Ch.8480 – Nagging

“I really thought you were a teacher and got so scared.”

Originally, this was the time to take my potion.

Yuna seemed to be blending in well with the other kids playing gonggi, so I felt comfortable going to the bathroom to wash my flask too.

But after inhaling it once through the atomizer like a vape, I realized I’d never be able to drink this liquid again.

Though it was a bit late, I decided I should finally look after my poor tongue and use magic one more time.

Fortunately, the bathroom exhaust fan was working properly, so I climbed onto a chair to secretly blow the vapor outside. That would reduce the smell too.

It was a perfect plan with zero chance of getting caught. Until a curious child spotted me.

“Isn’t that a vape…? We’re not supposed to smoke at our age.”

Ha-ru pointed at the object in my hand.

“Can’t you see this flask? It’s not a cigarette, it’s a potion I drink.”

At first, I made it crudely with an empty pen Yuna gave me, but lately I’d gotten skilled enough that it actually looked like a real vape.

I didn’t even need to connect it directly to the flask anymore—I just had to refill the liquid.

“Why do you drink potion like that?”

“Because it tastes awful.”

“Because it tastes awful?”

“Didn’t you see Yuna before? This stuff is way worse than you’d think.”

When I first drank it and thought it tasted like Pocari Sweat, there must have been something wrong with my taste buds.

Back then, everything tasted bland because my body wasn’t normal.

Lately, I could smell things better and distinguish flavors beyond sweetness, which was a good sign that my body was gradually recovering.

The downside was that the potion tasted increasingly disgusting.

But why was she trembling like that? It was certainly cold with the window open letting in outside air.

“Anyway, you won’t tell the teacher, right?”

“No, I won’t tell. So can you let me out now?”

“Sure, why not.”

[Spell: Rotational Movement]

With a click, the bathroom door opened again.

“Before we go back to class, can we talk in the hallway for a bit?”

“With me? About what?”

“Just about school life and stuff. I’m a transfer student, so there’s a lot I don’t know about the academy. I heard you were class president last year. Are you running again this time?”

“Yeah… I guess so. Wait, NoName, are you planning to run too…?”

“No? Why would I bother with something so troublesome?”

“Phew, that’s a relief.”

Ha-ru sighed with relief.

I didn’t even want to be a group project leader, let alone take on such a bothersome position.

“But why do they hold class president elections so late here? I’ve never seen a school do it in early April before.”

The cherry blossoms were already in full bloom, and green leaves had sprouted on the branches. A gentle breeze came through the hallway window, ruffling our hair before escaping.

“This way, we get to know each other for a month and figure out who’s really suited to be class president. Just being good at studying doesn’t mean you have a sense of responsibility.”

“I guess it would be pretty bad if someone like Si-hoo or Yuna became class president.”

“Right? Seo Yu-na only ever thinks about herself! We were in the same class last year, and when I tried to be nice and talk to her, she actually hit me! I had a bruise here for a week—it really hurt. You’re a new transfer student who doesn’t know anything, so Yuna’s probably just pretending to be friendly with you, but there’s nothing good about hanging out with her.”

“Hmm… you think so?”

“Yes! And you should have seen how she was grinding her teeth trying to win that boring gonggi game or whatever. Look, my hands are all red, see?”

Ha-ru held out both hands with her palms facing down.

If she was asking for sympathy for her pain, I’m afraid she was out of luck.

“Ha-ru, come closer? Let me see your cheek.”

“Why? Is there something on my face?”

“Yeah, probably?”

Ha-ru bent her knees slightly. Perfect height.

She closed her eyes gently, thinking I was going to remove something from her face.

Well, I was going to remove something—the rudeness that had taken root in her.

I pinched her small cheek hard and pulled.

“Owww! Wha’ are you doing?!”

“If you’re not going to say something to someone’s face, you shouldn’t talk behind their back. And I’m a little hurt that you called gonggi boring when I went out of my way to teach it to you.”

“Le’ go firs’!”

“Hm? Not relaxing your face, Ha-ru? It hurts more if you tense up, you know.”

Just because I’m small, you think you can push me around?

Back in the day, even the Empire’s three dukes trembled before me.

As Ha-ru kept trying to break free, I used my aura to make her legs go weak.

To make sure she wouldn’t fall and hurt herself, I supported her under the arms and carefully helped her kneel in the hallway.

“The reason you shouldn’t gossip is for your own sake too. You might have legitimate reasons to be annoyed with Yuna. But from my perspective, listening to you, I might think you’re the type of friend who badmouths anyone.”

“Ugh.”

“Even if we become friends later, I might think, ‘Oh, she’s the type who gossips as soon as she gets a little upset with someone.’ Wouldn’t that make it hard to earn my trust? Don’t you think?”

