Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Seizing the Initiative
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Shake, shake.
Jeong Eun-seong shook his head and turned back toward the classroom. Standing frozen like a statue beside me, Se-in and Su-a fought back their laughter.
"Friends... Mind if I head out first to explain?"
"Ah, yeah. You've gotta clear this up."
"Go on ahead. We'll hit the bathroom."
"But Da-hye... can we laugh just a little...?"
You're already laughing...
"Jeong Eun-seong."
I caught up to Jeong Eun-seong as he entered the classroom. He rolled his eyes, pointedly avoiding me as I grabbed his arm.
"I heard your take on relationships loud and clear, Kang Da-hye..."
"No, that's not my opinion."
"Really disappointing that you think that way..."
"I said it's not my opinion?"
"A woman has to do this, that, for him to shape up? Steer clear of guys like that..."
"Hey...!"
Look at me!
I grabbed Jeong Eun-seong's arm and shook it. He dangled back and forth, bursting into laughter.
"Don't laugh."
I warned him, and he straightened up, covering his mouth with his hand.
"Lower your hand."
*No, no.*
"I said lower it."
*No, no, no.* Jeong Eun-seong's eyes curved into sly crescents as he refused.
"Aigoo."
I dragged him into the classroom, dodging the kids passing by.
First thing I saw was Do Ha-jun's crew, as usual, clustered around the computer desk, snickering among themselves.
Ji-won's husband whispered something to Park Su-hwan upon spotting me. Soon, the whole group's eyes locked onto me. Their gazes flicked between Jeong Eun-seong and me, expressions downright lecherous.
Ever since Seo Jae-kyeom kicked up a fuss, they stopped calling me or Yeon-hee "Apple Juice" or "sis" to our faces...
But it was obvious what they were thinking right now.
The girls who now knew exactly what those guys got up to over there? Half looked like they were barely holding back from spitting in their faces, the other half smirked, thinking of the guys' doomed futures.
And the boys?
Still playing dumb.
"What, stopped mid-sentence?"
"...Jeong Eun-seong."
*Where're you looking? Look at me already,* I called out, prodding him.
"They call me Apple Juice Da-hye. You know what that means?"
I know.
All the boys knew and pretended otherwise—foolish to think Jeong Eun-seong was any different.
But even knowing that...
'I'd be disappointed.'
If you—the guy who took a taxi rushing over because something might've happened to me, who carried me running so I wouldn't miss the exam from being late—turned out to be the same breed as those creeps...
'Believing anyway' might be affection,
but why go that far?
Should just like someone trustworthy from the start.
"You know?"
His expression turned deadly serious at my question.
After agonizing for a long moment, Jeong Eun-seong finally answered.
"You look like an apple?"
"What kinda nonsense is that?"
"Or that apple hairpin last time."
"That was Se-in's hairpin..."
"Then no clue. Want me to look into it?"
"How? You don't have friends."
I waved him off.
"I'll look into it."
"Nah, forget it. Don't go asking around other kids. It's no big deal."
With the big event right around the corner, no need to stir up trouble. I waved insistently for him to drop it, then accidentally swatted his neck. Ow. Jeong Eun-seong winced and asked,
"Then I've got a question too."
"What."
"You were going around asking everyone else if their parents were coming Friday. Why skip me?"
"...Well."
"'Cause I got no parents?"
I froze, utterly speechless.
Just staring at him blankly, unable to say a word...
"What’s with that face."
He smirked faintly and rummaged in his pocket.
"Here, have this."
It was a Jetty.
A Jetty—the straw packed with chocoballs that turns into chocolate milk when you stick it in some. No milk in sight, yet Jeong Eun-seong just handed me the lone Jetty and said,
"Bought a hundred online."
"A hundred, and you give me one?"
"Gotta give 'em one at a time. That way I get a hundred excuses to talk to you, right?"
"!"
Seeing me go rigid, he turned his head aside and laughed.
"Kidding."
Don't kid like that.
