Chapter 111
Doubt (2)
Eventually, Yeon Minha began walking toward us. The sound of her heels echoed through the hallway.
Even then, her ominous red eyes remained fixed on us.
T h i s w a s c o pi e d f r o m k ing mtl . o r g
“Hic…”
“Yena?”
Upon seeing Yeon Minha approach, Yena’s face turned even paler, and she quickly darted behind me, hiding her body.
And for some reason, Yeon Minha’s gaze became even sharper…
“…”
Yena’s reaction was a bit perplexing, but when I thought about it, it made sense.
Even before Jeokhwa’s downfall, Yeon Minha’s reputation was far from good.
For lower-class students like us, unless you came from a notable background, you wouldn’t even think of speaking to her.
My resentment toward her wasn’t much different from the others. And this emotion largely stemmed from Yeon Minha’s own actions.
T h is wa s co p i e d f r om k in g m t l .o r g
Even though she avoided punishment, the wrongdoings she committed were recorded in her student file and still remain to this day.
Like a brand.
Of course, I’m not virtuous or moral enough to dig into someone’s past.
And now, I find myself caring more about Yeon Minha’s other sides… But that doesn’t mean her past actions can simply be erased.
Moreover, Yena is a timid person, and didn’t she once have a run-in with Yeon Minha that left her sprawled on the hallway floor?
She even practically burst into tears when she saw the burns left on my body from the duel with Yeon Minha…
The hallway wasn’t that long, so Yeon Minha reached us in no time.
She was no longer looking at me.
Her sharp red eyes were solely focused on the brown-eyed girl hiding behind me.
“…Ugh.”
Despite her frightened expression, Yena met her gaze head-on.
It was almost as if she had steeled herself to face some great evil.
“…Ha. What is this…”
Yeon Minha let out a hollow laugh as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
It was clear that she was on the verge of exploding in anger.
I had a feeling this could escalate into something serious.
And I was probably the only one who could stop her.
Yeon Minha must not be smeared with any more infamy.
She was in an even more precarious position than before…
“Yena. Go ahead. I’ll talk with the senior for a bit and catch up with you later.”
“But…”
Yena looked at me with a deeply worried expression.
I shook my head.
“It’s fine, just go.”
“Ugh…”
After my second plea, Yena hesitated for a moment before slowly stepping away from me.
She still didn’t look comfortable, occasionally glancing back at Yeon Minha.
Yeon Minha continued to glare fiercely until Yena disappeared beyond the stairs.
Seeing her clench her fists tightly, I was relieved that I had sent Yena away.
She might have slapped her otherwise…
“Did you come?”
Even though I greeted her casually, Yeon Minha continued to stare at me with frustration in her eyes.
But now, instead of hostility, her gaze seemed more like a pout.
The venom was gone, replaced by lips that were slightly protruding in a bit of a sulk.
I understood why Yena was so afraid of Yeon Minha.
T h i s w a s c o p ied f r o m k i n g m tl . org
But what was bothering this woman now?
“Who was she?”
Yeon Minha asked bluntly, her tone curt.
“That’s my friend.”
“I don’t like her.”
I briefly wondered if there was anyone in the world Yeon Minha did like, but I kept that thought to myself.
“There’s no need to worry. She’s a good person. You saw it yourself, didn’t you? She couldn’t even stand up straight in front of you…”
“She was more impudent than she looked… And it’s always those types who are the most devious inside. Why are you so naive…”
Yeon Minha continued to grumble as if she still hadn’t calmed down.
Then, she looked at me with a gaze that seemed to hold a hint of resentment.
T hi s w a s c o pi e d f r o m k ing m tl.o rg
“…But you must be really close… considering she defended your friend so much…”
A sudden headache began to creep in.
T h i s w a s c o p i ed f r o m ki n g m t l .o r g
I had a vague idea of why she was looking at me with that expression.
But I really don’t enjoy conversations like this.
I didn’t before, and I still don’t.
It’s not a problem with a straightforward answer, and this kind of grievance only tends to grow if you entertain it once.
Fortunately, this wasn’t my first time dealing with such situations… If there was a way to handle it, it would be to completely redirect the topic and atmosphere?
I wasn’t sure if it would work on Yeon Minha, but it wouldn’t hurt to try.
