Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Whispers of Exclusion
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"What do you mean?"
"Can I be honest?"
"Of course."
"The kids are trash-talking you. Saying you're acting all high and mighty."
"Trash-talking me? Who?"
"Kids from our class."
"……."
Class 1 kids have the worst personalities.
Han Ji-su bit her lip once before continuing.
"I know it's weird that they're the ones badmouthing you. But that doesn't mean the other kids are actively standing up for you either. They might think you're right deep down, but they keep it to themselves. It's dirty and sneaky, but... if you end up like that too..."
"Like what?"
"You know... like Do-yeon."
"Ah."
Being ostracized.
From the moment you step into school in the morning until you leave in the afternoon, not being able to talk to anyone the whole day, while everyone else around you laughs and chats happily, and you're the only one sitting there silently, all alone.
Being excluded.
Just sitting there quietly, but kids giving you sidelong jealous glares, whispering and snickering behind your back when you walk by.
Wondering obsessively what they said about you.
Taking turns presenting in class, but when it's your turn, no one reacts, and the room goes ice cold.
Feeling embarrassed and humiliated.
Ji-su probably knew it even better than I did. She'd taken advanced classes with Do-yeon last year.
Ji-su's hand found mine and squeezed it.
"What you did in the cafeteria yesterday, standing up like that—I thought it was amazing. I'm serious. But you don't have to be the one leading the charge."
"……."
"Just quietly talk to her from behind the scenes, meet up outside after school, chat on KakaoTalk. Befriending her in secret like that would be enough. Do-yeon would understand, and she'd be grateful. You don't need to make a big scene. If you get targeted too..."
Honestly, that scares me, Ji-su whispered.
I pondered the memories of Song Yeo-reum buried deep inside me.
'Hey, friend, spot me five thousand won.'
'No? You really don't have any? Then what's that in your pocket?'
'What? You do have some!'
'Lie again and I'll...'
'Ouch, just kidding~ Hey, she's scared!'
'Whoa, crazy. She's crying.'
'Hey, hey, Seo Jae-kyeom. Looks like she has a crush on you.'
'Dressed up nice to impress Jae-kyeom? That's why you're broke?'
A memory from second year of middle school.
How do I remember such specific lines from over ten years ago?
Memories of public humiliation from your sensitive teen years don't fade easily.
The shame of not saying a word in front of friends. Friends pretending not to notice even though they knew.
It hurt my pride so much.
I rubbed the back of Ji-su's soft hand and opened my mouth.
"...Actually, Song Yeo-reum came by my mom's store yesterday."
"Song Yeo-reum went to your mom's store?!"
"...Yeah. She came with her friends, trash-talking my mom and saying all sorts of crap... I finally got what it means for your blood to boil."
But if I hadn't regressed, if I'd been too scared to say anything to Song Yeo-reum right then—
That memory would've haunted me for life.
Disappointment in myself, resentment toward my mom for not protecting me—it would've shattered my mental state, all those emotions mixing together.
"Luckily, yesterday's me stood up to Song Yeo-reum and chased her off... But if I hadn't, I'd probably still be upset about it even in my 50s or 60s."
"……."
"Do-yeon goes through that every single day right now."
I met Ji-su's eyes and spoke to her as she flinched.
"Ji-su, I'm no great adult or anything... But we're human because we can empathize with others' pain."
"……."
"I want to be able to face myself proudly."
I don't want to live out the rest of my life carrying the identity of a 29-year-old who ignored her 18-year-old friend.
"Ignoring something I know is wrong would make me feel like such a coward."
I'm going to live coolly.
Acing the CSAT and getting into Korea University is all part of living coolly too. If I back down just because I'm scared of the backlash, what's the point?
I didn't regress to live pathetically.
I can't just save my own life when I know exactly how things end.
And.
"Sure, there are kids who disapprove and badmouth, but there are definitely others who know this situation is wrong and want to help."
Like Gyeong Se-in from our class, for example.
"The reason kids fear Song Yeo-reum's crew is the atmosphere they create. If not everyone was scared of them, what could they really do?"
