1st in Class Hides Regression - Chapter 41

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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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Rank 1 Student Hides Her Regression
Episode 41
3rd Period. Aqua Man
One month into the regression. Mid-point check.
– Became Class Representative. +1
– Stopped Do Ha-jun from staging some bizarre play in the Drama Club. +1
– Undid something I’d regretted all along. +1
– Everything I learned in high school
has completely
slipped my mind. -100
: So what needs to be done now?
One thing, and one thing only: studying!
Time to hit the books.
There’s so much material I’ve forgotten to cover.
From now on, my days are for studying, by studying, and in service of studying.
“By day, she’s a bright and radiant human being!”
“Everyone, keep it down.”
“So beautiful, so lovable!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Guys, lower your voices. The teacher said she’d be here any minute.”
“Yeah, you go, hey!”
“Keep it down…… there are people trying to study.”
“Huh? Who’s studying?”
“That would be me.”
I pointed at myself with the pen I’d been holding.
“Oh, right. Kang Da-hye, you get a pass.”
“Thanks?”
I pressed my palms together in a half-hearted gesture toward the snickering boy, then buried my nose back in my Problem Set Book. Satisfied, he returned to his seat.
“That would be you!♬”
“Hey….”
I’ve only been Class Representative for less than a week and I’m already drained. When is the teacher coming…?
As I was making a mental note to buy earplugs on the way home, my desk partner struck up a conversation.
“How do you manage to study even in these little snatches of time?”
“I focus best when I study like this, actually.”
“What, so you can get into Korean University?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
I’m Rank 1 Student at this school — who else would go to Korean University if not me?
“I guess. It does suit you, Korean University. Sounds like the kind of place where everyone’s solving the Quadratic Formula at clubs.”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
Better to keep your wits about you and work through the Quadratic Formula at a club than to lose yourself to drinking. Besides, I’ve already got the formula down.
“Then what kind of university would suit me?”
“You?”
I lifted my head from the Problem Set Book and glanced sideways at my partner. The morning sun hit his face directly, and he flashed me a grin.
“National Tiger University?”
“Nope. Military service.”
The opposite. The shabby. The guillotine. The cramped quarters. The exile. The cold shoulder. Hostility.
Or something like that.
What about just plain indifference?
And you’re a pro-Japanese collaborator anyway — how could you possibly get into National Tiger University? You going to write “pro-Japanese sympathizer” in your personal statement?
Just go join the Self-Defense Forces.
“Hey, what kind of Class Representative talks like that? You even sure you’re the Class Representative?”
“Yep~ You’re military, I’m strict.”
It looks like we’re having a conversation, but really, I’ve been working through the Mathematics Practice Exam the whole time.
Since the regression, I’ve been solving one every single day, and with so many problems I don’t understand, reviewing them takes a fair amount of time after I check the answers.
You know how it is, right? You have to solve practice exams timed.
If it’s a 100-minute test, the standard rule is to finish it in 95 minutes, minus marking time.
Which means I’m not even glancing in my desk partner’s direction right now.
So why does he keep trying to talk to me? No sense of the room? I’m already anxious because there’s so much I don’t know.
By this point, you get it, right?
My desk partner is none other than—
“Kang Da-hye, aren’t you curious about me at all?”
It’s Do Ha-jun.
Popular vote magnet. Park Su-hwan’s lackey. He’s got this thin, reedy voice like an eunuch and hands and feet that look even smaller than mine.
Do Ha-jun, who’d joined the Drama Club without a clue and trying to flirt with Ji-su, had now latched onto me as his partner and kept talking to me with what he thought was a devastatingly cool smile.
“Hey? Ask me anything. I’ll answer whatever you want.”
“I don’t have anything.”
Wait.
“Actually, I do have one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Well.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Could you maybe not talk to me?”
“Ha.”
For a moment, Do Ha-jun’s face went blank, then he let out a hollow laugh and wrapped his arms around himself.
“Fine, fine. Let’s drop it.”
“Let’s.”
Just because you’re acting wounded doesn’t mean I’m going to anxiously read your mood or anything. And for the record, you were rude first?
“You got him mad?”
Park Su-hwan, sitting in the front row, turned around and smirked. Do Ha-jun whined as if making sure I’d hear.
“Yeah. Looks like she won’t talk to anyone unless they’re on the level of Seo Jae-gyeom or Jeong Eun-seong.”
“Come on, that can’t be right. Kang Da-hye’s not like that. Here, I’ll give you money—just ask her.”
Not worth responding to, so I ignored them.
Why is this seating arrangement like this, seriously. When are we changing partners?
“I could have sworn I heard my name.”
