Seoul Dragon

“Are you going to open it?”
“I’ll open it. Hey, Hangyeol, why are you nervous about just opening the department lounge door?”
“Come on, this isn’t an ordinary situation. I’m also looking forward to seeing everyone’s surprised reactions.”
“What’s there to be surprised about… just open it already.”
Clunk. The sound of the door opening was heard, and the students inside the lounge turned to look our way.
Judging by the many unfamiliar faces, it seemed like there were a lot of freshmen from the class of 2018.
“Uh…?”
And my classmate, Han Taehoon. He seemed to be sitting comfortably in the lounge, exchanging jokes with juniors, but his eyes widened when he saw me entering with Hangyeol.
“Hey, Hangyeol. Who’s that woman behind you?”
“Hey, Yoon Seohyun, you explain.”
“…Yoon Seohyun? Wait a minute. That rough-looking guy is this person next to you?”
“Sorry for looking rough, Han Taehoon. I was shocked too when I woke up looking like this.”
The only classmate in the lounge was Han Taehoon. Jo Minhyuk and Heo Jihwan had just entered the lecture hall, he said.
“Wow, shit… I was really surprised. What are those horns?”
“Dragon horns.”
“So that dragon-type mutant circulating on the internet was you?”
“Yep.”
“The one who strikes lightning?”
“I can use fire too. Want to see?”
“Oh… Show me. That’s interesting.”
I slightly raised my fingertip. Since too much firepower would be dangerous, just a small flame like a candle.
Whoosh.
Seeing the small flame burning at my fingertip, the eyes of Taehoon and the freshmen widened.
“Wow…”
“Hey, is that all the firepower you can produce?”
“Of course not. At maximum power, this whole building would burn down. I’m controlling it at minimum.”
“Senior, you could use fire too?”
“Yes. This feels more like the main ability than lightning? Lightning requires preparation time to use, but fire can be used right away as long as I roughly control the power.”
“Wouldn’t it have been better to just shoot fire when subduing that minotaur-type mutant?”
“Getting burned doesn’t make someone pass out. The doctor told me that tasers work on mutants, which means electricity works… Well, something like that?”
“I see.”
“But Seohyun, how do you know Sihyun and Suyeon?”
“I met Junior Sihyun when I caught the minotaur-type mutant… and I got to know Junior Suyeon as she became friends with Sihyun.”
“Sihyun?”
When I mentioned being involved with Sihyun, one of the juniors asked with curiosity.
Sihyun nodded and spoke to her classmate.
“Oh, yes. I almost died, but Senior Seohyun saved me. She appeared suddenly, threw the minotaur aside, struck it with lightning, and disappeared. It was like watching a superhero movie protagonist.”
Sihyun summarized that incident very briefly. After hearing this, Taehoon looked at me and asked incredulously.
“But why are you still speaking formally to her?”
“How can you know me for so many years and still not understand me?”
“Ah, right. This guy was voluntarily asocial. I forgot for a moment because of your appearance. Still, it’s good that you’ve at least gotten to know some juniors. Kids, this is my classmate Yoon Seohyun. You’ve seen him briefly during the freshman orientation, right? Isn’t the power of mutation amazing? Someone who looked so rough now turned into someone beautiful enough to slap a celebrity’s face twice.”
“Ah, haha…”
The juniors were clearly expressing their awkwardness at Taehoon’s words.
Still, they couldn’t hide the curiosity that appeared on their faces, as their eyes were all sparkling.
My changed appearance was probably contributing to that.
My previous face… well, it was too rough.
It was a level of appearance that forbade human approach.
A complete transformation, literally.
“You all look curious, so feel free to ask if you have any questions.”
“If you’re a dragon, do you have wings too?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Wow… Could you show us?”
“I can’t. I can do other things, but that’s a bit…”
“Is there a specific reason?”
“My clothes would tear. Unless I wear clothes with the back cut out, they’d get all tattered… I don’t want to bring them out, and more importantly, they’re about 4 meters long, so there’s not enough space here. Everything would probably break and it would be a disaster.”
