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Chapter: 14
Lee Gyeol fiddled with his phone.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“You’re really good at pretending not to know.”
“I’m not pretending.”
Still, Lee Gyeol subtly avoided Hadam’s gaze.
“What’s fifth period?”
He even tried to dodge the question with his words.
“The schedule is posted over there.”
“Oh, literature, huh.”
Hadam decided to change tactics.
It seemed that becoming friends first was the only way to get any information.
“Thanks for earlier in math class. I was number 14.”
“I know. It’s all written in the textbook—20314.”
Hadam paused for a moment.
“Did you go out on purpose knowing that?”
“Yeah. You seemed nervous.”
Hadam hadn’t thought that he would really know and step out.
The feeling was strange.
Meanwhile, Lee Gyeol seemed completely indifferent, flipping through the table of contents at the front of the textbook.
“…Thanks.”
This time, it wasn’t empty words.
Lee Gyeol turned his face toward Hadam and gave a small smile.
“Are you really thankful enough to say it twice?”
“The second time is genuine.”
“That’s a little disappointing.”
“But your tone doesn’t show it at all.”
“My heart does.”
Sigh…
Did he not know how to have a proper conversation, or did he just like teasing people?
Swallowing the sigh that threatened to escape, Hadam brought up another topic.
“How did you study math?”
“Diligently?”
“That answer is way too lazy.”
“I’m serious. I just studied hard, so I got better at solving the problems.”
“Yuna would be disappointed to hear that.”
“The one earlier? The one who came over to ask questions?”
“Yeah. Yuna’s the top of the whole school. She’s really good at studying and really curious.”
“You must be close with her?”
“Best friends.”
“Really? Since when?”
“Since elementary school.”
“That’s a long time.”
“Yeah. So… if it’s okay, could you tell me which workbooks you use? Yuna’s curious about it.”
It was a casually asked question.
Lee Gyeol picked up a pen rolling on the desk and twirled it.
“Rather than just giving you my workbook, wouldn’t it be better to study together?”
“Together? You and Yuna?”
Hadam’s eyes widened.
Studying together even though they weren’t close… he had thought Lee Gyeol was unusual, but this was way beyond expectation.
Lee Gyeol immediately shook his head side to side.
“No, of course, you too.”
“Ugh. No thanks.”
“Then I won’t insist either.”
“Why should I join?”
“Because it’d be awkward.”
“And I’m not awkward?”
“I feel like I’ve known you for years. Very comfortable.”
“I don’t feel that way.”
“Fine then.”
…Ah, why is this so difficult?
Honestly, thinking of Yuna, who would probably welcome this with both hands raised, made it hard to refuse immediately.
I also owed Yuna quite a bit emotionally… Studying together wouldn’t be too much, right?
It might even improve my math grades…
Yet why does my head hurt so much…
Sigh…
Hadam let out a long sigh.
“I’ll ask Yuna about it.”
“When?”
“When we get back to the dorm. I’ll think about it until then.”
“Message me.”
Hadam didn’t feel like responding, so he just nodded lightly.
The last class ended, and it was time for homeroom.
Some students excitedly chattered about whether the homeroom teacher would show up, since he hadn’t appeared during the morning assembly.
Hadam had a similar thought, but there was no official announcement, so he cleaned his desk and waited.
However, 5 minutes, then 10 minutes passed, and no one opened the classroom door.
Voices of frustration popped up here and there.
“Class president, just let us go.”
“We’re all here anyway. Can’t we just chat in the class group?”
“Why isn’t he coming? So annoying.”
Rrrrrr.
“Who said something about being annoyed?”
The classroom door swung open roughly.
Woong Yak-san looked extremely tired.
“Confess while I’m being nice.”
Rock Hae-seung, sitting in the middle of the classroom, timidly raised his hand.
“Penalty points: 18. I hate misbehaving students the most.”
Sighs of sympathy echoed around.
If a student reached 20 penalty points, they had to scrub the gym floor every day for a month.
“Whoa. That’s a bit much, teacher.”
Rock Hae-seung showed no signs of remorse, talking casually in a clearly delinquent manner.
Woong Yak-san’s gaze suddenly turned fierce.
Hadam flinched in surprise.
A shiver ran down his neck.
The room seemed to freeze as everyone sensed the unusual atmosphere.
“You want to reach 20 points?”
“Ah, no.”
Rock Hae-seung shook his head hastily, turning pale.
