Fake Guardian – 1

Gulp. The man in front of the school gate swallowed, his face tense.

The schoolyard came into view. Students who had finished lunch were walking around the yard in groups of twos and threes.

“Haa….”

He checked the school gate once more. It read ‘Sungin Girls’ High School.’ He had come to the right place.

He recalled the events of yesterday.

“School?”

Kim Sung-ah, who had come home from school, suddenly brought up the topic of visiting the school.

“It’s like a parent-teacher conference, but I can’t call my aunt.”

She said she had introduced him as her cousin.

“They won’t check things like family relationship certificates, so please, just this once.”

Faced with her earnest expression, Kang In-ho reluctantly nodded.

“So I came, but… won’t I get reported if I just walk in like this?”

He stood in front of the school gate, unable to move forward or backward.

Kim Sung-ah, who said she would come out on time, showed no sign of appearing.

“……..”

Some of the female students noticed his presence in front of the gate and began to observe him instead.

Under the stinging gazes, he helplessly tilted his head towards the sky, trying to avoid eye contact.

“I should ask her to buy me a phone.”

After waiting for about ten minutes under the wary eyes, he saw Kim Sung-ah walking across the schoolyard.

Her wrinkled uniform, roughly tied red hair, and mysterious eyes were clearly visible even from afar.

The students walking the track turned their attention to her as she crossed the yard.

“The line was long, so I’m a bit late.”

“If you had been five minutes later, my face would have been pierced by their stares. Or I would have been taken to the police station.”

Kang In-ho finally sighed in relief when she spoke to him.

“You’re exaggerating. Just for waiting that long.”

Kim Sung-ah led the way, and Kang In-ho followed behind her.

As the man who had been standing in front of the school gate entered, the female students’ gazes became more intense.

And because they were crossing the schoolyard, it became a perfect spectacle for the students walking along the track.

“They’re especially persistent today. Sorry, Ahjussi.”

Kim Sung-ah apologized.

“Huh? What for?”

“Well, I get a lot of attention at school one way or another.”

Kang In-ho wanted to ask, “Isn’t it just because of me?” but he simply closed his mouth.

“But, you’re dressed up a bit, aren’t you?”

Kim Sung-ah changed the subject, perhaps uncomfortable with the awkward silence.

“Does it suit me?”

“Well… yes, it’s a bit better.”

She scratched her head, seemingly embarrassed after speaking.

“It would be rude to come wearing just anything. It wouldn’t be good for you if I looked like a beggar.”

“Really? But… where did you get the clothes? And your hair looks like you went to a salon.”

“I bought them. With your card.”

Kang In-ho replied as if it were obvious.

Sigh, Kim Sung-ah sighed.

When they arrived at the faculty office with Kim Sung-ah, her homeroom teacher greeted them.

“Teacher, this is my cousin I mentioned yesterday.”

Kim Sung-ah spoke slowly, as if the word “cousin” didn’t quite sit right with her.

“I heard he was a rather old cousin, but he’s quite young.”

“Thank you.”

Kang In-ho responded to the teacher’s words, then tilted his head and looked at the teacher’s face.

“Is there something you wanted to say…?”

The teacher asked, sensing his blatant gaze.

“When I was a student, I knew that homeroom teachers for high school seniors were usually experienced, but… I guess teachers in their twenties are in charge these days too.”

Kang In-ho had heard from Kim Sung-ah that the teacher was in her early thirties.

“Oh my, oh my….”

The teacher’s face immediately brightened at the subtle compliment.

Kim Sung-ah’s face changed strangely as she looked back and forth between the teacher and Kang In-ho.

“Well… I’m actually in my thirties.”

“Ah? Is that so? I made a mistake. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. I mean, it could happen. I’m a bit young-looking… Hehe….”

As Kang In-ho gave a gentle smile, the teacher blushed, twirling her hair with her fingers.

“Anyway, thank you for your hard work in guiding Seong-a.”

Kang In-ho offered a customary greeting, and the teacher led him to the counseling room.

“I’ll go back to class then.”

Kim Sung-ah, giving Kang In-ho a strange look as he displayed the demeanor of a skilled socialite, returned to her class.

The teacher made him a cup of instant coffee and handed it to him.

Kang In-ho wrapped his hands around the paper cup, enjoying the warmth.

“Seong-a seems very polite. Usually, when you hear ‘repeater,’ you think of someone delinquent, but Seong-a isn’t like that at all.”

The teacher began by praising Seong-a.

“She has personal circumstances…”

It’s because she’s defeating the forces of evil in strange cosplay day and night. Kang In-ho swallowed the words that followed.

“Is it… not a psychological issue?”

“Ah, I don’t think it’s anything like that. She’s fine at home too.”

Although they had only been living together for a few days, Kang In-ho answered as if he knew everything.

“That’s a relief then.”

“Is there anything you’re particularly concerned about?”

Kang In-ho asked in return, noticing the teacher’s vague words.

“I can’t figure out what Seong-a is thinking at all. She doesn’t come to school, or even if she does, she suddenly storms out…”

She listed the strange things one by one, folding her fingers.

“And most importantly, her studies…”

“She’s not doing well in her studies?”

“No, it’s not that, she does study… but she doesn’t seem to have a sense of purpose.”

“Sense of purpose?”

“Seong-a just studies. It’s just the feeling that she has to because she’s a student.”

“But, there are bound to be students who haven’t clearly defined their goals, right?”

Kang In-ho asked.

“Unless they’ve completely given up on studying, they usually think about going to college, or what department they want to go to, right?”

The teacher shook her head.

“…Hmm.”

He swallowed his words, not knowing what to say.

“This might be a personal question… but do you meet with Seong-a often?”

“Recently, I’ve been taking care of Seong-a at her house.”

“Personally, that’s a relief. It’s psychologically better to live with family than to live alone.”

“So, you commute to work from Seong-a’s house?”

The questions continued.

“Ah, I can work from home.”

“I see.”

“Then you must be good at housework too~”

“Ah, well…”

Kang In-ho felt the direction of the questions subtly shifting.

Kim Sung-ah, who was solving problems in the classroom, opened her phone to check the time.

It was almost the end of lunch break. The fifth period was when the homeroom teacher came in, so Kang In-ho would go home after lunch break.

His image of chatting with the teacher with a cheerful smile suddenly came to mind.

Kim Sung-ah pouted.

His appearance, which was completely different from what he showed at home, was very strange.

As she was thinking about this and that, the classroom suddenly became noisy.

She lifted her eyes from the workbook and looked around.

“It’s a guy!”

“He’s coming with the homeroom teacher?”

The classroom buzzed with someone’s voice.

She had a hunch.

The classroom door opened, and the homeroom teacher came in.

“Seong-a, come talk to your cousin in the hallway for a moment.”

All eyes in the classroom were on her. Kim Sung-ah felt like the back of her head was being pierced.

As she walked out into the hallway under the spotlight, Kang In-ho, dressed neatly, smiled at her.

“What is it?”

“Well, when does school end? Let’s go together.”

The students inside the classroom were openly staring into the hallway. Kim Sung-ah tried hard not to avert her gaze.

“It ends around 6 o’clock.”

“About 5 hours then… I’ll be at a cafe nearby and go to the school gate by 6. It’s a bit inconvenient without a phone.”

“Did the consultation go well?”

“Well, she only said good things.”

“You seemed very adult-like earlier.”

“Because I am an adult.”

He shrugged.

“Okay, then… see you later.”

“Listen to the class well.”

With those words, Kang In-ho left the school.

As she returned to the classroom, silent attention was poured on her, and Kim Sung-ah felt a little burdened by it.