Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Locked in the Clubroom
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'So that guy groped a student?'
'Tried to drag her off?'
'Ah, nothing like that really?'
'No physical contact?'
'Well, at the convenience store... So you two know each other?'
You could tell just from the dialogue, right?
What happened when Kim Ga-eun and I burst into the police station in the dead of night.
The expressions on the cops' faces the moment they saw two girls in school uniforms walk in.
Their tone from the start made it clear they weren't taking us seriously.
Ga-eun was already intimidated the second she stepped foot in there.
And honestly, me too...
'I've never even been to a police station in my life!'
I lived a good life!
The cops saw right through how scared we were and instead of listening, tried to scare us off with a brush-off.
'Who reports something like this?'
It was written all over their faces.
That's exactly what I thought when Song Yeo-reum trashed our store.
That even if we called the cops, they wouldn't take it seriously.
And it turned out to be true.
They dismissed us two students like this↓
'Aigoo, the poor students must've been really startled.'
'We're not startled, we're angry! And it's not like we got mad for no reason—that guy threatened my friend, that's why we're mad! It's his problem, not mine!'
'It's late—did you call your parents? Aren't they worried? What if you go home this late?'
'Go on home. That's why you run into creeps like that, wandering around late at night.'
'Yeah, you students aren't entirely blameless. Why are you out so late?'
'No...!'
Isn't it normal to walk around at 3 or 4 a.m. without anything happening, not just 10 p.m.?
That's all I could say to the cops who wouldn't even log the report.
'Please at least record that we came in to report it.'
'Sure, sure.'
'Our academy ends at 10 p.m., so could you patrol around Ibarji Academy then?'
'Yeah, yeah.'
'Guy in his mid-50s, about 170 cm tall, balding, with a split thumbnail on his right thumb.'
'Those kids still here?'
'They're leaving now!'
'Hurry home. Your parents are worried.'
"That really pissed me off..."
Just talking to a passing student, no touching or attempted kidnapping, so it's not a crime?
Then what, wait until something actually happens to report it?
They kept saying our parents would worry, so go home.
Why would our parents worry? Catch all those creeps first!
"Anyway, that's what happened."
"... "
"... "
"Ha. I'm going to the canteen."
Su-a scratched her head furiously and shot to her feet.
"I need to chug something right now."
Without waiting for a reply, she stormed out of the classroom fuming. We ended up following her to the canteen on impulse.
As I messaged Do-yeon on KakaoTalk asking if she wanted anything, the topic shifted.
"You hear? Bang Eun-ji's mom came to school that day and grabbed her by the hair."
"No way? For real?"
"Yeah. In the teachers' office."
"She wouldn't budge when the homeroom teacher said Eun-ji was bullying kids, but the second they mentioned compensation money..."
"Whoa."
"Bang Eun-ji got smacked by Song Yeo-reum and yanked by her own mom. Why live like that?"
"Song Yeo-reum hit Bang Eun-ji?"
"You didn't know? She does it all the time. If Yeo-reum's in a bad mood, friend or not, doesn't matter."
"Wait, that's her fr— Oh, Jeong Eun-seong."
"Jeong Eun-seong, hi!"
Gyeong Se-in waved enthusiastically.
Jeong Eun-seong, who was buying white milk at the canteen, turned around.
The moment I saw his face, it hit me.
He never replied in the drama club group chat!
"Ah, I have something to say to him."
"To Jeong Eun-seong?"
"Yeah."
"Go talk to him now!"
"Guess I will. Jeong Eun-seong!"
I called his name as I approached. He glanced at me and...
Ran out of the canteen.
?????
"Hey!"
Where are you going!
I chased after him on impulse.
He stopped when he saw me running after him, then slipped into the boys' bathroom.
"Crazy!"
You gotta be kidding me!
He saw I couldn't follow into the bathroom and leaned casually against the open door.
"What are you doing?!"
"Keeping my distance from you."
"Why!"
"Because you're the second person I hate most in our class."
