The lunch hall buzzed with the usual midday chatter. NOVA, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR had pushed their tables together, trading stories over trays of food.
"...and then, this giant pancake monster was chasing me through the streets!" Nora threw her arms wide.
Ren, deadpan, corrected her. "It was a dream. And you were the one chasing pancakes."
"...It's impov"
While others talking to each other happily,
Ruby leaned toward Jaune. "You doing okay after earlier?"
Pyrrha added gently, "Cardin's been... unpleasant with you lately."
"What? No, he hasn't. When has he ever bullied me?" Jaune replied with a shrug.
Memories of lockers turned into missiles and swapped lunches said otherwise, but Jaune just muttered,
"He's mean to everyone. It's fine."
"You should've fight back," Hyunwoo said suddenly, not even looking up from his meal. "He's not that good."
Pyrrha gave him a sideways glance. "You've fought him?"
"Watched him. That's enough."
Before the conversation could go further, loud laughter erupted across the hall. Cardin Winchester and his team had surrounded Velvet Scarlatina, the rabbit Faunus. Cardin reached out and tugged one of her ears.
"Just checking if they're real," he said, grinning while his teammates laughed.
"What a nice scene to start a day."
Hyunwoo's expression turned cold. Without a word, he pulled out his scroll and began recording. Jaemin looked at him and smirked.
"Ohh, you're recording?"
He said, his hand grabbed a bread roll, looked at Hyunwoo with knowing eyes.
"You want to make it better?"
"Sure"
Then he hand him the bread roll, which he flicking it across the room.
Thwack.
It hit Cardin on the side of the head. He turned, eyes narrowing, scanning the room until they landed on Hyunwoo—calmly eating, scroll still in hand.
"Behave, Cardin," Hyunwoo said evenly. "Don't wanna see you kicked out of Beacon."
For a moment, Cardin just stared. His jaw flexed. His teammates glanced at each other, unsure if he'd bite back. In the end, he scoffed, muttered something under his breath, and shoved Velvet away before walking back to his table.
Hyunwoo slid his scroll back into his pocket. At the same time, Jaune feels even more down, seeing how easily he handled that.
Jaune pushed his chair back. "I'm... gonna get some air."
Hyunwoo's eyes followed him, then he spoke in a low, measured tone.
"You have enough strength to fight him, Jaune. Stop being a coward. It will hinder your true potential."
The words landed heavy in the air. Jaune froze for a second before walking away without responding.
Pyrrha looked at Hyunwoo, clearly troubled. "You don't think you were being a little harsh?"
Hyunwoo met her gaze. "Maybe. But I'm not here to make him feel comfortable—I'm here to see if he can grow."
Pyrrha watched Jaune leave, worry etched on her face. "He's not going to ask for help."
Hyunwoo didn't look at her when he spoke. "Maybe it will hurt his ego. Even so, I suggest you to not help him."
She frowned, her eyes locked into his.
"Why?"
"Don't misunderstand,you can help him, only from the side. However if he doesn't change, if he just relies on someone to protect him..." His eyes flicked briefly toward her. "...I don't think he's suited to be here."
"But you helped Velvet just now," Pyrrha said quietly.
Hyunwoo finally broke the eye contact. "I'm not helping her. She's strong—strong enough to fight back. If she threw herself into that fight now, it'd be chaos. That's what I'm stopping."
His gaze flicked to the door Jaune had left through.
"Jaune doesn't even know his own power yet— as a leader nor a fighter. If he can't handle this trial, nothing bigger is waiting for him."
Pyrrha's expression wavered between doubt and understanding.
"What if it gets worse?"
Hyunwoo's voice dropped, firm and unyielding.
"Then I step in. But that means he failed."
Pyrrha hesitated, biting her lip. "So... you really won't step in unless it's serious?"
Hyunwoo's eyes softened just a fraction. He remembered Jaune's retreating figure, noting the subtle slump in his shoulders. "I'll watch. I'll learn. I'll step in if it's necessary—but only enough to let him survive, not to carry him."
From across the table, Yang nudged Ruby, who sat beside her, a plate of food half-forgotten in front of her. "Wow, Hyunwoo, look at him—so serious about someone else's problems. You were all soft with Ruby last week, and now this?"
Ruby's cheeks warmed, and she ducked her head slightly, trying to hide her embarrassment. "I didn't—" she mumbled, glancing at Hyunwoo across the table.
Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly. The corner of his lips lifted in a faint smirk. "How do you know about that?"
Yang smirked, shrugging casually. "Ruby told me. Don't tell me you forgot she has a big mouth."
Ruby's face turned even redder. "I—I did not!" she protested, but the nervous smile betrayed her.
"Well... maybe I do have my favorites," Hyunwoo admitted, voice quiet but steady, almost teasing.
Jaemin, leaning back with his tonfas resting on his shoulders, grinned. "Favorites, huh? Guess we know who's top of the list."
Hyunwoo shot him a look, sharp but not unkind. "I notice potential. People who can act, think, and adapt under pressure—they catch my attention. and Ruby have got all three."
