Ch 176
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 176
"Everyone seems to have similar thoughts."
"Right. So Nam Ji-hyeon, Kim Do-hyun, Seong Ji-an, Yu Hye-ji, and Lee Ji-sung - are these five confirmed?"
"Wait. The others are fine, but who picked Lee Ji-sung?"
Sister and Minhee raise their hands.
"Why, is there some problem?"
"Well, my uncle went down to the middle school division last year. He told me that kid was a complete delinquent in middle school."
"Kids that age cause a lot of trouble. We all heard it during the interview."
"Right. He said he was reflecting, and he hasn't caused any trouble since coming to high school... He even caught that hidden camera pervert recently."
"That was just a cow stumbling backwards and luckily catching a mouse. He wasn't just a delinquent but a complete scoundrel. All the kids who hung around with him transferred schools. If his dad wasn't the president of Hwasin Electronics, he would have been forcibly transferred long ago..."
"Stop. We all learned about labeling theory. Having prejudices isn't good."
"It's a bit concerning, but he did well in the interview and said he'd do it with a service mindset, right?"
"...Fine. But if he causes trouble, we kick him out immediately."
"Okay. So who do we pick for the last spot? Opinions were a bit divided."
"I think it was Cha Min-woo? He seemed pretty decent. He has a lot of awards and the ratio would be perfect - three boys, three girls, balanced. We didn't ask them to write down their grades separately, but I heard he was first place throughout his third year of middle school."
"You're talking about the kid who had the last interview? He was first place? His interview attitude was a bit lacking."
"Right. He seemed a bit arrogant."
"Really? Then is there someone else? Eunseo, didn't you see any decent underclassmen?"
"Um... Min Chan-seong."
"Min Chan-seong? Who's that?"
"The kid who was in a vegetative state and woke up this January?"
"I remember now. Would that be okay? Student council has quite a lot of demanding work."
"Right. He doesn't really have any experience or anything, and if he was lying down for a long time, it would be tough just to keep up with school studies."
Everyone seems disapproving.
"You're all being too harsh. The vice president hasn't said anything until now, and this is her first recommendation."
"True, since Eunseo rarely gives her opinion, we should at least hear her reasoning."
"Sister? What? Don't."
"Why? The vice president's opinion is important too. What did you think was good about that student Chan-seong?"
"Is Eunseo's taste perhaps that type?"
"Lee Jinsu, do you want to die?"
"...I'll shut my mouth."
I really don't know when that guy will mature.
"Just... I had a good feeling about him."
Actually, it's not 'just'.
But I absolutely can't say the real reason.
At first, I thought I was mistaken.
No, even now I might be mistaken.
A freshman who enrolled this year, and moreover an underclassman who returned after lying in a hospital in a vegetative state for two years - there's no way he could be Teacher.
The other kids, even sister who trusts me more than anyone, wouldn't believe me.
In reality, his voice and appearance are completely different, but everything else is similar to Teacher.
His way of speaking, habits, even the lame jokes that don't match his age at all.
Especially what he said during the interview was what Teacher said to me when we were doing supplementary classes together last year...
"What, are you really interested?"
"Lee Jinsu, stay after the meeting. We're sparring."
"What sparring... Help me out, darling."
"You deserve to get hit, Jinsu. You really...knowing Eunseo's feelings, you still want to make jokes like that?"
The atmosphere instantly freezes.
Actually, Minhee talking about 'my feelings' is more annoying than Jinsu fooling around.
I know she's worried about me, but...
Sigh... I just hate it all.
"I won't spar. Minhee, don't be too harsh on him either. I'm fine."
"Kim Minhee, Eunseo says she's fine."
"You really..."
"Everyone stop. Then we need to decide between Cha Min-woo and Min Chan-seong. Should we gather the student council kids and vote?"
"Voting is a hassle."
"Right. When can we gather everyone. Just let the president decide."
"No, still..."
"You're only president at times like this? Then I toss it to the vice president."
Sister really...
"Then I'll meet with both of them and decide."
