‘So, did that man sexually harass the student?’

‘Did he try to drag her away?’

‘Ah, so nothing like that happened?’

‘There was no physical contact?’

‘Ah, at the convenience store… so you’ve seen him before, then?’

You can probably tell just by the dialogue, can’t you?

What happened to me and Kim Gaeun after we burst through the doors of the police station in the middle of the night.

The looks on the police officers’ faces the moment they saw two girls in school uniforms walk in.

From the way they spoke, it was clear they had no intention of taking us seriously.

The moment she stepped into the police station, Gaeun was already intimidated.

And to be honest, me too…

‘I’ve never even been to a police station in my life!’

I’ve lived a good life!

The police, who astutely noticed our fear, didn’t even bother to listen to our story properly. Instead, they tried to scare us off and get rid of us quickly.

‘Why are you reporting something like this?’

It was written all over their faces.

Just like I thought when Song Yeoreum came and trashed our store.

That even if I reported it to the police, they wouldn’t take it seriously.

And it turned out to be true.

They looked down on us so much just because we were two students. Like this↓

‘Aigoo, the student must have been very startled.’

‘I’m not startled, I’m angry! And it’s not like I’m angry for no reason. I’m angry because that man threatened my friend! This isn’t my problem, it’s his problem!’

‘It’s late, have you contacted your parents? Aren’t they worried? If you go home this late?’

‘Hurry on home. It’s because you’re wandering around late at night that you run into men like that.’

‘That’s right, the students aren’t entirely without fault either. Why were you wandering around outside at this hour?’

‘What the…!’

Isn’t it normal to not have anything happen to you even if you’re wandering around at 3 or 4 in the morning, let alone 10 PM?

To the police who wouldn’t even file a report, this was all I could say.

‘Please leave a record that we made a report.’

‘Yes, yes.’

‘Our cram school ends at 10 PM. Please patrol the area around Ibaji Academy at that time.’

‘Alright, alright.’

‘He’s in his early 170s, mid-50s, balding, with a split right thumbnail.’

‘Are those kids still here?’

‘We’re leaving now!’

‘Hurry along, hurry along. Your parents will be worried.’

“I was so freaking pissed off…”

They said it couldn’t be a case because he only spoke to a passing student and didn’t touch her or try to kidnap her.

So what, are they telling me to file a report after something happens?

They kept telling me to go home because my parents would be worried.

And why do you think my parents would be worried!

My parents would stop worrying if you caught all those creeps!

“Anyway, that’s what happened.”

“……”

“……”

“Hah. I’m going to the snack bar.”

Sua, scratching her head furiously, shot up from her seat.

“I need to chug something right now.”

Without waiting for a reply, she stormed out of the classroom. We instinctively followed her to the snack bar.

While I was sending a message to Doyeon asking what I should get her, the topic of conversation changed.

“Did you know? Bang Eunji’s mom came to school that day and grabbed her by the hair.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah. In the teachers’ office.”

“She didn’t bat an eye when the homeroom teacher said Eunji was bullying other kids, but the moment she was told she had to pay up, she came right away.”

“Wow.”

“Bang Eunji got hit in the head by Song Yeoreum, and then had her hair pulled by her own mom. What a life.”

“Song Yeoreum hit Bang Eunji in the head?”

“You didn’t know? She does it often. When she’s in a bad mood, friend or not, she doesn’t care.”

“Is that what a frien— Oh, it’s Jeong Eunseong.”

“Jeong Eunseong, hi!”

Sein raised her hand high and greeted him.

Jeong Eunseong, who was just buying a carton of plain milk from the snack bar, turned around.

Seeing his face, I remembered.

He never responded in the drama club’s group chat!

“Ah, I have something to say to him.”

“To Jeong Eunseong?”

“Yeah.”

“Go talk to him now!”

“I should. Jeong Eunseong!”

I called his name as I approached. Then Jeong Eunseong glanced at me and…

Ran out of the snack bar.

?????

“Hey!”

Where are you going!

I instinctively ran after him.

Seeing me chasing him, Jeong Eunseong seemed to stop for a moment, but then he slipped right into the men’s restroom.

“You psycho!”

Are you serious?!

Seeing me unable to set foot inside the restroom, Jeong Eunseong leaned casually against the open door.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Keeping my distance from you.”

“Why!”

“Because you’re my second most disliked person in our class.”

“……”

“Why did you chase me?”

“Because I have something to say!”

“Don’t wanna hear it.”

“Why not!”

“To piss you off.”

“……”

It’s working. I’m seriously pissed.

