1st in Class Hides Regression - Chapter 75

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The top student in school
hides her Regression
Chapter 75
“A student teacher?”
“Yeah.”
“Male?”
“Yeah.”
“Is he good-looking?”
Why does that matter.
“He’s decent enough.”
I spoke, recalling the face I’d glimpsed in the Teacher’s Office earlier. He’d come to introduce himself before his teaching practicum, and he just happened to catch me looking dazed today.
Though I’d barely looked at him, I remembered his face vividly because I’d seen it once before the Regression. If I could still remember a face I’d seen over a decade ago, wouldn’t that mean he was good-looking?
“He looked like a model. Tall.”
At my explanation, Seo Jae-gyeom frowned.
“Tall?”
“Yeah. Taller than you and Jung Eun-seong.”
“Tell him not to come.”
“Are you insane?”
“Tell him to go to a different class.”
“You’ve lost it.”
Finding no point in responding, I headed upstairs first. Behind me, Seo Jae-gyeom grumbled.
“Why do student teachers even need to do this practicum!”
“If they don’t do the practicum, how are the future teachers supposed to gain experience….”
“What experience do they need!”
“Ugh.”
Never mind.
Let’s talk about something else. What should we talk about.
Oh. Right.
“I was surprised your mom helped us out earlier.”
The whole mess ended so smoothly partly because Seo Jae-gyeom’s Mother, who carried influence among parents, had spoken up on our behalf.
I’d figured she was the type interested only in her own son’s affairs, so I thought she’d just scowl through all the chaos. But that was my bias.
“Tell her I’m grateful.”
“Oh. That.”
Seo Jae-gyeom winked and lowered his head toward me.
“I told my mom that I hit Park Soo-hwan once too. That if the girls get punished, I should get punished as well.”
“…You did?”
That would explain it….
“By the way, where did your mom go? I don’t see her.”
“She said she finished her college counseling sessions today and went home.”
“Ah.”
“Mom said you’re amazing.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. That you’re good at studying despite… not having money.”
“Ah.”
I know what Seo Jae-gyeom was hesitating to say. Something like, ‘It’s impressive how well you study despite coming from a family with nothing.’
She’d said the same thing to me before the Regression. That it was a waste, the way I was.
“Tell her it’s the result of natural talent for studying. Isn’t it fortunate that at least I’m good at school when there’s no money at home.”
“Why do you talk like that….”
* * *
Park Soo-hwan and seven others issued written apologies to the victims. Ten days of community service on campus and a ban on contact with the victims came with it.
We, as the victims, had demanded they be transferred to different classes,
but ‘If that kind of record stays on their student records, it’ll be fatal for their college admissions….’
‘They’re only eighteen. Having their entire future derailed by a single mistake is too harsh….’
‘They’re really reflecting….’
Once the perpetrators’ parents invoked college prospects and the teachers stepped in as mediators, our own mothers and fathers lost their nerve.
‘I’m raising a daughter myself, but my youngest is a son…. Boys are just like that, you know….’
‘Still, he deserves a shot at college. If we ruin his future with this record, you’ll regret it long-term anyway, won’t you? Besides, our daughter’s a good person.’
Except I’m not!
They’re the ones who did wrong—why should we feel bad about it?!
Apparently, the fact that we even got the community service punishment was thanks to the efforts of Do-yeon’s Mother and a few other parents.
“Isn’t the rule that schools are supposed to report any sexual crime to the police without exception?”
“Yeah. If they don’t, there’s a fine.”
“But the vice principal tried to bury it, and only reported it after Do-yeon’s Mother pointed it out.”
“That’s insane.”
“So without Do-yeon’s Mother, they were just going to sweep the whole thing under the rug?”
“Da-hye, you said you’d seen her before, right?”
“Yeah. Just for a moment when I went to study during exam period.”
Still, the perpetrators had agreed to voluntarily attend some kind of education and counseling until the next school year, and they weren’t allowed to sit next to the girls until graduation.
“The real punishment is just beginning.”
Not only the girls, but the rest of the boys who hadn’t participated in it either refused to mix with them.
Every time they walked down the hallway, they were followed by the contemptuous stares of female students who’d heard the rumors, and braver boys took the lead in beating those eight with words and fists.
Our class too. Seo Jae-gyeom, the boy everyone else fears most, openly despised that group.
“They’re basically dead socially.”
“I hope it stays that way.”
“But why are the guys being so over the top about it?”
“Probably drawing a line so they don’t get lumped in with the same crowd.”
“I mean, who knows what they really think. They might be going to the Internet Cafe behind the scenes saying ‘unlucky you guys got caught’ and eating ramen together.”
