episode_0036

As I intervened, Jegal Yeonhwa spotted a familiar face and greeted me with a smile.

“Long time no see, Maru. How long has it been since then?”

“Don’t beat around the bush and focus on the current topic.”

“You saw it?”

“Yeah. Should we check the CCTV around the restroom?”

I had a strong reason for stepping in like this.

I had seen a scene in the original work where Handoa warned a female student smoking in the SC building.

It wasn’t Handoa who first raised his hand; it was the other person.

To anyone watching, it was clearly self-defense on Handoa’s part.

Of course, I’m not sure if there is CCTV nearby. It’s just speculation.

But Jegal Yeonhwa knows too. Considering Handoa’s personality, she would know that the Korean high school student was at fault.

If we were to check the uncertain existence of CCTV, it would work against Korea High.

As expected, Jegal Yeonhwa took a step back.

Her eyes curved like a crescent moon.

“Doa is lucky~. Being comforted by a cool junior. Are you jealous?”

“…Get lost.”

Handoa muttered with a disgusted expression.

“I’d like to press further, but since this is a company, I should restrain myself. Be careful from now on.”

“…”

With a swish of her long hair, Jegal Yeonhwa disappeared from sight. The onlookers around also began to disperse.

With the incident resolved, I felt relieved.

“It’s going to be chaos on the school forum today.”

Surely titles like ‘Heavenly High Team Leader vs. Ojakgyo Deputy’ will be posted. There will probably be a vote on who will win.

“…Honestly, I’m curious. Who will come out on top?”

“I didn’t expect Maru Hoobae to show up.”

Handoa nodded politely, bowing her head.

“Thank you for helping. Seems like I’m always the one receiving help.”

“We agreed to help each other. If something like this happens again, don’t hesitate to come to the counseling department.”

“But was I really near when I grabbed that girl’s wrist? She said she saw me…”

“You didn’t see it?”

As I casually replied, Handoa’s eyes widened, and she stammered.

“It’s dangerous! What if you lie and get caught…!”

“I trust you.”

“…”

“You know I’m not someone who would use force without reason.”

That was the Handoa I saw in the original work.

Strict towards others but even stricter towards herself. That was my understanding of Handoa’s character.

Handoa stared at me blankly. Perhaps due to the lighting on the ceiling, her face appeared flushed.

“Oh, meeting an ill-fated encounter seems to have given me a fever. I’ll go have breakfast for a moment.”

“…Go ahead.”

Handoa composed herself and took a deep breath.

Before, after having breakfast, her complexion would quickly return to normal, but this time was different.

Even after having breakfast, Handoa’s face remained flushed.

“Not feeling well?”

“…Could you look over there for a moment? It’s awkward.”

“Oh, sure.”

After she turned away, I looked elsewhere. Kim Noeul was coming towards me from the direction I was looking.

“What’s going on here? Why are you here?”

Kim Noeul seemed to have come here upon hearing the commotion.

“Doa senior extinguished a smoker’s cigarette. Then Jegal Yeonhwa showed up.”

“Why would that woman…?”

“I don’t know. Probably came to stir up trouble.”

It’s highly likely that Jegal Yeonhwa intervened solely to provoke Handoa without much thought. Given Jegal Yeonhwa’s nature, that’s entirely plausible.

Kim Noeul scanned me.

“No injuries, right?”

“No, I’m fine. And with Doa senior here, it’s safe.”

“Hmm.”

Upon hearing my words, Handoa cleared her throat and opened her eyes slightly. The flush on her face had subsided compared to earlier.

“Nice to see you, Noeul junior.”

“Did Doa senior also apply for the career experience here?”

“No, I’m a committee member. Since most Heavenly High students chose SC, they assigned me. There are quite a few other committee members as well.”

“At least it shouldn’t escalate into a big issue.”

“The story when Jegalyeonhwa was quiet.”

As Handoa sighed, Kim Noeul’s expression darkened. She disliked the fact of being in a building like the Ojakgyo itself.

“But didn’t Yuna come with you? I thought she would be with you guys.”

“Oh, the senior took a model with her. They must be sharing stories.”

At my words, Handoa looked worried.

“Is everything okay? I’m anxious…”

She worried about Yuna like a mother leaving a child by the water. But since Jung Soyeon wasn’t a dangerous person, she felt relieved.

