1st in Class Hides Regression - Chapter 48

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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 Hides Her Regression
Episode 48
“That was fun.”
“Right?”
“‘Right?’ You barely watched any of it, Da-hye.”
“Did Ha-jun apologize to Kang Da-hye?”
“Yeah, yeah, I did. How long are you going to keep bringing that up? It wasn’t my fault I was late—the distance.”
“It’s fine. I had fun too.”
Truly.
The movie’s a hundred minutes, and I only caught the last thirty—that’s basically just the climax, right? Honestly perfect timing!
“Speaking of which, isn’t it cherry blossom festival season right now?”
“Should we go? It’s just one bus ride from here to Yeouido.”
“No way. I need to study.”
“Come on, Da-hye. It’s not even exam season. If you miss this window, the blossoms’ll be gone.”
“I’ve never neglected my studies for flowers.”
“They’re blooming, not falling. The blossoms are out right now.”
“I’ve never neglected my studies for blooming flowers.”
“You’re impossible to reason with.”
The boy who’d made the enthusiastic pitch pouted.
As the group split between those going and those staying, I checked my watch and spoke up.
“You all go enjoy it. I have somewhere to be.”
Besides, I’d already seen the flowers.
A single petal pressed between the pages of my problem set came to mind.
Heat crept up my neck at the thought, and I clenched and unclenched my fist; beside me, Jeong Eun-seong walked quietly.
“So Ji-su’s not going, Ha-jun’s not going… what about you, Eun-seong?”
“I have to get to the rehearsal studio.”
“Oh.”
One of the club members leaned over with curious eyes.
“Do you go every single day?”
“Almost.”
“Do you see celebrities and stuff?”
“When the older members come down to the underground studio, yeah—but not that often.”
“You have their contact info?”
“I have the numbers for the seniors who trained with me and debuted.”
His tone was gruff, but he answered with surprising sincerity; the moment the replies started coming, the kids perked up and began firing off their own questions.
Seeing this, there’s something inadvertently kind about his personality.
“Oh yeah—what about our costumes and props?”
“Are you already preparing?”
“When the second semester starts, there’ll be so much to do with stage sets, tickets, and promotion—it makes sense to prep the costumes early, doesn’t it?”
“Can’t we just wear what we have?”
“Well, there’s nothing suitable anyway… and they smell.”
And dirt keeps falling out of them, the member added with a grimace. Eun-seong and I, both guilty of something, looked away.
“We got funding last year because the play went over so well.”
Do Ha-jun, who’d been off to the side trying to convince the other boys to hit up the PC Room instead of the festival and getting shot down for it, suddenly jumped in.
“Costumes! I’ll order them! I know a site!”
“You do?”
Club activities matter to me almost as much as grades do—for my school record. But Ha-jun, you…? I suppressed what I really thought and asked carefully.
“What kind of site?”
“I was in charge of costumes last year, remember? Found this site back then—the quality-to-price ratio is insane.”
“Hmm…”
Technically speaking, you weren’t the costume coordinator—you were more the costume carrier.
The girls exchanged a subtle glance.
One girl, oblivious to the mood, clapped first.
“That’s great!”
“…”
It’s really not.
Left with no choice, Ji-su spoke up.
“Okay, Ha-jun—you pick some options from that site and upload them to the group chat. We’ll discuss and decide together. We still need to budget for props and other things, so stay within limits.”
“Just trust me, sis.”
Sister. Is he serious.
Let’s split up from him
and head our separate ways.
“I’ll catch the bus here.”
“You’re heading to the Hospital, right, Kang Da-hye?”
“Yeah.”
At the word “Hospital,” Jeong Eun-seong’s head snapped toward me. I clarified,
“I’m not sick.”
“I’m the one hurting—from getting so many problems wrong.”
“Hey….”
* * *
“What is this?”
“That’s a Talisman Against Misfortune. Han Ji-su’s mom gave it to me on her way out.”
“Oh….”
The thing looked less like a Talisman Against Misfortune and more like one that was supposed to pile all the misfortune onto someone else. And the Chinese characters on it….
“Her mom’s lost it. She asked for my birth date, time, grades, my parents’ jobs, and then told me not to talk to Han Ji-su at school.”
I was here visiting Bang Eun-ji in the Hospital. This was the first time I was seeing her face without makeup.
Without the eye makeup that looked like it had been drawn with a computer marker, she looked so much better.
“So then… whose magazines are these? With naked ordinary women?”
“Funny, right? My boyfriend gave them to me.”
“Your boyfriend? That garbage guy of yours?”
Twenty-two years old dating a high school student? At my question, Bang Eun-ji’s eyes lit up like twin flames.
“Hey. Garbage?”
“He’s garbage.”
“You don’t know him. He treats me so well. When we walk together, he always has me on the inside of the sidewalk. When we go on dates, setting the spoons, booking plays—I don’t do any of that. He does it all.”
