Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Carrot and Stick
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People with strong pride tend not to accept others' help.
They try to handle everything alone and push forward by themselves.
And when they do accept help, they have a habit of repaying it no matter what—that was exactly what Jeong Seohee was doing right now.
In simple terms, she just hated owing anyone anything.
"I'll hold you to that promise to repay me, Jeong Seohee."
As the subtle tension between me and Jeong Seohee visibly eased, I could see the homeroom teacher and Kim Yeonju relaxing from the sidelines.
Thanks to that, the atmosphere quickly turned warm and friendly.
'But it's way too early to celebrate.'
To bring down Jeong Seohee, I'd have to overcome a ton of obstacles.
High pride meant equally high barriers to entry and resistance.
Approach her clumsily, and you'd get violence in return. Or worse, cross a point of no return.
'That's not the only issue, though.'
Jeong Seohee's arrival had put a halt to the twins' education.
To get back to our usual naughty fun, I'd somehow have to deal with her.
'First things first, I need to knock down that overconfident vibe.'
Her presence was so overwhelming that even fresh off joining our group, she was already dominating the whole thing.
It was understandable, really.
She had rock-solid backing, undeniable charisma, and she was even a beast in a fight.
'Try pulling my usual twin antics in this setup, and I might catch a knife from Jeong Seohee.'
I'd always known she carried one tucked in her waistband. And it wasn't for style points.
Even if luck kept the blade away, her fists could still pound me into paste.
Her actions always outpaced her words—a fact already thoroughly proven.
'So step one: deflate her momentum. Step two: sweep her up in our group's vibe.'
That groundwork had to come first.
'I've stuffed her full of carrot. Time to swing the stick.'
Not that I'd wield it personally, of course. I knew better than to risk my neck.
Just act natural. Stop holding back what I'd endured all this time.
"Ugh."
I let out a groan and curled up.
"What's wrong, Woojin?"
The homeroom teacher rushed over in a panic, and Kim Yeonju—who'd been heading off to do dishes—dropped her pot on the ground and sprinted to my side.
"Does it hurt somewhere?"
"Haha, it's nothing."
"Nothing? Woojin, your clothes... they're soaked in blood!"
The homeroom teacher gaped at my back, eyes wide. She lunged to strip off my shirt, but I brushed her hands away, insisting it was fine, and backed up.
Kim Yeonju blocked my retreat.
"What is this? Show me right now!"
"Ah, I just took a tumble earlier."
"Woojin. Keep hiding it, and Teacher's gonna get mad."
Her eyes blazed with intensity, leaving me no choice but to drop the resistance.
I stayed put, and she stepped in to peel off my top.
"Oh my God."
She clapped a hand over her mouth.
Her reaction was so extreme that I glanced down at my own body.
A massive purple bruise bloomed across my stomach.
The spot where Jeong Seohee had pummeled me with her fists earlier.
Tensing my abs desperately had spared my organs, but holding that tension made breathing hell—I'd legit thought I might pass out back then.
'She really didn't hold back, Jeong Seohee.'
This just solidified it. How deeply she cherished and protected the twins.
But the homeroom teacher's shock wasn't at my stomach.
"Woojin, your back... the bruises... so much blood. What do we do?"
Only one reason for the back injury.
When Jeong Seohee had grabbed me and slammed me onto the ground.
First impact: stone floor.
Secondary damage: scraping across that same floor while she beat me senseless.
Truth be told, aside from the breathing trouble, it hurt way less than taking hits from Kang Hye-rin.
Exhausted as she was, Jeong Seohee's punches barely packed power.
Still, no matter how minor the pain, a back drenched in blood looked brutal to any outsider.
Impossible not to mistake it for something serious.
When really, it was just surface scrapes.
"Yeonju-ssi, lay Woojin down over there!"
"Master, over here now!"
Homeroom teacher dashed off like this wouldn't cut it, returning with a medical kit in hand.
"What the hell happened? Where'd you get hurt like this?"
"Ow ow. Can you go easy?"
"Spill it already!"
The cozy vibe was doused in ice water.
Homeroom teacher's voice sharpened, Kim Yeonju's face hardened—the air turned downright hostile.
"Um... it was me, Teacher."
All eyes snapped to Jeong Seohee.
Not friendly stares.
Homeroom teacher especially, eyes bulging in fury.
First time I'd seen her this pissed.
Jeong Seohee looked remorseful, her edge dulling a notch.
But this was just the opener. I'd barely gripped the stick.
Homeroom teacher muttered while dabbing red antiseptic on my back wounds.
"Seohee. Never pegged you for this... Quiet, kind, with good judgment. Really disappointed."
"......"
Her anger seeped through her fingertips.
Right into my back.
Poke! Poke!
"They say you're gruff on the outside but golden inside. Trusted you more than anyone. And you pull something this awful."
