Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Crossdressing Assignment
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Heh... hehe... I'm shit... shit...
Ever since the thing with noona, I hadn't been able to pull myself together.
Not this, not that—just this vague, unfinished feeling...
Like watching a movie that cuts off mid-scene...
Like a novel stopping right before the finale...
"Kuhuhu..."
I'm an idiot... a moron...
I grabbed the skin of my face and stretched it down.
"Ha..."
Time flies.
The cherry blossoms had already fully bloomed, and word was the local festival was already wrapping up.
Time... really does fly.
Still no word from Yi Ju-ha.
No idea what she's up to.
But reaching out first with a casual "What's up?" feels kinda...
Never once as a bread shuttle have I messaged her first.
She was always the one blowing up my phone. I'd just run and hide.
"Please, just one day without a message!" I'd prayed. Now that it's actually happening, it feels weird...
Is this slave gaslighting?
"Mm..."
Did she go on a trip?
If she's off traveling with Yu In-ha and Yi Ju-ri, that'd make sense.
But even then, it'd only be a 2-night, 3-day thing. It's been quite a while with no contact.
Or maybe she's fallen back into gambling and blown all her cash again?
Heh... hehe... Texas Hold'em! I'm gonna win this time! Gonna win, dammit! No way...
If that's it, then this time I'll really give her a piece of my mind. With my vicious Ju Ji Magnum!
"Haa..."
All I can do is entertain useless fantasies...
I rested my chin on my hand and stared out the window.
Empty lecture hall... and a long break between classes. My mind was too scattered to do anything.
Everyone else was buzzing with campus vibes, but I was the only one moping.
'Kyahaha.'
Laughter echoed from all around.
I could see people already prepping for the festival.
Folks checking the floor space here and there, practicing where to set up their booths...
"Ha..."
But when's our department mixer? The guys are all ready.
Not that I care either way... Even if we do it, there's no girl who'd like me anyway.
Of course, it'd probably be fun... Kinda looking forward to it, even.
'Last contact - 10 days ago'
No word from Yu In-ha either.
What, did they all fall off the face of the earth? How can they just vanish like this?
Guess I should hit her up later.
Besides Kim Myeong-jun and one other guy, there's a bunch I'm rooting for.
What if it goes well? Then back-to-back mixers...!? The runners-up are hyped thinking the same...
My phone, which had been dead silent, started buzzing like crazy.
What... what the hell? What's going on?
I... I didn't do anything wrong?
Why the emergency summons? Not a group call—just me specifically?
I hurriedly packed my stuff. Something felt off. Uneasy.
"Ah... hello."
I opened the door to the department lounge, and all the key seniors were sitting there.
Wh-what's this atmosphere?
Everyone looked a bit grave.
Did... did I screw up?
"Jun-hyeong-ah..."
One male senior stood up and threw an arm around my shoulder.
A heavy shoulder hug...
I instinctively glanced at the friend who'd texted me earlier.
He awkwardly avoided my gaze and turned away. What... what's going on?
"Jun-hyeong-ah."
"Y-yes... yes."
I swallowed hard.
Why's everyone acting like this?
"We're really sorry."
"About wh-what?"
What is this ominous vibe?
"No matter how hard we looked, we couldn't find anyone else suitable.
I mean, is it even okay to ask this... Ha..."
"Just... tell me what it is first..."
"Making you, who's already suffering through soccer, take on more burden like this..."
...I haven't even said anything yet?
The senior looked all gloomy.
"I tried to stop them. Sorry..."
"Stop what?"
The senior wiped away a tear.
What the hell? What is it, you bastards! What are you plotting now!
"For this festival... you're gonna have to crossdress a bit."
"Huh?"
My brain froze for a second.
Wh-what do you mean?
I belatedly looked at my department peers. They all avoided my eyes. What the fuck!
"By unanimous vote of all 20 out of 20 members in our department... we selected you as the crossdressing candidate!"
"Oh right, I have this important appointment—"
"Hey now!"
The senior grabbed my arm with terrifying grip strength.
My shoulder trembled like it was gonna rip off.
You fuckers! Don't fuck with me! What the hell did you talk about without me!
"Kyaak!"
I was forcibly dragged by the senior and plopped down in the middle of the sofa.
The seniors' sinister expressions surrounded me.
S-se seniors?
I desperately scanned for the soccer team seniors. They all ignored me, staring into space.
Y-you said we're comrades! Seniors help juniors in tough times!!!
"At least you're pale and have nice legs.
We can't make those dark guys with hairy legs crossdress, right?"
"More than me, Kim Myeong-jun—"
"Hey. Myeong-jun's our face of the department. No way."
