Chapter 7

Seo Jaegyeom only liked things he was interested in. No matter how good something was, if it didn’t appeal to him, he wouldn’t even glance at it. He strongly discriminated between what attracted him and what didn’t. In Jaegyeom’s eyes, Kang Dahye was: ‘Boring.’ He could tell she was pretty, but that was it. She dressed so dully that her prettiness wasn’t even noticeable. Above all, it was too obvious that she liked Jaegyeom himself. Always watching him, being nervous. Trying to catch his attention by fidgeting. It was tiresome to pretend not to notice after a while. But more than anything. He just wasn’t interested. To Jaegyeom, Kang Dahye was just ‘Han Jisoo’s friend’. Despite knowing Dahye longer than Jisoo. ‘Hey, isn’t Kang Dahye pretty?’ ‘Yeah, sure.’ ‘Ah, Seo Jaegyeom. Why is your answer so half-hearted?’ ‘I’m not interested.’ ‘She’s good at studying, too. Should I ask which academy she goes to?’ ‘Kang Dahye doesn’t go to an academy.’ ‘Then does she get private tutoring?’ ‘No.’ ‘Then what does she do?’ ‘She studies alone at the Youth Study Hall in front of Heightsville.’ ‘What? You say you’re not interested, but how do you know so much?’ The girls close to Jaegyeom would transform into idol-like appearances with makeup and outfits as soon as they left the school gates. However, Kang Dahye was almost always in her school uniform even when encountered outside. ‘Where are you going, Kang Dahye?’ ‘Ah. The library.’ The answer to the polite question was almost always the library or study hall. Is she only reading books because she has no money? Books are free at the library, after all. ‘It suits her. The library and Kang Dahye, who’s timid and boring.’ Jaegyeom thought this, despite occasionally reading books himself. But there was something Jaegyeom didn’t know. Originally, the minds of those who are always reading something are the noisiest and most tumultuous. In the cafeteria. Today, as usual, the seats around Woo Doyeon from the same class were empty in all directions, front, back, and sides. Some girls glanced at Woo Doyeon, who was calmly eating her meal in this deliberately emptied island, whispering that she was ‘acting pretty’. ‘They wouldn’t dare say a word if Woo Doyeon were standing in front of them. They’re just adding their two cents because the atmosphere is on their side.’ Seo Jaegyeom knew that the psychology behind the students ' bullying of Woo Doyeon stemmed from their inferiority complex. He also knew that all the rumors surrounding Woo Doyeon were nonsense. But that didn’t mean he was going to go out of his way to protect her. ‘Are they stupid? To believe such ridiculous rumors.’ He remembered that when he casually said something at the beginning of the situation, it only led to Woo Doyeon being criticized more. He also remembered that while he had commented on them being stupid, he had managed to avoid criticism himself, leaving only Woo Doyeon to bear the brunt. So he sighed and sat down at a distant seat. “Ah, why is the cafeteria food so crappy today!” The already miserable atmosphere worsened when Song Yeoreum’s group, who had skipped all morning classes and only arrived at school for lunch, entered the cafeteria without even waiting in line. “She eats like she’s trying to look pretty even while stuffing her face.” Song Yeoreum, who naturally took a seat someone had vacated for her, began openly insulting Woo Doyeon. “Ah, they’re at it again.” “Yeah. So noisy.” “Jaegyeom, want to play basketball?” “Sure.” We should just eat quickly and leave. If we’re still hungry, we can go to the school store later, right? With that thought, Jaegyeom was hastily shoveling rice into his mouth. Kang Dahye quietly walked over and sat down opposite Woo Doyeon. At the empty 8-person table where Woo Doyeon had been sitting alone. Just that was enough to change the atmosphere. Song Yeoreum, who had been sitting at the table next to Woo Doyeon’s and had turned her body to bully her, let out a mocking laugh. “Kang Dahye, what are you doing?” Her tone suggested that Kang Dahye’s action wasn’t even worth laughing at. Seriously. Kang Dahye, what are you doing? As far as Jaegyeom knew, Kang Dahye was also afraid of Song Yeoreum. In middle school, Jaegyeom had often seen the already poor Kang Dahye having what little money she had extorted by Song Yeoreum, a thousand won or two thousand won at a time. He had sometimes helped when he felt like it, but he had also often ignored it because it was bothersome. ‘Did she go crazy after being rejected by me? Or is she deliberately doing this to get my attention?’ She had been bickering with the transfer student all day during class as if to show off, and now she’s confronting Song Yeoreum. What if she gets dragged away and beaten up for no reason? With such thoughts, Jaegyeom kept an eye on Dahye, Doyeon, and Yeoreum. Ready to step in if necessary. However, Jaegyeom’s expectations were off the mark. The walnut cookie Dahye threw landed squarely in Song Yeoreum’s soup bowl. Yeoreum, whose hoodie and the back of her hand were splattered with soup, screamed. “Hey!” Song Yeoreum immediately stood up and threw her tray towards Kang Dahye. Clang! There was a sharp sound, and the side dishes on the tray scattered everywhere. The lunch ladies who were finishing up serving at one end looked over in surprise. “What’s going on!” The teachers who had been eating separately in the staff area came running out at the commotion. “Song Yeoreum! What are you doing!” A male teacher in his 50s with a protruding belly shouted. “Why are you standing there like that! Did you throw that on the floor? Huh?!” “Ah, I dropped it!” Song Yeoreum answered grumpily and cursed under her breath. Just loud enough not to be heard by the distant teacher. “Be more careful, okay?! Quickly get another serving! And apologize to the cleaning staff!” Having no more to say since she claimed to have dropped it, the teacher just cleared his throat and went back inside. As soon as the teacher left, Song Yeoreum approached Kang Dahye with murderous intent. Kang Dahye also stood up as Song Yeoreum came towards her. Seo Jaegyeom thought, even at that moment, that Kang Dahye’s posture was remarkably correct. “Hey. Kang Dahye, come out for a sec.” “I don’t want to. Why should I?” “Why? Just come out for a moment. I won’t hit you.” “I don’t want to.” “Why, are you crazy? Are you scared?” “Yes. I’m scared. I don’t want to go out because I’m afraid. What are you going to do about it?” Are you going to wait for me at the school gate after school and take me to the playground? Like you did to my friend in middle school? Kang Dahye added. Kang Dahye didn’t give Song Yeoreum a chance to speak at all. Kang Dahye’s words continued as if she had prepared her lines in advance. “I remember. In 2nd year of middle school, when you shoved my friend into the cleaning supply closet in the classroom and kicked it. The other kids were too scared of you to tell the teacher. You knew that and laughed, saying Go ahead and report it if we dared, but you were a juvenile offender. But you’re not a juvenile offender anymore, are you?” “What…” “Don’t you understand? I’m saying if you hit me, you won’t get away with it either. Whether you get expelled or sent to juvenile detention. I’m not sure exactly what would happen. I’ve never lived such a messed-up life.” But Song Yeoreum, you’re not capable of handling that, are you? Kang Dahye smiled. “You can’t even curse loudly for fear the teachers might hear.” “Hey…” “The only reason you can act out like this now is because the other kids avoid getting involved with you. Not because they’re scared, but because they find you disgusting. If it came down to it, you’d back off, too. Because you’re also afraid of ruining your life.” “You crazy…” “Since I’m talking, shall I say more? The reason you hate Doyeon is that your ex-boyfriend said she was pretty, right? We agreed to call that jealousy, didn’t we?” Kang Dahye, rattling off words, seemed exactly like someone who had simulated this situation dozens of times. As if she had replayed this moment hundreds of times in her mind, thinking ‘I should have done this,’ ‘I should have said that.’ Song Yeoreum, who had only thought of Kang Dahye as a loser, could only sputter curses in response to Dahye’s words fired at point-blank range. The cafeteria was the quietest it had been since Jaegyeom had enrolled. Even the students who had been deliberately ignoring Song Yeoreum's bullying of Woo Doyeon were now all focused. Those who were about to leave after returning their trays stopped at the cafeteria entrance to listen to Kang Dahye’s words. It was understandable. While the hatred for Woo Doyeon was an atmosphere created by a few students, the dislike for Song Yeoreum was the sum of each individual’s feelings. Kang Dahye, who lightly pushed away Song Yeoreum standing right in front of her, said: “Didn’t you say your dream was to become a celebrity? Be careful. The world is going to change from now on, and people who bullied others in school won’t be able to become celebrities.” “What nonsense…” “Instead of wasting time here, go apologize to all the kids you’ve bullied so far. Pray that they don’t expose you after your debut.” “……” Is this Kang Dahye’s last day alive? Is she drunk? Or is she transferring schools today? How does she plan to keep coming to school after this? Everyone had such thoughts. Kang Dahye clenched and unclenched her hand, hidden by the chair, and then looked behind Song Yeoreum. Kang Dahye delivered the final blow to the girl in the flashy hoodie who always hung around Song Yeoreum. “And you. A man who dates a high school student at twenty-two isn’t normal, so break up with him. Don’t get pregnant before graduation and end up on ‘Teen Mom and Dad’.” “Ha!” Jaegyeom finally burst out laughing. Wow. This is interesting.