1st in Class Hides Regression - Chapter 101

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Ranked 1st in School Hides Her Regression
Episode 101
5th Period. Greek Girl Kang Da-hye
Vacation logic: tell yourself you’ll do this and that, then do nothing at all.
I was the same way before.
Sleeping in as much as I wanted, waking up around eleven, never studying even eight hours a day.
But this vacation would be different.
Seo Jae-gyeom
You coming?
Want me to pick you up?
12:29
No…
If you leave now you might melt
It’s too hot
12:30
Even though I see my classmates every day at school, meeting them during vacation feels different.
Maybe it’s because we’re in regular clothes.
If we pass each other on the street, it’s awkward yet somehow nice.
A little embarrassing, even.
What is vacation, really?
Pondering this, I walked briskly with a fruit box in my arms.
“Da-hye!”
The Villa Landlady, sitting on a bench in front of the beauty salon in this sweltering heat, tearing into squid, called out to me.
“Where are you headed?”
“Oh, meeting a friend to study.”
“A friend? A boyfriend? That handsome one you brought by last time?”
“No, a girl….”
Seo Jae-gyeom, suddenly turned female at eighteen.
I’d said it as truthfully as I could, but the landlady didn’t seem convinced. She jerked her chin toward the villa where my mom was staying and winked, raising her voice.
“That’s right, our Da-hye doesn’t have a boyfriend! You’re not one of those loose girls bringing boys over late at night, are you? Not our Da-hye!”
“Ha ha ha… You’re right, did you get a new car?”
There was a car parked in front I hadn’t seen before. I pivoted the conversation as naturally as I could.
At my question, the landlady slapped her knee.
“Oh, you noticed? My daughter insisted on it—says I don’t need one, but she kept on—”
“Ha ha ha….”
I laughed awkwardly and started backing away.
“What a dutiful daughter you are…… Well, I’d better be going—”
off
now.

”
Whoosh.
“God, it’s hot.”
There’s no bus stop near Seo Jae-gyeom’s house.
Well, there is one, but you have to go way down this insane hill to reach it.
In a neighborhood where everyone drove foreign cars, I was the only one trudging up the slope on foot, sweat pouring down my face.
Seo Jae-gyeom
Where are you?
13:15
Almost there
Stop obsessing
13:17
I reached the entrance of Seo Jae-gyeom’s house, familiar from a few errands I’d run there as a kid, and wiped the sweat from my forehead.
Beyond the white walls that looked like some art museum, I could see the two-story house looming up. It was only two stories, but the building rose impossibly high. Maybe it had high ceilings.
‘Back then, I didn’t know how to describe this place.’
Now I do.
It looks like the house from Director Joon-ho Park’s .
‘Did the Tutor come through a referral too? Through a network of trust?’
Mulling over random thoughts, I adjusted the fruit box in my arms.
What fruit is this, you ask?
Still, thanks to my employer’s generosity, I’m getting free tutoring—so how could I show up empty-handed? My mother insisted on sending me these peaches for the summer.
I’ve told them several times that they buy fruit from department stores and don’t need things like this, but she wouldn’t hear it. So here I am, trudging up this hill in the sweltering heat, peaches in hand, with no choice in the matter.
‘When I hand these over, I can already picture Seo Jae-gyeom’s mother’s expression.’
I want to just drop them on the sidewalk and pretend I came empty-handed.
But standing here at the entrance, overthinking things while I kill time won’t make the fruit disappear on its own. With no other option, I tucked the peaches under my arm and pressed the doorbell.
—Yes?
“Hello, I—”
—Just come on in!
Before I could finish speaking, I heard Seo Jae-gyeom’s voice, and the door swung open with a click.
I passed through the garden where the sprinklers were running and stepped inside.
Before I could even take off my shoes, there was a loud crash from upstairs—and then a large figure came tumbling down the stairs.
“Kang Da-hye!”
Seo Jae-gyeom rushed over and took the box of peaches from my hands.
“You’re early. How’d you get here? It’s hot outside—should I lower the air conditioning? Want something to drink? I got a whole case of Banana Milk.”
“Walked here, and yeah, it’s blazing out there, the air conditioning’s fine, um, hello Mrs. Seo—could I just have a glass of ice water? But…”
I looked him over.
“Do you have plans after?”
“Plans? No, I don’t.”
“Oh?”
“Nope. I’m staying home. Not going anywhere.”
“I see.”
He’s wearing a pristine white designer short-sleeve shirt—the kind that looks like he just unwrapped it—and light-wash jeans, just lounging around at home.
The shirt is one thing, but jeans? At home? As casual wear?
And it looks like he’s got something in his hair too.
“Where’s your mother?”
“In the living room.”
“Kang Da-hye’s here?”
Seo Jae-gyeom’s mother raised her voice from the living room, apparently hearing the commotion in the entrance.
