Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Period 2. Hello, Everyone
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Period 2. Hello, everyone.
Luckily, Gyeong Se-in didn't suggest robbing a bank. Good thing I don't know how to shoot a gun.
"Da-hye, want to do a part-time job?"
"A part-time job?"
Is there even part-time work that hires high schoolers?
There probably is...
But I'd rather study during that time.
Reading my reluctant expression, Se-in waved her hand dismissively.
"It's not hard or time-consuming! You help the teachers at the academy with copying materials and grading, and during downtime, you can just sit and do your own stuff."
"An academy?"
"Yeah. My aunt runs one near Gugu High School intersection. One of the part-timers there ghosted after breaking up with his girlfriend... She asked me to recommend a smart friend. Just temporary, for about a month."
"Oh, okay?"
"Yeah. It runs until 10 p.m., so it ends late, but they cover transport and give you leftover workbooks for free. Hourly pay is 5,500 won."
"I'll do it."
I accepted immediately.
A month won't interfere much with studying, the pay is decent for back then, and there's free time too.
Plus, at an academy, I could casually ask the teachers about stuff I'm stuck on while studying, right?
"Great! I'll call my aunt right now!"
Se-in's face lit up as she pulled out her phone.
"Aunt, it's me... About that part-time job you mentioned yesterday. Yeah."
After chattering for a while, Se-in pulled the phone away from her ear and turned to me.
"Da-hye, she asked if you know basic Hangeul and Excel... Nothing advanced, just the basics."
Even as she said it, her expression darkened, like she assumed I wouldn't.
Of course. What high schooler knows Excel?
Lots of college students don't either.
I grinned at the troubled Se-in.
"Tell her I know functions too."
Tip for aspiring regressors: Get that Computer Literacy Level 1 certification.
"Then are you going there too, Se-in?"
"Nah, my house is too far..."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ And so, I became a temporary part-timer at Ibaji Academy.
Ibaji Academy occupied the entire second floor of a commercial building near the bustling district and was a pretty big place, popular with students from Gogo High School and Gugu High School, as well as Jungjungjung Middle School and Jongjong Middle School.
Turns out it was pretty famous among the girls from Se-in's middle school.
Not as selective as the academy Ji-su and Jae-kyeom go to, but maybe that's why it had more students?
I'd never had reason to go near Gugu High School intersection before.
"Oh, you really know how to use it?"
"Of course."
"Perfect. The last kid was a third-year college student who couldn't even calculate an average. Had to punch everything into a calculator one by one."
"Haha... I didn't know the first thing about Excel in college either."
"Haha, you joke well too!"
Luckily, the director liked me right away. She favored white pants with character prints on the butt and had her KakaoTalk status as "Yeosu Night Sea...^^".
The work was super simple.
Sit at the desk, answer calls, help teachers with copying and grading as requested, and at 10 p.m. when academy ended, check lost and found, turn off classroom lights—basic cleanup.
Way easier and more comfortable than the convenience store gig I did alongside tutoring in college.
And I got a huge stack of leftover workbooks for free!
I didn't do much, but Se-in hooked me up with this sweet gig. She's such a good kid.
The only odd thing was...
"...Hi."
"Oh. Hi."
10:10 p.m. Right after the students poured out post-class.
I was turning off lights floor by floor from upstairs when I ran into Kim Ga-eun coming out of a classroom.
Kim Ga-eun?
Gyeong Se-in's friend #2.
The one who flat-out refused Se-in's "Ask Do-yeon if you're stuck" suggestion.
The one who just stood there while Se-in and Su-a helped me on the day of Bang Eun-ji's locker terror, then went home first.
Se-in and Su-a didn't show it, but she seemed to hate Do-yeon the most in their group.
"Why would rumors like that start for no reason? Do-yeon must've given him some opening. No smoke without fire, right?"
I'd overheard her say that to Su-a.
And that Kim Ga-eun was dawdling out of the classroom 10 minutes after class ended. Her face looked sour, like she'd gotten scolded during lesson time.
"Lose something?"
"No, why?"
