True Education (4)
As soon as the teacher arrived, the situation wrapped up quickly. Choi Ji-eun was helped to the nurse's office by friends from another class. Yoo Se-yeon, with a hole punched through her body, was loaded into the ambulance the teacher called. Finally, Park So-jin. She was dragged away by the teacher with a dazed expression on her face. Seo Han-ul, who had been secretly filming her retreating figure, immediately called Baek Seorin.
"Hello? It's me, Seo Han-ul."
[Yeah, I know your voice anywhere. How'd it go?]
"......How the hell did you do that?"
Just recalling the scene made his legs tremble.
Yoo Se-yeon. The de facto leader of the bully gang. She'd taken an official commission from Kang Jae-min and led the charge in tormenting Seol-a. Second on the list after Kang Jae-min of people he wanted dead for revenge.
—And yet, she'd been stabbed with a ballpoint pen by one of her own underlings and writhed around sobbing uncontrollably.
Choi Ji-eun. One of the bully gang's lackeys. Out of guilt, she'd spilled all the truth to him, but that didn't change the fact that she'd stood by and watched Seol-a get bullied.
Park So-jin. Another lackey in the bully gang, just like Choi Ji-eun. She'd faithfully followed Yoo Se-yeon's orders, personally handling all the direct violence against Seol-a—dousing her with water, throwing punches, the works. Second on his list of people he wanted dead for revenge.
These three—had fought like mortal enemies. Or more precisely, it was mostly Park So-jin going berserk on her own. But even that was astonishing enough.
While investigating the bully gang for revenge, he'd learned just how slavishly Park So-jin had wagged her tail for Yoo Se-yeon. For her to suddenly turn and bite her master like that? No one would call it normal.
[What do you care? I told you not to dig into who I am. It's the same thing. You just keep filming their downfall.]
"But......"
[Enough. Hang up.]
Click.
Seo Han-ul stared blankly at his disconnected phone, then squeezed his eyes shut. As if vowing to turn a blind eye to everything that would happen from here on out.
※ After hanging up and pocketing his phone, he turned his head to the side.
"How was it?"
<......Refreshing.>
Standing beside me was Yi Seol-a—beaming brightly, flailing her arms and legs in an attempt to express her emotions.
pow! And when she screamed! You have no idea how good it felt!>
"Yeah? But from what I see, your grudge doesn't look anywhere near resolved."
<......Can you blame me?>
Yi Seol-a suddenly radiated a gloomy aura.
<Try getting bullied for half a year straight until you attempt suicide. You think a little thing like that would settle it?>
"Not really curious. More importantly...... don't forget our deal."
<Of course not. I'd never.>
Yi Seol-a stared straight into my eyes and declared it firmly.
<Like we agreed...... when my grudge is finally settled, I'll become your familiar spirit.>
"Good."
Seo Han-ul or Seo Jun-i, busting their asses at school to prevent Yi Seol-a from turning into an evil spirit, would probably freak out if they saw this—me casually chatting with her perfectly fine self right here.
How did things end up like this?
—Rewind to about two days ago. The day I first met Seo Han-ul.
I'd secretly extracted Yi Seol-a's spirit core from the doll. Neither Seo Han-ul nor Seo Jun-i had any spiritual sense, so I could swipe it right in front of them without getting caught.
On the bus ride to the Spirit Salvation Society, I made contact with her spirit core inside my constructed mental space.
"Hi there?"
<Kyaeeeeeeeek!! ......Sob!>
"Huh? ......Oh, right."
I'd stupidly shown her my 'true form' by mistake, causing her to faint. No big deal.
I just disguised myself as Baek Seorin and woke her back up.
<Uh, uhh......?>
"Awake?"
<That monster just now...... what?>
"What monster? You must've seen wrong."
<Really......?>
Yi Seol-a tilted her head, then suddenly seemed to realize the person in front of her was a stranger, her eyes turning wary.
<......Excuse me, who are you?>
"Me? Baek Seorin. Just call me Seorin-nim."
<......'Nim'?>
"What about it."
<No, it's just...... first time in real life—outside Japanese anime—I've met someone who calls themselves '-nim'.>
"Huh. Well, world's full of all kinds."
Couldn't exactly have a non-family member call me oppa or unnie. Didn't want a non-friend calling me just Seorin either. So Seorin-nim it was.
"If you hate it, Mistress works too."
<Yes, 'Seorin-nim'.>
"......Yeah, that works."
Real decisive. Fine, whatever. Not the point.
"Anyway, you get your situation, right?"
<......That Han-ul turned me into an evil spirit to get revenge on the bullies who tormented me?>
"Yep, spot on."
<Of course I know...... Sigh, no idea where he learned such creepy sorcery. I knew he was always into that stuff? Oh, you know this one? He heard that urban legend about cutting each other's hair and sharing it for eternal happiness, so he hands me his hair and asks me to cut mine—what?>
"......Huh, interesting. Not really my thing—"
<Honestly, it creeped me out. The hair tied to that precious teddy bear he brought from my room—the one I'd cherished since I was little? That was the hair I'd gifted him back then.>
"Hold up."
