Ch.49Tutoring a Peer (6)

It had been over two weeks since Mom left the country.

It felt like just yesterday that I received the calendar with the academic schedule, but now it was almost time to replace it and welcome a new month.

This meant I had been possessing Ban Do-young from “Half of Half Island” for nearly a month.

In other words, my relationship with Do Ha-min was also approaching the one-month mark.

‘Time flies so fucking fast.’

Going to school.

Teasing Ha-min.

Hanging out with Sa-hyang and Hye-rang.

Teaching Ha-min kendo.

And teasing Ha-min again.

Like those once-popular videos summarizing an ordinary high schooler’s day,

my days would end quickly after completing all the routines I had to do.

Especially teasing Ha-min—that had to be done at least twice a day, except on weekends.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t feel like I’d spent my day productively.

Despite suddenly falling into this world, it was still an enjoyable life.

It was truly amazing how I had become accustomed to living as Ban Do-young, the main heroine.

I’d always been good at adapting—never had stomach issues when changing diets,

never tossed and turned when sleeping in a new place.

But I never expected this adaptability to persist even after possessing the sensitive, flower-like high school girl Ban Do-young.

‘I guess this girl must have lived with a “whatever happens, happens” mindset too.’

Well, with a face like this, that mindset is perfectly fine.

If anything, the original Ban Do-young from the original world might have been more problematic—living however she pleased with that face, which wasn’t even the most beautiful in the setting, and without anyone watching her back.

“I’m going to school.”

“Okay. Be careful on your way.”

Time continued to pass—comfortably, to put it nicely,

or monotonously, to put it less kindly.

I thought that morning would be the same as always.

“Good morning, Teacher Miso.”

“Ah, Do-young! You’re early today!”

“I heard you were on gate duty today, so I rushed right over.”

“That’s our Do-young. It’s wonderful to see you growing so much!”

“Ahaha, even with such praise, I’m not getting anything out of it.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing that wonderful attitude in the classroom too!”

“…Huh? Yes. Well, you can count on me.”

The school that morning seemed unusually busy.

Of course, a high school full of growing students is never quiet in the morning,

but strangely, that day felt somehow different.

I entered the classroom after receiving some mysterious encouragement from Teacher Miso.

Even as I entered, that subtle sense of discomfort or what might be called anxiety continued.

The original Ban Do-young in the source material was good at adapting to environmental changes, just like me in my original world,

but along with that, she was also sensitive to detecting those changes.

Along with the commotion around me,

I could also sense a slightly tense atmosphere circulating in the classroom.

“Ah, Do-young. Hello.”

“Hello, good morning everyone.”

“Oh, it’s Do-young. Hi!”

“Welcome. Did you see Teacher Miso at the gate?”

“That’s why I came early. If I had to face that again, I might end up with four buttcheeks.”

Ban Do-young was always the center of attention in this classroom, or rather, the entire school.

As soon as I entered, my classmates greeted me warmly.

Yes, up to this point, it was a typical morning.

*Scrape*

*Drag*

But if there was one thing different from usual, it was that all the students I met in the classroom

were dragging their desks around with both hands, like hermit crabs carrying their homes on their backs.

“…So you’re here.”

“Ah, Class President.”

Just then, I ran into An Sung-kyung, who was also busy moving her desk.

In Sung-kyung’s case, perhaps because of the virginity incident in the gym storage room,

she wasn’t as friendly with me as the other students.

But sometimes that usual distance in her grumbling was more reassuring.

Yes, if it’s Sung-kyung, this level of emotion toward me would be genuine.

There’s no need for politeness or pretense between people who’ve cleared the air.

“Why is everyone struggling with their desks? Did they all catch some dragon car-sex disease?”

“What nonsense are you talking about… Ban Do-young, now that you’re here, hurry up and move your seat. I’m sitting behind you.”

“Move my seat…? Why?”

“Are you seriously asking? It’s exam day today.”

“…Eh.”

Today was the day of the academic mock exam held at the end of March.

Once I realized that, I understood the source of the unease I’d been feeling all morning.

It was a severe case of study-phobia that needed treatment.

.

.

.

“Kekeke, did you really forget even after Teacher Miso emphasized it so much yesterday?”

“No wonder I felt extra reluctant to come to school today.”

“At least you weren’t late. If you had been, we would’ve had to carry your desk for you.”

“Sob… I hate this Korean webtoon world.”

During exam periods, desks that were usually paired were separated to prevent cheating.

Especially for nationwide tests like mock exams, the seating arrangements were even more strictly controlled.

Since it was officially a test to prepare for the college entrance exam,

not only were students separated from each other, but the arrangement was strictly determined by roll call numbers.

“Let’s see… Roll number 7 means… Eek. Right in front of the teacher’s desk.”

At Bulsa High School, roll numbers were assigned alphabetically by gender.

Naturally, on days like this, you’d be separated from your usual friends.

Unless all your close friends happened to have the same last name or names starting with the same consonant.

“Well, I guess we’re parting ways until lunchtime.”

“Want to bet that whoever gets the lowest score in Korean and math buys snacks?”

“That’s just asking Ban Do-young to buy them.”

