Ch.111Good grief, Ojou-sama (4)

# Miss Immortal Academy Contest

Originally, it was a traditional school trip event for female students at Immortal Academy, just as the name suggests. However, during the first-year meeting held before the school trip, the class president of Class 1-1, Ahn Seong-kyung, expressed her opinion:

“Do we really need to have a boring competition where Ban Do-young will just enter and win anyway?”

This sentiment resonated with everyone present, and as a result, it was decided to allow male students to participate as well.

Of course, Seong-kyung’s thought at the time was simply that she didn’t like the idea of Do-young, who called herself the “Goddess of Immortal Academy,” getting to add the modifier “official” to her self-proclaimed title.

“Alright, I’ll color your eyebrows to match your wig color for the main stage. This should eliminate any remaining awkwardness, right?”

“It—it tickles…”

“Just bear with it a little longer…”

The order of performances was determined by class number, starting with Class 1, and then by student number. Naturally, Do Ha-min, the only participant from Class 1, was assigned the first slot, meaning he would be opening the event.

After dinner, Ha-min was checking his makeup with the help of Sa-hyang and Hye-rang, who had taken charge of his styling before he went on stage.

Although this was part of a deal made when they offered to pick out clothes for his confession to Do-young, honestly, even as he put on the wig and women’s clothes they had chosen, he still felt it wasn’t right for him.

It couldn’t be helped.

He thought that “handsome” and “pretty” were ultimately just slightly different words.

If he imitated the appearance of another gender, how much would people’s reactions really change?

Ha-min couldn’t recall ever being called handsome in his life.

That much he could say with certainty.

His mother had said some things, of course, but anyone who had been through adolescence knew:

When parents tell their children they’re “handsome,” it comes from love, not truth.

“You’re pretty, so pretty.”

“R-really…?”

“I’m telling you, you are. We don’t usually call girls pretty.”

“That’s because we’re always looking at Ban Do-young.”

“Th-thank you…”

“Have confidence. Ha-min… no, Ha-mi! Today, you’re number one!”

Though he had been called “pretty” by Sa-hyang and Hye-rang who helped with the competition, and even by Do-young who accidentally saw him in his competition outfit, Ha-min didn’t believe those compliments were based on reality.

It wasn’t that their words felt like mockery.

But since he lacked confidence in himself, being called “pretty” felt about as meaningful as his mother saying “my son is the most handsome”—just empty words.

Still, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

Knowing that his mother’s compliments came from love,

He understood that Do-young and the others’ praise also came from their affection for him.

‘Phew… I just need to get through the ridicule today.’

It shouldn’t be difficult.

It’s just adding one more line to the pile of embarrassing memories he’d already accumulated.

That’s what Ha-min decided to think.

For just this one night of the school trip,

He could be the clown for other students’ entertainment.

If at the most important moment,

To the most precious person,

He could convey his feelings in the best possible way,

He decided to accept it gladly.

Just laugh it off.

Act like it doesn’t bother me at all.

If possible, be more cheerful.

Try to be like Do-young, who enjoys every moment.

Give a lively greeting and self-introduction.

While making a bright V-sign.

‘Oh, even at a time like this… I’m thinking about Ban Do-young…’

An unwavering determination in the form of Do-young took root in Ha-min’s heart.

Right now, even if he faced nothing but mockery and ridicule,

He felt he could smile through it all.

“H-hello everyone… I’m D-Do Ha-mi!”

And so, though not confidently,

Ha-min stepped onto the stage with his trembling heart,

Shyly extending a peace sign.

“M-my ideal type is someone dependable who likes to take care of others! Please treat me well!”

Ha-min finished his introduction by squeezing out the lines Sa-hyang and Hye-rang had prepared for him in a slightly high voice that had just barely passed through puberty.

‘L-laugh all you want! The current me will never break!’

While his heart was shouting those words,

Ha-min squinted his eyes slightly, waiting for the jeers and mockery to come his way.

“…”

“…”

“…Huh?”

Confused by the strangely prolonged silence,

Ha-min faintly opened his half-closed eyes.

No one watching him on stage

Was laughing at or mocking him.

“…Wow.”

Starting with a short exclamation that unconsciously escaped from a male student sitting in the front row,

“Woooow!!”

“Do Ha-mi is crazy!”

“What? Who is that? Have we had someone like that at our school?!”

“…Eh?”

Thunderous cheers began to pour from the audience.

.

.

.

This was strange.

There was no way this kind of reaction should happen.

“She’s cute!”

“She’s pretty!”

“Is that really a guy?!”

“Do Ha-mi gender normalization is insane!”

“N-normalization…?”

Normally, the auditorium should have become noisy with a mixture of mockery from the stage and the MCs’ restraining requests to refrain from harsh insults or jeers since the event was still ongoing. Instead, it began to fill with praise and encouragement from both male and female students.

