Chapter 162
Chapter 162
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Staying #1 Forever
"What kind of beef would Han Ji-su have with some guy? Her family's loaded, she's killing it in school, and her mom hauls ass to the school at the slightest thing. Teachers and kids all tiptoe around her."
"I heard her mom even chased her all the way to Bang Eun-ji's house, telling her to stay away from her daughter. Like Han Ji-su couldn't handle it herself." Kim Ga-eun snarked.
"That's exactly why it blew up in her face the one time she actually had to deal with something real."
"You think...?"
"That's right. She got pissed, shot someone in the face, started talking all that crap about disfigurement, and it all fell apart. That's the limit of what a girl like her could come up with."
People like that even mistake everyone paving the way for them as their own talent.
"I can't say for sure since I don't know Han Ji-su's real feelings."
Kim Ga-eun added.
"Fair enough. It was pretty childish."
"Now that you mention it, it doesn't seem like a big deal."
"Kang Da-hye looked totally over it."
"What if Kang Da-hye's really sick, though...?"
Hiiing. Kang Da-hye's friends slumped their shoulders and headed back to their seats.
Eun-seong returned to his seat to prepare for note-taking too.
Kang Da-hye had entrusted him with an important mission. He had to do his absolute best not to let her down.
'That way, she'll keep trusting me and head straight to the nurse's office if she gets sick again.'
Not getting sick was best, of course.
But is there a way she could pass her illness to me?
A cold spreads person-to-per... per... per...
Anyway, that's what they say!
Eun-seong's face flushed red as he fanned himself with his hand.
Stop those dirty thoughts and just take notes, Jeong Eun-seong. You won't even know what's important anyway, so copy everything the geography teacher says, got it?
Eun-seong rolled his shoulders dramatically, cracked his wrists, and his eyes gleamed.
And about 50 minutes later.
"Hooah."
Face beet red, Eun-seong slumped over his desk.
He hadn't missed a single word. He'd even jotted down the geography teacher's hacking coughs like "Kyaaak, kuhk."
Some annoying jerk came in midway through class and got chewed out by the teacher for where he'd been, but Eun-seong was too busy scribbling to even look.
'I wanted to record it so bad.'
Anyway, he'd gotten it all.
Now he just had to recopy it neatly before showing Kang Da-hye.
'I wanna pretend I have nice handwriting.'
Even if I'm bad at studying... at least my handwriting...!
Just as Eun-seong, burning with ambition, stretched out his ink-stained right hand—
"Jeong Eun-seong."
Ga-eun approached with both hands jammed in her skirt pockets and called out to him.
"I'm gonna check on Kang Da-hye. Come with."
"Then me too...!"
Ga-eun shut down the intruding annoying jerk with a single glare and nodded at Eun-seong.
The best friend.
Eun-seong, clicking his tongue inwardly, followed Ga-eun out of the classroom.
The moment they stepped out, Ga-eun eyed Eun-seong. He flinched inwardly at her sharp gaze.
"Hey. Jeong Eun-seong."
"Yeah."
"You might think I'm being nosy. But I can't stand not knowing."
"Huh?"
"Do you like Han Ji-su?"
"Meh?!"
What?!
"They say you were with Han Ji-su that day. During the school trip, the day she shot you in the face."
"That was..."
"Kids are saying you two were getting close, but then Da-hye dragged you away, so Han Ji-su got mad and shot you."
"No...!"
"And you two were always stuck together in the halls like you wanted everyone to see. I have a friend in Class 1, and when she asked Han Ji-su if you guys were a thing, she didn't deny it?"
"Meh!"
"Are you two-timing or something?"
"Meeeeh...!"
What nonsense is this...?
Eun-seong's hands shook from the shock.
How could anyone think that?
Does Kang Da-hye think that too?
Me... Me!
Unaware of Eun-seong's inner turmoil, Ga-eun pressed on.
"Anyway, is it true?"
"No!"
"Ugh."
"Gasp. Sorry."
"It's fine. Speak."
"I'm not close to Han Ji-su at all. We don't even greet each other if we pass by. We don't even run into each other. See, her number's not even saved."
