Chapter 37
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Pet (3)
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The morning routine passed without anything particularly noteworthy. Though Ha Yoon had been demoted to pet status as punishment, she still ran alongside the trainees. The nagging sensation of her elbow and knee being out of alignment brought waves of excruciating pain she couldn't even put into words, but she had no choice but to run while sobbing.
Every time she stopped, Hong Ryeon's palm slammed into her ass. And it wasn't just Hong Ryeon. Everyone except those who felt some fondness for her—like Kim Seon-ah or Jin Si-won—gave Ha Yoon's rear a hard smack at least once.
It was because they'd been told that if Ha Yoon stopped or fell nearby, the closest trainee had to punish her. Otherwise, Teacher Park would come running and shove his dick in them without mercy.
After seeing Kim Seon-ah get raped by Teacher Park for hesitating to hit her, Jin Si-won had no choice but to smack Ha Yoon's ass again as she halted.
"Hic!"
Smack! It wasn't as hard as some of the others, but after repeated hand-slaps, her skin had become hypersensitive, making even that sting fiercely.
Tears trickling from her eyes, Ha Yoon waddled forward again. This repeated several times until outdoor training ended, after which Hong Ryeon washed her in the showers.
Of course, it wasn't a gentle washing. Hong Ryeon kicked Ha Yoon into a corner, then grabbed a showerhead in each hand and blasted her with water.
"Eek! C-C-Cold!"
The moment the water hit her body, Ha Yoon shrieked.
Normally, the boiler heated it to a warm temperature, but since they drew from the mountain stream, it poured out ice-cold otherwise—even in midsummer, it could cut like a blade.
She knew this all too well from the time someone had once turned off the trainees' shower boiler as punishment.
Hong Ryeon wore a sadistic grin as she kicked at Ha Yoon, who tried to flee the spray, herding her back in.
"Cold? We were freezing back then, too."
"Eek! Eeek!"
"Stay still. I'm just cooling you down."
Laughter mingled with the screams. Kim Seon-ah swept her wet bangs back and glared toward Hong Ryeon. But Baek So-ra and Ryu Jin-ah were there too, glancing over slyly as they washed, ready to react at any moment.
She could handle one, but two was too much. Letting out a long breath, Kim Seon-ah turned to Jin Si-won washing beside her.
"Si-won."
"What?"
"If you helped, I think we could take those two down and even snag the leash. What do you say?"
"And then what? What would you do after grabbing the leash?"
Her tone's changed, Jin Si-won thought, continuing.
"Teacher Gan gave the collar to Hong Ryeon. Even if you snatched it, he'd just take it back and hand it over to her again—or keep it himself."
It was utterly pointless. No matter if you seized it by force, a greater force would rip it away soon enough. Kim Seon-ah shut her mouth tight, clearly agreeing. Watching her, Jin Si-won added,
"Negotiating with Teacher Gan would be faster. I don't know what whim made him ease some of the restrictions on Ha Yoon."
"Negotiating, huh..."
Negotiations were already underway. With Teacher Choi out sick, she'd have to visit Teacher Gan's infirmary during the empty afternoon slot. But then there'd be no one to stand up for Ha Yoon later.
"Si-won, please do me this favor."
"Favor? What kind?"
"Whenever I can't step up for Ha Yoon, you do it instead."
"...Me?"
Kim Seon-ah nodded. Jin Si-won stared at her for a moment, splashed water on her face repeatedly, then said,
"Sorry to say this, but just like you treasure Ha Yoon, I have someone I treasure too."
"Shin So-hyeon, right?"
"Yeah. Call it intuition—or high probability—but if I cover for Ha Yoon, it'll screw me and So-hyeon over. That'd be too much of a loss for me, no?"
It was cold logic, but unavoidable. No matter how much Jin Si-won liked Ha Yoon's looks, she was still a guy at heart.
Weighing a girl she'd known for just three days against someone she'd shared body and soul with for over two months was absurd.
Kim Seon-ah knew her request was unreasonable, so she nodded.
"I get that. I'm not asking blindly."
"Then?"
"Two months. I'll keep Teacher Gan from calling Shin So-hyeon for duty. The other two trainers are impossible, though."
"...You can pull that off?"
"Yeah. Definitely."
Even if Jin Si-won refused, Kim Seon-ah was set to be Teacher Gan's duty girl for a while anyway—at least a week.
But if Jin Si-won accepted, she'd sweet-talk Teacher Gan into keeping her on duty indefinitely.
Whether that worked was secondary. Kim Seon-ah pressed the pondering Jin Si-won.
"So, what's it gonna be?"
"...What exactly do I need to do?"
