episode_0175

“… What?”

I blurted out a stupid question without realizing it. There was nothing I could do about it.

I said I would do Jinyeseo’s request as much as I could, but I never thought it would be something like this.

Moreover, the word ‘for a moment’ she added in front confused my head even more.

I don’t know for sure, but I can tell that Jinyeseo is in a pretty desperate situation right now. Otherwise, how could she suddenly make such an absurd request?

“Why, why are you pretending not to hear?”

Jin Ye-seo, on the other hand, maintained a confident attitude. The bright red blush that was either embarrassed or ashamed had disappeared without a trace.

“My boyfriend… I told you to do it.”

***

“So… this is the method you mentioned last time?”

Only after hearing Jin Ye-seo’s explanation could I grasp the general context of the situation.

“Creating a fake dating person?”

“Yeah.”

“And you want me to act like your boyfriend?”

“Yeah.”

“… Why me?”

“That… ”

Jin Ye-seo, who had been nodding calmly the whole time, now hesitates and avoids eye contact.

“… Not there.”

“What?”

“There’s no other guy who would ask for such a favor… except you.”

“… ”

It seems that Jinye Seo has definitely built a wall between herself and the male students. Until recently, I was also one of those people.

Although I was grouped with Choi Woojin and Seungheon, I don’t think we were very close.

It’s absurd, but at the same time, it makes sense…

“… Ahem. First of all, here’s my plan.”

Before he knew it, Jin Ye-seo was muttering about her plans.

“I’m going to contact my parents before the social period starts. Actually, I’m seeing someone. We’re already close and I don’t plan on breaking up.”

Then he took out a letter that clearly showed signs of having been crumpled and shook it.

“Otherwise, I might do something stupid during the social period. Like suddenly deciding on a partner… Ugh… ”

The letter, stamped with Baek Gwang’s seal, contained a list of potential candidates among the current Yoram students and a deadline for their nomination.

“Then do I just need to lend you my name?”

“What? What are you talking about? Of course not.”

Jin Ye-seo furrows her brows as if she had heard a ridiculous joke.

“That’s something I can say because I don’t know my mother. What a cool and meticulous person she is. She’s definitely not the kind of person who would believe someone just by writing their name on a letter and sending it.”

Jin Ye-seo’s mother. I remember a story I heard from her friend a long time ago. It was clearly about the head of the Baek Gwang family who had colluded with foreign countries and committed a crime of stealing strategic materials.

At that time, Jin Ye-seo’s mother, who was a student at Yoram, personally beheaded the head of the household and asked for forgiveness. In this way, she was able to revive the family that was on the verge of being destroyed for treason and stand up to what it is today.

Just hearing that anecdote makes it clear that he is no ordinary person.

“I’m sure they’ll send someone to check the facts during the social period. That’s when the cradle is open to the outside. They’ll pretend to be visitors or something… ”

I think I know what you mean by ‘for a while’. Does it mean that you want me to act like that only during the social period?

If Jin Ye-seo has someone like that, they will hang out together and have a fun festival.

“But is that really that convincing? Baek Gwang seems to have a better relationship with Pae Cheon than Heuk Yeon… And if the other students see it… ”

“That, I’ll take care of that. You don’t have to worry about that.”

Jin Ye-seo came in, interrupting him hastily.

“Once things are done like that, you can just announce that you’re secretly engaged. Like… Seoyeon unnie.”

“… ”

“Then there’s no need to reveal the other person… and there won’t be any annoying people nagging at you… phew… ”

Jin Ye-seo, who had finished her explanation, let out the breath she had been holding. Then, she turned her head towards me as if waiting for an answer.

“So… you’ll help me?”

Then he glared at me for no reason and added something as if he felt embarrassed.

“I, I don’t want to ask you this either. I really don’t know anyone… So I have no choice… I hope there won’t be any unnecessary misunderstandings… ”

“… ”

This is the most useless worry among all the things Jin Ye-seo said today.

“I’m not asking you to continue. Just during the social period… No, if it doesn’t work out, just for one day… ”

“Yeah.”

I answered right away. The decision wasn’t that difficult.

Of course, I was a little flustered at first… but it’s nothing compared to the person who saved my life.

“Huh… ?”

Jin Ye-seo, who had been speaking earnestly, opened her eyes wide and stared at me.

“I’ll do it. I’ll be your boyfriend.”

“Me, really… ?”

“Huh. Why are you so surprised? You were the one who brought it up first.”

“I didn’t know you would agree so easily… ”

“It’s my fault that you ended up like this… I have to help you. We’re friends.”

I shook my head.

“It’s nothing special. I’m just pretending for a bit… ”

Of course, I don’t know if I can do it well. I’ll just do my best.

***

‘Friend’, ‘imitation’.

The man’s words somehow stabbed Jin Ye-seo’s heart. Even though she clearly knew that his words were made with the utmost kindness.

She was a little regretful. It was a useless misunderstanding or something. I shouldn’t have said such things.

“Why?”

“… No.”

However, Jin Ye-seo immediately shook her head and calmed herself down at the man’s question. This was not just her own problem.

In fact, she didn’t want to use such a radical method. She still had regrets in her heart, wishing she had approached him more slowly.

