ALL NOVEL Chapter 174
Jin Yeseo had no choice but to stop her departing body. She clearly understood who Yeon Minha referred to as “our junior.”
Fortunately, the two seemed so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t notice Jin Yeseo’s presence.
She was aware that eavesdropping on others’ conversations wasn’t right, but it was beyond her control. The fact that the topic of their intense standoff was that guy was enough to keep her in place.
After a moment of agony, Jin Yeseo eventually crouched back down, holding her breath.
“Well, it seems it’s none of your business what I do.”
Her voice was so cold it felt like it seeped into her bones. It would be a stretch to simply label it animosity toward Yeon Minha.
More than that, a deep-seated hatred for the world and self-loathing were more pronounced.
The friendly and gentle senior who served as a role model for everyone.
It felt as if the Baek Seoyeon she had known all along was suddenly a beautifully crafted lie.
“Yeon Minha, isn’t that a bit shameless?”
Baek Seoyeon continued the conversation with an unfamiliar yet sharp voice.
“While Hyun is dying, you were just sitting around doing nothing.”
It seemed she was referring to the incident from City No. 1 last time.
At that time, Baek Seoyeon saved a man who was on the brink of death. As Paecheon, she certainly had enough grounds to demand compensation, and from the standpoint of Jeokhwa, aligning with Heukryeon, it was only natural to oppose it.
Although their conversation was quite sharp, it could indeed be valid.
However, what caught Jin Yeseo’s attention was something else entirely.
“Hyun…?”
Even more surprising than Baek Seoyeon’s frosty voice was that the name slipped out so easily like sweet candy rolling across her tongue. A cautious yet familiar tone.
Even Jin Yeseo, who shared a deep friendship with the guy, couldn’t bring herself to say the name properly. It was undeniably strange that Baek Seoyeon spoke it so casually in the current situation.
Especially considering their relationship.
“…Ugh.”
Yeon Minha seemed to be caught off guard by Baek Seoyeon’s retort. The fierce momentum she had maintained faltered instantly. The eyes of Yeon Minha, glaring at Baek Seoyeon, flickered with a hint of anxiety.
“…Well, I’m grateful for that.”
However, after a brief pause, she changed her expression as if nothing had happened.
“Thanks to you, our cute junior got his life saved. I can’t deny that credit.”
“…Hah.”
Baek Seoyeon let out a hollow laugh, seemingly incredulous at Yeon Minha’s words. Jin Yeseo couldn’t fathom that cynical expression.
“There should be a fair compensation plan. Unless, of course, you don’t do anything useless.”
But Yeon Minha twisted her lips upward, as if to indicate that she felt no chill at all and continued speaking.
“I called you today to talk about that. If I don’t warn you like this… there’s a chance you might demand something overstepping, right? You shouldn’t covet what isn’t yours…”
And while Yeon Minha was talking for a long while,
“Yeon Minha.”
A chilling voice suddenly resonated through the air.
Thud…
A massive icy gale seemed to radiate from Baek Seoyeon.
“Don’t misunderstand.”
Fresh blood dripped from Baek Seoyeon’s clenched fists. They shook with such ferocity that it seemed like an earthquake had struck.
“You don’t have the right either…it’s the same for you.”
“What…?”
Yeon Minha frowned, seemingly unable to grasp Baek Seoyeon’s words.
“What do you mean…”
Ding! Ding!
Just as Yeon Minha continued to question her, the bell, signaling the end of break time, echoed through the garden.
At that, the icy gale that had enveloped the surroundings melted away without a trace.
Without even looking at Yeon Minha, Baek Seoyeon strode out of the garden. The abandoned Yeon Minha murmured as she looked in the direction she had left.
“…What an annoying woman.”
With that, she too quickly took her steps to leave the garden.
The vast garden was still and void of any presence. Only the soft sound of a whistling bird echoed gently.
A while later, the sound of something plopping down came from behind one of the massive tree trunks that grew along the path of the garden.
Jin Yeseo sat there dumbfounded, having completely forgotten to return to the classroom. With her mouth tightly shut, she opened her surprised eyes and muttered.
“What the… what is happening…?”
*
She managed to stand up but her head was still foggy. The shock was so profound that she couldn’t even feel sadness.
