Chapter 148
Chapter 148
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: Paintball Survival: Do-yeon's Victory
"I can't shoot another me. Ugh. Just kill me and go..."
"Fine. Die then."
Thwack.
I shot Jeong Na-jun right as he wiped away his tears, knocking him out.
He'd been rolling around on the ground hugging Jeong Eun-seong just moments ago, so why was he suddenly shooting at everyone?
'The teachers are putting drinks in the winner's room at night.'
Not pizza or chicken, but risking their lives for a few 1.25-liter bottles of cola? That was the school trip for you!
"Ugh."
Jeong Na-jun groaned dramatically, clutching his chest and rolling, then grabbed Jeong Eun-seong's pant leg as he walked away.
"Eun-seong! Help me out just this once! I'm doing the talent show tonight...!"
Jeong Eun-seong, who had been ignoring him and trying to leave, glanced at me before replying curtly.
"What."
"Just wait backstage and throw me the prop when I give the signal...!"
"Why me?"
"I want a handsome assistant if possible. That's my wish...!"
"Got it."
He accepted immediately at the handsome compliment.
"You go first... I'm done for..."
I alternated glances between the smug-looking Jeong Eun-seong and Jeong Na-jun, who was filming his own drama on the ground, then moved on.
As I approached the starting point, the eliminated kids were already gathered in a cluster. Up front, Ye-su-a was stealing Lee Seo-jun's water and chugging it.
Do-yeon was there too.
I said to Jeong Eun-seong, who had followed quietly.
"Looks like it's just us two left."
"We haven't done anything."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
It felt just like a mock stock investment contest. The people who did nothing ended up in the top 3%.
I looked up at Jeong Eun-seong.
"Only one of us can be the winner..."
Are you going to kill me?
I playfully aimed my gun at him warily and took a step back. Jeong Eun-seong, with an equally playful expression, grabbed my gun barrel and pressed it to his own chest.
"Kill me and survive..."
"Yeah, sure..."
I'll drink that cola tonight in my room like soju and think of you.
That's when Do-yeon suddenly jumped up from the group of eliminated players and shot both of us.
Thwack. Thwack.
We both took a hit to the chest in perfect sync and turned to her in bewilderment. Do-yeon slung the paint gun—having used every last shot—over her shoulder and lifted her chin.
"It's not over till it's over."
"Whoa...!"
Final Winner: Woo Do-yeon.
"Alright, then the drinks our homeroom teacher promised go to Do-yeon's room later... Wait, what?! Do-yeon's room is my room?!"
I took off the helmet I'd been wearing beside Ye-su-a, who was clapping and laughing. I'd put it back on earlier when I helped Jeong Eun-seong with his, but man, it was surprisingly hot.
Do-yeon frowned upon seeing my revealed face. She turned to Jeong Eun-seong with the world's iciest expression and asked.
"Did you make her cry?"
"Huh?"
Jeong Eun-seong looked uncharacteristically flustered. I was even more shocked and elbowed him.
"It's not true, so why are you panicking! Say no!"
"No!"
"Aha..."
Do-yeon nodded and raised her empty gun.
"Die first. We can talk after."
How am I supposed to talk if I'm dead...!
Sensing something fun about to happen, the friends started swarming over with excited squeals.
"No! Jeong Eun-seong didn't do it!"
"Yeah! But it's fun, so let's kill him first!"
"Yay!"
The thrilled kids grabbed my arms and shook me around. It was ridiculous but cute. As I laughed along, suddenly...
"..."
My eyes met Seo Jae-kyeom's from across the way.
He was still in his fatigues, having been eliminated recently, staring straight at us.
Me, Jeong Eun-seong, and my friends.
Our eyes met, and he looked away.
He glanced down at his spot, then turned and headed to the changing room.
Ga-eun whispered in my ear.
"Right after the game started, Seo Jae-kyeom chased after you, but you bolted without looking back?"
"...Really?"
"Yeah. A kid from Class 1 shot at your back, and Seo Jae-kyeom blocked it with his body. That's how he got eliminated right away."
"For real?"
"Yeah. And earlier when you and Jeong Eun-seong came here, he was watching from over there."
"Oh..."
I was staring at the spot where Seo Jae-kyeom had left with a strange feeling when...
Ji-su appeared from the changing room direction.
"Hey, Da-hye!"
My friends and Jeong Eun-seong followed in confusion as I suddenly dashed over.
I blocked Ji-su's path almost at a run. She looked at me with her usual serene smile as I confronted her.
"What happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why'd you shoot Jeong Eun-seong in the face?"
Did you do that before the regression too and hurt him? In the face? Why?
'No.'
No one can know the truth about that now. This was enough.
"Jeong Eun-seong wasn't even wearing a helmet. We heard the warnings—paintballs to the face are dangerous. Why...?"
"Kang Da-hye!"
Ji-su's friends, who had run up, cut me off.
