episode_0009

“…I just helped out as the class president since it’s my first day here.”

I cut in immediately to prevent any misunderstandings. It was necessary for both me and Kim Noeul.

My firm attitude seemed to catch him off guard, as he blinked unexpectedly.

“Really? I thought we all got along well.”

“But isn’t Noeul not interested in dating? She’s turned down confessions several times.”

A male student nearby interjected. I agreed with his opinion.

In reality, in the webtoon, Kim Noeul showed no interest in romance. Many girls in the original work had feelings for her, but they couldn’t figure out where they stood due to Kim Noeul’s clear boundaries.

“She still doesn’t seem to show any interest in me at all today.”

I was surprised by Kim Noeul’s appearance when we first met, but she didn’t seem to have the same impression of me. She responded with the same kindness she showed others, maintaining her boundaries.

It seemed that my clear boundaries were appreciated, as the male student suddenly shifted the conversation to Kim Noeul as we headed towards the field.

“She’s so kind, so adorable because she’s a role model, getting a school introduction from Kim Noeul is lucky…”

“It looks like Yoonsoo likes Kim Noeul.”

Perhaps my thoughts were evident on my face, as the male student beside me chuckled.

“Yoonsoo liking Kim Noeul is a poorly kept secret.”

“What are you talking about? People praise her for being kind, that’s all.”

“Sure, sure.”

The name of the guy who spoke to me first seemed to be Yoonsoo. I felt I should respond appropriately, so I gave a decent reply.

“Sure, hope it goes well.”

“No, that’s not it!”

After arriving at the field, they switched the topic to yesterday’s drama. Since it was beyond my interests, I quietly slipped away on my own.

“Ugh, this is so unfamiliar.”

The men in this world seemed ambiguous. It felt like they were a mix of men and women from my past life, making it slightly uncomfortable to be around them.

“I did see men occasionally discussing dramas in my past life, but they never openly looked at themselves in the mirror like that.”

Even after coming out to the field, most male students were fixing their hair, gazing into mirrors as the wind tousled their locks.

If I were a physical education teacher, it would have been a frustrating sight. Only a few of us, including myself, don’t look in the mirror.

“Hey, guys! After the baseball match, it’s free time!”

A girl who was preparing for gym class and Kim Noeul brought the net and shouted.

Both boys and girls cheered. Seeing the boys laughing as they looked at the baseball, they didn’t seem to dislike exercising.

Some female students helped Kim Noeul finish setting up the baseball match and decided on the teams.

“Let’s decide on the captains first.”

“I’ll do it.”

An Hyojin, who had cursed at me earlier in class, stepped forward. He wasn’t visible during art class, but he appeared like a ghost during gym class.

“Then the remaining one…”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Kim Noeul. Kim Noeul scratched her cheek and stepped forward.

An Hyojin and Kim Noeul played rock-paper-scissors to choose their teammates.

“Just end this quickly. Let’s do the student survey during free time.”

First, girls were chosen, and then boys started to be selected.

As a transfer student, with no connections and no revealed skills, I was left until the end. The other boy left with me was Yoon Soo.

“Rock-paper-scissors.”

Kim Noeul threw scissors and won. Her gaze turned to both of us, then soon focused on me.

‘Wait a moment.’

Just as something ominous was about to come out of my mouth, Kim Noeul smiled and pointed at me with her finger.

“Then I’m on Maru’s team.”

“Okay, let’s start right away!”

An Hyojin blew the whistle around his neck and entered the baseball field. I followed behind Kim Noeul, feeling unnecessarily self-conscious.

I discreetly glanced at Yoon Soo, only to find him glaring at us with discontent.

‘Ah, this is a buildup.’

The carcinogenic buildup process for a soda commercial. It’s roughly sketched in my mind. Because that’s how things usually went in “Hakdo Yeonui,” a webtoon.

I helplessly watched Kim Noeul’s figure, with her long hair fluttering in the wind as she entered the baseball field.

Thanks to that, my situation became awkward. Since that guy Yoon Soo has no reason to take out his anger on Kim Noeul, naturally, that anger will be directed at me.

Baseball was mainly played with girls throwing and catching the ball. The boys were often seen dodging or hiding.

One by one, people were being eliminated, and before we knew it, only I, Kim Noeul, and an unnamed girl from our side remained.

The unnamed girl missed the ball by mistake and got out. At the same time, the girl from the opposing team who was out threw the ball towards me.

By the time I realized it, the ball had already filled my field of vision.

“I can’t avoid this…!”

