Baek Seoyeon’s emotions were clearly trembling.
Even her friends could hardly see it.
Seeing him, Yeon Minha’s lips twisted into a crooked smile.
She was half-sure from the start, but there was no need for an interrogation.
His attitude, which showed no intention of hiding anything, was rather a cause for exhaustion.
The fact that Baek Seoyeon was asking about the source of the candy instead of denying the facts was essentially a confession.
However, what filled Yeon Minha’s heart now was something sticky, a mix of anxiety and anger, not satisfaction.
As Baek Seoyeon’s inner turmoil surged like waves, the shadows of the past deepened as well.
The fact that what lay beyond was a completely unknown space for Yeon Minha further provoked her anger.
“I knew it was you.”
“…Tell me. Why did you have that?”
As Yeon Minha spoke with a tone that suppressed her anger, Baek Seoyeon coldly replied, as if to say, “When did I ever?”
“Do I need to answer that?”
“You were told to speak.”
“Well.”
There was no need to mention that she had unknowingly stolen a box from his locker and was attacked by a cat, the only thing left behind.
“Cleaning up the trash that someone secretly tossed into ‘the locker of the closest junior’ isn’t a big deal.”
–Creak…
At Yeon Minha’s deliberately emphasized words, Baek Seoyeon’s golden eyes undulated once again like waves.
However, Baek Seoyeon soon made a face of genuine contempt and said,
“I didn’t know your hands were so unrefined. No matter what, for a lady from five prominent families, casually touching someone else’s things…”
‘Someone else’s?’
“Baek Seoyeon. That’s not a comment you should be making.”
Yeon Minha could feel her temper rising at that brazen retort.
“Before that, why don’t you clarify? What’s the reason you’re acting like this, despite already having a fiancé?”
“…”
Baek Seoyeon clamped her mouth shut at the piercing question while glaring at Yeon Minha.
–Crash!
On one side of the hallway, sparks erupted, and from the other side, water crystallized and dropped to the floor with a thud-thud. The lights that couldn’t withstand the pressure made a loud crack and shattered, but neither of them moved an inch.
Despite the rising irritation, it seemed like nothing could be gained from this conversation.
Just from their expressions, it was clear.
Baek Seoyeon had no intention of properly answering any of the questions asked.
Of course, the opposite was true as well.
“Ha. Enough. Baek Seoyeon. This is your final warning.”
If that was the case, Yeon Minha saw no reason to continue talking with Baek Seoyeon. It would only sully her already low spirits.
“I’m not interested in your perverse hobby. And the same goes for your pathetic past.”
With a flair of frustration mixed with a warning, she planned to leave.
“But remember. If you get caught chasing after someone else’s man again, then—”
“…Someone else’s man?”
But suddenly, the voice that interrupted Yeon Minha halted her words.
A chilling, almost bone-chilling coldness flowed out before her.
“…Right. Someone else’s man.”
Yeon Minha was momentarily taken aback but attempted to calmly counter.
“Didn’t you hear the rumors? We’re already in an inseparable, sticky relationship. Didn’t you see us in front of the student council room that day? So just stop with the nonsense—”
“Don’t lie.”
Baek Seoyeon’s golden eyes glimmered, and in a hissed voice, she murmured to Yeon Minha.
“Someone else’s man? Who? Hyun? Yours?”
Before she knew it, Baek Seoyeon had naturally uttered his name.
For Yeon Minha, that was a rather embarrassing territory she hadn’t even attempted to broach, yet Baek Seoyeon moved through there so naturally and comfortably.
“Don’t make me laugh. Who are you to say anything? Who are you to talk about Hyun like that—!”
“How dare you act friendly so recklessly…”
“What do you know? What exactly do you know about Hyun!! I know everything about him. His favorite hairstyle, favorite clothes, favorite food. Is that all? His favorite flowers, favorite colors, favorite scents! I know even his personality!! But what about you? Tell me. Do you know even one of these correctly…!”
