Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: An Unbreakable Bond
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The next day, the school was in an uproar.
More precisely, the Business Department Student Council was thrown into chaos.
"Hey, I heard Student Council President Park Jin-tae is freaking out."
"Why? Did he cause some incident at yesterday's drinking party?"
"Nah, he lost the card loaded with student council funds. And get this—not just the card, he lost his entire wallet."
The news hit me the moment I stepped into the lecture hall. It was shocking, to say the least.
Lost student council card.
And on the very day of the opening party, too—he realized it was gone when he went to pay for the second round.
"But here's the funny part. Since he couldn't pay for the group dinner, the freshmen had to cover it."
"Whoa, that's insane. How's he gonna show his face as president now?"
I sat down amid my classmates' mocking whispers.
Park Jin-tae. That asshole.
The guy who'd tried to splash booze on me yesterday and slimed all over Yoon Seo-ah.
Self-inflicted wound, I thought. But at the same time, a strange feeling bubbled up inside me.
'His wallet was fine until yesterday—how does it just vanish like that?'
He'd been flaunting his fancy designer clutch at the start of the party. Yet in just a few hours, poof—gone without a trace?
And hadn't Park Jin-tae been yelling his head off about the missing wallet yesterday?
The timing was suspiciously perfect, like someone had targeted him on purpose.
"Senior!"
Just then, a familiar peach scent wafted from behind me.
I turned to see Yoon Seo-ah standing there with a radiant smile.
She looked exceptionally cheerful today. Her white blouse paired with a navy cardigan evoked a clear autumn sky.
"Oh, hey, Seo-ah."
"Yeah! I was dying waiting for you, Senior."
She casually set her bag down and slid into the seat next to me.
The guys around us all turned to stare, but Yoon Seo-ah only had eyes for me.
"Senior, did you hear the rumor? Senior Jin-tae lost his wallet, and everyone's losing it."
"Yeah, I heard. The department's atmosphere is no joke right now."
"Seriously, he should've been more careful. How do you lose something like that?"
Yoon Seo-ah clucked her tongue and shook her head. Sympathy tinged her expression, but her eyes sparkled with amusement.
Like the face someone makes right after watching a hilarious comedy show.
"But Senior."
"Yeah?"
"The weather's so nice today—wanna take a walk with me after class? I heard the cherry blossoms by the benches behind the school are blooming beautifully."
An out-of-the-blue walk invitation.
But I had no reason to refuse. She'd looked out for me amid yesterday's chaos, and more than anything, I wanted to escape the department's messy vibe.
"Sure. Let's do it."
Her lips curved into a beaming smile at my answer.
It was so dazzling that I momentarily forgot the odd unease I'd felt at yesterday's party.
After class, we strolled along the quiet path behind the school.
Unlike the bustling main gate, this spot was serene. Cherry blossom petals fluttered down like snow with every breeze.
"Wow, it's really pretty."
Yoon Seo-ah picked up a fallen petal and marveled at it.
A few pink petals had landed on her hair too. Without thinking, I reached out and brushed them off.
"Oh..."
"Uh, they were on your hair."
I showed her the petals I'd removed, and her face flushed red like a ripe apple.
"Th-thank you..."
She bowed her head shyly. Her ears turning pink was downright cute.
We sat side by side on a bench. A pleasantly cool breeze rustled the tree branches—a peaceful afternoon.
"Senior."
"Yeah?"
"Um... I have something to show you. Just you."
After sitting in silence for a while, Yoon Seo-ah hesitantly spoke up.
She glanced around, confirmed no one was nearby, and pulled something from her bag.
It was a small, rectangular object.
"This."
The moment I saw what lay in her pale palm, I sucked in a breath.
"...Why is this here?"
It was an ID card.
The photo showed Park Jin-tae smirking with his hair slicked back sleazily.
And tucked beside it was a shiny gold credit card.
Items that should've been in the wallet Park Jin-tae claimed to have lost.
Why were they coming out of Yoon Seo-ah's bag?
"Seo-ah, you didn't..."
"I found it."
Yoon Seo-ah said matter-of-factly.
"On my way to the bathroom at the beer pub yesterday. It was by the trash can."
"Then... you should return it. You know how much chaos it's causing."
"I was gonna. At first."
