Chapter 27: Kim Noeul’s Reverse Scale

“It’s rare for four students to inquire at the same time, so it’s nice to see you.”

The counselor seemed delighted, perhaps thinking the academy would gain many new registrants.
He explained the current curriculum, scholarship benefits, and other systems.

“Since you’re all current students, you’ll primarily belong to the grade report class. If you want additional courses, you can apply for the CSAT intensive class or the summer school class. Please fill in your personal information here….”

While listening to the counselor’s eloquent explanation, we silently filled in our personal information.

As I obediently signed the registration form, Kim Noeul looked at me.

“Are you really going to register?”

“There’s no harm in doing it. I also promised to help Doa-sunbae (senior) with her studies.”

“What? What did you promise to help with?”

“Maru-hubae ( junior) agreed to give me one-on-one tutoring. I accepted his kindness.”

When Kim Noeul questioned with a cool expression, Han Doa replied nonchalantly.
Seeing Han Doa’s calm face, Kim Noeul’s expression darkened.

“Then I’ll help you. As a reward for saving the counseling club members, as the counseling club president.”

When Kim Noeul proposed this to Han Doa, Han Doa stared intently at Kim Noeul before speaking.

“Are your grades better than Maru-hubae’s (junior)?”

“Th-that’s….”

“Noeul isn’t bad either. Second place is quite something….”

“But I heard the top student in the second year is Maru-hubae.”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll learn from Maru-hubae.”

As Han Doa concluded, Kim Noeul made a face like she’d bitten into dung and angrily scribbled her signature on the registration form.

“I-I want to learn from Maru too.”

Na Yuna, looking dejected, also timidly finished signing.

After completing the registration process, we followed the counselor’s guidance towards the grade report class.
Since it was the final exam period, it seemed they were letting us experience the grade report class first.

“The 2nd-year grade report class is here, and the 3rd-year grade report class is downstairs. The two 3rd-year students, please follow me.”

Han Doa and Na Yuna trailed behind the counselor.

As Na Yuna followed, she turned back and waved at Kim Noeul and me.
Han Doa gave us a slight nod with a stern expression.

“I hope Yuna-sunbae ( senior ) will be okay.”

Kim Noeul looked at Na Yuna with the expression of a mother sending off her naive daughter into the world.
I felt similarly.

“Don’t worry. Doa-sunbae is with her. Unless someone has extraordinary guts, they won’t be able to touch her.”

The greatest nemesis of Hakdo’s delinquent students is none other than the disciplinary head, Han Doa.

Unless an Ojakgyo executive suddenly appears, as long as she sticks by Na Yuna’s side, no one will be able to lay a hand on Na Yuna.

“Is the 2nd-year grade report class over there?”

Kim Noeul and I entered the classroom labeled ‘Grade Report Class – 2nd Year’.
It seemed to be break time, as a few students were sleeping or chatting.

It wasn’t just Haneul High students.
There were many students in unfamiliar uniforms, like Hankook High and Dowon High uniforms.

‘Hankook High is where Je Galyeonhwa attends, and Dowon High is where Lee Jihye attends.’

With students from various schools mixed together, it’s inevitable that there will be frequent incidents.
In fact, in the original work, many events occurred near the academy district.

That was also one of the reasons I registered at this academy.

“Oh, Kim Noeul? You attend this academy?”

A female student approached Kim Noeul, showing signs of recognition.
She was a Haneul High student.
Kim Noeul’s expression brightened, seemingly happy to meet a friend.

“I just registered today. Finals are coming up soon.”

“No way, what more are you trying to raise your score for?”

The female student, looking incredulous, seemed to understand immediately upon seeing me behind Kim Noeul.

“Ah… So that was it. It won’t be easy though.”

“What won’t be easy? It’ll be different during the finals.”

“As if Maru would let you win easily. M-Maru, hi.”

“Yeah.”

The female student stammered and awkwardly greeted me.
It was the first time I’d seen her face, but I couldn’t ignore her greeting.

When I returned her greeting, the female student’s eyes sparkled.
Excitedly, she continued the conversation.