Sa-hyang, Hye-rang, and I, all with different last names, were scattered according to our roll numbers.

Naturally, the close friends who usually gathered together were dispersed to different sections.

Wishing each other luck as we headed to our respective seats,

we promised to meet again.

The rendezvous time: lunch break, four hours later.

At the Shabondi system.

“Oh, come to think of it…”

My gaze shifted to a desk that remained unmoved, left alone.

It was Ha-min’s desk.

“Hye-rang, where’s the model student?”

“Hmm? I don’t know. He wasn’t here when I arrived either. His bag is hanging there though, so he must have come.”

“Hmm…”

“Ha-min is on class duty this week. He’s probably gone down to get the milk.”

At that moment, An Sung-kyung, who had somehow already placed her desk behind mine, answered my question in a seemingly indifferent tone.

“Eek, Class President! Why are you behind me?”

“Because you’re number 7 with the last name Ban, and I’m number 8 with the last name An.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Ha-min is number 24. Since this is the fourth week, he’s on class duty.”

At Bulsa High School, roll numbers were assigned alphabetically, with girls from 1 to 20 and boys from 21 to 40.

Many school activities were based on roll numbers.

From major things like mock exam seating arrangements to minor duties like class chores.

Everything was determined by roll numbers.

Ha-min was number 24.

He was fourth in alphabetical order among the boys.

Unfortunately, Ha-min, who had class duty during the fourth week when the mock exam was held, was left alone in his corner seat while everyone else quickly moved their desks.

“I guess even if he arrived first, he couldn’t move his desk alone. Unless everyone is clearing together, you can’t just touch other people’s desks.”

…Wait a minute.

Suddenly, I caught sight of a female student sitting at her moved desk, chatting and laughing with friends nearby.

Kim Hae-ju.

Roll number 4, who was on class duty with Ha-min this week.

“Hey, Class President.”

“What?”

“If Ha-min is on duty, isn’t Kim Hae-ju also on duty?”

“Um… yes.”

“Then why is Ha-min carrying milk while she’s just sitting there?”

“…You’re right. Why is she here when Ha-min isn’t?”

“…”

Before I knew it,

my feet were already walking toward Kim Hae-ju, who had placed her desk where Ha-min and I usually sat.

“Hey, Kim Hae-ju.”

“Oh, Do-young. What’s up?”

“Aren’t you on class duty this week? With Ha-min.”

“Um… y-yes?”

Kim Hae-ju subtly turned her head away, avoiding eye contact.

“Then what are you doing here? I heard Ha-min went down to the first floor to get milk.”

“Ah, no. I am on duty, but I came a bit late today… And I just got here, so it’s annoying to go up and down the stairs again, you know? So I asked Ha-min if he could go alone just for today, and he said okay…”

“…”

“D-Do-young… why are you glaring at me like that?”

*BANG!*

Kim Hae-ju’s desk flipped over backward.

“Eek! W-what are you doing?!”

“Sorry for kicking your desk. In exchange, I’ll take over your class duty today.”

“…Huh?”

I moved Ha-min’s abandoned desk to its proper place according to his number.

“Hey, Class President. Is this okay? I suddenly feel like being on class duty today.”

“Yeah, do whatever the fuck you want.”

“Yes yes, I don’t have a dick, but I’ll do whatever the fuck I want.”

I quickly went down the stairs,

heading toward the first-floor milk refrigerator where Ha-min would be.

“Huff… huff… Ah, this is heavier than I thought.”

“Hey, model student!”

“…Huh?”

Sure enough,

at the bottom of the first-floor stairs, I saw Ha-min struggling to carry a plastic box containing nearly 30 cartons of milk.

“Oh, hi. Did you just arrive?”

“You gullible idiot.”

“W-what’s with the sudden—”

“When she tells you to go alone, do you really go alone? You should have grabbed her by the hair and dragged her along!”

“N-no matter what, I couldn’t do that!”

Ha-min, carrying the box freshly taken from the refrigerator and still wet with condensation, was climbing the stairs with his whole body.

His jacket and shirt were already damp from the moisture from the box, and small beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.

“…So, did you move my desk too? That must have been heavy.”

“Yeah, it was fucking heavy. What’s with all that weight in your desk and bag?”

“In my case, it’s hard to borrow textbooks from others when I don’t have them… and I can’t rush home to get them either. So I keep pretty much everything in my desk.”

“So that’s why it was so heavy. Damn, I’m sweating from running here too. Ah, I’m thirsty enough for a Zero Lime.”

Perhaps because March was ending and the weather was getting warmer.

The full-speed dash through the corridor while wearing a school jacket had left even the pristine Ban Do-young’s forehead with beads of sweat.

“Ah, I don’t have cola, but if you’re thirsty…”

Ha-min took out a carton of milk from the box and held it out to me.

“Would you like some m-milk…?”

“…”

*Flick!*

I immediately flicked his sweaty forehead.

“Ow! Why, why did you hit me all of a sudden?!”

“‘Would you like some milk’ isn’t a line you can casually say.”

“…Huh? What do you mean?”

“It’s just one of those things.”