What was most shocking was Baek Seoyeon’s attitude. The voice that sweetly and sadly spoke his name stuck to her mind, refusing to leave.
However, there seemed to be no proper connection between the two. Apart from the major clash at the start of the semester.
‘Could it be…’
Suddenly recalling something, Jin Yeseo came to a halt.
‘Could she have laid hands on my sister…?’
“…”
It was entirely plausible. After all, he was a man with a fiery temper.
Perhaps Baek Seoyeon, who had been gently trying to guide his reckless behavior, might have been subjected to his violence without hesitation.
And Baek Seoyeon, who had clearly grown up in a greenhouse, may have felt a strange fondness for that unfamiliar and rough side, something she had never felt before.
Just like… herself now.
“Sister…”
There was no strength in Jin Yeseo’s voice. The very first emotion she felt was disappointment towards Baek Seoyeon.
What Baek Seoyeon had felt when she called his name was undoubtedly affection.
But how could someone who was engaged have feelings for another man?
She, of all people, had emphasized the close bond with her fiancé.
‘How could she act so recklessly…’
“…No, no.”
However, just before disappointment could develop into resentment, Jin Yeseo shook her head furiously and managed to dismiss the negative thoughts.
She was desperately trying to understand Baek Seoyeon’s position.
‘Could it be that she had a small fight with her fiancé…? So she got distracted…’
It wasn’t unusual for engagements to fall apart for various reasons.
If that guy had slipped through the cracks of her heart, it would be only natural for her to waver.
Baek Seoyeon was undeniably a victim. Just like Jin Yeseo. It was absurd to resent someone like that.
Jin Yeseo pouted sulkily, feeling a little upset. It was that guy who was at fault. A scoundrel who couldn’t keep his hands to himself.
He couldn’t be satisfied even with her and had to reach out toward Baek Seoyeon.
“Was I not enough for him… He could take more if he wanted…”
She let out a deep sigh and started walking again, feeling very troubled about how to resolve this situation.
No matter how much she loved her sister, she couldn’t let this slide.
In this relationship, Baek Seoyeon was nothing more than a latecomer.
‘Wait…’
But soon, a thought flashed through her mind. She stopped in her tracks.
“Could it be… what if my sister was first…?”
Perhaps she might not be the first.
Just the thought of that possibility brought a tightening sense of anxiety in her chest.
If that’s the case, if Baek Seoyeon truly had feelings for the masked male student.
Then if it has to be Baek Seoyeon yielding, not her…?
“…”
Jin Yeseo stood there for a long while without moving.
Perhaps due to the setting sun, there was no light reflected in her eyes.
*
Decorations and electronic billboards adorned the area around the main gate. Under the instructions of the student council officers, makeshift facilities like tents were being installed on both sides of the vast campus.
Having finished my lecture, I moved through the hallway with Sera and Yena, admiring the scenery.
“But where’s Yena? Is she having some kind of trouble?”
“It’s nothing serious; she’s probably just a bit busy. She seems to go somewhere right after class every day.”
The short-haired student, Sera, with her bleached white hair, answered nonchalantly.
“Students from the outskirts must be having it hard right now. It’s tough for us, who were born in the capital, to keep up with the lessons, let alone those from farther away…”
The expressionless student, Yena, continued.
I had been somewhat puzzled not having seen Yena for a few days. Even while I was hospitalized, she only sent gifts.
But if that’s the case, there’s nothing to be done. If nothing serious happened, then that’s a relief.
And honestly, it made sense. I was struggling to keep up with the classes in the Cradle as well.
Without the help of Yeon Minha or Jin Yeseo… I probably would’ve had to attend remedial classes almost every day.
“But lately, Yena seems a bit different. How should I put it? She seems a bit more alluring… Wow, look at that.”
Sera paused mid-sentence, noticing the colorful flags and bright lights set up between the tall trees.
“What are those tents for?”
“They’re for booths and various events during the social gathering.”
“This year it’s going to be even grander since it coincides with the national foundation day. Wow, it sounds like it’ll be such fun…”
Sera continued to exclaim in admiration before suddenly berating the headmaster.
“The headmaster is really something else. How can he even think about canceling this event?”