“Yuna showed interest in modeling, so she went to ask about career-related things. Nothing to worry about.”

Kim Noeul reassured Handoa. However, Handoa’s expression didn’t seem entirely reassured.

“I wish it were that simple, but there are many troublesome students here, so I can’t relax.”

Handoa pointed somewhere, and as Kim Noeul and I followed her gaze, we saw a familiar face.

There, Jegalharin and Korean high school students were gathered.

“Jegalharin… I expected to meet her since Korea High is here for the field trip, but…”

Kim Noeul frowned like a guard dog towards outsiders.

“But she probably won’t come straight at us. We beat her last time.”

Kim Noeul’s expression softened slightly at my words. The real Kim Noeul looked at Handoa.

“Senior, what kind of girl is Jegalharin exactly?”

“I don’t know the specifics of your question.”

“I mean her fighting style or usual habits… I wasn’t there at the time, so I don’t have that information.”

It seemed like Kim Noeul wanted this kind of information as she would be the leader against Ojakgyo.

Handoa pondered while stroking her chin in response to her question.

“I haven’t directly fought Jegalharin. But based on what I’ve observed from afar… she often uses kicking techniques like her sister. Her reach is long and threatening.”

I empathized deeply with Handoa’s words since I had experienced her kicks firsthand.

“And she rarely travels alone. While her sister is often found alone, Jegalharin always moves in a group.”

Listening to her words, I observed the Jegal sisters.

Even now, Jegalharin was surrounded by other students, while Jegalyeonhwa was reading a magazine alone on the set.

A peculiar point was that the two sisters completely ignored each other. Despite being in the same space, they acted as if the other didn’t exist.

“It would be dangerous if we were attacked while alone.”

As Kim Noeul muttered, Handoa nodded.

“It’s better to stick together whenever possible. I recommend sticking together here too, just in case.”

After saying that, she glanced briefly in my direction and made a small suggestion.

“If it’s okay… I’ll also stick with you guys. It’s dangerous.”

Uncharacteristically, she glanced around nervously. Her face, which had just returned to normal after breakfast, turned red again.

“That’s fine with us.”

I agreed, causing Kim Noeul to make a puzzled expression.

“Why, is there a problem?”

When Handoa asked, Kim Noeul shook her head.

“No, not really. It’s true that it’s safer to stick together. Surely the Senior wouldn’t have suggested accompanying us for any other reason, right?”

“…Yes, there’s no ulterior motive.”

“Right. There shouldn’t be any other motives.”

Kim Noeul and Handoa glared at each other. A momentary misunderstanding arose between them.

“Alright, everyone~. Break time is over. Let’s move to the next location for the briefing~!”

This time, it was a female staff member, not a male one, who called us. Seems like there are different guides for the first and second halves.

“Break time is over.”

I quickly stepped away from that spot.

Kim Noeul and Han Doa followed behind me. Yet, the peculiar tension between the two continued.

*

*

*

Entering the model waiting room, Na Yuna looked around with her mouth agape.

“Wow….”

Mirrors surrounded her. Snacks and makeup tools filled the drawers, while articles and advertisements featuring Jung Soyeon were displayed on the central table.

Jung Soyeon handed Na Yuna a glass of juice.

“Drink up.”

“Thank you.”

“So, how old are you?”

“Nineteen….”

“Huh? Then we’re the same age. No need to be so formal.”

“I find it awkward….”

“It’s awkward for me to be formal with someone my age too.”

“…I’ll try.”

Na Yuna hesitantly sipped the juice. Jung Soyeon, chin in hand, stared through Na Yuna, then spoke.

“Straighten your back.”

“Huh?”

“And align your shoulders. Keep your gaze forward.”

Taken aback by the sudden instructions, Na Yuna hesitated but complied. Seeing Na Yuna’s actions, Jung Soyeon smiled.

“You look much better now. Even this much should not disappoint the CEO.”

“To be honest, I’m not sure. What charm I have… I’ve lived as a loner all my life….”

“Why did I bring you here?”

“The reason you brought me here?”

Na Yuna recalled what Jung Soyeon had said.

‘Come to think of it, she mentioned something about not seeming like others….’

“It might be an impertinent question, but were you perhaps a nerd…?”

“……”

“…I’m sorry! Please don’t sue me for defamation!”

“It reminded me of my younger sibling.”

“Oh.”

“They were shy like you…. But now….”

