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Chapter 9
Unlike in the original novel, Anna was thrown out penniless.
Director Watson coldly dismissed her, saying it was unforgivable that she ignored the warning about barking and nearly let the children get hurt.
Considering how a situation that could’ve been quietly brushed aside became big enough to get Anna expelled, Megan had definitely played a major role.
The dog was never captured in the end, so entry into the forest was banned for the time being.
‘At least everything worked out somehow…’
Honestly, I could have chosen not to interfere with the novel’s plot.
But I was here now, and I couldn’t pretend not to see children suffering through miserable childhoods.
After all, I’d had a terrible childhood in an orphanage too.
And beyond that, my sense of responsibility as an adult kept pricking at my conscience.
So while I was here, I wanted to do everything I could for these children.
I wanted them—unlike me—to remember their childhoods as happy ones.
After sitting lost in thought for a long while, I finally stood up. Bill immediately latched onto me.
“Lopez noona, where are you going?”
“To the incinerator.”
Today, I’m the one assigned to throw out that stinky trash.
Holding the trash bin, I wiggled my hips as a signal for him to let go.
But Bill stubbornly clung to the hem of my skirt.
“The incinerator smells really bad.”
“Noona, didn’t you wash?”
“I’m not the incinerator.”
And I bathe once a day.
“Hehe.”
After thinking about it, I realized Bill probably viewed me as some mysterious unidentified creature.
The way he watched me was exactly like someone studying something strange.
If I could live up to his expectations, that’d be nice, but if he ended up disappointed after realizing I was completely ordinary, I’d feel wronged.
Especially since I’d never actually done anything worthy of his admiration.
“Stay here.”
“Mmm.”
Only then did Bill reluctantly let go of my skirt.
I headed toward the incinerator and took off my indoor slippers to change into my shoes.
Or at least, I would have if my shoes weren’t completely soaked.
“When did I wash these?”
I had no memory of doing that.
…Guess I’d just have to wear them anyway.
You got scolded for walking around outside in indoor slippers.
Just then, Klein grabbed my wrist and turned me around.
I froze halfway while bent over to put on my shoes.
What now?
Did he want attention again like last time?
“What?”
“Wear these slippers.”
They were outdoor slippers.
He tossed them toward me, then paused before returning to class and asked over his shoulder,
“Why were you there that time?”
“I was looking for somewhere to eat the chicken drumstick I secretly stole from the kitchen.”
Since I’d expected the question, the answer came naturally.
Absolutely not because I went there to save you—it was all just coincidence.
“……”
“And the cook can’t find out I’m the one who stole the chicken.”
Without replying, Klein slipped back into the classroom.
The tips of his ears, red beneath his silver hair, looked oddly fascinating.
Silently, I slipped on the outdoor slippers he’d given me.
You shouldn’t ignore a child’s kindness.
If I rejected him, that wound might stay with him and make him hesitate to help others when he grew up.
‘I can’t let him become that kind of person because of me.’
No matter how harsh the environment, children could change depending on the people around them.
Dragging the slightly oversized slippers along, I carried the trash bin toward the incinerator.
The smell around the incinerator was awful, so children usually avoided the area.
But today, there was an unfamiliar child crouched beside one of the large trash bins.
For some reason, dust clung so thickly to the child’s hair that I couldn’t even tell its original color.
At the sound of my footsteps, the child looked up.
Even their face was filthy blackened with grime.
Their overgrown bangs covered their eyes completely, making it impossible to tell what they looked like.
They simply looked incredibly gloomy.
‘Definitely a Class 3 kid.’
If they were from Class 1 or 2, they’d never look like that.
“What’s a Class 3 kid doing here?”
“Maybe they came because they think the incinerator is their home.”
Some passing children snickered mockingly.
The comment crossed the line enough that I sharply cut in.
“Apologize before I turn that incinerator into your home.”
“Eek! Lopez talked to us!”
I’d forgotten my own reputation was rock bottom too.
The child watching from the corner looked unfazed despite hearing all that.
Instead, they glanced sideways at me and stammered,
“E-even if you defend me, you won’t gain anything from it.”
That wasn’t why I stepped in, but before I could explain, the child disappeared quickly.
