* Name Reminder
Haphuco - The main character
Sanda - Haphuco's schoolmate
Mai - A 12 years old girl, Sanda's sidekick
Ba - The Vietnamese style restaurant owner where Haphuco is working for
Haphumi - Ba's daughter and Barami's classmate
Mayo - The city major
Barami - Mayo's daughter who Haphuco is working as a Bodyguard for.
Nara - A co-worker of Haphuco at the Hakyo Bodyguard Agency
Momo - A teacher who is a tenant inside Buido's house like Haphuco.
Hakyo - The name of the city where Haphuco is living in
Does the world Maristinanity ring any bell inside your head ?
I would expect the answer "What's the heck is Maristinanity ?!"
And that's completely reasonable as the word only appears two times in the novel until now, the first time in Chapter 4 and the second time in Chapter 9.
So I am happy to introduce it again.
Maristinanity is a cherished religion that worships Maria, known as the Mother of Humanity.
Although there is no actual image of the godness but she is considered to be the most beautiful woman in the history ( Bless the story to be adapted one day ).
Anyway, one of the core goals of the religion is to create a world without poverty. And to create a world without poverty, they consider it is their destiny to guide children to become "proper" civilians for the future.
Simply speaking : Proper civilian --> Being able to make money --> No poverty
That's why Maria High School, a school managed by the Maristinanity religion, is established. Maria High School is the big white fancy school that Haphuco always sees while walking to the Hakyo Agency in Chapter 4.
Most students here go up from the Maria Secondary School and you can tell by the name, the school is also managed by the religion.
In Chapter 9, Maristinanity has negotiated with SunShine School where Hana is studying about making the school a part of the religion educational system as their vision aligns but the result is still unknown.
As you can expect from a religious school, Religion is not only a subject but a main one in Maria Secondary and High School where students will receive and absorb teachings "from Maria".
Recently, Religion has become a side subject in a number of other schools and so the religion has taken a big step in making their teachings a part of the education for the future of children.
So why am I suddenly talking the religion ?
A vague reason is because I have something "fun" related to the religion that I want to show in the future ( Insert devil laugh )
A direct reason is because some of our characters are in Maria High School.
So take a seat and watch the show while I go recording it.
Maria High School has school bus service for any student whose house is too far from the school or simply because their parents are unfortunately too busy to carry them to school or pick them up later.
Climbing down the school bus is a girl with her red-pink color resemble the color of the flower Bara ( Rose 🌹), as referenced by Haphuco in Chapter 2, her name is Barami.
Barami at the moment looks a bit different from the Barami you guys have seen in Chapter 1.
She is wearing a pair of glasses. She is not short-sighted though, the glasses are actually designed with modern technology which is used to reduce the wearer's risk of geting short-sighted. Barami tends to wear the glasses whenever she goes to school or reads a book.
I understand the usefulness of the glasses but oh mind, she looks so different, especially when the glasses are the typical round glasses used for mysterious characters that are designed to show off something surprising later in the story.
But nah, that's unlikely.
Anyway, I am getting sidetracked, let's continue the story.
Barami walks into the school and then walks through the corridor. It's the same school that she has been studying for two years. It is now her third and final year before entering the university so everything should be familiar, isn't it.
But no because the atmosphere around her suddenly became different recently. She can feel some eyes locking on her along with these following murmurs :
"Is she the new mayor's daughter ?"
"Yeah, the media said that she is the mayor's daughter."
Ever since Mayo, Barami's father became the mayor of Hakyo City, Barami is no longer just a daughter of a politican that people normally could not careless but she is now the daughter of the face of the entire city.
As a result, the mayor's background life quickly gets more attention and becomes a delectable dish for the media to feed. Don't underestimate the media, they can effortlessly reaveal you to "naked" if they want.
And so, the identity of Mayo's only daughter is "exposed" which is Barami. And with a little more effort, the public now knows that Barami is studying in Maria High School, quite reasonable as the mayor is believed to follow the Maristianity religion. In Chapter 6, Mayo said :
Mayo : For the love of Mother, it's good that you are okay, Haphuco.
Fun Fact, "For the love of Mother" is a catchphrase of people following Maristinanity, to show their gratefulness to Mother AKA Maria, the godness who they workship.
The identity of Barami as the mayor's daughter has been exposed but the thing is that this is the only information that they can find about the mayor's family so...
"For some reason, the media did not mention anything about the mayor's wife"
"Wait, does that mean she has no mother ?"
"Is she adopted ?!"
If the daughter is the only person that the media found out who is related to the new mayor then another question arises which is
Who's the mayor's wife ?
Who's the girl's mother ?
