Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: 3rd Period. Aqua Man
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⚙ REGRESSION MONTH 1: MIDTERM CHECK ⚙ • Became Class President. +1 • Stopped Do Ha-jun from putting on a weird play in the drama club. +1 • Fixed something I always regretted. +1 • I don't remember a single thing I learned in high school. -100 So, what's next on the list?
That's right. Studying!
Time to study.
There's way too much forgotten textbook content to fill in.
From now on, my days will be for studying, by studying, and of studying.
"She's a bright! Warm! Human woman during the day!"
"Guys, let's be quiet."
"So beautiful- Adorable!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Guys, lower your voices. Teacher's coming soon."
"Yeah, hey you!"
"Let's be quiet...... There are people studying."
"Huh? Who's studying?"
"That's me."
I pointed at myself with the pen I was holding.
"Oh, right. Kang Da-hye's the real deal."
"Thanks?"
I gave a half-hearted hand-wave dance to the giggling Boy 1 and buried my nose back in the workbook. Satisfied, Boy 1 returned to his seat.
"That's you!♬"
"Hey...."
It's been less than a week since I became class president, and I'm already drained. When's the teacher coming...?
I resolved to buy some earplugs on the way home today. Meanwhile, my deskmate spoke up.
"You study even in this short break?"
"This is when you can focus the best."
"What, aiming for Korea University?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
I'm the top student in the school. If I don't go to Korea University, who will?
"Fair enough. It suits you, Korea University. Feels like a club where they all just solve for roots of equations."
"Yeah. Sure."
Better than a club where everyone's too drunk to greet each other properly. At least they'd keep their wits and solve for roots. And the quadratic formula's already solved anyway.
"Then what university suits me?"
"You?"
I lifted my head from the workbook and glanced at my deskmate. He grinned, sunlight hitting him full in the face, teeth flashing.
"National Tiger University?"
"No. Enlistment."
Opposite. Loafing. Guillotine. Shameless flattery. Neglect. Cold shoulder. Chill. Hostility.
Or maybe...
Shut your trap?
And you're a collaborator anyway—how dare you even mention National Tiger University? Gonna write 'collaborator' in your personal statement?
Go join the Self-Defense Forces.
"Hey, is that how a class president talks? You sure you're the class president?"
"Yep~ You're enlisting, I'm going to Rock University."
It looked like we were chatting, but actually, I'd been solving a math mock exam since earlier.
Since regressing, I've been doing one a day no matter what. With so many problems I don't know, scoring and reviewing takes quite a bit of time.
Everyone knows mock exams are timed, right?
For a 100-minute test, national rule is 95 minutes minus marking time.
In other words, I haven't spared my deskmate a single glance.
But why does he keep talking to me? No sense of timing? I'm already anxious with all I don't know.
He gets it by now, right?
My deskmate is none other than...
"Kang Da-hye, don't you have anything you're curious about me?"
Do Ha-jun.
Popularity poll guy. Park Su-hwan's lackey. Voice thin as an eunuch's, hands and feet smaller than mine.
Do Ha-jun, who joined drama club to hit on Ji-su without knowing his place, ended up as my deskmate and was now targeting me with what he ☆thought was★ a cool smile, keep yapping away.
"Huh? Ask away. I'll answer anything."
"None."
Ah.
"Well, there is one."
"What?"
"Maybe."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Could you not talk to me?"
"Ha."
Do Ha-jun's blank expression cracked into a hollow laugh as he leaned back.
"Fine, whatever. Drop it."
"Good idea."
You're sulking? I'm not gonna fidget and read the room. Also, you were rude first, FYI?
"Rejected?"
Park Su-hwan turned from the front seat, smirking. Do Ha-jun whined loud enough to be heard.
"Yeah. Unless it's Seo Jae-kyeom or Jeong Eun-seong level, she won't talk."
"Nah, no way. Kang Da-hye's not that high-tier. Offer her money and ask."
Not worth responding to, so I ignored them.
Why is my seat like this? When do we switch deskmates?
"I hear my name somewhere."
