Chapter 16
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Changes in Relationships
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Teacher! This is bullshit! That bastard came at me too...!"
Hyunsu wailed even as Ha Taemu dragged him away by the scruff of his neck.
But Ha Taemu didn't even blink.
"Shut it. I've got statements from all the kids. You're going to the office to write yours first. Your parents are on their way."
"No, fuck...!"
"Close your mouth."
At Ha Taemu's icy bark, Hyunsu finally shut up, grumbling under his breath.
Before Ha Taemu fully left the classroom, he turned back to look at Juwon.
"...I'm counting on you."
"Yes, sir. Go ahead."
Once Hyunsu's figure vanished out the back door, a heavy silence blanketed the classroom.
Sighs mixed with fear and relief burst out here and there.
"Hey, Nam Siwoo! You with us? Hop on, quick."
Park Geon hurriedly offered his broad back, while Juwon supported Siwoo with a stiff expression.
Iseol silently frowned at Siwoo's split lip and ruined uniform, then took the lead and opened the back door.
"Infirmary first."
The sharp smell of disinfectant stung his nose on the infirmary bed.
While Juwon and Park Geon had gone to explain everything to the homeroom teacher, only Siwoo and Iseol remained in the infirmary.
Even the school nurse had stepped out briefly after seeing his condition.
"Ah... Ow."
As Iseol pressed a cotton swab soaked in disinfectant to the wound, Siwoo let out an involuntary groan of pain.
"Hold still. Bear with the sting."
With clumsy, unfamiliar hands, Iseol disinfected each of Siwoo's wounds and applied ointment.
Her inexperience made every touch send sharp jolts of pain, but Siwoo didn't even dare breathe loudly.
Her face, so close he could see the faint tremble of her long lashes and the red lips pressed tight to hold back anger, was crystal clear.
Her expression was hardened with fury, but her touch on the wounds was as light and gentle as a feather.
"...You okay? Hyunsu didn't touch you?"
Siwoo asked in a timid whisper, gauging her mood. Iseol abruptly stopped and shot him a sharp glare.
"Your mouth. This isn't the time to worry about others—worry about yourself first. Keep saying dumb shit like that, and I'll press harder."
"..."
Iseol let out a frustrated sigh as she packed away the ointment bottle.
She hesitated for a moment, then gazed out the window and said casually,
"And... you did good."
"Huh?"
"Standing your ground without backing down or mouthing off. Back then, you would've just stood there like an idiot, not saying a word."
Iseol turned to meet Siwoo's eyes.
"But next time, at least yell. That way we can hear and come running."
Siwoo stared blankly into her dark eyes, then slowly nodded.
Her blunt words, packed with sincerity, sank into his throbbing wounds like soothing ointment.
Just then, the infirmary door opened, and Ha Taemu entered with a grim face.
"Siwoo. Treatment done? Feeling any better?"
"Ah... Yeah. Iseol took care of it, so I'm much better."
"That punk's going straight to the committee, and his parents are called. And..."
Ha Taemu paused, then added heavily,
"I contacted your parents too. Doesn't matter if it was one-sided or not—this situation can't just be swept under the rug."
"What...?"
Siwoo's heart plummeted.
A fear greater than when Hyunsu had hit him washed over him.
The memory of middle school, when low grades kept him from advancing to a humanities high school like his friends, disappointing his parents deeply.
How heartbroken would they be knowing their stubborn son, who insisted on this school, couldn't adapt and got into a brawl?
Siwoo hung his head in guilt, clenching his fists tight.
How much time passed? Urgent footsteps echoed from the hall, and the infirmary door flew open.
"Siwoo!"
It was Siwoo's mother.
His father followed, looking like he'd rushed from work, face set hard.
Siwoo shrank, unable to lift his head.
"...I'm sorry. I got into trouble at school..."
Whoosh—
Before he could finish, warm arms enveloped him.
Siwoo's swollen eyes widened in shock.
"Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for! Oh my god, what happened to this pretty face..."
His mother gently cupped his battered face with both hands, her voice breaking.
Unlike the scolding he'd braced for, her eyes brimmed only with worry and pity for her son.
"Who did this to our boy? Who was it?!"
His father demanded in a firm tone they'd rarely heard.
"No settlements, no deals. You know our Siwoo wouldn't start something, teacher."
Behind his parents, Siwoo bit his lip.
