1st in Class Hides Regression - Chapter 28

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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 of the School Hides Her Regression
Chapter 28
“I’m already in a foul mood, and what the hell is this stupid headband?”
Song Yeoryeom spoke without filter, grabbing the ribbon attached to Bang Eunji’s hair and shaking it. With a soft rustle, the ribbon detached from the headband and fluttered.
“You’re already ugly as it is, and you think wearing this makes you pretty? You just look like a pig that tried way too hard. Don’t bother, it’s pathetic.”
Song Yeoryeom’s sharp voice rang through the hallway.
Despite the blatant venting, Bang Eunji couldn’t say a word. Her face flushed red as she combed her bangs over and over with one hand.
Still, Song Yeoryeom didn’t stop.
“Get real. You can’t turn a pumpkin into a watermelon by drawing lines on it, Eunji. You’re incredibly ugly, you know that?”
……
“Instead of making stuff like this, go get plastic surgery or lose weight.”
With each word, Song Yeoryeom poked Bang Eunji’s forehead. Bang Eunji said nothing, just stared at the floor. Her eyes glistened with tears.
After thoroughly venting in front of everyone, Song Yeoryeom gave Bang Eunji’s shoulder one final sharp slap and walked past.
My eyes met Song Yeoryeom’s just as she was coming toward me.
“You…!”
Seeing me, Song Yeoryeom strode over and raised her hand.
“You little—!”
“Eek.”
Help. Trembling like a leaf, I quickly ducked behind Jung Eunseong, who happened to be standing nearby. When did he get next to me?
Just then, a teacher stepped out of the Teacher’s Office and shouted.
“Song Yeoryeom! I told you what happens if you go near Eunseong one more time!”
“Damn it….”
“Back off, now!”
“…………”
Wow. Look at her swearing.
“Kang Dahye, I’m going to get you back for this one day, properly.”
Song Yeoryeom glared at me with a warning, then spun around huffily.
“Where are you going! Song Yeoryeom!”
Ignoring the teacher’s shout, Song Yeoryeom left the school entirely.
“Stop staring! Damn it!”
Over there, Bang Eunji’s face was beet red as she snapped at the kids who were glancing at her. Her friend linked arms with her and led her away, murmuring consolations as she cried.
Once the spectacle was gone, the kids scattered one by one.
Jung Eunseong disappeared too. Not even a goodbye. Seriously. Enjoy your lunch?
As I headed downstairs to the Cafeteria, Do Yeon asked.
“Why do you think Bang Eunji sticks to Song Yeoryeom even though she gets treated like that?”
“Maybe she’s afraid of being left out by her own group?”
Her pride gets hurt because of Song Yeoryeom, but the benefits she gets from staying close to Song Yeoryeom are greater anyway.
Do Yeon shook her head at my answer.
“Still, to sacrifice her pride like that……. I don’t get it.”
“We don’t have to understand it, ever.”
Let’s just eat and study.
They’re serving brown sugar bubble tea for lunch today.
* * *
“So Song Yeoryeom…….”
Seo Jaekyeom tossed his phone onto the bed on speaker mode and pulled clothes from his suitcase to organize.
Even though Seo Jaekyeom said nothing, the person on the other end chattered away excitedly.
“Then she runs right into Kang Dahye and starts swearing with her hand raised, and Kang Dahye just ducks behind Jung Eunseong.”
“…Behind who?”
“Jung Eunseong!”
……
“Hello? Seo Jaekyeom?”
“Quiet. What about her locker?”
“Who? Kang Dahye?”
“Yeah.”
“That… seemed fine? She has all her books and everything.”
“What do you actually know about anything?”
“I mean, I’m not her boyfriend or anything, so I can’t know everything about her…….”
“You could never be. Kang Dahye’s boyfriend.”
After the jab, Seo Jaekyeom gave up organizing and sat down on the floor.
He leaned his back against the bed, ignoring the perfectly good chair nearby, and pulled the phone he’d thrown down closer to him.
I logged into Chase Book.
Over the few days I’d been absent from school, he’d posted five times. For someone who didn’t usually use Chase Book much, it was quite frequent for Seo Jaekyeom.
Each time he posted, a hundred likes appeared within ten minutes and dozens of comments followed, but Kang Dahye wasn’t among them.
Seo Jaekyeom’s thumb stopped scrolling as it landed on a photo taken at an Australian beach during winter break.
It was the last post where Kang Dahye had liked something of his.
That had been several weeks ago now…….
‘Did Kang Dahye get hacked?’
Or maybe she lost her phone?
Frowning, Seo Jaekyeom opened the class group chat.
There was an announcement from Kang Dahye.