She jabbed the wounds while unleashing a barrage of barbs—no holds barred.
No joke. Intimidating as hell. Never dreamed homeroom teacher had this in her.
'This feels genuine, not scripted.'
I'd followed the playbook, but her actions carried real heat.
The camp settled into eggshell tension.
Some folks ignored it entirely, though.
Poke poke.
Twins prodding my armpits, neck, ears—even my butt—with their fingers, goofing around.
I whispered to them alone, urging some situational awareness.
"Yuri. Yejin. Can't play with you for a while."
"!!"
Twins shot me baffled looks.
Eyes huge.
"Hurts too much. No energy."
In other words: no strawberry snacks outside mealtimes.
Chaos erupted from the twins.
They fussed over me in a frenzy—rubbing my shoulders, my legs, total panic.
Soon glaring daggers at Jeong Seohee, pure resentment.
With lunch snacks on the line, it was inevitable.
"Eek."
Troubled expression.
Jeong Seohee's distress was plain as day.
Daehan International High's lone black panther, thought untouchable.
But she'd braved dangers to reach the twins here. Their glares would sting deep.
She floundered, just like them.
I smirked inwardly at the sight.
'Plan's on track.'
This was why I'd taken the beating.
Reason for zero resistance, soaking every hit in silence.
Could've dodged it. When she grabbed my collar and grilled me, I could've played nice to de-escalate.
Three years tumbling with the class bullies? Child's play, blindfolded.
But I chose not to.
Drew out my words on purpose. Withheld her desired answers.
Stubbornly stuck to "I didn't take the twins."
Scratched her temper raw.
Action-first Jeong Seohee? No way she'd hold back. Rage-fueled beatdown.
'Didn't expect the slam-to-the-ground part, though.'
Watching her flounder, I replayed the moment.
'Back then, you thought you'd pinned me down. Convinced I couldn't bolt before spilling what you wanted.'
Hardly. I'd snared you.
Sure, under her—but I'd clamped her collar tight with one hand.
Endured the agony in stoic silence. Knew every shred of my wreckage would rebound.
'You're trapped in my snare now. Forever. You'll gasp beneath me, that sturdy frame birthing my kids.'
Jeong Seohee's momentum? Shattered.
Twins hated her for her own deeds.
Plus, truth out: I hadn't taken them.
Net result? I'd lavished meat and fruit hospitality—yet she'd brutalized me.
Her screw-up.
The shame, embarrassment, guilt.
'Those emotions? Strongest tools for shaking foundations, crumbling walls.'
Cold types might bunker down regardless. But with everyone condemning her mistake, glares like daggers? No room for Jeong Seohee to breathe.
My role from here? Crystal clear.
Wounds kept me sidelined anyway, so I made a point of groaning into her line of sight whenever possible.
"Ah, still hurts bad?"
"Nah. Fine. Don't worry."
"......"
Till the wounds healed, even Jeong Seohee had to tread light.
Twins' snack deprivation? Rage at fever pitch.
"Yuri. Yejin."
"......"
Ignored even when called.
Approached? Bolted elsewhere. Faces screaming, "We're pissed! Back off!"
"......"
Jeong Seohee? Isolated. Momentum crumbling further.
I kept shuffling through her view, groaning.
If twins sidled up whispering—
"Healed yet?"
"Play with us."
"Sorry. Still ways off."
That got them scorching Jeong Seohee anew.
Zap.
"Ugh."
Hit her limit at last?
Heading to homeroom teacher for back disinfection—sweat stinging—Jeong Seohee wedged between us.
"Teacher."
Homeroom teacher's glare still razor-sharp. Arms crossed: what's up?
"That... I'm sorry to Woojin. Want to apply the medicine myself."
"You, Jeong Seohee?"
"Yes. Please let me."
Homeroom teacher blinked in shock.
Slacker who ditched class, blew off tasks, shunned classmates—volunteering like this? Unthinkable.
She nodded, touched, handed over the antiseptic, and stepped aside.
I stripped fully and sprawled face-down.
"Hold on. Why all the clothes...?"
"Lower wounds too. No choice."
No joke—butt included. Swear not intentional.
"......"
Jeong Seohee inspected the damage, cheek twitching, then sighed heavily.
"Fine. But... tuck that thing poking between your legs away."
"This?"
"Yeah. The eyesore."
Ah, that was deliberate.
Regretfully, I hiked my hips and slid my dick back between my thighs.
Jeong Seohee started applying the antiseptic.
"Ow ow."
"Ah, does it hurt?"
"Gently, please."
"S-sorry. Haven't done this for anyone since I was a kid."
She disinfected my back wounds with care.
Shoulders to butt, thorough and meticulous.
Seeing her softened up, fire dimmed, I smiled.
'Still a long way. Gonna remodel her into prime group material.'
Just getting started with the carrot and stick, after all.