Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Childish Power Struggles
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"It's nothing much, but acting all cocky."
Bang Eun-ji dusted off her clothes.
'Ah, so why do you care, Bang Eun-ji? Get lost while I'm being nice.'
'No? Don't be nice. I'm curious to see what happens.'
'Aw~ Can't even hit her.'
Park Su-hwan, who had raised his hand pretending to be tough in front of his girlfriend, just kept muttering "Aw" when Bang Eun-ji thrust her face forward with a "Hit me!" and ultimately couldn't bring himself to do it.
Guessing she still had a couple of close oppa friends even if her influence had waned.
"Really looks lame."
Sneering, Bang Eun-ji stuck right to Park Su-hwan's side and said to Jang Ji-won, who was earnestly trying to calm him down with "Su-hwan, hold it in."
"Get your head straight. There's a limit to being crazy for guys. You wanna date this loser?"
"What? Su-hwan's not bad! Back then, it was because of Do Ha-jun, no choice!"
"Are you dumb?"
Looking at Jang Ji-won with eyes full of pity, she wondered if this was how Kang Da-hye felt when looking at her past self.
About to spit on the floor out of habit but barely stopping herself, Bang Eun-ji issued a warning.
"You two can film a drama in the hallway or grab a motel for all I care, but if I catch you badmouthing my. friend. one more time. You'll really regret it."
Exactly shoving back the words you'd said to Jeong Eun-seong. I'm in the drama club with Jeong Eun-seong. At that threat, Park Su-hwan flinched.
"What did you say? You f***ing bitch? Before I make your parents' kid a f***ing disgrace, shut your mouth and live."
Trash talk worthy of a former top delinquent.
Her verbal sparring skills seemed to have improved lately. Probably from hanging out with Kang Da-hye.
"Why is it so noisy?"
Right then, that very Kang Da-hye appeared—along with Jeong Eun-seong and Seo Jae-kyeom.
Seemed like the three had been inside the classroom; the door opened and Kang Da-hye stepped out. Jeong Eun-seong and Seo Jae-kyeom got into a childish power struggle over who would exit first, only to get their shoulders stuck in the door.
Seeing the three, Park Su-hwan and Jang Ji-won scampered off.
"What? They were here."
Kang Da-hye sighed as she watched the couple disappear.
"Sports day isn't even over, and those two sneak off alone. Wondered where they went."
"Are those two dating?"
"Yeah... I just found out today."
Kang Da-hye nodded at her friend's question.
In that moment, subtle glances of sympathy passed between the four girls...
Arms crossed, Bang Eun-ji grumbled.
"That guy didn't learn his lesson even after getting beat up by girls back then."
"What happened?"
"Not really."
No point passing on nonsense to an orphan who eats scraps—it'd just rot their ears. She'd punished them plenty in Kang Da-hye's place. Thinking that, Bang Eun-ji nodded proudly to herself.
Self-congratulating like she'd become a dragon.
Just then, Jeong Eun-seong and Seo Jae-kyeom finally extricated themselves from the classroom door and stood behind Kang Da-hye. Seeing them, her friends' cheeks flushed.
They started chattering in excited voices.
"Jeong Eun-seong, saw your relay earlier! So cool!"
"Really handsome."
"Jae-kyeom, you were super cool too."
"Do you work out separately?"
"But what were you three doing in the classroom?"
"Ah."
Kang Da-hye scratched her arm awkwardly.
"I was applying some ointment to where I fell earlier."
"Oh right, Da-hye fell."
"You okay?"
"Yeah, fine. You guys hurt anywhere? Got lots of ointment left."
With that, Kang Da-hye pointed to the unopened tube of ointment and the box of band-aids that Seo Jae-kyeom was still holding. Friend Three tilted her head.
"Isn't that new?"
"Hmph."
That was when Jeong Eun-seong—who'd been standing quietly without a word—laughed.
The laugh somehow sounded like a sneer, drawing Bang Eun-ji and her friends' gazes straight to him.
If this were a comic, Seo Jae-kyeom would've had a "pop" vein mark on his left forehead as he gritted his teeth.
"Yeah. Lots left."
"……."
