Chapter 33
Translator - Zofu
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Another major uproar occurred in the Ewha Womans University Jeong and the Se-in Family.
The cause was, needless to say, the matter of Jeong Se-in's 'selection'.
Last time, Jeong Se-in had met separately with Gwak Jo-young and formed a 'sisterhood bond'.
What's more, it was kept secret from the other members. Even the core members classified as the Four Heavenly Kings were unaware, so the shockwaves were even greater.
Until then, Gwak Jo-young had been a cadre-level member, but she was still 1% short of being considered a core member.
She had many enemies and few allies. Lower-ranking members were eagerly watching for a chance to pull her down. That's how much of an easy target she was considered.
On top of that, when she even got slapped by Jeong Se-in, people thought she was headed straight for the abyss.
But Gwak Jo-young made a spectacular comeback. And by forming a sisterly bond with Jeong Se-in, no less.
It was a shock. Gwak Jo-young was the first to set foot in a territory where even the Four Heavenly Kings, who thought they were much closer to Jeong Se-in, hadn't dared to tread.
Gwak Jo-young didn't just become sisters in name only. From that day on, the seat next to Jeong Se-in became permanently occupied by Gwak Jo-young. The members referred to as the Four Heavenly
Kings now had to walk a step behind those two.
Great confusion erupted within the Family. From the lower-ranking members to the cadre level, rumors ran rampant.
Those with sense tried to quell the unnecessary rumors, but it wasn't easy to stop the girls' loose tongues.
Then came the second shockwave.
This time, it was the junior Yoon Ji-yoon who was selected as a sister candidate.
"Why Yoon Ji-yoon?"
Among the other core members, such complaints were inevitable.
Even if no one said it out loud, everyone was thinking it. Why Yoon Ji-yoon, of all people?
Yoon Ji-yoon was a junior by one year. Many people already didn't like how, despite being a junior, she hung around Jeong Se-in, especially among those in the same grade as Jeong Se-in.
"Even before that, Gwak Jo-young was like that."
"Right. What on earth is the standard?"
Everyone knew.
They knew that Jeong Se-in had saved Gwak Jo-young from being bullied and that they became close because of it.
Thus, their relationship was closer to that of benefactor and beneficiary rather than friends. There was a clear hierarchical relationship between them.
But since Gwak Jo-young was the first to be selected, dissatisfaction was inevitable.
"Perhaps... isn't there a different standard?"
The dissatisfaction soon turned into doubt.
No matter how they thought about it, there was no reason for Gwak Jo-young or Yoon Ji-yoon to be prioritized.
"A different standard?"
"Well, for example, um, having bad habits lately?"
That was something someone said half-jokingly.
But for some reason, it sounded plausible.
Gwak Jo-young had been the subject of much talk behind her back recently. People said she had become stiff-necked.
They said that while she suffered when she was bullied, now that she had Jeong Se-in's prestige backing her, she had become the bully herself.
But after becoming 'sisters' with Jeong Se-in this time, Gwak Jo-young's personality changed. One could say she was corrected.
"After that, her habits improved, right? Gwak Jo-young."
"Yeah. She became a completely different person."
First of all, her appearance changed. Her makeup became softer and her fashion became less flashy.
Even though she now received Jeong Se-in's favoritism, she didn't act out like before. Instead, she was even humble towards members with lower standing within the Family.
"Then, don't tell me, Yoon Ji-yoon too?"
And Yoon Ji-yoon was a similar case to Gwak Jo-young before her change.
Despite being a junior, she hung around the senior Jeong Se-in, flattering her persistently and trying to get noticed. After doing that for a full year, she eventually managed to secure a position among the Four Heavenly Kings.
Such Yoon Ji-yoon was a mythical existence among the juniors. Conversely, she was like a thorn in the side of the seniors.
The more seniors viewed her negatively, the more brazen Yoon Ji-yoon became. Just like Gwak Jo-young before her correction, Yoon Ji-yoon had been making many enemies lately.
"Maybe Se-in has a different idea in mind."
Gulp. A sense of tension swirled among the upper-ranking members.
Jeong Se-in was a special person. It wasn't just once or twice that she had leaped far beyond the level they could conceive.
Therefore, they had a feeling that Jeong Se-in might not be selecting people for simple 'friendship' purposes. No, it was almost certain she had another objective.
"It might not be something to simply envy..."
Someone muttered.
There wasn't a single person who wasn't secretly envious that someone they thought had lower priority than themselves had been selected by Jeong Se-in.
But if Jeong Se-in had another purpose...
Perhaps being selected might not be as good as they thought.
And the truth might be confirmed today.
Because they would be able to see Yoon Ji-yoon, who had returned after being selected.
"Ah. She's here."
At someone's words, all the members rose from their seats.
The ones who appeared at the usual meeting place, one timing late.
Jeong Se-in, Gwak Jo-young, and even the junior Yoon Ji-yoon.
They were the ones who had just spent the night at Jeong Se-in's house and returned.
"Sunbae~ I can't walk~ ooh~."
Yoon Ji-yoon, who was complaining like that, was walking unsteadily with her legs turned in.
Seeing that, the other members felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
Because not long ago, Gwak Jo-young and Jeong Se-in had also staggered in looking like that.
What could have happened all night? The viewers had a rough idea forming in their heads.