“If that’s all it takes to date a high school student, I’d do it too.”
“No, you don’t get it. He’s kind of rude to other people, but he’s never like that with me, never….”
“So what you’re saying is, garbage just doesn’t smell bad when it’s standing next to you.”
Then again, maybe you just have chronic sinusitis?
“I’m about to explode. Let’s talk about something else.”
I shook my head side to side and covered Bang Eun-ji’s mouth.
I hadn’t come here to listen to her defend her boyfriend.
The reason I’d come was
“Bang Eun-ji, did you know Song Yeoreum transferred schools?”
“Yeah… She even called me and cursed me out. That’s why I quit that chat app.”
“That’s not all, is it? When you go back to school, your position won’t be what it used to be.”
You won’t get to enjoy lording it over everyone anymore, and having just lost all your friends at a time when friends are everything, you’ll have to worry about who to even eat lunch with.
Just like how a few weeks ago you mocked Do Yeon.
The quiet kids you called losers until yesterday—maybe you’ll have to ask them if they’d be willing to eat with you.
“I know. Me too.”
Bang Eun-ji swore quietly and lowered her head. I asked the dejected Bang Eun-ji,
“But why’d you do it?”
Knowing it would all turn out like this.
Then Bang Eun-ji, after muttering curses a few times over, confessed,
“Actually, the day before, Song Yeoreum called me over and asked me to bring her pants….”
And so on and so forth.
“… Crazy. For real?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s awful.”
Touching someone’s sore spot. If I were Bang Eun-ji, I’d stab a knife right into Song Yeoreum.
“She stood me up and… said I looked like a pig. Said my legs were so thick I’d do great at a sports academy.”
“…….”
“But then, the day before that, you helped me out in the Teacher’s Office, remember?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. With the Chinese classics essay.”
“Oh.”
Right. Because I felt sorry for you getting embarrassed in front of the teacher.
“To be honest, at first I was embarrassed that you butted in and I was annoyed. I thought you were just making things worse. But looking back at it… you were actually helping me. My friend Song Yeoreum humiliated me, but you didn’t.”
“So.”
You betrayed Song Yeoreum and helped me instead.
Not that I helped you out of any great kindness or anything….
“Still, you’ve got to admire Bang Eun-ji.”
“…Admire me?”
“Yeah.”
…….
“Most kids in your position would’ve swallowed their pride, no matter how much it stung, and kept playing servant to Song Yeoreum.”
Too scared of losing a friend.
“But you chose to cut her off for the sake of your own dignity. That takes real backbone.”
…….
“Anyone brave enough to do that can muster the courage to apologize. When we get back to school, go apologize to the others. Some won’t think a simple sorry cuts it, and plenty more won’t forgive you at all—but there will be some who do.”
It’s hardly a steep price compared to what you did to Song Yeoreum.
Sure, your pride will take a hit. But that’s your karma to carry.
“Take the time to think it through. This shame and embarrassment—it’s just a moment. It’ll be better for you to make new friends and readjust to school as soon as possible.”
…….
“Just be brave once, and you’ll have peace of mind for a long time after.”
Compared to all the damage you’ve done to other kids’ pride, an apology is a light penalty, I added.
Bang Eun-ji said nothing.
I wasn’t in any position to offer her more advice or comfort anyway, so I left it at that.
“I’m going.”
I grabbed my bag and stood up.
Just as I was about to leave, Bang Eun-ji called out from behind me.
“Kang Da-hye.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry.”
…….
“I’m sorry for bullying you in middle school, for taking your money, for laughing at your clothes and shoes and calling you poor… and for what I did to your locker. I’m sorry for all of it.”
…….
“I bullied you, but you helped me anyway. Thank you. I’ll repay the money as soon as I get my allowance—as close to the full amount as I can manage.”
“I tell you to be brave, and this is the first person you decide to apologize to?”
“…Yeah.”
…….
“Will you accept it?”
“I don’t know…….”
You were pretty rough on me. If you were going to call me poor, the least you could’ve done was not steal my money.
You bled me dry.
I released my grip on the doorknob and turned around.
I spoke to Bang Eun-ji, who couldn’t even look me in the eye.
“Bang Eun-ji.”
“Yeah?”
“When you’re discharged, come apologize to my mom too. Tell her you’re really sorry.”
Then maybe.
Someday, you and I could actually be friends.
“And.”
“…Yeah?”
“Thanks for coming to tell me that day. I meant that.”
“…Okay.”
“For real, I’m going now. Get some rest. And don’t slack off just because you’re hospitalized—do some studying too.”
Though I should probably start studying myself!
Math!
With that on my mind, I left the hospital and headed straight to the neighborhood library.
And there.
“…What are you doing here?”
I ran into Seo Jae-gyeom.

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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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