80) Chapter 14. No, That’s Not It? (1)

Ever since that incident in her childhood, Chae‑yi had been living much more comfortably at home.

Of course, her mother was still fussy in many ways and had her quirks.

But she no longer nagged Chae‑yi to go straight to cram school after class, nor did she scold her when her grades dropped.

Because she was someone who wasn’t very honest about her feelings toward her adopted daughter, Chae‑yi couldn’t be sure whether her mother’s attitude had truly changed because of her, or simply because she liked that Chae‑yi was spending time with Rua and Soi.

Still, it was true that her mother worried about her more often. When she came home from school, she would ask what had happened that day, whether she was getting along with her friends.

Compared to before—when she only cared about whether Chae‑yi listened well in class, previewed and reviewed properly, and studied correctly—the atmosphere had become much more human.

So Chae‑yi was able to feel a certain degree of affection toward Cheong Hwirin. Just enough that, on rare occasions when they happened to sit together on the sofa, she could lean on her a little.

Of course, it wasn’t anywhere near what she felt for Rua.

It wasn’t simply because Rua was a childhood friend. Those memories still remained, but they were from when she was very young.

To the current Chae‑yi, the memories from elementary school until now were far more important.

And even if she considered only those memories—

The reason she could live so happily now, the reason she could even be happy at home, was because of Rua.

…If Rua hadn’t been there that day.

Sure, maybe her relationship with her mother would have improved anyway.

If Chae‑yi had been hurt and her mother thought it was her fault, she would have treated her far better than before.

But she would have been left with a deep wound.

A wound she might never have been able to heal.

Rua was the one who prevented that. By sacrificing herself.

If Rua hadn’t pushed Soi and Chae‑yi behind her, if Soi hadn’t called for help as fast as she did, what would have happened to Chae‑yi? If Rua hadn’t come looking for her, what then?

“……”

Maybe because of that incident—

Rua had grown darker and more timid.

She was the kindest, most good‑hearted child in the world, yet the world kept treating her as if she were bad.

Chae‑yi hugged Rua tightly.

Her hand brushed slightly against Soi’s body, but she didn’t care.

She couldn’t do this when Rua was awake anymore. The cruel world had made it that way.

So at least at night, she wanted to hold Rua close and feel her warmth.

She wanted to share, even like this, the embrace from her oldest memories.

She wanted to feel Rua’s hand patting her head and back with that confident, gentle smile—but she held herself back.

For now, she had no choice.

But still—

Someday, she hoped Rua could return to the way she was back then.

Every night, holding Rua tightly in her arms, Chae‑yi quietly prayed alone until she fell asleep.

*

*

*

I had been a little worried afterward, wondering if more kids might start bullying Nam Jinwoo.

Sure, even if I beat them up, a thug is still a thug.

And thugs are usually cowards. They don’t pick on kids stronger than them, only the weak ones—and even then, they gang up instead of going alone.

Even though nothing like that happened in the original story, what if—just what if—someone found out Jinwoo was actually a girl?

I mean, I don’t think it would go that far, but what if, by some tiny chance, Jinwoo got blackmailed or forced into something inappropriate?

No, am I rotten for even thinking this far?

But I can’t help it. I’ve seen too much of this stuff in childhood. Random heroine kidnappings, unnecessary weird situations…

Sure, things like that happen in real life sometimes, but do you really need to drag that into fiction and yank the steering wheel like that? Do authors suddenly get the urge to control readers’ emotions?

“…Hmm.”

No, that’s definitely going too far.

Even if the author forced in that weird “the heroine has sexual experience” setting, at least there wasn’t a netorare episode.

“…Huh?”

Wait. Netorare?

If Jinwoo gets a boyfriend, is that netorare? How long have we even known each other? Back at the entrance ceremony, I thought Jinwoo was a boy. If another heroine besides Soi or Chae‑yi had shown up around her back then, I wouldn’t have thought anything about netorare.

But somehow, it feels gross.

Right. I’m the kind of person who gets twisted up inside just imagining Soi or Chae‑yi—who are basically like sisters or just friends—getting boyfriends.

We’re not dating, there’s no chance of that happening, but I still want them to stay single.

So the moment I thought “Jinwoo might be a girl,” I just didn’t want her to have a boyfriend.

Because she’s a girl near me.

Am I having some kind of romantic delusion?

“Hmmm~”

“Hyeek!?”

A sudden vibration in my ear made me jump, and people around us looked over.

Seriously, is there no way to fix this scream of mine?

I’ve tried all sorts of things, but when I’m really startled, that weird sound just bursts out.

“S‑Soi?”

“Heeeh, I see~”

Soi had her chin resting on my shoulder from behind.

If I moved even a little, her hair brushed my face and tickled.

And if she moved just a bit more, her cheek would touch mine.

Thankfully, I didn’t freeze up.

It’s not like she suddenly hugged me tightly.

“You’re staring so hard even in class~ Must be really on your mind~”

Her gaze followed mine, toward—

Nam Jinwoo.

Jinwoo kept flinching and glancing at me, clearly aware of my stare.

By the way, the reason Soi could rest her chin on my shoulder while I was sitting was because she had pushed me slightly to the side and sat on my chair with me.

Our thighs were pressed together. Neither of us usually wore stockings, and our skirts were short…

Her upper body was leaning against my back, so I had to sit slightly hunched forward.

“N‑No, that’s not it.”

My heart thumped strangely as I answered.

Because Soi was close? A little. But I’ve adapted enough that this alone doesn’t shake me much.

My heart was pounding because Soi was acting… almost jealous.

As if she liked me so much she didn’t want me to have a boyfriend.

It might be overthinking.

But after that meal with Jinwoo, I had a feeling.

…If not, then she’s already jealous of me, but she and Chae‑yi don’t even have much connection to Jinwoo.

“Or is it? Is it?”

“Heheng!?”

Soi poked my side with both hands, one finger at a time—not too sharp, just enough to tickle.

Even when I twisted away, she followed me.

Her body kept brushing against my back.

I felt like a herbivore pinned under a predator. I tried to escape by leaning forward onto my desk, but she simply leaned over my back from the side.

“Hehe, heheh. Hehet.”

“…What are you two doing?”

While I was squirming, feeling her soft cheek and slightly rough breath against my face, a cold voice cut in.

“……”

We slowly lifted our heads.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Chae‑yi.

The one standing there with arms crossed and a stiff expression was Hyeonji.

Not that Chae‑yi wasn’t there—she was right beside Hyeonji, also crossing her arms and looking down at me for some reason.

For reference, Chae‑yi was dressed normally in her shirt and skirt, but Hyeonji had a jacket draped over her shoulders.

On the sleeve was an armband.

In Hanja: 風紀 — Discipline.

“Uh… um.”

Soi rolled her eyes around and stood up.

Sure, in real life, who has discipline committees or student enforcers in high school?

What kind of school lets students wield authority?

But in subculture stories, this kind of thing happens all the time.

Because honestly, it’s lame if the protagonist runs to a teacher every time there’s conflict.

“I get that you’re close in the dorms, that’s your private life, but I’d appreciate it if you toned it down in class.”

“She’s right.”

Chae‑yi nodded beside her.

Soi looked extremely wronged, but she had nothing to say.

In the end, she reluctantly got up and returned to her seat with a very disappointed expression.

“……”

Hyeonji’s gaze lingered on me for a while.

I mean, I’m innocent here.

Not that I could say that out loud.

…But still.

Chae‑yi, why are you looking at me with the same expression?

That part really is unfair.

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Pub: 19 Apr 2026 09:59 UTC

Edit: 19 Apr 2026 11:40 UTC

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