If I hadn’t known Baek Seo-yeon’s true intentions, I would have definitely done that.

‘It seems like Baek Gwang was on better terms with Pae Cheon than Heuk Yeon…’

‘I’ll take care of that.’

It was a lie. In fact, she was at a loss as to how to persuade Gaju.

But even after spending an entire night thinking about it, there was only one conclusion.

I have no choice but to push through somehow.

‘I can’t leave my sister with that guy.’

The sight of a man nodding his head in great detail. However, Jin Ye-seo knows. That man is actually very sinister. He is a vicious person who enjoys controlling others through violence and putting them under his feet.

It was something Jin Ye-seo could never tolerate for her to be paired up with such a man, Baek Seo-yeon, who was as dear to her as a single lily.

‘…Don’t worry, sis.’

There was only one way for her to do that.

Sacrifice right away.

‘I’ll carry all your luggage.’

Jin Ye-seo shook her head with a bright smile. Her eyes were filled with utmost happiness.

“Just… thank you.”

***

“Okay, everyone, pay attention.”

A first-year classroom. As soon as the lecture was over, several student council officers came up to the stage.

“I came here to give you some notices before the social gathering. You probably heard it from the professors, but it’s better to be certain about something. ”

The one who steps forward and looks around at the first-years is Choi Ire, a second-year student. She is a strict-looking woman with glasses and hair in pigtails.

“First, here’s the list of tournament participants. Those whose names are being called from now on, please be fully prepared to participate in the tournament. Then… ”

I could clearly feel her gaze glaring at me through her round glasses. She didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding her displeasure.

“… ”

For a moment, I felt like hitting that chin again, but I turned my head away because I didn’t want to fight the emotions.

I was soon able to spot a familiar face among the group of female students entering the classroom.

Kwon Yuri is a second-year student with a refreshing appearance and a teardrop mole on her right eye.

…Why is that woman here? She’s not even a student council member.

She was blowing on her little finger and trying to avoid the conversation. Then she noticed me and smiled faintly.

‘just.’

Kwon Yuri smiled as if she had read my mind.

‘I. …

“… ”

It’s a confidence that leaves you speechless.

‘The end. Me. Go. Sleep. Me. Come.’

Kwon Yuri looked at me and continued to speak.

‘I have something to say.’

But I didn’t answer and just turned my head away. Then she puffed out her cheeks slightly, pretending to be upset.

“Sigh… ”

I sighed involuntarily. It wasn’t hard to sense that something troublesome was going to happen. That woman was a natural disaster. She wasn’t something you could avoid if you wanted to, and she wasn’t something you could solve with just a punch.

“In particular, illegal gatherings outside of officially active social gatherings will result in expulsion of all members upon detection. Everyone must keep this in mind. Social gatherings are not events for deviance. They are, after all, a place for healthy and rational social interaction… ”

Behind Choi I-re, who continues her heated explanation.

Kwon Yuri had a sinister smile that didn’t match her fresh appearance at all.

***

“Junior~”

“… ”

“After. Bae. Nim.”

“… ”

“Hey, baby chick. Hey.”

Even though I deliberately went out the back door quickly, I still ended up being followed. The voice was too vivid to be considered an auditory hallucination.

“You… Seriously…! Can’t you hear me? Hoo…!”

Someone’s lips trying to breathe warmth into my ear for a moment. I had no choice but to turn around in a hurry.

Kwon Yuri, who had been following me, was glaring at me like a sheep with puffed up fur.

“You’re a chick… How dare you disrespect a senior as heavenly as me…!”

“What’s going on?”

“Can’t we even say hello to each other? I told you to say hello next time we see each other…!”

“I don’t think you called me just to say hello. What are you planning to do now… ”

“… Why are you always cold to me? This is just too much.”

Kwon Yuri suddenly changed her attitude and pouts. Her eyes were turning red.

“I was so cute to you… ”

“… ”

“I visited you in the hospital… and gave you a booster to get better soon… and it was the most expensive one… but… hmph… ”

Finally, he raised both hands and pretended to sob in frustration.

I didn’t bother to react. No matter how I looked at it, it was clear that he was trying to play a prank again.

However, there is still no way to know what this woman is thinking. She usually hangs out with the students from the Paechon side, but she doesn’t show any hostility towards Nana or Yeonminha. But she’s not secretly plotting something behind her bright smile.

Looking back, all she did to me was semi-forcibly schedule a meal with me and give me a bunch of energy drinks as gifts when I visited her in the hospital, even though I couldn’t get them even if I brought money with me.

But for some reason, the fact that she is very difficult to deal with remains unchanged. It would have been better to openly pick a fight with her. Then I would have beaten her up and forgotten about her…

“… It’s not fun.”

After a while, Kwon Yuri lowered her hand when she saw that I wasn’t responding.

Then he let out a long sigh as if he were surrendering.

“… Oh, okay. I understand. I called you because I have a favor to ask. Okay? ”

“Please…?”

“Yeah. Ahem. Hmm.”

I have no idea what she would ask of me.

Kwon Yuri nodded, cleared her throat a couple of times, and cleared her voice. Then, she suddenly lowered her voice and spoke in an exaggerated, theatrical tone.

“You. Let’s do one thing together.”

Before she knew it, her face was filled with that signature sinister smile.