episode_0048

Jegal Yeonhwa had already chosen her opponent as soon as the fight began.

She lightly nudged her puzzled younger sister standing beside her.

“Rin, did you see how Kim Noeul looked good for me?”

“…Yeah.”

Jegal Hwarin wore a wounded expression on her pride but refrained from showing further discomfort. She knew that the moment she expressed it, her sister’s lessons would begin.

“So, practically, my opponent is Kim Noeul.”

Jegal Yeonhwa murmured as she glanced around.

Lee Ji-hye was already running towards Hana Doa, and there were no other named students worth mentioning.

“I’ve been interested for a while, and it worked out perfectly. She’s the girl who’s closest to Maru.”

Jegal Yeonhwa seemed quite content with Kim Noeul being her opponent.

Watching her sister’s nasty nature resurface, Jegal Hwarin felt a twinge of bitterness.

“Kim Noeul, that girl, it’s going to be tough to stop a sister once she gets going. I hope she gets hit a lot…”

“What are you doing?”

“Huh?”

Jegal Yeonhwa’s question left Jegal Hwarin dumbfounded.

“Let’s go fight now. Stop dawdling here.”

“Oh, okay.”

Jegal Hwarin briskly entered the fighting area and kicked a student, causing them to fall to the ground. She then stomped on the fallen student’s abdomen multiple times until she passed out.

Only after seeing Jegal Hwarin fight properly did Jegal Yeonhwa move forward.

Her stride was elegant and didn’t suit the chaotic fighting arena. Despite attracting enough attention, no student dared to approach her rashly.

“If they come closer, they’ll get smacked.”

“I should just fight according to the rules.”

The students, familiar with Jegal Yeonhwa’s notoriety, refrained from rushing towards her.

Approaching Kim Noeul, Jegal Yeonhwa sighed when she realized no one was attempting to attack her in between.

“I wanted at least one warm-up before we got into it, but no one’s coming…”

As she complained, she stood before a girl with long black hair fluttering in the wind, who was standing still in the middle of the chaos.

There was no one beside the girl.

Well, not exactly no one. More precisely, there was no student standing within two feet of her.

With many students lying around and others hesitant to approach her, Jegal Yeonhwa remarked, “Looks like you’ve warmed up before I arrived. Feeling loose, Kim Noeul?”

“…Jegal Yeonhwa.”

Kim Noeul cleared the fallen students around her with kicks and closed the distance with Jegal Yeonhwa.

As Kim Noeul moved in to attack, Jegal Yeonhwa raised her hand to halt her.

“Wait. Isn’t fighting straight away boring? I have a lot of questions for you.”

“Don’t you sense the mood? Are you finding this situation amusing?”

“Should I be sad instead?”

Kim Noeul narrowed her eyes at Jegal Yeonhwa, who gave a mismatched response.

“You’re the kind of person I dislike the most. Causing harm to others while acting as if you’re unaffected by it…”

Recalling her own past and family history, Kim Noeul glared at Jegal Yeonhwa as if she wanted to kill her. Despite the hostile gaze directed at her, Jegal Yeonhwa simply smiled.

“It seems like a conversation will be difficult after all.”

As Jegal Yeonhwa finished speaking, Kim Noeul’s threatening punch flew towards Jegal Yeonhwa’s face.

Dodging the punch with a simple duck, Jegal Yeonhwa retaliated with a low kick towards Kim Noeul’s abdomen. Kim Noeul lifted her leg to block the kick.

However, when the low kick landed on her calf, Kim Noeul grimaced in more pain than she had anticipated.

“Ouch!”

“You lack experience. You actually tried to block that.”

Sneering, Jegal Yeonhwa threw a punch towards Kim Noeul’s ribs. Kim Noeul countered by deflecting the incoming punch with her own fist.

Thud!

Jegal Yeonhwa scowled as her fist missed its mark.

“Was that supposed to be a punch?”

Jegal Yeonhwa widened the gap by grabbing Kim Noeul’s fiery hand. Kim Noeul was shaking her leg as if she had pain in her calf.

“If this level of pain with a punch that can’t be used as a lever… ”

Jegal Yeonhwa licked her lips and adjusted her strategy.

