Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: Confrontation with Ji-su
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“What?!”
The kids passing by glanced at me in shock from the corner of the hallway.
“Are you insane?!”
Bang Eun-ji, looking deflated, mumbled excuses.
“It wasn’t that bad... Han Ji-su might not even know her mom said that to me.”
“Not that bad? I saw how it was that day.”
“The hitting... that was my mom. Their mom didn’t even touch me.”
She just watched. Bang Eun-ji’s face flushed red as she said it. But I didn’t think this was something for her to be embarrassed about.
Her mom, the one who hit her, should be the embarrassed one. Why should Eun-ji be?
You didn’t do anything wrong.
“It’s true. Ji-su’s mom just stared at me.”
“That’s even worse.”
It’s basically the same as siccing her on me, but letting someone else swing while she watched from behind. Even if Eun-ji’s mom unexpectedly went to hit her, shouldn’t she have stopped it?
My impression of Ji-su’s mom—which had been that she was a bit strict but not a bad person—shattered.
Ha. I sighed and asked,
“Did you tell Ji-su?”
That her mom went all the way to someone else’s parents’ business just because she joined the same club.
I phrased it as a question, but I already knew.
‘Ji-su definitely knows. She’s the one who must have told her mom that Eun-ji joined the same club in the first place.’
How else would Ji-su’s mom have known?
Ji-su knows her mom’s personality. She knew full well Eun-ji would get in trouble, but the moment she told her anyway, Ji-su can’t escape responsibility.
“Ha...”
I sighed for the umpteenth time and rubbed my forehead.
No, I get it. Parents don’t want their kids hanging with bad influences. No matter how much Eun-ji’s changed, to that lady, she’s still a delinquent. I think Eun-ji has to bear that.
‘But this...’
Eun-ji didn’t bully Ji-su or anything. She just joined the same club, and for that, violence was unleashed on a kid. In the most cowardly way.
Using their adult authority.
Just because she stood out. Stay away.
So who’s the delinquent now?
“I’m absolutely not telling you this to drive a wedge between you and Ji-su...”
Eun-ji, seeing my hardened expression, hemmed and hawed.
“I know I should quit the drama club... but I already switched clubs once... and club activities end in a few months anyway.”
“...What are you talking about?”
“You and Ji-su are best friends.”
“So?”
“But now that things are like this between me and Ji-su...”
“What are you saying?”
You think because I’m friends with Ji-su, I’ll automatically side with her and ignore you? Seriously?
“You couldn’t tell me until now because you were worried about that?”
“...”
Wow.
“Hey. Bang Eun-ji. You’re my friend too.”
And even if you weren’t, in a situation where victim and perpetrator are clear, I wouldn’t just take one side.
“...Sniff...”
“Don’t cry now...”
Even pretending otherwise, she must have been really upset about this. I hugged the suddenly sobbing Eun-ji and patted her back. No tissues today, so I wiped her tears with my hand and asked,
“Don’t you want an apology from Ji-su?”
“No!”
Eun-ji waved her hands frantically.
“I can’t cause more trouble here.”
“Got it.”
How do I handle this? Frowning in frustration, I opened my mouth.
“Ji-su probably...”
“What about me?”
I turned at the soft voice chiming in.
Ji-su, walking with Jeong Eun-seong from down the hall, smiled as she looked back and forth between me and Eun-ji.
“Da-hye, can I be honest with you?”
“Of course.”
After class, we sat face-to-face on the bleachers by the field. We’d sent all our friends away—just the two of us.
Even Jeong Eun-seong and Seo Jae-kyeom, who usually came right over after class, backed off quietly when they saw my expression wasn’t great.
Ji-su, clasping her pale hands on her knees, chose her words.
“Honestly... I feel uncomfortable around Bang Eun-ji.”
“...”
“Anyone would, right? She was a delinquent. Sure, she’s changed now, but that’s just because she ran out of friends to hang with... She used to bully people. I don’t think it’s fair to blame me for keeping my distance.”
“Yeah.”
“I tried not to show it for your sake... but then she followed you into the drama club. And she kept talking to me... My mom was worried too. Kids are so scary these days.”