"Stop exaggerating. Even though it was my first time, I was running around the next day?"
Even Jeong Se-in, who said that, somehow seemed uncomfortable in her posture.
And Gwak Jo-young next to her was the same.
"Lies! I saw you crawling around, Sunbae!"
"You little! How dare you to a Sunbae who's like heaven!"
Smack!
Jeong Se-in slapped Yoon Ji-yoon's buttocks with her palm.
"Kyaang!"
Yoon Ji-yoon, startled by the slap on her butt, jumped up.
Jeong Se-in laughed heartily seeing that.
"Uuii... It really hurts~!"
"There, there, our Ji-yoon. It hurt a lot, didn't it? Aww, poor thing."
"Eeing~."
Yoon Ji-yoon was genuinely hurt, her face sullen.
But the other members' feelings were complicated as they watched the scene.
Because no matter how you looked at it, Jeong Se-in's attitude towards Yoon Ji-yoon had become much more intimate than before.
"Hello, everyone!"
"Se-in, welcome."
Jeong Se-in joined them, exchanging greetings with the other members half-heartedly.
"Hello."
"Hello, Sunbaenims!"
And to her left and right, Gwak Jo-young and Yoon Ji-yoon took their positions like a guard of honor.
"Ji-yoon, looks like you had fun too?"
"Yes! Sunbae! Listen to how much I suffered~."
"Hey. I told you 'that' is a secret, right?"
"Ah. Right, that's right. Hehe. Sorry, Sunbae."
Yoon Ji-yoon was cautioned by Jeong Se-in and shut her mouth.
Although it was a playful remark, to the listeners, it somehow sounded meaningful.
"But it was still fun! Please invite me next time too!"
Yoon Ji-yoon said with a bright smile.
However, those who knew Yoon Ji-yoon well could tell at a glance.
That was absolutely not a sincere remark.
She said it as part of her usual social maneuvering, but if she were really invited, she would find some excuse to avoid it.
Everyone who knew Yoon Ji-yoon could see it.
"Hmm, but who should I go with next time?"
Those words, casually uttered from Jeong Se-in's mouth.
The nerves of the group members became taut.
"My mom gave me a look because it was noisy this time too, you know. So I can't take too many people at once."
As Jeong Se-in pondered, Yoon Ji-yoon quickly cut in.
"Sunbae! I recommend Se-hwa Sunbae!"
"Huh? Se-hwa?"
An unexpected story created a tense atmosphere.
Lee Se-hwa was in the same grade as Jeong Se-in and particularly didn't get along with the junior Yoon Ji-yoon.
Because recommending such a Se-hwa seemed, no matter how you looked at it, like a trap.
"You little. You're trying to play a mean trick again, aren't you?"
However, that recommendation was cut off at Jeong Se-in's level.
Jeong Se-in teased Yoon Ji-yoon by pulling on both her cheeks.
"Ah! No! I recommended her sincerely! Ang!"
The person in question, Lee Se-hwa, approached closer.
Lee Se-hwa was tall for a woman, even a head taller than Jeong Se-in, who was already tall.
Thanks to her height, she had been a promising volleyball player in high school but quit due to a knee injury. Now she was studying Sports Science at Ewha Womans University.
"I don't really mind, though."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I'd be grateful if you invited me."
Then, someone dared to interrupt the conversation between the two.
"Um, excuse me, Sunbaenim! Jeong Se-in Sunbaenim!"
"Huh?"
The atmosphere around Jeong Se-in became murderous for a moment.
For a junior to speak directly to Jeong Se-in without an appointment was a huge taboo within the Family.
Perhaps this junior would be dragged to a dark alley behind a building after the conversation ended.
"Um, who was it again?"
"Me! I'm Han Soo-ji, a first-year in the Dance Department!"
Jeong Se-in looked the junior named Han Soo-ji up and down.
Hmm. A bit weak.
In that sense, she tilted her head.
"Sorry. She's a junior I know. She said she had something she really needed to tell you, Se-in, so I brought her."
"Ah, I see."
It seemed she was an acquaintance of Se-hwa's.
Dance Department and Sports Science Department. Perhaps there was some connection between similar departments?
"Se-Sunbaenim, c-could you please meet with our professor just once?"
"Professor?"
At the word 'professor', Jeong Se-in's brow furrowed.
Whether they believed the rumors circulating around the school or not, there was more than one professor trying to make political connections through Jeong Se-in.
Naturally, Jeong Se-in found such talk itself unpleasant.
So, when professors were involved, she usually brushed them off without even hearing them out.
"Ah~ I don't meet with professors separately, so..."
This time too, Jeong Se-in tried to brush it off like that.
If she showed enough dislike, those around her would handle it accordingly.
"It's Professor Julia Lee! A ballet professor! She said she really has something she wants to talk to Jeong Se-in Sunbaenim about!"
"Julia Lee? Ah~."
Just as the freshman was about to be dragged away by the other members.
Jeong Se-in reacted to the freshman's desperately shouted last words.
Ballet Professor Julia Lee.
She was quite a celebrity at the school, so Jeong Se-in knew who she was.
And she was also a person who perfectly fit the image of the person Jeong Se-in was thinking of.
"Where should we meet?"
Jeong Se-in said with a slight smile.
***