Chapter 21: Resignation form

“Hey, Kim Noeul. Are you free after school today too?”

Today is the day the disciplinary department comes to inspect the counseling club.

It would be more convenient if the president, Kim Noeul, was present, so I asked her about her time.

“I have competition class today too. What’s up?”

“They’re coming to inspect today. So I was asking if you could come to the club.”

“I can for a bit. I’m also free after class.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s not like the president has to be there. That competition will also help your specs, so do your best.”

As expected, Kim Noeul won’t be able to exert her strength outside of school for the time being.

If so, she won’t be able to participate in the upcoming fight with Je Galwhalin’s gang.

‘In this case, the help of the disciplinary department becomes crucial.’

Fortunately, today is the inspection day, so I decided to subtly hint at it after the inspection.

Especially since Han Doa, the disciplinary department head, came to the counseling club alone to request counseling in the original.

Kim Noeul, who understood my gentle refusal, bowed her head with a somewhat lonely expression.

That reaction was like looking at a puppy with its ears drooping.

“What’s bothering you again?”

“…A wolf is lonely when it’s alone.”

She’s suddenly talking nonsense, so Kim Noeul is closer to a dog than a wolf.

“Isn’t a wolf an animal that is alone? There’s even the expression ‘lone wolf’.”

“That’s a misconception. Wolves live in packs.”

Kim Noeul’s point suddenly reminded me of Alice’s face.

In the original, Alice was often compared to a wolf.

She seemed to stand alone and aloof, but in reality, her inner self was not like that at all.

‘What is she doing now?’

I’m making grand plans and going through hardships because of you, but if you’ve forgotten me and are concentrating on ruling Hakdo, I’ll be a little sad.

“Maru, your eyes have become wistful?”

When I recalled someone I missed, Kim Noeul’s eyes became sharp.

Those eyes were a little scary because they were like a real wolf, not a dog.

“There’s dust in my eyes. Anyway, do well in preparing for the competition.”

“…Okay.”

As I turned my body and left the classroom, I heard the voices of some male students approaching Kim Noeul.

They are the guys who usually have a crush on Kim Noeul.

They are guys with enough persistence to not give up despite Kim Noeul’s iron wall defense.

“Noeul~. We’re going to karaoke (refers to a place where people sing along to instrumental versions of songs for entertainment) today, wanna come?”

“Sorry, I have to prepare for the competition today.”

“Ah… Then, after that preparation is over?”

“Sorry, I’m going back to the dorm to review right away.”

“I see… That’s too bad.”

They retreated with dejected expressions, pushed back by Kim Noeul, who politely refused with a business smile.

‘Didn’t she just tell me that she was free after the competition class?’

I was glad that I could feel that she was sincere about the counseling club.

As I left the classroom, I texted Na Yuna.

[Me: Did Ms. Chae Yubin arrive?]

[Na Yuna: Yes, just now]

[Na Yuna: But how did you know that the advisor teacher has to accompany us during the inspection?]

[Na Yuna: Didn’t you say it’s your first time with a voluntary club?]

[Me: You can just find out by researching]

Because the original explained it that way.

When I arrived at the counseling club in the old school building, I opened the door and went inside.

Ms. Chae Yubin and Senior Na Yuna were struggling with the activity report.

“Ah, Maru, you’re here.”

Ms. Chae Yubin greeted me with a tearful expression.

“It’s my first time with an inspection, so I don’t know what to do… I wanted to be helpful as a teacher.”

“Actually, the teacher doesn’t have much to do. In the end, the students do the main reporting. You’re better than most teachers just by showing this much enthusiasm.”

In fact, there are many advisor teachers who even doze off during the inspection.

Even though Hakdo is centered on students, I think that’s too much.

“Ugh, I’m nervous.”

Na Yuna slapped her cheeks with both hands.

Is it an action to awaken her spirit?

“But I’m the one who’s supposed to present anyway, so why are you two the most nervous?”

“Right?”

“That’s true?”

“…….”

When I look at it like this, these two seem to be subtly similar.

It was like watching a mother-daughter skit.

As the three of us organized the data and spent time, the inspection time approached.

Considering Han Doa’s personality…

‘She’ll arrive exactly on time.’

She doesn’t come earlier or later than the appointed time.

She always comes to the destination at exactly the right time like a ghost.

And my prediction was correct.

As soon as it was the exact time, someone knocked on the counseling club door.

Knock knock.

“It’s the disciplinary department.”

It was the voice of a female student, not Han Doa.

“Come in.”

At Ms. Chae Yubin’s answer, the door opened.

There were a total of three disciplinary department members.

One female student with clear eyes, one male student with a stern impression who was pushing up his glasses, and one female student who entered the classroom with her long ponytail swaying.

The last female student I introduced was Han Doa.