Seo Jae-gyeom appeared right on cue and set a box down on the teacher’s desk with a thud. Behind him came a blank-faced Jeong Eun-seong and a couple of other boys with good builds, each carrying identical boxes.
Finally, the homeroom teacher who’d entered spoke.
“Everyone, turn around one by one.”
“Whoa!”
“Wow!”
“Shh, quiet! The class next door is in session.”
It was an Individual Homemade Burger Set with Crispy Fried Chicken.
“Teacher, who’s treating us to this?”
Seo Jae-gyeom’s mother.
“Oh, that’s a secret. An anonymous parent treated the class.”
The person who asked for it to be kept secret was probably Seo Jae-gyeom. Since he finds it embarrassing, he hasn’t taken any class officer positions since elementary school.
Back in elementary school, when Seo Jae-gyeom became Class Representative, his mother sent an Individual Pizza to the entire grade……
‘Should I treat them too?’
I felt a bit of pressure and looked at Seo Jae-gyeom, and our eyes met. He mouthed “why,” so I shook my head, and he burst out laughing.
He’s been doing that lately.
Keeps talking to me out of the blue, laughing.
Even messaged me first on KakaoTalk.
Seo Jae-gyeom
What are you doing?
19:30
Math
Seo Jae-gyeom
What about now?
22:01
English
I genuinely thought Seo Jae-gyeom had been hacked.
Behind Seo Jae-gyeom, a slightly drowsy-looking Jeong Eun-seong was dumping hamburgers all over the desks of the kids in the front rows.
For reference, I’m in Group 1, Seo Jae-gyeom is in Group 3, and Jeong Eun-seong is in Group 4. They’re both a bit of a distance from me.
The notable thing is, well, that Do-yeong and Seo Jae-gyeom are partners?
“Thank you for the meal!”
“Anyone leaving their cheese fries? I’ll eat them!”
Taking advantage of the commotion, Seo Jae-gyeom came over and spoke to me.
“Were you talking about me?”
“Those two were, not me.”
I pointed at Do Ha-jun and Park Su-hwan.
When Seo Jae-gyeom approached, the two losers went silent and stared at the ground. Seo Jae-gyeom glanced between them and asked me.
“You didn’t say anything about me?”
“I was studying.”
“Working hard at it, too.”
“I always work hard.”
It’s the best way I have to solve the problems facing me right now.
“Your expression looks good.”
“Because I’m in a good mood.”
There’s nothing troubling me anymore.
And even the problems that do exist are the kind I can solve through effort.
Song Yeoreum hasn’t even shown up at school since that day, and Bang Eun-ji’s been too busy sulking.
If only every day could be like today, I’d have no wishes left.
Seo Jae-gyeom, watching me grin, curved his own lips upward with me.
“All right, then. Study hard.”
Seo Jae-gyeom took my pen and scribbled something on a problem set before heading back to his seat.
When I looked down.
🐱🐰
“……?”
What was that about?
* * *
“Hey, you guys—want to eat lunch?”
“Nope.”
“Nope.”
“I’m full.”
“What’s for lunch today anyway?”
“Simmered pollock, braised lotus root, seasoned eggplant, bean rice.”
“Ugh.”
“Ugh.”
“Let’s skip it.”
Ga-eun shook her head with a grimace.
During lunch period, already satisfied thanks to Seo Jae-gyeom’s mother’s generosity, we strolled leisurely behind the kids rushing toward the Cafeteria.
“Let’s grab dessert instead.”
“What should we get?”
“Fish-shaped ice cream?”
“I’m tired of that……”
“Want strawberry shaved ice? There’s a new Cafe just up ahead.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“But we can’t leave campus.”
“Do they do delivery?”
“Probably not.”
“What if we just yell our order out?”
“…Or we could just call and ask them to bring it across the street for us?”
“Oh. Genius.”
“But how do we pay?”
“I’ve got cash.”
“Oh, Kang Da-hye’s friend.”
Se-in, walking ahead, said it.
From across the hallway, Ji-su was coming toward us with her classmates. Ji-su’s friends, who spotted me before she did, whispered something to her.
Ji-su lifted her head, her gaze sweeping over me, Ga-eun, Su-a, and Se-in one by one, before finally landing on Do-yeong standing beside me.
She raised her hand high.
“Ji-su!”
“…Kang Da.”
“Today’s lunch is simmered pollock and lotus root and eggplant.”
I threw out the joke, expecting Ji-su to make a face of disgust.
“Oh, yeah.”
Her response felt strangely flat.
Ji-su offered an awkward smile and passed me first. One of her friends at her side whispered something in her ear.
Ji-su didn’t look back until she disappeared from view down the stairs.
“Your friend seems to be in a bad mood today.”
“…Yeah, huh.”
What was that about?

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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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