Chapter 89
Chapter 89
Ha-neul's supplementary lessons continued steadily after that. During every break, Ha-neul summarized and organized the material from the previous class, trying to cram it into my head however she could. If there had been a physical way to inject those study materials directly into my brain, I'm certain Ha-neul would have gladly done it.
"Still, your only disaster is math."
As school was ending, Ha-neul gave me that blunt assessment.
Of course, that didn't mean I was doing well in the other classes. The lessons from nearly ten years ago were way too far back to recall. Even if the teachers were excellent former cram school instructors, with my mindset firmly on 'not wanting to study,' it just went in one ear and out the other.
The reason I could at least get an assessment like 'you're only a disaster in math' was that some of the school content had stuck as general knowledge. Even though I'd given up on math, I'd put in some effort for Korean language, and I'd also studied English listening diligently back when I prepped for college entrance exams.
As for the research subjects, it goes without saying. As long as it wasn't formula-heavy, I could remember it reasonably well. It also helped that a lot of the early semester content was introductory and relatively easy to understand.
"Then let's do the rest of the studying after your club activity. We'll decide whether to do it in the classroom or at your place."
Of course, whether I had understood the lesson or not, Ha-neul's determination to make me study was endlessly sincere.
I knew any further rebuttal wouldn't break that stubbornness, so I just nodded and let it slide. Well, having friends over wasn't exactly a bad thing.
Su-a and So-hee were already at my place anyway. It felt a bit wrong to leave Ha-neul out. I was a little anxious she might ask to stay at the mansion too, but thankfully, she didn't go that far.
"So one person turned into two after all."
When I got to the soccer club, Nam Da-un said that.
"My name is Shin So-hee, and I'll be studying with her at this school from today. I heard you've been helping our young lady with her physical training. Thank you very much."
To Nam Da-un, Shin So-hee suddenly said that with a slight bow.
"......."
Nam Da-un looked at me with an expression that clearly said, 'What's with her?'
Yeah, what is she doing? Maybe she got a taste for it earlier this morning and couldn't stop. Could cosplay actually be a hobby of hers?
......Nah, probably not.
But looking at So-hee's face as she lifted her head, barely holding back laughter, this was clearly So-hee's idea of a joke, in her own way.
Even though they'd only exchanged a few words the last time they met, it seemed the soccer club had left a pretty good impression on her.
After the run, as I slumped down on the ground, I asked her why she liked them. "The people here don't ignore you," she replied. "The only people I ignore are the ones who ignore you. The moment someone talks to us at this school, they're normal people worth engaging with, right?"
"Hey, isn't that a bit harsh?"
Nam Da-un said that to So-hee, but he didn't deny it too strongly. He probably has some idea of how I'm treated at this school.
For the record, the captain, who had initially been scared to even talk to me, subtly averted his gaze to avoid eye contact.
"Harsh? Just from what I felt today, I wanted to smack every single kid who walked past us."
So-hee said that while looking at the other soccer club members gathered nearby. The ones who had been cautiously glancing at us immediately turned away the moment they met So-hee's eyes.
"What about you, Senior?"
"What about what?"
At my question, Nam Da-un answered with an expression that looked like he hadn't given it much thought.
"Doesn't talking to me get you ostracized or anything?"
"Not really?"
When I opened my eyes wide at that response, Nam Da-un shrugged and said, "Guys don't really care much. You're in a different class, and more importantly, a different grade, so we barely run into each other. I dunno about the first years, though."
Certainly, the girls at the beginning of the semester had been cautious about even looking at me. Meanwhile, the eyes I felt when walking down the guys' classroom hallway were a little different. Sometimes there was actual fear causing them to look away, but usually, the atmosphere was more like they didn't want to get caught having improper thoughts.
"First years have to be careful about everything, but you know how it is. That bravado guys have with each other. If some guy tried to stop people from talking about you out of 'caution'... he'd probably hear stuff like 'What are you, a coward?'"
When he said the word 'coward,' I could see Nam Da-un's gaze flicker slightly.
It wasn't so much that he was making it up... more like he could vividly imagine it. The actual words guys use without reservations when talking amongst themselves are probably way more direct. He's just too embarrassed to be so blunt in front of me.
