Chapter 159
Chapter 159
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: He Already Knew Me
"You know me? That uncle?"
"Huh? Uh..."
"You sure?! How?!"
"Well."
Seo Jae-kyeom rolled his eyes, flustered by my intense reaction.
"When was it again?"
He furrowed his brow, carefully choosing his words to be as accurate as possible.
"Back in our third year of middle school, that uncle came to school to drop off art supplies for Han Ji-su. We bumped into each other in the hallway... and that's when he mentioned you."
"......"
"He said he saw you heading to school on the way over and wanted to stop you to ask if you'd buy the supplies for her since he'd give you the money."
"Ah..."
I had absolutely no memory of it.
"But you looked at him like he was some kidnapper and bolted the second he tried to hand you the money. He said you ran so fast he couldn't even catch you."
"......"
"He still had to deliver the supplies for Han Ji-su, but the person who usually picks her up was at the hospital that day... So he had to come all the way to school himself for something urgent."
"......"
"It was so ridiculous, I still remember it. Like, you're not Han Ji-su's maid—why say something like that so shamelessly?"
He crossed his arms, scoffing at the memory. If the supplies hadn't come, they could've just borrowed for a day.
"He recognized you enough on the street to call you over, right? So he knows your face."
"......"
"I'm telling you this straight—it's not because I like you now. I thought the same back then. That uncle was spouting some seriously shady stuff like it was nothing. I've got proof. I even wrote it in my diary."
Seo Jae-kyeom glanced at me after finishing.
"I don't remember the exact date, but if I check my diary at home, we'll know. I can tell my mom and—"
"......"
He knows me.
He already knew me back in our third year of middle school.
That's before my regression—a fixed point that didn't change.
= That uncle knows me even now.
......But why did he do it?
Why did he ruin my CSAT?
And why did he pretend not to know me today?
Because I fought with Han Ji-su?
Or,
Is he plotting to sabotage me from now until next year's CSAT?
"Wait. I'll call my mom right—"
"No, it's fine."
I snapped out of it and grabbed Seo Jae-kyeom's wrist.
"It's not something we need to pin down that precisely. But."
I looked up at Seo Jae-kyeom, who was now openly making those wide, puppy-dog eyes without even trying to hide it.
"Seo Jae-kyeom, you keep a diary?"
You?
He cleared his throat awkwardly under my suspicious, distrustful gaze.
"Yeah. I'm a surprisingly sentimental guy."
You're not a guy—you're a boy.
"But is it okay to just show it to your mom like that?"
"Absolutely not. She usually freaks out if she even steps into my room."
"Then?"
"I wanted to tell you as soon as possible."
To show his diary to his mom just for that reason...
You really like me, huh.
"A transfer student like her probably doesn't keep a diary. She's probably illiterate anyway."
"Illiterate? That's slander."
"No. You saw her stumbling over her own opinion last time. That's basically illiterate—"
"Kang Da-hye!"
Some people just can't be helped. The illiterate one burst through the front door, shoving a bag of spicy rice cake-flavored snacks into my arms.
"No rice cakes at the canteen."
"It's snacks!"
Gyeong Se-in, who was busy decorating the inside of her locker with merch and photocards of her favorite idol, whipped around with sparkling eyes.
Jeong Eun-seong, beaming proudly, handed out snacks to Gyeong Se-in and the others too.
"None for you."
And a final jab at Seo Jae-kyeom.
"Lee Seo-jun, I'll toss it—catch it in your mouth!"
"Okay...!"
Ye-su-a ordering something weird and Lee Seo-jun obeying like a trained seal.
"Me too!"
Jeong Na-jun rushing over.
I couldn't help but laugh at the classroom erupting in chaos over a few snack bags, but inside, I was still a mess.
He knew me.
So why did he target me that day?
My outfit was completely different.
I looked like a retired old geezer, no one would doubt it.
Disguised, obviously.
Why?
...Deliberately. Targeting me.
Targeting me.
He knew our family was poor, that we couldn't afford a retake.
He knew I only had one shot.
Deliberately.
