No Lies, Just Extra

Main Quest is a BS #5

“Would you please just shut up!”

But man, this guy’s tsundere act is seriously intense. That’s what I thought as I added to the judge.

“He’s just embarrassed. Anyway, as the victim, I’ve reached an agreement, and I’ve also received an apology. Hence, I’d like to express my intention to forgive the perpetrator, Ryu Cheon-hwi. That’s my stance, so please take note. And Instructor Lee Sora? I think someone needs to calm Ryu Cheon-hwi down.”

“It seems so.”

—Swoosh.

Instructor Lee Sora immediately moved to stand beside Ryu Cheon-hwi.

“Ryu Cheon-hwi? You’d better keep it down a bit.”

“Damn it…!”

Even if I say I’ll forgive him, it’s still a mess, a complete mess.

Anyway, he’s not that bad of a guy. When he stepped on my back, I thought he was the son of a bitch-enemy-asshole, and started with an avalanche of swears, but seeing him like this I kind of feel sorry.

But once you spit out a swear, you can’t take it back. It’s true for all words, but swears, in particular, remain forever.

You can’t erase them later, even if you regret it. But I’ve got no intention of erasing it. It was the right thing to do at the time.

And who knows?

Maybe he straightened up after coping with my swears. No… wait. Thinking that way, doesn’t everything fit into place? Could my barrage of swears have rehabilitated Ryu Cheon-hwi? It’s a sort of shock therapy.

Even if it’s something that can never be taken back, sometimes it leaves positive results. Thinking about it warms my heart.

Even if you sow seeds recklessly, beans will grow.

“Hehehe, actually, if both sides are to blame because I insulted his parents and whatnot, let’s avoid any excessive discipline, Judge. What’s friendship for, right? What happened with the sword…! It was a bit too much! But I’ve forgiven him!”

I shall forgive him with an overwhelming number of meal tickets!

“That son of a…”

Having spit out words of forgiveness, Ryu Cheon-hwi’s face turned completely beet red.

Watching him,

“Huh, Kim Geun-chul. Do you really forgive him?”

“Yes. It’s normal for kids at school to fight, isn’t it? And I don’t think Ryu Cheon-hwi is that bad of a guy, when it comes down to it.”

“I see.”

Instructor Lee Sora chuckled at my words. It’s good for her as an instructor if things wrap up well.

Ryu Cheon-hwi isn’t that bad of a guy. After all, even he asked what I got from Miss Leona that made me so happy.

And since then, I haven’t encountered any more harm. He never gathered his cronies to try and bust me up, so it’s all forgivable. A beating would hurt like hell, hospital-stay level of pain, but since he never went that far, I forgive it all.

“Cadet Kim Geun-chul. I have heard you well. Once again, are you saying as the victim that you wish to forgive?”

“Yes. I will forgive.”

As I spoke, the judges began murmuring among themselves. They must be thinking about having a discussion.

“Kim Geun-chul? Very manly. Even though it’s one thing to receive an apology, forgiving is another matter.”

“Feelings have cooled down. That’s all that matters.”

“Hooh. A conviction like that, huh. Kim Geun-chul, you are truly a man after my own heart.”

—Swish swish.

Instructor Lee Sora placed her hand on my head and ruffled it roughly.

My hair’s going to be a mess.

“Hehehe, I also like you, Instructor. The real grown-up of our times! Instructor Lee Sora, you are the heavenly fighter, beautiful and intelligent…!”

“Stop spouting nonsense! Hey, Kim Geun-chul!”

“Yes~!”

Anyway.

How will the verdict turn out?

“Then, we shall give the verdict. Since Cadet Kim Geun-chul, the victim, has consented to forgive, the punishment for Cadet Ryu Cheon-hwi will be… 20 hours of community service within the campus. Ryu Cheon-hwi, you are to serve two hours after school starting today. Report to the student council room. That is all.”

With those words, the disciplinary committee was adjourned.

So, he’s been slammed with 20 hours of community service just for brawling.

This is essentially the same as pushing back the homecoming time by 2 hours.

