Parachute Drop and the Secretary

"Ah, cut it out! My uniform's gonna stretch!"

"Shut up. Hurry up. The student council president called for you."

I was being half-dragged down the hallway, my collar gripped tight in Kang Ha-ri's iron vise of a hand. An athletic specialist's strength was way beyond normal human logic. I'd already realized that struggling would just drain my stamina, so I trudged along like a cow headed to the slaughterhouse, half-resigned.

Haa... my fate in life.

My mind raced with worst-case scenarios. Had covering Mai back there in the yard crossed some line, turning into an official customer complaint? Or were they forcing me into hard labor to keep my mouth shut? Either way, it was a fatal threat to my peaceful life.

"We're here."

Kang Ha-ri stopped in front of a massive wooden door tucked in the corner of the school's third floor. A gleaming gold nameplate read Student Council Room. Wait, seriously? Even for the student council, could students really have a classroom—no, clubroom?—this flashy? Was this some fantasy academy where the council wielded incomprehensible power?

"Hey, Kang Ha-ri. Wait out here. She called for me alone."

"Nah. What if you get into some rough spot in there? Plus... I'm curious too."

Ha-ri brushed off my protest, threw open the door without even knocking.

Creeeak—

The heavy door swung wide, revealing a spacious, luxurious student council room. And there, behind a massive mahogany desk in the center, sat Baek Eun-seo sunbae—legs elegantly crossed, turned away—just moments ago she'd been trembling on the dirt floor.

Wait... was she some kind of queen...?

She's here...! My adorable junior...!

I'd practiced in the mirror dozens of times, slipping on my relaxed, intellectual alpha-girl smile as I turned toward the door. That breathtaking tenderness when he covered me with his jacket to protect my secret. Surely, this first-year junior was thrilled inside at the "legitimate" excuse of the broadcast call, heart pounding as he stepped in.

But—

"Pardon the intrusion!"

The first thing filling my turned view wasn't that broad, sturdy shoulder of my junior's.

...Eek?!

Messy bulk. Short ponytail. Shirt stretched taut over her chest. The athletic girl who'd been glued to Do-hyun's side burst through the door boldly!

Why is she here?! Did Do-hyun spill all my secrets?! No, worse—if she punches me once, I'll see a gray screen...

My arm-crossed chin-resting hand started trembling. The reclusive loner instinct screamed to dive under the desk. But no. My blindly lovestruck younger guy was watching me. If I flinched now, my perfect charisma was done! I had to show womanly dignity! Couldn't disappoint the guy who liked me! Not after how I got this chance!!!

I desperately steadied my shaking hand, squeezing out the softest, most relaxed voice I could.

"Oh my... I could've sworn I only called Han Do-hyun from first-year Class 3... right?"

Baek Eun-seo sunbae rested her chin elegantly on the desk, flashing a languid smile. The overwhelming dignity of the student council president who dominated the whole school. No trace of that pathetic dirt-floor cringe from moments ago... pure, calculated alpha-female aura.

But... looking closer, the fingers propping her chin trembled faintly. And her gaze flicked to Kang Ha-ri beside me, laced with instinctive fear.

I read the room instantly. Was this sunbae faking composure but frozen stiff from being intimidated by the athletic Ha-ri?

"Ah, President sunbae. How've you been?"

Ha-ri dipped her chin in greeting. She looked a bit thuggish, but that was just her blunt personality. Still, it came off plenty threatening—Eun-seo sunbae's shoulders twitched visibly.

"I'm Do-hyun's friend. You called him to the president's office, so I figured maybe he caused some trouble. Came as his guardian."

Ha-ri slung a heavy arm over my shoulder, shooting Eun-seo sunbae a sharp glare. She meant to protect me, but it was putting me in a real bind... Who glares like that at a potential complainer? Especially when the other's the student council president with apparent big power...

"Heh, 'guardian'? Funny way to put it. But this is confidential student council business. Mind heading back to class, friend?"

"Confidential? What secret student council stuff is there for a first-year newbie? Just say it with me here."

Ha-ri plopped onto the council president's sofa without budging. Perfect standoff.

"Ahem."

Eun-seo sunbae ignored Ha-ri's glare, cleared her throat softly, and turned to me.

"No helping it then. Straight to the point, Han Do-hyun. Join our student council execs. Position... yeah, my direct secretary."

"...Huh? Secretary?"

At my dumb echo, she recrossed her legs leisurely, propping her chin.