If I meet them directly and talk one-on-one, I'll know for sure.
It's probably not the case, probably just my imagination...but I still want to confirm it.
"Is there a need to go through that trouble? Just go with the kid you like."
This Jinsu really won't do.
"Lee Jinsu, you're really staying."
***
"You know there's a basic evaluation starting next week, right? After that's over, it's midterms right away, so don't play around too much in the evening and study a bit."
"Yes."
"Then everyone did well today too. Enjoy your dinner."
Homeroom ended.
"Chan-seong, let's go to the cafeteria together."
"Ah, I wasn't thinking of having dinner."
"The dinner menu is braised short ribs and rose tteokbokki. The Western food is pork cutlet and spaghetti too."
Both menus are quite good, but I have something to handle before dinner.
"A sick kid should eat well to get healthy quickly."
For Nam Ji-hyeon, who always picked fights with me, to say such a thing is really unexpected.
"What, why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, it's just surprising that you're saying something worried about me..."
"Wor-worried? What worry. If you go, Ji-an will hurry up and go too, that's why. Don't misunderstand."
Was I mistaken?
"What misunderstanding... I didn't even say anything special. I ate a lot at lunch so my stomach feels a bit bloated..."
"Are you feeling really bad? Should we go to the infirmary together?"
"No. I feel like I'll get indigestion if I eat now. You two go."
"Say so quickly. Ji-an, let's go by ourselves."
"Uh... Okay. Chan-seong, if you keep feeling bad, definitely go to the infirmary."
I said okay and slowly packed my things, and before I knew it, the classroom was completely empty.
I left the classroom too.
‘Come to the rooftop after homeroom.’
If it hadn't said student council at the end, I would have mistaken it for a duel challenge.
Of course, the other kids also got texts from the same number, Eunseo's number, so I wouldn't actually mistake it...
I'm suddenly worried.
Come to think of it, Eunseo seemed to stare at me quite intently during the interview... Could she have figured it out?
But it doesn't make sense for Eunseo to notice when even the vice principal didn't.
According to Seong Ji-an, who went to the gathering at lunch, they said one person hasn't been decided yet, so it's most likely just a re-interview.
Hmm, anyway Kim Do-hyun passed the student council and Lee Ji-sung became a student council member too, so it seems like I don't need to join the student council.
Lee Ji-sung's purpose is probably to build a friendship with Kim Do-hyun, so they'll get along well on their own.
Right. I should go and just say I won't do it.
Now that I think about it, if I do student council activities, I'll have a lot of contact with my former students.
Of course, since I've perfectly changed even my voice, there's no way I'll be caught, but just in case.
I came up to the rooftop, but there's no sign of Eunseo yet.
Going to the railing, I can see students flocking to the cafeteria.
I should finish talking quickly and go eat too.
I can't resist pork cutlet and spaghetti.
Of course, I'm extremely fond of short ribs too, but personally I don't really like rose tteokbokki.
But seriously, when is Eunseo coming?
She's not eating first and then coming, is she?
If that were the case, she would have told me to come after dinner too.
Thinking our Eunseo wouldn't do that, I looked around the rooftop... Huh?
I discovered a drum and grill hidden behind the rooftop water tank storage.
Last year, on the last day of supplementary classes with Eunseo, we had a barbecue party here on the rooftop.
After we finished eating, I tried to put it in subspace when Eunseo wasn't looking, but the timing didn't work out so I stashed it in a corner.
I naturally thought other teachers or the cleaning staff would have found it and thrown it away, but seeing it like this makes me strangely happy.
It brings back memories of that time.
The sausages and pork belly were absolutely fantastic, and the marshmallows we grilled for dessert were really good too.
Warming ourselves by the remaining charcoal fire while looking at the snow-covered school was quite atmospheric.
"Don't touch it."
I turn around and Eunseo is standing there.
When did she come?
I didn't feel her at all - I must have been too lost in memories.
"Ah, I was waiting and looking around the rooftop when I found this. Looking at the burn marks, it seems like someone used it, so it was interesting..."
