Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Lingering Petty Issues
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💬 KakaoTalk Seo Jae-kyeom Is the tteokbokki tasty? 19:20 Seo Jae-kyeom Did you die eating? 22:05 Seo Jae-kyeom Hing 23:11 Bang Eun-ji, caught off guard, collapsed like a doll with its strings cut after being struck on the back of the head.
Crash. The bottle slipped from the hand of the man who had ambushed her and rolled across the ground.
"Fuck, fuck..."
He must have gone out alone to buy more booze and was just returning now—the plastic convenience store bag on his wrist clinked noisily.
"Pig-like bitch..."
The man muttered something while looking at the fallen Bang Eun-ji.
"Uwaaak!"
Suddenly, he stumbled backward and slipped away as he fled.
"Bang Eun-ji!"
The moment the man vanished, I hurriedly crouched down in front of her.
"Hey, you okay?!"
I panicked, thinking she might be seriously hurt since the guy had fled in shock on his own, but fortunately, it wasn't that bad.
Bang Eun-ji, curled up into a ball, cursed.
"Ugh, ah... My head's busted..."
"No, don't get up. Stay right there."
"Did you see the guy's face who hit me?"
"Yeah. He's two grades above us."
A once-notorious delinquent.
Like most delinquents, he'd graduated high school and vanished without a trace, or so I'd heard.
Turns out he was hanging out here with Song Yeo-reum.
"Don't move. I'm calling 119 right now."
I was dying to hop on that electric scooter parked over there—keys even in the ignition, probably one of those losers' ride.
But I don't have a license right now! I'm only 18!
Ah. Times like this, I really want to take the CSAT quick and become a real adult...
I propped my bag under Bang Eun-ji's head as she lay on her side. I pulled out my phone to call 119, but she stopped me.
"Hey, can't I just skip the hospital?"
"Are you crazy? A head injury could be serious."
Your head might even have glass shards in it. I said it gravely, but she just shook her head.
"No money..."
"You think I'd make you pay? Her parents will cover it."
"That's the problem. Mom might kill me over it."
I'm not going. It's fine. Bang Eun-ji shook her head and tried to sit up.
"Ugh. My ears are ringing like crazy."
As she shook her head and kept muttering curses to herself, I picked up my phone.
"Ah, I said I'm not going!"
"Shut up. Who are you whining to? You think we're close?"
Ring ring.
-Yeah, Da-hye? You haven't gone yet?
"Ah, ma'am. It's not that. Another guy just showed up and left. He graduated two years ago... He's with that group from earlier."
I answered politely and switched to speakerphone.
-Another guy came?
"Yes. The friend I came with tried to hold onto that guy and got a bit hurt..."
-Hurt? How bad?
"She got hit on the head."
-Do you know exactly who that guy is?
"My friend knows him. She said he's probably the ringleader."
-I see. Then bring that friend to the hospital too, for now. Take a taxi or call 119.
"But we rushed here and don't have any money on us right now..."
-Don't worry about that. That's not for kids to stress over. Your friend can give testimony, right?
I finished the call with Han Ji-su's mom and looked at Bang Eun-ji.
"Happy now?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Bang Eun-ji was hospitalized.
Han Ji-su's mom agreed to cover all the treatment costs. In exchange for her testimony about the conversation we'd overheard in the vacant lot yesterday.
The weekend passed, and the School Violence Committee convened.
Song Yeo-reum was forced to transfer schools.
The guys who no longer attended school would obviously face criminal charges.
I overheard teachers whispering that there'd never been a transfer processed this quickly since the school opened.
'Han Ji-su's mom really pulled out all the stops.'
It was a swift and anticlimactic end compared to what Song Yeo-reum had done.
'Picked the wrong person to mess with.'
But Han Ji-su's mom's retaliation didn't end there.
"Turns out the president of the company where Song Yeo-reum's dad works is friends with my dad."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. So she said she'd pass a message through our parents separately. And..."
"And?"
"I didn't know this, but Song Yeo-reum's mom runs a kimbap place in one of my mom's buildings. She used to give them discounts on rent, but no more of that."
"...So Song Yeo-reum's mom runs a snack bar too, huh."