‘A Class 3 kid…’
Since all the main characters were concentrated in Class 1, the original novel barely mentioned the Class 3 children at all.
Which meant I, someone destined to be demoted there, knew absolutely nothing about it.
‘Where am I supposed to get information about Class 3?’
I sank into thought.
‘Even if I ask, nobody would answer me.’
Should I sneak over to Class 3?
But what if they thought I came just to gawk at them?
‘I’m getting demoted soon anyway. I’ll observe things closely then.’
No point risking getting caught snooping around and making everyone hate me even more.
“AAAH!”
Klein yanked at his hair.
The children in the classroom stared at him strangely when he suddenly screamed, but he ignored them.
Head lowered deeply, Klein’s face burned bright red.
‘I’ve completely lost my mind…!’
Why did I give her slippers?!
What if she thinks I like her or something?
If she starts clinging to me again, I’m screwed!
“Klein, what’s wrong all of a sudden?”
Apparently not even hearing Medina’s question, Klein glared at the class and asked sharply,
“Who poured water into Lopez’s shoes?”
“What?”
Medina covered her mouth in shock.
The others had pointed fingers at Lopez before, but she never imagined they’d bully her this directly.
She’d stayed out of it because Lopez seemed more comfortable being left alone, but this crossed the line.
Lopez had already sincerely apologized for what she’d done, and Medina had forgiven her.
That should’ve been the end of it.
It wasn’t anyone else’s place to continue tormenting her.
“Guys! I already forgave Lopez. If you’re doing this because of me, stop it.”
At that moment, Darwin clicked his tongue.
“It’s not because of you. We just have a lot of grudges against Lopez!”
“Yeah! She used to be so annoying! What’s wrong with getting a little revenge?”
One by one, voices of agreement grew louder.
Seeing Medina flustered, Klein stepped in front of her protectively.
“Don’t say anything to Medina. That’s not what I asked!”
Under Klein’s sharp glare, everyone finally fell silent.
At the same time…
“Uoooh!”
Lopez aggressively dumped trash into the incinerator to celebrate Anna getting kicked out.
Passing by by chance, Chester bit his lip hard to stop himself from laughing.
The unexpected sight hit young Chester’s exact sense of humor.
‘This isn’t funny.’
I’m not laughing right now.
Chester even tried hypnotizing himself as he erased Lopez from his thoughts.
The Class 3 child I met at the incinerator never appeared again after that day.
‘Instead, something weird attached itself to me.’
Feeling the familiar stare again today, I suddenly whipped around.
Behind me, Chester was removing a leaf caught in Medina’s hair.
I could’ve sworn he’d been secretly watching me and smiling.
Then again, maybe it was my imagination.
Why would he laugh at me when I hadn’t done anything?
Guess I’m getting too sensitive.
I turned back forward—
—and nearly stumbled in shock.
“Can’t you watch where you’re going?”
“I was distracted looking behind me for a second…”
Sorry.
I tried to avoid Klein, who was standing directly in front of me, but we awkwardly kept stepping in the same direction at the same time.
Watching us, Medina giggled softly from behind.
“What are you two doing?”
“No, he’s the one—!”
The moment Klein paused, I quickly slipped past him to escape—
Splash!
A torrent of water suddenly poured over my head.
The unexpected drenching soaked me completely.
It came down so hard my body staggered.
When I looked up, a child shouted between bursts of laughter.
“Sorry! I saw something dirty walking by, so I thought I’d wash it!”
After the children’s mocking laughter faded, a heavy silence settled.
‘Something dirty walking by…’
That wasn’t the sort of thing a child should say.
I’d ignored all the other bullying before, but this time I strongly felt I couldn’t let it slide.
Because they’d crossed the line.
The insult itself didn’t bother me much, but if I ignored it now, those children wouldn’t grow up properly.
And someday, another child might get hurt by words like that.
Now that Anna was gone, I no longer had to worry about children getting beaten if they were punished.
It was time to properly discipline them.
This matter…
Yeah. I should tell Megan.
After Anna was expelled, Sunflower Orphanage got rid of the discipline teacher position.
Instead, they created a new role called “counseling teacher” and assigned it to Megan.
‘I heard the voices. They weren’t from my class.’
If they were from Class 2…
…I should probably go see Lisa.