Engaging in infighting is a disgrace. Allowing Kim Noeul to land a clean hit even once would darken her own reputation.

“Kim Noeul, do you fight like a bull instead of your appearance? You’re too rough to handle.”

“Don’t act all relaxed. Your fist is trembling.”

“What about your legs then? Looks like you won’t be able to throw a proper punch forward?”

“Even if it’s not a proper punch… ”

Enduring the pain, Kim Noeul walked steadily towards Jegal Yeonhwa.

“You’re someone I can handle!”

Kim Noeul extended her fist along a straight path. Unlike before, Jegal Yeonhwa sidestepped instead of ducking and countered with a kick.

Kim Noeul calmly blocked the kick with her other arm and then threw another punch.

Jegal Yeonhwa dodged again and attempted a front kick.

“I can block this easily.”

As Kim Noeul assumed a defensive stance, Jegal Yeonhwa’s ankle pivoted. Kim Noeul’s eyes widened.

“This is…!”

Jegal Yeonhwa’s front kick trajectory changed into a roundhouse kick aimed at Kim Noeul. She quickly turned her face.

Though it was a roundhouse kick to the cheek, Kim Noeul turned her head to lessen the impact.

Rubbing her numb cheek, Kim Noeul regained her balance. Jegal Yeonhwa wore an uncomfortable expression as her counterattack did not land effectively.

“What, you handle this well too. Sometimes you seem like a beginner, other times experienced.”

“…I learned from your sister.”

The fake just now by Jegal Yeonhwa was something Jegal Harin used as well. Thanks to her previous experience, Kim Noeul could avoid falling for it.

“Ha, Harin really isn’t helpful. I’ll have to train her again after today’s work.”

“After today’s work, you might not be able to get up.”

“Heh, you say amusing things. Didn’t think you were the type to provoke.”

Jegal Yeonhwa let out a chuckle, stretched her arms forward, and did some stretching. It was an unfitting move for the tense current situation.

“Let’s have some fun soon.”

Since Kim Noeul initiated, Jegal Yeonhwa also got into gear. The bad habit Jegal Harin thought of was put into action by Jegal Yeonhwa.

“First, I’ll ask the question I wanted to earlier. What’s your relationship with Maru?”

“…What?”

Surprised by the unexpected answer, Kim Noeul blinked. Ignoring Kim Noeul’s reaction, Jegal Yeonhwa continued her questioning.

“Do you date? Or are you just friends?”

“Why are you asking that.”

Despite Kim Noeul’s stiff expression, she answered obediently, further provoking Jegal Yeonhwa.

“Why am I asking? Obviously because I’m interested in Maru.”

“…”

“Oh, but your answer doesn’t matter.”

Jegal Yeonhwa’s eyes curved like a crescent moon as she glanced towards where Kim Maru might be.

“If you have no relationship, let’s meet~. If it’s a special relationship, I’ll steal him~.”

“…”

“To be honest, I marked him from the first moment I saw him. The kid acts all cute on the surface, but his lower half seems restless.”

“…”

“I like making those kinds obedient… I wonder what sounds they’d make if pinned down.”

That statement was the trigger.

Unable to contain her anger any longer, Kim Noeul yelled, “You…! You’ve crossed the line…!”

In an instant, the distance between Kim Noeul and Jegal Yeonhwa closed. Dodging neatly with a weave, Jegal Yeonhwa rotated her body and delivered a kick.

The kick, filled with rotational force, struck Kim Noeul’s side. Despite the pain, Kim Noeul tried to grab Jegal Yeonhwa’s collar.

However, Kim Noeul’s simple actions were easy to predict. Jegal Yeonhwa calmly dodged her grabbing attempts and struck her side with a fist.

“Ouch!”

“She’s really like a beast.”

Whenever an opening appeared, Jegal Yeonhwa landed effective hits on Kim Noeul. To an outsider, it seemed like Jegal Yeonhwa was dominating the situation.

Yet, deep down, Jegal Yeonhwa felt perplexed.

“It feels like walking through a thorn bush.”

While it was advantageous that Kim Noeul’s actions had become simpler, her brutal punching power had also intensified.

Each time Kim Noeul’s attacks grazed her, Jegal Yeonhwa’s heart raced.

