TRGD 13

Chapter 13. The Wise School Life of a School Violence Perpetrator (7)

Her angry face is cute too?

You’d probably think I’m a weirdo for reacting like this, but I mean it.

Han Yubin had a unique aura that set her apart from the other students.

Perfectly sculpted features and flawless, glowing skin.

She was the kind of beauty that naturally drew people’s attention.

It matched her untouchable, aloof presence perfectly.

And then there was her icy gaze.

After graduating from Cheonghwa, rumor had it that she went on to the Business Administration Department at Seoguk University, attended law school, and eventually joined a major law firm.

Of course, before this timeline replayed, she had been someone I wouldn’t have even dared look in the eye.

Every morning, she stood at the school gate with the supervising teacher.

The cold-blooded witch.

Now that I was seeing her again, even the way she got angry looked pretty cute.

“Heh.”

Lost in thought, I let out a chuckle without realizing it.

Looks like my courage really has grown.

“Y-you… Are you laughing at me right now?”

Han Yubin’s eyes widened even further.

Her already large eyes became as round as saucers.

“How about we act like civilized people and show each other some respect?”

“Respect? I’m the head of the Student Discipline Committee!!”

Apparently offended, Han Yubin shouted.

So what?

“What elementary school class year were you in?”

“…??”

Han Yubin looked at me as if I had just spoken complete nonsense.

But I had a perfectly good reason for asking about elementary school instead of high school.

Call me petty if you want.

“I’m on a different level than the rest of you.”

“…”

Han Yubin stared at me in disbelief.

“I repeated two years in elementary school. I’m a returning student. So watch how you speak to me.”

“…!!”

Han Yubin’s expression twisted.

She seemed to realize this conversation had gone completely off the rails.

During adolescence, even a one-year age difference can mean everything.

“At the very least, call me friend. Otherwise, call me oppa.”

This was the power of having ten billion won.

In just a few days, that ten billion would multiply into trillions.

And those trillions would become…

The vague fear I used to have about the future had disappeared.

Confidence replaced it.

The security money brought gave me this sense of freedom.

I think I finally understood how rich people felt when they threw money around.

Now I could meet them on equal footing.

Even now, while facing the fuming Han Yubin.

“So?”

The boy standing beside Han Yubin stepped forward.

I didn’t know his name.

He was around the mid-170-centimeter range.

His silver-rimmed glasses suited his sharp, unfriendly face.

The contempt in his eyes was incredibly irritating.

I’d seen that look countless times in my previous life.

Whenever people believed they held the upper hand, contempt and mockery naturally seeped into their gaze.

“Didn’t you hear me? Call me hyung.”

“Hyung? Puhahaha!”

He laughed loudly, showing his neat row of teeth.

Then—

He suddenly stopped laughing.

The contempt in his eyes shifted into something almost insane.

Just as expected.

At this point, I didn’t even need to examine them to know that most of them had screws loose.

Humanity probably wasn’t included anywhere in their education.

As someone living in the same era, the future of Korea looked pretty bleak.

“You arrogant bastard.”

Was he talking to me?

Have we ever even met before?

Because of one self-appointed white knight, steam practically rose from the top of my head.

From experience, it was nearly impossible to find anyone in this school with a properly functioning brain.

“If you end up getting your mouth smashed like O Gwangjun, won’t that be even more embarrassing for you?”

I asked casually.

Everything that happened today would spread through the school anyway.

Ha Taewoong had become a mad dog.

Touch him, and he’d bite.

That was about the level of gossip people would be spreading.

“What? You’re proud that you got held back? You’re a nobody. Does that justify violence?”

He was trying to provoke me.

His name tag…

“Yang Jihun. Who are you supposed to be?”

“What?”

“I’ve never heard of you. Must come from some insignificant family.”

“Y-you little…”

“What does your father do? Does he work for Han Yubin’s family or something?”

“S-shut up!!”

Yang Jihun exploded first.

“So I was right. Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue as I looked at the furious Yang Jihun.

“Do you really have a death wish?”

“Can you actually kill me?”

“You little…”

Yang Jihun looked ready to charge at me with bloodshot eyes.

“That’s enough.”

Han Yubin stretched out one arm to stop him.

“…”

Like a servant instantly calming down after hearing his young mistress’s command, Yang Jihun obediently stopped.

But the burning hatred in his eyes remained.

