I Became a Childhood Friend of the Middle Boss

Chapter 4

Student involvement in classroom management to raise awareness of being part of the class and cultivate a sense of responsibility through autonomous activities.

Having been in charge of the environmental cleanup department until last year, I joined the library management department with Yeonha.

The library management department was responsible for organizing books donated by students to the class.

“Do you all have books from home? Leave the books with Haneul and Gyunwoo, and the two of you can start making a list.”

“Okay.”

Consultation time.

The homeroom teacher seemed inclined to delegate the task of representing the work to me and Yeonha, who voluntarily joined the library department.

There was no dissatisfaction with that thought.

It was a chance to get closer to Yeon Haneul.

“But how do we compile the list?”

“The teacher should have a template. I’ll go get it later.”

“Alright, please.”

According to Yeon Haneul, it seemed like she had some experience as she had been in charge of the library last year.

Thanks to her, all I had to do was follow Yeon Haneul’s instructions.

“Books, we just need to hand them over, right?”

“Here they are. Check off my name. My name is Inginam. My surname is In, and my name is Ginam.”

“Inginam… You’re number 28 on the attendance list, right? Confirmed your name.”

While Yeon Haneul wrote down the books submitted by students on the list, I put identification number stickers on those books and placed them on the shelves.

And during spare moments, I organized the books in the classroom.

“You were in seat 1 when choosing, right? Your name was Inginam. Now that I think about it, Inginam with no popularity.”

“Ugh…”

Except for when going to the restroom, I guarded the seat even during break time.

“Hey.”

“Yeah.”

As a result, I had many opportunities to converse with Yeon Haneul.

Now, to some extent, the guard was down, and I even initiated conversations first.

“Why did you apply for the library?”

“I wanted to get closer to you.”

“You keep saying that, but… do you like teasing me?”

“Yeah!”

“Seriously, you…”

Yeon Haneul shot me a sharp glance while grumbling.

As someone who answered the question honestly, I felt a bit unjust.

Whether she liked it or not.

She spoke again.

“Do you like reading books too?”

“I’m not particularly fond of books. I prefer web novels over books.”

“Oh… I see. I thought you liked books too…”

For a moment, there was a drooping rabbit ear.

It seemed she was disappointed because I wasn’t a book lover.

‘Did I say I liked books?’

Seeing her reaction, I wondered if it would be better to just change the subject now.

However, she quickly regained her composure and murmured.

“…I read web novels too.”

“Really? What do you read?”

“Just… various romance fantasies. But I don’t read them often… I just occasionally read ‘Gidamu.'”

“You don’t purchase the ownership rights, huh.”

“I don’t have much pocket money…”

It’s 100 won for one chapter of a book.

Well, from Yeonha’s perspective, that could also feel burdensome.

I decided not to dwell on her situation and chose to change the subject instead.

“You like watching dramas too?”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“You mentioned it when you introduced yourself.”

“Oh… you remembered. Yes, I watch dramas with the director and other teachers every day.”

“What are you watching?”

“Well… today it’s ‘Luxury House.'”

“My mom and younger sister find that one interesting too.”

“Oh, really? It’s quite popular. But you have a younger sister?”

“She’s seven years old now.”

“A seven-year-old watching that drama? It’s for adults…”

“How do you watch it then?”

“Ah, I see.”

Emotions were clearly visible on her face.

As the topic shifted to dramas, I noticed Yeonha’s eyes sparkling.

Her bunny ears were perked up.

“I want to touch them.”

Are they softer than cotton?

Rabbits have nerves concentrated in their ears. That’s why they don’t like being touched on their ears much.

I suppose Yeonha would be the same.

Even if we become closer, I wouldn’t dare touch her ears without permission.

I silently lamented that, deciding to continue engaging in conversation.

“Don’t you watch it?”

“I do watch occasionally next to her, and it’s indeed quite entertaining.”

“Is that so? The teachers say the same. What’s so entertaining about it?”

“When you watch it, you feel… like even if a dead person comes back to life, as long as it’s entertaining, it doesn’t matter, you get that feeling. Maybe because it’s a melodrama?”

“That’s the charm of melodramas. Melodramas don’t really care about coherence.”

“Still, some level of coherence should be maintained. Stories like that should at least…”

“Kid, do you know how difficult it is to create a melodrama? It’s not easy at all. Calculating and making it is what makes it a melodrama.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. And then…”

Yeonha goes on a tirade.

I patiently listened to her dissecting melodramas.

As I listened, her arguments subtly made sense.

Well, I’m not in a position to criticize how trashy I’ve become. After all, I’ve been reborn in a world inside a game.

◈

He’s a strange kid.

Yeon Haneul couldn’t help but harbor such thoughts about the boy sitting next to her.

“What’s on your mind?”

Dogyeonwoo of the Shingum Do clan.

Although she had no friends, she knew about him.

It was strange not to know.

Being part of the prestigious Shingum Do clan, Dogyeonwoo, embodied in the Shingum Do, was of such high status that he belonged to the top ten families.

“Why would such a person approach me?”

That’s why she couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

There was no reason for him, with no background like herself, to strike up a friendly conversation.

“Maybe he doesn’t have any friends either?”

Of course, she had considered that possibility.

Yeon Haneul was aware that despite being from a prestigious family, Dogyeonwoo was timid and teary, unlike typical members of such families.

It was a well-known story throughout the school.

That he was being bullied.

“But that doesn’t seem to be the case…”

Nevertheless, she dismissed the thought.

The students who bullied Dogyeonwoo were only a few.

