Chapter 12: Doki Doki literary club

“Class President, did you hear? The vice president suddenly transferred!”

“…What?”

The next day, as soon as I entered the classroom, I was greeted by a girl’s excited chatter.

“What are you talking about?”

“I just overheard the teacher saying it. Apparently, the vice president called and said he was transferring, then hung up. The teacher tried calling back, but the number was disconnected…”

“…So what are you saying? I just saw him yesterday. He transferred without saying anything? That doesn’t make sense.”

I understood what she was saying.

But it was so absurd that I couldn’t help but ask, my voice laced with irritation.

I knew it wasn’t her fault, but I couldn’t focus on being polite.

I impatiently pulled out my phone and dialed Choi Hyeong-gon’s number, which he’d given me yesterday.

The cheerful ringtone played, followed by the call connecting.

But no matter how long I waited, his voice didn’t answer.

Only the empty dial tone resonated.

At first, I thought it was some kind of prank.

But when the automated message said, “The number you have dialed is not in service,” reality hit me.

I looked around the classroom, everyone’s faces still etched with shock.

I probably looked the same.

“…Is there anyone who can contact him?”

“No…”

It was unbelievable, but he, Choi Hyeong-gon, was gone. Just like that, overnight, without a trace.

“What the…”

The vivid memories of yesterday resurfaced.

Discussing the group project, playing games at the PC bang… it had only been yesterday.

He disappeared without a word, even erasing his contact information, vanishing completely.

He’d participated so enthusiastically in the discussion yesterday.

What could have happened? I mumbled a weak “thank you” to the girl who told me the news and slumped into my seat in the back of the classroom.

“…Sigh.”

Did he really transfer? Even going so far as to disconnect his phone number? I tried calling him again, just in case, but only the dial tone answered.

I sighed heavily.

He must have had his reasons, just like I had mine, so I didn’t blame him.

But I wished he’d at least said goodbye. I thought we’d become friends.

Couldn’t he have done that much? Even though we’d become close so quickly, we’d gotten along well.

I couldn’t help but feel disappointed by this sudden farewell.

I felt like I’d been possessed by a mischievous ghost.

A ghost that suddenly appeared, captivated you, and then vanished just as suddenly, leaving you stunned and bewildered.

“Oh, Sia, you just got here?”

“…Yeah, hi Seon-a.”

“Hee hee.”

As I was trying to calm down, Seon-a approached me.

Her hands were slightly damp, perhaps from washing them in the restroom.

As soon as she sat next to me, she playfully leaned against me.

Her smile was brighter and more cheerful than usual.

Normally, I would have hugged her back with a smile, but I didn’t have the energy to even lift the corners of my lips.

“Ah, did you hear the news?”

“About Hyeong-gon?”

It was obvious what she was referring to, so I replied in a subdued voice.

Seon-a, on the other hand, sounded as lively as a salmon about to leap upstream.

“Hyeong-gon? You’re on a first-name basis already…? Well, anyway, I don’t know why he left, but honestly, I’m glad that annoying jerk is gone.”

“What?”

I stared at her in shock, taken aback by the venom in her usually gentle voice.

“Annoying jerk”? The emotion behind those words went beyond mere dislike. It was closer to contempt.

I knew Seon-a didn’t like Choi Hyeong-gon.

But I never imagined she would openly insult him like this.

Especially since she’d never used such harsh language in front of me before.

I looked down at her, still chattering away like a little bird, oblivious to my shocked expression.

She was smiling brightly, but that familiar smile now seemed chilling.

Despite the warm spring air, the atmosphere around us felt cold, as if the air conditioning was on full blast.

“Ah—honestly, he was so annoying. He kept bothering you even though he could clearly see you didn’t like it.”

“Seon-a…”

“I know what boys his age are thinking. He was probably trying to seduce you because you’re pretty. Trying to take advantage of you.”

“Seon-a…”

“And it’s so funny. He probably thinks he’s all that because he’s good-looking. Is he crazy? Did he really think you were on the same level as him? That slimy pervert, that arrogant jerk, daring to touch my Si—”

“Kang Seon-a.”

I said her name firmly, and she stopped talking abruptly.

Her eyes flickered nervously, as if gauging my reaction.

She had been so chatty just a moment ago.

Why was she so anxious now? Her light brown eyes darted around restlessly.

I stood up and looked down at her, my face expressionless. Her gaze, frozen in place, followed me upwards.

“…I’m not feeling well, so I’m going home early. Please tell the teacher for me.”

“O-okay.”

“Bye.”

I felt nauseous and my head hurt.

It was as if someone had poured gasoline on an already raging fire.

Overwhelmed by the heat, I felt a chill and slung my bag over my shoulder, then quickly walked away.

I felt a pang of guilt for leaving without telling the teacher, but… I didn’t want to be near her right now.

Being around Seon-a made me feel sick to my stomach.

So nauseous, no, disgusted, that I would have thrown up if there was a toilet nearby.

“…I’ll just say one thing before I go.”

“I’m telling you this because you’re my best friend.”

But I couldn’t leave just like that. I still had something to say to her.

Just before I opened the classroom door, I stopped and spoke to her, who was probably watching me leave.

“Yes, he was annoying and bothersome, and unnecessarily clingy, so I avoided him at first. But he kept pursuing me. Perhaps he had ulterior motives, like you said.”

“I knew it—”

“But how well do you know him? He might be a bad person, like you said. You never know someone’s true nature.

But how can you talk about him like that when you’ve never even spoken to him, when you’ve been avoiding him like the plague? Huh? Or do you think you’re some kind of expert judge of character?”

“S-Sia…?”

My name, usually spoken as gently as a breeze rustling through leaves, sounded unusually heavy today.

Steeling my resolve, I clenched my fists. Unfortunately, right now, my anger outweighed my sympathy.

“And at least from what I saw, he wasn’t a bad person. He was probably better than someone who talks behind people’s backs like you.”

“Ah…”

Seon-a’s harsh words had been excessive, upsetting to hear.

Not only was the content itself harsh, but it was also inappropriate to badmouth someone’s friend in front of them.

No, whether he was a friend or not wasn’t the issue.

It was unacceptable to slander someone you didn’t even know.

Even if it hadn’t been Choi Hyeong-gon, but a complete stranger, I would have still reprimanded her.

But what shocked me the most was that it was Seon-a who was doing this.

I had always believed she was kind at heart, even if she sometimes showed petty jealousy.

That belief had been shattered today.

Seon-a was acting strangely.

And she was exuding an unpleasant aura that made me want to keep my distance.

I closed the door without hesitation and left the silent classroom.

I heard a whimpering sound behind me, as if she was trying to suppress her tears, but I really didn’t want to be near her right now.