"She accused me of cursing her and is making a fuss about going to pray. So I probably won't go to academy this weekend."
"Still, ending it at just a transfer is impressive."
I figured her mom would push for expulsion with that personality.
"Actually, it wasn't an official forced transfer from the committee. Seems like my mom reached an agreement with Song Yeo-reum's parents. They're transferring voluntarily."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Mom seems to have something else in mind."
"...Like getting Song Yeo-reum's dad fired? Raising the rent to kick them out of the building..."
"No!"
Han Ji-su waved her hands emphatically, denying it.
"Just passing a message to raise their kid properly. Kang Da-hye, you can be surprisingly vicious sometimes."
"Ah."
"Anyway, Bang Eun-ji's testimony was key. The stuff about not letting her use her hands, scratching her face."
"Right. Yeah."
I nodded.
You never know what life has in store.
Who could've guessed Bang Eun-ji would be the one to nail Song Yeo-reum.
This is what they call... using the enemy's strength against them...?
"You okay, Ji-su?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. Actually, it's a relief things turned out this way. If you'd been the one caught..."
She shuddered at the mere thought. I let out a hollow laugh beside her.
Yeah.
If I'd been the victim, even with facial scars and a broken hand, they wouldn't have been punished this quickly and decisively.
This ending was only possible because the victim was Ji-su.
"Sorry, Ji-su. This is all because of me."
"No way. How could you have known they'd go that far? I don't even have any injuries."
"Yeah."
"Mom said she's having the director handle a separate civil suit."
"Director?"
"Mom's secretary."
"Ah."
Right. Sometimes you gotta handle things without getting your hands dirty. I patted Ji-su's back lightly, brushing it off.
"Guess I'll head back to class then."
And with that, the Song Yeo-reum issue was resolved.
But I still had a minor problem left.
"Kang Da-hye!"
Seo Jae-kyeom called out to me from behind as I stopped by the teachers' office to grab the attendance book.
He strode over with his long legs and naturally ushered me into the elevator.
"We can't ride the elevator."
"If we get caught, say I forced you on."
"Jae-kyeom!"
"Jae-kyeom! Wait up!"
He waved off the group running toward the opening elevator doors and hit the close button.
Suddenly, just the two of us inside.
He hit the close button fine but didn't press the button for our classroom on the fourth floor. Hands in his pockets, Seo Jae-kyeom looked down at me.
With the expression of a sulky younger guy.
"Kang Da-hye."
"Yeah."
"Why'd you ignore my KakaoTalk?"
"......"
"I waited all weekend."
"You waited?"
"Yeah."
"......"
"A lot."
Yeah. This was it. The minor problem still unresolved.
I stared blankly at Seo Jae-kyeom as he looked down at me with lowered eyes.
Should I say it or not?
I didn't want to create awkwardness with him and have more stuff to worry about. Should I just play dumb and move on?
Clueless to my inner thoughts, Seo Jae-kyeom flashed a sly smile and added,
"From now on, if no reply, I can call?"
Ah. Just say it.
"Seo Jae-kyeom."
"Yeah?"
"Why are you acting like this lately?"
"Like what?"
"To me lately..."
I furrowed my brow and shut my mouth.
How to put it right.
You're being clingy.
You're making moves.
You're trying to flirt.
Anyway, you're deliberately being nice to me. Trying to shake me up.
I'd noticed Seo Jae-kyeom doing this for a few days now.
He used to ignore me or give one-word replies even when I messaged him first with some excuse.
Now he sends messages for no reason.
Starts conversations first. Smiles at me. Teases. Acts friendly.
Asks me to pluck his eyelashes.
Says if I become class president, he'll be vice president.
What's this called in modern terms?
Fishing. Keeping options open.
He thinks he's being subtle, but how could I not notice? I'm not stupid.
"Seo Jae-kyeom. From what you're doing lately."
"What?"
"It looks like you're deliberately leaving room in hopes I'll like you again."
"......"
"Regretting it? That I don't like you anymore?"
No intention of dating me, doesn't even like me.
But now that I'm slipping away, you want to hold on?
"If I'm right, you're a real jerk. If you're not gonna like me, just let me get over you. I don't owe you anything."
I finished speaking and pressed the elevator button.