Like a burst dam, Baek Seoyeon was pouring her pent-up frustration.
“I…!”
At her assertive tone that she knew him better than Yeon Minha, the latter was momentarily speechless.
Simultaneously, anger surged while a sense of injustice also bubbled within. This was a fight far too unfavorable for Yeon Minha.
Though she could confidently assert that her heart could rival anyone’s, they had only acknowledged each other’s existence for barely more than half a year. They were still getting to know each other, having even exchanged similar questions several times.
All they lacked was time, but unfortunately, Baek Seoyeon had a significant advantage in that area.
Seeing Yeon Minha’s silence, Baek Seoyeon scoffed as if she had expected it and shook her head.
By now, her eyes were glistening with moisture.
“Why you? Not some… other girl… but why specifically…”
Thus, the dark-haired female student left behind only sighs of lament and despair as she turned to exit the hallway.
“What the hell… what is this…?”
The lone Yeon Minha trembled as if chills had overtaken her.
She pondered over the meaning of Baek Seoyeon’s last words but ultimately couldn’t grasp their hidden meaning.
*
The day after the duel with Jin Yeseo.
I finished all my afternoon schedules and knocked on the door to the student council room in the main building.
“Come in.”
As I opened the door, the first thing that caught my eye was the piles of documents stacked higher than a person.
Next was the nameplate that read “Student Council President” in large letters.
And then… there was a guy sitting in a chair with a haggard face, flipping through papers, alongside a female student assisting him.
The badge resembling golden wings shined on the lapel of the jacket the guy was wearing.
Without even lifting his head out of the paperwork, he spoke.
“Sounds like a student, but what brings you here at this time? As you can see, I’m a bit busy right now. Unless it’s urgent, can you come back later…?”
“I’m Yoo Jin-hyun, a first-year. I came because of a disciplinary issue. The professor said you’d explain the details in the student council…”
“…Who?”
“I’m first-year Yoo Jin-hyun…”
“Oh, oh! I thought I recognized the name! Wait… just a moment…!”
His tone, which initially sounded quite annoyed, changed in an instant.
He nearly tossed aside the papers and was suddenly standing in front of me, the student council president grinning widely and reaching out his hand.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Hyun Juhak. I’ve been a bit busy lately… Almost committed a major breach of etiquette, huh? Hahaha…”
“That’s alright…”
As I shook hands, he exaggeratedly waved his arms back and forth.
He had an average height and wore glasses, appearing somewhat ordinary yet timid.
Even though his speech reeked heavily of pretense, I didn’t sense any kind of animosity or resentment in the same vein either.
From what I had heard, he wasn’t from a notable family nor a resident of the capital like me—he was supposedly also from the outskirts.
In which case, that pretense might be his way of surviving in a harsh environment.
“Would you like to sit for a moment? How about some tea? Or do you prefer a drink? What kind of snacks do you like…”
“Um… I’m fine. I’d rather get the disciplinary matter sorted out quickly…”
However, such an attitude felt quite burdensome to someone like me.
I worried if he would keep this up, but fortunately, that didn’t happen.
The president, with a hearty laugh, naturally shifted the subject.
“I got too ahead of myself in my excitement. Of course, there’s a proper order to things. Alright then, let’s talk about that later…”
He waved at the female student who was assisting in his work.
With a bobbed haircut and wearing no-frills glasses, she had a rather strict appearance.
She was wearing a badge that indicated she was a first-year, but I could hardly recall seeing her before.
Perhaps that was because she was so engrossed in student council business.
“The detailed explanation will be provided by this secretary. While it’s a disciplinary matter, I can’t assist too much, but feel free to ask anything anytime.”
I was escorted by the secretary while still under the burden of the president’s dismissal and headed into the corridor.
“…”
Despite his claim of providing explanations, she didn’t speak a single word all the way.
That said, I didn’t have many pressing questions, so I followed her quietly.
We descended a few flights of stairs and eventually arrived at the basement.
Like the student council room, this was an area I had never set foot in before.
