Regulation 2: The Disciplinary Committee Leader Does Not Beg for Bites
Savoring the morning air that seeped into the club building, I arrived at school earlier than anyone else, just as I always did—different from the crowd.
Cre-eak.
The moment I stepped into the old-fashioned Disciplinary Committee executive office, a faint tension washed over me along with a sense of comfort. The two emotions seemed like they shouldn't mesh, and yet, surprisingly, they blended beautifully.
'As expected, I'm the first one here.'
Cozy.
And quiet.
I flipped on the lights, brewed myself a warm cup of coffee, and settled into the chair behind my desk. Steam curled up from the coffee cup, and the subtle aroma of coffee beans spread through the room. I lifted the cup and gazed out the window—it had quite the atmosphere.
From what I'd felt this year, this was the moment I loved most. Which was why mornings, at least, were for enjoying this quiet, placid leisure.
I took a sip of my coffee just as it was.
Slap!
"Ah, son of a—! That damn…!"
The coffee nearly scalded the roof of my mouth.
I spilled a little, too.
"Ugh."
Had I dropped the cup as well, it would've been a disaster.
'Did anyone just see that…?'
Swish, swish. I whipped my head around, scanning the room. Thankfully, no one was there.
The me of a few seconds ago had been at a level that could genuinely crack the dignity of the Disciplinary Committee Leader. Letting anyone witness such a airheaded display was something I simply could not permit.
I immediately wiped up the small puddle of coffee with a tissue and destroyed the evidence.
That was a close call. Almost undignified.
I sat back down in my chair and resumed my leisurely morning, as if nothing had ever happened.
"Phew."
The coffee smelled wonderful.
"Good morning, Leader. Have you had breakfast yet?"
"Hrkk—!"
I nearly choked on my coffee.
"Cough…."
Thankfully, I managed to swallow properly.
I turned my head toward the door where the voice had come from. A graceful young woman with a sword at her hip was walking into the Disciplinary Committee office, a gentle smile resting on her lips.
Oh Baek-seo, Vice Leader of the Disciplinary Committee.
"Vice Leader…, you're here early. Good morning."
"Good morning."
"Breakfast is this. A cup of coffee is plenty for me."
"Isn't that a little sparse? Nothing heavy, of course, but you ought to take in at least a moderate amount of nutrition."
How does this woman have such timing?
I definitely hadn't heard footsteps in the hallway just now, had I?
'It's almost like she was hiding right next to the door and popped out….'
A chilling thought flickered through my mind, but I quickly shook my head.
Our kind, pure-hearted Vice Leader would never do such a thing.
'Must be my imagination.'
Right—she must have simply been there, and I'd been too absorbed to notice. That was my conclusion.
Baek-seo sat down quietly on the sofa and placed a wrapped sandwich on the table.
"Is that your breakfast?"
"Mm-hm. Egg mayo sandwich. Ahhm."
She bit into the sandwich and chewed away.
…Is it just because I'm on an empty stomach?
It's a convenience store sandwich, but somehow it looks delicious.
"…Want a bite?"
Eventually, Baek-seo looked up at me with her big eyes and asked. It was timed so perfectly that I wondered if she'd somehow read my mind—as if she'd already thought, 'Woo-jin is probably thinking exactly this.'
"I'm fine. I won't."
But I had zero intention of mooching a bite just because it looked tasty.
'Begging for bites is beneath one's dignity. As Disciplinary Committee Leader, it is a behavior to be strictly forbidden.'
It would surely gnaw away at my authority like a mouse nibbling at cheese.
What's more, Baek-seo was the finest talent in the Disciplinary Committee and my right hand as Vice Leader—so I could afford to appear undignified in front of her even less than anyone else.
"You looked like you wanted some. I could give you a bite—on the condition that you eat the half I've already bitten."
"I said I'm fine…. And don't make weird jokes."
"Hehe."
Baek-seo laughed playfully.
She'd definitely suggested the indirect kiss knowing full well I'd refuse.
In the game, Baek-seo had been a minor supporting character, so I'd never known her personality well—but by now, I understood exactly what kind of person she was. Oh, so she's like this.