<Huh? Um, wait......>
She was getting too loud to bear, so I ignored her, reached out, and placed my hand on her head. A soft glow spread as her memories flowed into my palm.
<Uh, uhh?>
All her memories up to now. Couldn't absorb them completely, but I took the key ones she cherished. That was plenty.
<......Did you just look at my memories?>
"Felt that?"
<Instinct, yeah...... Isn't this a privacy violation? Creepy enough on its own. Why'd you do it?>
"Gotta know who I'm hiring, right?"
<Hiring?>
"Exactly that. I want to hire you. Payment—"
I offered terms she couldn't refuse.
"—I'll settle your grudge and stop you from turning evil. Sound good?"
<......Sorry, but no.>
"Why not."
Didn't see that coming.
"You know your state, right? Without my help, you'll turn evil for real. That okay with you?"
<Of course not. But...... can I be honest?>
"Shoot."
<Can't trust you, Seorin-nim.>
"Honest, huh."
<Honesty's my best trait.>
Yi Seol-a shrugged.
<Mom always said: Don't trust people lightly. If someone you want to trust shows up, observe them coldly for a long time. Only if you still want to after that—then trust.>
"Ah, right—your bio donor bailed right after she got pregnant? Raised you as a single mom...... yeah, makes sense."
<......>
"......? Why stare like that?"
<No one drops a line like that without even a hint of 'sorry' before. Kinda refreshing.>
"Obviously. I'm not normal."
<Yeah, checks out.>
Tricky. Thought offering to clear her grudge and prevent evil spirit-ification would seal the deal. Wanted to force a contract, but couldn't in this state. Real pain.
"Fine, watch for now. I'll show you how amazing I am."
<Huh?>
After boldly declaring that to Yi Seol-a—
—I wiped out the entire Spirit Salvation Society and returned to the mental space.
"So, convinced now?"
<Scary.>
"Why."
Ugh. Back in my world, souls would line up begging for contracts after one demo of my power. Even if this was the best soul she'd seen, whining at just one? Undignified for the Necromancer King.
"Then tell me. What do I do? What'll make you want to serve me?"
<What I want now is revenge. On the trash who did this to me.>
Yi Seol-a's eyes blazed with hate. Her fists shook, and she bit her lip so hard it bled.
<......Okay, Seorin-nim. Avenge me on those bullies—and I'll serve you.>
"Easy enough."
<But! Two conditions.>
Yi Seol-a held up her index and middle fingers.
<First, humiliate them big time. Not nationwide, but make sure as many people as possible talk about it.>
"Mm...... I'll try. Second?"
<Second—>
Yi Seol-a smirked wickedly.
<—help me get my revenge on them personally, with everything you've got.>
That was how Yi Seol-a ended up by my side.
<By the way, can't you tell Han-ul? That you've already saved me, thanks to you.>
"Why bother?"
They'll work harder thinking she's still at risk. No need to spoil their motivation early.
<Whoa. Total sleazy boss vibes.>
"That's just who I am."
<Sigh, think I made a bad deal......>
Heh, too late for regrets now—you already promised.
Alright, time to prep the next phase of the plan......
"Seorin!"
That's when Ha-eun came running up to me.
"Check this out!"
She shoved her phone screen in my face—
"How long do I have to put up with thiiiis?!"
Stab!!
"Aaaah!! It hurts! It huuuurts!!"
—footage of Park So-jin losing her shit.
"Says it happened at XX High. Isn't that your little bro's school?"
"......Yeah."
I watched quietly, then curled my lips into a smile.
"Fun."
Saved me some unnecessary hassle.
※ Park So-jin thought something was seriously wrong.
Yesterday's madness replayed vividly in her mind. Stabbing the hand of her revered friend with a ballpoint pen. Shoving and punching another friend trying to intervene.
Insane.
'Why'd I do that?'
Naturally, school was chaos. Already tense from the 'suicide incident,' and now barely any time later—the prime suspects in that case go berserk.
Teachers' gazes weren't kind. Classmates started avoiding her like she was crazy.
She could only imagine the looks from Yoo Se-yeon and Choi Ji-eun...... Terrifying just to think about.
That's why, even though it was time for school, she sat on a park bench instead.
"What do I do now......"
Staring at the sky, sighing, desperate to vent to anyone—
"Excuse me."
Thud.
Someone plopped down right next to her.
"......Who're you?"
"Came to see you about this."
The stranger—a high school girl with long black hair—pulled out her phone and showed Park So-jin a video.
Of Park So-jin assaulting her friends.
"Fuck! You wanna die!?"
Her usual violent temper flared. Swinging at someone who pissed her off? Natural for her.
But the swing didn't land.
"It's a ghost's doing."
She'd stopped midway.
"......What?"
"Not your fault. You were possessed."
Not my fault?
The moment she heard it...... for some reason, Park So-jin's face broke into a grin.
Like an innocent person wrongly accused meeting their vindicating lawyer.
Even though it couldn't be true.