episode_0024

24.

Thanks to a tearful plea, the initial misunderstanding was cleared up, but Han Hyojin and Park Ayeong knelt down without any intention of forgiving me.

“If you were born a man, you should know how to firmly reject as well. How long will you keep being passive and let such a female cat crawl over?”

“The chairman is right about this. If you were a man, you should know how to reject decisively and express your opinions openly. By always smiling, you’re inviting trouble.”

“True. You are the pride of the student council…”

How can these people who fought have such synchronization?

You always make mistakes, Subin….

Holding onto the thought of drifting into uncertainty, Han Hyojin stopped me.

“Are you listening?”

“Yes.”

“What did I say?”

“You asked me to become a magical girl.”

“Lie down.”

“Yes.”

I supported myself with both arms on the ground. Han Hyojin sat on my back contentedly.

“When I speak, don’t spill or miss anything. I might cry from both ends out of regret.”

“Usually, they call that tears.”

“Quiet.”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… If we continue from what I said earlier, you are now a respectable member of the student council. Don’t stir up trouble and muddy the waters.”

That was why I was scolded.

Indeed, when issues between genders arise in a female stronghold, it becomes tiresome. Han Hyojin knew this and poked at it.

“If you really can’t overcome adolescent desires and want to vent, come find me. My hole is always open.”

You know, right? Isn’t that so?

She tilted her head in confusion. Perhaps feeling the atmosphere easing, Subin, who was kneeling and being punished, pleaded.

“I’m tired. Can I lower my hands~?”

“I’ll allow it.”

“Thank you. While at it, can I relax my knees too…?”

“Keep them fixed.”

“Okay….”

Subin slowly lowered her hands. She sighed while massaging her shoulders, seeming exhausted.

“Oh… Isn’t Doji Senpai’s biggest fault not being able to reject? Oh, judging by your expression, are you going to say you tried to reject again?”

“No, I really did try…”

“Nuh-uh, nuh-uh.”

“Later, I’ll really press him with force…”

“Gasp! Chairman! Did you hear that? Doji Senpai is being pressured with force…! Sob! Tears are flowing out of embarrassment…”

She tried to lessen her guilt by sacrificing herself. Instead, Han Hyojin responded with an envious expression.

“A woman submitting to a man with force…”

“Chairman! There’s an issue with that statement!”

Perhaps because Park Ayeong hadn’t eaten properly, she quickly blocked Han Hyojin’s inappropriate remark.

“I can’t speak comfortably.”

“If the chairman speaks freely, it’ll be a big problem…”

“Tsk. The world has gone wrong…”

Han Hyojin dissatisfiedly clicked her tongue. The atmosphere of the hearing had now blurred.

Just as if marking a period, Teacher Song Minah entered lightly after finishing washing her face.

“Shall we go to bed now?”

Teacher Song Minah looked at us with tired eyes despite her soft face, suggesting we rest.

Weakened by her gaze or perhaps considering ending, Han Hyojin stood up from her seat.

“Got it. Everyone, take your seats.”

After Han Hyojin’s statement, Teacher Song Minah naturally went to a corner and lay down.

As she wriggled her lower body into the sleeping bag, she looked like a caterpillar finding its place.

Thinking like that, I chuckled and tried to move to take my seat…

“Where are you going?”

Subin grabbed me.

“To sleep.”

“So, why are you going to the corner, Senpai?”

“Huh? Are you going to sleep there? What if it gets cold with the draft from the door? If it’s okay, I’ll switch seats with you.”

“No, it’s not that! Senpai, your spot is here! Here!”

Subin tapped the seat next to her.

“Uh… really?”

“Yes! This is Senpai’s designated seat!”

“Was there a concept of designated seats here too?”

“Of course not! But I just made one!”

“Haha.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Lee Subin, unfazed by the reaction, simply urged on.

“So, are we settling this here? Are we talking?! Decide already. Ring! Ring! My hands hurt from clapping too much~.”

“Ugh…. Fine…. I’m out.”

“Yes! Human diffuser acquired!”

“Is this a PocketX….”

