episode_0013

After finishing my visit to the Hakdo* community, I turned my gaze towards the two women who had entered the classroom. One was our familiar class president, Kim Noeul, and the other was someone I hadn’t seen before.

“In the webtoon, he wasn’t an important character, so he didn’t appear much.”

Even if he did appear, it was only a few times that we saw the male teacher. But here, the gender had changed to female.

“Her name is also Chae Yubin, exactly the same. Even the neat image in a suit is similar.”

She had neatly styled brown hair that reached down to her waist, wearing a skirt suit. Her black stockings-clad toes fidgeted inside her high heels.

“Hello, I’m Chae Yubin. I’ve come because you asked me to be the advisor…”

“That’s right. I’ll write the recommendation letter here, and all I need to do is submit the club establishment documents to the office. Before that, if the advisor could sign here.”

“Oh, okay. I understand.”

Even to a student like me, Teacher Chae Yubin spoke politely, bowing her waist as she took out a fountain pen.

As she bent down, her flowing brown hair lightly touched the documents. Her face, visible through the strands of hair, seemed stiff, almost tense.

“I’ve signed it. Should I just go and submit it?”

“Oh, no, students have to do that themselves, so we’ll take care of it.”

Kim Noeul stopped Chae Yubin, who was about to submit it herself. Chae Yubin slowly nodded and stood still.

“Um… am I done with what I needed to do?”

“Well, yes, but we’ll need you to give us an outline of the club’s future activities.”

“Yes.”

But it was actually uncomfortable to receive such polite language from an adult woman, especially from a mature woman who had completed her military service.

“You can speak informally.”

“The truth is, this is my first assignment here, so the students are still unfamiliar to me.”

“An elite, huh?”

Despite looking young, enduring two years in the military and becoming a teacher, not to mention being assigned to a Hakdo-affiliated high school, was not a typical start.

“You were assigned really quickly. You’re quite young.”

“It’s not that young. I’m already in my mid-20s…”

“When I got older, it felt more awkward to hear polite language. Just speak casually.”

“…Alright. If it’s really uncomfortable for you.”

In the end, Chae Yubin accepted my suggestion and spoke casually.

“So what’s the plan? I ran into a guidance counselor on the way here. It seems like rumors are spreading.”

Kim Noeul sat next to Teacher Chae Yubin and asked me. I explained the drawings I was making without hesitation.

While explaining, their expressions dramatically changed.

Teacher Chae Yubin stared at me blankly with her mouth slightly agape, and Kim Noeul glared at me with the same courteous expression she had when facing An Hyojin.

“Wait, Maru? Did I hear wrong just now? I was curious about which students I would be counseling and how the counseling would take place.”

Chae Yubin blurted out her words in rapid succession.

“Are you planning something risky again? Like back then?”

Kim Noeul seemed to think it was too dangerous of a plan, as she furrowed her brow.

I gestured helplessly and began to argue.

“If we’re going to continue our counseling activities, clashes with those guys are inevitable. We might as well prepare and counterattack from this side.”

At that, Teacher Chae Yubin interrupted me.

“No matter how much you guarantee the students’ autonomy, as a teacher, I can’t just sit back and watch this. How about changing the club’s theme? For example, a math study group.”

“…I can’t just leave the troublemaking students alone.”

Kim Noeul’s expression softened slightly upon hearing that. Deep down, she must be acknowledging it as well.

Kim Noeul’s aspiration is to become the student council president and turn Haneul High into a better school. Therefore, my current plan aligns with her aspirations. It’s safer to cut off any potential trouble before becoming the student council president.

“Of course, I’ve heard that the existing counseling department doesn’t have a good reputation, but…”

Chae Yubin still seemed conflicted. It seemed that as a new teacher, she wasn’t familiar with the reality of the students.

“Anyway, if the establishment of the counseling department goes as I envisioned, there shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll go submit it. Kim Noeul, come with me.”

김노을 still wore a look of disbelief as she followed behind me. Teacher Chae Yoo Bin had convinced me to the very end.

“Maru, at the very least, by peaceful means…”

“Don’t worry.”

I swiftly dispelled her concerns and escaped from the school counselor. It’s quite a walk to the main school building.

Even as we walked, Kim Noeul, lost in thought, soon sighed and spoke.

“I get it. I don’t believe for a second that Haneul High can reform without some force. Some level of violence is necessary.”

“You know it well.”

“However, you’ll be exempt from the friction with the existing counseling department.”

