1st in Class Hides Regression - Chapter 19

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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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Top Student of the School Hides Her Regression
Episode 19
“Hey, I….”
“What?”
Gyeong Sein’s friend didn’t flinch even at Bang Eunji’s curse.
Rather, she lifted her head with stubborn resolve, as if heat were radiating from her body.
“Bang Eunji, seriously—don’t you think you’ve gone too far? Way too far?”
Sein chimed in from beside her.
“How much longer are we supposed to put up with you guys acting out like this?”
Her voice trembled, but that only made it sound more genuine. With that, grievances erupted from all corners of the room.
“Seriously, when are you going to stop playing school bully? We’re high schoolers, aren’t we?”
“We didn’t avoid you because we were scared. We stayed away because you’re disgusting—and you took it as an invitation to do whatever you want. Why?”
“Doesn’t it say ‘No Entry to Class 2’ on the door? So why do you just waltz into someone else’s classroom? And only when no one’s around?”
“When something goes missing, you think you’re responsible for it?”
As dozens of cold, hostile gazes fixed on her all at once, Bang Eunji flinched.
These eyes were different from the ones she usually drew when she bullied and disrupted the other students.
Bang Eunji’s ears flushed red as she turned to face Gyeong Sein’s friend, the first to speak up.
“Hey. You sure about this? Can you even fix this mess?”
“Stop. Bang Eunji, what are you doing right now?”
The homeroom teacher, her expression hardening, stepped in.
“Are you threatening a classmate right in front of me?”
After reproaching her sternly, the homeroom teacher turned to her friend.
“Sua, was what you just said really true?”
“Yes. Heemin and I both saw it.”
“Heemin?”
“From Class 7.”
“During club time, you’re saying?”
“Yes.”
“Bang Eunji said she was sick during club time and left early, so she wasn’t there.”
A boy from another class interjected from outside the classroom. Bang Eunji glared at him, but he just pretended not to hear and looked away.
Once one person had opened the floodgates, the boys who had been watching in silence all began to add their own comments.
“That’s brutal….”
“Way over the line.”
“Seriously, Kang Dahye can’t be without her notes. I need them to copy.”
“Kang Dahye showed them to you?”
“Insane—I had a game console I bought overseas in my backpack. Tell me it’s not gone?”
“Who the hell would take that? You’re an idiot.”
“Wait, seriously? I think it really is gone?”
“What?”
“Bang Eunji! Did you go through my backpack?!”
“I didn’t!”
Sensing that the situation was turning against her, Bang Eunji let out a loud protest.
“There’s no evidence! You can’t gang up on someone just because a few people say so! That’s not fair!”
But you’ve been doing exactly that to Do Yeon all this time….
“I’m telling you, I really didn’t!”
A moment ago she’d come out swaggering, but now she was denying it—brazen lies. Unexpectedly, it was Jeong Eunseong who drove the final nail in.
“Teacher.”
Jeong Eunseong called out to the homeroom teacher in the exact same tone she used when saying things like “Teacher, Kang Dahye supposedly did this and that,” and pointed at Bang Eunji with her eyes. A mop with water-soaked strands was tucked under her arm.
“I saw her buy two strawberry milks at the school kiosk a moment ago.”
“You did?”
“Yes. The kiosk lady forgot to order strawberry milk, so there were only two today. She bought both, and that’s why I couldn’t get any.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. And that milk is only sold at our school kiosk. It doesn’t come to convenience stores.”
“Open and shut case.”
“Teacher! Hurry, please! Check her backpack! My game console cost 400,000 won!”
“Teacher, couldn’t you really just search Bang Eunji’s backpack? I think my wallet’s come up short on cash.”
It’s complete chaos….
Scratching my cheek as I looked at Bang Eunji, who had gone ashen.
What do I do?
I guess I have to ask, even if she didn’t do it.
“No, really, it wasn’t me!”
“Let’s just head downstairs.”
“Bang Eunji! You can’t get away with this! You’re going to be in serious trouble!”
In an instant, Bang Eunji had become a thief.
Bang Eunji’s homeroom teacher and ours escorted her downstairs together, her protests echoing the whole way.
Male Student 1, who claimed to have lost his game console, came along too—as did Yesua, who was apparently Gyeong Sein’s friend.
“God, seriously… why won’t you just believe me…….”
“Because you’re lying. You didn’t know there’s a CCTV in the hallway? It shows Class 2’s back door too.”
“You’re not getting away with this. Your parents need to come to school. And if those kids really did lose something, you’ll have to pay for it, obviously.”
So there was a CCTV after all. Justice still lived.
Homeroom wrapped up quickly after that, and the other students snapped to attention, gathering their things and heading home.
“Kang……”
Even Jisu, who’d been fidgeting anxiously, was led back to the classroom by her homeroom teacher.
“Everyone, you know there’s a literature assignment, right……. You all need to turn in your book reports by next Monday…….”
I’d finished mine ages ago, but now it’s soaked in milk—I’ll have to rewrite it.
