Chapter 18: If you save a gloomy woman, she will invite you to her house.

The midterm exam results came out.

The scores for each subject were listed in the form of a long paper strip, and next to them were the class rank and school rank.

Name: Kim Maru

Speech and Composition: 100
Calculus: 97.5
Ethics and Ideology: 100
East Asian History: 100
Physics I: 100
Earth Science I: 100
Technology & Home Economics: 100
Chinese: 100

Class Rank: 1/23
School Rank: 1/228

‘I’m relieved.’

I sighed in relief after seeing the report card.

This exam was also an opportunity to test how much performance I could show in Hakdo.

As a member of Haneul High School resisting Ojakgyo, I need to further strengthen my strengths.

Even if I try hard to fight from now on, I can’t easily deal with the executives of Ojakgyo.

Then, if I change direction and support Kim Noeul.

“Kim Noeul.”

“…What is it?”

“You didn’t forget the bet, did you?”

Kim Noeul bit her lip and fiddled with the paper strip.

She didn’t seem to want to show it.

I pretended to go back to my seat and then twisted my upper body again and snatched her paper.

“Huh!?”

I looked at the report card while Kim Noeul was flustered.

Name: Kim Noeul

Speech and Composition: 100
Calculus: 95
Ethics and Ideology: 100
East Asian History: 100
Physics I: 100
Earth Science I: 100
Technology & Home Economics: 100
Chinese: 100

Class Rank: 2/23
School Rank: 2/228

“Oh, you did well.”

“Are you teasing me?”

She, with a complicated expression, snatched the report card back.

Kim Noeul, who put the report card in her skirt pocket, opened her mouth with a firm expression.

“So, what’s your wish?”

“Hmm…”

I thought about it, but nothing came to mind.

I just accepted the wish bet for the purpose of stimulating Kim Noeul.

“I’ll tell you later.”

“I’m worried…”

“For now, let’s have a counseling club get-together. The grades are out, so I’ll text Senior Na Yuna.”

[Me: Senior, are you free today?]

[Me: We decided to eat meat after the exam]

I sent the message, but the reply was particularly late.

Kim Noeul was relaxed, as if it was no big deal.

“She must be busy now.”

‘She’s not that kind of person.’

As someone who knows Na Yuna’s online life well, I didn’t think she would read the text late.

She was the type to reply quickly within 5 minutes at the longest.

‘Is she sick or something?’

I stopped waiting for the reply and prepared to go home.

I thought Kim Noeul would also go home when she saw me leaving, but unexpectedly, she stayed still.

“Aren’t you going?”

It’s become a habit to go home with her, so it felt awkward to go alone.

Kim Noeul held out a Science Day poster.

“I’m participating in the science competition. So I’ll be at school after school.”

‘If it’s the competition, that event is just around the corner.’

Je Galwhalin, seeing that her gang kept getting beaten and the money collection decreased, eventually appears in Haneul High School’s rotary herself.

The number she brought was quite large, so I thought Haneul High School would be pushed back, but Haneul High School’s disciplinary department joined in, and it ended in a draw.

In fact, it’s amazing that a mere disciplinary department led to a draw against Ojakgyo’s members, but I have no intention of being satisfied with a draw.

‘It’s also about time for her to return to Hakdo, and I was going to contact her someday regarding Kim Noeul’s student council president matter…’

“What are you thinking so deeply about?”

When I was lost in thought with my chin resting on my hand, Kim Noeul poked my cheek.

My brow furrowed because my cheek was suddenly pressed.

“Nothing. I’m leaving first then.”

“Are you lonely going alone?”

She suddenly asks with a serious expression.

Momentarily overwhelmed by her spirit, I answered slyly.

“…You’re so conceited. It’ll be nice to have a quiet way home for once.”

“Don’t worry. Even if you don’t want to, I’ll keep following you after the competition.”

“What?”

Kim Noeul didn’t answer my question and left with a smile.

I think I heard something huge, but I can’t argue because the person in question left.

Perhaps because it’s spring and the weather is warm, my face felt hot.

I cooled my head and came out of school.

As usual, it was a familiar way home, but it was certainly boring because the person who led the conversation was gone.

‘Should I eat something?’

I headed to the rotary to relieve the boredom of my mouth with snacks.

There are many food stalls in the rotary, to the point where it’s called ‘street vendor street’.

Unlike the street vendors in society, they all pay an amount to the Hakdo Food Service Management Committee, so there is no problem with taxes.

And since that management committee is an organization with a lot of ties to Ojakgyo, Ojakgyo’s influence is strong even on Hakdo’s food.

‘When I think about it, Alice, who built this system, is really…’

How great would it have been if she had used that talent for good deeds instead of evil.

If I had planted better memories in her childhood, would the future have changed?

It’s meaningless to think about it now.

I bought a chicken skewer at a nearby stall.

I took out a long piece of meat from the wrapping paper and bit into it.

As I was walking and chewing, I saw a group of students gathered near the alley.