-Chemistry Periodic Table exam TODAY!!!
Kang Dahye had posted a total of three announcements.
A few days ago: -Chemistry Periodic Table exam NEXT WEEK!!!
Yesterday: -Chemistry Periodic Table exam TOMORROW!!!
This morning: -Chemistry Periodic Table exam TODAY!!!
Do Hajun
Give up and it’s easier lol
07:41
Study instead of sending KakaoTalk
07:55
Even though Kang Dahye existed in the same group chat, she made no attempt whatsoever to grab Seo Jaekyeom’s attention.
She didn’t slip in casual remarks, nor did she respond excessively to his messages.
She simply posted announcements and vanished.
When Seo Jaekyeom, annoyed by the noisy chatter, left the group chat, it was the homeroom teacher, not Kang Dahye, who invited him back in.
After leaving the group chat, Seo Jaekyeom kept his phone in hand, waiting for a KakaoTalk from Kang Dahye—only to get scolded by his mother at the dinner table for staring at his phone.
“Can you ask Kang Dahye what’s going on?”
“No thanks. I’m not curious.”
“Why. I can ask for you.”
“I said I’m not curious.”
“Fine. But hey, about Kang Dahye….”
This guy’s been talking about Kang Dahye since earlier. Does he like her?
“Hey, do you like Kang Dahye?”
“What? I’m not really into girls who are that strong-willed.”
……
“I prefer girls who have some soft edges, you know? A bit scatterbrained. They laugh easily. Kang Dahye is honestly kind of… intimidating.”
“Hey.”
“What?”
“Girls like that hate you too.”
“What? Scatterbrained girls?”
“No. Girls like Kang Dahye. They hate guys like you too.”
“What do you….”
“Girls like that won’t even date you. Girls like that only date guys just like them. Guys who actually have something going for them! Those guys are probably lining up in front of her just trying to catch her eye, so what makes you think you can sit there evaluating her? What are you?”
“I’m not….”
“Worry about your own life. Kang Dahye’s standards are way too high. You could never date her, got it?!”
His friend on the other end of the line hung up without waiting for an answer, his voice sharp with sudden anger.
The friend on the other end was left holding his dead phone, utterly bewildered.
“Why did I just get yelled at…?”
Because you said something stupid, that’s why.
Either way. Seo Jaekyeom ended the call and flopped back onto his bed.
He rested the back of his hand on his forehead, and his gaze drifted sideways toward his desk—toward the carefully wrapped chocolate box.
……
“Jaekyeom, the vice president is leaving! Come downstairs!”
……
“Seo Jaekyeom! Aren’t you going to say goodbye!”
“…Coming.”
Seo Jaekyeom rose slowly from his bed.
Even after standing, he didn’t head downstairs right away. His large hand reached out and tapped the chocolate box once, lightly.
Tomorrow would finally be the day Seo Jaekyeom returned to school.
When he arrived at school the next day, a shopping bag containing chocolate hung from his hand.
‘I can’t stand stuff like this.’
He’d given chocolate to girlfriends he’d dated before, though he’d never brought it to school—but Kang Dahye wasn’t his girlfriend.
This was simply repaying a debt.
‘Just give it to her and be done with it.’
With that resolve, he’d come to school early for once, but Kang Dahye was nowhere to be found.
Her desk—the one where she usually sat writing or reading something—held only her familiar backpack, sitting there alone.
He considered leaving it on the desk.
‘But I promised.’
After a moment’s hesitation, Seo Jaekyeom headed toward the neighboring classroom.
“Whoa, Jaekyeom!”
“Seo Jaekyeom, it’s been ages!”
The moment Jaekyeom stepped through the back door of Class 1, a cluster of students acknowledged him. He nodded vaguely in return, scanning for a familiar face.
“Han Jisu.”
“Oh, Seo Jaekyeom!”
Han Jisu spotted him and stood from her desk.
“What brings you to our class?”
“Have you seen Kang Dahye anywhere?”
“…Dahye?”
“Yeah. Her bag’s at her desk, but she’s not there.”
“I’m not sure… I just got here myself.”
“Ah.”
Jaekyeom nodded in understanding and turned to leave without hesitation. Jisu, catching sight of what he held in his hand and then his profile, broke into a knowing smile.
“Seo Jaekyeom.”
“Hmm?”
“This is the first time you’ve come to me looking for Dahye.”
“Has it?”
Now that she mentioned it, it did seem like he usually went to Kang Dahye when he was looking for Han Jisu.
“Oh, there’s Kang Dahye. I’m going.”
“Sure. Go on.”
Jisu waved gently, still smiling. Seo Jaekyeom was already looking past her.

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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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