“Th-this can’t be happening…?”

The unexpected positive reaction from the students actually

Violently shook the determination that had been firmly fixed in the image of Do-young.

He never expected to receive such enthusiastic praise—beyond mere polite compliments—from classmates who weren’t close friends like Sa-hyang or Hye-rang.

“Wow, the response is incredibly hot from the start! Ahn Seong-kyung’s class, you acted like you weren’t interested, but you were preparing such an amazing secret weapon behind the scenes?”

“…Hmph.”

“Well then, I simply must ask a few simple questions to our first Immortal Academy Goddess candidate, Do Ha-mi!”

“Yes, please!”

“Um, excuse me…”

“Alright then, following what our fellow students want, let’s go straight to the question corner!”

“Umm…?”

Why are they so excited?

Why are they so enthusiastic?

Finding it difficult to accept that he was the cause of this excitement, Ha-min began to feel that this enthusiasm was scarier than mockery or ridicule.

However, even as he was disoriented and confused,

The competition naturally continued.

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Yellow… I like yellow the most. I l-like its soft and warm feeling… haha.”

“Oh, it’s similar to Do Ha-mi’s eye color, isn’t it?”

“It really is!”

Barely holding onto his senses and recalling the rehearsal,

He tried to match the host’s pace, but,

“Then, do you have a favorite animal?”

“Umm… well. I’m a bit afraid of touching animals.”

“Ah, then if you had to choose between dogs and cats?”

“D… dogs?”

“Oh, I see. Dogs… Huh? Dogs?”

“Oh no, th-that’s…”

Whenever his concentration slipped even slightly due to nervousness,

His answers came out as Do Ha-min’s rather than the scripted Do Ha-mi’s.

“…Hey, Ahn Seong-kyung. During rehearsal, didn’t she say she liked small and cute cats?”

“…Just let it go as is.”

“That’s unexpected! People who are afraid of animals often prefer cats. What made you come to like dogs?”

“W-well… if I could become friends with an animal someday, I think dogs would… be more likely to become friends I could rely on…”

“That makes sense!”

“That’s such a Do Ha-mi answer!”

“Why, why is everyone getting excited after each answer?”

From about halfway through, the interview became a complete mess with Do Ha-min’s and Do Ha-mi’s answers all mixed up, but the students seemed to think even those answers were faithful to the concept, as enthusiastic responses continued to erupt until the end.

In reality, most students never knew which parts were scripted and which were improvised, even after the event ended.

“Now, for the final question. You mentioned earlier that your ideal type is someone dependable who likes to take care of others. If such a person appeared before Do Ha-mi right now, what would you do?”

“W-well…”

“Don’t be nervous, just say what comes to mind. What would you say if that person was beside you right now?”

“I’m… I’m scared, so please stay by my side…”

“W-wow…”

“Waaah! Teary-eyed Do Ha-mi is the best!”

“Class 1 is unfair! You already had Ban Do-young and Teacher Yeo Mi-so, and now Do Ha-mi too!”

And with that final answer—whether scripted or sincere—

Ha-min left the stage amid cheers until the very end.

After Ha-min’s turn,

Students from other classes who participated also showed decent quality performances,

But none of them received as enthusiastic a response as when Ha-min appeared.

.

.

.

“Alright! The results have just been tallied!”

“Ohhh!”

“This year’s Miss Immortal Academy Contest! First place, with 159 votes out of a total of 201 votes from students and teachers combined, goes to Contestant Number 1! Do Ha-mi!”

“Waaah!”

“I knew it!”

“Congratulations on your complete victory, Do Ha-mi!”

“…Ehhh?”

And as the transparent reaction of the students showed,

Do Ha-min was selected as the “official” Immortal Academy Goddess—something even Do-young hadn’t achieved—with an overwhelming majority of votes.

“Congratulations on your victory, Do Ha-mi!”

“Th-thank you…”

“The winner, Do Ha-mi, will receive the title of Official Immortal Academy Goddess, along with a Magic Pass for the amusement park scheduled for tomorrow’s outdoor activities during the school trip. And one more thing! A very special benefit will be given to Do Ha-mi!”

“A benefit…?”

“Please come out!”

Ha-min and the other students turned their heads toward the direction the MC enthusiastically pointed to.

“For tomorrow, we’ve invited a very special butler from the Islands to escort Do Ha-mi, who has become the Official Immortal Academy Goddess!”

“B-butler? Escort?”

With the clicking sound of dress shoes,

A butler wearing a black suit walked into the spotlight

In the direction the MC had pointed.

“Where is the young lady I’ll be serving?”

“D-Do-young…?”

“Pleased to meet you, my lady. I am Yeol Do-young, a butler from the Islands who will be serving you tomorrow.”

It was Ban Do-young from the Peninsula.