Jang Do-ah, the Original Villainess
Jang Do-ah. She's a character from the original story.
A villain tangled up with Lee Seol. But her role wasn't all that big.
In the original, she just made a brief splash as the first villain to appear.
But.
'Why's she coming to find me?'
...Well, there were too many possible reasons for that. Even if she'd just shown up because she wanted to see what I looked like now, it would've made perfect sense. It no longer felt awkward at all.
"Oppa, I'm a fan."
Yep. Figured as much. Just sightseeing.
So there was no need to agonize over how to handle her.
"Yeah. Thanks."
I figured I'd give her the polite brush-off and send her on her way, but she must've picked up on it.
Out of nowhere, she said,
"But oppa, you close with Lee Seol unnie?"
"...Yeah. We are."
"Ah, you can drop the formal speech. I'm a first-year. Jang Do-ah."
"Got it. Anyway, close."
She smirked, curling up one corner of her mouth, and stepped even closer.
"You haven't heard the rumors about Lee Seol unnie?"
Her voice dropped to a whisper that grazed my ear.
"Nah. Anything else, or can I go?"
"Ah, I've got more to say."
I'd drawn the line pretty blatantly, but she showed no signs of backing off.
Jang Do-ah... was the one Seo Jae-hyun had brought up—the one tied to whatever happened with Lee Seol. Something from her past.
Not the main culprit, but she was the one who spread rumors around high school, enough that even Jae-hyun's crowd caught wind of it.
And she went to the same middle school as Lee Seol. Which meant same as me, too.
I'd never even noticed her back then, though...
'Why the hell are you suddenly coming at me with this?'
"Ouch, that kinda hurt. You were about to write me off as some bullshit-spewing psycho, right?"
"...But you're bold, I'll give you that."
Of course, blurting out my real thoughts like that was pretty dumb. But she wasn't deflecting—she'd hit the nail on the head.
"You know we're close, but hitting me with that out of nowhere? Not leaving a great impression."
"You might feel different once you hear it."
"Won't."
"Aw, c'mon, maybe."
Eh, it wasn't even a big rumor. The usual crap—Lee Seol messing around with guys, that kinda sleazy talk.
I'd overheard bits in middle school already. Back then, I was hyper-focused on the original story, so I played dumb. Plus, I knew it was bullshit and how it'd all blow over later.
Even if I'd wanted to step in back then, I wouldn't have had a clue how.
"You didn't know I went to middle school with Lee Seol?"
"For real?"
"...Not much of a fan, then."
Makes sense. Back in middle school, I wasn't exactly turning heads.
Winter break of third year—that's when I shot up in height overnight. Before that? Nobody. If anything, Lee Seol was the famous one.
"Nah. Totally a fan."
"And whatever you heard, wherever from? Total false rumor."
"You two close since middle school?"
"Nah... not back then. But we were same school from kindergarten on. Who'd know better?"
"If you weren't close, you wouldn't know."
"..."
Fair point.
"You close with her?"
"Nah. But I know someone who was super tight with her..."
Her words trailed off all ominous-like.
"Not interested. Later."
"Hey! You can't just bail 'cause you've got nothing."
"You swore you were a fan when you're not."
"...Such a kid."
No way was I heading back to class where she might loiter. So I hooked around the corner at the end of the hall.
Glanced back just in case—nope, no tailing.
Clean break at the childish level. No interest in starting a UFC match right now, anyway.
The second I turned my eyes forward, though—my feet froze solid.
Right around the corner, Lee Seol leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
"Jeez, you scared me."
"..."
The girl who jumped at every little thing looked more stone-faced than me. She'd known I'd come this way.
She sighed faintly and uncrossed her arms.
"Why didn't you listen in?"
"Huh?"
"To what she was saying about me."
"Oh, you heard that?"
"Yeah. Loud enough."
I played dumb.
"You know her?"
"Nah. Same middle school, probably."
"Then bullshit rumor."
"..."
"What. I went to your middle school too."
"So you heard?"
Hearing or not... But this was straight from the original story, so either answer was basically a lie.
"Just found out about your deal now. Back then, didn't give a damn."
"Back then?"
"Yeah."
"What about before?"
"What're you getting at?"
"No..."
Lee Seol rolled her eyes like she was dragging up something awkward, then said,
"You said it yourself earlier. Same school from kindergarten."
"No way... you asking if I cared before that?"
"Well... yeah?"
Lee Seol tilted her head a touch.