“I thought those who rely only on physical strength are easy prey, but she’s different.”

Although those lacking in technique couldn’t keep up with Jegal Yeonhwa’s honed skills, this was a rule that applied at a general level.

Ultimately, technique evolved to compensate for lacking physical attributes, and Kim Noeul’s physicality exceeded normal bounds.

“Stay calm. She’ll tire out if I can just buy some time.”

With that in mind, Jegal Yeonhwa attempted strikes methodically. Despite Kim Noeul sporting bruises all over, she continued to rampage like a bull.

Several minutes passed, yet Kim Noeul, with wild eyes, continued to track Jegal Yeonhwa’s movements.

By this point, even Jegal Yeonhwa started sweating.

“This is bad.”

It was regrettable that there was insufficient information about Kim Noeul. Her strength and endurance surpassed Jegal Yeonhwa’s expectations.

Ironically, as she threw effective strikes, Jegal Yeonhwa’s stamina began to deplete.

Moreover, having absorbed enough data about Jegal Yeonhwa, Kim Noeul gradually familiarized herself with Jegal Yeonhwa’s patterns.

In the end, successfully grabbing Jegal Yeonhwa’s ankle mid-kick, Kim Noeul, breathing heavily, pulled Jegal Yeonhwa down to the ground.

“Huh!?”

Kim Noeul’s fist struck Jegal Yeonhwa’s defenseless abdomen.

“Ugh!”

Gasping for air, saliva escaping her mouth, Jegal Yeonhwa tried to rotate her body to free her ankle, but Kim Noeul pushed her down flat on the ground.

“You!”

“Take that!”

Kim Noeul’s fist connected with Jegal Yeonhwa’s face, distorting her high bridge nose.

“Enough!”

“Ah!”

Kim Noeul’s elbow jabbed into Jegal Yeonhwa’s stomach, causing her to double over in pain.

“You’re done!”

“Aaargh!”

Attempting to headbutt Jegal Yeonhwa’s face, which had turned pale, Jegal Yeonhwa clenched Kim Noeul’s chest fiercely in retaliation.

“Argh!”

As Kim Noeul grimaced in pain, Jegal Yeonhwa, now free, struck Kim Noeul’s solar plexus with her liberated foot.

Jegal Yeonhwa, struggling to maintain balance, knelt on the ground, panting heavily, looking down at Kim Noeul. Trembling, Kim Noeul bit her lip, glaring at Jegal Yeonhwa as if to kill her.

That look held a glint of opportunity.

Approaching Kim Noeul now would undoubtedly result in being caught.

Once caught, it would be over.

Exhausted, Jegal Yeonhwa had no strength left to break free from Kim Noeul’s grasp.

But staying still wouldn’t end the fight either.

A strange tension flowed between the two women.

One hoped for an approach, while the other hesitated to make a move.

“Sigh… If you just lie there like that, I might as well go to Maru, huh?”

“…”

Though intentionally provoking, Kim Noeul silently regulated her breathing, still eyeing Jegal Yeonhwa. Jegal Yeonhwa chewed her lip, furrowing her brows.

“Darn it. I couldn’t properly subdue her. There must be a reason why Lin suffered so miserably.”

However, it was ridiculous to attempt to resist the Ojakgyo with just that much.

When signs of the formation of the Anti-Ojakgyo Alliance emerged, Jegal Yeonhwa raised her evaluation of Kim Noeul.

As the leader of the Ojakgyo was Alice, Jegal Yeonhwa had thought that at least she possessed abilities comparable to Alice’s.

But upon closer inspection, she realized she was more than capable of holding her own.

“Kim Noeul. Do you think you can properly defend the maru like this?”

“……”

“I’m not one to lecture you after hitting you, but the Ojakgyo isn’t as sloppy as you think. We have two people on our side who could easily leave you half-dead.”

“……”

“Just give up. This is for your own good. Submit, live quietly until graduation. Your boyfriend won’t be pleased, though.”

Jegal Yeonhwa, smiling slyly, continued with a taunting tone.

“Of course, as a lady of the upper class, if I were to take him under my wing, he wouldn’t end up in a bad state. The provocation I directed at you was almost sincere.”

