Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Demanding Accountability
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"At a time like this, shouldn't we be coming up with plans for what to do moving forward? What's the point of nitpicking right and wrong among ourselves, demanding apologies or saying don't do this or that? Think rationally. This is just turning a blind eye to reality...."
"It does help."
"Huh?"
I cut off Do Ha-jun's nonsense.
Do Ha-jun, whose words had suddenly been severed, turned to look at me. I lifted my chin toward him.
"If you apologize, it'll make us feel better. So apologize. Properly."
"Right now, just to soothe your feelings..."
"No apology, no plans from you. How can we discuss the future with someone who won't even admit fault?"
Ah, you pro-Japanese sellout, you wouldn't get it, huh? Do Ha-jun snorted derisively.
"What..."
"You're right that plans come before arguing fault. But that's for us victims to say. Not you."
I nodded at Do Ha-jun, whose mouth hung open.
"Quitting the club? Do it. Jumping off the roof? Go ahead. What's there to wait for? Do it right now."
"......"
"For your resignation reason, write embezzlement. And pay back the money before you jump off the roof."
"Hey, Kang Da-hye... aren't you going a bit too far with your words?"
"Pfft. Says my words are too harsh. No comeback, so nitpicking like this. An-noy-ing, right?"
I threw Do Ha-jun's own words right back at him.
The clubroom, without even a teacher to break up the fight, was dead silent. Everyone sat like mice, mouths shut, watching the verbal spar between me and Do Ha-jun.
They say the best entertainment while spectating is watching a fight, right? Enjoy the show.
What I'm just as good at as studying is verbal fights!
"No, I mean, did I do it on purpose? I was trying to do well for the club too."
"Got it. But why make a mistake and not apologize? And what, if you messed up trying to do well, do we have to pity you and coddle you? Who do you think you are?"
Go beg for coddling from your mom.
"Don't try to do well—actually do well. No, I don't even expect you to do well. Just do the basics, please."
I pleaded like this, clasping my hands together and raising them high.
Do Ha-jun's favorite loser pose.
Do Ha-jun grumbled.
"Yeah, yeah, I get how you all feel. Sorry for butting in like a know-it-all and screwing everything up. From now on, I won't butt in. I'll just sit quiet. Whether you guys are swamped or not, I won't help."
"What are you saying? Aren't you a club member? Whatever you do is just doing your job, not helping us. Drop that inflated sense of self."
"......"
"And didn't you say you're quitting and heading to the roof? How can a dead guy help?"
Even if you could help, don't. You, of all people, dare help me?
"Hey!"
That was when Do Ha-jun, pissed off, shot to his feet.
"Kuh...!"
Someone let out a deflating sound.
It was Jeong Eun-seong.
All eyes turned to Jeong Eun-seong, who burst out laughing. Unable to contain his laughter, Jeong Eun-seong covered his eyes with his hand.
The kids were at a loss for words at Jeong Eun-seong's reaction, laughing uncontrollably. Do Ha-jun awkwardly sat back down.
Whether they did or not, Jeong Eun-seong laughed alone for a while before finally calming down and lowering his hand, only to meet my eyes.
"......"
One moment cracking up, the next putting on a straight face upon eye contact.
Composing his expression, Jeong Eun-seong spoke.
"Costumes."
"Yeah?"
"I'll ask the people handling costumes at our company if they can help out."
"Is that even possible...?"
"No idea. Don't get your hopes up."
"Hey, forget it."
I cut off Jeong Eun-seong.
I know nothing about the entertainment industry, but I know how ridiculous a request that is. Not even a celebrity, just a trainee?
He's saying he'll ask them to help, but obviously, it'll end up with him buying stuff with his own money somewhere.
I asked Ha-jun's mom, who had been patting Do Ha-jun's back in the meantime.
"So, exactly how much do we have left?"
"Well..."
"......That's it?"
"Yeah."
"......"
What now.
Should I invest in crypto from now on to multiply it?