Rather than someone being 'buried' for talking about me or not, they are more likely gossiping about whether the three of us are 'actually' in a yuri relationship. Different grades, different genders—that makes it someone else's story entirely. Visible gossip is just more fun to talk about.
My female classmates don't gossip in front of me because I'm right there, but behind my back, they're probably going at it enthusiastically.
And if it's romance between women... well, I could roughly imagine what the more hardcore kids might be talking about.
I stared intently at the captain. He glanced at me, seemed embarrassed by how he'd reacted earlier, cleared his throat with an "ahem," and looked away.
"But, Senior, aren't you scared?"
"Huh?"
When I asked Nam Da-un with a slightly weird expression after that train of thought, he replied as if he hadn't expected that kind of question.
"You must have heard the rumors that talking to me brings disadvantages."
I talked to him knowing he was a 'male protagonist from the original story,' but how he responded was a separate issue. For example, there's the Student Council President, another one of the original male leads. He could barely hold a proper conversation with me. And his face didn't even shine.
But Nam Da-un's face was still emitting a faint glow.
I'm starting to figure out what this means. Ye Sa-ra must instinctively sense people who are useful to her life. So far, everyone whose face glowed has helped Ye Sa-ra's life.
But if that's the case, what about the original story?
...Maybe this glowing faces phenomenon happens because my 'knowledge' is mixed in. Since 'I' inherited Ye Sa-ra's ability, the information in my head and Ye Sa-ra's Sixth Sense might be intertwining, causing this phenomenon.
I still can't be sure since I haven't spoken to Ye Sa-ra or found her memories yet.
"Ah, that."
Nam Da-un folded his outstretched legs into a cross-legged position and said,
"In the end, that's just a rumor."
And then he gave an answer I hadn't expected.
...So he wasn't just doing it because he's a 'male protagonist' with guts of steel?
"A rumor?"
"Yeah, a rumor. Don't you know what that means?"
Uh... well.
"You think it's not true?"
"Yeah."
At my question, Nam Da-un nodded.
"......Why?"
When I asked again, Nam Da-un looked at me with an expression of genuine surprise instead.
"Do you really think it makes sense for someone to destroy a whole family just because they talked to her daughter? In the 21st century? If it were a rumor about some poor nobody getting crushed by someone with a bit of money, I'd understand. But if someone infamous for having the most money in the country did that, it would instantly become a nationwide issue."
"But with money..."
"Money can only bury things so far. What would they do about outside the school? Throw money at every single citizen?"
"Uh...."
So that's why they were suppressing it to keep the story contained within the school...?
"Someone going missing, someone getting beaten up, someone starting a fire... those are all just rumors. Bad things just happened at bad times, and then the details got exaggerated and blown up into falsehoods. Or someone manipulated them to turn out that way."
"......."
Well, maybe. Based on possibility alone, sure. But this isn't just reality, it's a world where fiction has become reality.
Wait, that's not the point right now.
"But, a disappearance?"
So it wasn't just burying them with money?
At my question, Nam Da-un stared blankly at me.
"What, you don't know?"
"No, I don't."
"Then keep it that way and live your life not knowing. There's nothing good to learn from it anyway."
Come on, saying that just makes me more curious!
*
After that, Ye Sa-ra asked Nam Da-un several times to tell her a bit more, but he refused every time.
He figured it was better for her not to know. There was nothing good about believing things that weren't even true.
...Well, judging by Ye Sa-ra's reaction, she'd probably hear the full story soon enough anyway.
"Do you actually know anything about that guy's background?"
After Sara had climbed over the wall as usual and he returned to the club, the captain asked Nam Da-un cautiously.
This guy is as big as a mountain yet his personality is so timid. Even though he does a complete 180 when talking about soccer. It would be nice if he could just stick to soccer.
"Dunno."
He knows. But he also knows things would get ridiculously annoying if he admitted it, so he just brushed it off. Luckily, the captain didn't press further. He was surprisingly perceptive about these things.
Well, parts of the story actually happened, and were true.
But not all of it was true. After all, 'rumors' are just rumors.
If those stories were entirely true, could he have ever thought about coming back to this school?
Nam Da-un considered himself pretty gutsy, but he didn't think he was that gutsy.
In fact, the one who runs around so hard without knowing the details is the one who's really gutsy.
"Well, I've always had sharp instincts."
Nam Da-un just said that and kept rolling the soccer ball under his foot.