The Class President's Secret
Even after our brief clash, Baek Hara stubbornly stuck to her ways. She dumped all her assigned duties on the other kids—especially Soeun—and spent her time chatting or hanging out after school. Naturally, it looked suspicious to me, but thanks to her spin on things, the other students weren't giving me friendly looks.
"Did you hear? Kim Cheolsu was so rude to Hara..."
"Oh, you mean when he yelled at her in the cafeteria?"
"Apparently he called her out loud while she was eating."
"I thought his name was just funny, but his personality sucks too. What a letdown."
...Predictably petty, gossiping behind my back. Of course, explaining myself would just pile on the misunderstandings. So I decided to drop trying to clear things up for now and first probe our homeroom teacher about Baek Hara's behavior.
"So, the class president is shoving her work onto the other students?"
"Yes, pretty much everything. Did you know about it?"
"Well, I had my suspicions. When she became class president, she asked me if it was okay to delegate tough tasks to the others."
Asking ahead like that meant the teacher was tacitly okay with it to some extent. Sure, going overboard would warrant discipline, but the teacher didn't seem to see it as a problem.
"It seems like she's mostly leaning on Soeun... Probably because she thinks Soeun's the best fit for class president duties."
"Wouldn't overloading her like that cause issues?"
"If it were forced, I'd warn her for sure. But from what Soeun told me, it doesn't feel coercive."
Of course not. Soeun wasn't the type to turn down an outright request. Even if it felt unfair, she'd go along with it because it was phrased as a favor—that was the Yoo Soeun I knew, swept up in the moment.
But even understanding that, a teacher couldn't meddle too deeply in student dynamics without clear evidence on the surface.
"I get you're worried about Soeun, but if she doesn't refuse, it's not bullying, so I can't really step in."
"...I see."
So much for the teacher's help. Concluding that, I didn't push further, turned away, and headed next to Soeun in the library, where she was handling one of Baek Hara's tasks. Time to check her true feelings now that she'd basically become Baek Hara's slave.
"Soeun, you okay with this?"
"......?"
She tilted her head, not grasping my meaning. She seemed totally unaware of her situation, so I sighed softly and chided her gently.
"I mean the class president dumping all her work on you. No complaints? No anger at her?"
It was the kind of thing that would piss off any normal person. What Baek Hara was doing was shirking responsibility and treating someone like a slave.
"She asked for help."
But Soeun wasn't one to get mad at others. She was selfless, grateful for the chance to help, so she'd never refuse a request on her own.
"If someone needs help, and I can do it... I think I should."
"......So you'll do whatever the class president asks?"
"She recommended me for president at first... She must think I'm good for this stuff."
...Even if she was just a figurehead most of the time, Soeun still saw her as a friend. It felt off to me, but if she was content, meddling more would be nosy. Still, how to fix this?
"Do you... hate it?"
As I pondered, she hesitantly asked me.
"Me helping her... You don't like it?"
Not her feelings—mine. Depending on my answer, she might even change her behavior. She'd follow my words as readily as Baek Hara's.
"Honestly, no."
Hoping for that, I told her straight.
"Our lunch times together are getting shorter because you're helping her."
"......"
Soeun fell silent at my words, seemingly deep in thought. Then she spoke up with a question.
"Do you... like it?"
"Huh?"
"Do you like me? I asked."
Like her? Was she asking if I had romantic feelings?
...Ridiculous. I was just helping my seatmate and friend.
"No, that's not why I'm..."
"I like it."
Despite my feelings, she said it. She liked me. Romantically.
"Wh-what?"
Did I hear wrong? No, she clearly said she liked me.
"Eating lunch... together."
"......Oh, that."
I let out a deflated breath, realizing my misunderstanding. Blushing shyly, Soeun continued.
"I don't hate it. Eating together... the three of us."
Of course—for her, those little lunch moments were precious memories. Seizing on that, I asked point-blank.
