Forced Labor and Capitalism
This time, manners be damned! If I didn't act now, I'd end up as some forcibly conscripted slave!
Just peeling off Kang Ha-ri, who was whining about whether I'd really ended up as the class secretary after stopping by our homeroom, had been stressful enough.
This wasn't something I could just brush off with a quick "I'll handle it." It had to be solid. Not only had she shattered my precious peace, but she'd turned me into some tail-wagging fox in everyone's eyes?!
Today, I was ditching all pretenses of courtesy or customer service manuals.
I flung open the front door of Class 2-1 without a second thought.
Drag—!
The moment the door slid open, the air in the classroom froze solid.
Before morning homeroom, dozens of second-year girls—chatting in clusters, touching up their makeup—snapped their gazes toward the entrance in unison.
...Oh crap.
In my rage, I'd momentarily forgotten.
The implications of a male junior barging into his female seniors' classroom in this gender-reversed world...
What do you think happens when a cute girl junior shows up in a boys' class?
"Who're you here for, cutie?"
"Aww, he's adorable~"
"Isn't that the first-year secretary guy?"
"Oh my gosh, so he's here to see Baek Eun-seo? Bold move~"
Sticky, intrigued stares flew at me like arrows from all directions.
The male seniors huddled in the corner shot me openly jealous glares.
Cold sweat trickled down my spine in seconds, but backing down now would make me just another average beta male in this reversed world.
I stiffened my jaw and locked eyes on the back of the room.
There sat Baek Eun-seo senior, elegantly leaning on her desk, chatting amiably with her friends, a gentle smile on her face.
Spotting me at the door, her eyes widened briefly before curving into a leisurely, languid smile.
I marched straight over and thwack! slapped the notice I'd ripped from the bulletin board that morning onto her desk.
"Student Council President. Let's talk."
My bold move doubled the murmurs rippling through the classroom.
But Eun-seo senior didn't flinch. She rose gracefully, stepping toward me.
"Our new secretary's off to a diligent start this morning."
She picked up the notice, then grabbed my wrist in a grip—soft, but inescapable.
"But too many eyes here, don't you think? Secret student council business... should be handled somewhere private, just the two of us."
She waved lightly at her friends—"Sorry, council duties calling"—and dragged me out by the wrist.
"Kyaaah—! Baek Eun-seo is so cool!!"
"Insane, look at her snag that younger guy's wrist and haul him off!!"
"Hey! Spill everything she does to that junior when you get back!"
"She's a total romance pro...."
The second-years' ecstatic cheers and screams erupted behind us.
Clueless, I let her pull me along, shedding bloody tears internally.
No, you crazy seniors! This isn't romance—it's blatant forced abduction!!
****
Click.
The mahogany door shut, sealing us alone in the soundproof student council room. I immediately raised my voice.
"Senior!! What the hell is this without my consent?! I just overheard some burly male seniors at the entrance muttering that I'm the fox bitch who flirted my way into a spot with you!!"
"Oh, Do-hyun. Calm down."
Eun-seo senior perched elegantly on the massive desk, crossing her legs.
"Don't like that? Then ditch the notice and head back to class right now. Know what happens to you?"
"...Pardon?"
"Not a threat, but the male seniors' jealousy will spike—calling you the arrogant punk who wrecked the president's scouting. And the girls? 'Even Baek Eun-seo fell for it? What if I make a move?' You won't get a moment's peace."
A chill raced up my spine, goosebumps prickling.
It was an irrefutably perfect scenario.
"But if you become secretary, you're my personally picked direct subordinate. Who in this school would dare mess with or badmouth my exclusive secretary? I'll be your perfect shield."
Catching my wavering eyes, she drove the nail home with her ace card.
"Plus, two exclusive perks. First: sole access to the council room's admin PC, plus free time guarantees."
"...Admin PC?"
"Yeah. That beast over there? Last council got budget for 'promo video editing' and specced it top-tier. And this room's LAN bypasses the education board firewall. Your duties? Minutes and typing my Excel sheets. After that? Go home or game whatever—your call, no interference."
...What, what'd she say?!
"Second: the 'Student Council Special Merit Scholarship' at semester's end. Straight to you, secretary. Principal's approval? On me."
Ding—
My inner capitalist part-timer's calculator spun wildly.