“Ha Taewoong.”

Han Yubin called my name.

“What is it, Han Yubin?”

I answered casually.

“I’m officially reporting today’s incident to the Student Executive Committee.”

“Go ahead.”

“…You’ve really decided to throw your life away.”

“Yeah. I’m living the way you people say a school violence perpetrator should.”

“You lunatic…”

Han Yubin looked as though someone had just punched her in the face.

Fine.

I’ll acknowledge you too.

After coming back to this point in time, I realized something.

This world isn’t meant for kind people.

Being kind doesn’t earn you mercy.

If you have the power, you live just like the people standing here.

Hide your arrogance beneath polished manners.

That’s the privilege reserved for Korea’s elite who control the world however they please.

“Thanks for the compliment.”

“Pfft… Hehe.”

Right then, another suppressed laugh reached my ears.

It was the puppy again.

She still hadn’t left the cafeteria.

Still sitting in her seat, she lowered her head slightly while her shoulders trembled from trying not to laugh.

“What are you looking at?!”

Her bodyguard, An Aram, shouted as everyone’s attention shifted toward them.

“…”

Step. Step.

Han Yubin walked past me, unable to hide her displeasure, radiating cold hostility.

As the Discipline Committee president, she’d enjoyed considerable authority throughout the school.

Then—

“Wait.”

I called after her.

“…??”

She stopped walking.

She turned back, looking at me with confusion written all over her face.

I slowly approached the sour-faced Han Yubin.

Then…

I reached out my hand.

“W-what are you doing…?”

Han Yubin cried out in surprise.

She probably remembered the moment O Seora had been slapped by me.

Just moments ago, she’d been glaring at me fiercely.

Now she looked like a frightened deer standing before a hunter’s gun.

“…There’s… some lint on your shoulder.”

I plucked the little piece of fuzz from the right shoulder of Han Yubin’s school uniform and showed it to her.

Tap.

Then I lightly brushed her shoulder.

At least Han Yubin wasn’t one of those beast-like characters.

She still hadn’t crossed the line.

“…”

Han Yubin simply stared at me with wide, stunned eyes.

Her cheeks seemed to redden slightly before she finally spoke.

“I’ll… remember what happened today.”

“Don’t be so grateful over something so small. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Han Yubin obviously meant something entirely different.

But I interpreted it however I pleased.

The situation had already spiraled completely out of control.

The backlash waiting ahead?

It didn’t scare me anymore.

Not after becoming someone different from my former self.

Crunch. Crunch.

Han Yubin disappeared from the cafeteria.

A fresh, cool aqua fragrance lingered faintly behind her.

“…Ha Taewoong, I see you differently now.”

Park Jiung looked at me with admiration.

Until now, not even the school violence perpetrators—let alone ordinary students—had ever had the guts to openly challenge the Discipline Committee like this.

Especially not when the opponent was Han Yubin.

“Scared?”

“Heh. No.”

Confidence had appeared in Park Jiung’s eyes as well.

His smile was lighter.

His spirit brighter.

“Then what?”

“It feels freaking amazing. Like chugging an ice-cold cola after choking on sweet potatoes.”

Life had returned to Park Jiung’s eyes.

Gone was the dark crimson aura I’d noticed when O Seora had been bullying him.

Now it had become a clean, brilliant blue.

It seemed Park Jiung’s fate had changed.

That alone was enough.

Several years from now, the MZ-generation gang boss who would shake all of Korea no longer existed.

As for me…

If things went south, I could simply quit school.

The money to support me was already secured.

From here on, I’d live however I wanted.

I slowly looked around the cafeteria.

“…”

Everyone had fallen silent, as if by prior agreement.

Even those who had been casually calling me a school violence perpetrator only moments ago avoided my gaze.

“Heh.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Only half a day had passed.

Yet my entire life had changed.

No one would ever be able to look down on me again.

The Ha Taewoong who lived his life getting pushed around was gone.

Through O Gwangjun and O Seora, I had made my presence impossible to ignore.

Granted, I’d earned that recognition through violence…

But for those beast-like people who lacked even basic humanity…

A beating was the only medicine.

Grandma had asked only one thing of me.

“Live your short life having fun.”

Just then—

“…Oppa.”

“…??”

An unfamiliar voice calling me oppa came from behind.

I quickly turned around.

The moment I saw her, my eyes were instantly drawn to a single person!

“…??”