Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: 3. Chaotic Disciplinary Committee (1)
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While Kim Hyun-seong was spending his busy days.
At Cheonil High School's principal's office, there was an uproar over what Kim Hyun-seong had done.
"Jeong Min-ho's mother, what happened was..."
Thud!
The middle-aged woman sitting across from him slammed her teacup down hard.
Oh Dae-hwan, the principal, trailed off, sneakily gauging her mood amid the intense anger evident on her face.
Jeong Min-ho's mother.
Kim Sun-ja said.
"I believe Principal Oh Dae-hwan knows full well how precious my Min-ho is. He's the long-awaited only son of three generations, born late in life, and I've raised him so dearly that I'd fetch him the stars from the sky if he wanted. So, can you imagine how I felt as a mother when I heard my son had been rushed to the emergency room?"
"That incident was truly regrettable..."
"Hello? Do you think I came here just to hear apologies?!"
Her anger exploded.
Kim Sun-ja glared at Oh Dae-hwan with eyes gleaming with murderous intent, as if she could devour him.
"Let's lay it all out. When Min-ho entered Cheonil High School, how much have I done for this school? Grass for the kids' sports fields, books for the library for cultural activities—whenever you subtly mentioned something needed, Principal, I never once turned away. Why do you think I did that? So my Min-ho, my beloved son, could attend Cheonil High without any discomfort. We're not so pathetic as adults that we don't understand that, right?"
"You're absolutely right. A hundred times over."
"Then why handle things like this when you know it so well!"
She shrieked.
Oh Dae-hwan's compliant attitude only fueled the fire in her chest.
He knew all that.
Yet he had stood by while her son was exposed to merciless violence—Kim Sun-ja simply couldn't tolerate it.
Oh Dae-hwan said.
"I have no words to say about this incident, even if I had ten mouths. I'm truly sorry. I should have managed things to prevent any problems, but it happened so suddenly that I couldn't respond. I'm sorry."
Oh Dae-hwan's apology.
It was the only solution.
At first, Kim Sun-ja kept pressing him relentlessly, but eventually, his consistent attitude began to calm her rage. The water was already spilled anyway. If the situation couldn't be reversed, she needed firm measures to fully vent this boiling emotion.
"If you're saying that much, Principal Oh Dae-hwan, I won't press further. But promise me one thing for sure. The student who did this to my Min-ho—punish that student severely so this never happens again. If you don't handle this properly, I won't do anything more for Cheonil High School from now on."
"Understood. You don't need to worry about that part."
Oh Dae-hwan, too.
Was seething with resentment over the fallout from this incident, vowing never to forgive Kim Hyun-seong.
"I've already convened the disciplinary committee, and all the members follow my lead. The perpetrator, Kim Hyun-seong, sent four students to the hospital. Beyond internal school discipline, once the committee wraps up, I'll ensure he faces legal punishment as well."
"If you're handling it that way..."
"Yes, leave that to me. Aside from this, have I ever let you down?"
The atmosphere shifted.
Having secured the promise, Kim Sun-ja softened slightly, showing a smile.
"You're right about that. Then I'll trust you, Principal Oh Dae-hwan. Oh, and you mentioned funds were needed for school repairs last time? If you wrap this up well, I'll help with that."
* * *
The conversation with Oh Dae-hwan ended smoothly.
Leaving the principal's office, Kim Sun-ja didn't head straight home but met another figure from Cheonil High School.
It was none other than.
"Teacher Kim Young-cheol. Explain yourself. Min-ho says you witnessed him being assaulted and just walked by. If you don't clarify this properly, I won't stay quiet."
Class 1 homeroom teacher.
Kim Young-cheol was her new target.
Hearing Jeong Min-ho's testimony had made Kim Sun-ja's blood boil in reverse.
Kim Young-cheol stammered in panic.
"Uh... well, you see. Actually, things were so chaotic then that I didn't see properly. Right! Students were being rushed to the ER right in front of me. As the homeroom teacher of the victims, I was busy sorting things out, so I couldn't check on Min-ho properly. That's really all..."
"You bastard!"
Slap!
Kim Young-cheol's head snapped to the side.
He'd been slapped.
Clutching his reddened cheek, he had no choice but to endure Kim Sun-ja's verbal abuse.
"Do you think I fed you money to hear lame excuses like that? You have only one way to atone. Actively push in the disciplinary committee to ensure the perpetrator can never set foot in this school again. Got it?"
"...I'm sorry."
"That's why you can't trust rootless bastards like you. Don't just say sorry—promise you'll do as I say!"
A promise.
Kim Young-cheol was caught in a dilemma.
He'd taken the money, so he naturally had to back her up, but pushing aggressively for Kim Hyun-seong's punishment in the committee, as she demanded, would expose his affair.
'A rock and a hard place.'
He couldn't do this.
Or that.
He had to get past this situation first.
Pushing aside his tangled thoughts, Kim Young-cheol said with a sorry expression.
"...I'm truly sorry for what happened that day. I made a real mistake, and I'll make it right through this disciplinary committee."
"Remember this. I can just expose the bribes and transfer Min-ho, but as a teacher, you'll carry that stigma forever. How we handle this will decide our relationship. Understand?"
"Got it."
And so.
The matter was settled for now.
Watching Kim Sun-ja leave, Kim Young-cheol let out a massive sigh, as if the sky had fallen.
"Fuck, what the hell am I supposed to do?"
No matter how he thought about it.
Betraying Kim Hyun-seong was absolutely impossible.
* * *
A week flew by.
The day of the disciplinary committee.