And so, speculations easily arise. And due to the curious nature of children, discussions among students about the situation have certainly happened and that's explain the stare and the murmurs that Barami has been feeling until now.
Honestly, it is not pleasant.
Barami does not know about her mother neither. Since she was conscious about life, she is only taken care by her father...
and the servants in her house when her father is busy which is often.
But she would rather not care about that and focus on the school work which is what students are supposed to spend time on it rather than having these kinds of disscussion.
It's her last year in high school already so she has to be ready to decide which future career she wants to enter the university at the end of the school year.
Entering her class, everyone seems a bit reluctant with her appearance, possibly because of the current situation. Normally, they would just not care at all. That's her life for the last two years since she entered the school.
She is not bullied though and for the sake of my story writing mindset, there won't be no bullying theme which is commonly seen on Manhwa, Korean comics ( Bless the student life in Korea by the way ) on my story because bullies are typically trash characters and my story is definitely not a bin to hold the trash. Barami is simply too shy to communicate with other people and as an obvious result, her classmates tend to not communicate with her.
Haphumi ( Enter the class ) : HEYO EVERYONE !!!
A cheerful voice explodes from a girl entering the class. It is the class monitor Haphumi ( She would be a great friend to Hana ). Unlike Barami, Haphumi is a real sociable person, a typical extrovert. Although she is not really smart, she is energetic and talkative. Most importantly, she cares about people around her so everyone in the class adores her.
Apparently everyday after school, she would go back home and help his father serving customers at his restaurant. She is an admirable person.
Wait a minute, Haphumi,...Haphumi,...Haphu,...Haphu,...Haphuco,...
Haphuco !!
Oh, their names only differ on the last two letters, no wonder why Barami got the reference.
Haphumi ( Go to her seat after interacting with her classmates ) : "Good morning, Barami !"
Oh right, she now sits next to me now.
Barami ( Hesitant ) : Uhm...Hi...
Haphumi : Hey, recently I heard a lot of talking about you being the mayor's daughter, you know.
What's her point ?
Barami ( Sound sad ) : Some of them is not really nice...
Okay, I am aware of that
Barami ( Resoluted ) : But don't worry because we will discuss about it.
What does she mean ?
Momo ( Enter the class ) : Hi, class.
Right at that moment, Momo enters the class. Yes, the Momo who is renting an apartment inside the same house as Haphuco. She is actually the head teacher of Haphumi and Barami's class. It's time for the school day and everyone then quickly settle in their seats.
"Did you drink again last night, Momo Sensei ?" Her students ask...
Momo : You are asking a question that you have already known the answer, aren't you ?
"Don't you think you are setting up a bad example for us, Momo Sensei ?"
Momo : You kids still don't understand fully about life. Only when you are grown up that you guys can feel how hard life can hit you.
Momo : I drink booze but it's not like it's illegal or something. They help me a lot. Some of you might appreciate what I am saying now when you guys become an adult."
Barami ( Thought ) : I don't understand why people drink alcohol though. It is nothing good for your health, isn't it ?
Drinking alcohol persists because it offers short-term rewards — social, emotional, or sensory — that often outweigh distant health risks in people's minds.
Momo ( Get serious which is out of character for her ) : I would want to chit chat more but a serious matter has come to my attention and after all, I am still a teacher so I can not ignore it.
Momo ( Look at Barami ) : And the matter is related to one of our classmates, Barami !
Barami is surprised when hearing her name.
Momo : As everyone has known, Barami turns out to be the daughter of new mayor of the city.
Momo : And since that time, there has been some not really nice rumours about Barami spreading around the school that I don't fancy mentioning them here.
Momo : Whether they are trivial or not, it's the school's responsbility to not let anything outside affect the school's student.
Momo : I am sure that teachers in other classes are now warning their students about immediately stopping spreading the rumours.
Momo : For our class, as Barami is a part of the class, I would like everyone to care more about her so that she can feel...comfortable.
Haphumi ( Stand up ) : I also wants to bring this to our attention.
What is she standing up for ?
Haphumi : As the class monitor, we would like to apologize Barami for not paying enough attention to her in the class.
Haphumi : Barami is a shy person in our class but it's our fault for not helping her to break out of it.
Haphumi : Even though we have been classmates for more than two years now, it is only when this situation happens to you that we become aware of that.
Haphumi : So everyone, how's about we start itching to invite Barami to our activities from now on ?!"
...
"Nice talk, Haphumi !" A classmate responds
"That's a great idea, Haphumi !"
"Barami is the smartest in our class, isn't she ? I am down to help her ( so she can help me with my homework )
"I know what you are thinking, idiot !"
"I hope we can get along, Barami !"
Barami is speechless and a bit...emotional.
