Self-Introduction Heroines
There are a total of six main heroines for self-introductions.
Three I already knew from middle school. But one of them was shipped off to Moscow for study abroad by Seon-ha back then, so now only two are left.
Three more I only knew by name. …But now it's down to two.
I've become closer to Han Hyun-joo than strangers.
'This bitch because of…'
I shot a weasel-eyed glare at Seon-ha sitting next to me.
Out of nowhere, some guy in work clothes had barged into the classroom and was building something with her.
Who the hell is that guy?
"Miss, how about this?"
"What about the pressure wave attenuation rate? Did you check it?"
"……Pardon?"
"What's wrong?"
"Ah… no! It's just surprising that a student knows about this stuff… Yes! This should meet your requirements fully!"
"Thanks for your hard work. Payment will be deposited today."
"Thank you…! Call me anytime!"
A rectangular wooden box the uncle had even welded together.
What the hell is that…? No clue.
Probably one of the traps she's planning to use on me.
'…Damn it, just…'
Tell her to get out of my life? Declare we're done?
"…Y-Yeon-woo! I was wrong…!"
"Strip naked, kneel, and beg. Cry if you want."
"…Ugh… Uheheuk…"
"Repeat after me. 'I won't meddle in other people's love lives ever again.'"
"I won't meddle in other people's love lives. I won't meddle in other people's…"
Of course… that's just a fantasy. It stays a fantasy.
In reality, the moment I told Seon-ha to get lost, her broken mentality might lead her to order the snipers lurking on the school rooftop to take out every heroine.
For reference, in this world's lore, Seon-ha is one of the deterrents keeping China from invading Taiwan… Erasing six women from history would be child's play for her.
"Yeon-woo."
"Yeah."
"I'll be right back."
Seon-ha stood up, picking up that box she'd just had made.
Don't come back.
"If you miss me while I'm gone, here's our photo."
She handed me a picture we'd taken together last year. In it, she's beaming, and my eyes are closed. It was taken during an endoscopy. She'd even bribed the doctor.
Click-clack, Seon-ha headed to the back door of the classroom, giving me a small wave. She mouthed the words softly.
"I'll be back!"
…
If I didn't respond, Han Hyun-joo might end up hanging from the flagpole tomorrow morning.
"See you."
I awkwardly saw her off, and her mood brightened as she strode out the door.
'…Fuck me.'
I slammed my fist on the photo I'd put on my desk. Bang bang.
Die…! Die…! Die…!
As I vented on the Seon-ha in the photo, a squeaky hiiik… came from beside me.
"T-Teacher!?"
It was Han Hyun-joo. She'd changed clothes.
"What?"
"N-No… Just don't break the desk too…"
"Speak up. What's it about?"
"…Um, well…"
She approached me first! Was this a chance for forgiveness and reconciliation? Unexpectedly magnanimous? And at a timing when Seon-ha was gone…!
She shuffled over awkwardly and bent at the waist toward me, speaking in a low voice.
"Um… you know… during 4th period later, for our class… self-introduction time… should we do it?"
"Pardon?"
"Ah, no… The principal suddenly ordered it…! It's not like I want to."
Her fingers fidgeted with the attendance book as she awaited my answer. Her lips quivered.
"……Why ask my permission for that?"
"I-If it's a bother, we can whisper just among ourselves at the front…! Or, um, go out to the playground…?"
…Even as a new teacher. How socially inept can she be?
…
Forget forgiveness and reconciliation. Seems like my image had slid from uncomfortable student to scary student to outright psychotic thug.
"Don't ask… Of course it's fine. Do it."
"Thank you…!"
"Right, Teacher. Got a minute after class? If so, behind the school…"
"Wh-What…? Stay after and get beat…? Sniff… I was gonna treat myself to donkatsu for my first day…"
"Who said anything about beating!?"
This one's broken in a different spot from Seon-ha…
Her favorite food's donkatsu, huh. Got it. One piece of info acquired.
"………Then why?"
"I-I have something to say… Clear up the misunderstanding from earlier… And there's a great cat cafe nearby."
"I like cats too, Yeon-woo."
Seon-ha, who'd returned unnoticed, answered instead of Han Hyun-joo. She promptly turned her back to me and took over the conversation with Han Hyun-joo.
—Smile
"Teacher. 2 minutes till 4th period."
"Ah… Look at me."
"Shall I have the kids sit?"
"…Oh, that was worrying me. Yeah, please."
"Sure."
"Right… Um… Seon-ha, was it? Thanks for lending me these clothes… I'll wash and return them. How'd you get my size exactly… Amazing."