Suddenly stopping, Jung Soyeon half-closed her eyes, nibbling her lip. To Na Yuna, Jung Soyeon seemed both sad and angry.

“Never mind. Why would I say such things to someone I just met…. Anyway, it’s because seeing you reminds me of my sibling.”

“T-then what should I do?”

“Try again. With the CEO.”

“What if they’ve lost interest in me…?”

“Since you were rude earlier, let me be rude for a moment too.”

“Huh!? W-wait!”

Before Na Yuna could protest, Jung Soyeon lifted Na Yuna’s messy bangs. Looking at Na Yuna’s face, Jung Soyeon lowered the bangs again.

While Na Yuna’s face turned beet red, Jung Soyeon appeared intrigued.

“I can assure you. If you confront the CEO again, they will definitely consider you. Are you really going to ignore the intuition of a current model?”

“I’m not ignoring that! If there’s a real chance for me….”

“Think carefully. Opportunities like this are rare in life. This might be your last chance.”

At Jung Soyeon’s words, Na Yuna swallowed nervously.

‘Deciding to become a model means I have to open up my broadcasting career.’

It’s difficult to model with a covered face. Yuna must reveal her true self, and Yuna will truly emerge into the world.

An opportunity that may never come again.

A chance to live a different life than now.

The faces of the counseling team came to mind. She pondered over their supportive words.

And she remembered the way CEO Im Ju-hee looked at her, as if she were a precious gem.

After her thoughts, Na Yuna gazed at Jung Soyeon with determined eyes.

“I’ll give it a try. Modeling.”

“You made a good decision.”

From then on, Jung Soyeon passed on knowledge about profile creation and agency contracts to Na Yuna.

By the time they left the waiting room, Na Yuna was already in a state of determination. She had absorbed the advice of her senior models.

“I have a special shoot and a rival to deal with, so I’ll head out.”

“Ah, Jegal Yeonhwa….”

“Review what I told you today. And be confident with the CEO! Got it?”

“Got it.”

Jung Soyeon waved goodbye and walked away. Na Yuna was about to return to where the counseling team was, wearing a bright expression.

But near the path back, Jegal Hwarin’s gang was present.

‘I’m doomed! Should I quietly pass by and hope they don’t notice?’

With cautious steps, she approached slowly, catching fragments of their conversation.

“Ju Wonyoung, why is that jerk failing so miserably…?”

“He’s also dropping in the school rankings. His extracurricular activities at Ojakgyo are plummeting.”

“But Kim Maru is exceptional… How can he beat a perfect score…?”

Jegal Hwarin was engaging with the students.

“I stayed quiet when Lee Jihye told me not to interfere, but we failed in the end. If this continues, I’ll get it from my sister!”

Jegal Hwarin expressed her frustration, biting her nails.

“Lyn, don’t we have to do something ourselves? If we can’t surpass Kim Noeul, we’ll keep being overshadowed.”

“…It’s the leadership. If we just match the numbers, I can step over Kim Noeul.”

Everyone fell silent at Jegal Hwarin’s words. In the hushed atmosphere, she scanned the room.

“Why, does everyone have complaints?”

“W-well, it’s not that… But from what I’ve heard, even Kim Noeul has some connections…”

“At most, he’s caught a few lackeys. What has he really achieved? He caught an officer, big deal.”

“….”

“It’s about influence, influence… Once we match that…”

“Are students from other schools acceptable?”

At that moment, a female student suggested to Jegal Hwarin.

“From another school?”

“It came up because of SC. Is it Jung Soyeon? There’s a girl who seems to have a grudge against her wandering around the school lately.”

“Jung Soyeon, the one who keeps bothering our sister? There’s a girl who dislikes her?”

“Yeah. She was at Sonwon before and recently left. Seems like she has quite a following, and she was seen hanging out with a counselor. Maybe we can use this to our advantage?”

“External… external…”

Jegal Hwarin, deep in thought, lifted the corner of her mouth.

“Let’s give it a try. Can’t hurt.”

“Then I’ll make the call.”

Listening in on the conversation, Nayuna covered her mouth with both hands, unable to breathe. Her eavesdropping skills kept her from being caught.

Her expression paled at the shocking news.

“Jung Soyeon with a grudge? And cozying up to the counselors…?”

Nayuna rushed towards where the counselors were, eager to share this news.