True Education (3)
Seo Han-ul still couldn't forget the memory of that day.
"Han-ul-ah…."
"Yeah? What's up, Seol-ah? Did something happen today?"
"Well… I got a confession today."
"What!? Who the hell was it!!"
"Y'know, that famous guy from the class next door… the son of a congressman…."
"Oh, that famous delinquent? Why would that bastard… Wait, no, a beauty like you? Even a punk like him would fall at first sight."
"You too… You're making me blush. Hehe."
"But hitting on a girl who already has a boyfriend? I'm gonna make that punk pay…!"
"N-no, don't! I turned him down politely, so it should be fine… They say even the teachers can't touch him. If you mess with him wrong, it could turn into a big problem."
"Even so, letting the guy who messed with my girlfriend slide hurts my pride as her boyfriend."
"I'm grateful you want to protect me. But seeing you get hurt would hurt me more. So let's just let it go, okay?"
"…Tch, fine."
And so it passed. Seol-ah had said to let it go, and he figured nothing would come of it anyway.
Before long, the two became third-years, but Seo Han-ul and Lee Seol-ah were assigned to different classes and broke up—or rather, drifted apart physically. Their love for each other didn't fade with the distance, though. They spent lunch breaks and after-school time together, and went on dates over weekends.
…However, third-year middle schoolers are notoriously busy. It's the time to seriously decide which high school to apply to and contemplate career paths.
As a result, the time the two spent together dwindled. Of course, they still met occasionally. Each time, he vaguely noticed Lee Seol-ah's complexion growing darker. Yes, he noticed. But he brushed it off like an idiot, thinking, "Seol-ah must be stressed about high school apps too." Blaming his own busyness was just an excuse. He simply hadn't made the effort to protect his precious girlfriend.
Puhaak!
"Kyahahaha! This is hilarious!"
"Huh? Why the sour face, making you look even uglier…? I even gave you a shower to wash off that poor-kid stink."
It was by chance. Passing the girls' bathroom. He caught sight of Seol-ah drenched in filth inside, surrounded by cackling devilish girls.
Instinct took over. He lost his reason and barged into the girls' bathroom.
"Seol-ah!"
"H-Han-ul? How did you… D-don't look…."
Seol-ah spotted him and covered her face with both hands, as if desperate not to let him see her like this.
"Wh-what? A boy?"
"Kyaa~ Pervert! A pervert's in the girls' bathroom~"
Watching the scene, the devil girls laughed playfully as always.
That was the moment his lid blew off.
"You fucking bitches!!"
"Wh-what!"
"Kyaaak! Help!!"
I swung my fists at the two devil girls—and when I came to, I had somehow become the school violence perpetrator.
The bitches who tormented Seol-ah were sobbing like they were the victims.
The teachers hounded me like I was the scum of the earth, a shameless bully. The name of the real victim, Seol-ah, never once passed their lips.
And then.
"Aaaargh!!"
"A p-person… jumped off the roof…!"
What drove her to it? Guilt for dragging her boyfriend into it? Despair that no one had saved her?
Seol-ah threw herself off the school rooftop.
My punishment was quietly swept under the rug, as if it had never happened. The police came and went a few times, and that was the end.
He learned the truth later.
"Um… You're Han-ul, right?"
"…Who are you?"
"I… have something to tell you."
A girl from the delinquent gang that bullied Seol-ah—unable to bear her guilt—tracked him down and spilled everything.
"Actually, the reason Seol-ah was bullied… it started because of Kang Jae-min."
"Kang Jae-min? That congressman's son?"
"Yeah. You might've heard… A while back, Seol-ah rejected his confession. It bruised his ego bad, so he waited for a chance to get revenge."
"…What?"
"Then his crew got put in the same class as Seol-ah, so he ordered them to torment her. Make her go through hell until middle school graduation—make her wish she were dead."
Kang Jae-min. That inhuman bastard was the biggest culprit behind Seol-ah's death.
He wanted to kill him, his cronies—every last one. Even if it meant selling his soul to the devil, he wanted them to die in agony.
That must be why he fell so easily for the cult's words.
Gulp.
He swallowed hard and scanned the delinquent crew entering the classroom.
"Yawn… Man, this is boring as hell."
"Skip class and hit the PC bang?"
"Nah, can't. Gotta lay low for a bit."