T h i s was co p i e d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g
For now, the location seemed a bit unsuitable, so I’d start with that.
“…I-I was just worried about you, that’s all… Huh?”
I let out a deep sigh and grabbed Yeon Minha’s wrist firmly.
Then, I began to lead her down the stairs.
“Wait… Hold on…!”
Yeon Minha tried to say something, but I pretended not to hear.
Luckily, she was light, so she followed along easily.
Right next to the main building, where lectures were held, there was a wide garden meant for relaxation.
I led Yeon Minha all the way to a secluded pagoda deep in the garden, away from prying eyes.
Perhaps startled by the suddenness of it all, Yeon Minha’s face had turned red, and she was breathing heavily.
Only then did I release her wrist and gesture towards the bench.
Yeon Minha clutched her chest with both hands, looking at me with eyes full of indignation.
“W-What do you think you’re doing…!”
“Please, have a seat.”
“You think I’ll just do what you say? And I haven’t even finished talking…!”
“Sit. Now.”
“…Ugh.”
My slightly firm tone made Yeon Minha flinch before she reluctantly sat down.
She continued to glance up at me, occasionally making brief eye contact.
Now that it finally seemed like she was ready to talk, I took a seat on the bench opposite her.
But then, she shook her head.
“Not there… Here…”
Yeon Minha timidly patted the spot next to her.
T h i s was c o p i e d f r om k in gm tl . o rg
“…”
Since she had followed me this far without much complaint, the least I could do was accommodate her.
I turned around and plopped down beside her.
Seeing that she was still hesitant, I decided to initiate the conversation.
“So, what brings you here?”
“…I just wanted to tell you what happened in the Student Council…”
T h i s w a s c op i e d f rom ki n gm t l . o rg
Yeon Minha finally brought up her main reason for coming.
But then, as if testing the waters, she started to inch closer to me, eventually sitting right next to me.
Her signature Narcissus scent was so strong that it was almost overwhelming.
And before I knew it, she gently rested her head on my shoulder.
“Senior?”
“Can’t I stay like this for a bit…? I’ve had such a rough time…”
“…”
She looked genuinely tired, so I couldn’t say anything more.
In that posture, Yeon Minha began to recount the events of the first Student Council meeting.
“What? A duel? With Jin Yeseo?”
“Yes. It’s almost certain now. The President was completely out of it…”
Then, disgruntled, she started ranting about the Student Council President.
“And… You still don’t plan on joining the Student Council?”
“…”
Her desperate eyes made my heart waver.
Even though she was putting on a brave face, she seemed to be going through a lot.
And she didn’t have a single ally in the Student Council.
But no matter how I looked at it, joining during the first semester would be tough.
Even if I managed to get through some of the other responsibilities, I still had other tasks to complete.
The request I had given Muyoung was just the first step.
It wouldn’t take too long, but it probably wouldn’t be finished before the Student Council recruitment period ended.
After some more contemplation, I finally spoke.
“I’m sorry.”
I felt guilty as the words left my mouth.
However, Yeon Minha only looked disappointed for a moment before she shook her head.
“…I see. Well, I guess it can’t be helped…”
“But I think I can join in the second semester.”
Yeon Minha couldn’t hide the joy that spread across her face.
“Really…?”
“Yes. So just hang in there for the first semester. And if you need my help, don’t hesitate to ask…”
“H-Hang in there…? What do you take me for? Seriously…”
Yeon Minha, who had been smiling brightly, suddenly seemed to realize something and cleared her throat.
“Ahem. Alright. Then I guess I’ll have to cancel the duel. I’ll go back to the Student Council and…”
“What are you talking about? That’s separate. A duel is a duel.”
“Huh? But you just said it would be tough during the first semester…”
“That doesn’t mean I can just run away, does it? If I win, I might be able to leverage the position of Year Representative to gain something else as well.”
I had no intention of losing anyway.
In fact, this might be a good opportunity.
Since it’s come to this, I might as well thoroughly trounce Jin Yeseo so she can never bother me again.
I definitely didn’t want to experience another hallway confrontation like last time.
Just thinking about how the story about the Witch got delayed again made my blood boil.
I would have to accept the notoriety that would come with it, but considering the nuisances I’ve dealt with, this seemed like a more rational approach.
