episode_0016

“Lean your head back and hold this gauze to your nose.”

A woman in a white coat, wearing thin-framed glasses, handed me the gauze. I quietly took it and pressed it against my nose.

“It’s just a burst blood vessel due to the impact. It should stop bleeding on its own after some time.”

“Thank you.”

She pushed up her glasses and glanced at the female student next to me, who was nervously biting her lip.

Her face was bruised in various places, and there were faint bruises on her arms as well.

“The girl seems to be in worse shape…”

The doctor shook his head in dismay at Kim Noeul’s grim appearance. At first, he thought a male student had brought in a female student. However, he later learned that the girl had brought in the boy.

‘How much does she care for him?’

Even now, by the way Kim Noeul was looking intently at the boy, holding his head down more than attending to her own injuries, one could tell.

Reading an ominous sign from Kim Noeul’s cloudy eyes, the doctor shuddered.

“Is she the type to be fixated?”

“Is the girl over there really okay? She should get her prescription and take some medicine, shouldn’t she?”

“…I’m fine.”

The doctor raised both hands in surrender at her firm refusal.

“Just by looking at her, it seems like she got punched. Please be considerate until the bruise fades. No matter how much of a student she is, if she crosses the line, adults will intervene.”

After enduring a long lecture, we finally left the hospital. Night had fallen imperceptibly.

An awkward atmosphere lingered between Noeul and me.

I had vowed to protect Kim Noeul as much as possible, yet she ended up bleeding. Her silent, vacant stare straight ahead was unsettling.

“Um… Noeul, should I take you home now?”

“I’ll take you.”

“No, it’s really just a 5-minute walk.”

“I’ll take you.”

“Okay.”

In the end, she followed me all the way to my dorm. As I entered the lobby, I pressed the elevator button and looked at Kim Noeul.

“I don’t know what to say. I keep worrying you with the same things.”

“……”

“…But still, the outcome was good, right?”

“I know. Just as you compromised, I guess I have to compromise too.”

“Well, take care.”

My usual style isn’t stumbling over words, but they come out haltingly. Seeing Kim Noeul’s current expression, it makes my heart ache.

In the dimming background, Kim Noeul’s expression revealed a sense of madness as she pressed me against the wall and peered at me. She slowly raised her hand to touch my nose, as if checking for injuries. However, her touch was excessively sticky, making me uncomfortable. While fidgeting with my nose, she scrutinized my face, leaving me nowhere to look. When I faced her directly, her frightening visage was apparent, and when I looked away, I could feel the presence of her chest.

[First floor.]

The elevator arrived, and I quickly boarded it.

“Alright, take care! I’ll buy you dinner since you worked hard today!”

I deliberately tried to coax a gentle change in Kim Noeul’s expression. However, even as the elevator doors closed, she continued to stare at me with an inscrutable, emotionless gaze.

Her image haunted me until I fell asleep after arriving at the dormitory. Consequently, I went to school the next day sleep-deprived. Due to my poor condition, I often dozed off during class.

Our math teacher and our tormentor, Teacher Chae Yubin, sighed. “Kim Maru, wake up.”

She refreshed my attention and made me solve problems. Despite my headache, my hands mechanically solved the math questions.

“You did well. Don’t fall asleep.”

“Yes.”

Returning to my seat, I glanced briefly at Kim Noeul. She was working on the problems in her notebook, seemingly without any peculiarities.

After math class, Teacher Chae Yubin approached me with a concerned expression.

“Maru, you seemed unusually unfocused during class.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize… And what about the counseling appointment?”

“It’s been resolved. The previous counseling department has been disbanded.”

“Really, just as you said… It was a risky plan, but thankfully you didn’t get hurt badly.”

After our conversation, she left the classroom.

Even during lunchtime, Kim Noeul maintained her usual leadership role.

“Kim Noeul! Basketball, let’s go!”

“Are we doing it there as usual?”

With a bright smile, Kim Noeul answered and left the classroom with the basketball. Once Kim Noeul disappeared from the classroom, my heavy heart lightened considerably.

“I really have no idea about Kim Noeul’s mental state.”

I was anxious as someone who uses webtoons to see a side that wasn’t shown in the webtoon. When I looked at Kim Noeul’s profile message, there was a meaningful phrase.

– Never again.

What could it mean? Never again?

Before I knew it, it was time for dismissal. The homeroom teacher dryly announced the school’s upcoming events.

“Since midterms are coming up, study hard. Also, the school will soon host a science competition, and the application form is available on Haneulgo Eta.”

After the brief dismissal, students prepared to leave, bustling about. I also put my textbooks in my bag and got up from my seat.