Those who would dare to bully someone from a prestigious family either had a background to support it or were merely acting on someone else’s orders.

The other students refrained from getting involved, choosing to remain bystanders.

Her situation was entirely different.

That’s why, while she was grateful for Dogyeonwoo reaching out to her, she was secretly worried.

“Is it okay to talk to me?”

She couldn’t help but fear that associating with her might subject him to even worse bullying than he already faced.

She had grown accustomed to such situations and could endure them now.

But he wouldn’t.

She didn’t want him to suffer because of her.

If she was the only unhappy one, that was fine.

So, the best course of action was…

“I’ll just ignore him.”

Even though she had inadvertently been drawn into the situation.

Yeon Haneul resolved to distance herself from Dogyeonwoo from now on.

However, her resolve crumbled during the very next lunch break.

It was because he suddenly spoke up.

“Let’s go have lunch.”

“What?”

“It’s lunchtime, aren’t you going to eat?”

“Well, um… I am eating….”

“You don’t know anyone in the class, so let’s have lunch together. Or do you have someone else to eat with separately?”

“…No, I don’t.”

If it was lunchtime, he had always eaten alone.

Yeon Haneul heard a sound he hadn’t heard since elementary school and lost his train of thought.

He couldn’t figure out what to refuse.

His momentary hesitation tacitly accepted his offer.

He had made the decision on his own.

“Then let’s go.”

“W-wait…!”

“What? Why?”

He had to refuse quickly now.

Yeon Haneul regained his composure, almost getting caught up in the situation.

Then he boldly took hold of his sleeve as he stood up from his seat.

He looked bewildered.

Yeon Haneul mustered up the courage and…

“W-well, if we go now, there will be a long line because it’s crowded. So, so… let’s wait a bit longer.”

“…Is that so?”

This fool, this idiot, this blockhead.

She couldn’t bring herself to flatly refuse his kindness.

She sat Do Yeonwoo down and lowered her heated head.

And then came the long-awaited lunchtime.

“Oh, it’s delicious.”

“…Yes, it is.”

Yeon Haneul had lunch with Do Yeonwoo.

She could keenly feel the gazes pouring in from the people.

It must have been the same for him.

Yet, he continued to enjoy his lunch without a care.

But she couldn’t tell if the food was going into his mouth or nose.

Gradually adapting to the stares, she could finally savor her lunch.

“…It’s delicious.”

Was it always this delicious?

Was it because she hadn’t had cafeteria food in a while?

She couldn’t tell. She didn’t know.

She just cleaned her plate of food that day.

The weather was nice, so she took a walk.

And then she realized.

“Oh, this isn’t right….”

“What is it?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Without realizing it, I began to enjoy it as well.

Yeonha avoided my gaze abruptly.

◈

After recalling memories from my past life, a month had passed imperceptibly.

As time flowed smoothly, my school life went on very smoothly.

I had also become somewhat close with Yeonha.

“I read the book you lent me before, it was surprisingly interesting.”

“Really? I told you, it’s interesting. How about reading this one too?”

“What kind of book is it?”

“It’s a story about…”

During break time,

Yeonha pretended to read the book, glancing at me from time to time.

I could vaguely guess the reason why she was doing that now.

It was a signal for me to start a conversation.

Sure enough, as soon as I spoke, she put the book down and responded.

“Would you like to watch a video of Mongshil that I took yesterday? It’s a video of Binky.”

“Binky? What’s that?”

“When rabbits are in a good mood, they happily hop around. It’s fascinating and fun.”

“Hmm… I’ll watch.”

I played the smartphone video.

Yeonha leaned towards me, watching the video of Mongshil jumping and shaking its head mid-air.

“Wow… it jumps really high.”

“Mongshil is quite impressive.”

“Speaking of which, you always talk about Mongshil. Because you keep saying Mongshil, I start missing Mongshil too.”

“Then, do you want to go see him?”

“Huh?”

Perked up.

Yeonha moved her rabbit ears slightly.

With a slightly surprised expression.

I raised my head from the smartphone, facing her, and invited her.

“What are you going to do after this?”

“Nothing… just chilling.”

“Then, how about going to see him today?”

“…”

Now that we even eat lunch together, inviting her to my place shouldn’t be a problem.

I harbored such vague expectations and awaited her response.

Upon receiving unexpected advice, she displayed various reactions with rabbit-like ears.

Then, she subtly glanced at me and fidgeted her fingers.

A passive voice flowed out.

“Um, hey.”

“Yeah.”

“If you hang out with me, you might also become a target. So…”

“But am I not already being bullied?”

It was a lie.

I am not being bullied anymore.

Should I say, instead, that I am the one bullying now?

―D-Dogyunwoo! Run away quickly!

―If our eyes meet, you’ll die!

―Don’t leave me behind! Let’s go together!

Lately, the triplets trembled and avoided me whenever they saw me, and at the swordsmanship hall, it was routine for me to be brutally defeated as their sparring partner.

“From the start, if you and I become targets together, wouldn’t that mean we’re not really being targeted?”

“…”

But the younger Yeonhaneul, unaware of this fact, seemed to forget what she wanted to say for a moment.

Soon, as if she was about to cry, Yeonhaneul’s face faintly twitched, but then she smiled as if to say, “When did that happen?”

“You’re really strange.”

“Me? How so?”

“Just… everything.”

With a clicking sound.

She covered her mouth to hide her laughter.

I saw her laughing like that for the first time.

It was a sight that stayed in my memory involuntarily.

“Alright, I want to see it too.”

That’s how we became friends.