"Nothing much. Just stop Hong Ryeon from doing anything too harsh to Ha Yoon."
"What's 'too harsh'? I can't block everything she does. No justification for that."
Ha Yoon was under punishment to begin with. Short of killing her, Hong Ryeon could do as she pleased with her authority.
Kim Seon-ah replied,
"Use your judgment. If it seems too much to you, step in."
"...And if I don't think it's too much and let it slide?"
"I'll trust your morals."
Morals. A rare word in this place. Jin Si-won let out a wry chuckle, running a hand through her hair.
"Fine. Let's try it."
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Indoor training—ballet lesson time.
Kim Seon-ah glared at Hong Ryeon in front of her.
"What're you looking at?"
"Stop bullying Ha Yoon."
"Talking to you is always a circle."
Hong Ryeon stretched her limbs languidly, a far cry from the vicious grin she'd flashed in the showers. Humming softly, she murmured in arabesque,
"You like Ha Yoon, huh?"
"I do."
"Sexually, or as a friend?"
"As a friend."
"Weird. Befriending a freak like that."
Hong Ryeon commented as Kim Seon-ah answered without hesitation.
She rotated her arms and legs in sync, shifting to en haut pose.
Then she lifted one foot to her opposite leg and spun in place.
Hong Ryeon's graceful pirouette was beautiful—hard to believe she'd nearly frozen someone to death moments ago.
Gazing at her reflection in the mirror behind the glaring Kim Seon-ah, Hong Ryeon said,
"You know, I never really liked ballet."
"...What're you on about out of nowhere?"
"Dancers moving to classical music, following preset steps. Watching them always made me wonder why bother."
Culture, refinement—whatever. Why was gawking at ballet some basic necessity? Hong Ryeon couldn't fathom it, didn't want to. She'd rather hit a club, snort drugs with hot chicks, and fuck.
Chaebol heir or whatever? She didn't care. Dad's shares gave her plenty; she could keep living large. Worst case, beg big bro the successor.
That's how she'd thought before this body. Now, watching her fingertips rise near her face, extend, and fall slowly, Hong Ryeon murmured,
"But after getting this body and looking in the mirror, I get it now. Why people love ballet, why they do it on stage."
The lines formed by her stunning face and figure were art in themselves. Even knowing it was all training to please men.
Hong Ryeon clenched her delicately extended fingers into a fist and eyed Kim Seon-ah.
"Looks like you're cozying up to Teacher Gan. Better quit while you're ahead."
"No. Not until you stop first."
"This is advice. Teacher Gan's not someone you can handle."
He'd exploit that desperation, never grant what you wanted. That was Hong Ryeon's conclusion after five months.
"It's just a week. You could pawn the next half-year to him over that."
"Do you know how much pain you'd inflict on Ha Yoon in that week?"
"Ha Yoon deserves it. How many trainees do you think she hurt?"
Not just Hong Ryeon, Baek So-ra, Ryu Jin-ah. Graduates gone now, and those before them—easily double digits. Ha Yoon, Ha Seung-jin, had caused all those tears. This was karma.
"Don't waste sympathy and pride on misplaced pity. Even if she's a 'friend,' don't bet your half-year on someone you've known three days. Close your eyes, look away. That's how you survive here."
"...You're saying the same as Ha Yoon."
Hong Ryeon froze mid-lift.
"...She said that? To you?"
Ha. She exhaled a laugh. Womanhood and suffering made her sentimental, huh? Giggling, Kim Seon-ah pressed,
"Ha Yoon knows she messed up. But that doesn't mean she deserves this from you."
"Why not? I'm a victim. Cried endless tears because of her. Baek So-ra too, Ryu Jin-ah."
Kim Seon-ah knew. That's why she couldn't argue harder. She'd do the same in Hong Ryeon's shoes. But giving up meant abandoning Ha Yoon.
"Still, we're all trainees now. We should support each other, not fight."
"What I'm doing is supporting them. Giving friendly advice to someone who won't listen."
"What about Ha Yoon? Isn't she a trainee too?"
"You see her as one?"
Following Hong Ryeon's slender finger, there was Ha Yoon: one leg straight to the sky, licking a defenseless trainee's pussy.
"Ah! H-Ha Yoon, stop, nngh...!"
Shin So-hyeon wailed pitifully under Ha Yoon's cunnilingus but didn't stop. Couldn't, even if she wanted—Teacher Park gripped her head, forcing her to continue till climax.
"That's no trainee. That's a pet."
Shin So-hyeon's peaking cry pierced Hong Ryeon's sly smile.
Kim Seon-ah bit her lip and turned away.