"Oh... You came out late."
"Oh."
"......"
"......"
"Going to the bathroom? They're cleaning now."
"Oh. Yeah."
"......"
Why isn't she leaving?
My social battery's drained. Nothing left to say.
"Parents picking you up?"
"No."
"......"
"Kim Ga-eun! Why're you still here? If you linger, we violate regulations—go home!"
A teacher coming out of the office spotted her and yelled. Ga-eun shot the teacher an annoyed look and stormed off without a greeting.
What's her deal?
"Da-hye, head out too—no more work, right?"
"Yeah. I'll finish the copying another teacher asked for and go."
I said, glancing at my phone suddenly blowing up with notifications.
It was our class group chat.
💬 Class 2-2 — 20:39 Do Ha-jun Math A-Class homework due tomorrow — Do Ha-jun Bragging about Math A-Class right now? (Some weird animation GIF I don't care to know about) 22:11 💬 Class 2-2 Girls Only — Ye-su-a 22:13 Just saw what Do Ha-jun sent?? So gross and cringey ㅡㅡ A lot of kids checking their phones at this hour.
Makes sense—right after academy ends, prime phone time.
While waiting for the copier, I scrolled up through the class chat with my thumb.
Obviously, Jeong Eun-seong and Seo Jae-kyeom were in it too.
Eun-seong hadn't said a word yet, and Jae-kyeom only appears if directly tagged.
'Eun-seong's quiet in the drama club chat too. Did he at least check the script Ji-su sent?'
— Ye-su-a 22:15 Ugh Do Ha-jun get lost, makes me wanna puke — Do Ha-jun 22:15 (GIF) (GIF) (GIF) — Homeroom Teacher 22:15 Kids, time to sleep ㅠㅠ Ha-jun, stop He's gonna haunt my dreams — Seo Jae-kyeom has left the chat. "...Huh...?"
I stopped sorting the printouts and blinked in surprise.
Did Seo Jae-kyeom just leave?
"Left because it's gross?"
Even so, quitting the class chat? Come on...
— Gyeong Se-in 22:16 What now Did Jae-kyeom leave cuz he puked lol Yeah. Skipping school but making his presence felt like this.
Do Ha-jun, stung by Jae-kyeom's exit, stopped spamming GIFs and vanished. The girls' chat exploded.
Staring at my endlessly buzzing phone, I pondered.
Should I re-invite him? (Temporary) class president duty?
Or DM him personally?
I haven't messaged Jae-kyeom privately since regressing.
"I'll leave the copies here! Heading out!"
"Bye Da-hye~ Good work~"
I fumbled for Jae-kyeom's chat—buried way down now—while taking the elevator.
Thankfully, by then the homeroom teacher had re-added him.
— Homeroom Teacher 22:29 This is prison, no leaving Haha...
Right. No exiting.
If the GIFs are too gross to watch... you'd have to die first...
"You're out late today?"
Huh?
I looked up from typing a message.
A few meters ahead, some uncle was walking way too close to Kim Ga-eun.
"Stayed late asking the handsome teacher something? Or no handsome teachers?"
Why hasn't she left yet?
Is that her dad next to her?
"......"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "You shouldn't walk alone this late as a high school girl."
Why is he still here?
I deliberately left over 20 minutes late.
"Studying's just an excuse—you're here to date, right?"
Should've left with the other kids. Bad call.
"Got a boyfriend?"
Alley's coming up. Pretend to go another way and loop back?
"No?"
But this guy already knows I live that way.
If he spots me turning back...
To get home, I'd have to come this way anyway.
"No answer means yes. Same school? Older guy?"
His slimy giggling and prying made my skin crawl.
Ga-eun hunched her shoulders.
Ga-eun was the bold type who'd snap back at a teacher saying "Wear something under your uniform shirt so boys don't stare" with "Then gouge out their eyes!"
But even she was scared of some random uncle on a deserted late-night street.
Ga-eun's palms were slick with cold sweat when...
"Ga-eun!"
Kang Da-hye popped up out of nowhere and linked arms with her.