After calling after the departing students half-heartedly, I crouched back down in front of my locker, tissue in hand.
Even after a rough cleanup, the milk smell lingered everywhere.
I flipped through the ruined books. The past me’s meticulous notes—every word the teacher had said from start to finish—were now completely smeared because of one carton of milk.
“Nothing worth saving here.”
It’s fine.
They were written eleven years ago anyway; I don’t remember any of it.
“Let me help.”
Do Yeon had somehow gotten disinfectant from the cafeteria and crouched down beside me, bumping my shoulder as she scrubbed my locker vigorously.
“You’re going to scrub yourself right into that locker.”
I’d meant it as a joke, but she didn’t answer. Her hands were trembling as she wiped away the last of the moisture.
“…I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what?”
“It’s because of me.”
“How is it because of you? It’s because Bang Eunji’s a rotten person.”
Poverty, parents, school uniforms—how does she manage to find every sensitive nerve in a teenager and jab it so precisely?
Thinking back over the things Bang Eunji had thrown at me, I let out a bitter laugh.
That stupid backpack!
“Come to think of it, this is ridiculous. So what if I keep using my elementary school backpack? Is she dissing elementary school kids?”
We get the day off on Children’s Day every year because of elementary schoolers, and she’s out here disrespecting them?
Bang Eunji, don’t you dare take Children’s Day off. Ever. Not even when you’re working a job later!
“Just wait. I’m going to use this bag until it begs for mercy.”
Using something for a long time is environmental protection, right? I’m on the front lines of environmental protection right now. I winked at Do Yeon as I wiped out the inside of my backpack.
Do Yeon, who’d looked like she was about to cry, finally broke into a smile.
That’s when I heard a voice from behind.
“Hey, Dahye.”
“Yeah?”
I turned around.
Sein and Sua were standing behind us. They stepped closer and peered into my locker.
“You okay? Wow, strawberry smell.”
“What am I going to do…….”
“It’s fine. I got it all cleaned up. Sua, how about you? What did the teachers say?”
“The CCTV had all the proof, so they just let me go. Bang Eunji’s mom came to school. Bang Eunji was crying.”
“Crying?”
“Yeah. Her mom was cursing her out over the phone and you could hear it echoing through the teacher’s office…….”
“Damn.”
She had it coming.
I greeted Sein and Sua, whose cheeks were still flushed from the earlier excitement.
“Thanks for speaking up back there. I would’ve been in real trouble without you guys.”
“Don’t mention it. Even if I hadn’t said anything, the CCTV would’ve cleared everything up anyway.”
“Still.”
Should I bow deeply? Sua laughed when I joked about it.
A few days ago when I’d turned down her offer to ask her about things I didn’t know, she’d seemed a bit cool, but there was none of that now.
“You know what.”
Sua hesitated before speaking.
“…Bang Eunji turned out to be nothing special. When you just throw it back at her directly, she panics and doesn’t know what to say…….”
“Right. I don’t know why I was so scared all this time!”
Sein chimed in from beside me, eyes wide. Sein and Sua poured out curses like they’d been holding them in for years.
“Honestly, that crossed a line…….”
“Finally got that off my chest…….”
“I wore an ‘adious’ t-shirt when I was little too…….”
“How would anyone know if they’re wearing it…….”
‘They’re cute.’
I watched the chattering high school girls with a mother’s affection, then asked.
“Want to go get some tteokbokki? I’ll buy.”
To be precise, my mom’s buying, not me.
-What high school girls need to become close friends-
1. Maychew 2. Handsome guys 3. Tteokbokki
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
Sua answered quickly and turned to look at Do Yeon, who’d been standing awkwardly.
She cleared her throat uncertainly.
“Do Yeon, come with us too. …If you don’t mind eating with us.”
“…Of course I don’t mind.”
“…Back then, I think I spoke too harshly. I’m sorry.”
“No…….”
“Huh! Why are you crying!”
For the record, Do Yeon wasn’t the one crying.
I was.
“Sniff….”
These kids are too kind……. The nation’s future looks bright…….
“Whimper….”
“Gyeong Sein, why are you crying too…….”
“I don’t know……. Seeing Dahye cry makes my eyes water…….”
“Don’t cry, seriously……. I’m tearing up too…….”
“I’m sorry…….”
“Thank you…….”
“Whimper…….”
“But what about Kang’s book, seriously…….”
“Oh, right. That’s true……. Let’s just say we’re crying because the book got wet…….”
While the four of us hugged each other and cried like penguins.
A shadow suddenly fell across my face as I wiped my nose and looked up.
It was Jeong Eunseong.
“Didn’t you leave?”
I asked awkwardly.
Jeong Eunseong looked directly at my tear-stained face, then briskly pushed the mop he’d been holding across the floor.
After carefully wiping up the Strawberry Milk that hadn’t been cleaned yet, Jeong Eunseong called me over.
“Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t feel like studying. Want my book?”

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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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