She fiddled with the card. The sharp plastic edge pricked her pale finger.
"But then I thought about it—he's such a jerk. Splashing booze on you, talking down to you, acting like a know-it-all..."
Her voice grew quieter.
"So I just didn't. Let him sweat a bit. Think of it as punishment for messing with you, Senior."
She looked up at me.
Her clear brown eyes held no guilt—only blind, pure devotion toward me.
Like a child awaiting praise.
Or a cat dropping a mouse at its owner's feet, purring for approval.
"This... is a crime. You know that, right?"
"I know. Embezzlement of lost property. Or theft?"
How does a non-law student know the exact charges so well?
My head throbbed, and I rubbed my forehead.
In a normal situation, I'd drag her to confess right now or at least mail it back. That's what a proper senior would do.
But.
'Considering what that Park Jin-tae bastard did...'
The disdainful look he'd given me yesterday, the leering gaze at Yoon Seo-ah.
And dumping the bill on the freshmen? Pathetic.
Honestly, schadenfreude hit before any sense of justice.
And above all.
I couldn't betray Yoon Seo-ah, who was gazing at me with teary eyes like she'd done it all "for you, Senior."
She'd chosen to become a criminal for me.
I knew it was wrong, but her feelings struck me as insanely endearing. Was I the crazy one?
I let out a long sigh.
"...The wallet?"
"Threw it out. Wiped the prints and dumped it in a sewer far from school."
"Thorough."
I let out a hollow laugh.
Yoon Seo-ah giggled along, beaming.
"Senior, are you gonna report me?"
She lightly tugged my sleeve. Her trembling fingertips tickled my heart.
I paused, then snatched the ID and card from her hand.
"Hand it over."
"Huh? Senior?"
I stood and headed to a nearby vending machine. I shoved the ID and card deep into the grimiest "general waste" bin beside it.
Then I tossed a crumpled, half-empty coffee can on top to bury them.
"Senior...?"
"I didn't see a thing."
I brushed the dust off my hands and said flatly.
"Park Jin-tae got wasted, dropped his wallet on the street somewhere. You didn't pick up anything. Got it?"
Yoon Seo-ah's eyes widened round.
She stared blankly for a moment, then broke into a radiant smile and threw her arms around mine.
"Yes! Got it. I didn't see anything. For real."
Her soft warmth pressed against my arm.
We'd become accomplices.
The thrill of crossing a moral line made my heart race in a strangely intoxicating way.
Kang Minwoo, trying to live right... but damn these girls.
"You're the best, Senior. You're on my side."
Yoon Seo-ah nuzzled my shoulder.
I feigned sternness and lightly flicked her forehead like a knuckle rap.
"Don't do it again. You'll just get yourself in trouble."
"Hehe, okay. If you say no, I won't."
She nodded obediently.
A faint fragrance rose from the crown of her head in my arms.
I gently patted her back.
For some reason, I felt a sense of duty to take responsibility for this little thieving cat.
After that day, our relationship shifted subtly.
We weren't just senior and junior, or group project partners anymore.
We shared a secret no one else could know. That sticky bond tied us with invisible thread.
Rumors swirled that Park Jin-tae couldn't clear the embezzlement suspicions and was on the brink of impeachment from student council president.
People pointed fingers at him, and watching it unfold gave me a twisted sense of satisfaction.
"Senior, what're you up to tonight?"
While studying in the library, Yoon Seo-ah slipped me a Post-it note.
[Let's grab something yummy after studying! My treat (Park Jin-tae disposal celebration^^)]
The bit in parentheses was hastily scratched out, but I could read it.
I smirked and scribbled back.
[Sure. But nothing expensive. Save your money.]
Yoon Seo-ah read it and covered her mouth, giggling.
That was when it happened.
Swipe.
Under the library table, her foot brushed my ankle.
Thinking it was an accident, I pulled away—but her toes insistently climbed my calf.
I startled and looked up, but Yoon Seo-ah stared intently at her textbook like nothing was amiss.
That ankle-locking nudge felt teasingly ticklish, stimulating.
But I didn't hate the restraint.
Maybe I was getting addicted to this dangerous girl, too.
My first semester unfolded like that,
Ripening with vibrant petals and perilous secrets.