When I followed Seo Jae-gyeom into the living room, I found her sitting on the sofa reading a book.
“Hello.”
“Mom, Da-hye brought these.”
Seo Jae-gyeom, who seemed to be in unusually high spirits, held up the peach box to show his mother. She glanced at it with a lukewarm expression and asked.
“Where’d you get them?”
“Oh, at that supermarket…”
“Supermarket fruit tastes terrible.”
…
“Jae-gyeom and I don’t eat supermarket fruit. That’s the sort of thing your family eats at home. I appreciate the thought, but you should take them and eat them with your mother.”
…
“Anyway, thanks. You’re a good girl, Da-hye.”
With that, she returned her gaze to the book she’d been reading, signaling the conversation was over.
Next to me, reeling from her words—which hit harder than I’d anticipated—Seo Jae-gyeom’s expression froze.
“Why’d you say it like that?”
“Like what? You throw away half your fruit even if it’s just slightly bruised. You buy a dozen and throw out six—it’s routine. So you’re going to eat them, what?”
“Yeah. I’ll eat them.”
“Fat chance you’ll eat them. Fine, just leave it there.”
Seo Jae-gyeom’s mother let out a scoff and jerked her chin. The Helper Ajumma, who’d been watching nervously from the side, took the fruit box.
“Mom, seriously—!”
“That’s enough. Let’s go upstairs.”
I placed a hand on Seo Jae-gyeom’s back—he was tensing up.
If I let him go, he’ll pick a fight with his mother, and that’ll only make things worse for me.
Fortunately, Seo Jae-gyeom seems to understand this too, because he doesn’t say another word and turns to leave.
I gave a quick bow to Seo Jae-gyeom’s mother, who wouldn’t meet my eyes, and headed upstairs.
Behind me, I heard Seo Jae-gyeom’s mother tell the Helper Ajumma, “You take these and eat them.”
“Why is she like that?!”
“Maybe she’s in a bad mood today.”
I shook my head at Seo Jae-gyeom, who was sputtering apologies.
“It’s fine. It’s my fault too for not considering the recipient’s taste.”
I’m trying to play it cool, but my cheeks are burning. It feels like I got slapped, even though no one laid a hand on me.
What is this feeling? Embarrassment? Humiliation? Awkwardness? Mortification?
‘At least I knew what Seo Jae-gyeom’s mother would say once I went home. Even if she showed her distaste, she’d accept it first. Then later…’
At the time, I figured it was fine since I’d already left for home anyway.
But she said it right to my face.
If I weren’t a regressor, if I were just a pure eighteen-year-old, I would’ve been genuinely hurt right then. I would’ve cried a hundred times over in my heart!
Did our family sell the nation? Commit a crime? Is it really acceptable to treat someone like this just because they have no money?
Do you think that because I’m poor and lowborn and unremarkable, I have no feelings either?
It may be hard to believe, but I too possess a delicate soul that knows how to be wounded, just like you do.
I’ll use today’s humiliation as fuel and make sure I succeed…….
“Seo Jae-gyeom.”
“I’m seriously so embarrassed… huh?”
“Do you know what ‘disregard’ is in English?”
“Um… what was it?”
“Ignore.”
That’s the *ugh*-_- kind of ignoring. It’s a word that comes up a lot on the College Entrance Exam, so make sure you memorize it.
I let out a small laugh at Seo Jae-gyeom’s vacant expression.
“I’m really fine. Let’s hurry and get ready. Should we do it in your room?”
“No… in the Second Floor Living Room.”
“This is your first time seeing the Tutor today too, right?”
I made sure not to show obvious surprise at the fact that there was a separate Second Floor Living Room, and followed Seo Jae-gyeom up.
I’d just taken a glass of ice water and settled into a spot in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the garden when—
“Jae-gyeom, the Tutor is here.”
The Helper Ajumma called from the stairs.
At the sound of an adult arriving, I stood up without thinking. A familiar face soon appeared from the bottom of the staircase.
…Why do I know this face?
“Oh.”
The ‘Tutor’ noticed both Seo Jae-gyeom and me, and his eyes widened.
…….
…….
…A student teacher?
Ladies and Gentlemen~
Height 191 centimeters, an apple of a face, a sculpted body—should I introduce you to my private tutor?
A quiz, just as you were letting your guard down.
3.
What is the title of the work the narrator quoted at Seo Jae-gyeom’s house?
① Pride and Prejudice
② Jane Eyre
③ The Awakening
④ Wuthering Heights
⑤ Do You Like Brahms…
Answer: ②
Explanation: Do you think that because I’m poor and lowborn and unremarkable, I have no soul or feeling? (…) If beauty and fortune had been given to me, just as you would find it hard to leave me, you would not find it easy to leave me either.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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