Professor Lena’s Home
"I’m sorry, Professor, for barging into your house like this."
The first thing I did was lower my head slightly, aiming for a gentlemanly gesture.
They say if you want to make a good impression on a woman, you should act like a gentleman. The more nervous you are, the worse your chances.
...And judging by the subtle change in her expression, my plan was working.
Just to be clear—I wasn’t trying to flirt or anything. I just wanted to ensure a smooth academy life.
Professor Lena gave me a small, reassuring smile and shook her head.
"Oh, no need to apologize. If anything, I should be the one saying sorry. I was the one who insisted you come here instead of heading straight to the dorms. I just wanted to make sure you were settling in alright."
Her voice was gentle, almost motherly, which made the guilt twinge a little sharper in my chest.
Because I wasn’t here just to "settle in."
I had my own reasons.
Still, I gave her a small smile, doing my best to look appreciative.
"Even so, I appreciate your hospitality."
I glanced around the living room as I said it.
It was neat—too neat, in fact. Like the kind of place that was kept clean not because people lived in it, but because it rarely saw any real activity. A few photos hung on the wall. Most of them were academy-related—graduation ceremonies, field teams, award ceremonies. Not a single family photo in sight.
Fitting, I suppose.
Lena wasn’t the type to dwell on things like that.
"Please, have a seat," she said, gesturing toward the low table in the center of the room.
I obeyed, sitting down with practiced grace. Not too formal, not too relaxed. Just enough to show I respected her while maintaining a sense of calm confidence.
"You must be hungry. Let’s eat first. What would you like?"
I blinked. "Wait... you’re cooking?"
"Of course. Cooking is my specialty."
I already knew that.
Her best dish was chicken fried rice.
"Then... is chicken fried rice okay?"
As soon as I said it, I realized my mistake.
Professor Lena’s hand stilled for a fraction of a second. Her gaze sharpened ever so slightly before she composed herself.
"...You like chicken fried rice?"
Shit.
I forced a casual nod. "Uh, yeah. Why? Is that weird?"
She tilted her head, studying me again.
Then, just as quickly, she smiled.
"No, not at all."
Crisis averted.
But I knew exactly why she reacted that way.
Chicken fried rice had been her younger brother’s favorite meal. He had been frail and sickly, but he used to light up whenever she made it for him. After his passing, she rarely cooked it anymore.
Not because she didn’t like it—
But because it hurt too much.
To her, it wasn’t just food. It was a memory.
One too vivid. One too heavy.
So for me to mention it, casually, without prompt...
It struck a chord.
And that one-second pause, that faint flicker of surprise in her eyes—
That was all I needed to confirm it.
I’d messed up.
By asking for it so casually, I must’ve stirred up something painful.
I clenched my fists.
I need to be more careful.
"Excuse me, Cadet Rin Evans."
"Yes?"
"If you don’t mind, can we drop the formalities?"
I blinked. "Uh... sure?"
"And if possible," she hesitated slightly, her voice softer, "could you just call me Lena?"
That caught me off guard.
Calling her "secret friend" in my head was one thing, but addressing her so casually felt... a bit much.
She must have sensed my hesitation because she let out a light chuckle and shook her head.
"Oh dear, what am I saying? I’m sorry. I must have lost my mind for a moment."
I opened my mouth to say something but stopped myself.
Now that I thought about it... her brother would have been old enough to enter the academy this year.
Maybe, for just a moment, she saw a little bit of him in me.
But still, that wasn’t a good sign.
In World’s Greatest Hero, there was a Chapter titled [Unforgettable Tragedy], where Professor Lena revealed her past to her students during a mock battle exam gone wrong.
A A-rank monster had infiltrated the arena.
The faculty were too slow to intervene.
And when it lunged for a student, Lena didn’t hesitate.
She jumped in between.
Took the hit.
Shattered three ribs in the process.
Collapsed on the field.
And yet—even while bleeding out—she smiled.
Not out of pride or defiance, but grief.
Because in that moment, she wasn’t saving a student.
She was trying to save her brother.
The one she had failed.
The one whose face she still saw in certain smiles... certain glances... certain careless requests for chicken fried rice.
I remembered reading that Chapter.
And I remembered what followed.
She opened up for the first time.
Told the class about her past.
How she once believed effort could overcome anything.