“……”

“It’s dangerous.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s already too late. Look around.”

As we moved quickly to establish our counseling department, the existing one would have completed their preparations unless they were fools.

Since they’re part of the Iljin, they’ll surely surround us and threaten us.

Sure enough, even before we reached the main school building, several female students approached from all sides, cracking their knuckles.

There were four of them. The existing counseling department consisted of six in total, so two were missing.

“The absentees are probably the leader and that girl. The leader isn’t the type to make the first move, and the other one is an outsider to the Iljin.”

“Underclassmen, can we talk for a moment?”

One of the approaching female students said with a smirk. Kim Noeul blocked the path between the approaching student and me, pushing me back.

The surrounding girls whistled and chuckled.

“Do you happen to know that there’s already a counseling department at Haneul High?”

“Yes.”

At Kim Noeul’s concise reply, the female student touched her forehead and shook her head.

“No, you don’t know. If you did, you wouldn’t have caused this mess. Why bother creating a similar club and trying to shut ours down?”

“It’s not pleasant to see this happening, but if you have something to say, let’s discuss it later with our advisor and yours together.”

“…This is why freshmen shouldn’t meddle.”

The atmosphere among the female students changed. At the same time, the other three surrounded me and Kim Noeul.

“Do you really not know and spout nonsense? You’re still a sophomore and haven’t fully adapted to the school. Teachers here don’t interfere. That’s how things work at this school.”

“Trying to maintain a minimum level of discipline, aren’t you? That’s how I see it.”

“But isn’t the law distant and the fist close?”

A female student swiftly jabbed, breaking through Kim Noeul’s guard. Reflexively, Kim Noeul raised both arms to block the punch.

Thud!

The sound of impact echoed as Kim Noeul slightly staggered backward.

“Oh? Blocked it?”

“Wow, this guy said he learned boxing, but there’s nothing special about him.”

Other female students mocked the one who threw the punch. The girl who threw the punch laughed pretentiously.

“Well, she must have some guts to challenge Jin Hee-young.”

Jin Hee-young.

She’s the head of the counseling department. Under the guise of a counseling club, they embezzle activity funds and engage in delinquent activities.

She runs the counseling department with her followers, and she’s friends with Jegal Hwarin, Jegal Yeonhwa’s younger sister. With that kind of backing, she feels secure enough to engage in delinquent behavior.

I observed the situation unfolding and nodded my head.

“Worth doing.”

Then I provoked them.

“Whether it’s Jin Hee-young or me, if you want to pick a fight, come at me. Don’t waste time.”

“….”

“….”

The eyes of the female students and Kim Noeul turned toward me. Their common expression was one of disbelief.

“Ugh… Hey, it’s not a situation for a guy to butt in, so just stay quiet and mind your own business.”

“It’s you guys who are minding your own business, you trash.”

“Wow, seriously, this bastard!”

One enraged female student attempted to slap me, but Kim Noeul quickly turned to face her.

“Kim Maru!”

“You should play with me instead!”

As Kim Noeul tried to help, she kicked the girl who had thrown the punch, sending her flying. Without a chance to pay attention to Kim Noeul, I grabbed the arm of another girl coming at me.

“Huh?”

Then I swiftly pulled her towards me, briefly placed her on my back, and then slammed her onto the ground.

“Thud!”

The girl hit the ground with her back, trembling and convulsing. Amidst the remaining girls’ bewildered and foolish expressions, I lunged at another one.

“Huh!?”

The girl doubled over from my kick to her stomach and winced in pain.

“Oof! Wait, just a moment….”

Not missing the opportunity, as I was about to grab her hair, another girl approached me.

I gave up on grabbing her hair and distanced myself from both of them.

One female student was convulsing on the ground. She had retired.

At present, I was facing off against another girl, and Kim Noeul was squaring up against a girl who apparently knew boxing.

One of the girls clutched her painful stomach and glared at me.

“Damn it! You don’t know your place just because you’re a guy!”

“Hey, calm down. Looks like this guy knows some moves.”

“But still, he’s a guy!”

The woman, who seemed to have already lost her reason, ignored her companion’s dissuasion and rushed at me. What a foolish choice.

While it’s a world where women are physically strong, men still have the advantage in physique. Plus, I inherited the power from my previous life.

I stared her down as she approached and kicked out at her.

She seemed taken aback by the longer reach than she expected and couldn’t evade it in time, so she grabbed her abdomen again and fell from the added force of the impact.

Getting hit twice in the same spot must be incredibly painful.