"Anyway, like I said, I'm fine. This is plenty for me."
I held up my coffee cup, wisps of steam still rising from it.
Right now, I wanted to project the image of a Disciplinary Committee Leader whose elegance shone through even his moments of leisure.
The sandwich could wait. I'd just sneak out and buy one later.
"Really? Nom."
Baek-seo deliberately made a chewing sound as she took another bite.
I'd planned on spending my morning in leisure. But since I hadn't expected Baek-seo to eat breakfast here, an awkward sort of atmosphere settled over the room, and I simply started reading through the documents awaiting my review.
That's when it happened.
'Wait a second. This smell….'
I'd been too busy trying to lose myself in the coffee aroma to notice it. At some point, a mysterious, ferocious scent had filled the entire office.
What Baek-seo had brought was an egg mayo sandwich—boiled eggs mixed with mayonnaise. But this smell was not something a mere egg mayo sandwich could possibly produce.
What was this violent aroma, so aggressively attacking my appetite?
Soon, I realized.
'Crispy, pan-fried bacon…!'
It was the smell of bacon.
There was bacon in the egg mayo sandwich? And not just any bacon—grilled, crispy bacon?
Saliva pooled in my mouth, and my appetite began screaming.
'Damn it, I want some…!'
I wanted to beg for just one bite. I wanted my tongue to experience the divine synergy of finely chopped boiled egg, rich mayonnaise, and grilled bacon…!
The desire surging up in my chest dragged my eyes toward the clock.
'The school store won't open for ages.'
I couldn't exactly bolt out of the office and run to the school store right now. Who knew that arriving at school early and responsibly would cause such a crisis…?
So in the end, was the only remaining option begging Baek-seo for a bite?
'No matter what, though….'
No.
Asking for 'just one bite' would deal damage to the image I'd built up with sweat and blood. Baek-seo would absolutely let me have a bite if I asked.
But as Disciplinary Committee Leader, I refused to be looked down upon even slightly.
Some might call me stiff-necked. Some might demand to know what the big deal was.
But I was the Disciplinary Committee Leader—the commander of roughly four hundred members organized into ten squads, the highest-ranking combat authority in the school.
My job was to lead the Disciplinary Committee and hunt down villains, and to do that, I had to reign as someone my members could trust and follow without question.
Maybe not truly perfect, but in this school, I had to exist as the most dignified person anyone knew—as close to perfect as a human being could get.
Which meant I had to be strict with myself.
Not a single inch of slack was allowed.
That was courtesy to the people who followed me. It was the responsibility of anyone who led a group. It was an obligation.
Therefore—
'I will NOT ask for a bite…!'
The bacon egg mayo sandwich would not be mooched.
I would play it cool and power through this situation. I simply had to wait until Baek-seo finished her sandwich.
That was when—thunk.
Something landed on my desk.
Only then did I realize I'd been squeezing my eyes shut without noticing.
"?"
Deliberately pretending I'd "just been closing my eyes out of fatigue, rubbing them drowsily," I cautiously opened them.
For some reason, a lunch box now sat in front of me. And beyond it, Baek-seo was smiling brightly.
"Tired, Leader?"
"I've been losing sleep over recent events. Anyway—what's this? Did you recover some stray explosive device?"
"It's a lunch box, as you can see?"
A lunch box?
Out of nowhere?
Why?
"Open it."
When I lifted the lid, I found two lovingly handmade egg mayo sandwiches and a fresh salad drizzled with dressing. It was beautiful enough that my first instinct was to admire how pretty it looked.
But I couldn't for the life of me understand why she was offering it to me. When I shot her a look asking for an explanation, Baek-seo spoke up.
"I made this to eat at lunch…, but I'm kind of sick of it already. Would you eat it, Leader? Otherwise I'll just have to throw it away."
Good heavens.
"Because of the sandwich you just had?"
Baek-seo nodded with a perfectly straight face.
"You might change your mind by the time lunch actually comes around, though?"
"I'll eat something else. As it happens, something else just occurred to me."