"... "
"Why'd you chase me?"
"I have something to say!"
"Don't wanna hear it."
"Why not!"
"To piss you off."
"... "
It worked. I'm really pissed.
As I fumed, unsure what to do, he chugged his milk, gulping it down smoothly. I could see his nicely shaped lips smirking behind the carton, curved up. He's grinning. So annoying!
"Wanna drink in the bathroom?"
"Yeah. Tastes good."
"Ugh, just come out already. Let's talk."
"Nah."
Those ^^ curved eyes... so infuriating...
I glared at the grinning Jeong Eun-seong and asked.
"Did you see the stuff Ji-su sent?"
(Shakes head)
"Why not? She said she sent it separately in a private chat too."
"I don't answer unknown numbers."
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he said that. Are you a kid? Lick it off.
"Don't have Ji-su's number?"
"Nope."
"Why? She gave it to you last time."
"Do I have to save it?"
"Of course... She's the drama club president. Do it now."
"Got it."
Despite his words, he didn't even pretend to take out his phone.
He annoyingly folded the milk carton and tossed it in the trash.
Just try coming out.
I gritted my teeth and added.
"Ji-su printed a copy and left it in the club room too, so if it's hard to view on your phone, use that. Mark any feedback. We're meeting during club time this week."
"Got it."
"Fine, then come out. Let's go back to class."
Quit messing around and come out—I grabbed his wrist.
But he resisted.
What? I looked up, and he smirked again.
"Ugh, why won't you com—"
"Da-hye?"
The homeroom teacher, strolling down the hall humming, stopped when she saw me in front of the boys' bathroom and approached.
She tilted her head, her gaze landing on my hand, his wrist, and him grinning while resisting.
Jeong Eun-seong quickly said.
"Teacher, Kang Da-hye's bullying me."
"You two agai—!"
"Hngh..."
I hate Jeong Eun-seong the most in our class...
No, Do Ha-jun's the worst...
Tied for first...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ So what about Ga-eun?
Can't tell her guardians, her parents, and society, which is supposed to protect minors, won't help.
Then what do we do!
"This can't be right? An adult man approaching a minor and making her uneasy, and there's no way to stop it?"
I'd always thought my original age of 29 made me plenty adult, but apparently not. Nothing clever came to mind in this situation.
29?
Totally a baby.
You need like 92 to really know the world.
I flipped through the book in my hand while worrying.
After school, I was alone in the drama club room.
Rewriting my book report because Bang Eun-ji poured milk in my locker.
Luckily, the literature teacher extended the deadline understanding my situation, but since it was a report from 10 years ago, I had to reread the book anyway.
"Well, whatever. Reading a book twice isn't bad—this is total Lucky Da-hye, right?"
The school and neighborhood libraries had it checked out, but I found a copy in the drama club. Plan was to read it quick here and finish the report before leaving.
"Perfect, no shift today."
I tossed my bag anywhere and plopped on the club room sofa. Buried my nose in the book, and when I looked up, an hour and a half had passed.
"Ugh, hungry."
Canteen still open? Gotta buy something. Swing by the classroom for my phone too.
Used to clutching my phone 24/7, but cutting back for studying is tough, so lately I lock it in my locker (new lock!) when I get to school.
"Classroom first for my stuff, then canteen..."
I mumbled, grabbing the door handle.
Click.
"Huh?"
The door wouldn't open.
Panicking from below—er, from the hallway outside—Song Yeo-reum popped up suddenly.
"Ack! You scared me!"
Thought she was a ghost.
Song Yeo-reum grinned ear-to-ear at my blinking eyes from inside.
She dangled the club room lock and its matching key for me to see, then scampered down the hall.
Key in hand.
"...Huh?"
...Am I locked in here?
This ridiculously?
This quickly?
No phone?
The office guy already came by earlier? Told me to lock up myself?
"...What the hell?"
I muttered dazedly.
Then something popped up from the pile of costumes in the corner.
"Eek!"
A ghost?!