Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Hope Education Academy Day 2 (4)
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And when half of it was still left, Ha Yoon's spoon finally stopped moving.
The smell of oats rose up from her mouth to her nose, but even swallowing it felt like too much.
The fruits and milk were still untouched. Her stomach was already full just from the oatmeal.
"Are you okay?"
Does this look okay to you? She wanted to snap back at Kim Seon-ah, who had finished eating and approached with a worried look, but Ha Yoon just shook her head, her face pale.
She should have realized it during breakfast—despite eating so little, her stomach felt full. This body's stomach was ridiculously small.
Was it like this for all TS Victims? She turned her head and saw Jin Si-won, who had finished her own portion and was now eyeing Shin So-hyeon's plate, which she was still eating from.
"Ow."
"Finish yours and clear your tray, okay?"
Shin So-hyeon smacked her hand away from the apple with her spoon and spoke in an exasperated tone, but Jin Si-won just giggled and replied,
"Come on, one apple won't hurt, right?"
"Won't hurt my—mmph?!"
Jin Si-won suddenly pressed her lips against Shin So-hyeon's, who pounded on her chest in flustered surprise but soon gave up and started kissing back.
What the hell are those two doing in the middle of breakfast?
"What a load of bullshit..."
Ha Yoon wasn't the only one baffled—Ryu Jin-ah, watching from afar, clicked her tongue and muttered under her breath.
Ignoring it all, Jin Si-won snatched an apple, pulled away, crunched into it with a satisfying crack, and grinned. Shin So-hyeon bowed her head, mumbling in a tiny voice,
"Seriously, what are you doing...? With everyone else here..."
"What's the big deal? It's not like they're wearing it out by looking."
"That's not what I meant..."
Jin Si-won, having devoured the whole apple, whispered into the ear of Shin So-hyeon, who was poking at her oatmeal with reddened ears.
"You can pay me back for the apple later, got it?"
"...Yeah."
What bullshit. Ha Yoon barely swallowed what was in her mouth and grumbled to herself. The ridiculous scene made curses bubble up automatically, but she forced them down.
Still, a lot of oatmeal remained. Staring despairingly at the thick oat scent wafting up, she heard Kim Seon-ah whisper, her face still faintly flushed from the earlier display.
"Want me to help? Looks like you can't finish it."
"Tch..."
Ha Yoon hesitated. Leaving food was not an option. Pride aside, getting caught by the trainers would mean who-knows-what punishment.
But accepting Kim Seon-ah's offer felt off too—especially after what she'd said in the changing room. As she agonized, someone approached her bunk.
Looking up, she saw two people: Yoon Se-rin and Han Su-ah.
"What's wrong? Your spoon hasn't moved for a while now, Ha Yoon."
"You're not about to say you can't eat it all, are you?"
Ha Yoon let out a sigh at their alternating sneers. These were girls she wouldn't have even made eye contact with as a trainer, and now they strutted around like they were equals. Infuriating.
She wanted to hurl the tray at them, but instead, she clicked her tongue, stabbed her spoon into the oatmeal, and said,
"Mind your own business. I'll handle it."
"That's why we're saying something—'cause you clearly can't. Your stomach looks stuffed already; no way you finish alone."
Yoon Se-rin was right. Watching Jin Si-won and Shin So-hyeon's antics had helped her swallow what was in her mouth, but she couldn't fit more.
Still, Ha Yoon grinned defiantly and scooped up a huge spoonful of oatmeal.
"Shut up, you idiots."
She shoved it into her mouth with force. Once, twice, three times... She kept scooping the remaining oatmeal without pause, cramming it in relentlessly.
The two who had picked the fight watched with disgusted eyes at her battle-hardened assault on the food.
Ignoring them, Ha Yoon slammed down her spoon after devouring the last bite. The tray clanged emptily—the mountain of oatmeal had vanished like a lie.
If she'd stopped there, Yoon Se-rin and Han Su-ah might have kept mocking her, but she didn't.
She chewed and swallowed a banana and an apple, then chugged the milk in one go.
Down to the last drop. She flipped the cup upside down over her head, shook it triumphantly, and shot the two a cocky look.
"Happy now?"
"You're vicious... Let's go."
"Uh, yeah."
Yoon Se-rin dragged away the stunned Han Su-ah, who clearly hadn't expected her to finish it all.
Ha Yoon watched their backs as they left the barracks. Only once she was sure they were gone did her expression harden. She clamped a hand over her mouth and bolted out.
"Ha Yoon!"
Kim Seon-ah called from behind in alarm, but there was no time to look back.
Ha Yoon dashed into the nearest bathroom and gripped the toilet bowl, vomiting up everything she'd force-fed herself moments ago.
"Urk—"
Splashing sounds echoed repeatedly. Gasping for breath, she heaved again with a wretched urk.
After repeating this several times until only stomach acid came up, she felt a hand gently rubbing her back. Exhausted, she wiped her mouth and turned.
