The Class President's Secret
Even after our brief clash, Baek Hara stubbornly stuck to her ways. She dumped all her assigned duties on the other kids—especially Soeun—while she chitchatted or went out playing after school. Naturally, it looked suspicious to me, but thanks to her spin on things, the other students weren't giving me friendly looks.
"Did you hear? Kim Manbung did something to Hara..."
"Oh, you mean when he called her out loud in the cafeteria?"
"Apparently he yelled at her right in the middle of lunch."
"I thought his name was just funny, but his personality sucks too. What a letdown."
...Yep, petty enough to badmouth me behind my back. Of course, explaining myself would just pile on more misunderstandings. So I decided to drop trying to clear the air for now and first poke at the homeroom teacher about Baek Hara's behavior.
"So the class president is shoving her work onto the other students?"
"Yes, pretty much everything. Did you know about it?"
"Well, I had my suspicions. When she became class president, she asked me if it was okay to get help from others on stuff that was too much for her."
Asking ahead like that meant the teacher was tacitly okay with it to some extent. Sure, going overboard would get regulated, but the teacher didn't seem to see Baek Hara's actions as a problem.
"She mostly asks Soeun for help... Probably because she thinks Soeun's the best fit for class president duties."
"Wouldn't piling it on too much be an issue?"
"If it were forced, I'd warn her for sure. But from what I heard from Soeun, it doesn't feel like that."
Of course not. Soeun wasn't the type to turn down an outright request. Even if it felt unfair, she'd go along with it because it was phrased as a favor—that was Yoo Soeun as I knew her, swept up in the moment.
But even understanding that, a teacher couldn't meddle too deeply in students' personal affairs beyond what was obvious on the surface.
"I get you're worried about Soeun, but if she doesn't refuse, it's not bullying, so I can't really step in."
"...I see."
Yeah, no help from the teacher. Concluding that, I didn't push further, turned away, and headed next to Soeun, who was handling Baek Hara's tasks in the library. To check her true feelings now that she'd basically become Baek Hara's slave.
"Soeun, you okay with this?"
"...?"
She tilted her head, not grasping my meaning. She seemed totally unaware of her situation, so I sighed softly and scolded her gently.
"I mean the class president dumping all her work on you. Doesn't it bother you? Aren't you mad at her?"
Any normal person would be pissed. What Baek Hara was doing was basically shirking responsibility and treating someone like a slave.
"She asked for help."
But Soeun wasn't the type to get mad at others. She was selfless, grateful to help people, so she wouldn't refuse the class president's request on her own.
"If someone needs help, I think I should do what I can."
"...So you'll do whatever she asks?"
"She recommended me for class president at first... She must think I'm good for this stuff."
...Even though she was basically just a figurehead, this girl still saw her as a friend. It felt off to me in every way, but if she was okay with it, meddling more would be nosy. Still, how to fix this mess?
"Do you... hate it?"
As I pondered, she asked me timidly.
"Me helping her... You don't like it?"
She was asking about my feelings, not hers. Depending on my answer, she might even change her behavior. She'd follow my words just like she did Baek Hara's.
"Honestly, no."
Hoping for that, I told her straight.
"Our lunch times together are getting shorter because you're helping with her stuff."
"... "
Soeun fell silent at my words, seemingly deep in thought. Then she spoke up with a question.
"Do you like it?"
"Huh?"
"Do you like me?"
Like her? Was she asking if I had romantic feelings?
...Ridiculous. I was just helping out my seatmate and friend.
"No, that's not why I'm—"
"I like it."
Despite my feelings, she said it. She liked me. Romantically, even.
"Wh-what?"
Did I hear wrong? No, she clearly said she liked me. Had feelings for me.
"Eating lunch together..."
"...Oh, that."
I let out a deflated breath at the follow-up, realizing my mistake. Soeun blushed shyly and continued.
"I don't hate it. Eating together... the three of us."
Of course. To her, even those little lunch moments were precious memories. Seizing on that, I asked point-blank.
"Then how about refusing the class president's requests from now on? Keep saying yes, and our lunch time shrinks more."