"……."
"We just need to sway public opinion. The kids who feel this is wrong need to speak louder."
You're scared I'll get hurt, right, Ji-su? You know this is wrong. When I asked, Ji-su nodded.
She wore a thoughtful, complicated expression.
"Yeah... I get it."
"That's enough."
"...Yeah."
Good, then.
"Ji-su, one more thing. Would it bother you to eat lunch with me and Do-yeon as a trio? I was too flustered earlier to ask."
"I'm fine... but Do-yeon probably wouldn't be. If she's seen with me, kids badmouth her even more..."
"Ah..."
"Maybe I should eat with our class kids for a while? I'm okay with that."
"I'd feel too bad about that..."
"No. You're doing the right thing, Da-hye."
"...Thanks."
"...You're not avoiding Song Yeo-reum out of fear, right?"
"Of course I know that."
"Then why didn't you tell me right away yesterday that she came by?"
Why bring it up now? Ji-su pouted.
I stuck a straw into the chocolate milk Ji-su bought and sipped while finishing the grading on the test I'd basically memorized the answers for.
Ji-su rummaged through her class's tests beside me and cheered at her perfect score.
"All the kids who badmouthed you got bad grades."
"Really? Guess I should tell them: 'Spend less time trash-talking and more studying geography.'"
I don't care if kids badmouth me.
Those types will criticize no matter what you do anyway.
There are way more righteous kids who know this situation is messed up than those chronic complainers.
And soon, I'd learn my faith wasn't misplaced.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Song Yeo-reum's probably extra pissed because I—the girl she used to nickel-and-dime every day—suddenly stood up to her."
She's making such a big deal out of me saying she stole money.
Jeong Eun-seong clicked his tongue as he passed by.
He was heading to the office after counseling with his homeroom teacher.
Rushing because he was late, he heard voices from the counseling room next to the staff office.
The door was closed, but the upper window facing the hallway was open.
For Eun-seong, who wasn't short—average height, really—eavesdropping through that window was a piece of cake.
"Back in the day, Song Yeo-reum even stole my sucker. After school, I was holding it on the way home, right at the crosswalk."
"For real?"
"Don't you remember? You were there too. She asked to borrow it, but we both knew she'd never give it back. So to save face, I just told her to take it."
"Oh, yeah..."
"Disgusting. Who eats someone else's spit-covered sucker? Hope she catches COVID."
"What's COVID?"
"It's a curse."
Peeking through the door crack, he saw Kang Da-hye sitting with a friend.
Chattering away while scribbling busily on paper. Her hands moved incredibly fast.
"I'm still kinda scared now, honestly. But I don't even know exactly why I'm scared of them. They're not chaebol daughters who can ruin my life, and I've already learned that if I stand strong, Song Yeo-reum has no moves left. Still scary though?"
He was in a hurry, but his feet stopped on their own.
Eun-seong stood rooted, scrutinizing Da-hye's face closely.
Then.
'Isn't that the punishment she got with that not-so-handsome guy?'
Recalling the classroom incident earlier, he furrowed his brow.
'Where's Jae, making her do it alone?'
Money stolen from.
Sucker stolen from.
Punishment taken alone.
A total pushover.
'Shouldn't have eavesdropped. Wasting time.'
Shaking his head, Eun-seong walked past the counseling room. Midway, he glanced at the ceiling and let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha!"
Pushover!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ As expected, after that day, Seo Jae-kyeom didn't show up to school.
For some reason, Song Yeo-reum didn't either.
According to Gyeong Se-in, who'd been snooping on Chasebook, she went off to hang out with her close oppa friends.
"Why'd only Song Yeo-reum go? Her friends came to school."
"Guess she wanted to have fun with her oppas alone."
"No loyalty at all."
"Expecting loyalty from delinquents."
I smirked, packing my phone and notebook.
Finally, the last period of this tumultuous week: club time!
Here's a question.
What club am I in?
(1) English Newspaper Club
(2) Hanbyeol Squad
(3) Peer Counseling Group
(4) Drama Club
(5) Mystery Club