Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Power
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Sand crunched underfoot.
Sand crunched underfoot.
I took a step forward.
The sand screamed as it was crushed beneath my shoes.
The crunching sounds right now were from my footsteps, matching my pace.
But the footsteps weren't just mine.
Crunch. Crunch.
Another set of footsteps trailed behind me.
Very stealthy, cautious movements. They were definitely following close on my heels.
I stopped in place and turned around.
Rustle.
Two figures vanished behind a tree, their purple waves fluttering.
"......"
I narrowed my eyes at the twins peeking out from either side of the tree trunk.
'What the hell. I gave them the ball, so why are they still tailing me? They should be glued to it all day.'
Something was off.
It felt wrong somehow.
The moment I sensed it, the twins suddenly threw the beach ball onto the shore and dashed out.
Kyahaha!
'Just my imagination...?'
I tilted my head watching the twins roll around on the beach, then turned back toward the group with the other kids.
It felt fishy, but I'd decided to ignore them, and I had no intention of changing my mind.
"Have you tried coconut?"
"Yeah. It was pretty good."
Lee Minhyuk pointed to one side. There was a brown fruit there.
Strangely, it had definitely been green when they brought it, but now it was smaller and brownish.
'Did they peel it?'
It had looked incredibly tough when I saw it earlier. Impressive that they managed to crack it open.
Probably Yoon Jihoo's handiwork.
"So, what's up?"
"Wanted to talk to Jaejun."
"Jaejun. He has something to say to you."
Kim Jaejun's gaze landed on me.
Yoo Hana was beside him.
Our class goddess. No, the goddess who'd claimed and held the throne of Daehan International High School for three years.
Even just sitting there, her radiant hair brightened the surroundings, and her golden eyes sparkled, perfecting her beauty.
If the Shin Yuri and Shin Yejin twins were the moon, Yoo Hana was the sun.
Not just in looks, but in personality too.
The twins shied away and fled, but Yoo Hana accepted the adoring gazes around her as if it were only natural. Arrogant, even.
Yoo Hana gave me a small smile.
'Every time I see her, I think the same thing. She's not human.'
I had that thought for a brief moment before turning my eyes back to Kim Jaejun.
Kim Jaejun stood and approached.
"What is it?"
"I want to get more coconuts, but I need manpower. Can I take one of the flight attendants tonight? Someone with good stamina... preferably from the plane right now."
Tonight, our homeroom teacher, Kim Yeonju, and I were planning to break away from the group and set up on our own.
To do that, I needed to extract Kim Yeonju first.
But Kim Jaejun was firm.
"No. One person has to stay by the radio at all times."
"Just put another attendant on it."
Lee Minhyuk chuckled from the side.
"No one else knows how to use it."
"What?"
I doubted my ears for a second. Did I hear that wrong?
The other flight attendants besides Kim Yeonju couldn't operate the radio?
It was absurd.
'How the hell did they even become flight attendants?'
I went back to Kim Yeonju and explained the situation. She gave an awkward smile.
"You sure the others really can't?"
"Lee Jaehoon could manage... somewhat."
Lee Jaehoon was the male flight attendant.
Currently on this deserted island, there was one male attendant and three females surviving.
The problem was that the male attendant had gone missing.
Last night—around when the homeroom teacher and I entered the forest—he'd said he was going to the bathroom and vanished. He still hadn't returned.
-Ah, where the hell is Lee Jaehoon at a time like this!
I suddenly recalled Lee Hyunji's frustrated shout from yesterday.
'Maybe he bolted.'
Everyone thinks alike. I wasn't the only one plotting an escape; the others probably were too.
Anyway, that's why Kim Yeonju couldn't move tonight.
"So what do we do, Master?"
"I'll come get you at dawn. Once the kids are deep asleep."
No other way.
"Yes. Please come for me."
Kim Yeonju hugged me softly. As I left the cockpit, I warned her.
"And tonight, you'll be alone. Might be dangerous."
"Me alone?"
"Yeah. Jaejun said everyone has to go, no exceptions. So lock the cockpit door and don't come out until I get you."
"Got it. I will."
Kim Yeonju nodded with a trustworthy expression, telling me not to worry.
But rubbing her thighs together like that didn't inspire confidence. Her eyes kept flicking to my crotch.
I said it with genuine concern.
"Don't spread your legs for the kids just because I'm gone."
"Oh come on, Master. I've been watching them here. Their dicks are all small. Tiny ones don't do it for me anymore."
"......"
Her sincerity showed on her face, erasing my lingering worries.
"...Got it. See you later."
"Yes! Don't forget to come get me for real! Promise? Or I'll come find you myself! And milk you seven times in a row!"
I waved reassuringly, telling her I got it.
'Feels like I poked a fox spirit.'
Anyway, Kim Yeonju seemed sorted. Whew. Now, the rest was dodging people in the forest?
When everyone was distracted gathering coconuts, slip back here, grab Kim Yeonju, and bolt. That was the plan.
Whether it'd go smoothly was another story.
'Guess I'll have to face it head-on for now.'
By the time I was fully geared up and stepped off the plane, the sun was dyed red.
Another day gone, just like that. A hollow feeling mixed with tension from knowing I had to hustle from here on out.