“By the way, you guys will probably take a level test right after the next class ends, right? Your detailed curriculum changes depending on that.”

“Really? I didn’t know that.”

“You two will probably be in the S-class anyway.”

Hearing the term S-class made me anxious.

‘Do I have to take more classes just because it’s a special class? That would be troublesome.’

I prefer flexible time management, so this wasn’t welcome news to me.

“If we’re in S-class, do we have to attend more classes?”

“No? Actually, you can skip most classes and study in the self-study room. You can also buy mock exam sets first when they come out.”

When I asked, the female student replied with a very kind face.
Fortunately, it seemed my worries were unfounded.

Just then, students near us started grumbling.

“Ah, it’s noisy. Go talk outside.”

“Have some manners.”

They were female students wearing Dowon High uniforms.
But the funny thing was, they themselves had been chatting just moments before.

In other words, it was a clear provocation.

“Wasn’t it break time just now?”

At Kim Noeul’s retort, their expressions contorted.

“Some people study during break time, so how can you chat?”

“Some etiquette, please.”

The female students spoke triumphantly.
I examined their uniforms closely.

-SC.

It was the brand name run by CEO Lim Juhee, who had given me her business card before.
That uniform wasn’t a standard Hankook High uniform.

It was the uniform worn by Hankook High students affiliated with Ojakgyo.
The uniform Je Galyeonhwa told her gang to wear.

The female student friendly with Kim Noeul seemed to realize they were from Ojakgyo, sighed, and yielded first.

“Okay, we’re sorry.”

“Good that you know.”

Replying sulkily, they started chatting among themselves again.
Kim Noeul stared intently at the backs of their heads.

…That’s the same expression she had when she beat up Ahn Hyojin.

-Class will begin in 1 minute.

An announcement came from the ceiling speaker.

“Alright~ Let’s sit down now.”

The teacher, who had entered the classroom early, woke up the students and prepared for class.

“Hey, Kim Noeul. Let’s hurry to our seats.”

When I linked arms with her and pulled, she followed obediently.

The class was boring.
It happened to be math class, and perhaps considering the level of students gathered in the grade report class, the problems weren’t difficult.

I stopped solving problems and observed the two female students who had picked a fight with us earlier.

One was struggling diligently with the problems, while the other was openly sprawled out asleep.

‘I need to figure out how many Ojakgyo students are in this academy first.’

If there are too many, I might need to lay low for a while.
If there are fewer than expected, our side could take the initiative first.

Having finished my thoughts, I glanced at Kim Noeul sitting next to me.

She sat with her long straight hair flowing down, resting her chin on her hand, looking at the blackboard.
I’d felt this before, but her profile was particularly striking, even more so than her front view.

Perhaps because of her high nose bridge and sharp jawline, her sculpted beauty was even more pronounced from the side.

Seeing her like that, I suddenly understood the feelings of the female fans who were crazy about the original Kim Noeul.

‘What am I thinking about during class?’

I stopped admiring Kim Noeul’s appearance and focused on the lesson.

Because I concentrated hard, the class felt like it ended quickly.
The teacher wished us a good day and left the classroom, and most students also stretched and exited the room.

A moment later, the counselor who had advised us approached.

“Maru and Noeul? Could you come here for a moment?”

“Yes.”

Kim Noeul and I followed the counselor out into the hallway.

“Actually, you two don’t need to take the level test.”

“Pardon?”

As Kim Noeul expressed her confusion, the counselor added an explanation.

“You remember the personal information you filled out earlier? When I checked the Hakdo integrated grading system, you two are the top and second-top students, right? If your grade report proves your level, your class is decided immediately according to that.”

He paused his explanation and handed us two printouts and access cards.
It was information regarding the S-class curriculum and benefits.

“Read that over and you can start attending from tomorrow. Actually, attendance is optional for you two, so you don’t have to come. Ah, of course, you must take the important exams.”

‘If attendance is optional, I can save a lot of time?’

It was an unexpected gain, so I was thrilled.
How convenient it would be to just show up at the academy when incidents occurred.

Kim Noeul and I, finding ourselves with unexpected free time, stood still in the hallway.
“Um… Should we go down to the 3rd-year floor and wait for those two?”

