Chapter 5
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Group Assignment (2)
Ryu Ah-young had put together our trio.
We gathered at her seat for the meeting.
'How the hell did this happen...?'
I inwardly vented my resentment toward the world while glancing at Cha Ji-hyuk standing right next to me.
It had been a day where nothing went my way, not even once.
It felt like I'd continuously picked the worst options out of every choice available.
"So, what should our topic be?"
Once we were all together and the atmosphere had settled, Ah-young kicked off the meeting.
I didn't want to cause trouble for Cha Ji-hyuk, sure, but especially not for Ryu Ah-young, so I stopped my grumbling and explained the topic and direction I'd come up with.
Luckily, the class material was stuff I'd learned back in college before possessing this body, so even a chronic sleeper like me could keep up with what the assignment demanded.
The topic I'd prepared wasn't overly complicated or flashy—just solid and straightforward.
I laid out my ideas simply, and Ryu Ah-young nodded along, chiming in here and there.
What really got under my skin was Cha Ji-hyuk's attention.
Every time I glanced his way, our eyes would meet, freaking me out completely.
Whenever I quickly averted my gaze, he'd smirk—god, it pissed me off.
If I weren't so paranoid about him seeing my true self, I'd yell at him to quit staring... Ugh, gotta hold it together.
"I think we should go with Seo-ah's idea?"
Once we'd settled on the topic, direction, and role assignments, Ah-young turned to Cha Ji-hyuk.
Meaning: I'm good with it, what about you?
"Sounds good."
With that annoyingly casual reply from Cha Ji-hyuk, our meeting wrapped up smoothly.
No drama, roles assigned—now I just had to do my part well.
Head home, finish the research and organizing tonight, then kick back easy.
With everything done, it was time to stick to my hikikomori act.
I returned to my seat and slumped over my desk, prepping for a nap.
But then.
"Kang Seo-ah."
A voice too ominous to ignore called my name.
I lifted my head slowly, hoping against hope it wasn't what I thought.
"...!!"
And there he was—Cha Ji-hyuk, leaning on my desk, looking down at me.
I shot to my feet without thinking, shoving my chair back to put some distance between us.
"Why run away? Got something to hide?"
Amused by my reaction, he flashed that irritating smile and asked.
I barely swallowed the urge to snap, 'Your existence is the problem.' Instead, I played it cool.
"N-no, you just popped up out of nowhere and startled me..."
"Yeah?"
He chuckled at my words again.
'God, I want to kill him...!'
I suppressed the murderous impulse bubbling up inside. I could feel my lips twitching as I forced a neutral expression.
"Today's meeting was good. Topic wasn't too tough, and thanks to you, it went well."
"..."
What? This wasn't like him.
Cha Ji-hyuk wasn't the type to personally visit someone's desk just to say something like that. Especially not to a girl who looked this pathetic.
At a loss for words, I stayed silent, and he held out a slip of paper with a number scribbled on it.
010-XXXX-XXXX.
His phone number. I shot him a disbelieving look, and he spoke up.
"My number. Send me the organized materials when you're done. Gotta prep for the presentation too, you know."
Hearing that, I plastered on my best fake expression and pushed the paper back toward him.
"I'll send it to Ah-young tonight. You can get it from her then."
I didn't want to get tangled up with him even a little—exchanging contacts was a hard no.
But Cha Ji-hyuk was persistent.
He slid the paper right back toward me.
"Why bother? Just CC me when you send it to Ryu Ah-young."
"......"
I had nothing to say. His logic was annoyingly spot-on.
With a sigh, I took the paper.
Satisfied, he flashed a smile and walked away from my desk.
Watching his back, a bad feeling crept over me.
'No way, right...?'
My legs trembled.
.
.
.
"Phew... Finally done..."
I stood up from my desk and stretched.
In my rush to finish, I'd come straight home after school and spent hours gathering materials—my butt was killing me.
Savoring a brief moment of relief and accomplishment, I opened my messenger to send the organized files.
Ryu Ah-young's number was saved in my contacts. I clicked it and prepared to send today's work.
That's when I noticed the paper on my desk.
Cha Ji-hyuk's number from earlier.
After a quick moment of hesitation, I sent the files to Ryu Ah-young.
-Hey Ah-young, here's the organized stuff. Can you pass it to Cha Ji-hyuk too?
