Ch.106106. Betrayal

[2nd Year Student Guidelines]

-List of etiquette rules to maintain close relationships with special class participants

-90-degree bow whenever seeing seniors

-No walking while looking at phones

-1st year students cannot dye their hair

-Always stand up when answering calls from 2nd year students

-Must add “danakka” after everything you say to seniors

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-Violating these rules will result in group punishment where everyone receives penalties together.

“What kind of bullshit is this?”

It was utterly ridiculous. I’m not attending a physical education university, nor am I looking at a college from ten years ago.

Right now, strange things were happening at Yeager Academy.

“Danakka? They probably mean ‘da’ and ‘ka’. There aren’t even words ending with ‘na’. They’re just imitating military hazing they’ve seen somewhere.”

The materials that Sucheon, Heemin, and Cheongi sent me were simply appalling.

This isn’t the military… actually, even today’s military doesn’t do this.

And they’re doing this to first-year students?

“Couldn’t we just report this and be done with it?”

“But Jonghyun, it’s not that simple. Even with these guidelines, we need direct evidence.”

Sucheon whispered cautiously.

Yes, I know. But I’m prohibited from participating in special classes, and this content is limited to those who’ve entered the special classes.

Otherwise, I might clash with temperamental people like Aerial.

“Then gather evidence. Even if it’s hard to endure.”

While we were whispering, Yoo Deokmin suddenly rushed over.

“What are you guys talking about?”

“Why do you care?”

“What are you doing, sneaking around like rats?”

What’s this guy’s problem? But suddenly he grabbed me by the collar.

“What are you trying to pull?”

“What’s with the force? Let go.”

“I don’t want to.”

At that moment, we just glared at each other without speaking. Then he released my collar.

“Ah, whatever. I’m too scared to do anything since you’ll probably run and tattle.”

“If you know that, why act tough?”

“Huh? Just trying to keep things in check these days.”

Suddenly, Deokmin grabbed Sucheon’s shoulder.

“These guys have been acting suspicious lately. They were showing up regularly but suddenly stopped coming.”

“So what?”

“It’s none of your business, so get lost. If you have a problem, take it up with the seniors.”

It seems Deokmin is taking on the role like future Kim Dohyun. He’s marking the lower-level class.

The next day, Sucheon and Heemin were absent.

“…”

Could they have faced retaliation? I was worried, but that wasn’t all.

They were becoming more blatant toward me too.

“Senior, how should we plan our strategy?”

During gate simulation practice, they ignored me.

“Don’t talk back to seniors.”

Blatantly. They were ignoring my opinions.

“But I only suggested we make a plan.”

“Comfortable, are you? Rebelling against a senior’s words.”

“Why are you being unreasonable? What did I do?”

“Ha, look at this.”

This kind of emotional drain continued. It would be fine if it happened just once, but it was the same in every class.

But the problem came next.

Soon after, a girl named Yoon Seonha from the intermediate class called me out.

“Could you stop defying the seniors?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Every time you do that, we all get punished under collective responsibility.”

I was dumbfounded. It’s ridiculous that there’s collective punishment because of me. How is that my fault?

“Report it. Say they’re bullying you.”

“Do you think that would work? Don’t you know what happens when you carelessly report seniors? You showed us, right? Sure, it’s easy for you as an outsider. Anyway, I’m leaving.”

I had no idea they would use me like this.

But my side is taking it one-sidedly. Am I supposed to just stay quiet without saying anything?

And it continued the next time too.

They constantly exhausted my emotions. It was especially problematic when knowledge conflicted or when seniors made mistakes.

“No, why are you dodging to the left to catch it? It should be to the right!”

“The King Eye Ghost is on the right. That’s the only way to avoid its attack.”

“What, you punk? Are you arguing with your senior?”

“Just check it!”

When I was proven right, they would respond like this:

“Fine, you’re so smart.”

They would mock me without apologizing. Then there was the time we were catching snow leopards in the snowy field.

Like before, I was grabbing the legs, but a senior who was supposed to buy time in front got attacked because they didn’t do it properly.

In the end, our mission failed, and the seniors got angry.

“You can’t even provide proper support. A combat personnel who’s worse than a sidekick and doesn’t even have a summoning spirit…”

“Don’t blame others for your mistake, senior.”

Aren’t you embarrassed to blame others for your own mistake? Their shameless behavior was infuriating.

“What did you say?”

“Is that how you’ll act in a guild? Will those excuses work there? You know better than anyone.”

“Look at this punk’s attitude…”

What calmed down this agitated 2nd year senior was Bang Seokchan, who suddenly appeared.

“What are you doing, idiot! Just let it go!”

The ringleader himself had arrived. More precisely, he was watching out for the instructors.

Other instructors were approaching us.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing. Just a difference of opinion.”

The 2nd year who was angry with me immediately groveled before the instructor.

“Come on, seniors shouldn’t act like that. You need to listen to your juniors’ opinions for them to grow well.”

“Yes, yes.”

He comes toward me, trembling as if very annoyed.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I got a bit excited… hahaha.”

“…”

A meaningless handshake. But there was a special class that day.

And the next day, my classmates’ gazes had become very cold.

*

Bang Seokchan was satisfied. Most of the 1st year students were bowing their heads before him.

“It’s not your fault! It’s just your classmate’s fault. But don’t blame your classmate. It’s the group’s responsibility! Are you going to blame others on the battlefield? When someone makes a mistake, are you just going to criticize instead of trying to fix it?”

Bang Seokchan was giving a speech. He was pointing out their thoughts about Do Jonghyun’s wrongdoings and the punishment they received because of him.