“Wow… They’re that big?”
“Yeah. I accidentally brought out my wings at home once and got scolded by my younger sister.”
“How does it feel to change from a man to a woman?”
“It’s uncomfortable. And… I feel wronged. If this had happened just two years earlier, I wouldn’t have had to go to the military.”
“Ah…”
“Speaking of which, do you still have reserve force training?”
“No, they exempted me from it.”
“That makes me quite envious…”
“If you’re jealous, become a mutant yourself.”
“Stop it. I like being ordinary. By the way, aren’t you getting recruitment calls from science and engineering universities?”
“Why, for experiments?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a bit… I’d rather not be treated as a test subject.”
“Senior, are you coming to the department opening assembly?”
“Yes. Even though it’s late, I want to try getting involved with the department activities.”
“You? Did becoming a mutant completely change you?”
“Well… With the perception of mutants being so shattered, I feel like I’ll be more exhausted later if I don’t do this.”
“Why?”
“If I don’t prove that I’m a safe mutant, won’t more people become anxious just because a mutant is attending school? Then I’d eventually have to hide everything. Even now, until just a moment ago, I was wearing black color contacts and a hat.”
“…That must have been uncomfortable. Oh right, do you get drunk?”
“I don’t. Alcohol just automatically breaks down when it enters my system.”
“Wow… I shouldn’t have a drinking contest with you. The person who used to be the weakest drinker among third-years has now become the strongest.”
“You know I’ve stopped drinking for a long time, right?”
“Well, still, if you go to the opening assembly, people will come to you with drinks. You can’t refuse every time, right?”
“That’s true… But I don’t really want to drink soju. Oh, juniors here, are you coming to the opening assembly too? If so, please give me beer instead. Soju doesn’t taste good.”
“Sure!”
“Also, if you ever feel threatened by a mutant or anything like that, send me a message and I’ll help. I’m quite strong, you know.”
“Speaking of which, they say mutants who take longer to transform are stronger. How strong are you?”
“Um… should I show you? Hangyeol, do you have a coin?”
“Here.”
I crushed the 100-won coin with my finger. The coin didn’t just fold in half, but a hole opened right in the center.
“Wow… I really shouldn’t mess with you.”
“Hangyeol said the same thing earlier. But I’m barely using any strength…”
“How much could you do if you used your maximum?”
“I don’t know? I can’t gauge where my limit is.”
“That’s terrifying.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t intend to use force on people. Unless they’re mutants who cross the line.”
“That’s a relief. By the way, won’t reporters come to interview you at university?”
“I’m not sure.”
“These days, it seems like broadcasts are interviewing safer mutants… With you walking around like this, rumors will spread quickly, and they might come to interview you soon.”
“If they come… well, I think I’d accept an interview. I want to emphasize that I’m safe. There are many mutants who are well-integrated into daily life, and I hate that we suffer because of the few who cause trouble.”
“That’s a good idea. Hey, if you get interviewed, can I appear on screen too?”
“Why you?”
“I think it would be fun to appear on the news once.”
“…I really can’t figure you out.”
“That’s my charm. Oh, kids. Sorry. I got carried away talking to my classmate after a long time. Get his number at the opening assembly later and ask him to buy you food.”
“Hey, Taehoon. This guy Yoon Seohyun has terrible sense. When he said he’d treat Suyeon and Sihyun to a meal, I wondered where he’d take them, but he went straight to the university cafeteria.”
“Really?”
“I had to get to class right after, so I couldn’t go far. That’s why I said I’d treat them again.”
“When will you ever become a proper person.”
Taehoon clicked his tongue while looking at me. Really… that bastard Yoo Hangyeol, I didn’t expect him to tattle like that.
What would the juniors think of me?
“Being human is already gone. I’m a dragon now.”
“Ah, right. Anyway, you guys should get close to him and take him around. He’s a nice person, but his social skills are a bit lacking.”
