Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: The Top Student Hides His Regression
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Seo Jae-kyeom, clutching the hem of his gym shirt, pretended to strip off his top. He stopped halfway, but his abs flashed into view as the shirt lifted.
Abs, that is.
I'd been standing right beside him and jumped back in shock. What the hell! Testosterone overload!
"Waaaaah!"
"Waaaaaaaah!"
Cheers rained down like crazy.
Hearing the screams that bordered on shrieks, Seo Jae-kyeom chuckled softly and pulled his shirt back down.
Only a guy born with devastating good looks could pull off pretending to strip in front of the entire school without a second thought!
Like he knew no one would hate him no matter what he did!
Not a shred of embarrassment or hesitation!
One thing was for sure.
Our class girls' group chat just exploded.
My head exploded too.
Ugh... Wow...
What was I even trying to say? My mind's a total blank. Nothing?
"Whoa... That was way too strong right out of the gate! Looks like it's over already!"
Our PE teacher, who loved this the most, shouted into the mic beside me.
"How about it, Mr. Yi? Give us a cool show too?!"
Yi Mong-ryong shook his head with a laugh and promptly showered the whole school with ice cream bars. The principal busted out some dance moves.
The traitorous student teacher did some magic trick or something. Whatever. I was in the bathroom then. Zero interest.
But no amount of cash, dancing, or magic could beat showing off those abs.
And Seo Jae-kyeom didn't stop there—in the next event, "Bring the Thing Students Love Most," he snatched the paddle from the teacher next door, then pretended it was an accident and snapped it clean in half for the class.
"Waaaaaaaah!"
Showmanship level: expert...
Even if an idol showed up at school, the cheers wouldn't hit this level.
Thanks to Seo Jae-kyeom's performance, our team clinched the themed relay.
⚔ SCOREBOARD ⚔ Yeon Team: 350 Go Team: 185 (5 points for abs)
"Kang Da-hye, now who's the hottest guy in our class?"
"Seo Jae-kyeom, obviously!"
I pounded his back gleefully as he puffed up his chest proudly, and we hopped off the stage laughing.
You know that thing with guys?
When they wear clothes, their shoulders and back are so broad that the back of the shirt stretches tight, creating those horizontal tension lines?
Seo Jae-kyeom's back was doing that right now.
Why mention it?
He looks extra hot today!
"What's next?"
"Mixed relay by grade!"
"Who's running for us?"
"Ye-su-a and me, everyone else from other classes."
"Guys?"
"All from other classes."
"But what's he doing over there?"
Seo Jae-kyeom, who'd been letting me thump his back, pointed to the stands.
Jeong Eun-seong, who'd been sitting at the very back, had come down front. He was stretching one arm across his body, cheeks flushed. Spotting me and Seo Jae-kyeom approaching, he gritted his teeth and sneered.
"Someone so handsome even everyone admits it?"
"Dude, you were too far back..."
And yeah, Seo Jae-kyeom is handsome.
You're the only one in all of Gogogo High School who won't admit that fact.
"Hmph."
Seo Jae-kyeom shot Jeong Eun-seong a smug look, then went off to grab the iced Big Kactus soda he'd stashed earlier.
Unable to trash-talk the victorious Seo Jae-kyeom and go against the crowd, Jeong Eun-seong grumbled childishly.
"Handsome guy gets called up, and I sit it out? Unbelievable."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Living in this harsh world banking on my face alone..."
That bad, huh...?
"Jeong Eun-seong. There have to be people in the world more handsome than you. You gotta accept that."
"Name one. Just one."
"..."
"See? None."
Touché.
"But why'd you come down?"
"Gonna run. Relay."
"You?"
I asked, eyes sparkling.
Jackpot. He's fast!
"Feels like the school's forgotten I exist. Can't have that."
"..."
Fair enough...
"Perfect timing. Lots of girls were bummed you weren't in anything. Swap with someone from Class 8."
I replied excitedly and dragged him down with me.
Sure enough, the stadium went nuts the moment Jeong Eun-seong stepped onto the field.
Mixed relay: three guys, three girls, total six runners.
Jeong Eun-seong and I were last.
Everything fine up to here.
But...
"Whoa!"
The problem? Right from the start, our Class 6 runner tripped.
Turning the corner, she bumped into the Yeon Team runner. Being smaller, she got shoved back. The red baton she held rolled away.
In an instant, we fell more than half a lap behind.
