1st in Class Hides Regression - Chapter 51

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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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Ranked 1st in School Hides Her Regression
51
“At a time like this, we should be making a plan for what comes next, not wasting energy on who’s right and wrong, apologizing, telling each other not to—what good does any of that do? Think rationally for a second. This is just turning a blind eye to reality….”
“It helps?”
“Huh?”
I cut off Do Ha-jun’s nonsense mid-sentence.
Caught off guard, Do Ha-jun turned to face me. I tilted my chin up at him.
“If you apologize, we’ll feel better. So apologize. Properly.”
“Now you’re just saying apologize just to feel better….”
“Without an apology, there’s no plan for what comes next. How are we supposed to discuss the future with someone who won’t even admit they were wrong?”
Snorting, Do Ha-jun let out a sharp breath as if to say, ‘Oh, so you’re a pro-Japanese collaborator? That’s why you don’t get it?’ I smirked.
“What….”
“Figuring out the plan matters before who’s right and who’s wrong. That’s a fair point too. But that’s something we—the victims—get to say. Not you.”
I nodded at Do Ha-jun, mouth still open.
“Want to quit the Drama Club? Go ahead. Want to jump off the Rooftop? By all means. What are you waiting for? Do it right now.”
“…….”
“Write ’embezzlement’ as your reason for withdrawal, and make sure you hand over the money before you take that jump.”
“Hey, Kang Da-hye… that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?”
“Ha. Harsh, he says. Running out of real arguments, so now he’s picking at my word choice. How tiresome, right?”
I threw his own words right back at him.
The Drama Club Room was quiet without a teacher to break up the fight. Everyone sat with their lips sealed, watching our Verbal Debate unfold.
The most entertaining part of watching anything is watching a fight, isn’t it? I’m putting on a proper show.
What I do just as well as I study is Verbal Debate!
“Look, I didn’t do it on purpose. I was just trying to do right by the club, and it went wrong.”
“I get it. But why didn’t you apologize after messing up? And if you made a mistake while trying to do well, does that mean we’re supposed to just feel sorry for you and coddle you? Who do you think you are?”
Go ask your mother for sympathy.
“Stop trying to do well and actually do well. Or better yet—I’m not even asking for that much. Just do the basics. Please.”
I clasped both hands together and lifted them pleadingly.
It was the pathetic pose Do Ha-jun struck so often.
Do Ha-jun let out a bitter laugh.
“Fine. I get it now. I’m sooo sorry for overstepping and trying to help. From now on, I’ll just sit quiet and not help. Whether you all work yourselves to death or not, I won’t lift a finger.”
“What are you talking about? Aren’t you a member? What you do isn’t helping us—it’s just doing your job. Drop that inflated sense of self-importance.”
“…….”
“And didn’t you say you were quitting the club and going to the Rooftop? If you’re dead, how are you supposed to help?”
Even if you could help, I wouldn’t want it. How dare someone like you help me?
“Hey!”
Do Ha-jun was just jumping to his feet when—
“Pfft…!”
Someone made a sound like air escaping from a balloon.
It was Jung Eun-seong.
All eyes turned to Jung Eun-seong as he laughed aloud. Unable to contain himself, he covered his eyes with his hand.
Everyone froze, watching Jung Eun-seong lose it. Do Ha-jun floundered for a moment before sinking back into his seat.
Jung Eun-seong kept laughing to himself for a long while before finally composing himself, lowering his hand—and our eyes met.
“…….”
The moment our gazes lock, he sobers up instantly, though he’d just been laughing freely.
Jung Eun-seong straightened his expression and spoke.
“Costumes.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll ask the people in charge of costumes at our company if they might be able to help.”
“Is that even possible…?”
“I don’t know. Don’t get your hopes up too high.”
“No, forget it.”
I stopped Jung Eun-seong there.
I might not know much about the entertainment industry, but I know how unreasonable a request that is. A trainee, not even a proper celebrity?
It’s one thing to ask them for help, but obviously he’d end up spending his own money to buy or bring things.
I turned to the Vice-president, who’d been comforting Do Ha-jun this whole time.
“So how much do we actually have left?”
“That’s….”
“……That’s all?”
“Yeah.”
“…….”
There had to be a way.
Should I invest in cryptocurrency from now on?
Or maybe Samstar Electronics, Cocoa, Nvidia?
Had Cocoa even gone public yet?