"What happened...?"
To Bang Eun-ji's question, Kang Da-hye let out a deep sigh and shook her head.
"Nothing. Just boys' power struggle. ...Super childish."
Wanna hear how that super childish power struggle went down.
"Jeong Eun-seong, Seo Jae-kyeom. If you're gonna fight again, do it after I leave."
The two looked chastened at Kang Da-hye's glare.
Bang Eun-ji and her friends exchanged glances.
Seo Jae-kyeom—the one who seemed more eloquent of the two—grinned and put on a cute act.
"Fight? Seeing you hurt just made my heart ache, so our voices got a little loud."
"Then don't look. Close your eyes."
"No way. Gonna open 'em wide and stare."
He thrust his face toward Kang Da-hye, eyes bulging. Unlike his usual prickly self, he seemed devoid of pride—and it somehow suited him.
Jeong Eun-seong scowled and shoved Seo Jae-kyeom's stomach with his arm.
"Ugh."
Kang Da-hye shook her head.
"Yeah. Get a good look now. Won't see after graduation."
"Why?"
Seo Jae-kyeom turned serious at her casual remark.
Bang Eun-ji and her friends exchanged glances again.
"Kang Da-hye, after graduation... we can't see each other?"
"Were you planning to?"
"We could!"
"...You gonna come to Korea University to meet me?"
"If I do, you won't meet up?!"
"We'll see then...... Gotta enjoy college life after that long journey back."
"Then I'll go to Korea University too...!"
"You can't go to Korea University. Your music score's zero."
She'd tossed away 50 points—how? Kang Da-hye said coldly.
"Ah...?"
"Yeah. You can't go. Told you there'd be a day I'd shed bloody tears over your 50."
Hearing those firm words, Bang Eun-ji laughed inwardly.
'Kang Da-hye doesn't just say that stuff to me.'
Thought she was being magnanimous 'cause no matter what I do, I can't be her rival.
Nope.
Seo Jae-kyeom gritted his teeth.
"No. I'm going to Korea University. I can. Gonna study starting today."
Kang Da-hye's reaction to that?
"That's a great idea."
Even though Seo Jae-kyeom was already 13th without studying—meaning he'd become a strong rival if he did—she showed no sign of displeasure.
Clapping her hands, Kang Da-hye said,
"Let's study hard together. If you both go all out, we'll motivate each other and get some real synergy."
You push me, I push you.
"Let's produce two perfect scorers from Go-go High School."
Excited, she patted Seo Jae-kyeom's shoulder and left first, saying her friends were waiting.
Watching Kang Da-hye nimbly run off on her injured leg, Bang Eun-ji thought,
'I thought her nagging me to study was......'
Her being lenient 'cause I could never be her rival no matter what.
Wasn't.
She does the same to Seo Jae-kyeom.
Once Kang Da-hye was gone, Seo Jae-kyeom and Jeong Eun-seong glared at each other before leaving too. Back in the hallway with just the four of them, Friend One spoke up.
"...Da-hye got dumped by Seo Jae-kyeom, didn't she?"
"Yeah."
"What?"
"Dunno...."
"Anyway, Park Su-hwan was just spouting crap without knowing anything."
"Yeah."
"Jealous of Da-hye."
"Yeah."
"Both super handsome."
"Yeah."
"If they were in our class, I couldn't study."
"Yeah......"
Kang Da-hye's so lucky.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Kang Da-hye!"
An unlucky voice interrupted her peaceful walk to school.
Pretending not to hear, she quickened her steps.
Instead of heading through the main gate, she slipped into a side path to hide.
But someone grabbed her wrist roughly from behind and yanked her around.
Long nails dug into her wrist.
Ugh! Wanna cut off your wrist!
"Let go."
"Wait a sec!"
Do Ha-jun dragged her into a corner and immediately started interrogating her.
"Why didn't you reply to my KakaoTalk?"
Because I didn't want to.
"Can you let go?"
"Ah, you usually don't check KakaoTalk much 'cause you're studying?"
"I deliberately ignored it."
"Got it, got it. Then calls are better?"
"No...."
If you're just gonna talk over me without listening, why bother conversing?