Just when it seemed quiet, someone bravely raised their hand.
“Teacher.”
It was Majio.
“I’m curious why you don’t attend the morning assembly.”
“None of your business.”
“Isn’t attending the assembly the homeroom teacher’s duty? We also have the right to know.”
Woong Yak-san, looking irritated, scanned the class starting from Majio.
Some avoided his gaze, but some nodded vigorously.
Letting out a short grunt, Woong Yak-san reluctantly spoke.
“There are other subject classes. Special activities. That’s all I can tell you.”
“Is it the class at Taebaek Hall?”
“You want penalty points too?”
“No.”
Majio quickly backed down.
Which made sense—Majio was usually the first to reach 20 penalty points each year, always doing forbidden things: exploring the school alone at night, crossing forest boundaries without permission, spreading unverified rumors… His nickname, “Conspiracy Maniac,” wasn’t given without reason.
“You’ll have plenty of questions, but you’ll find out over time. While I’m gone, listen to the class president. There’s no announcement today. Seon Hadam, come to the faculty office for a moment. That’s it, dismissed.”
Startled by the sudden call, Hadam looked for Yuna.
Yuna also had a confused expression.
He wanted to ask why, but in that short moment, Woong Yak-san had already crossed the threshold.
“It’s probably nothing.”
Lee Gyeol said lightly, noticing Hadam’s nervousness.
“He’s not scary. His scars just look rough.”
But the aura the homeroom teacher had earlier was utterly intimidating.
Suppressing his unease, Hadam asked:
“Are you close with him? I heard you call him Woong-ssam.”
“Fairly close. We’ve known each other since elementary school.”
“Since elementary school? Teachers keep changing, though.”
“Ah… we change too.”
“That answer’s weird. An elementary school teacher doesn’t automatically become a high school teacher just by aging.”
“Of course not. But you better go down quickly. Woong-ssam doesn’t like waiting.”
“Gah.”
Hadam hurriedly packed his bag.
“Don’t forget to message me later.”
Lee Gyeol waved his phone.
Nodding briefly, Hadam hurried after the homeroom teacher, though he couldn’t run fast enough to catch up.
Arriving a step behind Woong Yak-san at the faculty office, some teachers greeted him.
“Oh, Hadam’s here.”
“Yes, hello.”
“Nothing unusual lately?”
“No, nothing.”
“Make sure you eat properly. You need to stay healthy. You’re too thin, kid.”
“Ha ha ha…”
Hadam passed through the teachers with an awkward smile.
Woong Yak-san’s desk was at the far back, cornered in the room.
“Sit there.”
Woong Yak-san, already seated, gestured to a chair opposite him.
Hadam slowly took a seat and glanced around.
Woong Yak-san’s desk was clean—or rather, empty.
A computer, a few folders, a couple of textbooks, and a pencil case with two pens—that was all.
“Seon Hadam.”
“Yes? Yes!”
“Why so startled?”
Exactly, teacher.
I must be too nervous.
Hadam exhaled deeply instead of saying what was on his mind.
“No need to worry. I’m not going to eat you.”
Was that a joke?
Hadam briefly wondered whether a joke that no one laughs at could really be called a joke.
“I called you here because…”
Woong Yak-san immediately got to the point.
“It’s because of Lee Gyeol.”
Just as expected.
He had already thought on the way down that Lee Gyeol was the only reason for this.
Woong Yak-san leaned back in his massive chair and spoke slowly.
“I called to see if Lee Gyeol is adjusting well to life here.”
“It’s only been two days…”
“But since you’re his partner, you’ve been closest to him. Tell me something.”
Hadam hesitated. It was hard to judge Lee Gyeol.
Based on yesterday’s behavior in class, he seemed like a massive social misfit, but with Hadam, he showed remarkable friendliness.
Still, giving all the details felt like tattling.
Hadam decided to give a vague answer.
“He seems… to be doing well.”
“Is that it?”
Faced with the indifferent questioning, Hadam desperately racked his brain.
“Uh—he’s not late, he pays attention in class, and… also…”
“Also?”
“Also… he seems to try to get along with me…”
Trailing off, Hadam wracked his brain but truly couldn’t think of anything else.
Woong Yak-san fiddled with his chin.
“Not that.”
“Not that?”
Hadam tilted his head, unsure what answer was expected.
“…Have you ever felt the sensation of your hair standing on end?”
For a moment, he remembered the chilling roar at the museum.