"Kang Da-hye, you're not crushing on me, are you?"
Might actually start to, so cut it out.
"No way. You and me right now... no can do."
He pretended to dash off, chuckling as he left first. Got annoyed at how effortlessly he moved in the process.
"Ah, seriously..."
Handsome guys should be banned from jokes like that. I shook my head and headed back to my seat.
There, Seo Jae-kyeom propped his chin on his hand, glaring at me sideways. He'd watched the whole exchange with Jeong Eun-seong—lips pursed, full-on pout.
"Nice view?"
"Not solving the problems? Timer's almost up."
If you're not gonna solve 'em, why even start the timer?
"The problem *is* the problem right now?"
"If it's not the problem, what is?"
"Kang Da-hye's got high standards, right?"
"You complimenting yourself?"
Remember when I confessed to you? I rummaged in my bag for my toothbrush, replying offhand.
"Agh."
Seo Jae-kyeom huffed in irritation and faceplanted onto his desk. Ignoring him, I squeezed toothpaste onto my brush.
"...Ma."
"What?"
"I'll buy you banana milk, so no chocolate milk. You like banana milk, right?"
"......"
Actually, I like coffee milk the most, you guys...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Total stud."
"The best."
"Why aren't there guys like that around me?"
Se-in clapped enthusiastically. Her eyes screamed 100% sincerity. Even Do-yeon, who you'd never expect to say something like that, chimed in from the side.
"Any guy uglier than him? Don't talk to me."
What're we even doing?
Lunchtime. We'd claimed the classroom computer, bingeing videos of Se-in's favorite male idol group performances.
Here's why we were doing this.
'But would they try watching videos that lunch too? Parents' Day—won't they lay low?'
'If they had the brains for that, they wouldn't be watching crap like that in class to begin with.'
'Dunno. Never lived a trash life like theirs.'
'Well, if they don't watch, make 'em desperate to.'
'How?'
'Starve 'em for a bit.'
Those kids' brains were already pickled.
Deprive them forcibly for a few days, and they'd lose it, scrambling to watch somehow. If we could slyly pit them against the girls in the process? Perfect.
So for the past few days, we'd scarfed lunch at breakneck speed to occupy the computer every lunchtime. Actually, the girls had split into shifts to guard it outright.
Claimed the classroom computer and...
blasted male idol videos—the exact ones those boys despised.
Crank the music. Gush about how handsome, how cute.
"Ah, Gyeong Se-in. Pipe down. You own the classroom?"
"What? It's lunchtime."
When 'that group' picked a fight, annoyed at the sight...
"So? Jealous? Then get handsome~"
"Or claim the computer first~"
Ebebeb.
Just like that, we held the fort Wed, Thu, Fri—three straight days. And the result?
Friday.
School Visit Day.
Park Su-hwan's crew wolfed lunch at combat speed, shoved Se-in—who was pretending to hurry—aside, and bolted for the classroom.
"Ow!"
"Hey! Do Ha-jun! You push people and don't even apologize?!"
"Yeah~ Go ask your precious oppa for help~"
Once the thundering, thrilled pack vanished from sight, our class girls—who'd gathered to eat lunch—went dead serious all at once.
Se-in, who'd fallen and faked outrage, hardened her expression and stood.
Su-a pulled the remote from her pocket.
The classroom TV remote, borrowed from a friend in Class 7.
"Tested it on Class 1's TV earlier—works fine. Guess remotes work across classes."
Those jerks were sneaky cautious—always kept the remote handy when they hogged the computer. So we'd urgently snagged one from another class.
"They said we could use it?"
"Yeah. Told 'em the situation, and they lent it gladly? Said they'd come watch the show."
"Nice. Alright then..."
I craned my neck, peeking past the cafeteria entrance.
Parents were filing in for the cafeteria tour, guided by each class's homeroom teacher.
"Who's got the printed KakaoTalks?"
"Me."
"Got backups just in case."
"Perfect."
Here we go.
First move in~^^