Ye-su-a ran her heart out, but closing that gap was impossible.
"Wave ride starts now!"
The hyped Yeon Team cheer captain on the opposite stands waved their flag like mad.
"Ugh!"
Now it was just Jeong Eun-seong and me left!
Could we two make up half a lap?!
I didn't want to resort to sneaky tricks! But no choice!
"Jeong Eun-seong."
I called out to him, calm as ever. Grabbed his arm; he leaned down. I glanced around the chaos and whispered in his ear.
"When Ye-su-a comes in, act all panicked and go out to meet her for the baton."
That shortens her run and lengthens yours. Ye-su-a's fast, but you're a bit faster.
"And you, Kang Da-hye, go up ahead for the handoff?"
"Yeah."
Make the fastest guy left run 2-3 meters extra.
Jeong Eun-seong, hearing my plan, was impressed.
"Whoa... The desperation to win. Love it."
"Not sarcasm?"
"Pure admiration."
He eyed Ye-su-a on her third lap and the half-lap lead of the Yeon Team.
"If I catch them, we win?"
"Obviously."
"Cool."
And Jeong Eun-seong kept his word.
Pacing frantically like he was desperate, award-worthy actor Jeong Eun-seong went back over 3 meters to take the baton from Ye-su-a.
He closed the half-lap deficit in a flash.
"Waaaaaaaah!"
Cheers exploded as he overtook them.
"So damn cool!"
A Yeon Team girl forgot they were opponents and cheered.
Yeah. Super cool. Runs like a beast.
Now I just had to not screw it up.
Following his lead, I fussed and fidgeted dramatically, going way out ahead for the baton.
Jeong Eun-seong, who'd kept full speed to the end, practically shoved the baton into my hand.
In my peripheral vision as I bolted, I saw him lift his gym shirt to wipe sweat from his forehead.
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Our girls' group chat's blowing up again for sure.
He totally did that on purpose with the shirt wipe! Targeting Seo Jae-kyeom!
One lap.
Two laps.
Three laps.
Panting hard around the corner, I spotted two student council kids holding a white tape across the finish line.
"Ughhhhh!"
No slowing down till the end! I can do this, I can do this...
We won!
But!
"Guh!"
The student council kids, not expecting me to charge full speed, didn't let go of the tape...
My stomach slammed into the taut tape.
Couldn't beat the momentum; I pitched forward headfirst.
Jeong Eun-seong, standing by the finish, grabbed me—and tumbled down with me.
"Ugh..."
We rolled across the track, tangled together.
"Ugh..."
"Kang Da-hye, you okay?"
"Neck almost snapped... We won, right?"
"Yeah."
"Good..."
"Hey, your knee."
Helping me up, Jeong Eun-seong frowned at my leg.
The gym pants I'd rolled up earlier because they flapped annoyingly—my knee and calf below had scraped the track hard.
Blood everywhere. Damn.
"Da-hye!"
"Kang Da-hye! You okay?!"
Friends who'd freaked out seeing me fall rushed over and gaped at my knee.
"What the hell are you guys doing! If you're gonna get distracted, why stand there? Accident happened!"
"S-sorry..."
"Oh no, Da-hye's knee!"
Even our homeroom teacher, hot dog stick in her mouth, sprinting down.
"To the nurse."
"I'm fine."
"Go anyway, Da-hye. Next up's the student teachers' talent show."
"Okay then."
Jeong Eun-seong looked at the friends surrounding us.
"Mind if I take her?"
"Of course! Hurry and take her. My knee hurts just looking."
The Class 6 girl who'd tripped first piped up quick. Jeong Eun-seong nodded, then casually asked her.
"You."
"Yeah?"
"You tripped earlier too, right? Go to the nurse yet?"
"Wh-what?!"
Sudden close-up from Jeong Eun-seong, and the Class 6 girl stammered.
"I-I'm fine...!"
She's fidgeting, won't even look at his face.
"?"
Jeong Eun-seong tilted his head and leaned in to peer at her face. Her cheeks flaming red, she flailed.
Backing away far, the Class 6 girl waved her hands wildly.
"G-go quick! I'll tell your class!"
Shooing us away, she pushed my back.
Oh boy, stay longer and your friend might cry.
I hurried off with Jeong Eun-seong out of the gym.
⚔ SCOREBOARD ⚔ Yeon Team: 355 Go Team: 285