She took the lead and entered the counseling club and greeted us.

“Thank you for responding to today’s inspection. Don’t be nervous and report comfortably.”

“Yes, yes.”

Na Yuna barely answered, stuttering.

The disciplinary department members, who sat in the seats guided by Ms. Chae Yubin, didn’t seem to have any intention of chatting.

All of them looked at us as if they wanted to hear the report first.

“Then Maru, can you start?”

“Yes. Senior Yuna, please distribute the printouts.”

I answered Ms. Chae Yubin’s instructions and asked Senior Na Yuna to distribute the materials to the disciplinary department members.

After seeing that all three of them received the materials, I opened my mouth.

“First of all, the establishment goal of our counseling club is…”

I proceeded with the presentation smoothly, as I had rehearsed several times at home last night.

Actually, I’ve practiced presentations several times in my previous life, so I wasn’t that nervous.

The report lasted for about 20 minutes.

It was quite a long time from the listener’s point of view, but the disciplinary department members listened carefully.

After the presentation, the disciplinary department members threw out various questions.

“About the counseling club’s performance last month…”

“Are there any plans to increase the number of members…”

“What results can you achieve at the Haneul Festival in the second semester…”

Fortunately, most of the questions were expected, so I answered them without hesitation.

But Han Doa kept her mouth shut, and only the other two asked questions.

‘Why isn’t she saying anything?’

Actually, Han Doa should be the one who is most curious about the counseling club among those three.

But she hasn’t asked a single question.

“Are there any more questions?”

When the questioning subsided and the disciplinary department members said nothing, I asked.

At my question, the two members nodded.

“We listened well.”

“It’s a new club, but you’ve built a solid foundation.”

The two were positive.

The complexion of Chae Yubin and Na Yuna, who heard the answers of the two, brightened.

At that time, Han Doa suddenly asked a question.

“The friction that occurred during the club establishment process.”

When she opened her mouth, Ms. Chae Yubin’s complexion worsened again.

Na Yuna shrugged her shoulders as if she remembered a past she didn’t want to remember.

“That friction seems to be quite a violation of school rules.”

“What friction are you talking about?”

“I heard that a violent incident occurred in the process of abolishing the existing counseling club.”

“That’s right.”

I coolly admitted it.

Han Doa narrowed her brow as if my reaction was unexpected.

“It’s true? But you don’t seem to care. Are you planning to lead future club activities in that way?”

“I’ll make it clear with this inspection as an opportunity.”

I decided to throw a gamble here.

If the disciplinary department is the same as the disciplinary department in the webtoon I knew, it’s a gamble with a very high probability.

“I think there are many problems with Haneul High School now.”

The male student with glasses took a breath.

“Students are not like students, and teachers are not like teachers. Even that tendency is spreading not only in Haneul High School but also throughout Hakdo.”

“Why are you suddenly criticizing the current state of affairs?”

“To change it.”

“…….”

“I will root out the people who are eating away at Haneul High School and make new shoots sprout. Abolishing the existing counseling club was done for that purpose.”

“This is… too intense.”

The female student with clear eyes chuckled.

Then she looks at her department head.

Han Doa crossed her arms and stared at my eyes.

I stared back.

After a brief staring contest, Han Doa looked away first.

She looked at Ms. Chae Yubin.

“Teacher, did you know? That there was a fight between students?”

“…Yes.”

Ms. Chae Yubin didn’t make excuses, such as saying she tried to stop it.

She was genuinely ashamed of Han Doa’s rebuke.

Actually, it’s not something she should be ashamed of.

“The teacher tried to stop it. Still, I did it. Of course, the other side attacked first.”

“It’s also true that you actively responded to it and escalated the situation.”

“N, no!”

Suddenly, Senior Na Yuna intervened in my conversation with Han Doa.

Han Doa looked at Na Yuna with a surprised look.

“What’s not true?”

“It’s not escalating the situation! It’s those girls who really tried to escalate the situation. I know because I was in the same counseling club as them. I know how rotten they are, how they collude with other schools to oppress our students, and how they play dangerous money games! Maru and Noeul actually saved this school!”

Sometimes, the victim’s emotional appeal overwhelms logical reason.

Even Na Yuna’s words were not illogical.

In fact, some students who were suffering from the existing counseling club members came to our counseling club and expressed their gratitude.

A representative student among them was Na Yuna.

The male student with glasses opened his mouth at Na Yuna’s defense.

“That’s right. In fact, the money that was supported meaninglessly could be saved, and the bullying cases in the school visibly decreased.”

“And they said they ended the fight to a minimum? The guy has a pretty strong punch?”

Hearing the words of the disciplinary department member who supported me with clear eyes shining, Na Yuna’s expression brightened slightly.