To ruin me...
"Oh, Lee Seo-jun~ ...Huh? Kang Da!"
"Kang Da-hye!"
"Da-hye!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Of course, I didn't faint in shock in the middle of the classroom or anything dramatic like that.
I'm perfectly healthy.
I don't faint...
I don't faint that easily...
The kids yelling my name in surprise was because Gyeong Se-in, who was bouncing around trying to catch snacks in her mouth like Lee Seo-jun, elbowed me in the stomach.
"Kang Da!"
Gyeong Se-in startled, trying to hug my head, Jeong Eun-seong pinching my nose with two fingers like I'd bumped it and forcing my head down, Seo Jae-kyeom spinning in circles beside us...
"Kids! What’s going on... Super...?!"
Even our homeroom teacher, who danced in and froze in shock.
The commotion made me forget about that uncle for a brief moment.
And starting the next day, I got sick.
"Kkiiing..."
"Don't be sick, Kang Da..."
"Is it because Gyeong Se-in hit you yesterday...?"
My friends fussed around me as I lay weakly slumped over my desk.
That "kkiiing" was from Gyeong Se-in, terrified she'd actually hurt me.
I wanted to tell her no, but my throat hurt too much to speak, and swallowing was agony. I just weakly waved my hand. My head was spinning with fever.
Is this what frustration sickness feels like...?
"Kang Da..."
"Don't die..."
"Yeah... if you're gonna die, do it in 80 years..."
"Give a eulogy at my funeral first, then die..."
"Guys..."
Is this worrying? Really?
I wanted to laugh, but I didn't have the energy. Even the warm yuzu tea they got from the canteen kept making my stomach churn.
Do-yeon whispered something to Ye-su-a after seeing how awful I looked. Soon, Seo Jae-kyeom came over and pulled me up.
"Get up, Kang Da-hye. Let's go to the nurse."
"No..."
I need to listen to class and take notes...
"Do-yeon's taking notes for you."
"Still no..."
I need to hear the lesson myself and absorb it...
"You need medicine at least."
"I took some... Gyeong Se-in gave it to me earlier..."
"Then go lie down. Sleep it off."
"After class..."
I'm sick because of that uncle—if I skip class too, I'll have lost to him again this life. I don't want that...
Seo Jae-kyeom sighed at my stubbornness. Jeong Eun-seong had appeared beside us at some point.
The two who got along so well in times like this exchanged glances.
"Fine. We'll go during the most useless period. Deal? It's next anyway."
"What is it again...?"
"Geography."
"Ah..."
Right... Geography...
Skipping might actually help more...
-Frustration Fighter Yoon Sang-heon Acrostic-
Yoon: Sang-heon... you are
Sang: the worst old-timey person who could
Hon: be a teacher.
Cough cough! Hack hack!
"I still need notes though..."
He's crumbling from age, but he still makes the tests...
"Jeong Eun-seong's taking responsibility for notes."
"Really...?"
"Kang Da-hye... what's with that suspicious look...?"
He clenched his fist, swearing he'd take notes with his life on the line. The others chimed in.
"We'll take good notes too. We'll combine them and show you."
"M-Me too!"
Even Lee Seo-jun.
I half-reluctantly nodded.
Yeah, dozing off in class and getting a knuckle rap from Geography would be the end of me.
Even without that, listening to his nonsense in this state might make my fever spike and knock me out. Nurse's office it is.
As soon as I agreed, Seo Jae-kyeom hoisted me onto his back.
"Take good care of Da-hye..."
"No vibrations at all—moonwalk her down..."
"Take the elevator..."
My friends shoved my phone into my hand.
"See you."
Jeong Eun-seong hesitated, then brushed his hand over my forehead. It was sweaty and gross, but he didn't flinch.
"I wanna take you, but if a bad student skips, Geography flips out even more."
His self-aware grasp of his grades made me laugh despite the pain.
Seo Jae-kyeom hurried me along as I chuckled and coughed.
"Let's go."
"Ugh..."
I, Kang Da-hye...
Am skipping class for the first time in my life.