Do Ha-jun, as the ringleader, received a Community Service penalty.
By the way, that stays on his Student Records too.
Park Soo-hwan and Jang Ji-won’s Boyfriend were totally disloyal. When cornered, they dumped everything on Do Ha-jun, the easiest target.
Jang Ji-won’s Boyfriend is transferring to some boarding school any day now. His mother said she’d failed to raise her son properly and sent him there after shaving his head.
Jang Ji-won, suddenly divorced, fell apart crying and screaming.
‘It’s all your fault!’
Because what Jang Ji-won wanted was for her boyfriend to reflect, apologize to her, and cling to her—not to be punished like this.
Do Ha-jun
Still, Ji-won really is devoted to you, huh ㅋㅋ
13:26
Park Soo-hwan
Cuz he’s ugly ㅋ
Pretty girls never end up with types like that anyway
13:27
Ji-won’s Boyfriend
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
13:27
It was almost impressive that anyone could see these messages and still want to take their side.
Anyway, that’s why Yeon-hee is eating lunch with us now, having cut ties with Jang Ji-won, who was crying and blaming her.
“They’re going to spend the next two years in school hell and learn painfully what they did wrong.”
“If there hadn’t been the USB filename and the KakaoTalk Messages, what would’ve happened?”
“Exactly. Apparently just watching that video in class doesn’t count as a punishable offense. To actually get them in trouble, you need direct evidence of sexual harassment. It’s ridiculous.”
“But honestly, what really moved me was—”
Su-ah swallowed the candied sweet potato she’d speared with her fork and spoke.
(Today’s lunch: Fried Sweet Potato with Breading and Candied Sweet Potato)
“Other kids from different classes stood up for us and beat them up together.”
“Oh, right. I was moved by that too.”
“I had someone in my class last year that I didn’t get along with? But they literally rushed in and grabbed Do Ha-jun by the collar… I almost cried.”
“So you made up with them?”
“Yeah. Now when we pass each other in the hallway, we say hi.”
“That’s good.”
I nodded.
“The homeroom teacher seems to be struggling.”
“Yeah. He told me he was sorry he couldn’t help. He said if he had his way, he’d expel them, but he doesn’t have the power.”
“In his first year as homeroom teacher, and this is what happens.”
“He probably wants to quit.”
“I guess we can’t do anything for Teachers’ Day…?”
“Given the atmosphere… we’ll just have to let it pass quietly.”
“Sigh.”
“Sigh.”
We returned our lunch trays and each bought an ice cream from the School Store, putting them in our mouths.
“You’re not eating, Da-hye?”
“Nope. I’m in Slow Aging mode.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a secret.”
The truth is, I’m out of money.
“We’re not aging right now—we’re growing.”
Do-yeon, who’d bought a split ice cream, held out half to me. When I didn’t take it, she shoved it into my mouth.
“What’s next class?”
“Literature. Presentation.”
“Didn’t they say how many performance assessment points that’s worth?”
“Five.”
“Not that much, then.”
“It’s a lot for me.”
I have to get a perfect five points on this one, no question.
“Did you prepare a lot, Da-hye?”
“I did, but… I’m already nervous.”
“You get nervous speaking in front of people?”
“I was nervous even during the class president election…….”
Remember how I charged my cellphone with the electricity from being so nervous back then…….
“What’s happening with the sports day? I don’t want to run with them.”
“They’re not even doing any events, so it’s fine.”
“So they couldn’t even exercise, huh.”
Still chattering away, we headed upstairs.
“Da-hye!”
A friend from our class came running over, pale as death.
“Why aren’t you answering your phone!”
“Huh? What… Is something wrong?”
“Your KakaoTalk messages!”
“My messages?”
“What you and Ji-su talked about!”
“???”
If it’s something I talked about with Ji-su… was it asking to go eat tteokbokki together? Sharing predicted midterm questions? Lamenting while watching the news about why the world is like this?
“You and Ji-su and
Seo Jae-gyeom
—what you talked about!”
The friend came closer, grabbed my wrist, and lowered her voice to a whisper.
“Seo Jae-gyeom?”
Oh, way back then?
Well, “way back” means a few months ago, but… back then I liked Seo Jae-gyeom, so I talked to Ji-su about him almost every day.
Did you see how I talked to Seo Jae-gyeom today? What do you think of it? How should I respond? What do you think he’s thinking right now…….
You could call it my worst dark history ever.
“And Seo Jae-gyeom is reading it!”
“Huh…?”
What does that even mean?
“How?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————