How she used to think that if she just worked hard enough, she’d eventually be able to protect everyone.
But then her brother died.
And her world collapsed.
And she realized—sometimes, it doesn’t matter how hard you try.
The world doesn’t care.
Talent decides everything.
That moment changed her.
It didn’t break her—but it hardened her in ways most people didn’t see.
She still smiled.
Still taught.
Still helped others grow.
But deep down, she never forgave herself for what happened.
That was why...
That was why I had to be careful.
Too much closeness, too soon, and I risked becoming another ghost in her life.
Another memory she couldn’t let go of.
Another person she’d try to save and lose.
Her brother had been frail, just like me, but unlike me, he had a strong sense of justice.
Anyways, There was no mistake.
She was thinking of me as her dead younger brother.
...But that was wrong.
And she knew it too.
I might joke around and call her my "secret friend," but we couldn’t become family.
I wouldn’t—couldn’t—take her brother’s place.
By now, she probably knew what I was thinking. She must have just been subconsciously reminded of him.
"...If calling me by my name feels too awkward, then how about something more natural?" She hesitated, then smiled. "Like ’big sis’?"
Professor, I think that would be even more difficult...
I froze.
A beat passed.
Then two.
"Big... sis?" I repeated slowly, as if the words were in a foreign language.
Lena laughed softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, clearly trying to play it off as a joke. But I saw it—that flash of vulnerability in her eyes. It wasn’t entirely a joke.
She was lonely.
That much was obvious.
A brilliant, accomplished A-rank who spent her evenings alone in a pristine house with no photos of family, no signs of company, and memories sharp enough to slice through time.
She missed him.
And somehow, in her heart, a part of her wanted to relive the days when she still had someone to cook for. Someone to scold when they forgot to take their medicine. Someone to smile at over a bowl of chicken fried rice.
But I wasn’t her brother.
And I couldn’t let her pretend otherwise.
So I smiled, carefully, gently—enough to soften the weight of my words.
"I... think I’ll stick to ’Professor’ for now."
Lena blinked.
Then let out a breathy laugh, brushing it off with an exaggerated shrug. "Fair enough. It was a weird suggestion, huh?"
I shook my head. "Not weird. Just... maybe too soon."
That seemed to land better.
The air between us settled into something quieter, more sincere.
Still, I was kind of feeling awkward.
I couldn’t sleep well that night, thanks to her bringing up the ’big sis’ thing again after I came out of the shower.
Of course, I slept on the sofa.
...It was a bit of a waste.
***
The Morning After
The first thing I felt when I woke up was a dull ache in my back.
Sleeping on a sofa wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but it wasn’t great either. I stretched my arms with a groan, trying to shake off the stiffness.
The faint scent of food lingered in the air—warm, savory, and unmistakably homemade.
I turned my head and saw Professor Lena—no, Lena—setting the table.
"You’re awake?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder with a small smile.
I nodded, rubbing my eyes. "Yeah... morning."
Her expression softened. "Good morning."
I sat up and ran a hand through my hair, glancing toward the table. A plate of steaming chicken fried rice sat in the center, along with a small bowl of soup and some side dishes.
"...You really made it?"
Lena chuckled. "You asked for it, didn’t you?"
I hesitated.
After what happened last night, I thought she might avoid making it. But instead, she cooked it as if nothing had happened.
Was this her way of saying she was fine? Or was she just pretending?
She pulled out a chair and motioned for me to sit. "Come on, eat before it gets cold."
I walked over and sat down, eyeing the dish. The presentation was perfect—each grain of rice coated evenly in sauce, garnished lightly with green onions and a fried egg on top.
Lena sat across from me, resting her chin on her hand. "Try it."
I picked up the spoon, scooped a bite, and put it in my mouth.
...Damn.
It was really good.
The balance of flavors, the texture—everything was spot on. It was obvious how much care went into making it.
I swallowed and glanced up at her. "It’s delicious."
She smiled. "I’m glad."
For a moment, we ate in silence. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, but rather a quiet, peaceful one.
...And just like that after eating the breakfast, I withdraw myself from her house after giving my gratitude to her and headed towards the Velcrest Academy.
While leaving her house I could see that she wanted me say the word ’big sis’ to her but like I said it was wrong.
"Anyway, let’s head to Velcrest Academy."