Kang Jae-min and his lackey, Kim Young-cheol. And the three girls from the other class.
These five were Seol-ah's enemies.
"…What're you staring at?"
Sensing Seo Han-ul's gaze, Kang Jae-min scowled and glared at him.
He ground his teeth and turned away.
"That punk's getting cocky…!"
"Jae-min, want me to teach him a lesson?"
"…Tch, whatever. No point after graduation anyway."
Seo Han-ul gripped his phone tightly, overhearing Kang Jae-min and Kim Young-cheol from behind. He recalled his morning call with Baek Seorin before school.
'Seo Han-ul, I'm giving you a mission starting now.'
'Yes… For Seol-ah, anything.'
'Stick with Seo Jun and keep your phones on to monitor those delinquents closely.'
'…Then film them committing school violence?'
'No.'
'…Pardon?'
'Footage of bullying alone is too weak. Plus, they're holding back after the Seol-ah incident. Even if you catch it, their connections will bury it fast.'
'Then… what should we film?'
'Just watch. You'll know soon enough what to capture.'
What was he supposed to film?
Puzzled, Seo Han-ul resolved to follow the orders faithfully. It was the least he could do for Seol-ah.
"Seo Jun, cover here."
"Got it. I'll handle Jae-min and Young-cheol; you take the girls."
"Okay."
During break time, he handed off filming Kang Jae-min and Kim Young-cheol to Seo Jun and left to check on the delinquent girls in the other class.
Walking the hall, he soon spotted their classroom. But something felt off.
Break time should mean noisy chatter and kids swarming out like bees. Yet the vibe was eerily quiet. Like the calm before a storm.
Drawing closer, faint voices rose—arguing.
"Hey— you started it—!"
"Don't make me laugh— why's it my fault—"
Familiar voices. Two of his targets among the delinquent girls.
As Seo Han-ul peeked through the open door,
Puuk!
"Aaaaagh!!"
"""Kyaaaaaaaah!!"""
Students screamed and fled. Some to the walls, some out the door, some behind the podium. All terrified, eyes fixed on one spot.
"Ah… uh… ah…."
A girl writhed, twisting in pain, her mind blank with agony, unaware of what had happened.
Her closest friend—or so she'd claimed—among the delinquent girls, Park So-jin, approached.
Pusuk!
"Ah, aaaaagh!!"
Park So-jin yanked out the ballpoint pen stabbed into the palm of Yoo Se-yeon, her favorite friend, without hesitation.
No trace of remorse. Her bloodshot eyes alone screamed she wasn't in her right mind.
"I!!"
Peok!!
"Guhk!!"
As Yoo Se-yeon reeled back from the gut punch with a pained groan, Park So-jin mounted her and plunged the pen's sharp tip down.
"How long do I have to put up with!! This!!"
Puk!!
"Aaaagh!! It hurts! Hurts so much!!"
"So-jin, stop, please!!"
The last of the trio, Choi Ji-eun, rushed in desperately and blocked Park So-jin's next stab.
But those eyes—bloodshot beyond red, veins bursting—turned on the interrupter.
"Let… gooo!!"
Peok!
"Kyat!!"
Choi Ji-eun flew back from the impact, crashing into lockers, gasping as she slumped.
"Ugh… uuut…."
"You too. You've always pissed me off. Acting like it doesn't concern you, just watching from behind. Do you know how hard I tried to stay in Se-yeon's good graces!? You! Only yoooou!!"
Park So-jin grabbed the slumping Choi Ji-eun by the collar, hauled her up, and rained down punches!
Peok! Peok! Peok!
"Hng! Ugh… Euk! Aak!"
"Die! Die! Anyone who looks down on me… all die!!"
Cheeks swelling, blood trickling from her mouth. Choi Ji-eun fought desperately but couldn't pry loose the iron grip on her collar. She thought she'd really die.
Druruk! Bang!
"What's all this commotion!!"
The teacher finally arrived.
Park So-jin stopped abruptly. Like a puppet with cut strings.
Yoo Se-yeon wept, blood pouring from her palm. Choi Ji-eun sat dazed.
Seo Han-ul's phone camera captured it all.
He realized instinctively. This was the scene Baek Seorin meant.
And at the same time….
For some reason… Seo Han-ul swore he heard laughter by his ear.
It sounded just like Seol-ah's laugh.