episode_0448

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I have no idea why she’d carry around such photos in the first place.

As much as I wanted to delete every single one of them right then and there, I only deleted Seo Woo-jin’s photos as a warning before handing the phone back.

Unlike others, this guy has a girlfriend, after all.

To put it bluntly, it’s no different from giggling over photos of a married man.

…Of course, there’s also the fact that someone spent the entire night having sex with that very same “married man.”

Anyway.

From what I briefly saw, most of Woo-jin’s photos were taken inside the academy—none of him in casual clothes. At most, there were a few from the festival.

That was a relief… but just in case, if I ever run into Woo-jin outside again, I’ll have to be more thorough with my disguise.

A hat and mask are a must. Maybe throw in some plain glasses, too. Or change my hairstyle. Something like that.

“Sigh…”

Honestly, the best-case scenario would be never seeing Woo-jin again.

Thinking back to what happened that early morning…

That’ll probably be a distant future where he’s sick of me.

Just as I let out a slow sigh and turned to rejoin my friends after returning the phone—

“…I’m gonna stop by the convenience store real quick.”

“Huh? What for?”

“Didn’t bring anything to drink. Plus, the vending machines here only sell stuff that looks gross. I swear I brought this up with the student council, but they still haven’t changed it.”

“Pfft… Yeah… Oh, then grab me something too while you’re—”

“Didn’t bring anything to drink.”

To be precise, my throat was parched from the tension of seeing those photos you just showed me.

Instead of saying that outright, I dodged the topic and zipped up my gym jacket all the way.

448

Exiting the training center packed with all sorts of high-tech equipment, I walked straight ahead.

Crossed a pedestrian walkway where cars and scooters lazily passed by, then took a gentle right turn.

The convenience store in front of the fountain, as always, was modest in size.

Even if the academy’s student body is smaller than a university’s, there should still be around 200 students up to the third year. Couldn’t they have built a slightly bigger store? Or at least more of them—why are there so few?

It’s always been a mystery, but I just chalk it up to “adult reasons” behind the scenes.

“Did she ask for Zero Coke…? Ugh…”

Whatever. Let’s just grab a drink and get out fast.

Rolling my stiff shoulders, I pushed open the convenience store door.

I didn’t think it was cold enough for this yet, but the store already had the heater running faintly.

Then again, the temperature did break 20°C a few days ago.

Nodding slightly at the part-timer’s greeting, I walked further inside.

As I passed by the long, tall shelves, I eventually reached the refrigerators at the very back.

There, I picked up the Zero Coke my friend asked for…

And only then did I blankly start wondering what I should drink.

As I crouched down to check the lower shelves, a voice spoke up right behind me.

“Did you skip lunch?”

“…?”

I know that voice.

The face came to mind immediately, too.

Not exactly clear, but subtly low-pitched—

A refined voice with precise pronunciation.

It was none other than Seo-yeon sunbaenim’s.

“I ate, but it wasn’t much. Just wanted something light to fill up.”

“Dinner’s in three or four hours, though…”

“It’s just a triangle kimbap. It’s not like I’m stuffing myself.”

“…….”

The voice that followed—

There was no mistaking it.

It was Seo Woo-jin’s.

“So, what brings you here? Coffee again, like last time?”

“…Yeah. Coffee. Didn’t feel like going far. Just something quick.”

“You like café mocha, right?”

“Stop memorizing useless things.”

My body moved before my mind could.

Before I knew it, I had closed the fridge door and hidden myself to the side—far enough to put several shelves between us.

With Seo-yeon sunbaenim… well, given our embarrassing encounter, I didn’t need to hide this much…

But barging into their conversation now just felt wrong.

Especially since sunbaenim was meeting that pervert of her own free will.

Either way, I just wanted the two of them to leave quickly.

I’d pick my drink after.

So I started killing time in front of the snack aisle, pretending to browse things I had no intention of buying.

…And while I was at it—

I eavesdropped on their conversation.

“Instead of useless things like that, do you remember what I said on the rooftop this morning?”

“That you’d make me clean the bathrooms?”

“Yes. That.”

Rooftop? Bathroom cleaning?

I had no clue why the two of them met on the rooftop or how bathroom cleaning even came up.

Well, I could kind of guess the former—a secret rendezvous away from prying eyes. That sort of thing.

But bathroom cleaning out of nowhere…?

…Guess I’ll have to listen more to figure it out.

