I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

Chapter 43

Bzzzt!

The familiar vibration felt almost comforting now.

Standing atop a ladder, Rohan reached into the pocket of his apron while rummaging through the top shelves.

[Clara: Oppa, is it okay if I use the hot water on Monday...?]

A rare message without an emoji, giving it an impulsive air.

Of course, it was fine. The timing was a little curious, but she’d finally made her decision.

Rohan sent a quick reply confirming it was okay and resumed his task.

“This is the last copy of The Monster Fang Classification Guide by Guwol.”

“Thank you! I’ll take it right away.”

As he escorted the customer to the counter, Rohan’s mind wandered to plans for after work.

Should I stock up on snacks for her room?

He’d need to show Clara where the academy dorms were located and unlock the window for her.

Knowing Clara’s skills, scaling a wall would be no issue, and she’d slip inside quieter than a shadow.@@@@

“See you next time.”

“Thank you! Take care!”

As the last customer left, the Flower Spider Lily Bookstore returned to its usual calm.

The earlier chaos felt like a distant memory.

What was that, a lunch rush at a diner?

It was the first time the store had been that packed, but Rohan felt he’d handled it decently enough.

Phew...

Exhaling deeply, Rohan walked toward the corner where Clara and Noah were sitting.

He’d been curious the whole time about how they were doing.

“You’re both doing okay, right?”

At the sound of Rohan’s voice, the two turned to look at him, their expressions carrying their own unique smiles.

It was a pleasant sight.

“Looks like you finally got a break, huh?”

“You worked hard, Oppa...!”

Rohan figured Clara’s message might have been something she and Noah discussed, but there was no need to mention it in front of a third party.

As he casually began tidying a nearby shelf, Noah waved to get his attention.

“Hey! I just wanna ask you one thing.”

“Hmm?”

The girl sitting next to Noah immediately tensed, holding her breath.

Clara, avoiding eye contact with obvious nervousness, piqued Rohan’s curiosity.

“What is it?”

Noah, being her straightforward self, didn’t drag it out.

Her tail swayed as she asked bluntly, “Isn’t Clara really pretty? Like a doll, right?”

“...”

What kind of answer would Rohan give?

Clara, torn between hope and fear, pricked her ears to listen closely.

Rohan chuckled at the seemingly trivial question before resuming his tidying.

“What kind of question is that? Of course she’s pretty.”

“!!!”

Clara’s head shot up, her flushed cheeks now a noticeable red.

That’s the right answer, isn’t it?

Even in the brief moment it took to respond, Rohan’s mind had been a whirlwind of thoughts.

Would Clara, given her personality, feel burdened by being called pretty?

But saying otherwise—or giving a vague answer—would surely hurt her feelings.

Since she hadn’t run away and was sitting there calmly, a straightforward response seemed safe enough.

Noah and Clara, of course, had no idea how much deliberation went into that one line.

“Oh! Straightforward, huh?”

“Anything else would’ve been a lie.”

"What?!"

Clara couldn’t believe it.

From her perspective, Rohan and Noah seemed like the best of friends. Anything less didn’t seem possible.

But Rohan continued, unbothered.

"She’s naturally sociable, that’s all. We’re in the same class, but I don’t even have her number."

"I-I see..."

Oddly enough, Clara felt a strange sense of relief at his words.

The unfamiliar feeling brought a small smile to her lips.

"Didn’t you exchange numbers with Noah earlier?" Rohan asked.

"Yeah..."

"If it was forced, I’ll talk to her. Don’t feel pressured if you’re uncomfortable."

"No, that’s not it... I just don’t know how to reply to her messages..."

"Messages?"

Clara handed her phone to Rohan, showing him the freshly received text.

[Noah unnie: Rawr! ฅ՞•ع•՞ฅ]

Rohan immediately understood the problem.

Clara was fine with straightforward texts she could respond to, but something like this—a seemingly nonsensical emoji and sound effect—left her completely lost.

"She’s probably just playing around, sending that because she’s a tiger beastkin."

"Would it be okay to reply with something normal? What if there’s, like... a beastkin etiquette I don’t know about...?"

"There’s no such thing. Just reply however you want."

As Clara fumbled with her phone, hurriedly typing out her reply, Rohan waited patiently before continuing toward the market.

They picked up basic groceries and a few containers for side dishes.

Rohan also made sure to grab utensils and a cup for Clara, meticulously selecting items until they ended up with a sizable haul.

Now, with both of them carrying bags, they arrived at the academy dormitory.

"This is the men’s dorm building," Rohan said.

"Wow..."

"The entrance needs a student ID scan, and there are cameras, so you’ll have to use the window to get in. Or we could try covering you up with a big hoodie."

Clara touched the building’s exterior and tested the wall material before nodding confidently.

"I think I’ll be fine with the window..."

"Hand me the bags. I’ll go up and unlock it for you. Wait here for a bit."

Clack!

Once inside, Rohan flipped on the lights and set the bags on the floor.

He unlocked the window and slid it open, motioning to Clara below.

She climbed up silently, landing on the window sill with feline grace.

"So this is Oppa’s room..."

Clara’s eyes roamed curiously around the space, taking in every detail.

She even sniffed the air slightly with her sharp nose.

"The shoe rack’s over there," Rohan pointed out.

"Okay!"

Sitting on the sill, Clara removed her shoes and lightly hopped down, placing them neatly by the door.

"Should we eat first? I’ll show you where everything is afterward."

"I’ll do whatever you think is best, Oppa. I’m fine with anything."

"Then let’s start by washing the new cup and utensils."

As Rohan rummaged through the bags, Clara spoke softly from behind him.

"Rohan oppa."

"Yeah?"

"Since this is the men’s dorm, does that mean girls aren’t allowed in here?"

"Not just girls—outsiders in general aren’t supposed to come in."

"Huh... I see..."

Clara wandered around the room, her voice trailing off.

Sensing her presence, Rohan thought to himself that tonight might be the perfect time for a serious conversation.

For both of their sakes—and for what lay ahead.