'The day I chased scores to get into this school... Their disappointed faces still scare me...'
He'd always thought his parents distrusted and pitied him.
But that was just Siwoo's foolish delusion.
Even if the whole world turned its back on him, his parents were always fully on his side.
Tears he'd held back even under Hyunsu's blows finally welled in his reddened eyes and fell.
Once things settled, Siwoo's parents left the infirmary with the teacher, leaving him behind.
In the hall stood students who'd lingered instead of going home, faces etched with worry as they waited.
"Um... Hello."
The neatest, most handsome boy stepped forward and bowed politely.
"I'm Seo Juwon, Siwoo's friend. His closest desk mate. We should've taken better care of him... We're sorry."
Aware of the adults' scrutinizing eyes, they bowed deeply with dark expressions.
"You kids are Siwoo's friends?"
Siwoo's mother looked at them.
As her gaze reached them, the kids in back shyly bowed too.
His parents chuckled softly at the sight.
"...So our Siwoo has friends like you. That's a relief. He's been smiling more lately, she said."
At her words, Siwoo's friends brightened.
"...! Siwoo's the nicest guy. Im Hyunsu—no, that psycho bastard was the whole problem!"
Park Geon huffed, and Iseol quietly chimed in beside him.
"Don't worry. From now on, we'll stick right by Siwoo's side so this never happens again."
As Iseol finished, the others added their voices one by one.
Their mother's face softened.
"Alright. Thank you, kids. Auntie and Uncle will trust you. Keep looking after our Siwoo."
His parents left reassured, and as the sunset painted the playground, only Siwoo and his seven friends remained.
A heavy silence hung between them.
"...Sorry."
Park Geon, who'd been unusually quiet, spoke first.
Still fuming, he kicked a pebble on the ground.
At his self-reproach, Juwon sat on the bleachers with a bitter look.
"Things felt off, but I never thought he'd throw punches at school. I should've decked that bastard sooner."
Regret laced Juwon's voice.
Siwoo waved his hands in fluster at their apologies.
"No! You guys showing up saved me. Otherwise, I'd be in real trouble."
Siwoo gave an awkward smile, and after a pause, Juwon spoke ruefully.
"Hyunsu wasn't that much of a loose cannon in middle school."
All eyes turned to him.
"Just prideful, hated losing. Not a bad kid, really..."
Everyone focused on Juwon's reminiscence.
"But after high school started, he changed. Got weird."
The friends around nodded bitterly.
"Suddenly acting tough when it didn't suit him, subtly sorting kids by status..."
"Thought we wouldn't notice. It was obvious."
Dasom said, and Jiyoon quietly agreed.
"We let it slide because of old times, figuring he'd snap out of it. But that backfired. Only hurt you in the end."
Juwon sighed deeply, ruffling his hair.
Iseol, arms crossed, spoke coolly.
"Hey, enough moping. It's annoying to hear."
Juwon and the others turned to her.
She stared at the pebble Park Geon had kicked, continuing flatly.
"Changed or whatever—doesn't matter. He just didn't fit with us."
"..."
"Sorting people, pulling calculator shit... You all hate that crap."
"...Yeah. Baek Iseol's right."
Park Geon scratched his head sheepishly.
Iseol turned to stare straight at Siwoo, who stood awkwardly.
"Anyone here uncomfortable with Siwoo?"
"..."
No one answered.
It wasn't even a question that needed one.
They hadn't known him long, but apparently, only Hyunsu had issue with him.
"See? No one."
Iseol smirked and added,
"So don't get all insecure. You're here not 'cause you're lucky or we're nice. You just fit with us."
Siwoo flinched at her words.
Even after getting close, inferiority and inadequacy had lingered in a corner of his heart.
Iseol had nailed that anxiety of not belonging.
"Ooh~ Baek Iseol~ That's touching?"
Chaerin clapped to lighten the mood, and Juwon finally grinned, shoulders relaxing.
"Yeah! No more mood-killers. We'll just have more fun among ourselves!"
After chatting more, they waved and dispersed one by one.
Confirming Juwon and Park Geon leave, and seeing Iseol head off for personal business, Siwoo walked the alley alone.
The humiliation and terror from today.
The warm comfort and acceptance from his friends.
All those emotions swirled in his heart.
'Can't keep relying on help forever.'
Gazing at the setting sun, Siwoo slipped a hand in his pocket, clenching and unclenching his fist.