Chapter 158
Chapter 158
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: The Top Student Hides Her Regression
It's suspicious. Calling us all together right after school starts, like they'd been waiting for it, just to spout that nonsense. Unless it was a parent with some real pull.
The teachers' reactions were off too.
'...No. Don't jump to conclusions without evidence.'
For now, though.
I spoke to Bang Eun-ji, who had that uneasy yet relieved look on her face—like someone who'd just quit their job on impulse.
"But, Princess."
"Yeah?"
She wasn't even denying it anymore. Good attitude.
"I know you didn't mess up, and you were perfect. But just in case, if you say something like 'Ho-oak' or whatever."
"What? You're scaring me..."
"Even if it was your mistake, it'd be fine."
You know that, right? I added, shooting her a quick glance.
"Huh? Even if I messed up, why would it be fine?"
She didn't know, huh.
I elaborated to Bang Eun-ji, whose mouth hung open.
"How can anyone be perfect? As long as you're human, mistakes happen. Those kids who chewed you out earlier? They mess up too."
If you mess up, just fix it.
As long as the one who messed up doesn't brazenly go, 'Hey, everyone makes mistakes—what, you live without screwing up?' it's all good.
"They say the true experts are the ones who've made every possible mistake in their field. You grow by screwing up in all sorts of ways, right?"
"You think today's mess will make me grow...?"
"When you open your mall later, you'll handle customer complaints like a pro."
Q. I only wore it once and it ripped! Refund please!
A. Ma'am, did you buy the right size? It's not like you forced it on and ripped it yourself, right?
"...You'd really handle it like that?"
"Are you nuts? No way."
"Yeah. Feels wrong. If it's not a repeat offender on the purchase history, I'd just refund it. Throw in some socks and an apology."
"Exactly. That's why I could never run a mall, but you can."
You're steadily marching toward queenship, Princess... I gave Bang Eun-ji a Western-style bow, now so habitual it felt natural.
"Please invite me to your coronation..."
Jeong Eun-seong, who'd been trailing a few steps behind, chimed in.
"Me too."
"What?"
"Invite me too. To the coronation."
He bowed right beside me. Startled by Jeong Eun-seong suddenly swooping in, Bang Eun-ji pressed herself against the wall.
"......"
When would Bang Eun-ji get over her 'back away from handsome guys' condition?
Would she ever?
Was there a cure?
I shook my head as we passed the teachers' office. Bang Eun-ji craned her neck to peek inside, then gasped and hid behind me.
"Holy crap, what? They call me in because of you already?"
"What's wrong?"
"That guy standing in the teachers' office."
"Who?"
I peeked into the office too.
And froze.
"Damn, this sucks... I'm screwed."
"Bang Eun-ji... You know that guy?"
"Huh? Yeah. That's Han Ji-su's mom's lackey. Secretary? Subordinate? Whatever."
"...He's Han Ji-su's mom's secretary?"
"Yeah. He came to our store with Han Ji-su's mom and my mom last time."
Why? You know him too? Bang Eun-ji asked, but I couldn't answer. My mind went blank, vision spinning.
Sensing something off, Jeong Eun-seong tilted his head to look at me, but I had no spare brainpower.
That was the old man.
'How rude, not yielding to an elder!'
'Agh!'
'Oh dear, sir! The student was probably just engrossed in her book!'
'Help! Save me!'
Before regression, on the day of the college entrance exam.
The old man who'd grabbed my hair on the subway.
He was in the teachers' office right now.
And Bang Eun-ji said he was Han Ji-su's mom's secretary.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Right before regression, during my temp-to-perm internship.
I'd heard something like that at a company dinner.
"You know when's the best day to hit on a cute high school girl on the subway and not get reported?"
"When?"
"Entrance exam day."
"Huh?"
"She's heading to the exam, so she can't report it. Even if she's pissed, what can she do? Skip her exam just to screw you over?"