“Hey, are you in a position to criticize my social skills? You’re the one who talked nonsense at the freshman orientation, got on the seniors’ bad side, and made all of us get gathered.”
“At least I became a proper person later.”
“Geez. Anyway, everyone, he’s just as crazy as I am, so don’t just look at me with those strange eyes. Got it? I’ll buy you something expensive if you get my number at the opening assembly, so don’t misunderstand that I’m a senior who only buys cafeteria food.”
“Haha! Okay!”
“Oh, Seohyun. Don’t you have a lecture soon?”
“Oh, it’s already that time. Hangyeol, are you taking Dialectology?”
“I am. Anyone else taking it separately? Doesn’t seem like it.”
“Then let’s go. We need to grab seats in the back.”
“Hey, you’ll stand out anyway because of your horns.”
“I just prefer sitting in the back, that’s all.”

“Wow, damn. I was really surprised. That was some surprise.”
“Us too.”
“I wasn’t the only one surprised, right? By the way, what do you think of Seohyun?”
“He seems like a good person.”
“Right? You should become good friends with him. He’s a genuine person. He’s the type who always helps others first when things get difficult. Like he said earlier, I made a mistake in my freshman year and got called in by seniors.”
“Yes.”
“Does anyone know the details?”
“We’ve only heard the general story. Something about turning the department upside down.”
“He used to look really rough, so the seniors generally didn’t mess with him. He was really intimidating. You know how some people have a natural build and frame even without exercising? He was exactly like that. Like someone who should have gone to the physical education department ended up in Korean Literature. But I was still pretty weak back then.”
“You, Oppa?”
“Yeah. Anyway, there were some really nasty people back then. Humans who have graduated now. I couldn’t understand how a university like Hanguk still had that kind of military-like hazing culture. But apparently, Yoon Seohyun found it creepily disgusting too. When I was about to get hit over some trivial issue, Yoon Seohyun blocked it and glared at the senior like he was going to kill him. Oh, let me show you his pre-mutation photo. Look at this. Can you imagine the murderous intent in the eyes of someone who looked like this?”
“Wow… I might get folded in half if I messed with him.”
Nam Suyeon said while looking at the photo of Seohyun that Taehoon showed.
“Exactly. There was this absolute scum of a senior back then, and he said to that senior, ‘You fucking bastard.'”
“Really!?”
“Yeah. Honestly, I’ve never heard such a murderous ‘you fucking bastard’ in my life. And then he spoke to the seniors as if they were truly pathetic. He asked if playing pseudo-military games was all they could do after entering a prestigious Korean university. So the senior hit him, right? Because his pride was hurt.”
“Yes.”
“He took a few hits, then just beat the hell out of that senior. Even though other seniors tried to stop him, his eyes had turned wild and he was really savage. I think that senior was out for 8 weeks of treatment? He was really good at fighting.”
“Wow.”
“After that, all the hazing culture disappeared from our department. The teaching assistants really shielded him, especially Teacher Shin Jeongmin. That’s why our class never messes with Teacher Shin Jeongmin. He was the one who took care of us the most when we were isolated.”
“I see…”
“Anyway, he’s a really good person. He builds strong walls against people, but once you cross that wall and enter his fence, he becomes unlimitedly generous. So hang around him at the opening assembly. He has good reactions, so it’s fun to watch his responses.”
“But aren’t seniors bothered that Seohyun became a woman? With looks like that, wouldn’t men’s eyes roll back?”
At Suyeon’s words, Taehoon spoke as if she was talking nonsense.
“We spent years with him in his pre-mutation form, how could we feel that way? Besides, even after changing, Yoon Seohyun is still Yoon Seohyun. Our attitude towards him won’t change just because his appearance changed.”
“I envy that kind of relationship.”
“We had an environment where we couldn’t help but become close. Anyway, get along well with him from now on.”
“Yes!”
Sihyun answered to Taehoon’s words.