Eun-seong pulled out his phone from his pocket and showed her his contacts.
'Only Kang Da-hye's saved...'
Save your homeroom teacher's number, dude. Ga-eun thought to herself, but Eun-seong was explaining so fervently she missed the timing.
Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah.
A marathon explanation that would take a thousand sleepless nights to fully transcribe continued.
In truth, the moment he first called her "Han Ji-young," the explanation was basically over, but Ga-eun listened quietly.
If she cut him off, Eun-seong looked like he'd burst into tears.
But break time was almost over.
"Got it. Stop talking."
Ga-eun cut him off moderately and glanced at her phone clock.
"Anyway, sorry. For being nosy."
"No!"
To think he'd been under such a fatal misunderstanding. Eun-seong was so grateful to Ga-eun he wanted to bow.
"But, Kim Ga-eun..."
Eun-seong hesitantly gauged Ga-eun's still-unhappy expression.
In truth, Ga-eun always had a slight frown, but Eun-seong didn't notice.
"Why'd you think I liked Han Ji-su? I mean, what made you... other than..."
"You told Da-hye you'd never like her."
"I did?!"
Ugh. So embarrassing.
"I said that?!"
"I wouldn't know. Da-hye said so?"
"......"
Eun-seong's eyes widened as he clapped a hand over his mouth.
Seeing that, Ga-eun knew exactly who Jeong Eun-seong really liked without asking further.
'Anyway, it's not Han Ji-su.'
Feeling unexpectedly like she'd played truth or dare, Ga-eun turned away lightly.
"Only 3 minutes left in break. I'm heading to the nurse's office."
"With me...!"
"You'll just be in the way."
"Yeah...!"
Then I'll follow from a distance! Eun-seong nodded.
"......"
Ga-eun shook her head and took the lead.
Two steps behind, Eun-seong trailed after her, chattering away.
"But Kim Ga-eun."
"What."
"Just maybe..."
"Don't worry. I won't tell Da-hye."
"Yeah!"
"......"
"...I didn't suspect you or anything. Just heard friends say even stuff like this shouldn't need them stepping in."
"Who said that?"
"The salon magazine's love advice column."
"......"
"......"
"But Jeong Eun-seong, that 'Meh?!' thing—is that imitating Da-hye?"
"Yeah."
"......"
"Everything Kang Da-hye does looks cool. I wanna copy it all."
"Lord have mercy...!"
Then copy her studying, you idiot...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "I copied everything the geography teacher said."
"Thanks."
She took the notebook from the beaming Eun-seong. Wow. Even real-time notes, and the handwriting's so neat.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. Slept a bit and feel way better."
"Wanna take some vitamins?"
"Vitamins?"
She'd take them if offered, but on an empty stomach? Tilting her head, Eun-seong explained.
"Vitamins for the eyes."
"......"
Ominous...
"One plus one is cutie...!"
"Pass."
She shut it down cold.
"Why pass on this fresh cuteness...?"
"You wanna say that with your mouth...?"
"Ugh."
Seo Jae-kyeom, shoving his own notes from the last 20 minutes of class at her, shook his head. Lee Seo-jun ducked his head, chuckling. Do-yeon slipped away in the chaos, leaving her notes behind.
"Kang Da! You good?"
"Go home early if you're hurting!"
Ye-su-a, Yeon-hee, Gyeong Se-in, Ga-eun, and even classmates.
Seeing their genuinely worried faces warmed her heart.
Why didn't I know I had friends like this before my regression?
I'm not even sick anymore, but my eyes are tearing up.
She glanced at the ceiling, then the floor, and spoke.
"Guys."
"What, still hurting?"
"I'm gonna work my ass off for real."
She'd uncover what Han Ji-su had been doing around her all this time and make sure no more harm came.
'Now that I know in advance, I can prepare.'
She knew what would happen next and who the culprit was.
She could handle it.
And she already knew the best revenge.
"I'm never letting go of #1."
Not at finals, not in third year, not even after CSAT and graduation.
This school's top spot is mine.
No matter what Han Ji-su pulls, even sending someone on CSAT day or whatever chaos, #1 is me.
Bring it.
I can do this!
Snap!