Momo ( Pleased ) : I am glad that everyone knows what they gonna do.
Momo ( Back to her tricky style ) : To be completely honest, I am not suitable with serious talking, just fun talk.
Momo ( Leave the class ) : With that being said, have another fruitful day at school, everyone !
Haphumi ( Smile ) : Let's have the most fun for this last school year, Barami !
...
It's finally over, the school day and the end of the first week coming back to school. To be honest, studying overnight would not make her feel this much tired than everything that she experienced today.
Since that discussion at the start of the day, everyone started approaching her and trying to be friendly with her. They even invite her to play sports on the PE lesson today although she could not play long due to her weak body. It was a brand-new experience to her.
Dropping off from the school bus, she is now in an area for rich people with her house, her mansion located nearby. She can see that there are still some curious eyes looking back to her as the bus moves away. Anyway, let's just walk home.
"Welcome back, Miss Barami !" The servants of the house greet her...
Barami : Will my father be home today ?
"I am afraid not, Miss Barami"
Barami : Right...
Barami's father is a dedicated person. He has always been busy with his work and he only becomes busier since he is now the mayor of the entire city. A little revealing is that on the first day Haphuco works as Barami's Bodyguard in Chapter 1, after Haphuco leaves, Barami's father could only stay with Barami for a little time before he has to leave for his work.
However, Barami knows that her father loves her and she respects her father so much for everything he is trying to do to make people lives better. That's why she always tries her best at school, earns good grades, not to impress him or anything but just so she won't make her father feel sad or concerned about her while having had so many things to consider already.
...
So before all these things happened, she planned just to spend the her last high school year the same as the first two years, studying hard, finding her future career and then prepare for the university entrance exam at the end. But with things are going, her plan needs to be changed.
Everyone is the class is being so nice to her and it would not be right to not appreciate it. However, for some reasons, she just feels too shy to even speak a word to them, not to mention having a proper conversation.
Comes to think of it, it's weird considering she speaks fine with the servants in her mansion...
and with Haphuco, the guy that is hired to be her Bodyguard.
It's Friday now so that means he will come here tomorrow like last week.
Barami still don't understand why her father would suddenly hire a Bodyguard to go to everywhere she goes on her weekend. Is this some kind of parental monitoring over their children ?
Her father said Haphuco is is quite a likeable person and from what Barami saw, he really is. Haphuco seems to emit some kind of aura of a person that you can rely on.
Barami's father also said :
Mayo : Haphuco is not much older than you so it might be easier for you two to get along and talk about things that you can understand each other.
Okay, maybe he can help...
...
[ Next day morning ]
Despite it is the weekend, Barami still wakes up early which is not something that every children do. Take Haphumi as an example, on these days, she won't wake up at least until 9. While eating the breakfast served by the servants inside the dining room, Barami enjoys reading books which is her hobby since young.
The book she is reading is Sans Famille, a popular book that that follows the journey of Rémi, a young orphan sold to a traveling musician, as he searches for family, identity, and belonging through hardship, friendship, and perseverance. It's a good book.
"Miss Barami, the guy named Haphuco has come" A servant notifies Barami
It's not 8 a.m yet, this guy is punctual.
Barami : Let's him in.
...
Haphuco : Good morning, Miss Barami.
It's Haphuco second time doing the job and he is determined to do his work well. Inside his mind, he reminds himself of the three Rules that a Bodyguard needs to strictly follows that is told by Nara Senpai on Chapter 5.
Rule Number 1 : Keep anything harmful away from the Client
Rule Number 2 : Deal with anyone with bad attention towards the Client
AND
Rule Number 3 : Protect the Client at all cost even at the cost of our life.
Haphuco : As your Bodyguard, I shall ensure your safety for the entire period of time.
Barami : Don't be so serious, you are creeping me out.
Seeing Barami speaking to him, Haphuco could not help but wonder about what Haphumi told him on Chapter 7
Haphumi : The mayor daughter, the person you are being a Bodyguard for, is actually a classmate of mine !
Haphuco : Really ! No way !
Haphumi : I know right. She is a quite person in class. I did not know that she is the mayor's daughter all along.
The Barami in front of him is not the person that Haphumi described at all. Curious, Haphuco asks :
Haphuco : Miss Barami, by any chance do you know a girl named Haphumi ?
Barami : Eh, how do you know her ?
...
Turned out that Haphuco is being the Bodyguard for Barami and also working at the restaurant of Mr.Ba who is the father of Haphumi while Barami and Haphumi are classmates. What's a coincidental connection that is definitely not set up by the author, right ?
Barami : So that's how you know Haphumi, that's wild !
Barami : She is not wrong though, at school, I am a really shy person.