“Instructor Lee Sora. May I return now?”

“You may go. Ryu Cheon-hwi. You come along, too.”

“Damn it, how long does this jerk plan to be a pain in the ass…!”

What an aftertaste.

Well, as I stepped into the hallway.

“You.”

“What.”

Ryu Cheon-hwi called out to me and said.

“Don’t delude yourself. I have neither apologized nor asked for help from the likes of you. It’s just you deciding to forgive me on your own accord. Do you think I’ll accept that kind of pity?”

“Next time, Meal Ticket Man.”

“You fucking…! Shut that mouth! That’s just compensation! It’s disgusting to even talk about it! Now piss off!”

“We’re heading in the same direction for class, aren’t we?”

“You really are a…!”

It’s priceless teasing him and seeing that expression.

“Hehehe.”

But I know he’s not the type to hit me.

“Just you watch! I’ll make you pay for fooling around!”

“Hey. Stop fucking around. Do you want to pay the consequences? Want to go to the disciplinary committee again? Ah, Instructor Lee Sora, you can leave now. We’re just about to have a talk.”

“Go ahead.”

Instructor Lee Sora turned away immediately.

“Do you think I’m afraid of any discipline? Ha. Even the instructor has left. Now who’s here to protect you? There’s no Lee Sihu here to do anything either.”

The moment the instructor left, Ryu Cheon-hwi became all high and mighty and glared at me. His eyes were practically igniting with rage.

“Ha. You want to do this?”

Ready to fight when I responded to his staring contest.

Of course, I’ve got no business with this guy.

—Trudging.

I walked towards the vending machine in front.

“You. What are you doing—”

—Clunk.

I swiped my card and pulled out two drinks.

“Hey.”

“What?”

“Here, have this.”

It’s always my go-to Zero Cola.

I offered him one.

“What’s that?”

Ryu Cheon-hwi looked at the cola as if he was seeing it for the first time, puzzling over it.

“It’s cola.”

“Just looking at it is offensive. Do you think I’d consume such plebeian drinks?”

“Oh? Not taking it? Then should I throw this away? Should I throw it?”

“I won’t take it!”

—Splash!

Suddenly the bastard knocked it out of my hand!

—Boom!

With that, the cola can smashed into the ground…!

Damn it!

Breaking my gesture of reconciliation like that!

“Ahh… fuck.”

“Ha. Cola or whatever. Such a pitiful end for a lowly can drink only plebeians would sip. It suits your sort perfectly.”

“Hey. Seriously, you’re throwing this away?”

“What?”

“I thought you were someone with your own proper standards. That you’d come here to acknowledge your mistakes and apologize, but you won’t take my cola?”

Then,

“That’s.”

He seemed about to say something. This guy’s pride is no joke. I really wanted to get along with him if possible, but if it’s not meant to be, let it go.

“Fine. Whatever. You do you. I’m leaving.”

The moment I turned around.

“Tch!”

“Uh?”

From behind came a click of annoyance.

“From now on, stay out of my sight! You irksome punk!”

With that, Ryu Cheon-hwi left in the other direction.

The classroom is this way, mind you.

“Bastard.”

The cola that had fallen on the floor was gone.

“Tsundere men are the worst.”

Such an insincere bastard.

*

*

*

Ryu Cheon-hwi didn’t return to the classroom. Looks like he’s playing hooky again. Whatever, I just went in the middle of class and took my seat.

Then, when break time came.

“Kim Geun-chul? Where did you go and what did you do?”

Leona approached and asked me.

“Take a guess.”

“Besides going to the school karaoke to practice screaming or getting food at the welfare center, Kim Geun-chul isn’t likely to do much else. Did you practice your screams and farm your food well, Mr. Starving Child Scream Ghost Kim Geun-chul?”

“Hey! Why are you going so hard! You keep insulting the starving children! A supposed angel shouldn’t act like this!”

Scream Ghost, what is that even!

“Who’s insulting whom? Just don’t mess with the class president and tell me your story.”