“From today, let’s focus on studying.”

I haven’t been able to focus on my studies due to the recent establishment of the counseling department, but now it’s time to concentrate on studying again.

My mock exam scores have been consistently maintained, but if my grades slip during the exam period, I won’t be able to recover.

“Jin Hee-young and Ahn Hyo-jin were also seriously affected, so there’s no need to bother us.”

Now, there’s no need for me to go home with Kim Noeul. As I walked alone through the corridor and descended to the first floor, I saw Kim Noeul talking to some friends.

“Going to the PC room today?”

“You’re screwed for your grades, aren’t you?”

“I’m already screwed in my first year, just going to prepare for the regular college entrance exam.”

Listening to the conversation that made my head spin, I couldn’t help but sigh. Kim Noeul was just smiling and listening to her friends around her.

As I quietly passed by, Kim Noeul called out to me.

“Maru, where are you going?”

“Where do you think? I’m going home.”

“Let’s go together.”

At Kim Noeul’s sudden declaration, the girls with us blinked their eyes. One of them pointed at Kim Noeul.

“Hey! We were going to the PC room…!”

The girl who was speaking was unable to finish her sentence as another girl covered her mouth with her hand. The girl who covered her mouth winked at us and bid us farewell.

“Okay, you two go ahead. We’ll play among ourselves.”

“Eub eub!”

Seeing her wink, they probably misunderstood something between us. However, Kim Noeul didn’t dispel that misunderstanding and instead took my wrist and led me.

“Let’s go.”

“…Where.”

Until we left the school gate, Kim Noeul didn’t say a word and firmly held my wrist. The stares of the surrounding students were uncomfortable.

“Kim Noeul, let go of my hand.”

“Are you going to run away?”

“Why would I run away?”

“I thought you might, judging by your expression.”

A cold sweat ran down my back. It seemed that my inexplicable wariness towards Kim Noeul had been exposed.

“What strange talk. Why would I run away? And we don’t need to go to school together from today onwards. The counseling department work is also finished, isn’t it?”

“…Food.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll buy you a meal. Let’s eat together today.”

“It’s not dinner time yet, though?”

“Then let’s study at a nearby library or café. The exams are coming up soon. How about we eat after that and then part ways?”

Her adeptness at making plans flowed like water, leaving me dumbfounded. It was difficult to refuse her relaxed invitation and conversation. Was this the skill of persuasion that Kim Noeul’s friends often spoke about?

“Fine. But it’s not because I don’t want to buy you food.”

“Then why?”

“…Just feeling a bit sorry. I said I’d try to stay out of it as much as possible, but in the end, I got hurt.”

She awkwardly scratched the back of her head. Kim Noeul, who was quietly watching me, chuckled lightly.

“I must have been a bit stiff yesterday. If I scared you, I’m sorry.”

Saying so, she gently patted my head.

“What is she doing?”

As I looked at her in disbelief, Kim Noeul, realizing my confusion, withdrew her hand and seemed flustered.

“Oh, do you not like having your head patted…?”

“It’s not that I particularly dislike it…”

It felt strange to have a smaller girl patting my head.

In my previous life, it wouldn’t have been strange for a man to pat a woman’s head, but since this world was reversed, perhaps that had changed too.

“I’ll be more careful from now on.”

“…It’s fine as long as you don’t do it without warning.”

Before I knew it, we arrived at a nearby café and went inside.

“What do you want to drink?”

“Just iced tea.”

When Kim Noeul asked, I replied calmly. She gestured for me to go ahead and sit first.

I accepted her kindness and took a seat by the window. The table, which could accommodate four people, was quite spacious.

Looking around the café, I noticed there were indeed many students. There were few adults who seemed to be teachers or employees of educational institutions.

I took out my English textbook from my bag and silently began reading the test material. I underlined passages that would be good for descriptive writing.

When almost finished reading, Kim Noeul approached with two glasses of iced tea on the table. She sat across from me and inserted a straw into the iced tea before handing it to me.

“Thanks. How much for the iced tea?”

“I bought it.”

“Stop talking nonsense and give me your account number.”

“I won’t take it. You’re going to buy the meal anyway.”

Having nothing to say, I crossed my arms and looked back at the textbook. Kim Noeul took out her math textbook from her bag and started solving the applied problems.

Since both of us were model students, we studied without exchanging words. Our academic achievements were so high that there was no need to ask each other about things we didn’t know. This made me suddenly curious.

“Who will be the top scorer in this midterm exam?”