As I twisted my body to minimize the impact, Kim Noeul’s hand slipped in between mine and the ball.

Bang!

With a cheerful sound of impact, the ball that met Kim Noeul’s hand shot up into the sky. She had deflected it upwards.

Then, predicting where the ball would come down, she leisurely ran over and caught it again.

“Kim Noeul! Super save!”

“Awesome!”

I was dumbfounded by Kim Noeul’s splendid play. I knew she had good athletic instincts, but seeing it firsthand left me nothing short of amazed.

“Well, she’s on par with Alice when it comes to potential.”

“Aren’t you hurt?”

Kim Noeul asked, gazing intently at my face.

“Oh, thanks.”

Feeling somewhat burdened, I took a step back. I was already in the midst of causing a commotion, with people around telling us to stop fooling around.

And as the atmosphere intensified, Yoonsoo’s expression grew increasingly stern.

After P.E. class, Kim Noeul and one other female student began cleaning up. I went to help them, watching their efforts.

“Even though she saved me from getting hit by the ball, helping out seems appropriate.”

As I raised the line-painting machine, the female student, flustered, stopped me.

“Oh, no, we’ll do it.”

“It’ll go faster with three of us.”

“It’s our job anyway, and I feel bad making you carry the heavy stuff.”

Her quiet refusal made me even more uneasy. Eventually, I put the machine back down.

“You’re surprisingly strong.”

“What?”

The girl blushed in surprise at my response.

“Sorry! Was that weird…?”

She quickly moved the machine to the storage room where Kim Noeul was, her curiosity piqued as she entered.

“What’s with the blushing? Don’t make a fuss.”

“Then, Kim Maru is going to help. Won’t you be surprised?”

The female student seemed to be replaying the recent situation in her mind, wearing a happy expression. Kim Noeul let out a sigh with a tight-lipped expression.

“This envy-inducing girl, Kim Noeul… Her vibes are already different from those of a transfer student.”

“What are you saying? I’m just helping.”

“You really have no interest at all? Seriously? Are you heartless?”

“……”

Kim Noeul finished organizing and flicked the dust off her hands. She recalled Kim Maru during the baseball game.

“He really does resemble him.”

She remembered when she had leaned in close to his face to check if he was hurt. As she did, she muttered to herself.

“…He’s quite good-looking.”

“Right? You’re also ambitious, aren’t you?”

“Enough, it’s cold, let’s go inside quickly. It’s a bit weird to talk about this kind of thing when he’s not around.”

“I’m going to buy hot chocolate and go up.”

“Get me one too.”

As Kim Noeul and the female student left the gym storage room, shortly after, a young man and woman entered the empty gym storage room.

It was An Hyojin and Heo Yoonsoo.

“Why did you call me?”

An Hyojin’s heart raced at the sudden call from Heo Yoonsoo. Being a high school girl at the height of her youth, she couldn’t help feeling uneasy when a handsome guy like Heo Yoonsoo called her to the gym storage room.

However, Heo Yoonsoo was nonchalantly playing with his phone. After a long silence, he finally spoke.

“Kim Maru seems a bit strange from day one.”

“What? Who’s Kim Maru?”

“…The new student who joined today.”

“Oh, that handsome guy…”

As Heo Yoonsoo’s expression turned grim, An Hyojin clenched her teeth.

“Just trying to help him adapt to the class. He’s soon going to have contact with Jegalyeonhwa.”

“Is the rumor spreading that much?”

Upon hearing Jegalyeonhwa’s name, An Hyojin scratched her head.

She thought highly of herself, but in front of Jegalyeonhwa, she could only be a fox in front of a tiger.

One of the five powerful schools among the high schools in Hankook High School, Hanguk High School.

The student council president of Hanguk High School and also popular as a school uniform model, she was what people would call a successful girl.

“That’s probably why she caught the eye of Shinsung High’s president. What was her name again, Alice?”

“If girls try to interfere when guys are hanging out, ask them to back off a bit.”

In other words, Heo Yoon-soo was asking for help in pressuring Kim Maru by rallying the guys and taking charge of the ‘violent friction’ that would occur in the process.

“Hmm….”

When Ahn Hyo-jin hesitated, Heo Yoon-soo narrowed his eyes.

“Why, do you need money or something?”

“No, not money…”

After hesitating for a moment, she cautiously spoke up.

“Do you happen to be free this weekend?”

“…Figure it out yourself. Anyway, women.”

Grumbling, Heo Yoon-soo left the gym storage room.