Even if I wasn’t fully recovered, I was more than capable of handling a duel between students.
“Ah, I understand…”
Yeon Minha seemed to grasp my words without needing further explanation.
She nodded with a wicked smile on her face.
“…Alright. We’ll go with your plan. And…”
“Do you have something else to say?”
Unlike her earlier confident demeanor, Yeon Minha hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.
T h i s w a s c o p i e d fro m ki n gm t l .o r g
And when she did, her words felt completely out of the blue.
“Do you… like candy?”
***
Baek Seoyeon was slowly making her way out of the meeting room, her steps heavy.
Last night, she hadn’t slept a wink, lost in deep contemplation.
She was worrying about the days ahead and her own situation.
And when dawn broke, she finally reached a conclusion: No matter what, she couldn’t face him right now.
The wounds he had suffered still hadn’t healed.
What would be the point of making excuses in front of someone like that?
She decided that it would be best to postpone any confrontation until she had completed all the tasks she had vowed to carry out.
After confessing everything that had happened, she would leave her fate in his hands as the final sinner.
Perhaps by then, he might forgive her.
But if his sorrow still hadn’t healed… then…
“…Ugh.”
Seoyeon hugged herself tightly, trembling.
The thought alone was a terrifying nightmare, but she quickly shook her head to dispel the dark thoughts.
What mattered most was that the boy had survived. There was no greater joy in the world than that.
Moreover, they were now both enrolled in the same academy, which meant they could be together in the same place for at least two years.
For now, just watching over him from a distance was enough. With that resolve, she steadied herself.
But unwanted visitors continued to shake her determination.
Earlier, she had found herself unintentionally agreeing with that loathsome Yeon Minha.
The thought of seeing him every day in the Student Council room was such a sweet and delightful fantasy, even just considering the fragments of what that might be like.
There was no way she could resist such a temptation.
“But the heir of Heukryeon… and Senior Yeon Minha…”
“I heard they’re really close…”
“Maybe even more than that…”
However, suddenly, Seoyeon came to a halt as she caught snippets of conversation from beyond the hallway.
The overheard words stoked a fire within her.
After the commotion in front of the Student Council room yesterday, strange rumors had begun spreading among the witnesses.
“Haa…”
Seoyeon had to suppress the urge to punish all those spreading such nonsense for disciplinary misconduct.
Unable to calm down, Seoyeon decided to take a walk in the garden before her next class.
But as she approached a pagoda surrounded by flowerbeds, her resolve was put to the test once again.
She could make out the familiar silhouettes and voices of a boy and a girl.
Instead of feeling at ease, her heart grew more tumultuous.
Instinctively, she hid behind a stone pillar, unable to take her eyes off them.
Yeon Minha was resting her head on his shoulder as if they were lovers.
The sight of her pretending to be weak while leaning against him made Seoyeon’s stomach churn with disgust.
It was impossible to believe that this was the same person who had just used such a venomous tone to intimidate the President.
“…”
She considered turning away, but her stubborn gaze remained fixed on the two.
She was anxious to know what they were discussing so intimately.
In the end, instead of leaving, Seoyeon made the bold decision to move closer.
“…Alright. We’ll go with your plan. And…”
But by the time she approached, their conversation was already wrapping up.
Yeon Minha hesitated for a moment before asking him a brief question.
Even that was enough to make Seoyeon’s heart ache.
“Do you like candy?”
“I don’t particularly like it, but I don’t really dislike it either. I used to eat glucose candies often while I was in the military. It was a convenient way to replenish sugar…”
“Ugh… Who asked you that… Anyway, you do eat it, right…?”
T hi s w a s c o p i e d f rom k i n gm t l . o r g
“…? Yes.”
“Hmph. I see… Got it…”
The boy nodded curiously, and Yeon Minha seemed to harden her resolve as if she had made some sort of decision.
“But why did you ask?”
“Oh, I was just curious… I have a class now, so I’ll go…”
“Wait…”
Without giving him a proper answer, Yeon Minha hurriedly left the spot.
The boy tilted his head in confusion but soon followed her out of the garden.
Seoyeon stood there, staring blankly.
She immediately understood why Yeon Minha had suddenly asked if he liked candy.
The Festival of the Falling Star was just around the corner.
End of Chapter