"Ok, Whatever you say leader."
Meanwhile, at a nearby table, Weiss leaned slightly toward Blake, whispering. "Can you believe how reckless some of them are? That's going to get someone hurt one of these days."
Blake smirked faintly, her golden eyes glinting. "They will learn eventually. Some faster than others. Hyunwoo seems... different, though. He actually thinks about the people around him."
Ruby peeked at him again, still embarrassed, but a small smile broke through. "I guess... I'm supposed to feel special, right?"
Hyunwoo's gaze flicked toward her for a brief moment, calm and measured. "You should. But it's not about being special—it's about what you do with it."
Pyrrha, still standing nearby, let out a quiet, thoughtful breath. She studied Hyunwoo, his gaze calm yet piercing, as if he were measuring the world and the people in it. "You really see potential in people, don't you?"
"I see what they're capable of," Hyunwoo replied, glancing around at the bustling cafeteria. His voice was calm but deliberate. "However it's their decision to prove me right."
The chatter and clatter of trays faded into the background, leaving only the quiet understanding between them. Team NOVA sat together, a subtle bond forming in the midst of the noise and chaos of the cafeteria
___
The next classroom buzzed with restless energy, but Jaune Arc remained slouched over his desk, head resting in his hands, barely registering the chaos around him. Professor Bartholomew Oobleck, a whirlwind of motion and words, darted from one corner of the room to the other, his coffee cup never far from his hand.
Hyunwoo sat a few rows back, calm and observant, his eyes wandered everywhere like cctv. He noted every movement—the way Oobleck darted, the students' reactions, even Cardin's mischievous glances toward Jaune. It wasn't that he didn't care; he just understood that watching, analyzing, and predicting was often more effective than jumping in immediately.
"Yes! Yes! Prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution—more popularly known as the Faunus War—" Oobleck zipped to the front of the classroom, jabbing at a sprawling map behind him. "Humankind was adamant about centralizing Faunus populations in Menagerie!"
"While this may feel like ancient history, it is imperative to remember these events are relatively recent! Why, the repercussions are still evident today! Now! Has anyone among you been subjugated or discriminated against due to your Faunus heritage?"
Several silhouetted hands went up, including Velvet's timid raise after a brief pause. Hyunwoo's gaze softened slightly. He respected those who faced their fears directly, even in small ways.
"Dreadful! Simply dreadful!" Oobleck exclaimed, zooming back and forth. "It is precisely this ignorance that breeds violence! Look at what happened to the White Fang! Now, tell me—which event do many theorize was the turning point in the third year of the War?"
Weiss's hand shot up. "The battle at Fort Castle!"
"Precisely!" Oobleck spun around, pointing at her with a flourish. "And the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?"
Unseen by the professor, Cardin flicked a paper football with deadly accuracy, smacking it against Jaune's head.
"Hey!" Jaune jerked awake.
Oobleck, zooming straight into Jaune's face, practically vibrated with energy. "Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! Excellent! What is the answer?"
Jaune squinted, glancing at the rows of faces behind Oobleck. "...The advantage... the Faunus... uh..." Pyrrha's gentle cough drew his attention, her hands cupped around her mouth in a subtle cue.
"Uhh... binoculars?" Jaune guessed, grinning proudly.
The class erupted in laughter. Hyunwoo's lips quirked, not in amusement at Jaune, but at the predictable chaos of the room. Even Cardin paused mid-snicker, while Oobleck sipped his coffee, unamused.
"Very funny, Mr. Arc! Mr. Cardin! Care to add your thoughts?" Oobleck demanded, spinning to face the smirking bully.
Cardin shrugged, cocky. "It's just easier to train an animal than a soldier."
Pyrrha's glare was sharp. "You're not the most open-minded, are you, Cardin?"
"What? Got a problem?"
"No, I have the answer!" Pyrrha interrupted. "Night vision. Many Faunus are known for nearly perfect sight in the dark."
Cardin's jaw tightened. Hyunwoo's eyes followed every subtle shift, noting the tension between the two.
Blake, eyes narrowed, leaned slightly toward him. "General Lagune was inexperienced and tried to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched and captured. Maybe if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't be remembered as a failure."
Hyunwoo's mind ticked. He observed not only their knowledge but their potential as fighters, as strategists. Every movement, every reaction, told him something about their strengths and weaknesses.
Cardin, red-faced, rose from his seat, fists clenched. "Mr. Winchester! Please sit!" Oobleck barked, though Jaune couldn't help but laugh at his tormentor's discomfort.
"You and Mr. Arc can both see me after class for extra reading," Oobleck warned, sipping his coffee again, spinning away before Jaune could respond.
Jaune slumped further, muttering, "Oohhhh..."
Hyunwoo's gaze lingered for a moment on Jaune, noting his posture, the way he hesitated to stand up to Cardin. "Not everyone sees their own strength," Hyunwoo murmured quietly, more to himself than anyone else. "Some need to learn it the hard way."
Then, with practiced calm, Hyunwoo returned his attention to the map and the class, already calculating, analyzing, preparing for the next challenge.