"Can't I?"
She couldn't quite meet my eyes, all embarrassed, and suddenly I was lost in thought.
Elementary and middle? Yeah, I consciously tuned her out. Counterintuitive proof I was obsessed, but on the surface...
Kindergarten? Totally paid attention to her. Pointless to dwell now, though.
"Talking to me like this? Honored."
"Why dodge?"
"Why so frosty all this time?"
"No, why dodge? Guilty conscience? Bingo. Guilty."
She was poking my back with her finger, like spill it,
"What're you guys talking about?"
When U Hana's voice popped up from behind.
Lee Seol yanked her finger back fast and clamped her mouth shut.
But that just looked weirder. Overkill reaction?
U Hana grinned ear-to-ear and slid up beside Lee Seol.
"Looks fun. What's with the secret whispers?"
"Huh? No... just some weird crap."
"What kinda?"
Lee Seol looked ready to spill on Jang Do-ah.
"Some psycho chick's spreading weird-ass rumors about me."
"Wait, real? Who?"
Playing on Hana's empathy, huh... Well, facts are facts.
"First-year vibe. But no biggie. Petty crime level, if it's a crime."
"And you two were chatting all buddy-buddy about that?"
Hana blinked, and Lee Seol gave an awkward grin.
"Ahh... he shut her down. Nice one, Minwoo-mun."
Lee Seol brushed it off like that.
"PE's the best."
"Everyone says that."
"Straight-up bliss lol."
The PE teacher had us do free activity and vanished somewhere.
Seo Jae-hyun and Ji Hyun-su usually bolted for soccer, but today they were too lazy and plopped down next to me, staring at their phones.
"Min-woo, you see this?"
He tilted his phone my way. A community post about me.
"You digging through mine?"
"Duh, curious. My friend's a celeb."
It was some post with a screenshot of my empty Inbyol feed, full of whining.
Less hate, more pet peeves.
"Come to think, you still got just that one pic on Inbyol and nothing else, right?"
I'd been meaning to post something. At least a "Please look forward to Eighteen's Temperature."
But around then, agency talks started, and they said they'd handle official stuff. Probably going up soon.
"Forget official—don't you gotta do casual life stuff to connect? Followers at 160k already."
"Wanna snap one together?"
Jae-hyun's face soured instantly.
"Was even thinking of asking you to delete that one post, but held back. Empty feed looks sus."
"...Thanks. Appreciate it."
I mulled over the community post Jae-hyun showed me.
Felt weird. Not the attention itself... but the flavor of it.
Less actor vibes, more... idol treatment?
Obviously not every opinion, but still.
"Steady selfies would blow it up more. You ever even taken one?"
"Yeah."
Not selfies exactly, but I always filmed my acting practice.
PE dragged on with us just chilling and chatting.
I stuck around the field after to handle the stuff the teacher left behind.
Cleaning up gear on the field. Teacher was hunting volunteers when our eyes met.
Didn't look like he planned to assign it, but I couldn't look away.
Ended up volunteering first.
Heading out late from the field.
"Hey there."
"Yeah."
"Whoa... polite speech. Drawing lines."
A shadow sidled right up beside me before I knew it. Jang Do-ah.
She was sticking close, scampering after me.
"Why tailing?"
"Just... didn't finish last time."
"Thought I said not interested."
"Dumping me like that after the childish line? Left me stunned lol."
"Bummed?"
"Kinda?"
"No fan, no loss."
"Hey! I am."
Glanced around—empty.
I'd steered here on purpose when she latched on.
Stopped walking.
"So, what's left?"
"No, don't think I'm some lying psycho who crashed your day. Trying to clue you in proper."
"Lee Seol rumors?"
She nodded eagerly.
"Middle school stuff's true, but..."
"Hold up."
"Huh?"
"Just words?"
"What else?"
"No real proof left?"
"Proof? This a crime scene?"
"Words only? Pass."
Jang Do-ah shut up a sec. Then nodded like something clicked.
"Oh, wait—there is a convo recording. One sec."
She fished out her phone from her pocket.
Started scrolling. I peeked at the screen.
Hmm... no audio files.
"You tote a burner too?"
I tossed out casually. She grumbled without looking up.
"Don't even snatch phones—why bother with extra hassle..."
No dice, then. Good enough.
I leaned in close to her ear.
"Then, hey."
The word dropped, and she snapped her head up on reflex.
Eyes locked.
"Fuck off."