“You… crazy woman…”

“Good reaction. Send me the videotape later, okay?”

The students around watching the confrontation between the two women began to exchange glances.

In truth, the outcome of this large-scale brawl would be determined by the fights between two pairs.

Lee Ji-hye and Han Do-ah.

Kim Noeul and Jegal Yeonhwa.

However, neither pair had a clear winner. Consequently, the students began to waver.

“W… what happens now?”

“Well, Eun Yuri needs to give instructions first.”

Amidst this chaos, there were still groups continuing to fight.

Nayuna, who stood among the senior members of the student council, scanned her surroundings, wondering, ‘I’ve never had anyone come at me before; is it okay to end things like this?’

Due to her peculiar aloofness, there was no interest in Nayuna from other students. Moreover, since the senior members fought well, Nayuna had no need to step in.

However, chaotic battlefields always bring unexpected variables. A female student successfully approached Nayuna and grabbed her shoulder.

“I got you, punk!”

“Eek!”

Nayuna swung her arms wildly, accidentally punching the girl in the throat.

“Gack! Cough!”

The force of Nayuna’s heavy blow left the female student flustered.

“C-Crazy, b*tch…!”

“Huh…?”

Nayuna, wearing a confused expression, closed her eyes tightly and clumsily started throwing punches.

“Ha! Die!”

Unable to block Nayuna’s punches due to the pain in her throat, the female student was hit and fell.

“Nayuna, nice!”

A nearby senior council member raised a thumbs-up. Feeling validated, Nayuna blushed and started looking for another opponent.

“I-I can be helpful too….”

Excited, she looked around, but soon slumped back down.

Unlike the previous comical scuffle, the fights near Nayuna were intense.

Furthermore, Jegal Yeonhwa and Kim Noeul were in a standoff nearby.

Watching the two women, whose skills she couldn’t hope to match, Nayuna lowered her head again and tried to fade into the background.

‘Yes, let the monsters fight each other…. Maru said I don’t have to fight, so….’

Quietly observing the situation, Nayuna was taken aback when she saw a familiar face at the entrance of the academy.

‘Huh? Eun Yuri?’

Other students also witnessed the scene and shouted, “Hey! Eun Yuri is here!”

All eyes focused on the entrance of the academy as Eun Yuri, having finished the English exam, casually walked out.

“It ended earlier than expected because it was just a mock test, not the official one.”

As Eun Yuri finished speaking, Kim Maru also walked out from behind her.

‘Maru! I wonder how the exam went?’

Nayuna observed Kim Maru’s expression.

‘He looks good… No, that’s not important right now!’

Kim Maru’s expression was ordinary, making it hard to determine whether he did well or not.

The students on the path where Eun Yoori was walking took a step back. Thanks to that, Eun Yoori easily found Jegalyeonhwa and Lee Ji-hye who were lying on the ground.

“This is unexpected.”

Eun Yoori made a pained expression and this time looked at Kim Noeul and Han Doa. Their conditions were not good either.

Kim Noeul had bruises all over, and Han Doa’s hair had become disheveled.

Understanding the situation, Eun Yoori sighed softly and spoke up.

“Let’s end it here today. The victory or defeat wasn’t clearly decided.”

“…Yes.”

Kim Maru replied like that, gazing worriedly at Kim Noeul and Han Doa.

Receiving Kim Maru’s gaze, the two women bowed deeply as if they had reached some kind of agreement. It was clearly a gesture of disgrace.

Following Eun Yoori’s instructions, the students from Ojakgyo hid their traces at the rotary. Jegalyeonhwa and Lee Ji-hye followed behind Eun Yoori, battered and bruised.

“Maru, greet me later~.”

“Doa unni, someday you’ll accept me.”

Despite the mess, the two leaders continued to tease us until the end.

Kim Noeul and Han Doa’s breathing became rough, but that was all. They were too tired to even argue back.

“M-Maru, how did the test go?”

In the dark atmosphere, Nayuna forced a smile and asked Kim Maru.

As she asked, not only Kim Noeul and Han Doa but all the surrounding students also looked at Kim Maru.

Without much hesitation, Kim Maru spoke up.

“The test…”