“I see.”
But Ji-su, your mom didn’t just worry.
The fact that Eun-ji was a delinquent doesn’t justify your mom harassing her.
Seeing me listen quietly, Ji-su took my hand. Like right after regression when she told me not to get close to Woo Do-yeon.
“I get that you can’t ignore her because your situations are similar, Da-hye. But you and Eun-ji are different.”
“How? Grades?”
“Grades too... You know.”
“No idea.”
I really don’t, Ji-su.
She sighed and said,
“Your innate temperaments are different.”
“...”
“Eun-ji’s lazy, doesn’t try to escape her circumstances like you do, and—not to be mean, but her head isn’t on our level... But you and I are different.”
“...”
Would 18-year-old me have agreed with Ji-su?
Ex-delinquent, aspiring teen mom and dad, bad at studies, always causing trouble.
Would I have lumped all of Eun-ji’s traits on her personally, drawn a line saying ‘she’s different from us,’ and been happy to be grouped with Ji-su instead?
But having lived to 29, I can’t agree.
If I’d been born into a family like yours, Ji-su, I wouldn’t have ended up grabbed by the hair by some random old man on the subway on test day. If it happened, I’d have retaken it. Worst case, studied abroad.
I wouldn’t have struggled over TOEIC fees, scrambling desperately. I’d have focused comfortably on my goals and run toward success.
But I couldn’t. No matter how hard I tried, it didn’t work.
The idea that personal effort overcomes a tilted playing field is a lie.
Especially from someone who’s benefited like you, Ji-su? That’s arrogance.
I slowly pulled my hand away from Ji-su’s tense gaze.
“Ji-su. I know you work hard. I respect and acknowledge your effort. But saying Eun-ji’s different from us... I can’t agree.”
That studying thing? In a different environment, Eun-ji might have outdone us.
Mistaking environmental differences for talent differences is delusion. A delusion of fairness.
“Even conceding a hundred times, adults might think that way. It was the era when dragons rose from mud puddles, they say. But we can’t inherit that mindset.”
“...”
“Like you said, I work hard. Not just hard—I do well, and I have the will to escape my environment.”
Having lived a bleak future, I know the despair of those playing an unfair game.
And now, with this miraculous second chance, I’ve seen the world change a bit from my actions.
If this much change from my modest efforts, what would happen with more people acting more boldly?
“I’ll keep working hard, and after succeeding... I’ll fight to fix the unfairness I’ve faced.”
I might fail again, tumble down without succeeding—but I’ll climb that ladder ahead of me with all I’ve got.
And on the path I climb, I’ll install elevators, not ladders.
So the next generation doesn’t feel my misery.
That’s my responsibility to the world that sent me back.
“And Eun-ji has the same potential as me. Maybe even more.”
“...”
“Ji-su.”
I said to Ji-su, who wore a strange expression.
“You’re my best friend, I like you... and I respect your opinions. But I can’t agree with what you said today.”
“...”
“If you’re as smart as you say, you should understand this difference. And.”
I swallowed.
“What you said today is dodging the point. Whether she’s like us or not, what does it matter? If she’s different, it’s okay to hit her?”
I’m mad at you for doing this and not even realizing it’s wrong.
“I want you to reflect and apologize. If you consider me a friend.”
“...”
Ji-su never answered.
It’s hard to disagree with a friend when you know it’ll strain things.
But I had to.
No regrets.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “Haaaa...”
“What’s with Da-hye sighing like that?”
I thought it was Jae-kyeom with that earth-shattering sigh. I glanced up at the joking student teacher. He flinched when our eyes met.
“Uh, uh. Doesn’t mean you should get too close to me.”
“...Teacher, why are you like this lately?”
“Like what?”
“You’re so distant with me.”
Like he’ll die if we touch. At my suspicious look, the student teacher crossed his arms.
“I think I’ve done a lot of things that could be misunderstood before. From now on, I’m sticking to the principle of no sitting together regardless of gender.”
“...”
Is this the Joseon era?
Should I pay tutoring fees in coins? One Sangpyeong Tongbo?
“Anyway. What’s the worry?”
“Hm.”