Just in case Eunseo might suspect, I played dumb, but somehow Eunseo's expression doesn't look normal.
"That's something with my memories in it."
Eunseo seems to have known this was still here.
"If it's Senior's memories, is it something the student council used? But I know you're not supposed to light fires at school..."
"...It was used with a teacher present, so there's no problem."
"I see. But what's the reason you called me here separately?"
"Opinions were a bit divided in the member selection process, so we decided to do re-interviews."
So it was a re-interview after all.
"Um, Senior, I'll just..."
"Wait. I have something to say first."
I was about to say I wouldn't do it as I had prepared, but she cuts me off.
Eunseo wasn't originally this type.
Her expression is quite meaningful, so worry is creeping up.
"Understood."
"You, what's your relationship with Teacher Kang Shin-hyeok?"
It's a bit bewildering, but still fortunate.
She didn't recognize me and ask if I was Kang Shin-hyeok.
Hmm, she asked this question because I said I received help from Teacher Kang Shin-hyeok during the interview.
"Relationship, what kind of...?"
"You said Teacher Kang Shin-hyeok helped you. I'd like you to tell me in detail how he helped you."
It was because of what I said during the interview after all.
"I heard at the hospital that when I fell and was in a vegetative state, the school was initially supporting the life support treatment costs. Then when the support was about to be cut off, Teacher Kang Shin-hyeok learned about the situation and paid for the treatment."
"Is that all? Did you ever meet him directly or even talk on the phone...?"
"I never met him directly or talked on the phone. Shortly before I woke up, he went to challenge Hell's Gate in America and..."
"..."
Eunseo looks like she's about to cry.
I deliberately didn't mention that he died and cut my words short...
Sigh, I really think it's better not to do student council activities.
"Senior, are you okay? But why are you asking about this..."
"Questions are for later."
"What?"
"Honestly, what I want to ask about is something else."
With a look of determination, she stares at me with an even more meaningful gaze than before.
"This story will sound strange to you. Yes, honestly I think I'm not normal either. But I really need to confirm this, so I'm asking. Please answer properly. You... No, aren't you Teacher?"
I barely managed not to show it, but I was really startled.
Even the vice principal, who's an S-rank hunter, couldn't recognize me, but how could Eunseo, who's much lower level...
No, this isn't the time to just be surprised.
"What? What do you mean by that..."
"I haven't finished talking yet. No, I haven't finished talking. The voice and appearance are completely different, but the way of speaking, habits, feeling... everything is exactly the same as Teacher."
"Um... Senior, I really don't understand what you're saying..."
"Teacher's characteristic confident way of speaking, lame jokes that don't match your age."
Those are exactly my characteristics, but...aren't there many people like that?
"Um, Senior, you seem strange. Just for reasons like that..."
"I told you not to interrupt me! It's not just things like that. Do you know you always step forward with your left foot first when walking? When you're thinking, you turn your head slightly to the left and press the third joint of your right index finger with your left thumb - every habit is exactly the same as Teacher's."
My goodness, did I have such habits?
Thinking about it, it seems like I might... No, how did this girl know such things...
Really, it's such an unexpected situation that I'm very flustered, but I have no choice.
The answer I have to give is already decided.
"Actually, I'm not really aware that I have such habits, but if Teacher Kang Shin-hyeok was similar to me, it is interesting, Senior. I also think it's really unfortunate that Teacher Kang Shin-hyeok passed away. And I know that Senior learned from Teacher Kang Shin-hyeok and won the WHCU competition thanks to him, but this isn't right. You seem to be too obsessed. You should get counseling or something..."
"Until the end...you're going to deny it? It's useless. Teacher, I'm Seong Eunseo."
"What?"
"For the past two years...no, from when Teacher saved me when I was about to die to the Shadow Reaper until now, I've only been looking at Teacher - I'm Seong Eunseo."
"Um..."
"Do you think I wouldn't recognize Teacher? Don't underestimate my feelings."