No matter how hard I racked my brain, the numbers wouldn’t add up, and I sat there troubled, staring at our impossible budget.
“Um, over there.”
Bang Eun-ji, who’d been gauging the room, cautiously raised her hand.
She seemed unaccustomed to waiting for her turn to speak, stumbling a little before pointing at the pile of costumes heaped in the corner.
“Don’t you have any clothes to wear right now? Then what’s that?”
One member, her expression flat, offered an explanation.
“Those are costumes the seniors left behind when they graduated, but there’s nothing in there we can use. They’re all worn out, and the sizes don’t fit.”
“You said you’re doing Chunhyangjeon, aren’t you? Isn’t that where you wear Hanbok?”
“Right, but that’s a Crown Prince Robe, and under it is a Queen’s Attire.”
“Seems like a little mending could fix it.”
“How would you fix that.”
“I’ll fix it.”
“…You?”
I blinked, staring at Bang Eun-ji. Suddenly thrust into everyone’s attention, she stumbled over her words.
“Can’t I fix it?”
“It’s not that you can’t, but do you know how?”
“To some degree? I hemmed this school uniform myself at home. The cleaners said they couldn’t do this length.”
Bang Eun-ji stood up and showed us her skirt.
…It really was a length the cleaners would refuse, yet the hem was perfectly even—flawless work.
“And this.”
Bang Eun-ji removed the King Ribbon from her hair and held it out.
“You shortened this?”
“No? I made it from scratch. I bought the fabric.”
“…!”
Oh?
“I have a Sewing Machine and everything at home. I’ve got leftover fabric too. Looking at this, I think it’d work if we just took those apart and attached them here.”
Oh….
“Besides, all the roles are already cast, right? I don’t want to go on stage anyway. So if I just handle the costumes and makeup, wouldn’t that work?”
“Wow.”
The members’ faces lit up.
“So we won’t spend any money at all?”
“We’ll probably spend some, but I don’t know—maybe a few thousand won? I can cover that.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah, um….”
Bang Eun-ji glanced at me and rolled her eyes.
“I’m grateful you took me in, and….”
“Hmm?”
“I owe Kang Da-hye something. Think of this as me paying it back.”
Me?
“You came to see me when I was sick.”
“That was….”
Because you were hurt….
Ji-su whispered.
“Popularity. She’s building popularity.”
“That’s not it….”
“Anyway, so you’re saying Eun-ji will do it?”
“If you’re okay with it, I’d really appreciate it.”
“Right. It doesn’t need to be super professional or anything.”
Ever since the shocking news about money, the members had looked half-dead, but now color returned to their faces. With Bang Eun-ji extending a helping hand, she looked like a savior to them—they spoke to her warmly, as if they’d never complained about her before.
“So you’ve made clothes before?”
“Just stuff like ripping apart jeans and turning them into skirts. I thought I’d die from how hard it was, but it was fun. And the results turned out pretty well.”
“That’s right. And Eun-ji does makeup well too.”
‘That makeup…?’
As the members spoke up first, a smile appeared on Bang Eun-ji’s face as well. I seized the moment and offered my own thanks.
“Thank you. For stepping in.”
At my words, Bang Eun-ji let out a small cough.
“If you’re grateful, take me to your shop sometime later. …Besides, I still need to have a word with your mother.”
“You don’t need to go that far… but fine. Let’s go.”
“Teach me how to win at Verbal Debate too.”
“Verbal Debate?”
“Yeah. You just totally destroyed that guy.”
……
If we’re going to be friends, I need to fix your language habits first.
* * *
And so the Second-hand World incident was closed.
Someone else took over the Treasurer position from Ha-jun Vice-president, and Do Ha-jun and Ha-jun Vice-president coordinated with the supervising teacher to make up some of the Club Funds.
We cut costs where we could on costumes and had Bang Eun-ji mend what we could.
And then.
“Jung Eun-seong.”
After club time ended, I went over to Jung Eun-seong, who was tidying up the chairs, and spoke to him.
‘He’s the type who doesn’t even need Student Records because he’s genuinely committed to club activities.’
Making that absurd suggestion to ask favors from people at his company without hesitation.
‘I suppose I ought to say thank you at least once. It’s only right.’
“About earlier….”
But then.
“Kang Da-hye.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m not talking to you anymore.”
Jung Eun-seong turned his head away primly and swept out of the Drama Club Room.
“…?!”
What the—?!

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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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