I nodded at Kim Noeul’s suggestion.
We went down to the 3rd-year floor.

Luckily, perhaps because the 3rd-year grade report class had just ended, Na Yuna and Han Doa came into view as they exited the classroom.

“Sunbaes.” 

I called out to them.
They approached us with somewhat puzzled expressions.

“How was the class?”

When I asked, the two women looked at each other before speaking.

“It was manageable.”

“It seems okay.”

“Really?”

Fortunately, it seemed they could follow the grade report class pace sufficiently.
Meaning they weren’t complete beginners.

However, Han Doa-sunbae suddenly crossed her arms and expressed dissatisfaction.

“But apart from the class content, the surrounding atmosphere is poor.”

“The atmosphere?”

When Kim Noeul asked back, Han Doa pointed towards the classroom and lamented.

“There are many students sleeping sprawled out or improperly dressed. There were even kids threatening other students. If this were Haneul High or the streets, I would have disciplined them immediately.”

It seemed she was frustrated that her disciplinary tendencies couldn’t be properly exercised at the academy.

Just then, a loud clattering noise came from afar.

“You’re dead if I catch you!”

“Yer ded if I ketch yu~.”

Two young-looking students zipped past us like arrows.
One was teasing the other while running away.

Their uniforms were ones I hadn’t seen at all in Hakdo.

“Look, kids like those cause trouble for others.”

Han Doa clicked her tongue as if the world was ending.

“They’re middle schoolers.”

As I guessed their identity, Na Yuna looked surprised.

“There are middle schoolers here too?”

“There’s a high school prep course where middle schoolers come to Hakdo to attend live lectures. Those kids came from outside Hakdo.”

Kim Noeul answered in my stead.

“Aha. The academy is bigger than I thought.”

“How did Noeul-hubae (junior) know that?”

When Han Doa asked, Kim Noeul clammed up and avoided answering.
Han Doa tilted her head but didn’t press further.

“Ouch!”

One of the two middle schoolers running far off bumped into a high school student.
But the high school student they bumped into was one of the two girls who had picked a fight with us earlier.

“Ah, sh*t. Are you not watching where you’re going?”

“Why are you brats making a f*cking ruckus indoors?”

As the two female students radiated a menacing aura, the middle schoolers’ expressions stiffened, and their bodies froze.
They were too scared to even apologize.

“Aren’t you going to apologize?”

“S-Sorry….”

“F*ck, that was a spineless apology. Rip out your wombs, you idiots.”

“Did your daddies tell you to run around without looking?”

Other students passing by also noticed the incident brewing and turned their gazes towards the four students.
As things started escalating, Na Yuna became anxious.

“Sh-Shouldn’t we stop them?”

“Let’s intervene before it gets bigger.”

Just as Han Doa took a step to intervene, another female student stepped into the situation first.

“Running around was wrong, but there’s no need to overreact like that.”

The female student who said that wore the same uniform as the two scared students.
She was also a middle schooler.

“Who are you?”

“Don’t butt in, just go on your way.”

Even though the two high school students threatened her, the middle schooler protectively shielded the other two middle schoolers with a determined expression.

She wasn’t just an ordinary extra.
Because her face strongly resembled someone I knew.

Yes, she looked just like Kim Noeul running over there.

‘Right, she has reason to be angry.’

I followed Kim Noeul as she ran.

Kim Noeul inserted herself between the Hankook High students and the middle schoolers.
And she glared at the Hankook High girls with cold eyes.

The middle schooler who had been wearing a determined expression looked at Kim Noeul’s back and muttered softly.

“Unni…?”(older female friend/senior)

“I don’t want to cause trouble at the academy, so just go.”

Kim Noeul warned the Hankook High students in a voice that seemed to suppress anger.

“Aren’t you that b*tch who was talking loudly in the classroom earlier? Who are you to tell us to go?”

Naturally, they didn’t pay any attention to Kim Noeul’s words.

“I’m holding back a lot right now… I told you to just go.”

“I towd yu tu jist go~.”

The female students mocked Kim Noeul and laughed.