“Even if you get cursed out because of him, you should change him. That’s what being classmates and comrades is about. Shouldn’t you cover for your friend’s mistakes? Am I wrong? You should help your friend who made a mistake. Do you think just cursing in your mind is enough? You need to change yourselves.”

Their goal was to make the 1st year students pressure Do Jonghyun themselves.

Since they, as 2nd years, couldn’t directly touch Jonghyun, they were using his fellow 1st years instead. Even if reported, it would result in ostracism of both 1st and 2nd years.

“If you can’t pressure directly, do it indirectly. This is what creating an ‘atmosphere’ means.”

“Making them read the room?”

Yoo Deokmin chewed gum beside him. Bang Seokchan looked at the intermediate class receiving punishment from Baek Dongguk.

“Yes, just once if he bends. If we make him read the room, there’s nothing more he can do.”

“So he’ll automatically conform once he realizes it’s easier that way?”

Some 1st years, including Yoo Deokmin, weren’t being punished.

Han Minwoo was one of them, but he was still bowing his head like the others.

Bang Seokchan was watching him with uneasy eyes.

‘Han Minwoo, he’d be good to bring in, but he’s too quiet. It would be a waste to pressure him for that. Plus, he’s so silent that I can’t read his thoughts.’

Yoo Deokmin has decent skills but is in the lower class. They need someone in the 1st year upper class who will follow their orders.

He approached Yoo Deokmin and casually asked:

“How’s the atmosphere around Do Jonghyun?”

“Getting worse. The students are talking about how Jonghyun doesn’t participate in special classes, but we’re the ones being punished.”

“But we need to give them a carrot at this point.”

“Ending it already?”

Bang Seokchan knew better than Yoo Deokmin how to manipulate people. There was a reason he treated them well until the 3rd years left.

He thoroughly entices them with carrots, trains them with sticks, and then entices them with carrots again.

‘Because if these guys rebel by saying they won’t directly confront Jonghyun, I don’t have much to say.’

In fact, this unreasonable situation works because Bang Seokchan has been kind to the students and helped improve their skills.

In their perception, Bang Seokchan is like an excellent tutor who is now angry.

And it’s through the problematic student, Jonghyun. Bang Seokchan was orchestrating this.

He wanted the 1st years, not themselves, to pressure or restrain Jonghyun.

“Deokmin, now you need to redirect the frustration building up because of Jonghyun. Keep turning it toward him.”

“Yes. Plus, something big is about to happen. It definitely won’t affect the seniors.”

“As expected of Deokmin. Apply for the upper class next year. You deserve it.”

“Thank you.”

Everything was going according to plan. Bang Seokchan was beginning to enjoy the world he wanted.

*

Friday of the first week of November. I felt bad from the morning.

[Jonghyun, please, can’t you just go along with what the seniors say?]

[It’s easy to say report them. But if most of the 2nd years are like this, the school probably won’t expel them or anything. And we don’t want to be marked either.]

[Can’t you just endure it once?]

Students from lower and intermediate classes came in groups to plead with me.

Their scheme is obvious. Since I’ve already reported someone before, they’re approaching me like this.

The more I resist, the harder it becomes for my classmates.

[Just bend once. We know it’s unfair to you. But we owe the seniors, and it’s too hard. Please.]

“…”

A cold atmosphere prevailed.

It was so distracting that I couldn’t focus on class.

In the end, others are suffering, and to change this structure, I need another approach.

There was only one option.

“Jonghyun.”

Cheongi, sitting next to me, whispered.

“I’ve collected evidence for over a week. What do you want to do?”

“Give it to me. I’ll end this.”

Whether it’s the entire 2nd year or whatever, as long as there’s evidence, they can be separated or dealt with.

I can’t watch the students being bullied anymore.

“I’ll report it.”

“Just in case, do you want to meet with the instructor separately?”

“Ah, yes.”

I glanced at Yoo Deokmin.

I heard that Heemin and Sucheon were being monitored because of him.

He’s not even a spy, why is he acting like this?

Anyway, with the evidence, I could end this in one go.

I would meet with the instructor, explain the bullying, and have them call in the perpetrators.

Then I’d just need to explain with the video evidence.

I went to find Instructor Oh Juhwan as lunch was ending.

“Instructor, do you have time? I’d like to request a meeting.”

“A meeting? Come back to the faculty office after class ends.”

“Yes.”

After setting up the meeting, I received the evidence from Cheongi before class ended and presented everything to Juhwan.

“What? Bullying? Again? Who is it?”

The excited Juhwan looked at the material from Cheongi.

It showed someone receiving punishment.

Wait, but the people aren’t clearly visible? Is it because they’re being punished?

There’s clearly cursing and some 1st years with their heads down, but no 2nd years visible.

Still, this should be enough to move the instructor.

“I’ll report this to the higher-ups. It’s Friday now, right? Stay quiet. Understand?”

It’s over now. I felt peace in my heart.

To avoid causing unnecessary trouble, I pretended everything was normal.

And on the anticipated Monday, the school was understandably turned upside down.

Classes with 2nd years were suspended. Everyone was discussing and waiting for the decision.

[Do Jonghyun! Do Jonghyun, please come to the faculty office!]

But all of this was different from what I expected. The department head looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Jonghyun, I investigated, and everyone says it’s not true.”

“What? If you ask Cheongi, Sucheon, or Heemin, you can get more details.”

“I asked them.”

“What? They told me they were being bullied, so I did this.”

“Did you… make accusations without knowing? Without proper knowledge?”

As the department head’s expression grew frightening, I realized one thing.

I had been set up.

Perfectly designed. The department head continued to glare at me.

“So you’re causing trouble just because you don’t like the seniors?”

An extreme headache rushed through my mind.