1st in Class Hides Regression - Chapter 39

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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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The Top Student Hides Her Return
Chapter 39
The one who nominated me was a boy whose name I still hadn’t memorized (sorry!).
Meeting my wide-eyed stare, the red-faced boy stammered through his words.
“So… Kang Dahye is the acting Class Representative right now, right? And she does a really good job announcing the homework assignments…….”
“You want to make her Class Representative just because she tells everyone about the homework?”
“And, um, she also takes good care of people.”
“When? I haven’t seen that.”
Do Hajun, shut up.”
“Yeah, let Seojun speak. Don’t interrupt.”
Ga Eun and Su A were exasperated with Do Hajun’s constant needling.
“That’s, that’s all I wanted to say.”
Now Lee Seojun’s face had turned as red as a tomato, and he lowered his hand. Immediately, Ga Eun shot her hand up from the fourth group’s section.
“I also recommend Dahye.”
Ga Eun, seated diagonally in front of Do Hajun, spoke while glaring at him.
“I’ve gotten close to Dahye over the past few days, and she really takes care of people. She notices things that others overlook. She’s diligent and thorough. I think she’ll make sure no one gets left out and take good care of the whole class.”
“Right. I recommend Dahye too.”
“Me too!”
Su A and Se In raised their hands as well.
“Me too.”
Even Do Yeon.
Unusually, Do Yeon even added a lengthy comment.
“Collecting assignments and materials for class evaluations might sound simple, but it’s actually a hassle. Dahye has been taking care of that for almost a month without asking for anything in return, doing it on her own initiative. I think that already proves she’d be good at being Class Representative.”
“Right. Honestly, it must have been so annoying.”
“Yeah. Dahye really is thorough.”
“Yeah. Your teacher is genuinely grateful for that.”
Even the Homeroom Teacher joined in.
I’d barely done anything, yet suddenly praise came pouring down. I didn’t know what to do with myself.
‘I just sent one line in the group chat while organizing my own stuff.’
I hadn’t done anything particularly remarkable…….
Is this some kind of hidden camera prank?
No, that can’t be.
I’m not important enough to be the subject of a hidden camera show.
Then is it just mockery?
This is embarrassing.
I pretended to brush my hair back, covering my face with it. At just the right moment, Seo Jaekyeom cut through the attention directed at me.
“Teacher.”
Seo Jaekyeom raised his hand and spoke.
“Can I change my candidacy?”
“Huh? Oh, you want to run for Class Representative too?”
“No. Vice Class Representative. If Kang Dahye becomes Class Representative, I want to be Vice Class Representative.”
…….
That confidence that he’ll definitely be chosen if he runs as a candidate is admirable.
“What if I don’t get elected…?”
“Then I won’t take it.”
“Jaekyeom, you can’t return a Vice Class Representative position like it’s a refund…….”
The Homeroom Teacher pressed his forehead.
“Fine, anyway. So we have Park Suhwan and Dahye. Does anyone else want to nominate someone? You can even nominate yourself.”
After waiting a moment, the Homeroom Teacher gave two sharp claps.
“All right, nominations are closed, so now we need campaign speeches. Park Suhwan, come on up. Tell us your resolve! Your pledge! Why we should vote for you! Go ahead.”
“Ohhh….”
I hadn’t prepared anything to say.
I naturally assumed I wouldn’t be chosen, so I hadn’t even prepared……!
While I was panicking, Park Suhwan came forward first. The boys, including Do Hajun, cheered.
“He’s handsome!”
Some kids even tapped their desks.
Standing in front of the lectern, Park Suhwan flipped his bangs once and spoke.
“Look, what’s even the point of this.”
Though it wasn’t much, the boys laughed anyway. Watching them, I felt even more nervous. Park Suhwan continued.
“Honestly, I didn’t even expect my name to be called… and as everyone knows, I’m not great at taking care of the little details because of how I am. I’m not particularly motivated about it. But if you ask me to do it, I’ll do my best.”
As a finishing touch, she brushed her bangs back into place.
Park Suhwan, his head tilted in a slight bow, shuffled back to his seat with an awkward gait.
Su A muttered softly from the front row.
“What are you talking about? I saw you telling Do Hajun to recommend you just now.”
“Ugh. And then why did you say it like that?”
“Exactly. If you just said honestly that you wanted it, would your pride take a hit?”
“Hmm.”
Watching him like that, I knew what I had to say.
“All right, let’s hear from Dahye now.”
“Yes.”
I stood up with a soft scrape of my chair and walked to the front of the desk.
Seo Jaekyeom, who’d been resting his chin on his hand and staring out the window, lowered his arm and looked at me. Do Yeon, our eyes meeting, mouthed a small “You can do it.” Se In and Su A held up their fists. Behind Do Hajun’s seat, Ga Eun made a choking gesture. Jeong Eunseong’s seat was empty.
