Chapter 160
Chapter 160
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: Doubts in the Infirmary
"But Seo Jae-kyeom, is it okay to skip without telling Geography?"
"Homeroom gave permission, so what's the issue? Earlier, she said to send you straight to the nurse if your condition worsened."
"When?"
"When you crawled your way to school."
I must've missed it while crawling. Seo Jae-kyeom, who had been chuckling with shaking shoulders, realized I was piggybacked on him and cleared his throat awkwardly.
...Let me clarify this right here.
I am sick, but not so much that I need to be carried like this.
What is this over-the-top drama...?
I'm dying of embarrassment.
Everyone passing in the hallway was staring only at me and Seo Jae-kyeom, making it even more awkward. My face felt hot, which made me feel worse.
I tried pointing that out to Seo Jae-kyeom, but he was firm.
"Who gets a fever just from a little attention?"
"Introverts like me... "
"If you wobble going down the stairs and twist an ankle, you're done for."
"Got it, got it, so please don't stop walking and just hurry."
Standing still seemed to draw even more stares. At my plea, Seo Jae-kyeom finally burst out laughing.
As we descended the stairs, Seo Jae-kyeom said,
"Mom's already gearing up to complain about Geography anyway."
"Why?"
"She says Han Ji-su's mom acts all superior and subtly dismissive every time they meet."
"Really? Why would she do that?"
"Why do you think?"
Oh.
"Still, putting it on display like that to a parent?"
"She does it to me too."
"True."
Come to think of it, Geography had kept Seo Jae-kyeom behind for chores before. She never would with Ji-su or Do-yeon.
So that's how she subtly looked down and picked fights.
"Geography really is weak to the strong and strong to the weak..."
"Tell me about it. That woman's personality is trash..."
Every time Seo Jae-kyeom spoke, his shoulder vibrated under my chin.
As we reached the stairs, the stares multiplied, so I buried my face completely in his back.
This is definitely spreading all over school.
What would the kids think?
What else? They'd think we're dating or something...!
"Oh my god, you were going to sit through class like this? With a fever this high?"
"If you skip 'class', you get 'make-up' work during exam period."
"Lie down right now!"
"Yes, ma'am."
The nurse, who seemed to be in her usual spot for once, laid me down on the bed.
Seo Jae-kyeom, having earned permission to stay by acting cute with the teacher, quickly dragged a chair over and sat by my bed.
"Teacher has to go do safety education, so Seo Jae-kyeom, you stay exactly ten minutes then head back up! You're in 2nd year Class 2, right? I'll check later!"
"Yes, ma'am."
"No lying on the same bed when the teacher's gone!"
"Huh? No, teacher... what do you take us for...?"
"Kids from your class got caught doing that last time!"
Meh.
"We would never do anything like that. Don't worry, teacher."
"I'm watching you!"
The teacher left after her final warning. As soon as the door closed, Seo Jae-kyeom said,
"Jang Ji-won and Park Su-hwan, right?"
"Who else?"
Those two really did everything.
Ugh. I shook my head and burrowed under the blanket. Seo Jae-kyeom pulled the blanket from the next bed and piled it on top of me.
"Too hot?"
"Not hot, just heavy."
"Deal with it."
Then he climbs onto the bed with just a pillow, no blanket. Lying on his side, Seo Jae-kyeom met my eyes.
"......"
"......"
"Hope the kids are taking good notes."
"Don't worry. Worst case, I'll snag Han Ji-su's notes for you."
"What?"
"For real. At cram school. Our lockers are huge; kids stuff all kinds of things in there."
"......"
"......"
"Hey, Seo Jae-kyeom."
"Yeah?"
Is there even a slim chance Han Ji-su didn't know?
That her family's secretary deliberately sabotaged my college entrance exam, and she was clueless?
Maybe she kept contacting me because she truly didn't know?
But if she knew and still reached out...
That would be pure deception.
All those actions I thought were friendship from Han Ji-su— what if they were just her checking in on the victim she'd crushed, delivering the killing blow?