I tied my shoelaces tight.
Around me, everyone was making final preparations to enter the forest.
No exceptions.
Even the teachers and attendants—all ordered by the mighty Kim Jaejun himself.
Everyone looked like they were headed to their funerals.
Exhausted from barely eating, their one solace was sleeping soundly in the cool dawn hours—and now even that was taken.
"Damn it."
"Sob sob. This is too much."
The teachers were complaining openly now. They'd hit their limit.
But what could they do? Their precious leader had commanded it.
'Self-inflicted.'
No choices for them.
Same for the attendants.
But there's always that slippery type who wriggles out of any situation.
"Kids, do I really have to go too?"
Lee Hyunji stepped forward, tugging her top with one finger to expose her cleavage.
The boys' eyes snapped to her; the girls frowned.
Yoon Jihoo approached and pulled her into a hug. Right there in front of everyone, he groped her chest openly and replied.
"Sorry, no exceptions."
Even with her areolas and nipples fully exposed, Lee Hyunji didn't care and kept pleading.
"Still...! Can't you reconsider just once? I wanna stay here and play with you guys. Please? Think about it."
Lee Hyunji flirted, eyeing the boys one by one.
Their gazes turned to Kim Jaejun. Lee Minhyuk went up as representative and whispered something.
Kim Jaejun snorted briefly.
After some deliberation, he nodded. He couldn't resist the boys' clamor.
"Okay. You, stay."
"Really? Eek! Thanks, guys!"
'Anyone else wanna stay?' Yoon Jihoo scanned the rest with that look, but no one responded.
And so, Lee Hyunji—now the boys' communal property for another night—began flaunting her power.
"Hehe. Go have fun, everyone. Can't see you off properly. Gotta play hard with these guys from now on."
Lee Hyunji shook two 330ml water bottles in her hands. She chugged one dramatically in front of us.
"Unnie, can I have a sip?"
"Sorry, Soyoung. Wanna give you some, but they gave these specially for me to drink alone."
"......"
'Impressive in her own way.'
I had to admit it.
Whatever the method, she'd carved out her survival strategy.
And she knew exactly how to wield power.
'The pity is, she picked a sinking ship.'
She didn't know why the boys let her stay.
'They did it on purpose. To make the other teachers and attendants spread their legs and come crawling.'
Spread 'em, and you get water and skip work.
How tempting.
As more bailed one by one, the workload piled on the rest.
Eventually, every female teacher and attendant would cave.
Then came the problem.
'Once that happens, everyone's equal again—work by day, take dick by night.'
Even harsher demands become normalized.
And she'd be the first discarded, having been enjoyed to the point of boredom.
Oblivious to the truth, Lee Hyunji strutted like she'd been specially chosen.
"Soyoung, thirsty?"
"Yes, Unnie. Will you... share?"
"Depends on what you do. Bark like a dog first."
"D-Dog...?"
"Yeah. Do that, and I'll give you a sip."
Park Soyoung's pupils quaked.
Her face flushed red—pride clearly wounded—but the glistening water was too alluring. Her throat bobbed hard.
"Y-You'll really give it?"
"Of course."
"W-Woof! Pant pant pant. Woof woof! H-How was that?"
She did it. Lee Hyunji smiled approvingly at Park Soyoung barking like a dog in front of her.
"Good girl. Open wide."
A stream of water into Park Soyoung's mouth.
Humiliating to bark like that, but the water tasted so sweet— no regret on her face.
"Now, teachers? Any thoughts?"
"If we bark, do we get some?"
"Dogs are boring. Math teacher, neigh like a horse. Science teacher, oink like a pig. On all fours like real beasts."
The teachers' faces crumpled. Their pride was shattered, plain to see.
Still, they were modern scholars.
Even at Daehan International High, where teacher authority had plummeted, they walked the path of learning.
They had pride, self-respect.
But...
"Unnie, the teachers don't seem into it. Mind if I do it?"
With her stepping up, the teachers switched gears. They glanced at me briefly, then got on all fours and made animal noises.
"Hiiing."
"Oink oink oink."
I watched with interest.
I knew those who bowed to power became crueler themselves. Groveling too.
But ordering that—and obeying?
'Human desire might be greater than I thought.'
Learned something from Lee Hyunji.
"Alright, you there? Student?"
Now it was my turn. Lee Hyunji turned to me, eyes gleaming with anticipation. What would she make me do?
"Our student crawls on all fours like a cat and licks my toes. Sound good?"
I burst out laughing.
Ha. So lick your filthy toes?
She thrust her foot out. Smiling, I replied.
"Cut the crap."
"Wha—cut the... what?"
She didn't get it, so I spelled it out.
"Stop screwing around and go shove your ass at the boys. Don't act up here."
Lee Hyunji froze like she'd been shot in the head. Teachers and attendants stared wide-eyed.
For the record, I had no qualms now.
At least not in front of these people.
Lee Hyunji's arm trembled; a few water drops fell from the bottle onto her hand. I touched them and wrinkled my nose.
'Even lukewarm. No one'd drink this now.'
I flicked the drops off like I'd seen something gross.
I'll buy a cold bottle at dawn and chug it.