money in his room, and it’s safe to say that no one in that area could afford that kind of money. Besides, the futon smelled quite fragrant. I’ve never smelled it before. It was the scent of flowers.”
“So you thought it was an elf?”
“Looking at the circumstances, isn’t it right? An elf passing by couldn’t stand the ugliness of the humans and intervened. But he couldn’t intervene anymore, so he did his best and left. Of course, I don’t know if that’s true. .There was only one way to check.”
“Meeting the elf in person.”
“I’ve been forgetting about it for a while. I don’t know if I should start looking for it sooner or later. I wonder if there really is an elf named Haru. If there is, I should at least give him a hug, expressing my gratitude for the past.”
As we talked, Haru was smiling as if the tension was relieved. He must have had only one good memory in his unhappy childhood. That’s why he must have lived his whole life under a name that he didn’t even know existed.
But after hearing the story, I suddenly became curious about one thing. As I watched the elves approaching with prosthetic arms, I implied a question.
“Then, it means that you have a different real name. Do you have a hidden identity?”
“There is no such thing. Originally, the name was so bad that I hid it. My mother made it really dirty and rough.”
“What?”
“Well…I don’t mean to hide it…But don’t make fun of me.”
One day, after a little hesitation, he whispered a name in my ear. I tried to hold it in, but when I heard it, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What. Is it real?”
“They named me that because the day I was born was my mom’s birthday. So I just named it after what I saw in front of her. It’s so absurd.”
“So you sang to say you want to eat it all the time?”
“It has nothing to do with that. Anyway, don’t call me by that name! It really annoys me.”
“Okay.”
At first, he nodded. However, I couldn’t stand it when I thought of the feelings he must have felt every time he spit out that name. So, in the end, I added a word without hesitation.
“It’s a really crude name. I get it, Cake.”
“Ah, really, don’t do it…!”
“Then I’ll attach it.”
The moment Haru woke up screaming, a doctor came over and attached a prosthetic arm to his arm. Immediately, a shriek escaped from the boy’s mouth.
“Aaaaagh! What the fuck!”
“Surgery is over. Thank you for your hard work.”
“Uh… Is this the end?”
“I told you. It’s simple. Then, would you like to move?”
The teacher smiled softly, but one day, as if the pain had not gone away, her tears welled up and she sighed. However, her prosthetic arm immediately got up and began to flinch, as if her effect was certain.
“Sir… Really… Ignorant…”
“It’s ridiculous. I didn’t expect it to be like this.”
“That’s right. Where are the people who handle things so ignorantly?”
“No, the technology is amazing. As soon as I put it on, it’s moving right now.”
“Because this person is not normal either…”
Haru shook his head at my reaction and slowly rose from the operating table. Then she squeezed her fist into the connected prosthetic arm.
“Hmm…”
“Oh…”
Haru and I exclaimed exclamation at the surprisingly smooth movement. He had been stubbornly rejecting it for so long, but when he got his arm back, it seemed strange.
But he didn’t look happy. One day, after wiggling his arm for a long time, he spat out a word.
“At least it doesn’t smell fishy.”
“…I know.”
“It doesn’t even creak.”
“…”
“I said it for no reason. It ruined the atmosphere.”
An indescribable metallic smell crossed his nose. Haru raised his arm, which had been moving little by little, to the sky and lightly frowned at her.
“Your words are right.”
“…”
“At least, you should try.”
While reviewing my words, Haru showed a slightly relieved expression. I don’t know what thoughts were stirring inside him, but for a long time he messed with my hand.
Then, suddenly, he held out his hand towards me. He naturally clasped his hand, and his cold metal fingers moved softly and intertwined between the gaps in his hand.
“The stuff is fine. When I use it, I don’t feel any discomfort.”
“The Elves are truly amazing.”
“But there is a problem with this.”
“Is there a problem?”
“Ah, don’t panic. It’s not my problem, it’s your problem.”
“What is that… Ugh.”
At that moment, Haru’s fingers became more and more powerful. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get his hand out. Only then did I smile dejectedly and raise my head.
“Under…”
“If you do this, you will become the weakest person in our family.”
“You Mr. Lee…”
“Why. Come now.”
One day, I grabbed my finger so hard that it turned red. Then, with his usual mischievous smile, he lifted her chin slightly.
“This, it seems that you made a mistake, right?”