Dealing with 500 random crazies bare-handed? Vs. managing just one president? Emotional labor ROI is overwhelmingly better! And end-of-term scholarship? How many packages could that buy?
The rage-boiling blood cooled, replaced by grand capitalist ambition and gaming thirst.
This was no longer debatable—a perfect profit gig.
I carefully smoothed the crumpled notice on the chair.
"...How much is that scholarship, roughly?"
"Enough to satisfy you. If not, I'll top it up from my pocket."
Her voice trembled faintly, but the alpha girl's mask hid whatever truth. All I heard was the miracle line: shelling out her own cash.
In that instant, I clasped my accusatory hands politely at my navel and bowed a perfect 90-degree slave-to-capitalism bow.
"Though unworthy, from today, I pledge my life to serve you, Student Council President."
My miraculous pivot made her shoulders twitch. She cleared her throat, turning her flushed cheeks away, replying sternly.
"Ahem. Consider it an honor."
She pulled a crisp sheet from her drawer.
28th Student Council Executive Oath and Authorization Form
Without hesitation, I grabbed the fancy fountain pen from the desk and neatly signed my name.
This wasn't forced labor.
I'd been scouted by the über-powerful student council.
A perfect, legitimate employment contract.
"Signed, President."
"Good. Let me show you your spot."
She nodded toward a cozy partitioned nook inside the council room.
I drifted over, mesmerized.
The setup nearly brought tears of joy.
An ergonomic chair cradling my spine the moment I leaned back.
A wide desk with eye-searing dual monitors.
And the mini-fridge beside it? Packed with pricey sodas and imported fruit juices, neatly arranged.
Jackpot. Corporate-level perks. Who knew a lifelong part-timer like me would hit the jackpot!
As I savored capitalist bliss with a fancy orange juice, Eun-seo senior approached with her first order.
"Today's debut task: after school. Patrol the school district shops with me on the way home."
"Got it."
Gaming at home? Patrol won't take long. No release dates anyway—weekend PC bang shifts only left, plus scholarship farming.
Suppressing a grin, I left the room with light steps.
But my perfect profit calc nearly shattered the instant I opened the back door.
"Hey, Han Do-hyun!!"
Our class back seat.
Kang Ha-ri sat legs crossed on a desk, foot jiggling furiously, face thunderous.
Spotting me, she stormed over and yanked my shoulder.
"What happened? You chucked your resignation in that psycho president's face, right?!"
"Ow."
She flinched, releasing my shoulder in panic, then apologized.
"Sorry, just frustrated... Anyway, you quit secretary for real? Want me to chew out that crazy president?"
Her words grew rougher.
Time to correct that.
"Hey now, watch your mouth about our president."
"Wh-what?!"
"Scholarship, office turns PC bang post-work, VIP lounge stocked with drinks. Vs. random tiring folks? Way better to shield with this badge and suck the honey."
I proudly thumped my chest.
But Ha-ri's face drained white—not relief, but shock and betrayal.
A trembling whisper escaped her.
"You... you... sold out to that fox senior's power and money... your body—no, your pure soul?!"
"Pure what? It's a legit contract, I signed it."
"You idiot mark!! Alone after school in a closed room, and paid?! That's a shady sponsorship deal, not employment!!"
"Why do you phrase it like that, you punk?!"
My indignant yell drowned in her roaring fury.
She shook my shoulders, ranting to "refund" it now. Desperate, I pried her off to protect my sweet gig.
****
Click.
Do-hyun left. Staring at the firmly shut mahogany door, I finally exhaled the breath I'd held.
"In-insane...!!"
I cupped my burning cheeks, collapsing face-first on the desk, kicking my feet wildly.
The perfect, cool president mask I'd desperately maintained shattered.
What was that adorable tantrum?! Storming the class 'cause he didn't like it, then staying once I dangled bait—like he couldn't resist me!
And "pledge my life to serve"? In this girl-chasing-boy world, that's blind pure love—even rarer than in isekai tales. A straight-up proposal!
"Hehehe... Do-hyun, you...."
I couldn't stifle the creepy giggle leaking out.
My heart was already bursting.
Wait, Do-hyun. After school first date... I'll set up the perfect schedule for a confession from big sis...!