Are you genuinely curious? Leona asked with feigned indifference.

“What were you off doing in the middle of class? I have to write it in the class president’s observation diary, so respond quickly.”

Class president’s observation diary?

Is that like a squad leader’s observation diary?

Then I’d better answer.

“I went to the disciplinary committee with Ryu Cheon-hwi.”

“What did you say?”

As I was talking, Ken, Brian, and even Sihu crowded around. So while telling Leona the story, I ended up sharing it with everyone else too.

I kept it brief about what happened and talked about the enchanting Ryu Cheon-hwi tales from today. I also mentioned the disciplinary committee events.

“Oh my. So you went and coolly forgave him?”

Leona, surprised, commented.

“Yeah. After getting an apology, there was no need to hold a grudge. So I simply forgave him and went on my way. But he still got slapped with campus community service.”

Had I not forgiven him, it would have been `campus community service to death` for him.

Now the guy owes me his life.

“Unbelievable… How can this be possible.”

“What’s so surprising?”

“Kim Geun-chul, you even have magnanimity? Just because your body suffers from hunger doesn’t mean your mind should too, right? Mhm. That’s correct. That’s why our Kainaros family engages in charity, helping the poor.”

“What?”

Is this woman…?

“Ah, right. So that’s why Ryu Cheon-hwi was asking me earlier. My word. Maybe he’s not such a bad guy after all?”

“Anyway. Angel Leona? I was thinking about returning the meal tickets.”

“Ugh.”

“I got a lot from Ryu Cheon-hwi. So just take them. They’re just baggage if you can’t use them.”

“Wait a minute! Kim Geun-chul!”

She suddenly raised her voice.

“Now what.”

“Ryu Cheon-hwi’s meal tickets were good enough for you, but you’re choosing to ignore the grace of the Kainaros family? This can only be seen as disrespect towards me and my family!”

“Hey! How does it even get to that! What you gave was genuinely out of goodwill, and what Ryu Cheon-hwi gave was a gesture of apology! You’ve got to distinguish what to accept and what not!”

“Hmph! Whatever! I’m out of here! Hmph!”

—Clack clack!

“Hey, you!”

Leona stormed off fuming with every click-clack of her heels!

“Scream Man, you seem to be getting really close to Leona?”

“Whoa! Scream Man! That’s amazing! Are you two dating?”

“Stop it…! Sihu! Huh?”

But then,

“…”

Sihu was looking at me with an odd expression.

“Sihu?”

“Uh? Ah. Geun-chul. Class is about to start. Let’s take our seats.”

“Right. Oh, anyway. Are you going to the gym after class today?”

“No, Geun-chul. Why do you even like the gym that much?”

“Need to work on my fitness. Seriously, are you bailing again today? We planned to crush the gym and then hit the bathhouse together.”

“You Bathhouse Monster Geuncheol!!!”

“Argh!”

Why are you calling me a monster too!

Oh damn, I have to go to the gym alone again!

That’s not fair!

*

*

*

Taking off the uniform.

—Sliding.

The hot bandage released a sense of liberation, and a sigh naturally followed. Wearing a bandage has become increasingly suffocating.

“Why go to the bathhouse again? Is he seriously a bathhouse freak?”

In the end, I skipped training and the gym. Right after school ended, I headed straight to the dormitory. If I had been caught, I would have been dragged along.

As he took off the bandage, Lee Sihu struggled to get out of the pants of his school uniform that clung to his waist and hips and sighed again.

“How could a body like this go to the bathhouse…!”

Changing clothes at the gym might be possible… If the timing is right, it could be done without trouble. But the bathhouse? Go when there’s no one else around? Maybe slip in with a towel somehow?

Impossible.

It wouldn’t work.

He’s never even been to a bathhouse before.

“Sigh.”

And with that thought, Lee Sihu entered the shower room. The door creaked. Adjusting the water to the right temperature, he showered.

“…Geun-chul.”

He’s a peculiar one.

A peculiar friend.

“You’re getting really close to Leona…”

That random thought popped into his head.