"The student council secretary ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠has to objectively and swiftly record all the variables and situations in meetings. Above all, it requires cool-headed situational judgment."

A meaningful smile curved Eun-seo sunbae's lips.

"Remember that sudden situation in the yard earlier? You reacted to it instantly, handled the crisis perfectly before I could even panic. That cool judgment and composure? Perfect for my direct secretary."

...This shady president has lost it.

I kept my customer-service gentle smile on the surface, but inwardly cursed up a storm.

The packaging was slick, but her intent was obvious. Covering a customer whose skirt flipped up was basic Korean Confucian guy etiquette. Twisting that into "situational judgment" for a scout offer?!

She was uneasy about me spotting her otaku true colors at the PC bang, so she wanted me parked next to her, monitoring me all school long! And secretary? Top-tier grunt work—handling every random meeting minute and paperwork!

"Your offer is a huge honor, President..."

I activated customer complaint defense mode. Slight bow, soft polite voice—iron wall up.

"But I lack the skills. For such an important role as secretary, I'm too inadequate. I fear I'd tarnish your student council duties. Your peace—no, the council's peace—means a lot to me."

Perfect rejection. "Don't wanna get involved, let's each go our way"—clean, professional. Even a brazen shady prez would get it and back off.

But.

Eh?

Rejected, Eun-seo sunbae's face flushed red in an instant—was she mad?

Hngh...! Crazy, Han Do-hyun...!!

I twisted my legs under the table, biting my lip to stifle the scream bubbling up.

[I fear I'd tarnish you. Your peace means more to me.]

This mad younger guy's line licked my eardrums sticky-sweet. This was... a straight-up confession! He wants to stay by my side but pulls back a step so his "inadequate" self won't blemish perfect student council president me—he'll quietly support from behind with tear-jerking devotion! Oh no! I'm still in school, vowed no boyfriend or guy friends till college... but my charm's too much, putting my junior in this sad spot... Sorry! Sorry sis is too perfect!

...But a true woman raises even an inadequate little bro!

"Heh, no need to be humble..."

I was about to flash Do-hyun a killer smile and speak—

"Hah? Secretary?"

Kang Ha-ri, practically lounging on the sofa, shot up like she'd chugged ice water. Her sudden uppercut vibe left me and Eun-seo sunbae staring blankly. Especially sunbae, who seemed more spooked by the violent energy...

Anyway, Ha-ri strode over, threw an arm around my shoulder, and glared murderously at Eun-seo sunbae.

"President sunbae, you beat around the bush with 'confidential' ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this, 'judgment' that, but bottom ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠line—you're snagging our first-year to spin him after school, right?"

"N-no, it's about recruiting great talent for the student council..."

"Whatever."

Ha-ri yanked my shoulder her way. My arm brushed her chest—rough skinship.

"Do-hyun's busy after school. PC bangs with me, meat buffets—no time for petty paperwork. Do it yourself, sunbae. Let's go, Do-hyun."

"Hey, wait, Kang Ha-ri...!"

Ignoring my reply, the bulldozer girl grabbed my collar again, dragging me out of the student council room.

"W-wait! Hold on, Han Do-hyun st—!"

Panicked, Eun-seo sunbae jumped up but flailed her hands in the air, not daring to approach.

Bam—!

The heavy door slammed shut, sealing off the room's weird tension.

Out in the hall, I blankly replayed it all.

...What just happened?

The shady president's forced scout got perfectly blocked by troublemaker customer Kang Ha-ri. My peaceful loner life was safe, but why the chills down my spine and cold sweat?

I gazed at the setting sun sinking outside the window, sighing deeply.

Ah... no hourly pay for this emotional labor. Wanna get home fast, nail that Elden Souls offbeat boss...

Last night, wrecked by that dogshit boss pattern, I didn't crash till past 3 a.m. So this morning, I dragged my half-soulless body to school.

Ah... so tired. First period's second foreign language—faceplant and sleep...

Stumbling half-eyed into the first-floor central lobby—

"Hey, move! Lemme see too!"

"Directly snagged a first-year guy? President's no slouch."

The central bulletin board was mobbed like a marketplace. Normally, I'd shrug off the morning popular crowd noise. But my brutal sleep debt vanished at a familiar, ominous three-syllable name from the crowd.

"Isn't that Han Do-hyun from first-year Class 3? The fox who flirts with everyone around her?"

...Huh?

Chills raced up my spine. Wide awake, I pushed through to the board. Dead center: a flashy gold-framed poster that wasn't there yesterday.

"......Insane."