Looking down at me, fuming, Jeong Eunseong opened his milk. He gulped it down, his Adam’s apple moving. I could see the corners of his well-shaped lips, hidden by the milk carton, curl upwards. He was smirking. So annoying!

“You want to drink that in the restroom?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty good, you know?”

“Ugh, just come out first. Let’s talk outside.”

“I don’t want to.”

Those ^^ eyes… so infuriating…

Glaring at the smiling Jeong Eunseong, I asked.

“Did you see the materials Jisu sent?”

“(Shakes head)”

“Why not? Jisu said she sent them to you separately via private message.”

“I don’t answer calls or messages from numbers I don’t know.”

He said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Is he a kid? Getting milk on his face.

“You don’t have Jisu’s number?”

“Nope.”

“Why? Jisu gave it to you last time.”

“If she gives it to me, do I have to save it?”

“You should save it… Jisu’s the drama club president. Do it now.”

“Alright.”

Contrary to his words, Jeong Eunseong didn’t even pretend to take his phone out of his pocket.

He smugly folded the empty milk carton and threw it in the trash.

Just you wait until you come out of there.

Gritting my teeth, I added.

“Jisu also printed out a copy and left it in the clubroom, so if it’s hard to read on your phone, look at that one. Read it and mark any opinions you have. We’re going to have a meeting during club time this week.”

“Alright.”

“Okay, so hurry up and come out. Let’s go to the classroom.”

I grabbed Jeong Eunseong’s wrist to tell him to stop messing around and come out.

But he resisted.

What are you doing? I looked up, and he was smirking again, the corners of his mouth turned up.

“Ugh, why won’t you come…”

“Dahye?”

Our homeroom teacher, who was cheerfully walking down the hallway, saw me standing in front of the men’s restroom and approached.

Tilting his head, the teacher’s gaze fell on my hand, on Jeong Eunseong’s wrist that my hand was holding, and on Jeong Eunseong, who was resisting with a smile on his face.

Jeong Eunseong quickly said.

“Teacher, Kang Dahye is bullying me.”

“You two, again…!”

“Uwaah…”

I hate Jeong Eunseong the most in our class…

No, the one I hate the most is Do Hajun…

Tied for first place with Do Hajun…

So, what should I do about Gaeun?

She can’t tell her parents, who are her guardians, nor can she seek help from society, which has a duty to protect minors.

Then what am I supposed to do!

“Seriously, does this make any sense? An adult man approaches a minor and makes her feel unsafe, and there’s no way to stop it.”

Until now, I had thought my original age of 29 was a full-fledged adult, but I guess not. Seeing as I can’t come up with a clever solution to this situation.

29 years old?

Basically a baby.

You probably have to be around 92 to feel like you finally know a thing or two about the world.

Lost in thought, I idly flipped through the book in my hand.

After school, I was alone in the drama clubroom.

I was reading because I had to rewrite the book report that got soaked when Bang Eunji poured milk in my locker.

Fortunately, the literature teacher took my situation into account and extended the deadline, but since it was a book report I wrote over 10 years ago, I had to reread the book anyway.

“It’s for the best, I guess. Getting to read the same book twice, isn’t this totally Lucky Dahye?”

The book was already checked out at both the school and my neighborhood library, but I found out there was a copy in the drama club. My goal for today was to read it quickly in the clubroom and finish the book report.

“Good thing I don’t have my part-time job today.”

I threw my bag anywhere and sat on the clubroom sofa. I buried my nose in the book, and when I looked up, nearly an hour and a half had passed.

“Ah, I’m hungry.”

The snack bar probably isn’t closed yet, right? I should go buy something. While I’m at it, I should stop by the classroom and get my phone.

I used to have my phone in my hand 24/7, but since I’m trying to cut down on smartphone use to study, these days I just leave it in my locker (I bought a new lock!) when I come to school.

“First, go to the classroom to get my things, then the snack bar…”

I muttered to myself and grabbed the clubroom doorknob.

Click.

“Huh?”

The door wouldn’t open.

Below me, in the hallway outside the door, Song Yeoreum suddenly popped up.

“Ack! You scared me!”

I thought she was a ghost.

Seeing me blinking from inside, Song Yeoreum grinned from ear to ear.

She pointedly dangled the padlock that now secured the clubroom door and its matching key, then disappeared down the hall with a clatter of footsteps.

With the key.

“…Huh?”

…Am I locked in here right now?

This absurdly?

This quickly?

Without my phone?

Didn’t the janitor from the administration office already come by? Didn’t he tell me to lock up myself?

“…What is this?”

I said to myself, dumbfounded.

Just then, something shot up from a pile of costumes in the corner of the clubroom.

“Aack!”

Is it a ghost