“Now, there’s only you left?”

I chuckled sardonically, causing the woman to gulp nervously. She called out to the girl who knew boxing.

“Hey! Hurry up and come over here!”

But there was no response. As the female student looked around strangely and turned her head, Kim Noeul appeared, driving her fist into the girl’s face.

“Gah!”

Making a grotesque sound, the girl clutched her face and tried to scramble away from Kim Noeul, who was approaching her briskly.

However, in no time, Kim Noeul grabbed her by the collar, causing her to give up fleeing and instead throw a punch at her face.

Thud!

The sound of the punch echoed. Even though she was hit, Kim Noeul looked down at the girl gripping her and said nothing.

“…You started it first.”

Kim Noeul returned the punch in kind.

Thump!

This time, a much louder sound rang out. The girl who had been punched shivered and collapsed. When Kim Noeul released her grip, the female student fell helplessly.

“T-this is insane!”

The girl who had been facing me fled in terror. Kim Noeul and I watched her retreating figure.

“Well, it’s a bit earlier than planned, but we’ve roughly given her an education.”

Originally, I had intended to start a fight like this after founding the club, but the timing has been moved up.

It’s actually better this way. I can spend the remaining time strengthening myself.

“Then, to the faculty room…”

“Kim Maru.”

Kim Noeul’s voice changed. I turned to look at her. She was trembling, clenching her fists.

“Did you expect this too?”

“No. It happened sooner than I thought.”

“…It’s dangerous.”

“Do you see any collapsed women next to me right now? It would be awkward if people saw me as an ordinary man.”

“It’s hard for me to see you in such a dangerous situation, fighting and all.”

Kim Noeul wasn’t angry with me. Her anger was directed elsewhere.

“Kim Noeul, by now you should know that my goals align with yours. And the current situation with Haneul has many issues.”

“…”

“To change that, the two of us need to cooperate… and sometimes face fights like this. I trained for that purpose.”

In reality, I hardly trained. I just inherited the strength of the man from the previous world, making me good at fighting.

“I know, I get it. You’re a strange guy. Strangely good at fighting and strangely clever.”

“Strange, you say…”

Was she looking at me like that?

“But I just… don’t know. I can’t just stand by because you seem to be walking a dangerous tightrope.”

“Because I’m a man?”

“No, not for that reason.”

Even Kim Noeul showing this hysterical reaction, I understand the reason.

‘Is it because of her past trauma after all.’

But she needs to get used to me handling things toughly in this way so paradoxically her trauma is overcome.

I can’t help it. In the original work, Kim Noeul changes as a person from the moment she no longer becomes trapped in the past.

“Then let’s try to compromise slowly.”

“Compromise?”

At my suggestion, Kim Noeul looked up. Her black pupils were slightly moist.

You want to cooperate with me, right? Honestly, I’m useful.”

At my words, Kim Noeul narrowed her eyes. But she didn’t argue.

“But I need you too, Kim Noeul.”

I’m not a leader. Ultimately, the ability to gather people lies with Kim Noeul.

If Kim Noeul is Guan Yu (a warrior), then I am the strategist assisting her. Like the Three Visits to the Thatched Hut, you know? The webtoon title “Hakdo Yeonui” isn’t for nothing.

“Because we need each other, we have to accept each other’s thoughts to some extent. I won’t take the lead as much from now on.”

“…You won’t take the lead at all?”

“Do you think that’s possible? You should compromise too.”

“Sigh.”

Unable to refuse my rational suggestion, Kim Noeul covered her face with both hands.

“I’m curious. Why do you give me such a hard time?”

As I subtly asked, Kim Noeul tightly sealed her lips. It seemed we weren’t close enough for her to open up about the past.

“…I’ll tell you someday.”

“What?”

Her unexpected response surprised me. In truth, I had given up hope of hearing about her past directly from her until we graduated from Haneul High School.

But she said she would tell me someday.

‘It seems she has a somewhat favorable image of me.’

For some reason, I felt good and my lips curled up. I managed my expression and hurried back to the classroom.

Watching Kim Maru cheerfully walking away, Kim Noeul narrowed her eyes.

‘Yes, he’s a different person. There’s no guarantee he’ll turn out the same.’

But if he ends up facing the same fate…

Having finished her thoughts, Kim Noeul slowly opened her eyes.

Staring at Kim Maru with an obsessive gaze, not the usual gentle eyes of the class president but something fixated, she thought,

‘I will protect him.’