Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Seniors #2
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My left side was taken by the senior in black, my right by the one in white.
Sandwiched between two jade-carved Go stones like some oddity, I figured I was closer to black in terms of color.
Maybe that's why black goes first and has one more stone.
...Such useless thoughts bubbled up from my subconscious as I walked home.
No point wandering aimlessly, so I decided to ask them about lunch.
"What do you feel like eating?"
"Hmm... Now that I think about it, nothing's jumping out at me."
Yuseol clutched her head, deep in thought.
"What about you, President?"
I turned to look at the president.
She pondered for a moment before speaking.
"I want tteokbokki."
I'd pegged her as the type to slice into a steak with fancy silverware. This was unexpected.
"Tteokbokki? You mean the spicy kind, right?"
"Yeah. I love spicy food."
Hmm... I eat anything, but super spicy's a bit much for me.
I glanced at Yuseol.
"Senior, you okay with spicy tteokbokki?"
"How spicy? I've never tried it."
"Oh my. Yuseol, you've been wasting half your life!"
The president suddenly got excited and moved to the front, taking the lead.
That girl... She had more triggers besides otaku stuff.
"Alright! No objections? Then I'll guide you to my favorite spot!"
We followed the president's confident back as she strode toward downtown.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ We followed the president into a franchise restaurant famous for its spicy tteokbokki.
"Ugh... This feels kinda scary."
Yuseol looked horrified once we were inside.
"Hehe. Don't worry. I'll go easy on you newbies with level 2 today."
Level 2 is going easy?
From what I knew, even their level 1 was spicier than Buldak ramen.
I sat alone, with the president and senior across from me.
As the president moved to order, I tried to stop her.
"Um, President... Maybe we should get level 1..."
"Nonsense! Level 1 isn't worth eating."
I had no idea she was so obsessed with spicy food.
Well, we'd never eaten together before.
Surprisingly, Yuseol was eyeing her with curiosity too.
"Senior, you didn't know the president loved super spicy stuff?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. She never acted like this when we ate together."
The president whipped her head around after ordering.
"Hehe. Of course you wouldn't know, Yuseol. I only got into spicy food this year."
"What sparked it?"
"An older sister figure I met through family business recommended it, so we tried it together. And it was perfect for my taste."
"Ah."
A recommendation from an acquaintance, huh.
The president chuckled.
"Actually, she was pranking me to mess with me, but I ate it so well she was the shocked one."
What a playful person.
...If someone who couldn't handle spice had taken a bite, they'd be crying.
Worried, I checked on Yuseol again.
"You sure you're okay, Senior?"
"Ugh... I'll speak up if it's too much."
"We got onigiri too, so you'll be fine."
The president reassured her. They looked great together, like they had some synergy.
Black and white harmony has always been beautiful, right? Even in ancient Goguryeo melons.
"Oh, speaking of which, I got so caught up in cosplay outfits that I forgot to ask something obvious. How'd you do on midterms, Ijin?"
Thinking back on the exams, I hadn't struggled much, so I figured I did okay.
"Pretty good, I think. How about you seniors?"
"Hehe. You wouldn't know, but I'm actually great at studying."
Yuseol cut in.
"Liar. Ara unnie sucks at studying."
"Y-Yuseol."
Yuseol's blunt words shattered the president's poker face, her refined speech melting away. I'd never seen her like this.
"She's always on the verge of failing, so I have to help her."
How bad do you have to be to need help from a younger underclassman?
"President..."
"D-Don't look at me like that, Ijin! Studying isn't everything in life!"
True enough...
From what I'd seen, her family was well-off anyway, so no real worries.
"For the record, I'm top of the class. Though, hmm, not quite as good as the top scorer you are."
That sparked a question.
"Wait, how'd you know I'm top scorer?"
"Huh? You didn't know? You're pretty famous at school."
What?
"Me?"
"Yeah. Seo Ijin, first-year top scorer. Surrounded by hot girls, smart, handsome—total con artist."
That's not how I see it—whatever she added after was lost on me.
Me, famous like that?
"Forgot? We all watched you give the pledge at the entrance ceremony from the windows."
The president chimed in from the side.
...Right, that happened.
This was a shock. Rumors like that about me?
Objectively, hanging with the four heroines, it kinda made sense.
...But why me and not Yoon Jiu?
As I clutched my head, our massive tteokbokki set arrived.
The president had ordered generously—onigiri, fritters, tons of food.
"Can we finish all this?"
"Whoa, that's a lot."
Even the president looked surprised.
We nodded at her suggestion to give it a go.
Sure, any leftovers for dinner.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Haa. So... spicy."
Yuseol complained but happily dipped fritters in the broth.
More to her taste than expected.
It had me sweating bullets, but the president ate elegantly without a hitch.
"Glad you're handling it, Yuseol. Let's do this more often. Hehehe."
"Ugh. Not too often, but occasionally maybe."
Girls usually handle capsaicin well. In my past life, spicy tteokbokki was popular with them.
Then a group of girls in uniforms entered the empty shop—our school kids.
See? Girls love it.
Glancing over, one met my eyes and widened hers in surprise.
They started whispering.
Odd, but I ignored it and focused on eating. Probably knew me from somewhere.
Not from my class, hopefully.
I remember my classmates' faces.
"Ijin, thought about what to do after eating?"
"Huh?"
I shivered from the capsaicin assault, surprised by the president's question.
Wasn't this just eat and go home?
She eyed my confusion.
"What? You weren't planning to just head home, right?"
That's exactly it.
...But saying so might sharpen Yuseol's glare, so I shut up.
"Hmm..."
Yuseol looked suspicious but turned to the president.
"Shall we stroll around first?"
From the vibe, early night in was off the table.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ We left the tteokbokki place and wandered downtown.
For the record, we barely polished off that huge order. Good thing the president ate a ton.
Yuseol got into it too, chopsticks flying.
Strolling past street stalls drew stares.
Now to mention it, but the president walked like a proper lady—total opposite of her club otaku self.
Her elegance stood out more.
Without the otaku talk, she screamed rich girl.
Yuseol seemed used to it, but I was still adjusting from otaku-president mode.
Not just her drawing eyes, though.
Yuseol was a pure beauty with silky silver hair flowing.
Together, they made a picture. Color harmony's nice.
...Otaku souls inside, but passersby don't know.
Mid-stroll, the president's gaze locked on a corner store.
"How about we check that out?"
It was a shop selling subculture merch.
"Oh! I wanna go!"
Yuseol clapped, agreeing.
Majority rules, then.