Haphuco : You don't look like a shy person to me though.
Barami : I know right, I can communicate fine with the servants in my house, with the staff in the shopping stores I passed by and with you too.
Barami : But for some reasons, when it is with my classmates, my mouth just got shut out on its own.
The truth is that Barami has quite an unique characteristic which is she has no problem speaking with anyone that she unconsciously consides below her like her servants or Haphuco because he is technically a guy hired to do his job as a Bodyguard for her.
But when she speaks with her classmates which is not considered below her, she would gets so shy that she could not even say a word.
I will be honest, this is supposed to be something that you can only find in a bi*ch character who is arogant and always looks down on people but worry not, our Barami is definitely not a trash character like that.
Barami ( After telling Haphuco about what happened yesterday ) : And so the story is like that.
Barami : Haphumi and my classmates have been so nice to me so I really want to change myself to be able to communicate with them.
Barami : Do you have any idea how I can do that ?
Haphuco : ...
The truth is as mentioned but in this case, the conclusion that Haphuco got out is :
Haphuco : I guess in that case, you just need to practice going outside and talking with strangers.
Barami : Strangers ?
Haphuco : Of couse, you can't just communicate with any stranger, even I would not do that.
Haphuco : One important factor to be able to have a conversation with the strangers is to have something that they can do together.
Haphuco : Having something that you and the stranger can do together, you guys can then have a talk and eventually be acquainted with each other.
Haphuco : When that happens, the stranger is no longer the stranger anymore.
Barami : Hm, kind off my sense...
Haphuco : Therefore, let's go playing Bowling !
Barami : What ?!
...
Barami : Huh, why did I agree to this ?
And so Barami and Haphuco are now on their way to the Hakyo Shopping Mall, the place that they went to last week, using Rebu, a transportation service that provides ride-hailing services, courier services, food delivery, and freight transport.
Ever since being able to spend money on her own, Barami has come to this place for shopping on the weekends.
But today, their destination is the Bowling Alley inside the Shopping Mall.
Barami : Could you explain to me why are we going to the Bowling.
Haphuco : Bowling is something that you can play with a stranger, Miss Barami.
Haphuco : Like if you find someone that is also planning to play bowling, you can challenge them to a match and during the match you guys can have a conversation with each other.
Haphuco : That works for me when I and Sanda goes playing Bowling for the first time.
During that time, they met someone in his school who was also planning to play Bowling. They played Bowling with each other and eventually became friends. That's a story to be told one day.
Barami : Wait, who is Sanda ?
Haphuco : Oh right, he is just a friend of mine. I don't know why I am mentioning his name here.
He feels sad when he thinks about Sanda. He made a promise with him to have a Duel when they reunites but because of his situation, he could not fulfill the promise.
It's completely understandbale to see him geting so pissed off at that time.
Sorry, Sanda.
The two arrived and Haphuco comes out first to open the door for Barami.
Haphuco ( Give a hand ) : Give me your hand, Miss Barami.
Offering a hand to someone arriving in a car is a courteous gesture to assist or show respect as they exit the vehicle.
Haphuco is not wearing his usual clothes but the clothes prepared by the servants in Barami's mansion which makes him look like a butler. However, of course that he still have his "stuff" inside his body so he can respond to any "unfavourable" situation happen.
Barami ( Refuse ) : You don't need to do that, Haphuco.
Barami : Now, let's go.
Right at that time, a 22 years old but actually 19 years old man and a 12 years old girl are sitting near the shopping mall entrance. They are eating ice cream. It's Sanda and Mai.
Mai : Hey Sanda, when are we going to leave the city, the "work" is already done, isn't it ?
Sanda : ...
Sanda seems to delay the departure as he keeps thinking about the reason why Haphuco refused the Duel with him in Chapter 8.
Haphuco : Hey listen, Sanda. I can only say that I can not fight you with everything I have so if we have a Duel, it would be spoiled and that won't be a Duel anymore, right ?
Sanda ( Thought ) : Why did you say that, Haphuco ?
Sanda : Huh...
Sanda : Is that Haphuco...
Mai : Oh, and that must be the mayor's daughter, Barami.
Why are they going with each other.
Are they in that relationship ?
Like hell they are, Sanda knows what kind of person Haphuco is. That guy is oblivious to love.
So that must mean the other relationship, right ?
But if that's the case, then...
it's surprising.
Haphuco is an Assassin, isn't he ?
...
Wait...
If that's really what he is thinking, then...
And that's when Sanda has a brilliant idea to force Haphuco to have a Duel with him.
A smile is formed on his face...
End of Chapter 12 : Shy Girl
Next Chapter - Chapter 13 : Kill Zone ( End of Volume 2 )