"Who do you think you are?"
They glared at me with hostility and started arguing.
Of course, my friends didn't stay quiet.
"Who are you to butt in? Did Da-hye talk to you guys?"
"Yeah, you shot Jeong Eun-seong in the face!"
"You got eliminated earlier and picked up a gun to shoot Da-hye, right? Shouldn't you start by explaining that?"
Ji-su's friends said one thing, but mine fired back ten. Hardened by the BJ incident, Do Ha-jun's mom case, and more, their verbal sparring left no room for the opponents to speak.
In the midst of it, Do-yeon asked quietly.
"Han Ji-su, did you really shoot Jeong Eun-seong in the face? On purpose?"
For a moment, Do-yeon and Ji-su's eyes met.
Ji-su, who hadn't said a word until now, reacted to Do-yeon's question. As she tilted her head slightly to respond...
"What?! You shot him in the face?!"
A booming voice interrupted.
It was our homeroom teacher, strolling over dancing with a can of cola in hand.
For the record, she said she went straight for the Class 1 homeroom teacher at the start, unloaded all her ammo like a maniac, tossed the gun, and forfeited.
Feeling refreshed, she was grooving like a drunk chief in the corner when she overheard someone talking about dangerous play and came rushing over.
The teacher's face hardened as she said.
"Ji-su, why'd you do that? Even with goggles, you avoid the face!"
Eun-seong wasn't even wearing a helmet! In her unusually stern tone—rare for our teacher—Ji-su blinked. She looked up at the teacher blankly before speaking.
"It wasn't on purpose. I was aiming for his shoulder... but my aim sucks, so I missed."
"Shoulder?"
"Yes. Kang Da-hye must have misunderstood."
But the teacher wasn't buying it.
"If your aim's bad, you should've been more careful. No matter how bad you want to win, didn't you think it was too dangerous to shoot then?"
"Whoa, Han Ji-su, that's kinda..."
Jeong Na-jun had joined in from behind at some point.
"It's obviously on purpose, but she's blaming her aim~ If you wanted to shoot him, you could've gone for the leg~ Didn't think you were such a trash person~"
"..."
"Let's play fair~"
Jeong Na-jun, pretending to be oblivious but sneakily sharp...
"Teacher! But Woo Do-yeon shot my face earlier too!"
One of Ji-su's friends chimed in late.
"Yes. My bad. Sorry."
Do-yeon apologized immediately, deflating the interruption.
Having apologized coolly, Do-yeon looked at Ji-su.
"I apologized. Your turn, Han Ji-su?"
"..."
After a pause, Ji-su slowly smiled.
"Yeah. I got a bit excited because I wanted to win."
"..."
"Sorry, Jeong Eun-seong."
"..."
"Sorry, Da-hye."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "What?!"
"That happened?!"
"No wonder. You haven't been hanging out with Han Ji-su lately."
"Why didn't you tell us!"
"Well..."
Because it's badmouthing a friend...
With reactions like this now, it'd be a disaster if they knew why we fought. I shook my head with an awkward smile.
"It's weird to tell other friends every time you fight with one. Feels like asking them to badmouth her."
"What's the point of you being loyal alone? She's probably already turned her friends against you."
Ga-eun said, arms crossed. It was during early dinner after the survival game ended.
"Like you said, Da-hye, you don't badmouth a friend to others over a little fight. If you do mention it, you soften it—'I felt upset' or 'it bothered me a bit.' Then if you make up, the badmouthing looks silly."
"But Han Ji-su's been straight-up trash-talking you."
"You still want to make up? Seems too late."
"...I."
Honestly, right now I'd love to throw a breakup declaration at her.
Not for badmouthing me, but for shooting Jeong Eun-seong in the face.
Ji-su claimed poor aim, but I knew.
'That was definitely aimed at Jeong Eun-seong's face.'
It was shocking behavior I never expected from her, but it felt like Ji-su's true feelings.
'Ji-su usually doesn't show when she's upset.'
What made you express it so blatantly?
And in such a disappointing way.
Seeing you like that, I now...
"Nah, no need to answer right now. Think it over."
"Yeah. Let's drop the headache stuff and talk fun things."
"Fun things?"
"Yeah. About the conversation you and Jeong Eun-seong had when you two were alone earlier."
"Right, you guys were together during the survival game!"
"Oh..."
Ooh.
Gyeong Se-in slammed the table with her fist, eyes sparkling.
"The person Eun-seong said he likes from truth or dare yesterday—it's you, Kang Da-hye, right?"
"What'd Jeong Eun-seong say?"
"Did he confess?"
"Uh..."
I scratched my cheek sheepishly and said.
"I don't think the person Jeong Eun-seong likes is me?"
At that, Yeon-hee—who was drawing 'Demolish the School~♡' on her tray with ketchup—turned around smoothly.
No, wait. Hear me out.
I had my reasons.
Like... what?