"Hmm, I see…. Well, if that's the case, I suppose I have no choice. It would be improper to throw away perfectly good food."
Exactly.
Mooching a single bite of someone else's food was bad for my image—but a situation like this? This was perfectly acceptable.
Saliva flooded my mouth on pure reflex. It looked far, far more delicious than the convenience store sandwich Baek-seo had been eating. Even the grilled bacon, peeking out of the bread like a teasing tongue, looked absolutely luscious.
She'd clearly put care into the presentation.
"Thanks. I'll dig in."
I picked up one of the sandwiches and took a bite.
'Whoa…!'
The soft, pillowy texture of the bread. Then the tender pieces of boiled egg giving way beneath my teeth, paired with the deliciously rich mayonnaise—a combination that conjured up a heavenly flavor. And woven through it all, the grilled bacon deployed its springy chew and subtle saltiness, elevating everything to another level of synergy.
"!"
Then sweet chili sauce made a surprise appearance, adding a fresh punch of umami to the mix. Layered on top of the bitterness of coffee, an ecstatic harmony bloomed across my whole mouth.
One bite after another, and the first sandwich vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Is it good, Leader?"
At some point, Baek-seo had sidled up right next to me and perched herself on my desk.
I say this with certainty: it was an insanely good sandwich.
Without letting a hint of my excitement show, I delivered my praise in the calmest, most measured tone possible.
"Could you tell me the recipe? I'd like to make it myself sometime."
It's so good I'm already thinking about next time. So teach me how to make it. That was what I meant.
But for some reason, Baek-seo shook her head.
"No can do. I'm not telling."
"Why not?"
"If you want it, I'll just make it for you again next time."
Why go to the trouble?
"Isn't that a hassle? There's really no need."
Now I'd feel guilty about it.
Baek-seo waved her hand with a smile, as if to say don't worry about it.
"I like cooking. If you give me an excuse to cook, that's a win for me."
Ah.
Well, if that's the case.
That's how it was in my past life too, back when I was really into cooking.
"In that case…, thank you. Really."
Baek-seo smiled with satisfaction.
"Enjoy."
She climbed down from the desk and headed for the door.
"Heading to class?"
"Mm. We have classroom lessons first period."
"See you later."
Baek-seo gave a light wave and left the office.
"Wow…."
Alone in the office at last, I let out the sigh of admiration I'd barely managed to hold in.
This sandwich was so good it was maddening.
The position of my prospective bride is currently vacant and accepting applications.
I felt the impulse to seat Baek-seo in it.
…Though harboring such thoughts without considering the other person's wishes would be rather rude of me.
Just then, the peony flower charm in my breast pocket came to mind, and my chest gave a faint twinge. But that was a feeling whose embers had long since burned out, so I ignored it.
Anyway.
'Seriously, why is this so good? Did she use some different ingredient?'
Wanting to examine the contents closely, I lifted the top slice of bread. The ingredients themselves looked ordinary enough at a glance.
"Hmm?"
As I was laying the bread back down, I noticed something odd.
There was chili sauce soaked into the inner side of the bread. On an egg mayo sandwich with mostly light-colored ingredients, the chili sauce stood out vividly.
But the way it had been drizzled was a little strange.
'A heart?'
For some reason, the chili sauce was in the shape of a heart. It was far too precise to write off as mere coincidence.
I would've loved to check and compare the other sandwich, but that one had already been chewed to pieces and sent down to my stomach, making any comparison impossible.
"……"
A strange thought flickered through my mind for a moment, but I shook it off and shook my head. Baek-seo had said she brought it to eat herself.
There was no way she'd made it just for me. That was overthinking it.
Besides, if she'd simply eaten the sandwich as it was, she never would have known about the heart in the first place.
'She probably just likes hearts and did it for fun.'
Girls liking hearts was a common enough thing.
That was a close one. Almost made a weird assumption.
In any case.
After polishing off the remaining sandwich and the salad as well, I leaned back in my chair, still savoring the lingering aftertaste.
'Delicious….'
Perhaps thanks to that breakfast, I was in great shape that day.
From tomorrow on, I'm skipping the coffee and having a proper breakfast.