“Of course, it’s true that the establishment process was noisy. But it was a necessary procedure for Haneul High School. If you can’t believe me, believe in the usual behavior of the president, Kim Noeul, and Senior Na Yuna’s appeal.”

“…….”

Han Doa didn’t say anything.

As the head of Haneul High School’s disciplinary department, she would know Kim Noeul and Na Yuna’s situation better than I do.

“First, let’s correct the misunderstanding. I’m not trying to interrogate the counseling club. I just asked to know the friction process in more detail.”

Han Doa sighed for a moment and continued.

“…Do you know what it means to change Haneul High School?”

Han Doa continued.

“It’s not just Haneul High School. The complex interests intertwined here… It’s to solve all of that.”

“Ojakgyo?”

When I said it outright, Han Doa narrowed her brow.

“Yes, Ojakgyo. A gathering of those who are still in puberty and doing nonsensical things. They are the cause of Hakdo’s illness.”

“Ojakgyo…”

Ms. Chae Yubin muttered with a serious expression, and Han Doa answered.

“Alice of Shinseong High School, Eun Yuri of Juhwang High School, Seo Yoon of Choyeon High School, Lee Jihye of Dowon High School, and Je Galyeonhwa of Hankook High School. It is a student group organized with them as executives. Unless they are defeated, Hakdo’s absurdity will not disappear.”

“If I wasn’t confident, I wouldn’t have started.”

When I went out confidently, Han Doa slowly closed her eyes.

And only after a long time did she open her eyes.

“…I can’t say anything because there are people who have actually been helped.”

Han Doa’s gaze stayed on Na Yuna.

She bowed her head slightly to Na Yuna.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t take care of you even though we’re in the same grade.”

“I, it’s okay because Doa wasn’t at school recently…”

“Why are you using honorifics with me?”

“…I feel like I should for some reason.”

The male student had a bewildered expression at Na Yuna’s answer.

The atmosphere became lighter.

“Well, we heard the ambitious pledge of a spirited junior, so shall we go back? Actually, the inspection is just an excuse, and we came to test this story once, right?”

Han Doa didn’t answer the female student’s words and looked at the distant mountain.

I didn’t know that either.

Did Han Doa already notice my ideology to some extent?

‘Well, she cares a lot about her own school students.’

The inspection was over, and the disciplinary department members organized their seats.

“Huh? Isn’t the head going?”

“You guys go first.”

Han Doa sent the members away first.

Ms. Chae Yubin patted my shoulder and encouraged me.

“Ojakgyo… I heard they are dangerous students. Due to the nature of Hakdo, it’s natural for such a corrupt group to be born.”

“Don’t worry. Hakdo will change before you transfer to another school.”

“…I feel sorry for some reason. Because there’s nothing I can do as a teacher. Even though it’s Hakdo, it would be nice if I could intervene to some extent.”

“You’re already enough. You’re Senior Yuna’s conversation partner, aren’t you?”

“It’s nothing special.”

“You looked like a close mother and daughter.”

In fact, when you look at Ms. Chae Yubin and Senior Na Yuna talking from afar, it looked like a close mother and daughter.

When I praised her that she looked like a good mother, Chae Yubin’s face turned red.

“Wh, what are you talking about…! I’m still a virgin!”

She was so flustered that she even revealed information that I wasn’t curious about.

She scratched her head awkwardly and left the club room.

Her nape was red, so she must have been embarrassed to be praised.

“Ah, Maru. I have to go early today… I’m sorry.”

Senior Na Yuna also left.

I said it was okay and sent her off.

Come to think of it, it was almost broadcasting time.

So only I and Han Doa were left in the club room.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“…….”

Han Doa was silent for a moment.

She just moved her lips and didn’t easily open her mouth.

When I looked closely, her ears were slightly red.

“You’re the 2nd grade’s top student, right?”

When Han Doa brought up the topic with difficulty, I felt that what was coming had come.

“That’s right.”

“…D, do you include academics in the counseling field?”

Perhaps because she was nervous, her way of speaking was quite old-fashioned.

Her speech was already overly formal, but it got worse.

‘It’s because of the family environment, she said.’

It’s a setting that her family is famous for kendo (modern Japanese martial art), so her way of speaking was influenced by that.

I answered brightly in counselor mode.

“Yes, of course. It’s my specialty. In middle school, I even raised a kid who was famous for being a fool in the class to 5th place in the class through mentor volunteer work.”

“T, that much!?”

Uncharacteristically surprised, Han Doa cleared her throat and calmed down.

“Then I’ll visit the counseling club sometime.”

“I’ll be waiting. Ah, and.”

“Hmm? Is there something left?”

“Can you do me a small favor in exchange for counseling?”

“If it’s something I can do.”

“It’s nothing special, just patrol around the academy district for the time being.”

Han Doa’s expression became serious at my question.