I'm ugly! How the hell can an ugly guy crossdress!
"C-couldn't we just go with a funny concept?
Even a comedic crossdress would draw crowds—"
"Hey."
The senior wagged his finger.
What's with this anime gesture...
"Funny? Anyone can do funny.
Any dark-skinned dude in a skirt—anyone can pull that off."
"...Uh... uh..."
"But making a guy look genuinely pretty? No one can do that."
The senior's eyes gleamed.
His lips glistened with spit.
"Our department has to be special. We can't be like everyone else.
Just like second place in soccer is worthless..."
"...Please spare me! Mercy!"
"Can't have girls serving? Fine. Then turn a guy into a girl instead?"
A few seniors who were good at makeup approached.
Their eyes had turned fiendish. Y-you devils...
"Our department... this year, we're taking it all."
The senior gripped my shoulders tight.
My body curled up. Heh... hek!
"Festival too... sports day too."
"S-sir."
"What?"
The sound of chips clattering echoed.
A massive Texas Hold'em pub on the second floor... Men sat with cards in hand, chins propped up.
"That Yi Ju-ha chick hasn't shown up at all lately."
"What, baccarat?"
"No, Hold'em."
Really?
The man nodded slightly. Come to think of it, he'd been investing in Yi Ju-ha.
Business had expanded lately, so he'd forgotten while focusing on that.
"How much did you hook her for?"
"We worked her up to a million won, but it got messy midway..."
"How messy?"
The staff looked nervous.
"Midway, she got possessed or something—insane luck...
All our setups went down the drain. She even walked off with over 500k more..."
"You cashed her out?"
"Yes..."
"Gonna have to reteach you how to rig too?"
"It's not that..."
The staff hesitated, making excuses.
"It was smooth sailing till mid-game...
Then her style flipped completely. I panicked and couldn't adapt. Sorry."
"That retard bitch—just shove it down her throat.
Why the fuck use your brain."
"But I did that... Someone must've helped her... Shit..."
The staff shut up mid-excuse.
No point; it'd just piss him off more.
The man lit a cigarette at the staff's words.
"Hoo..."
This guy's usually solid, no mistakes even if a bit dumb.
Rig once, and they come crawling for money 100%.
Except Yi Ju-ha. Only her? Doesn't make sense.
"You record the footage? Bring it. From that weird part."
"Yes."
The man skimmed the footage the staff brought.
Smoke rose from his furrowed brow.
"For real."
"Right?"
"That's not Yi Ju-ha."
Plays she couldn't pull off with her brain?
The man took a long drag.
Who'd she proxy to? No one competent around— all hotheads.
"Ha..."
Someone's backing her.
The man leaned back in his chair.
Been grooming her a while. If not for business, she'd be done already.
"What now?"
"Rig her again."
Ha... fuck.
Hard to reel back a girl who's lost interest...
Just dunk her once? Turn her into a junkie and sell her off—easy. But lately too many; gotta lay low.
Cops raiding clubs too, rumors flying.
"Get back to work."
"Yes."
The man slumped.
Yi Ju-ha... Forgot about her, but thinking back, she's a pain.
One tough nut to crack...
Looks like she'd fuck great but won't even kiss, goddamn bitch.
Planned to debt her up, fuck her raw, then dump...
But this ain't sticking.
Plenty plans, plenty ways... but hassle.
Pretty girls everywhere—wasting time and staff on Yi Ju-ha is work too.
"Pisses me off, fuck."
It's 'cause it almost works but doesn't that boils my blood.
The man chewed the filter viciously.
'But who's this fucker?'
Suddenly curious about her helper.
No one this age pulls this off.
Asked some guy? Most ages couldn't anyway.
'Swipe.'
The man eyed the footage again.
Still impressive on rewatch.
One staffer and a computer rig—yet it fails.
Won't bite basic bait.
Throws it so obviously bad she ignores.
Then bites hard.
All-in spots anyone'd call—never does.
Checks opponent bluffs like reading their hand.
Knows their cards baseline, reads deeper.
Opponent irrelevant.
Winning assumed—just spots the rig or not.
'Fucking ghost.'
Dunk her? Easy.
No pro beats cyber Hold'em.
Just rig the final cards—done.
But needs staff and program... hassle.
No spare for retards like Yi Ju-ha. Enough without.
Yet she dodged clean.
'Yi Ju-ha aside...'
This guy's more intriguing.
Playstyle pisses me off. Wanna gut him.
Handy to keep around... but probably annoying up close, wanna dunk anyway.
"Ha..."
The man stared at the ceiling.
Clear the small fry first, then back at it...