"You okay?"
"Not at all..."
It was Kim Seon-ah, predictably. As Ha Yoon answered, another wave of acid surged up, and she gripped the toilet again.
Those bitches Yoon Se-rin and Han Su-ah had provoked her into this out of spite, but she hadn't expected such a brutal backlash. She'd figured a few heaves and she'd be fine.
But the squeezing pain in her chest and endless retching left her dazed. Even after everything was out, the urks kept coming.
Panting against the toilet, she heard Kim Seon-ah's worried voice.
"Couldn't you just leave a little? No need to pick fights with everyone."
"You try being in my shoes. Think you could?"
Getting along chummily with girls she'd treated worse than dirt for over four years? It was like telling a human to befriend their toy now that they'd become one.
As if expecting that response, Kim Seon-ah muttered like she was complaining,
"Still, we'll be stuck together for months. We're all getting screwed by the trainers the same way. Shouldn't we at least help each other out?"
"Shut up, urk..."
"Sigh. So stubborn."
Ha Yoon tried to snap back irritably but grabbed the toilet again, prompting Kim Seon-ah to sigh and pat her back. Only after a long while of this did she finally calm down.
"Can you stand?"
"Dunno..."
"Try lifting your arms."
With Ha Yoon wheezing feebly from the sudden weakness, Kim Seon-ah grunted and helped her up. Leaning limply against her, the soft sensation of her large breasts pressed through their thin clothes.
'So soft...'
It had been over a month since becoming a woman, but aside from her own body, she was still unused to other women's—and her old male instincts kicked in. Ha Yoon dazedly thought that, then snapped out of it with a jolt, shaking her head vigorously.
What the hell am I thinking with someone this out of it? Blushing, she exited the bathroom and bumped into someone.
"Oh."
"Ah, hello."
"Hey, hi."
Recognizing Jin Si-won, Kim Seon-ah bowed politely. Jin Si-won stroked her chin like she'd spotted something amusing and glanced between Ha Yoon and Kim Seon-ah.
Perplexed, they stood still until Jin Si-won chuckled and said,
"No wonder you two seemed close from the start..."
"Huh?"
"You two are a thing too?"
She mimed rubbing fingers together like she'd shown Ha Yoon before, but Kim Seon-ah tilted her head.
"What's that mean?"
"...Huh? You don't know?"
"No..."
This was a new reaction. Jin Si-won scratched her head and explained,
"I mean, are you a couple?"
"C-Couple? H-How could girls..."
"Oh please—with you looking that wrecked, it's obvious you've already gone at it hard."
Ha Yoon, leaning on Kim Seon-ah with a drained, legless look, and Kim Seon-ah, flushed and supporting her—it screamed post-hookup from every angle.
Jin Si-won kept giggling.
"Never imagined Ha Yoon as the bottom, though."
"B-Bottom?"
"You must be pretty skilled with your hands to down a wild one like that. I've never gone that intense even with So-hyeon. Wanna swap stories later?"
"N-No! It's not whatever you're imagining!"
Finally catching on, Kim Seon-ah flushed beet red and shook her head frantically.
Besides, she already had a guy she liked... No, focus. Shoving aside the derailing thought, she insisted,
"I was just helping because Ha Yoon looked bad! Nothing like that!"
"Heh, I know. Just teasing. You're cute."
Realizing she'd been played, Kim Seon-ah pouted at the chuckling Jin Si-won.
Jin Si-won wiped a tear from her eye like it was genuinely hilarious, took a deep breath, and said,
"Whew, that was fun. Here—as an apology."
"Whoa."
Kim Seon-ah barely caught the tossed item and stared blankly.
A red fruit—an apple.
"An apple... as an apology. Pfft."
Kim Seon-ah couldn't help but snort at the pun. Jin Si-won, who had made it, gave her an incredulous look.
"You're as weird as me with your sense of humor."
"Urgh... B-But where'd you get an extra apple to give us?"
"Mine. Saved it instead of eating."
"Huh? But you finished yours and stole So-hyeon's because you were still hungry..."
"I said I was hungry because I didn't eat that one."
"Oh..."
But why? Catching the confusion, Jin Si-won shrugged.
"Just 'cause. I like Ha Yoon. She's pretty, got a unique personality. Figured I'd show some goodwill—hoping she'll open up to me like she does with you."
"Ah, haha..."
Kim Seon-ah had no reply to the obvious ulterior motives. Jin Si-won grinned and continued,
"Anyway, take good care of her. She'll be out of it for a bit. Not me and So-hyeon, but the others are gunning for her, I hear. Word is she used to be a trainer here?"
That reminded Kim Seon-ah of the three seniors who'd been here longest. Made sense—they'd suffered under Ha Yoon the most.
"See ya later. So-hyeon's waiting."
"Okay."
Kim Seon-ah dazedly watched Jin Si-won wave casually and leave.