The next morning, as I faced the inevitable.
[5 male students involved in bullying at Mihwa Middle School forcibly transferred… ‘Creating a Violence-Free School’ initiative underway.]
When I searched for news about Siyeon’s school, this was the article that popped up.
Though the article count was rather meager, only about three, the timestamps indicated they had just been published an hour to thirty-eight minutes ago.
“Hmph.”
I let out a short grunt as I walked toward the school.
It wouldn’t attract the level of attention one would see from a celebrity car crash, so a few articles like this would probably be all we get.
Unless the incident was that of a well-known person whose name had already spread like wildfire, it seems someone has to die for a story to get real attention.
That’s just how people are.
They care more about bad news than good news.
They focus on sensational words strung together in an article.
Though it leaves a bitter taste about the sad reality, I felt a bit relieved that it had been resolved.
The bullies are likely to have a rough time at other schools, too.
Those five will end up separated, and the schools they transfer to are mostly trash schools.
It’ll probably be just a matter of time before they run into some thugs already hanging around there.
As I arrived at school, somewhat foreseeing the future, a few female students noticed my changed appearance and approached me first.
We weren’t that close, but we could chat occasionally as decent conversation partners.
“Hey? You cut your hair into a bob?”
“How did that happen?”
“Long hair suited you better.”
“Managing it was a hassle.”
“Oh, true…”
Girls are much better at discussing hair and other details compared to the boys who have nothing better to do.
Especially when it comes to the troubles of having long hair, boys my age can’t relate at all, so I have to mix with the girls to talk about such things.
Among them, a few who like to care for others even asked if I was okay after not showing up yesterday.
Unlike the dark days back in elementary school, middle school was flowing along quite smoothly.
That life seemed to be passing without too much trouble.
“Alright, shall we turn in the homework due today?”
‘What homework?’
Except for the fact that the performance evaluation scores had started to plummet.
There’s no mercy in the piles of homework handed out to absent students.
The utmost consideration only comes when my desk partner slips a page into the drawer of the desk when the homework is collected.
Even if the homework period lasts just a day, as a student, I can only accept it and watch my scores dwindle.
But it’s compulsory education, so no matter how much chaos unfolds, they wouldn’t expel me or anything.
In any case, I was already considering blowing off school altogether and getting suspended since I wouldn’t be studying anyway…
‘But that’s probably going to have a bad influence on Siyeon.’
Occasionally hearing stories during gatherings, it seems that even being a magical girl, finishing middle school is a basic requirement before deciding what comes next, so I decided to stick it out in middle school.
A can of apple juice I grabbed from the vending machine.
With the can’s opening pressed to my lips, I gulped down the refreshing taste during the second period break when Sunhyuk, who had sneakily approached, asked, looking utterly amazed.
“Hey, how do you manage to skip at least once a week?”
“Why, envious?”
“Of course, I want just a sip.”
Sunhyuk, still whining about nothing during his first year of middle school.
As I tilted the remaining quarter can of apple juice towards him, he sighed as if looking at something pathetic.
“Ahh, school is the best.”
“Thanks, you sound just like my mom.”
After he thanked me for taking the can with the little juice left and proceeded to acquire it at a distance like it was sent to the sky, I recalled hearing the same phrase a million times before in my previous life.
It was a true statement yet also a wrong one.
I don’t have the ability to see the future, so how would I know?
Still, seeing myself echoing the same sentiment…
Seems like life for everyone isn’t that different after all.
“Dispose of it yourself.”
“Okay.”
When I told Sunhyuk, who was subtly trying to return the empty can to my desk, the guy hesitated for a moment but then immediately got up and headed to the back of the classroom.
What a guy, considering he’s the one who drank my juice.
With a light sound of the empty cans clashing, Sunhyuk returned after tossing the can away.
“By the way, don’t think it’s weird, but…”
“Hmm?”
“Do magical girls really lose their clothes when they transform?”
“……”
For a brief moment, there was complete silence around.
I was the only one there who had seen a magical girl in action.
Of course, boys who just hit puberty would be curious about something like this…
But hearing such a question from a boy now that I’m a girl feels off.
