CPT 5

Episode 5

At the very least, she had meant to say:

“You’re just… a hassle to deal with.”

—She really had.

Damn language barrier. Because English wasn’t her native tongue, she’d ended up saying something completely different.

“Ha…”

Yuha let out a faint sigh.

Annoying. Now I feel guilty, too.

If she was going to realize her mistake, she should’ve done it right then—this was like a delayed attack.

After sitting upright and taking a few deep breaths, she finally calmed down. In a way, maybe because she’d spoken harshly, “that guy” might’ve been able to accept it more easily.

What’s done is done.

She pushed away the tangle of thoughts quickly and cleanly. There was no taking back what she’d said—and besides, from now on they were going to pretend the other didn’t exist anyway.

“Just forget it.”

Maybe she could secretly help him later if a chance came up.

Muttering softly, Yuha closed her eyes tight. Between fatigue and the lingering alcohol, sleep hovered close. After a brief bout of self-reproach, she drifted into a deep, quiet slumber—
until the great bell of the Everett Clock Tower rang to announce the morning.

British mornings were gray at least eight times out of ten. Yuha, silencing the bright violin ringtone of her alarm, turned her heavy eyes toward the window.

Today, unusually, the sky was—of course not clear and sunny, but wrapped as always in a soft gray fog that blanketed Dunfield.

Rubbing the back of her neck, Yuha stretched.

The autumn air brushing her cheek felt far too cool, making her want to stay cocooned in her blanket forever. But after wiggling her toes a few times under the covers, she gathered her willpower and climbed out of bed.

She had two things to do today: open a foreigner’s bank account at Lloyds, and attend the Freshers’ Fair.

Thanks to showing up before opening time, opening the account went quickly and smoothly.

The banker double-checked twice, asking if her nationality was really ROK and not DPRK. That part was kind of funny.

“If I were DPRK, wouldn’t that make me related to the dictator or something?”

To which the banker replied, perfectly deadpan,

“If you were DPRK, you wouldn’t be able to open an account, ma’am.”

Not the most entertaining answer. After confirming multiple times that she was indeed South Korean, the process went on without a hitch.

From opening the account to receiving her debit card, everything was wrapped up within an hour.

Yuha thanked the teller and stepped outside, light-footed. The soft morning sunlight was struggling to chase away Dunfield’s gray hue.

What should I eat for breakfast?

She paused under the black horse logo of the bank, mulling over a very Korean question.

The Everett College main dining hall served breakfast only until 10:00 a.m.—and it was already 10:15.

Meaning breakfast was long gone.

After a moment’s thought, Yuha crossed the street and entered Pret A Manger, grabbing a chicken pesto wrap and a green smoothie.

Her plan: return to the dorm, rest after lunch, then head to the fair around 3 p.m.

Her college sister, Daisy—also a first-year majoring in history—had messaged that her younger brother, Peter, had arrived in Dunfield and invited her to dinner.

She replied yes to meeting at the college gate at six, and before she knew it, it was time to leave.

Throwing on her coat, Yuha hurried off toward the town hall where the fair was being held.

It was crowded—not just with Everett students but freshers from other colleges too, befitting an event hosted by Dunfield University itself.

Still, she managed to choose a line wisely and got in quickly.

After touring both the fair and the club exhibition thoroughly, she was about to leave when someone by the back door handed her a fairly large package.

“Are you a new student?”

“Yes.”

“May I ask which college?”

“Everett.”

“Oh, Everett! That’s the college that produced several of the ‘Legends of Dunfield.’”

“‘Legends of Dunfield?’”

She’d heard that phrase somewhere before…

At her question, the man smiled broadly, like he’d been waiting for someone to ask.

Since there were no other students coming out just then, Yuha got a friendly and detailed explanation.

“The ‘Legends of Dunfield’ are students who leave their names forever in the university’s history.”

“Like prime ministers?”

“Ha, no—something way less boring than that.”

“…?”

“For example, someone who jumped into the fountain drunk, or threw their shoe at the main dining hall chandelier. That’s what it takes to become a legend. And funnily enough, both were from Everitt College.”

Threw a shoe at that beautiful chandelier…?

Hugging the package, Yuha shook her head. The man laughed heartily at her reaction.

“I’m never becoming a legend.”

“Hahaha! Fair enough. Have a fun and model student life!”

“Thank you.”

As a new crowd of students spilled out the back door, Yuha waved goodbye and walked off.

The shortcut from the town hall to her dorm was quiet and a little secluded—a narrow path between old brown brick walls.

As she walked, she peeked inside the package: a badge, pen, notepad with the Dunfield University crest, and some practical everyday items.

While rummaging, her finger caught on a small plastic packet.

“What’s this?”

Inside was a small, round object. Turning it over in her hand, she suddenly realized what it was—and burst out laughing.

“Wow, that’s insane…”

They give out condoms at British universities?!
If this happened at a Korean university, it’d be on the news immediately.

Cultural shock of the day.

Still chuckling, she was about to put the condom back in the bag when—

she heard footsteps ahead. Startled, she shoved it into the package like lightning. No way was she getting caught holding that on the street.

But when she looked up, she instantly regretted it—she wanted to bite her lip and squeeze her eyes shut.

Because leaning casually against the wall ahead was a rather troublesome person.

Geoffrey Hester.

His expression was tense, eyes sharp with wariness. His shirt collar was rumpled, his cap pulled low—
and more than anything, there was a prickly, irritable air about him.

Gone was his usual neat precision, replaced by a nervous, wild edge.

Something must’ve happened…

Yuha looked him over from head to toe, then quickly averted her gaze.

Jeffrey Hester’s gray eyes were stabbing at her cheek like needles. Yuha did her best to ignore him.

You don’t like me? I don’t like you either.

Honestly, this was the last person she wanted to bump into—especially here, in this narrow alley.

And definitely not while holding a condom in her hand.

He didn’t see it. He couldn’t have.

He’d better not have.

Hugging the package tightly, she started to walk past him. Just as she was about to circle around and go on her way, his dry, indifferent voice caught her ankle.

“You won’t be able to get back into the dorm right now. It’s a mess over there.”

“A mess? What kind of mess?”

His lips curved faintly—half self-mockery, half smirk.

Yuha checked the time on her phone.

“Fine, let’s say it is a mess. How long before it’s sorted out?”

“You actually believe me?”

What’s with that tone?

Why did it sound like he was picking a fight…
Then again, come to think of it, he was the kind of guy who’d pick a fight out of nowhere.

Yuha frowned slightly.