Chapter 7: A Schoolyard Showdown

“Right now…?”

I stopped mid-bite, eyes wide, focusing on the conversation.
I didn’t want to miss a single detail about Choi Do Yoon.
But Manager Jo’s tone was unsettling.
As soon as she hung up, I blurted out, eyes huge.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Well…”

She hesitated before answering.

“…They say young master Do Yoon is involved in a school violence incident.”

“What?”

I blinked rapidly.
What kind of nonsense is this?

Romantic Cinderella isn’t some early-2000s teen drama with high school gang leaders and a love quadrangle.
The male lead getting caught up in school violence?
No way.
Even if he was involved, main characters in these stories handle things coolly among themselves, not letting it escalate to teachers or family.
Otherwise, it stops being a teen romance and turns into a coming-of-age story.

This is a romance novel for adult women.
Do Yoon’s flaws are supposed to be emotional repression, trust issues, and fumbling his way to the heroine due to a loveless childhood—nothing like this.
I chugged a glass of water and asked.

“Did he get hit?”

“He… was the one hitting.”

I put down my spoon.

A sleek black foreign car pulled up in front of the private Y High School.
Given the caliber of students here, it wasn’t an unusual sight, but the cold, model-like young man stepping out drew every eye.
Brushing off his pristine black suit jacket, he strode elegantly toward the school building.

‘So, the homeroom teacher called for a guardian?’

‘Yes, I’m heading out now.’

‘No, I’ll go.’

‘What?’

‘I’ve got nothing to do anyway.
What’s the point of sitting around?
Manager Jo, you’re busy, right?’

‘But…’

‘My little brother’s caught up in something messy.
As his older brother, I should check it out.’

I recalled the earlier conversation.

I was sincere, but Manager Jo’s face paled.
She probably thought I was jumping at a chance to mess with Do Yoon.
To reassure her, I flashed my most harmless smile and added.

‘Don’t worry.
I’ll bring Do Yoon home safe and sound.’

Her expression was something else.

But… I meant it.

The male lead of a romance novel can’t be a school bully.
If he hit someone, there’s a reason, and it’s justifiable.
Why?
Because that’s how this genre works.
No female reader wants a male lead who’s a school violence perpetrator.

So, Do Yoon’s just in a tricky spot.
And this is a golden opportunity for me.

After my blunder a few days ago, I wanted to play the hero who saves him from a bind.
The ‘ally who shows up in your darkest hour’ kind of thing.

‘This is practically a free favorability boost.’

Thankfully, the school was quiet during classes.
Fewer onlookers, which was good.
An administrative staff member led me to the principal’s office.
Inside, a middle-aged man—likely the principal—and a young woman, probably the homeroom teacher, sat with grim faces.
I cleared my throat and announced loudly.

“Hello, I’m Choi Do Yoon’s guardian.”

One of the two boys sitting across the table jerked his head up.
This kid I’d never seen had a bruise under his cheek and a missing button on his uniform.
His glare was murderous—not a great look, even without the beating.
He looked like a mashed potato.
Before the teachers could greet me, he leapt up and shouted.

“Hyung Seung Hyun!”

At the same time, Do Yoon, who’d been facing away, whipped around to stare at me.
The stark contrast between Mashed Potato’s face and the protagonist’s caught me off guard, and I flinched.

Do Yoon had a small scratch on his face, but it looked more like edgy makeup for a rebellious teen idol than a flaw.

While I inwardly marveled, Do Yoon’s face hardened like ice when our eyes met.
Mashed Potato, meanwhile, looked at me like I was his savior, tears welling up.

“That jerk hit me first!
I swear I didn’t do anything!”

…Who the hell is this guy, acting so chummy?
People might think he’s my brother.

Flustered but silent, I walked over and sat next to Do Yoon.
I heard him let out a small sigh, probably thinking my presence would make things worse for him.

I greeted the teachers and asked.

“What happened?”

“As you can see… Do Yoon hit Won Cheol.
Badly.”

Mashed Potato—Won Cheol—smirked triumphantly with his battered face.

“My molar’s loose.
Who just beats someone like that?
Even with you here, I’m not letting this slide.”

I racked my brain for memories.
I’d memorized the drama’s casting board inside out, and there was no character named Won Cheol.
He’s a low-tier extra, barely worth noticing.
So why’s he acting so familiar?

I was getting annoyed.

Not because Won Cheol was unattractive, but because his smug grin screamed confidence that I was on his side.
A normal kid would be wary of the aggressor’s family showing up, but he’s welcoming me while my own brother, Do Yoon, is wary of me.
Why?

A bad feeling hit me like lightning.
Cold sweat prickled.

‘This could go south fast.’

Hoping I was wrong, I took a deep breath and delivered my prepared line with a serious tone.

“My brother’s not the type to hit someone for no reason.
Can you explain?”

Do Yoon flinched and looked at me, clearly not expecting that.
Neither did Won Cheol, who shrugged, incredulous.

“Ask him yourself.”

I turned to Do Yoon, keeping my voice calm.

“Did you really hit him?”

“…Yes.”

“Why?”

Do Yoon clenched his fists, creasing his uniform pants.

“…I don’t want to say.”

I let out a heavy sigh.
The homeroom teacher stepped in.

“We spoke to Won Cheol’s parents, and they’re insisting on a school violence committee.”

“…”

That’s the worst-case scenario.
A school violence committee is like a court.
A bad ruling could mean forced transfer.
Even if Do Yoon’s innocent, blowing this up helps no one.
This is just a fleeting backstory, not even part of the main plot.

As I pondered how to handle this, Won Cheol crossed his legs arrogantly and said.

“If Choi Do Yoon kneels and begs for forgiveness, I might let it slide this time.”

What is this, a cartoon villain line?

Even funnier, he winked at me right after.
My mood soured further.
My worst suspicion was looking more likely.
I sighed like I was exhaling cigarette smoke and said gravely.

“I don’t know why you two fought, but… can I apologize on his behalf?”

“What?”

“Are you crazy?”

Won Cheol and Do Yoon spoke almost in unison, Do Yoon’s reaction stronger.
I ignored his glare and continued.

“Kids fight at school sometimes, right?
But Won Cheol, you said you’d let it go if there’s an apology, so I’m grateful.
I’m his brother—can’t I do it?
I’ll even kneel for him.”

“No way!”

Do Yoon grabbed my shoulder, spinning me around.
It hurt.
He looked ready to punch me, his fierce eyes screaming, ‘Who are you to meddle?’
Across the table, Won Cheol let out a deflated scoff, his delinquent face twisting.

“Why, hyung?”

Why?
Because it seems like I directly or indirectly egged you on to bully him.
Damn it.

At a private school full of rich kids, everyone probably knows each other’s families.
They’d definitely know about Do Yoon’s dramatic entry into the Haewon family.
If rumors spread that I, the likely heir, despise Do Yoon, it creates an environment where someone like this guy would target him without my direct orders.
And I’m certain Seung Hyun planned it that way.

Sure enough, Won Cheol looked at me, bewildered.

“Hyung, they said you got hit in the head, but… what’s going on?
Did our hyung hit you that hard?”

…

So you’re the druggie’s brother?
What a cozy little network of pathetic villain extras.
I felt a wave of disgust realizing I’d possessed someone on the same level as this guy.

Won Cheol spoke again.

“Anyway, hyung, you don’t need to do this.
I just want an apology from that guy.”