"But if I refuse... she'll be in trouble..."
Damn, no intention to refuse on her own. The teacher wouldn't intervene unless it was forced, and if I pushed, I'd get backlash. So if I wanted a real solution, better to make the class president give up rather than convince Soeun.
"So if she doesn't ask you, you won't help, right?"
"Y-yeah."
Perfect. That made it simple. With a plan in mind, I smoothly proposed to Soeun.
"Soeun, mind making some time after school?"
One thing I learned as vice president: leading a class lets you access student info way easier than you'd think. Like their middle schools or home addresses. The class president was no exception, so a house visit was a breeze.
"This the class president's place?"
It was a decent house, clearly well-off. Soeun, who'd come with me, spoke cautiously.
"Um... is it okay to go in?"
"...She won't like it, but it'll be fine. We've got a solid excuse."
Baek Hara was out playing in the city with her crew after school, as usual. Ditching class president duties meant we—as vice president and substitute—had every reason to drop off work. Even if she didn't buy it, didn't matter. The goal was finding dirt that didn't show in school, then use it to curb her.
"Excuse me. We're classmates of Hara."
"Oh, Hara's friends! Come in. She's not back yet... Want some juice first?"
Pressing the doorbell revealed who I assumed was Baek Hara's mom. Warmer than expected, she let us in easily.
"Hara's friends visiting? She never brought any home in middle school~"
Her mom beamed while serving us. Curious, I asked.
"No friends over in middle school?"
"Yeah, our girl's not great at making friends. I worried she'd have none in high school either..."
"No need to worry. She even became class president—means she's popular."
"She did? Wow~ Hiding such great news. Shy, I guess?"
She'd kept even that from her parents? They didn't seem on bad terms—maybe teenage awkwardness.
"Hehe, hearing this from her friends reassures me. She left her provincial friends behind moving to the capital, but look at her now~"
No suspicion from her mom. Using the friendliness, I zeroed in on something odd.
"She lived somewhere else until middle school?"
"Yep, far from here. Then Dad got promoted, we moved. She suddenly buckled down studying."
"Studying?"
"Mhm~ She used to avoid books, but for months, glued to her desk. Then makeup, dyeing her hair... Changed so much in half a year, still surprises me."
Hmm. Total transformation from third-year middle to high school freshman. Not rare—perfect timing for reinvention, like "high school debut," shedding the past.
Baek Hara went all-in on high school debut, fully escaping her middle school self.
"Could you tell us more about her old days?"
Yeah, I could use this. Her mom grinned, grabbed an album from the shelf, and opened it on the table.
"If her friends are curious, of course! Here's her album—take a look."
Full of childhood to middle school pics. Middle school ones stood out—no trace of her current bubbly vibe.
"This is Hara?"
"Yep~ Total glow-up, right?"
Textbook "glow-down" reversal. I exchanged glances with Soeun peering at the photos and smirked.
"Jackpot."
Explains hiding class president from parents. Even this "bright" phase might irk her high school debut goals.
The next morning before homeroom, the class buzzed as usual—with Baek Hara at the center, clueless about what awaited, chatting away carefree.
"Class president, got a sec?"
"Sigh, if it's work, give it to Soeun."
Ha, now class president duties were fully hers. Still hogging perks? Unforgivable.
"Got questions about Daesung Girls' Middle School's Red Mask."
Clang!
She shot up from her desk the second I dropped it. Knew it'd hit. Friends looked puzzled.
"What? Daesung Girls'? Where's that?"
"Red Mask? Huh?"
"Ahh! Right, stuff to do! C'mon, vice president—let's talk outside!"
She overacted, dragging me out to the quietest spot: the rooftop. Locking the door, she glared murderously.
"You... where'd you hear that name?"
"Just the name? Nah."
I grinned, pulling out my smartphone. Loaded with pics I'd dug up online from yesterday's intel—a girl who terrorized a district.
"Never imagined our class president's past life as local top dog. If this leaks... noisy, right?"
"Ah, wah... AHH!!"
Her boldness vanished. Clear this was her fatal weakness.