In the original, Kim Noeul never missed being the top scorer in internal exams and mock tests. However, this time in March’s mock test, I secured the top spot in the entire school.

“It would be good if my existence became a stimulant for Kim Noeul. Improvement in abilities and enthusiasm for studying comes from having a rival.”

Ojakgyo is not just an organization established solely by force. It boasts the highest achievements in all academic subjects and extracurricular activities.

In particular, one of Alice’s executives is a woman known as the best genius since the establishment of Ojakgyo. One must not fall behind her in academics or strategy.

In the original, Kim Noeul felt pressure as she had to deliver results in both physical strength and academics. So, I planned to take charge of the ‘academic’ field instead.

“I should be the one to face that genius. This way, Kim Noeul can fully focus on Alice.”

Whether she knew I was thinking this or not, Kim Noeul was staring intently at the math problems, rotating her pen.

“If you can’t solve something, let me know.”

At my words, Kim Noeul looked surprised.

“This is a textbook, isn’t it?”

“You’re ignoring the textbook? Sometimes tricky problems come up.”

“That may be true… but I don’t think I need to ask anyone for help.”

Feeling self-assured by Kim Noeul’s statement, a strange sense of competition arose within me. I decided to provoke her to improve her academic performance.

“You seem to be doing well, huh? Were you the top scorer in this March’s mock test?”

“……”

“Wasn’t that the case?”

“Are you asking if you’re in first place on purpose?”

“You seemed confident, so I was curious.”

“…If you exclude the mistake on the 3-point question, I got everything right.”

Kim Noeul eventually couldn’t keep her composure against the provocation and scowled. I flashed a meaningful smile and casually nodded.

“Yeah, 97 points is good.”

“So, you’re this kind of character. Okay, accepted.”

She cracked her knuckles and made me an offer.

“Wanna bet on the total score for this midterm exam?”

“What are the stakes?”

“Just something simple, granting one wish.”

“…What are you planning, you pervert?”

As I narrowed my eyes and asked, Kim Noeul, who was sipping her tea, coughed.

“Don’t ask for weird things. Don’t let your imagination run wild. Last time, you made a fuss about seeing my underwear.”

“That’s… well, forget it.”

“I’m going to focus from now on, so don’t talk to me.”

It seemed like sparks were flying from Kim Noeul’s pupils. She dug into her studies with determination. Perhaps due to our focus on studying, we didn’t exchange much conversation after that.

When I looked outside, the sun had already set. It was time to leave.

“Let’s go now.”

After tidying up my cup and leaving the café, I waited for Kim Noeul in the restroom, taking in the view of the school’s rotary landscape.

I entered the school gates with great momentum, but there were still many goals I needed to achieve. Right now, it’s a step-by-step process of laying the groundwork. There’s no need to rush already.

“Don’t worry about speed, just focus on the right direction.”

As I gathered my thoughts, a familiar name reached my ears.

“Alice. You don’t need to worry about that side.”

It was a refreshing voice. A well-proportioned female student passed by me, stretching out her long legs.

A girl with light brown, flowing hair and a partially loosened tie over her white shirt was talking on the phone.

“I’ll manage my own area myself. Didn’t the school give me autonomous rights? It’s not like I can’t handle the operation.”

Unknowingly, I found myself following her, eavesdropping on the conversation.

“The modeling job is going smoothly. Since you recommended me, who else at Hwakdo Academy could surpass me as a partner? If I keep this up and solidify my image, Ojakgyo will end up monopolizing the school uniform market.”

Through the conversation, it was clear who the woman on the phone was.

She was the model for Hwakdo Academy’s uniforms and the only student close enough to Alice to have a conversation.

Jegal Yeonhwa, one of the twins, and one of the five executives of Ojakgyo.

“Anyway, you don’t need to worry about that. I’m also keeping my younger sibling in check, so don’t interfere,” Yeonhwa grumbled for a while, then paused the call and stopped in her tracks. She looked back.

There was no one behind her.

Yeonhwa tilted her head and resumed walking.

“No, I feel like someone’s following me. Maybe just a fan.”

I watched Yeonhwa move away after hiding in a nearby store. Even though I couldn’t hear the other person’s voice, I clearly heard the name.

‘Alice.’

My heart raced at the fact that even if she was on the other end of the phone, our distance had significantly shortened.

I’m not sure why my heart is racing.

Joy? Longing?

Regret? Fondness?

It’s a complex mix of emotions, none of which can be definitively pinpointed.

Buzz.

My phone vibrated.

[Kim Noeul: Where are you?]

[Me: I’ll be there in a moment at the café entrance.]

After replying, I returned to the café.