As she reached for the door and pressed in a pattern, it opened with a heavy thud.
As we advanced through the dimly lit corridor, we soon reached a section where various paper piles were in disarray.
There were signs of bugs having eaten away at the paper, and a foul smell from droppings assaulted my nose.
“So… sorting the documents in this area is the disciplinary action?”
“That’s correct. These are the minutes from previous student council meetings.”
The female student turned and said in a monotone voice.
“The deadline is a week. You’ll need to accurately rearrange the dates, orders, and times of all the minutes left abandoned here within that time. You can manage the work autonomously, but if you miss the deadline by even a second, you will face a harsher punishment. Do you understand?”
“I understand.”
“Good. Then…”
As I nodded, the student handed me the keys and padlock before leaving the basement.
Stating that the pattern for the basement door couldn’t be disclosed to outsiders.
Left alone, I looked around under the dim light of the starlight lamps.
I picked up the documents scattered on the floor and began classifying them.
Though it wasn’t too labor-intensive, it was quite a bothersome and repetitive task.
This was the disciplinary action assigned to me after the duel.
As it turns out, she had complained to her faction, Baekgwang, previously after my duel with Jin Yeseo.
Although it was done with intent, I had inflicted violence that significantly exceeded the rules upon her.
Thus, it was only natural for a disciplinary committee to be convened. I also expected a rather severe punishment.
However, the reality turned out to be a mere deduction of a few points and having to handle such menial tasks to wrap things up.
Considering the atmosphere at the cradle that highly valued force and how the influence of Heukryeon had now become my background, it didn’t seem odd.
“…”
I didn’t feel any particular humiliation, yet I could definitely tell that rifling through papers while smelling rodent droppings was quite the ordeal.
Already strapped for time in the schedule at the cradle, I had to carve out specific time for this punishment.
Nevertheless, I thought I had achieved a degree of the original aim.
With this beating, she shouldn’t bother me again.
Now, I just needed to handle a few other things that were causing me concern.
As about two hours passed, I left the now somewhat organized stack of documents and exited the basement.
Knowing fully that it was something that couldn’t be finished in a single day, I resolved not to be too greedy.
Before locking the door, I turned my head slightly to the side.
There was another heavily locked iron door further in, marked with a nameplate that read “Archives”.
“Speaking of which…”
Seeing the nameplate for the archives, the name Seol Yujeong popped into my head once again.
*
“Here, the keys.”
After the sun had set, the student council president was still handling paperwork.
I intended to just give him the keys and hurry back, but he held onto me and seemed to be searching for something to say.
“This is disappointing. I actually hoped you’d join the student council rather than Baekgwang’s junior…”
“Is that so? Any particular reason…?”
“Well, not really… It’s just that another one of those aggressive girls is coming in… Sigh… hahaha…”
His haggard eyes and timid expression expressed his genuine feelings, not a façade.
“It feels wrong to say this in front of you, but today, both Yeon Minha and Baek Seoyeon seem to have such a gloomy atmosphere…”
“…I’ll make sure to have a good word with them. They’re not just the types you’d think.”
“Right, right. I really hope you’ll keep that in mind…”
Having finally confirmed I had no lingering attachments, he nodded with resignation.
With the president’s entreaty behind me, I headed back to the dormitory.
The dark night made it even easier to avoid prying eyes.
After all, my visibility had been increasing lately, causing me to remain on high alert.
And outside the door, as if knowing somehow, Yeon Minha was loitering around.
As soon as she sensed my presence, she initiated a conversation.
“…You’re back?”
“I’m back. Have you been waiting for a while? I told you there was no need.”
“Still… how could you…”
Yeon Minha shook her head.
I felt like her tone had been slumped since yesterday.
“Hey, senior. Speaking of which, what about the negotiation…”
“S-Sorry… let’s talk later…”
“Jus—”
–Bang!
Before I could finish, Yeon Minha hurriedly dashed into her room and firmly closed the door.
I stood there, suddenly left alone, in a state of bemusement.
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