-Sure thing! Great job, Seo-ah!
"What hassle? She's fine with it."
With her reply, I smirked in satisfaction, shredded Cha Ji-hyuk's paper to bits, sprinkled salt on it for good measure, and flushed it down the toilet.
We were stuck in a group for the assignment, fine—but no more entanglements.
I had no idea why his interest in Ryu Ah-young was spilling over to 'Kang Seo-ah,' but consistent indifference would kill it quick.
The guy went through new girls like clockwork in the original story, after all.
With everything wrapped up, I flopped onto my bed.
Cha Ji-hyuk had kept me from sleeping at school—my body felt heavy and drained.
I'd planned to binge the new drama...
"Useless jerk anyway."
Imagining spitting in Cha Ji-hyuk's smug face, I closed my eyes.
-Ji-hyuk, here's the stuff Seo-ah organized. She asked me to pass it along.
"Ha!"
Monday night, Ji-hyuk let out a hollow laugh at Ryu Ah-young's message.
Kang Seo-ah.
The classmate who somehow reminded him of the girl who'd irked him so much.
The curiosity she'd sparked had grown because, against his expectations, she actually had skills.
Unlike her usual sleeping in class, she'd taken charge of the meeting and boldly shared her prepared ideas.
Her unexpectedly diligent and serious side...
The fleeting interest from overlapping her with the convenience store girl had slowly shifted to Kang Seo-ah herself.
It was just interest, though. Nothing like affection—her looks weren't his type.
That's why he'd tried to at least exchange contacts casually, but she'd shot it down neatly.
"Why's that?"
Ji-hyuk was curious about her reason.
She bristled like a hedgehog whenever he was near. Too extreme for mere shyness.
It felt more like disgust than wariness.
But he didn't mind her attitude. If anything, it made him want to poke at her more.
'Whatever, I can see her tomorrow anyway.'
He wasn't too put out about not getting his way.
Unlike her, Kang Seo-ah was easy to run into.
Mulling over greeting her first tomorrow, Ji-hyuk chuckled lightly.
The pent-up frustration and thirst had vanished before he knew it.
Something was wrong.
No, very wrong.
The person I desperately wanted to avoid and the situation I dreaded most were right in front of me.
"Saved my number?"
Cha Ji-hyuk, leaning on my desk, asking casually.
From the moment he'd greeted me first thing upon arriving at school, I'd known it was off—but now he'd dragged a chair over and was chatting me up at my desk.
'What the hell did he eat wrong...'
Part of me wanted to believe he was just temporarily insane, pulling this stunt.
But his unwavering gaze made him seem perfectly sane.
"No, I lost the paper yesterday."
He wasn't leaving till I answered, so I gave him an apologetic look and responded.
"Oh yeah? Lend me your phone real quick? I'll put it in."
"No need. We won't have reason to contact anyway... haha."
"Why not? Group project's not done—might have questions prepping the presentation."
"......"
Why was he so damn eloquent?
Unable to counter, I made an excuse about the bathroom and bolted from the classroom.
"Seriously, what's his deal? Did he figure me out?"
The worst-case scenario flashed through my mind, but I shook my head.
If Cha Ji-hyuk had seen through me, he wouldn't approach like this.
He'd pull out all the stops to get my bodily fluids somehow.
Just look at Ryu Ah-young.
He'd gotten her fluids first, added her as a training target, then built affection—straight out of the original pattern.
So this must just be simple interest in me.
But what I wanted to know was why me?
I'd gone to great lengths to stay invisible, dressing like a bum—why me instead of Ryu Ah-young?
"Ha..."
I sat on the toilet in the bathroom, killing time. Going back now meant facing him again. I'd hide till the bell.
It was a hassle, but after a few times, he'd get the hint that I was rejecting him.
Then his interest would fade naturally. Plenty of pretty girls fawning over him—why bother with me?
But that was overly naive thinking.
.
.
.
A poking sensation on my head jolted me upright.
Classroom lights off, no kids around—must be lunchtime.
The ones who know I always sleep don't wake me. I prefer napping over lunch anyway.
'Who is it...'
I peered through my thick lenses at whoever woke me.
Blinking to focus, a familiar face swam into view.
It was that bastard.
"Time for lunch."
Grinning happily down at me, he knelt by the desk, leveling his eyes with mine.
"Kang Seo-ah."