Or Samsung Electronics, Coca, Nvidia?
Did Coca even go public?
I was fretting over the hopeless budget, racking my brain with no answers, when—
"Um."
Bang Eun-ji, who had been gauging the mood, tentatively raised her hand.
Unfamiliar with waiting her turn to speak, she hemmed and hawed before pointing to the pile of clothes stacked in the corner.
"We don't have costumes to wear right now? Then what's that?"
One member with a sullen expression explained.
"Those are costumes left behind by graduated seniors, but nothing we need is in there. They're worn out, wrong sizes."
"Aren't you doing Chunhyangjeon? Don't they wear hanbok?"
"Yeah, but that's prince's robes, and below are queen dowager clothes."
"They look like they just need a little fixing."
"How do you fix them."
"I'll fix them."
"...You?"
I blinked at Bang Eun-ji. Suddenly the center of attention, Bang Eun-ji stammered.
"Can't I fix them?"
"It's not that you can't, but do you know how?"
"To some extent? I shortened this uniform skirt at home. The dry cleaners said they couldn't do this length."
Bang Eun-ji stood up and showed her skirt.
...Yeah, definitely a length a dry cleaner would refuse, but no messy hem, perfectly done.
"This too."
Bang Eun-ji removed the large ribbon from her hair and held it out.
"You shortened this?"
"No? I made it myself. Bought fabric."
"...!"
Oh?
"I have a sewing machine and stuff at home. Leftover fabric too. Looks like I can just rip those apart and attach here and there."
Oh...
"The roles are all set anyway. I hate going on stage. So I handle costumes and makeup, right?"
"Oh my god."
The kids' faces lit up.
"No cost at all then?"
"Not zero, but whatever. A few thousand won? I can cover that."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, what..."
Bang Eun-ji glanced at me.
"I'm grateful you accepted me too..."
"Huh?"
"I owe Kang Da-hye. Call it paying that back."
Owe me?
"You visited me in the hospital."
"That was because... you were hurt."
Ji-su whispered.
"Popularity. Popularity."
"No it's no..."
"Anyway, Eun-ji's doing it?"
"If she does, we'd really be grateful."
"Right. We don't need pro-level stuff anyway."
The members' faces, deathly pale since the shocking news of no budget, now bloomed with color. Bang Eun-ji, extending a helping hand, looked like a savior; they chatted with her warmly, forgetting they'd shunned her moments ago.
"Ever made clothes and stuff?"
"Ripped jeans into a skirt. Thought I'd die from exhaustion, but it was fun. Result turned out good."
"Right, Eun-ji's good at makeup too."
'That makeup...?'
As the kids approached her first, a smile crept onto Bang Eun-ji's face. Seizing the moment, I expressed my thanks too.
"Thanks for stepping up."
At my words, Bang Eun-ji cleared her throat awkwardly.
"If you're thankful, take me to your store sometime later. ...I gotta bow my head to your mom anyway."
"No need to bow, but... sure. Let's go."
"Teach me how to win verbal fights too."
"Verbal fights?"
"Yeah. You just skinned that guy alive."
"......"
If she's gonna be my friend, gotta fix her language habits first, you. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ And so the Lotte World incident wrapped up.
Another kid took over as treasurer instead of Ha-jun's mom, and Do Ha-jun and Ha-jun's mom coordinated with the advisor to cover the missing funds to some extent.
Acquire costumes as cheaply as possible, and have Bang Eun-ji fix them up.
And.
"Jeong Eun-seong."
After club time ended, I approached Jeong Eun-seong as he tidied chairs and spoke to him.
'This guy's got no need for extracurriculars on his record, yet he's serious about club activities.'
Not only making that absurd offer to ask his company people.
'Least I owe him a thank you.'
"Earlier..."
But.
"Kang Da-hye."
"Yeah?"
"I'm not talking to you anymore."
Jeong Eun-seong primly turned his head and stormed out of the clubroom.
"...?!"
What the hell?!