Seo Jae-kyeom arrived right on cue, thumping a box onto the teacher's desk. Expressionless Jeong Eun-seong followed with a couple of burly guys, each carrying similar boxes.
The homeroom teacher, entering last, said,
"Kids, pass them back one by one."
"Whoa!"
"Wow!"
"Shh, quiet! Next class is in session."
One-per-person burger set with sweet-and-spicy chicken.
"Teacher, who's sponsoring this?"
Seo Jae-kyeom's Mom.
"Ah, it's a secret. Anonymous parent."
The one who asked to keep it secret was probably Seo Jae-kyeom. He's embarrassed, so he hasn't taken any class roles since elementary school.
Back in elementary, when he became class president, his family handed out one pizza per person to the whole grade...
'Should I sponsor something too?'
Feeling a bit pressured, I glanced at Seo Jae-kyeom and our eyes met. He mouthed 'Why?' so I shook my head no, and he chuckled.
Lately, he's been like that.
Keep poking at me, smiling.
Sent KakaoTalk first too.
💬 KakaoTalk Seo Jae-kyeom
>What're you doing? 19:30
Math
Seo Jae-kyeom
>Now? 22:01
English
I thought Seo Jae-kyeom got hacked for a sec.
Behind him, sleepy-faced Jeong Eun-seong was dumping burgers onto the front-row desks like a landslide.
FYI, I'm in row 1, Seo Jae-kyeom's in row 3, Jeong Eun-seong's in row 4. Both a bit far from me.
Special note: Do-yeon and Seo Jae-kyeom are deskmates?
"Let's eat well!"
"Anyone leaving cheese fries? I'll take 'em!"
In the commotion, Seo Jae-kyeom sidled up and spoke.
"Were you talking about me?"
"Not me, them."
I pointed at Do Ha-jun and Park Su-hwan.
Seo Jae-kyeom glanced alternately at the two losers who shut up and stared at the floor when he approached.
"You didn't mention me?"
"I was studying."
"Working hard, huh."
"I always do."
It's the best way to solve my current problems.
"You look happy."
"I am."
No problems tormenting me.
The few that exist are solvable with effort.
Even Song Yeo-reum hasn't shown up at school since that day. Bang Eun-ji's too busy groveling.
If only every day were like today.
Seo Jae-kyeom mirrored my grin.
"Alright then. Study hard."
He snatched my ballpoint pen, scribbled something in my workbook, and went back to his seat.
I looked down.
??
> >
"......?"
What's with him?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Kids, lunch...?"
"Nah."
"No."
"Stuffed."
"What's today's lunch?"
"Dried pollack stew, lotus root stew, eggplant salad, bean rice."
"Ugh."
"Ugh."
"Skip it."
Ga-eun shook her head vigorously.
Lunchtime. Thanks to Seo Jae-kyeom's mom's grace, our bellies were full, so we strolled leisurely behind the kids rushing to the cafeteria.
"Dessert then."
"What?"
"Crucian carp ice cream?"
"Bored......"
"Strawberry shaved ice? New cafe up ahead."
"Sounds good!"
"Sounds good!"
"But we can't leave campus."
"Delivery?"
"Doubt it."
"Yell the order?"
"...Or just call and ask them to bring it across the street?"
"Ooh. Genius."
"But how to pay?"
"Got cash."
"Hey, Da-hye's friends."
Gyeong Se-in, walking ahead, said.
Across the hall, Ji-su was coming our way with her classmates. Ji-su's friends spotted me first and whispered to her.
Ji-su looked up, her gaze sweeping over me, Ga-eun, Su-a, Se-in one by one, then landing on Do-yeon beside me.
I waved big.
"Ji-su!"
"...Da-hye."
"Today's lunch is dried pollack-lotus root-eggplant salad."
I joked, expecting her grimace.
"Oh, yeah."
But her reaction was meh.
Ji-su gave an awkward smile and passed me first. One of her friends looked back at me and whispered to her.
Ji-su didn't turn around until they descended the stairs out of sight.
"Da-hye's friend seems in a bad mood today."
"...Yeah."
What was that about?