“They say nowadays people treat Xmon as slaves…. Is there a reason you had to mention that?”

“I didn’t have a specific reason for mentioning it. And calling Xcatmons slaves? You said they were friends and comrades…. They really lack innocence.”

Just as I was about to approach, dragging my sleeping bag behind me, someone physically grabbed both my arms this time.

I blinked stupidly and turned around.

“Where are you going, Jinwoo?”

“Why the rush?”

Park Ayoung was on my left arm, while Han Hyojin was on my right.

“Uh…. Subin was…. walking beside me.”

“Why did you two decide amongst yourselves?”

“Then who should we decide with…?”

“Obviously not with us.”

…”

I was overwhelmed by their energy.

I sheepishly pursed my lips and bowed my head.

“I’m sorry…. I made the decision alone….”

“Um…, be more careful next time.”

“Yeah. This is a serious matter. Let’s discuss and decide together next time. Got it?”

Somehow….

It felt like I was being gaslit.

‘Is this right?’

But even if I knew, there was nothing I could do.

Feeling despondent, I hugged my sleeping bag and moved to a corner. Now, only three people remained in the tent.

Lee Subin glared at Park Ayoung and Han Hyojin with an expression of annoyance.

“I’ll resurrect the designated seat and use it~ Why are you two doing this and that?”

“If you’re reviving the designated seat, then I, who usually sits with Jinwoo, should lie down in the adjacent seat, don’t you think…? The content has been lacking lately….”

“I can’t agree with that. Ultimately, it’s a matter of timing. Sitting in the closest spot, I should be… ”

“We understand both of your opinions! According to the playground rule that the person who applies saliva first becomes the owner, it’s fair for me, who proposed first, to take the adjacent seat!”

Initially, it seemed like chaos could erupt at any moment, but as time passed, it just became a free-for-all.

It felt like a natural progression, as if a martial arts series had transitioned into a battle royale to continue its long serialization.

“Sigh….”

Even amidst this, Teacher Song Mina, sleeping peacefully, exuded not determination but madness.

With such madness, one might wonder if she would have become a teacher in charge of the student council…. It was a cautious speculation.

“Tsk….”

I moistened my dry lips with saliva.

I also wanted to lie down anywhere like Teacher Song Mina, but if they didn’t stop fighting, I didn’t know when I could get up again.

‘I must end this war eventually….’

It was not an easy situation. I inwardly sighed and cleared my throat, focusing the attention of the three on me.

“Please stop fighting.”

“The senior is out of it.”

“Stay quiet, Jinwoo.”

“If it weren’t for the red hair, I’d shut up quietly.”

In an instant, the target changed, and attacks were launched. Even prepared for injuries, it wasn’t easy to defend. But retreating now would mean being the lowest of the low.

Here, I had to boldly step forward, propose, and mediate. Like a master trained through part-time work at a kids’ cafe, I didn’t yield to pressure and spoke up.

“It’s lively even at night, but I’m getting sleepy, and Teacher is already asleep. So let’s quickly and fairly decide my seat in a gentlemanly manner.”

“Is there such a method?”

“Oh.”

“What is it?”

“Rock-paper-scissors.”

As rock, paper, and scissors formed a balanced relationship, and the rules were fair and simple. It was a method anyone could agree on!

Hanjoo nodded in admiration.

“Good idea.”

The remaining two also agreed.

“Then everyone agreed. Let’s settle this with a clean single round victory. No late bets, no practice games. Come on, if you don’t show, you lose by default.”

“Rock!”

“Paper!”

Snip-

The simple form shining in their hands.

Created a clear winner.

“Wow!”

The owner of that cheer was Park Ah-young.

“Hehe! I won!”

“Tsk.”

“Sigh…. Senior, can we share…?”

Han Hyo-jin seemed to accept it. Lee Soo-bin came out as if bargaining like someone who wanted to negotiate face-to-face.

Of course, Park Ah-young shut it down.

“Yeah, not possible.”

“Argh…. Darn it…. Just wait and see….”

Lee Soo-bin muttered the lines of a third-rate villain. Park Ah-young didn’t even glance and dragged me into a corner.