"Then how about refusing the class president's requests from now on? Keep saying yes, and our lunch time shrinks more."
"But refusing... would trouble her."
Damn, no intention to refuse on her own. The teacher wouldn't intervene without force, and if I pushed, I'd get backlash. To solve this, better to make the class president back off instead of convincing Soeun.
"So if she doesn't ask, you won't help, right?"
"Y-yeah."
Perfect. Simple plan. With an idea in mind, I smoothly proposed to Soeun.
"Soeun, got time after school?"
*****
One perk of being vice president: leading the class gave easy access to student info, like middle schools or home addresses. Even the president wasn't exempt, so a house visit was a breeze.
"This the class president's place?"
It was a decent house, clearly well-off. Soeun, following me, spoke cautiously.
"Um... is it okay to go in?"
"......She won't like it, but it'll be fine. We've got a solid excuse."
Baek Hara was out after school with her crew, as usual—ditching president duties. Delivering work as vice president and proxy was totally reasonable. Even if she didn't buy it, didn't matter. The goal: find dirt that didn't show in school and use it to curb her.
"Excuse me. We're classmates of Hara."
"Oh, Hara's friends! Come in. She's not back yet... Want some juice first?"
Her mom answered the doorbell—friendly, more than expected. We smoothly entered.
"Hara's friends visiting? She never brought any home in middle school~"
Her mom beamed while serving us. Curious, I asked.
"No friends over in middle school?"
"Nope, our girl's not great at making them. I worried she'd have none in high school..."
"No need to worry. She became class president because the class loves her."
"Really? Her? Wow~ Hiding such great news—must be her shyness."
She'd kept even becoming president secret? Mom didn't seem on bad terms; maybe teen awkwardness?
"Hehe, hearing this from a friend reassures me. She left provincial friends behind moving here, but now she's president's beloved~"
No suspicion from mom. Using her friendliness, I probed the odd bit.
"She lived elsewhere until middle school?"
"Yes, far away in the provinces. Then Dad got promoted here, and suddenly she studied like crazy!"
"Studied?"
"Yep~ She hated books before, but for months, glued to her desk. Then makeup, dyeing... Changed so much in half a year, still surprises me."
Hmm, total transformation from third-year middle to high school entry. Not rare—perfect for reinvention, like "high school debut" to shed the past.
Baek Hara went all-in on high school debut, fully escaping middle school self.
"Could you tell us more about her old days?"
Jackpot. Mom eagerly grabbed a photo album from the shelf and opened it on the table.
"If her friends are curious, of course! Here's the album—take a look."
Full of her childhood to middle school. Middle school pics stood out—no trace of her current bubbly vibe.
"This is Hara?"
"Yep~ Total glow-up, right?"
Textbook "glow down to up." I exchanged grins with Soeun peering beside me.
"We hit the jackpot."
Explains hiding president status from parents. Even this, she'd spin positive—but it clashed with her high school debut image.
*****
Next morning, pre-homeroom chaos as usual. Baek Hara held court at the center, oblivious to her doom, chatting away.
"President, got a sec?"
"Sigh, delegate to Soeun if it's work."
Ha, now her personal assistant. Still hogging perks—unforgivable.
"Got questions about Daeseong Girls' Middle's Red Mask."
Thud!
She shot up from her desk. Knew it'd hit. Classmates questioned.
"What? Daeseong Girls'? Where's that?"
"Red Mask? Huh?"
"Ahh! Right, stuff to do! C'mon, vice prez—talk outside!"
She overacted, dragging me out to the quiet rooftop, locked the door, and glared murderously.
"You... where'd you hear that name?"
"Just the name? Nah."
I smirked, pulling out my smartphone. Inside: pics from yesterday's intel, scouring the net—a girl who terrorized the area.
"Never imagined our class president's past life as local thug queen. If this leaks... noisy, right?"
"Ah, wah... AHH!!"
Her bravado vanished. Clear: her fatal weakness.