"Keep them. I don't wear them anyway."
"N-No, I can't! I'll definitely return them…!"
She'd been terrified of me like a moon bear spotted on Jirisan Mountain…
But toward the culprit who smeared her in peach flavor, she seemed to have warmed up a bit…
*
[Self-Introduction]
Scrawled crookedly on the blackboard. Do they still do self-intro time these days?
Well, "these days" might not fit since the setting's a bit retro.
—Clap
The tense Han Hyun-joo clapped her palms together and spoke.
"Sh-Should I start with my intro…?"
"Yes~!"
A male student with gelled hair slapped his desk in welcome.
Definitely popular with the guys, looks-wise.
"As I said earlier, name's Han Hyun-joo… Twenty-two years old. Graduated from OO Teachers College… Blood type A… Height 160cm, weight 47kg… MBTI INTP, but… d-don't worry, I'm not that rigid… Pet dog's name is Tofu, neutered last year… And my game tier is…"
"Teacher. That should be enough."
"D-Did I say too much…?"
Someone from the front row stepped in to cut her off appropriately. Left alone, she'd have recited her bank PIN too.
'Why cut her off?'
Seems I was the only one jotting notes in my notebook, eager for her full profile.
After that, class kids went up one by one in alphabetical order.
Standing at the front of the blackboard, they began their intros.
"Kim Jin-ah. Let's get along."
The girl who'd wiped Seon-ha's whipped cream off me earlier, saving my ass.
"I'm Ahn Jae-ho…! Like games and soccer… Let's have a good year."
"Let's get along," my ass—you cracked me in the back of the head earlier?
The traitor who'd glued himself to Seon-ha from day one finished his intro and returned. Next up: Seon-ha.
…
"Your turn, but not going?"
"I have to. One sec."
Seon-ha was checking her wristwatch.
"…" "…"
About 30 seconds later, the chair leg next to me scraped—drag.
—Click-clack
All eyes followed the sound of her heels.
Her looks were unparalleled.
If not, she wouldn't have caught some idiot's eye six years ago as a sub-heroine.
"Seo Seon-ha. Please take care of me this year."
Oh… Surprisingly normal intro…
"I'm especially close with Yeon-woo next to me. I love staying up all night gaming and chatting with Yeon-woo, visiting each other's homes freely…"
As if. That's not this Seo Seon-ha.
And I never permitted free entry—you sneak in on your own…
Han Hyun-joo's eyes widened at Seon-ha's bald-faced lie.
"R-Really?"
Damn it.
"Yes. Since middle school."
Han Hyun-joo's gaze darted between me and Seon-ha.
Probably thinking inside, 'Why's Seon-ha with a jerk like that?' Sorry, but she's worse.
…
I knew it'd come to this.
The class's stares weighed on me. Most were envious.
They don't know. Idiots.
'…Whatever…'
Barricading Han Hyun-joo with those words while spreading rumors through the kids to distance the other main heroines… Clever ploy.
'Hmph, just correct it and done.'
Alphabetical order.
After Seo Seon-ha comes Lee Yeon-woo—me.
We'll deny dating right away? Nail it down, and the rumor dies.
—Click-clack
Seon-ha finished her intro and returned to her seat.
—Drag
The moment I lifted my butt from the chair.
—BOOM!!!
An explosion roared from outside the window.
I whipped my head around to see an unreal sight unfolding. Across from the L-shaped school building, black smoke billowed from shattered windows.
Teacher and kids alike flocked to the windows like moths.
"Whoa, what? Fire?"
"Human dummy next to it… Science lab…? What exploded?"
"Doesn't seem big. Only two windows broken."
Buzz buzz. The classroom erupted in chaos.
…
What the hell? Lightning strike? At this timing?
'What about my intro?'
I rushed to the front of the class.
"Teacher…! My self-intro…!"
"Huh? Not the time…"
"I have to! Um…! Guys! I'm Lee Yeon-woo…! I like cats… And Seon-ha and I aren't… like that…!"
No one cared about my self-intro…
Wait… One person did.
—Clap clap clap
Only Seon-ha, still seated, listened intently and clapped for me.
'Seo Seon-ha, you sly fox.'
That box from earlier… It was a bomb.
The scale of terrorism just to block one self-intro was intimidating.
—Stumble stumble…
I trudged back powerlessly, and Seon-ha smiled sweetly.
"Heard your intro well. Some got drowned out by the noise, though."
"…What'd you hear?"
"That you like Seon-ha."
She heard what she wanted.