“Hey, earlier you said you were sleepy, right?”

“Yeah…. I think I can sleep well now….”

“Sorry. If I knew you’d be this tired, I should’ve ended it quickly instead of fighting….”

“It’s fine. What could you have done wrong.”

It was just Lee Soo-bin who started it.

“Thanks for understanding.”

“Yeah….”

I got into my sleeping bag. It was expensive, soft, and warm. The feeling of luxury silk blankets wrapped around my body?

“Nice….”

“Yeah…. nice….”

“So…. sleeping bags are really nice.”

Some mismatched questions and answers were exchanged.

From the center, Han Hyo-jin’s voice was heard.

“I’ll turn off the lights. Have sweet dreams, everyone.”

“Even you, Chairman.”

“Sure.”

Click- The lights went out.

It was the anticipated darkness. Blaming it on the three of us for coming too late. My involvement was disproportionately high.

“What on earth….”

“Yeah, what’s up with Jin-woo?”

“Oh…. I was going to say it in my head….”

“Yeah. Seems like you’re full of yourself. I thought so.”

“Hmm…. Full of myself?”

“Of course. It’s not one-third.”

“Is that so…. If it’s one-third, who’s the one?”

“I wonder?”

It was dark, so her expression couldn’t be seen.

For some reason, I felt like she was smiling.

“If you don’t want to tell me, then don’t.”

“Yeah.”

“‘Yeah’…. Ugh…. Back in the day, our Ah-young wouldn’t have been like this. What happened to make her change like this….”

“It’s you.”

“Me? If it’s me, then it’s fortunate. If it were another bad guy, they might speak informally to adults…. but maybe not anyway.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Soul also gone…. Definitely. Enough nonsense, let’s sleep. Goodnight, Ah-young. Dream well or not.”

“Jin-woo too. Dream well or not.”

The conversation quickly faded into the darkness of the night, replaced by the gentle breathing that resembled a certain man.

That’s how the night deeply enveloped everyone.

Except for the two pairs of eyes looking at Do Jin-woo.

***

My body felt heavy.

Was I pinned down like usual with scissors?

The slowly rising pupils were bathed in the dim morning light. I looked down at the part of my body that felt heavy.

My gaze stopped exactly at the chest area. It seemed like someone was riding on top.

The pupils were red. The sensation on my chest felt plush and soft like an air mattress. I wondered if a cloud ghost had attached itself.

With that thought in mind, I fell into thinking, ‘If a ghost doesn’t harm you despite having a pleasant touch, is it really a ghost? Could it be a doll or a ghost right before longing for human warmth?’

It was a perfect time for sleep. My brain had completely stopped spinning along with it.

“…”

I stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment.

As my body continued to fidget in the chest area, I embraced the ghost with a thought of not caring.

The ghost trembled, letting out a whimper.

“Ugh…. Ugh…. Haah…. I-I haven’t prepared my heart yet for th-this…. Huh….”

I expected a big movement afterward, but the creature shivered, holding back its groans, trembling intermittently.

Indeed, it seemed like a ghost right before longing for human warmth.

Deciding so, I murmured.

“Enlighten yourself….”

Clenching the embraced hand tightly, I drifted back into a deep slumber.

It seemed like the ghost had been struggling to hold back its sobs until then…

***

“What was that?”

As I woke up from sleep, I clenched and unclenched my hand repeatedly.

“It felt like embracing some kind of ghost…”

I could still feel it in my hand.

“Sigh… Seems like the ghost is wailing.”

Is it really a ghost? Who knows.

I roughly tidied up the luggage. All that was left now were the camping supplies we used yesterday. I turned to Han Hyojin and asked,

“Chairman, what should we do with our tent and camping gear?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“What?”

“D-Don’t ask me.”

“Why?”

“Don’t ask me. No! Don’t even look at me. Jerk. Trash. Pervert. A sleeping perverted criminal who would commit the crime of raping a sleeping beauty……”

Why are you cursing…

I didn’t do anything…

Another unjust start to the day.