“…Is that really not just a rumor?”
“It’s true. A relative of mine on the education committee informed me. You won’t believe what the headmaster said during the meeting…”
Yena’s question sparked Sera’s complaints into a frenzy.
The social gathering is a historical event that has been held alongside the Cradle’s history.
However, it’s said that since the current headmaster took office, he has consistently raised the issue of abolishing the social gathering. Citing discrepancies in the educational schedule and security vulnerabilities.
But the members of the education committee, who were related to influential families, as well as student council officers, vigorously opposed it, leading to its repeated failure.
This year, there was a fierce debate, but the headmaster unexpectedly set off with the Southern Expeditionary Force for the purpose of reclaiming a shrine, and the discussions fizzled out.
And actually, now with the coincidence with the national foundation day, it was going to be held on a much grander scale than in previous years.
“How can someone live only for studying every day? Sometimes you need a little fun like this.”
Sera still seemed unable to calm down with her frustrations.
But really, the headmaster must be quite rigid. In terms of appearance, he doesn’t differ much from the sisters or even the students…
“But exactly what do you do during the social gathering?”
“What’s there to do? You just have fun.”
“Don’t overthink it. It’s literally a ‘social’ gathering.”
Sera and Yena replied in unison.
“You hang out with friends at booths…”
“You attend social parties every night to dance…”
“And there’s a tournament contest with great prizes…”
Hearing just that makes it sound like it’s an event designed to give students overwhelmed with studies a little break.
So that’s why the older sisters taught me to dance. I always wondered why they were so eager to teach a skill that seemed unnecessary…
“…”
My head began to throb already. This event feels completely opposite to my unsociable nature.
“Oh, and the top-ranking students are required to attend a few events. Like the tournament. Hyun, you should get a separate notice too.”
“W-What…?”
It’s another mountain to climb. While everyone is caught up in festive cheer, I feel isolated on my own.
Just then, a small commotion began a bit further down the hallway.
Soon, students packed tightly began to part ways. I soon caught sight of what was causing the ruckus.
A blonde girl with green eyes was walking toward me. Jin Yeseo.
Somehow, her pure white uniform felt very unfamiliar. Was it because I usually saw her in training clothes or with a hood over her head?
“…”
Jin Yeseo approached with her piercing gaze fixed on me, her footsteps clicking sharply. It feels like it’s been ages since I saw that look. With so many people around, I suppose she can’t help it.
Jin Yeseo walked confidently toward me. The surrounding students were holding their breath, watching in anticipation, likely thinking something might happen.
“…?”
However, Jin Yeseo breezed past me, leaving the narrow hallway.
“What the…?”
“Did she come to challenge you again…?”
“It seems she finally figured out it’s not going to work…”
Onlookers muttered with diminished enthusiasm. Sera and Yena, standing behind me, let out quiet sighs of relief.
“Phew… That was close, right?”
“…”
But I remained standing there for a moment. The tingling sensation in my palm lingered. It was from when Jin Yeseo brushed past me and playfully flicked her finger.
“Hyun? What’s wrong?”
“…I think I left something behind. Shall I go ahead? I’ll find it and join you later…”
Turning around, I retraced my steps. As the crowd began to thin, I headed towards the pathway.
The place Jin Yeseo was waiting for was a quiet trail behind the A Building’s training ground.
She greeted me with an awkward smile as I approached her.
“…I thought you might not understand… but you did, huh?”
“How could I not? So why did you call me?”
Jin Yeseo seemed to have something important she wanted to discuss. She wouldn’t have approached me in such a crowded place otherwise.
“Well, I just wanted to ask you something…”
“Ask?”
“Yeah. Is that okay…?”
“There’s nothing wrong with that, but what is it?”
“…Um. Well…”
Jin Yeseo hesitated, her words trailing off. What kind of request could she possibly have? Seeing her bring me out here makes me think it’s something urgent.
Whatever it is, I’m willing to help if it’s something I can do. After all, I owe her a lot.
Before I knew it, Jin Yeseo had her head hung low. She even started twirling her hair with her fingers.
And what came out of her mouth was a request I never imagined.
“Um… could you pretend to be my boyfriend?”