"Pfft! Sir, what if she gets so shocked she bombs the exam?"
"Not my problem."
"Sir, you could get caught~ The world's scary these days~"
"You guys are clueless. Ever see people break up fights on the street? They just move seats 'cause it's noisy or film it at most."
"Nah, entrance exams are different."
"And if the girl you hit on turns out to be a first- or second-year, not a senior?"
"Then you're screwed! Gotta face the music!"
"Hahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
Amid the laughing coworkers, only I and one other female employee stayed silent, exchanging grim looks—like we'd been slapped.
It felt like a knife to my gut, after I'd bombed my exam from something similar.
Still, I didn't say a word.
Because I wanted the full-time offer.
Didn't want to piss anyone off by butting in.
On the way home, pretending to be drunk, the guy who'd said it followed me out.
Asked if I had any troubles lately, told me to KakaoTalk anytime with questions, suggested we grab drinks alone sometime.
Gave me chills; I turned him down.
That's when the harassment started.
"...Kang Da-hye?"
"......"
Before regression, the man I'd thought was an old grandpa looked way younger in my memory—tall, in a sharp suit.
His hair was mostly white, face wrinkled, but not elderly.
Unlike the disheveled hair, flushed drunk face, rumpled clothes from my memory.
But it was definitely him.
That old man.
I suddenly froze in front of the teachers' office, so Bang Eun-ji and Jeong Eun-seong stopped too. As Jeong Eun-seong, face serious, reached for my hand—
The man, shaking hands with Class 1's homeroom teacher like business concluded, stepped out.
Our eyes met; he flinched.
He stared at me blankly for a moment, then spoke.
"Student, here for the office?"
"......"
"Student...?"
My lackluster reaction made him shrug and brush past. Jeong Eun-seong, who'd been glued to my side, glaring like he'd pounce if needed, asked:
"What's up? You know that guy?"
"Yeah, Kang Da-hye. What's wrong?"
No answer from me, so Jeong Eun-seong and Bang Eun-ji exchanged looks.
I barely snapped out of it, rubbing my face.
"Nothing. Really... just."
Calm down.
He doesn't know me.
If he did, he'd have said something like, 'You're Ji-su's friend?' But he called me 'student.'
He has no idea who I am.
So that day too, he just didn't know who I was.
The sloppy clothes? Probably off-duty or vacation.
Coincidence.
I forced a smile at Jeong Eun-seong and Bang Eun-ji.
"Suddenly starving."
"What?!"
"Like, insanely hungry... Want some tteokbokki."
"Damn, you scared me!"
Bang Eun-ji laughed and punched my shoulder.
"Whoa, I was freaking out. Thought that guy was here for me. Guess not. Didn't even glance my way."
Then why was he here? As Bang Eun-ji pondered, Jeong Eun-seong, now serious-faced, said, "Gonna hit the canteen quick," and headed down.
Legs weak, I carefully returned to class to avoid tripping on the stairs.
First thing, I sought out Seo Jae-kyeom.
"Seo Jae-kyeom."
"Yeah?"
"Any chance... among the people who work with Han Ji-su's mom."
"Han Ji-su's mom?"
"Yeah. Tall guy, late 170s maybe, white hair, wrinkles by his eyes..."
"Oh, the manager?"
"...You know him?"
"Of course."
Seo Jae-kyeom explained he'd seen him a few times when his mom got dinner invites to their house.
"Not like a chief of staff or anything. More like he handles personal stuff? Mom probably knows him too. The guy with super white hair. Thought it was bleached at first."
"Ah... Got it."
Seo Jae-kyeom knew the old man—no, the guy.
I was close with Ji-su but our families didn't mingle, so I hadn't known.
So he wouldn't know me either.
Makes sense. If he did, he never would've...
"But why the guy?"
"Oh... Thought I saw him in the office earlier. But he didn't recognize me. Just walked by."
"Huh? No, he knows you."
"...He does?"