Kim Young-cheol was attending as the homeroom teacher.
He was preparing his spot in advance when he spotted the other attendees, including himself.
'The outcome is basically set.'
Disciplinary committee.
This venue for punishment varied slightly by school, but at Cheonil High, it included victim students and guardians, related teachers and the principal, and representatives from the parent association. They gathered to decide the punishment's severity. The problem was that most there were connected to Jeong Min-ho's mother, Kim Sun-ja.
The principal went without saying.
Even the parent association reps were close to Kim Sun-ja.
In such a situation, the side with the majority usually got their way.
'I need to meet Kim Hyun-seong.'
It was a sure loss.
So.
Preemptive action was needed.
If he couldn't refuse Kim Sun-ja's demands, swaying Kim Hyun-seong's mind was the only option. It wouldn't be easy, of course. Anticipating he might cling to mutual destruction, the cornered Kim Young-cheol couldn't just sit idle.
In the end.
"No thanks."
"Hyun-seong!"
Kim Hyun-seong's response was icy.
Seeing him draw the line, Kim Young-cheol grew frantic.
"Kim Min-ho's mom has already won over all the committee members. What can we do here? Better to humbly accept the result to minimize punishment. Being stubborn like this won't change anything!"
"That's for me to handle. Teacher, I get that Jeong Min-ho's mom is pressuring you, but make a wise choice at this crossroads. Expose the bribes or your affair—I'm not saying we can peacefully resolve this mess halfway. Whatever you choose, I'll stand firm on it."
Unyielding.
No room for compromise.
"It's simple. Die together or fight dirty to survive. That's the only way."
An impenetrable wall.
In despair, Kim Young-cheol wanted to slap the smug face, expose everything be damned.
But he couldn't.
At over 40.
He had to bow to reality.
He couldn't allow one burst of anger to ruin his life completely—not at his age.
"Please take your seats."
"We'll now begin the disciplinary committee."
Voices from afar.
As Kim Hyun-seong walked off first, Kim Young-cheol wore a look of utter desolation, like a man who'd lost his country.
* * *
Kim Young-cheol sat down.
His face was completely ashen.
Unable to mask his expression amid the grim reality awaiting from the committee's decision.
'I'm done for. Corrupt teacher or adulterer—either way, I'll lose my place as an educator. At my age, jobless? Should I use my savings to open a chicken joint?'
Despairing.
That's when.
Park In-hwan, the Class 8 homeroom teacher sitting right beside him as a related teacher, whispered quietly.
"Young-cheol, doesn't that guy over there look like Go Chang-beom?"
Kim Young-cheol and Park In-hwan.
They were best friends.
Knowing each other's dirty sides had bonded them quickly, and without students around, they spoke casually. For a moment, Kim Young-cheol didn't catch who Park In-hwan meant by Go Chang-beom.
"...Who's Go Chang-beom?"
"You don't know Go Chang-beom? Myeongjin Construction's eldest son. We've seen his face a few times at our entertainment spots."
"Oh? That Go Chang-beom?"
Suddenly.
Kim Young-cheol's eyes widened.
He turned to check where Park In-hwan pointed.
"It's him. Go Chang-beom."
Certain.
Examining the man as Park In-hwan said, he matched perfectly the face seen under dim entertainment venue lights. Go Chang-beom was very famous in Daesan, but few knew his face—Kim Young-cheol recognized him instantly from frequent visits.
The issue was.
Why the hell was Go Chang-beom here?
Hurriedly checking the roster, he saw Go Chang-beom listed as Kim Hyun-seong's guardian.
'The eldest son of Myeongjin Construction attending as Kim Hyun-seong's guardian? What's going on? I thought Kim Hyun-seong lived with his grandma, no parents... Young-cheol, stay calm. Verify the facts. That's Go Chang-beom from Myeongjin Construction. He's in the guardian seat for Kim Hyun-seong. Not a seating error—the roster lists him explicitly. I overlooked it in the chaos, but it was this Go Chang-beom all along.'
His mind tangled.
Whatever Park In-hwan chattered beside him, Kim Young-cheol was lost in his dominating thoughts.
'Now that I think about it, it was odd. Why did Kim Hyun-seong show no anxiety after such a bold act? If he has backing like Go Chang-beom, it all makes sense. Yeah. I don't know their relation, but Go Chang-beom is really here as his guardian.'
His breathing quickened.
Go Chang-beom's presence.
Good news?
Or bad?
'If Go Chang-beom is here to protect Kim Hyun-seong, his backing dwarfs Jeong Min-ho's parents. They just have some money, but Myeongjin Construction, run by Go Chang-beom's father, is Daesan's top company. No one in Daesan defies Myeongjin.'
Soon.
The moment of choice.
Kim Young-cheol swallowed dryly.
In this sky-falling crisis, the unexpected variable meant huge potential.
That's when.
"We'll now begin the disciplinary committee. To clearly explain the incident, Kim Young-cheol, homeroom teacher for both victim and perpetrator students, will brief us first."
Oh Dae-hwan's statement.
All eyes turned.
Everyone looked at Kim Young-cheol, including Kim Sun-ja and Jeong Min-ho watching expectantly.
The crossroads.
No time left to think.
Kim Young-cheol shot up, veins bulging in his neck, and declared forcefully.
"The essence of this incident is clear! So-called school bullies, led by Jeong Min-ho, tormented a classmate, resulting in a heinous case where perpetrator and victim are reversed!"
Betrayal.
Rather than lose his family, he bet everything on Kim Hyun-seong's confidence.