They were surrounding someone, so I couldn’t see that someone well from afar.

‘Thuggery on the street…’

It’s everyday life in Hakdo.

If they’re committing such blatant misdeeds, Ojakgyo must be behind them, and ordinary students will bow their heads unconditionally if they’re Ojakgyo members.

Teachers and law enforcement are difficult to exert power in Hakdo, so they virtually stand idly by, and the thugs run wild.

‘The writer’s malicious setting has such a bad influence.’

I slowly approached them.

Three male students were pointing fingers at one female student.

“Hey, your girlfriend here is scared. Comfort her quickly.”

“Seriously, f*ck off.”

Two male students seemed to be bullying by saying, ‘Look, your girlfriend is passing by’.

The male student who was the target of the teasing was running wild with a disgusted expression.

When I looked closely, the one female student who was surrounded had very long bangs and an impressive, voluminous uniform top.

‘…Senior Na Yuna?’

My guess was correct.

Na Yuna was being robbed by thugs because she got caught in the wrong place.

And she’s being teased as a bonus.

“Hey, I didn’t confess to you because I liked you, okay? I confessed because I lost rock-paper-scissors. But if you reject me like that, it’s like I got dumped by you.”

“S, still, I can’t accept…”

“I’m just pissed that a b*tch like you rejected me!”

It’s a checkmate.

If Na Yuna accepts the false confession, the male student will be displeased, and if she rejects the confession, he will be displeased, saying how dare she reject him.

‘How easy does she look for a guy to pick a fight with a girl…’

Still, I’m a member of the same counseling club and have the great cause of solving Hakdo’s absurdity, so I can’t pretend I didn’t see that situation.

I approached them and greeted Senior Na Yuna.

“Hello, senior.”

“…Huh? Maru?”

“What, who are you to interfere.”

Senior Na Yuna looked up at me, and the male students’ gazes also focused on me.

I ignored the male students’ gazes and tried to pull out Senior Na Yuna.

“We have an appointment today. Come out quickly.”

“Ah, that…”

Na Yuna looked at the three male students rather than me.

It means that fear is deeply rooted.

“It’s not your place to interfere now, so just f*ck off.”

“Are you her boyfriend or something?”

“Wow~. That’s rude to that guy~.”

The male students started to criticize me and Na Yuna harshly.

It seemed that they had no intention of letting Na Yuna go unless I got rid of these three.

“What do you want?”

“What do I want? Hmm~. Compensation for the mental damage I suffered from that b*tch? Give me 100,000 won.”

Money was their goal, as expected.

Na Yuna’s face turned pale because the target changed to me.

“I, I’ll pay, not Maru! I can pay!”

“Anyone is fine, so just pay quickly and f*ck off.”

I glared at the man who kept telling me to f*ck off.

Judging by his build, he seems to be in charge of force.

I opened my mouth carefully.

“100,000 won is enough… Huh? What’s that?”

“What, where are you looking?”

“Uryat!”(Take this!)

I bought time by punching the face of the male student who turned his head.

The hit male student fell to the ground, crushing the other two male students.

“Agh! You crazy b*stard! You’re heavy!”

“M, my face…!”

“Senior, quickly, in this gap!”

Na Yuna was held by my hand and ran for a long time.

We ran until we got out of the rotary, and we were out of breath.

Na Yuna was on the verge of collapsing because she had weak stamina.

“Huff, Maru, I, can’t run anymore…”

“Don’t talk if it’s hard.”

“Haa… Haa…”

Seeing her breathing with a red face and her large chest going up and down, I felt something strange, so I looked away.

“Why did you get caught in the first place? Just run away.”

“I’m slow at running… As you can see, I have this body…”

I immediately understood her excuse.

Well, her body was not a body suitable for exercise.

“I’m sorry, I have this body…”

“What do you mean by this body?”

I didn’t understand her remarks.

Na Yuna also felt something strange in my reaction and had a puzzled expression.

“I, isn’t it hideous? People hate it.”

“…Isn’t it good?”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing.”

I thought about complimenting her, but it was a sensitive topic, so I just avoided the story.

But Na Yuna’s face was already red again.

“Good? Is it good? Really?”

“No, why are you so excited?”

I moved away from her, who had a dangerous expression, and I felt my damp uniform.

Come to think of it, it had been drizzling since earlier.

But now the raindrops were quite strong, so my clothes started to get very wet.

Na Yuna stared at my wet shirt.

When I gave her a cold look, she finally looked away.

“S, sorry. I got too excited.”

“It’s raining, so let’s go back quickly. Let’s have the get-together next time.”

“Do you have an umbrella?”

“No. I can just run, so.”

“The male dormitory is far…”

“My dorm is nearby… do you want to change clothes…? You might catch a cold. And take an umbrella. I’m so grateful for your help today…”

“…….”

“…I’m sorry! I misspoke! Just don’t report me!”

“Okay.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s go to your dorm, senior.”

“Really…?”