“I guess so…”

Ha-ru answered with a gloomy expression.

“That’s strange. Even if our Yuna can be a bit arrogant sometimes, she’s not the type to hit someone for no reason. Did she really do that?”

“You too…”

“Hm?”

“You just called Yuna arrogant too!”

“I can tell Yuna to her face that she’s being arrogant.”

And if I did, Yuna would just give me that goofy smile of hers.

“So?”

“Actually… I don’t know, I can’t remember clearly.”

“Then how about I ask Yuna about it later? If you were at fault, will you apologize to her? Of course, I’ll make sure Yuna apologizes for hitting you too.”

“No, absolutely don’t ask her!”

Suddenly Ha-ru grabbed my wrist and pleaded desperately.

“Why not?”

“Please. I’ll just go apologize to Yuna now.”

“Did you say something bad about her? Or did you get caught gossiping…?”

“No… no, it’s just…”

“Now you’re making me even more curious.”

What could she have possibly done to make a seven-year-old girl angry enough to punch her in the chest?

Was Yuna impressive for hitting her friend in the chest, or was Ha-ru impressive for making a child that angry…?

“This seems like a situation where I need to hear both sides. There was probably some misunderstanding between you and Yuna. I’ll talk it through, so don’t worry too much. And I’m really sorry for hurting your cheek.”

You can’t understand what happened by hearing only one side of the story.

I suppose it’s true that while perpetrators forget, victims remember those moments forever.

Just as Ha-ru kept dwelling on being hit by Yuna, Yuna probably had her own side of the story.

Seeing Ha-ru’s reddened hands and cheek made my heart ache.

“What are you doing now…!”

“Put your hands on your face and hold them there. I’ll make it stop hurting.”

[Casting: Tissue Regeneration]

So I used tissue regeneration magic again. I seem to be using it quite often these days.

I was even thinking about getting a scroll for it if I’m going to use it this much.

The reddened skin returned to its original color. Ha-ru just stared at her hands in amazement, looking back and forth between them.

“Shouldn’t we go back to class?”

It was almost the end of class time, and if we weren’t back by then, the teacher would probably come looking for us, so we needed to at least show our faces.

But Ha-ru remained kneeling in the hallway, not moving an inch.

I went back and asked her why.

“Did it hurt that much?”

Was she just being dramatic? I didn’t think I’d pinched her that hard.

“I’m sorry… Actually… I said something really mean to Yuna.”

“Why are you suddenly crying?”

“I told Yuna… that she was a fatherless outcast… I wanted to be best friends with you too, NoName… but if you hear that, you’ll hate me too… because you’re… adopted too…”

Ha-ru confessed while biting her lips tightly. She was clearly trying hard not to cry.

How does she even know I’m adopted?

It couldn’t have been Yuna, who doesn’t speak a word to the other kids in class. Even young children have impressive information networks.

“No wonder Yuna was angry. But if you sincerely apologize, I’m sure Yuna will accept it.”

“Aren’t you upset…? Aren’t you angry?”

“I’d be angry too if someone said that to me. But didn’t you want to be friends with me?”

“Yes…”

“Then it’s simple. You apologize, and I accept your apology. I’d really like to be friends with someone popular like you.”

It’s a simple matter.

So simple that it makes my blood boil when I think of those who can’t manage even this much.

“The floor is cold, let’s get up. You’ll catch a cold.”

I reached out my hand to help her up, but Ha-ru grabbed my legs and buried her face against them.

“I… I really… regretted saying that… My mom passed away in an accident last winter, and I realized how terrible what I said was… *sob*! I kept thinking it was divine punishment for what I said to Yuna…”

Her mother passed away? This was the first I’d heard of it.

“I hardly ever gossip…! Last year, I was the only girl who tried to look after Seo Yu-na… It’s so unfair, why did this happen to me? Uuugh…”

“You must have had a really hard time, Ha-ru. Have you been dealing with this all by yourself?”

Ha-ru nodded. Sniffling, she spoke in a nasal voice.

“I… *sob*… I miss my mom so much…”

I silently patted her back, and it seemed like she had more to say.

“When you… pinched my cheek, it really hurt. I’ve never been hit by my parents in my life. Seo Yu-na was the first person to hit me. And then you…”

“I’m sorry for hurting your feelings. I sincerely apologize again.”

“And apologize for scaring me in the bathroom too…”

“Yes, I’ll apologize for that too.”

This kid seems to be the type who bottles things up and then lets it all out at once.

In the end, I had to comfort her in the hallway until class ended, and when the bell rang, I grabbed her hand and we rushed back to the classroom together.