Some girls nearby caught the drift and shot him looks as if they had seen a bug.
“Oh, seriously… that’s gross.”
“Why! Be honest, you’re curious too!”
“I’m not, okay? Ugh… are you a total pervert?”
A peculiar tension rose between Sunhyuk and the other girls.
The often-quoted “sex jokes” seem to be thrown around more easily than I thought.
To satisfy the kid’s curiosity, I broke in and gave a vague answer.
“It just kind of sparkles and that’s it.”
“Even with sunglasses on?”
“Ugh, honestly, boys… Mari! You don’t have to answer that!”
The conversation among the girls turning against Sunhyuk grew more intense.
I became the target for their crossfire, with some of the friendly girls telling me not to further engage.
I hadn’t even thought about the idea of wearing sunglasses, so I couldn’t offer much more of an answer.
“You can check it out yourself, or wear…”
A transformation spell nearly slipped out during our casual chat.
I quickly shut my mouth, glancing around in alarm.
That was way too close; I nearly transformed right in the middle of the classroom.
Why sunglasses, of all things?
“Hmm? What did you say?”
“Nothing special, just check in English; there’s plenty of information, especially from America.”
I awkwardly connected the abruptly cut conversation, doing my best to smooth over the clumsy atmosphere.
At that opportune moment, the bell rang, signaling the end of break time.
With a wave of my hand suggesting we get back, Sunhyuk scampered off to his seat.
The language class passed uneventfully and then came gym class.
“Ugh, I hate the fourth period gym class.”
Students hate gym class in the fourth period.
…Including me.
Unlike back in elementary school, where I’d go casually in regular clothes, middle school has us changing into gym uniforms.
The hassle of changing clothes is one thing, but more importantly, wearing a gym uniform inside the cafeteria is strictly forbidden.
After gym class, we can’t just head straight to the cafeteria; we have to change back into our uniforms in the classroom before going.
Naturally, girls have to go in first.
As long as the last girl is changing in the classroom, the boys have to wait, meaning their lunch time is indefinitely delayed.
Of course, that wouldn’t be pleasant for anybody.
In any case, since gym follows directly after the third period, those quick-witted boys grab their gym uniforms from their lockers and head out first.
Without a proper changing room, girls change inside the classroom while boys use the nearby restrooms to switch into their gym uniforms.
This means there can be no changing until the boys are fully out of the classroom.
“Hey, hurry up and get out!”
A couple of playful boys linger in the classroom, but…
“Hey, are you not leaving?”
“Mari!? What are you doing?!”
As they creep closer, loosening their uniforms as if to intimidate, it’s the boys who panic and rush out instead.
After all, they can’t face a year’s worth of being treated like garbage for having to see girls their classmates.
So far, it seems confidence prevails.
Once the last boy finally vacated the classroom, a few girls slapped my arm with their palms, startled, and asked.
“Hey, what’s going on!?”
“If I’m not going out, then you should let me.”
“No matter what, that’s ridiculous!”
They looked at me, baffled, as if they were witnessing some sort of alien life form.
Anyway, thanks to my efforts, I had sped up our changing time by about a minute.
Girls who go crazy over boy characters stripping down aren’t the same to judge; it’s ridiculous to act all flustered just because someone shows shoulder skin or their belly.
Such excessive fuss is way overboard.
The fourth period gym class was basketball.
Honestly, school basketball between the students isn’t that complicated.
It’s mostly just taking turns to throw the ball at the hoop from a distance.
Naturally, it doesn’t really go well.
Out of eight students, only one manages to get a basket, so the chances of the ball going in are pretty low.
We simply lined up one by one to throw a basketball at the same hoop repeatedly.
With everyone practicing enough for the evaluation day, it became simply a matter of making a basket from our previous practices as time ticked away.
By the time it was my turn, having already rotated about five times, we ran out of time, and gym class ended without any free time.
“Recruiting members for the snack stand-”
“I’m in.”
“Me too-”
The unspoken rule for gym class four.
Always bring your wallet inside the gym pocket.
Thus, our lunch for today was decided to be a full course from the snack stand.
At least they didn’t kick us out for wearing gym uniforms there.
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