I kept my mouth shut and made eye contact with each classmate, one by one, scanning from the right side of the classroom to the left—holding their gaze until even the ones who’d been goofing off fell silent, thinking “What? Why isn’t she saying anything?”
In the quiet classroom where everyone’s eyes were now on me, I let out a small, deliberate smile.
“Everyone. I really can do this. I promise you won’t regret voting for me—I’ll work hard. Specifically, here’s what I’m going to do……”
Honestly, I’d like to play it cool like Park Suhwan does.
After asking this hard for votes, losing would be mortifying.
But.
‘I want to be class representative! What can I do about wanting something?’
A society that mocks people for working hard is the real problem, isn’t it?
“I’ll obviously keep doing the supplies lists, evaluation submissions, and homework notifications like always, and I’ll share key subject notes every week. During exam season, I’ll compile everything the teacher emphasizes about predicted test questions and post it in the class group chat. And…”
Hmm……
“Even if you ask me the same question a hundred times, I won’t get annoyed—I’ll teach you everything.”
“Wow. That’s amazing.”
“Can we ask at 2 a.m.?”
“That’s not…”
No, wait.
“Yes. Ask away. Just expect answers after 8 a.m.”
Do I sound too desperate right now? Too clingy? I asked it seriously, but everyone laughed.
“If you share all your notes, don’t you worry that someone else might become the Top Student?”
Se In, giggling, raised her hand and asked the question. She winked at me arrogantly.
“Well, even if I share everything, I know you’ll all just save it and never actually read it anyway.”
“Ouch. That stings.”
“You really understand us way too well, don’t you?”
“Of course. She’s number one.”
Even Seo Jaekyeom, who’d been leaning back with both elbows on his desk watching me, let out a small laugh.
“Please vote for me…”
I ended with a plea.
The Homeroom Teacher, gazing at me with a satisfied expression, patted my back.
“Good. Now go back to your seat and sit down, Dahye. Let’s start the voting. I’ll hand out the ballot papers now.”
“Can’t we just vote by raising our hands? Anyway, it looks like all the boys are going to vote for Park Suhwan and all the girls for Kang Dahye.”
Do Hajun chimed in again. A few of the boys agreed with him.
“That’s true. I’m voting for Park Suhwan, at least.”
“Me too.”
“Me too.”
“If you’re a guy, you vote Suhwan.”
“We’ve got more boys in this class anyway. Suhwan wins.”
“But Lee Seojun, the one Dahye nominated, is a guy too, right?”
“Oh, he’s a traitor.”
A girl from the first group, her tone irritated, was brushed off lightly by her seatmate.
The Homeroom Teacher, who looked like she’d aged twenty years in the mere twenty minutes since fifth period started, stepped in to mediate.
“Hajun, election results are supposed to stay a mystery until they’re counted. You can’t vote by raising your hands. That violates the principles of elections.”
“Teacher, we’re not exactly electing a president here.”
“That’s exactly the point. You’re holding class representative elections, practicing voting—this is your training ground so that when you enter society, you’ll know how to exercise your voting rights properly. Of course you have to follow the principles.”
“Tch.”
“So, everyone—what are the Four Principles of Elections?”
The Homeroom Teacher, never missing a teaching opportunity, attempted a quick review.
……
……
The teacher sighed. “You really don’t know…?”
“Kang Dahye answered!”
“Oh, I’m not answering anything until I’m elected!”
That was when it happened.
Click.
The back door of the classroom swung open and Jeong Eunseong walked in.
He glanced back and forth between the blackboard with “Class Representative Election” written large across it and me, awkwardly settling into my seat, then raised his hand.
“I vote for Kang Dahye.”
“Eunseong, this is supposed to be a secret election…….”
“Oh.”
Looking embarrassed, Jeong Eunseong made his way to his seat.
“Everyone, do you know the Four Principles of Elections? Remember? We just learned it last week, didn’t we?”
By now, the Homeroom Teacher was nearly tearful.
“This is exactly why I, the Top Student, should become Class Representative!”
I seized every opening to make my pitch.
“Universal, Equal, Direct, Secret Election! One person, one vote, cast it directly, and who you voted for stays secret! Got it!”
Listening to the Homeroom Teacher’s desperate plea to lodge even one more character into our heads, we came up one by one to vote.
“Suhwan, I voted for you!”
Ugh. I’m getting nervous.
Why am I even nervous about this.
Let me skip ahead to the results.
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[Ballot Count Results]
Kang Dahye : ⌐
Park Suhwan : ⌐⌐⌐⌐⌐
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“…….”
Oh, sorry.
I was too nervous and misread it.
Let me rub my eyes and look again.
That’s right. But you know what? One way to really get someone’s blood boiling is to start saying something and then just stop.
So the actual result is…….

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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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