I kept up my act, pretending to scroll through my phone.

“The cleaning assignments are out. You’ll be handling the student council room today.”

“…You weren’t joking?”

“There were easier spots, but this one’s more convenient for me to check on.”

“Unbelievable. You’re seriously making me do this?”

“Should’ve thrown your trash away properly.”

The “throw your trash away properly” part sounded like it was about demerit points…

But do they really make you clean for something like that?

I wracked my brain but couldn’t recall.

For one, no idiot would rack up enough demerits to get penalized like that. And from what I heard as a first-year, demerits only affected personal records—they didn’t make you do chores.

Think about it.

The academy has actual cleaning staff for the bathrooms. Why would they use students?

We’re not in middle or high school.

And if we’re being really technical, it’s weird that Woo-jin even got demerits in the first place.

If even the health teacher can hand them out, what about regular teachers?

“Come straight to the student council room after school. I’ll let you be a little late if it’s for your girlfriend.”

“Sigh… You’re seriously making me clean in front of everyone?”

“It’ll be fine. There’s no urgent work, so everyone’s leaving early anyway. Just tidy up, and you’re done.”

None of it made sense, so the most plausible explanation was that sunbaenim was outright lying.

But if she’s going this far to get Woo-jin to the student council room…

…….

…Oh.

No way.

“See you later, then. Seo Woo-jin.”

“…….”

…No way.

Nah, no way.

There’s no way they’d do that in the academy of all places…

“…….”

Well, someone did it in the infirmary during the festival,

but that’s just because they’re perverts.

…No way someone as proper as sunbaenim would plan something like that.

…Right?

There’s no way… but just in case, I decided to check.

The reason…? Well…

It’s not some rigid “how dare they defile this sacred institution” nonsense.

I was just curious.

Like, if a quiet friend suddenly said they’d show you their boyfriend’s face, wouldn’t you wonder?

Same thing here.

Seo-yeon sunbaenim—pretty but with a strict personality, always so composed—

I’d seen her leaving Woo-jin’s place.

Even with hickeys all over her collarbone and chest, smiling awkwardly.

…I just wanted to see if she really planned to do it at the academy, too.

The infirmary where Woo-jin works is on the first floor, in a corner of the main building. The student council room where sunbaenim would be is on the fourth floor.

Plus, the central staircase has plenty of hiding spots, and I can monitor the elevators from here. The layout makes surveillance way too easy.

With barely any students around, keeping an eye out is simple too… If this keeps up, I’ll find out exactly what sunbaenim’s planning with Woo-jin in no time.

Like a sniper stalking prey, I steadied my breathing and hid myself, keeping watch on the infirmary and staircase.

Luckily, Woo-jin appeared before long.

Instead of his usual doctor’s coat, he was wearing a neat, dark-colored jacket over his clothes.

…And the first person he ran into was, unsurprisingly, Ha-yoon.

With her usual backpack slung over her shoulder, Ha-yoon tightly hugged Woo-jin, who had his arms open. Then Ji-yoon, appearing right after, effortlessly pulled them apart with practiced ease.

Whenever friends asked how she acted around her boyfriend, she’d always get flustered—but I guess when no one’s watching, it’s like this.

Kinda like an overly affectionate puppy.

About a minute into watching this perfectly normal couple moment—

After a brief exchange, the three of them waved lightly and went their separate ways.

From the looks of it, Ha-yoon and Ji-yoon were heading home… Maybe they said they had something left to do or whatever to send them off first?

Not important, though. What mattered was Woo-jin’s whereabouts.

Once I confirmed he was heading up the stairs without hesitation, I followed at a safe distance, careful not to be seen.

Making sure Ha-yoon wouldn’t spot me, I moved slowly, cautiously.

The fourth floor was even quieter than the first.

…Quiet? More like empty.

Unlike the first floor, there weren’t even passing students.

In hindsight, that made sense.

“…Hah…”

Letting out a tense breath, I headed toward the student council room.

I didn’t know the exact location since I never had reason to go there, but the signs on the ceiling would guide me.

Careful. Careful.

Extra careful.

Finally, right outside the student council room—

“…….”

Contrary to expectations, there wasn’t a single suspicious sound.

No moans…

No licking. No slurping.

Or, you know… creaking.

No sounds of skin slapping together violently, either.

Just silence.

“…….”

…Not even the sound of cleaning.

Just silence.