...Why would she do that?
Korea University admits over three thousand a year. Failing me alone doesn't benefit her. Why?
"Spit it out. I'm listening."
"...Hey. Say you were a yangban living around 1894."
"Out of nowhere?"
"You're unhappy the class system was abolished. But at the seodang, a cheonmin—who you wouldn't even eat with before—outstudies you. On exam day, would you send your servant to sabotage them?"
"The country's collapsing; who'd take the civil service exam?"
"Ignore historical accuracy. Would you?"
"No?"
"If you did?"
What kind of mindset? I asked, and Seo Jae-kyeom rolled his eyes.
"Hard to empathize. Never thought that way..."
"That's why you should've loved literature more."
"Hm."
After pondering, Seo Jae-kyeom concluded.
"Just sick of looking at them."
"Just?"
"Yeah. Just. No grand reason. Annoyed that someone who should be beneath me is better."
"But no gain from sabotaging them."
"If I don't, they might top the exam. I'd be second... whatever second place is called."
"Either way, both pass."
"Different."
"How?"
"My pride."
"......"
For something that petty?
"Then why specifically on exam day?"
"Most decisive moment."
What if sabotaging earlier gives them recovery time? Wait for the biggest impact. Seo Jae-kyeom pouted.
"Might've asked the cheonmin for help on unknowns before, then dropped them at the end. Who understands that mindset?"
"......"
Couldn't argue.
If Han Ji-su's actions all stem from that sense of superiority, it all makes sense.
Her outburst when we first fought on the field, ignoring Bang Eun-ji, never apologizing.
Staying silent when I confronted her about shooting Jeong Eun-seong's face, but reacting to Do-yeon's words. And.
Her recent aggression.
To Han Ji-su, kids below her rising up must feel like rebellion.
Feeling threatened, anxious. So she lashed out childishly...
"You know I don't normally think like that, right?"
Seo Jae-kyeom hurriedly added, reading my silence.
"Just hypothetically from a yangban view. If divided by class, I'm barred from exams too..."
I smiled at his rambling excuses while lying down.
"You sure sounded convincing for a 'hypothetical'."
"No, I mean..."
"Noted the opinions of esteemed Seo Jae-kyeom."
"Hey...!"
"Heh."
"Ugh, go to sleep already. No more talking."
"Fine. Got it."
My throat hurt anyway; couldn't talk more.
Ten minutes must've passed, but Seo Jae-kyeom was still lying there. I closed my eyes first.
"......"
Han Ji-su's family definitely sabotaged my exam on purpose.
Then pre-regression, Jeong Eun-seong's face too? Ruining Song Yeo-reum's family this life? The help paper?
...Even Mom's accident?
No. Suspecting like this will never end.
Start verifying what I can dig into.
Even if unrelated, I need to know.
Han's true nature.
"Seo Jae-kyeom."
"Not asleep...?"
"You said you haven't contacted Baek Eun-ju, Yang Da-jeong, or Kim Hae-in at all."
"I haven't..."
"Mind if I try?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Snooore.
Kang Da-hye's asleep.
Ten minutes my foot—I'm staying till class ends, Jae-kyeom thought, quietly opening his eyes.
Sleeping well, huh.
Only I can't sleep when we're like this.
In dramas, they'd reach out and hold hands over the bed edge.
No romance here.
Grumbling inwardly, Jae-kyeom got up.
He wandered the nurse's office on his own, turning on the humidifier, drawing curtains to block sunlight. Done with his tasks, Jae-kyeom perched on the bed.
"......"
Feels too far.
He got off, squatting in front of Kang Da-hye.
Arms on the bed, chin resting atop them. Ignoring the chair for this awkward spot, he watched her sleep.
"......"
I could do this forever and never tire.
Wanna brush her hair aside. But might wake her.
Chucking softly, Jae-kyeom murmured,
"Thanks for letting me stay friends."
"......"
"But hey..."